I haven't been spending quite as much time in the sewing room this past week but I am still plugging away on both the pastel/blendy and handquilting the Yellow Brick Road. I have about 3/4 of the pastel top put together. I'm been pretty much doing a row a day most days. That's about all I've felt like sitting at the sewing machine lately. So mostly I've been sitting in my recliner working on my handquilting. It'll never win any awards but it's not bad and is getting better.
I've never been able to use a quilt frame with my quilting, just baste the heck out of it and not worry about a few wrinkles in the back. But every so often I decide I'll pull out a hoop and try to do it the "proper" way. Why do I even try? I took it to my Quilt Bee meeting last week and forgot the frame so I just did it my usual way and managed to get fans quilted in 2 blocks (in about 2 hours). I tried with the frame for the next 2 nights and only got most of a block done and not nearly as well done as the first 2 blocks. And those were the first hand-quilting I'd done in several years. So no more trying to conform. I'll go back to doing it my way and ignore the quilt police when they try to tell me I have to use a frame.
We've had visitors this past week. They show up every day but today was the first day they've been in the backyard close enough for me to decent pictures. This was taken from my back porch. There were actually 4 of them but I liked this picture of the buck standing beside my garden bench best of all the bazillion pictures I took. Gotta love digital cameras where you can just take a lot and keep the best.
14 comments:
You quilt it how ever you see fit, Nancy. The quilt police can just hush up until they get something hand quilted.
I most certainly will go say "hey" to your sis and welcome her to public blogging. More the merrier! I am trying to talk my mom and another friend into it, LOL.
Don't worry about the quilt police. Phooey on them! I have used a frame and I've used a hoop for my hand quilting and I can't stand it! It slows me down and it's just not comfortable! I much prefer basting a little heavier like you mentioned and then just going at it with the quilt on my lap! Have a good one!
I have never used a hoop to quilt and this means I can quilt anywhere, anytime. I gave a demo at my quilt guild and have converted many. I actually have better and smaller stitches without the hoop. The secret is to use your "under" hand to help push the stitches on the needle. Have a "quilting" day!
I'm just trying to learn to quilt wihtout a hoop, and am finding it slow going... I think its whatever you get used to... :-)
I have a half sister who doesn't use a floor frame she uses either a hoop or just her lap.I have to use a floor frame can't do it any other way. Whatever does it for you I guess.
I haven't hand quilted in a while but I've used a frame and a lap hoop in the past. I do want to try some lap quilting without a hoop.
What needle do you use? A quilting between? Do you do a type of running stitch? I'm used to rocking my needle back and forth and loading several on my needle at a time.
It's the way the quilt police say to do it and I get good results but I like the idea of being able to carry a small baby quilt with me to work on without having to carry a hoop too.
I also want to try Tonya's baptist fan quilting that she just eyeballs - doesn't mark ahead of time.
Hi, i have finally had time to come back and read all your blog.
Love your floral pastel quilt. Earlier this year i bought the same Moda fabrics online from the Fatquarter shop. Haven't used them yet but hope to soon.
Hi Nancy,
I just finished reading your archives and all I can say is WOW! What a prolific lady you are. I have to tell you-I noticed your birthday. Mine is Jan 8th, so we're kind of like soul sisters, right?
I love all the quilts you've made and reading little bits of your life. You are very good at describing the everyday things.
I'm looking forward to getting to know you better through your blog.
Thanks for the experience.
I'll be sure to visit your sister after I'm done saying hi to you.
If you have been able to do a row a day, that seems like you have been doing plenty of sewing. There's no rush. Enjoy the process.
I used a hoop for hand quilting. I've never tried without, but I am definitely going to try it. I like the freehand Baptist fans too. I'm all for doing without marking whenever I can.
Those deer are beautiful! Makes me wish I was back home where they were always paying us a visit!
((HUGS))
The deer are so pretty. We don't get to see much of them in Alabama. When I lived in New York I almost hit a few. Thank God it was just close incounters. My uncles field gets quite a few. I can't blame you for taking tons of picture sof them.I would of too. When we went to Sea World this past June I took over 200 pictures in one day. LOL. But I too loe that you can delete the ones that didn't turn out so great with a digital. Great quilts you have on this site. I love the yellow brick road. It is one that is on my to do list, along with about 20 others. A quilters work is never done.
I handquilt without a hoop or frame and do just fine. I also do not use an inbetween needle either-just too small for me :-) the point is to enjoy the doing of it.
Love your backyard visitors! It looks so green and nice there. My yard's mostly brown, I'm afraid.
Nancy, you've been awfully quiet! Quilting, I hope!
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