20 March 2015

Thumbwork

I have decide that all of my applique (starch and press) and my wool applique is going to be known as "thumb work". I can only do so much of it at once because it kills my thumbs. I have 3 BOM that use some time of thumb work and it is kicking my tush.

I finished my first month of Austin Bluebird. To be honest this is just a kit I bought but I love it and really, really want to work on it. Since I am doing that my Mistletoe Lane has been pushed back a little bit. Honestly, after all of the prep-work on that baby I may not want to work on it every again there are a ton of little pieces. It took me over 4 hours last Sunday to get everything done and I still had to take some creative licensing. Oh well, it is ready to sew down now.

I have since put the borders on. I took it to work to display so I will have to get a picture there to show you.

Pomegranate Lane - Wool on cotton. Block 1 finished. Only 4 more just like that to go.

Close up of the center.

I really do love this block and the quilt will be awesome. There are 4 more blocks just like this one and then 4 pieced blocks and then 4 borders (with loads of applique) and then the cornerstones which  I think will be the easiest applique of all. 

The thread we are using is an Aurifil 28 weight and I just love it, kind of like I love my staples (save that story for another day). It glides like butter.

I did start out blanket stitching but I am a weird blanket stitcher and I am also really slow at it. I also pull my stitches to darn tight and then the thread rolls up on the wool and I can't stand that. I just can't seem to loosen up. Anyway, to make a long story short - hahaha - I switched to a whip stitch (Kim Diel does it on her quilts) and I love it. It is quick, uses less thread, and looks almost the same as the blanket stitch. Of course it doesn't have the outline on the bottom of the stitch but I just LOVE it.

It did take me over a month to do this puppy, which isn't good when you are trying to keep up with the teacher. Who by the way only has maybe one block left to do - take that back she has probably already moved on to the borders and has all the pieced blocks done as well.  All the nerve.

I will have pictures of Mistletoe Lane with my next thumb work update. I hope. Off to applique some stars down (not my favorite shape for sure) and maybe get some knitting in.

Michelle

1 comment:

  1. It will be a wonderful quilt. It reminds me of Slovenian embroidery

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