Progress with Photos!

Making lots of progress despite feeling like I go at a snail's pace.

The Pine Grove quilt is part of a QATW June contest, but I'm not quite sure if I will be done by then. Working hard at it though!

Highlights the quilting.

Freeform leaves in border

I've been working hard on my take-a-long project of Apple Cores. After a trip to the ER (he's fine now), I really accomplished a lot! I've made over 200 light-dark sets and need maybe another 50, so I have to start cutting more apple cores tonight to be ready for the next appointment! I'll be able to start rows soon. I'm thinking of hand quilting this using embroidery thread and primitive stitch. I think that will give the North Woods feeling I was hoping for with the plaid. That pincushion thing was too small for use in my chair, but perfect for across my thigh while working at doctor's office waiting areas. Using a larger eye needle also helps to make threading easier. I've recently read that a straw needle is even better for piecing, but haven't seen it sold locally. Will try it. Sometimes gadgets work. Sometimes they don't. Oh, the Mickey Mouse bag is my current project bag. My sister bought it a long time ago and was going to sell it on Ebay. I convinced her to wait, hoping she might find a use for it. In the meantime, it works great for quilt piecing. Lots of pockets and plenty of places for stuff without being bulky. I store my competed units in a salad container (Sam's Club). Yes, they break down over time, but great for storing lots of small pieces and they are free.

Progress on Quilting

Not much going on in the knitting front. I hope to do the cat bed tomorrow, so maybe some before and after photos on Sunday.

I joined a June contest where I have to get an old project done before the end of the month to be included in the drawing. So, I've been working hard on the Pine Grove quilt which was started 6 years ago. I have roughly half the quilting done. It sortof halted a bit while I removed some quilting. Originally, I meander quilted in some of the sashing and then just gave up finishing the quilt because I was just exhausted from trying to quilt a queen sized quilt. Now, I take it in smaller chunks and have advanced to feathers.

So, all the sashing is getting freeform feathers. I still have to remove the meander quilting from 2 more sashed blocks, but I'm glad I decided to make the extra effort. The back, where you can see the actual stitching much better, looks great. Still to do are the trees and the large side triangles. I would like to do a fabulous feather for the border, but we shall see how that goes. I NEED to finish off the sashing, inner border and trees this weekend so that I can concentrate on the outer edges. My binding is already done and ready to be attached, but I still have to allow 4 days to get the binding sewn to the back. Yes, some of you are really fast at this, but I tend to be slow. One of my favorite parts of quilting is attaching that binding.

I'm also spending some time in doing reduction of stuff. I found my box of quilting books in the storage unit a few weeks back. As a result, I am parting with 15 books to make room for those books I really want to keep. It's tough, but I really don't have more space to expand to. Same thing with the fabric, although in the coming couple of weeks, some will become jammies and some curtains as well as a few other smaller sewing projects.

Asian Sidelights

Yes, all that Asian fabric I bought because I had to have it, is now getting some use. I completed the first wallhanging last night!! This design is based on the Karrie Nichols' pattern Sidelights. I did it up based on the photo. If I did this again, I would miter the outer borders. I think mitered borders look much better on a wall quilt and is worth the extra effort there. I used fabric from the Han e mei fabric line from RJR Fabrics to make this. One down, a bunch to go.