Distracted by An Antique wedding Sampler Quilt

You know how easily I can get distracted? Well once again when temptation knocks, I stepped right in. When my book order from Quilt Mania arrived, I knew I had to make a quilt in one of the books and my choice was Di Ford's Antique Wedding sampler.

This Quilt was originally made by Charlotte Gillingham in the early 1840's. It was a wedding gift to her fiancé and they were married in 1844 by which time the quilt was completed.

Original Wedding Sampler made by Charlotte Gillingham

There is some more examples of the original blocks in this quilt close up on the Quaker Quilts bog.  Di Ford's quilt consist of 25 blocks only. Because Broderie Perse was used as applique technique the applique blocks and triangles on the edge of the quilt look different than the original.

I selected several large print fabrics to use in my version of the quilt. I auditioned them on my design wall. Applique is not my strong point and none of the fabrics is really suited or interesting enough to use as Broderie Perse. I decide to use the large print at the back of the other pieces as the triangles. I will fussy cut some of the other fabrics to use in the blocks where Broderie Perse was used.

Large Prints selection

One of my favorite parts of starting a new project is to decide and make my fabric selection. As a quilt proceed some more fabrics are added and I do not necessarily use all the fabrics selected. Here is some more of the accompanying fabrics, I selected.

I made photocopies of the completed quilt. I decided to re- arrange some of the blocks so I cut the photocopy apart and stick the blocks in their new positions. My plan of action is to work on 4 blocks at a time, blocks equal distances from the middle.

The first four blocks that I cut and marked for hand piecing is the blocks with the little triangle pieces. These blocks will stay in the original positions that they were in Di's quilt but I will change the colour and fabric choice.

I did not draw the smaller blocks inside the two upper blocks. There will be four Ribbon Star blocks in the four corners of the left block and a eight point star in the center of the other block

Seeing that I am not so good at applique and do not have fabrics really suitable for Broderie Perse I decided to incorporate some machine embroidery (who could have guessed that!) in my blocks. In the Ribbon Star blocks there are many places where I can replace the applique with embroidery. These 4 blocks will be around the centre as in this EQ developed middle of the quilt.

I embroidered the background patches

When one work on  four blocks at a time it is easier to make sure that the blocks relate well to each other or at least then those diagonally opposite to each other in colour and value selection.

I used designs from the Floral Brocade set from Graceful Embroidery.
I stabilised the designs with a piece of flannel for best results.
I turned some of the designs to get the correct placement and then loose the original effect the designer planned for the embroideries and realise that only to late- I should have changed my fabric placement, not rotate the embroidery

 I have completed all the embroidery of this four blocks. Some of the sub parts of the blocks is very small stars and those will be hand pieced once the first four blocks are completed. The first of these four blocks are completed.

The first completed block surrounded by some chosen large prints

This block is partially assembled, small stars need to be completed for the corners. I used my Scan n cut to cut the fabric for the middle part. I am still quite scared to use it, but decided to just try it out and if I cannot get it right I will just cut by hand. After a bit of effort and "reading the instructions" I succeeded.

I plan as I go. So I will now look for other embroidery designs that will go wll with the Brocade set to use in the next four blocks. I do plan to do a little Broderie Perse though- I think the rose print to the left of the first block might be suitable.

I am a regular reader of Lori Kennedy's blog, The Inbox Juant. In her latest blog she talk about her Quilters Notebook. She introduced it in 2014 before I start reading her blog. I started such a book for my Crochet because I got confused with all my projects and CAL's. Over the years I use different systems to keep myself on track with my projects. I will definitely apply her suggestions in this blog post and the previous ones,  as I am sure it will work for me. Hopefully when I see how many unfinished quilts I have I will be more cautious before starting a new project. To my credit  I can say that I have already completed 4 old quilts this year, as well as made and completed 2 new children quilts. I have also started and completed two quilt tops. Once the old quilt now on my Simply Sixteen frame is quilted, I hope to complete these two new quilts in this year as well.

Hope you have new and old projects to delight you and keep you quilting!

Machine Embroidery Secrets

At Secrets of Embroidery they have a treasure hunt. If you have an embroidery module for your machine (even if you do not use it) you need to go over there and see the wonderful things the designers have come up with. For $1 one can buy beautiful design sets.

Let me introduce you to the World of Machine embroidery. Sewing machines with embroidery modules or dedicated embroidery machines can sew out wonderful designs. There is a few limitations: The digitized file (a computer file where instructions is "wrote") must be in the language the machine understand to carry out the specific orders. One need to buy the design files in the correct format/language or have a program that convert it. Bernina use ART files. The other limitation is the size of the hoop the specific machine can handle. If you only have a small hoop you have to re-hoop a different area and have different files for each area.

Digitizers buy the Artwork from  places that specialize in providing suitable designs. Otherwise they draw designs themselves or source it from other places. Any designs that they use have the restrictions that the copyright holder require. If you buy the design from a digitizer they keep the copyright of the digitized file and you have certain rights depending on the digitizer. Some say it is only for your personal use, some give you the right to embroider their designs on things you want to sell- often with some restrictions.

Just like the longarm machine provide many stay-at-home mothers an income, to digitize designs can provide an income. I am not always so sure about it being a good income- it take  long to digitise a design well and unfortunately many people do not respect the right of the copyright holders and think it is all right to share the embroidered files with others. Unfortunately this has led to some digitizers giving this up as a source of income and a big loss in the embroidery world to be without their talents.

I love to buy sets of designs where one can use the different designs of the set in a quilt and you know that they will go well together. I use the embroidery like I would use large scale prints. There is some problems with using embroidery in a quilt. Embroidery show the best against a white background. A brightly coloured design will also look good an a black background. Any other colour background must be carefully considered as well as the combination of thread and thread colours.

If the embroidery take centre stage I do not want to put it on a white background- specially if the design is dainty.  All the white look like a Bull's eye. I also want the design to be in a specific place in the pieced design and spill over in specific areas to provide a integrated appaerance. To achieve this I have to digitize the piecing- then I can insert a embroidery file and place it on the "pieced" block where I want it.

It is always a good idea to test the design out to make sure your decisions are correct. When test sewing a design one also need to consider which stabilizer to use. Designs with a high stitch density will need more support and a thicker tear away stabilizer. Delicate fabrics  need  on going support and an iron on stabilizer or cut away stabilizer might be the types one consider. I do not like to have "paper" in my quilts. Sharon Schamber and Ricky Tims sell on their website a stabilizer they use in applique that become soft when washed. I cannot get it in South Africa and it is costly to import. I like to use a cotton batting to support my stitches specially when I will complete it in a Quilt-as-you-go fashion like my quilt Russian inspiration.

This is a challenge

Can I blog everyday and still have something meaningful to say? The blogtoberfestival hosted by Tinnie girl   for the month of October put this challenge to all bloggers. Well the saying is: If you have done something for 30 days it become a habit. I do not think I plan to make it a habit- it take to long for me to formulate a meaningful blog post in English, my second language. My reason for blogging is not to keep a day to day diary of what I have done for the day. My aim is basically to record my quilts- those that I make and those that is in the process of being made.

I also like to express some of my ideas on my blog. In blogland for me, everyone is equal- if we show or "teach" something it does not mean that we think we are the only authority on the subject? For me it is about sharing how I do things. If some one can learn something from it or just be inspired to try another method- that is what it is about. I have learned and have been inspired by many blogs the last two years.

My intention was to take a photograph of the view from my front porch every week. I wanted to document the changing of the seasons. Unfortunately when I thought of taking the photograph it was windy or raining outside. Now the wheat are turning colour already. We are praying for another bit of rain. Some rain now will make a huge difference to harvest. The price of wheat is very low and just cover production cost. A higher yield will make all the difference to our farming operation. Many workers are dependant on us so it is very important to have the best harvest possible.

This was while reorganizing

I plan to blog about my studio this month- yes I have said studio. I have accept the fact that I am an Artist. It does not make me "better" or an authority- it just explain why I take my quilting so seriously. (A writer may write, even though he does not get published and as quilt artist I may make quilts even though I do not try to sell them.)

I will also give a hand piecing tutorial and hand piecers who want to work along with me can also read this blog and this blog.

The fact that I did not blog about my hand applique project- the My Tweet blocks from Erin Russek, does not mean that I quit the project. I was studying all my applique books and ordered some more. I am now an expert on all the different methods.(Not to do them- but to describe them.) I will blog about this and would like some views on your preferred methods.

I will not neglect showing my progress on my projects. I would also like to add more blocks that I have pieced and embroidered in the hoop. This block is a Castle Keep variation with an embroidery design by Ina Stoltz.

The piecing was digitised by me-I inserted Ina's embroidery to fit the "Patchwork

I am looking forward to a month of blogging. I have also start an early morning walk. Actually my husband and I planned to walk every morning- and hopefully in 30 days this will become a habit. (I have walked everyday about 3 years ago but had to stop due to a problem with my foot. It is solved and I need to get into this daily routine.) Hope you will follow my blog and share your thoughts by commenting as well.

A Confession

I am a devoted blog reader and a lazy blogger. When I read this post- I decided it is time to write again. Thank you dear reader of my blog- without your comments and page views I would have quit long ago. When I began blogging I thought I will do it just for myself to keep a visual record of how I spent my days- and of how my quilts grow- from idea to being quilted.

Well I am sure if you are blogging you know how important feedback is- here I want to thank Liri (have you seen a more beautiful header than Liri's in blogland?)-  your comments are always building my confidence as a blogger- and why have we not see a blog post from you for so long?

I will do the hand piecing tutorial, although nobody have indicated that they are going to join me, in a future post. I have spent a few days with my children at a hot water spring, Goudini- near Rawsonville in the Cape. This gave me lots of time for hand piecing and I completed another 12 blocks.

My embroidery weeks came to an end now with all the heart embroideries completed for this quilt. It is on my design wall- but will have to wait patiently while I work and complete my quilt for the Tri- Nation exhibition. I am scared of the quilt and have found an excuse to put it off till TOMORROW, but tomorrow I am going to work on it.

(To fix a sideways photo-read here)

I also worked on a Blackwork "strip". After I stitched out one block I was so pleased with the results that I want to make a five block string. However I could only fit 2 blocks in a hooping- so it took 3 hoopings. Every time one need to make sure that the blocks are correctly spaced and placed. Hanlie Snyman- our Bernina teacher (The best of the BEST) find this challenge thrilling- that is what make it interesting to her. For me- it is an adrenalin pumping exercise and I do not like adrenaline and what it do to me!

I used Perfection cotton thread that Pam Holland gave to me for the Blackwork and just love the results.

On this redwork piece I used a multicolor pink to red. I liked the background but when it sewed the satin stitches it did not look so good any more. I can try to isolate the satin stitched parts and give it a second colour. Then the background will be this lovely: "Now you see it, Now you don't." Or perhaps I should just make it in red?

Fascinating Blogworld

Reading blogs is a big adventure for me. I start out when I have time at "What are quilters Blogging about Today" Here all the new blogs of the day can be looked at and the interesting ones can be clicked on to read further. I spent an hour every morning at the dairy doing this. Often I do not get past the third page because I get on a side track.

One thing leads to another and before long I find interesting links or interesting blogs on the blogroll of other bloggers. I am a compulsive reader so the wonderful original content that so many quilt bloggers give us, with photographs to show their work, is very inspiring.

I have the good intention to blog more regularly. Other quilters blogs are so fascinating though, that instead of blogging I am reading blogs! Viva blogland!

One of my really favourite blogs is La Vie en Rosie of Carrie Nelson. Carrie is a wonderful person. This I can see just by reading her blog. She has also make a beautiful quilt: Eventide. The instructions for this quilt is available in a pattern from Carrie.

When I am inspired by a quilt, I always try to put a twist on a it and not produce it exactly like it was done before. One of the wonderful qualities of Eventide is that it is a beautiful "blended" quilt with a "now you see it- now you don't" look. It is also a Ohio Star within an Ohio Star.

So with this as inspiration I have designed a possible quilt in EQ7. My variation will give me an opportunity to use some machine embroidery on the big triangles. The "embroidery" I show on my EQ quilt is just a suggestion of where I will put the embroidery and not what I will put there.

I call this "Evenso" and hope that it will become a real quilt in the near future.

I have started with 4 blocks and selected possible fabric. I do need to do the quilting on my competition quilt first and cannot afford these distractions!

                                                      Ooops...a little mistake- that happens so easily!

Here is the fabric from my stash auditioned for this project. I do not really have enough of this blendable fabrics- but I am not to subtle in my approach to quilting. Although I admire the blended look- I will have to buy to many fabrics (what a wonderful excuse- I think I should do it!) to get the variety. This I will definitely not get in South Africa and the postage and import duties are so high- so I must really think this through. (Do you still remember my Modern fabrics that is actually due for a project? See how easily do I get side tracted!)

What am I doing

I must confess- I do get so sidetracked by everything I see that I completely loose my direction. I am a good starter and a poor "finisher-upper" as Helen Kelly said. So I decided to tackle the duvet cover and finish it before I tackle another thing.

The advantage when one embroider, is that you can work on two things simultaneously. So while the machine embroider, I tackle the bags that I started. But let me first talk about the duvet cover. The square will be in the middle and I have added and appliqued with a digitized design the 3 circles. The idea is that there will be 8 circles around the middle square and a separate design in the 4 corners. I think I should move the 4 circles that will be on the diagonal, towards the middle so that they are not arranged in a ring. I am quite please with the applique and the shiny stretchy satin look nice on the background cotton sateen.

I was cleaning my cupboard and came across short 2 inch strips. I decided to make colourful bags for our National Quilt Festival- where I will be in charge of the classrooms and will look after teacher comfort. I have completed the patchwork for this bags. Now for the completion of the 34 bags.

If I sew a binding on the top edges I need to work the other side by hand. I don't mind the handwork- but it will take quite a time. Then I thought to overlock it. This do not look so neat but I think after I press it and add a nice button it might work.

I still have a zillion strips left. Inspired by Wanda's colour wash kaleidoscope I sewed these strips together. I could cut 2 wedges from a set. This take forever! I do need to finish a In the hoop project that will need my constant attention- so when I am finish with the duvet these things will have to wait again.

O yes and then I was lured to make this quilt. I saw this on two blogs and made my own version. I used a lot of flower prints in purple. (I took the process pledge today so I had to confess about all my transgressions!)

Piece in the hoop

I love to use my machine’s embroidery unit for precision piecing. I do not really like paper based piecing but since my machine do it for me, my view changed. Blocks like Pineapple where the angles get wonky and blocks do not fit together paper based piecing or Piecing in the hoop is an essential method.

This Pineapple block (miniature) was created using the embroidery unit of my machine. This method is very suitable for miniature blocks. If the block cannot be pieced as a whole one can pièce the different units and then sew them together in a regular way. The Queenofstitching apparently has a method to complete the block in the hoop.

With the bigger hoop that many machines now have, once the block is pieced one can carry on and embroider the block as well as quilt the block. I have combined piecing and appliqué to achieve this. Bigger blocks can be sewn in half and then embroidered on this half before the other half are sewn in the hoop as I did in these blocks.

For a tutorial of these methods go  here

Or for a   video

Stabilizers in quilts

I hate the idea of paper in my quilt, therefore I tried to avoid using tear away stabilizers in my machine embroidery. I must admit that I did not realize the importance of the stabilizer in the formation of beautiful stitches. So after learning the hard way by trial and error I came to appreciate stabilizers more, but also try to come up with more acceptible solutions for myself.

When I make a quilt with heavy embroidery like a lot of satin and fancy fill stitches I use a needle felted cotton batting as stabilizer. The only problem then is to keep the batting out of the seam allowances when one sew the blocks together and to trim it evenly so as to have no lumps. I do add another full batting when layering for quilting. If this will be to lumpy I use a thinner needle punched poleyester batting- but not if the quilt is intended for a bed.

I also did not realise the reason for using a cut away stabilizer in stretchy fabric. Once again this lesson was learned when I ruined a nice T shirt when the embroidery shrinked the fabric. The cut away stabilizer is to hard for my liking and leave scratchy edges. So here I now also use poleyester needle punched batting to provide the stitches the support they need.

At a time I thought that water soluble stabilizer is the answer for all projects. I have now revised this idea. I have learnt that one need different stabilizers for different situations and tasks. I have also learned that one can experiment and come up with solutions that suit your own needs better. (I use a napy liner for continous support- it is a poleyster fibre and very soft after washing.)