28 August 2015

The Problem With Hand Quilting...

is that it is very slow! At least it is around here! I started hand quilting my Welsh Quilt in November 2012. I don't really mind how long it takes; I am a 'process' quilter no one is going cold waiting for one of my quilts (just as well!) the problem is that I had carefully marked all the quilting designs before starting and now most of them have rubbed off!
I finished the centre section last night and now I am about to remark the next border.  What marking pens/pencils do you use? Any tips for marking so that the lines stay for another 3 years?(!) or do you mark as you go? Maybe I should just hurry up and finish it before the lines disappear again :)







You can see the quilting even better from the back



I had an email from a quilter in Australia asking how I made my pattern, the original quilt in the V & A is a large bed quilt, this one is lap sized. I drew out the pattern on graph paper from the photo on the website:
http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O128357/bed-cover-unknown/
I made templates for some of the triangles as they were very odd sizes! Here are my rough notes in case anyone else wants to have a go:

I cut a square and turned it into an octagon for the centre - finished 13” approx
narrow cream border finished 1 1/4” then turned it on point
once it was on point the whole thing including the blue floral setting triangles measures 22"
The next cream border is 3"
triangle border = 5” - rectangles not squares length approx 5 3/4” plus fiddling!
2nd triangle border = 3” - rectangles not squares length approx 6” plus fiddling!
last triangles border on top border only = 5”
final cream border  = 7”

whole thing measures approx 59” x 66

I have been enjoying working in the garden this summer instead of quilting, it has been nice to be able to pick a jug of flowers each week.


25 August 2015

Slowly Working Away

While my sewing room has been in chaos and I have been sorting out things for the Great Clear Out, I have had the help of a special friend, who is now delighted that he doesn't have to reverse into the room! Jasper enjoys supervising all my projects...

I have also been quietly taking a few hand quilting stitches in my Welsh Quilt each evening. I would really like to get this quilt finished before the end of the year. I love the rhythmic nature of hand quilting, it is the perfect way to unwind before bed.






Jasper also approves, yes that is a quilt he is sleeping on, but an old falling apart, first attempt at machine quilting one - there are limits!

19 August 2015

Well that took longer than I thought!

Firstly, I just want to thank everyone who has bought some of my old stash! I was very surprised and delighted to discover that most of my buyers were people who read my blog - Thank you!
I have lots more to list in the next couple of weeks, I will post a link here when I am ready.

It all started when I was gathering supplies ready for my new term of embroidery classes, I knew I had some dark blue silk thread, but I could not find it, after much searching through numerous boxes, I did find the thread, but it made me stop and think how much time I always waste by being so disorganised - time I could spend stitching!

I don't know how you all store your threads, but I have always stored embroidery floss by manufacturer e.g. DMC and then by number in small plastic bags. This system works well if you do lots of cross stitch and need to find certain threads quickly. It doesn't work so well if like me you have a collection of lots of different threads by different manufacturers and chose threads largely based on colour. Once I had decided to change things around, I also thought I should quickly go through unfinished projects etc and decided whether to finish them or return the supplies to my stash.  I then thought I might as well sort through all my quilting stash while I was at it. Well several weeks later, I have been through every box, every drawer and basket!

I have discovered the best storage thing ever! (well for me anyway) These 9 litre really useful storage boxes fit four to a shelf on my bookcase perfectly
My hand embroidery threads are stored by colour


I have taken them out of the plastic bags, so I can see what I have, they also take up much less room this way and are pretty to look at! I do have a couple of thread charts so I should still be able to find certain colours quickly if I need to.
My quilting scraps have their own boxes, again by colour


Trimmings, hand quilting threads, beads, buttons etc etc all in their own boxes


I love these boxes! They are really good for current wips too - no chance of losing bits if it's all together

Applique and piecing threads are hung on wooden racks
My hoops and frames are all together in one place, with all the bits that go with them!

Current quilting projects need bigger baskets - an empty basket means I can start something new!
Bags hang behind the door
All my scissors are in one place
I have always stored my patchwork fabrics in these wire baskets by colour, but I still need to go through them and cull some fabrics and tidy them up a bit - I think that's a job for another time!

12 August 2015

The Great Clear Out

As part of my huge re organisation of my sewing room project, I am getting rid of lots of quilting and needlework patterns.

I have listed them on eBay if anyone is interested. I will be listing lots more in the next few days

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/pempsuller/m.html?item=201406303384&ssPageName=STRK%3AMESELX%3AIT&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

07 August 2015

A Bit of a Break

I am going to take a blogging break for a couple of more weeks, I have lost my stitching mojo at the moment :( The weather has been glorious and I have either been working in the garden or reading in the garden!
I am also sorting through 20 years of stash and having a major clear out, I will be listing lots of things on eBay in the next couple of weeks, I will post a link here when I am ready.