Retreat - The Handwork of Becky and Sheryll

Two sewists at retreat came without their sewing machines. They are so dedicated in their handwork these days that machine sewing was just more than they wanted to manage. When you see their fine workmanship, you'll agree it was the right call.

Sheryll enjoys working with wool and flannel applique. This design is one she's had for quite a few years, and it was originally intended for a sweatshirt. She opted to turn it into a wall hanging and intends to frame it, if possible. She has alternate plans if framing doesn't work out. She needs to add fine details - more leaves on the trees, a bird or two, and other bits of embellishment.

Becky's handwork of choice lately has been EPP. She has several projects underway, and rotated through them as she needed variety.

She's been making this beautiful star quilt for awhile. Becky's fabrics of choice are reproductions, and she has a vast supply with which to make these stars.

The remaining EPP projects from Becky involved 1-inch hexagons. There are no less than 3 projects in the works. This first one is a single flower. 

This next one is a double flower - that is, two rounds of color around the center. This is a jell roll-friendly project; Becky is using a line by Minick and Simpson.

This last project will be diamond-shaped hexies. She'g got a good start, and a tub fill of fabric for making more. 

Like I said in a previous retreat update, I am quite unreliable about recording all that everyone worked on. There is a strong likelihood that everyone worked on more than I share here. 

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne 

Back To Lake Effect

Now that I've proven to myself that I can do hard things (heh-heh), I have returned to the 10-year project Lake Effect. It has languished fall, winter and spring in a pile on the quilting room floor, and I've just decided that enough is enough. I've had a stern talk with myself.

Look at that wrinkly mess! I do not exaggerate when I say it has spent 6-8 month heaped in a corner on the floor. 

It appears that all I need to do is make a long border of hexies, then attach it to the quilt, then finish the corners where the applique vine was interrupted. It may or may not look like the pattern. At this point, I'm going for nothing more than a finish. It is fine with me if it is not an exact replica of the original. 

This bottom border is not yet attached, so add that to the to-do list. The top and right side borders are attached, thankfully. It was rather simple to accomplish, as I recall.

It is somewhat surprising that it is as big as it is. I had no idea I was making something big enough to cover a queen-size bed. I rather like that it does.

I refer to this as a 10-year project because I was new to both applique and EPP when I began this journey in 2017. I was allowing myself the time I figured it would take me to master all this hand stitching.

Since I made Grandmother's Flower Garden mostly January through May, I have proven to myself that I can do this faster than I realize. So on with the needle and thread! Queue up a good audio book (or two or three) and let's get to stitching!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

A Proud Reveal

Yes, today I am proud to bring you a completed center panel for a Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt. Little did I think that something like this would ever come from my hands. 

What began with a curiosity about English Paper Piecing and related techniques has resulted in this. Almost exactly 10 years ago this was all totally new to me. After quilting friend Jan shared two of her incredibly impressive quilts, I fell into the EPP rabbit hole. 

That was in March 2015; by May 2015, I had bought a glue stick and made some hexies. I played around with Lucy Boston blocks and fussy cutting as well as hexie flowers. Some of those early flowers are in this quilt.

Dabbling in a new technique has resulted in a Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt. Never ever did I think it possible! My thought back then was that all this endless handwork was probably the most daunting quilting task one could ever undertake. 

I guess I have learned never to say never. 

My quilt has 9 rows of flowers with 9 flowers in each row for a total of 81 flowers. Above, it is spread out on the king-size bed, which gives a bit of perspective on its size. My final stitches taken on this were adding path hexies to fill gaps around the outer edges. See below for one such gap.

I wanted the white/neutral hexies (paths) to completely encircle the quilt so that the flowers would stand out better when a border is added. My plan is to applique the quilt edges onto a border fabric to square it all up.

All along this journey, I knew I would select a solid fabric from my stash. I also envisioned that I'd use green. Wouldn't you know - I had no green with sufficient yardage to make a border. I did find this purple, however, and the more I look at it, the more it grows on me. 

Have you any opinions?

I will close today with a few more shots of the finished quilt center. I can look at these flowers and show you ones that I made in the very early efforts; I can show you which fabrics were scraps of other quilts; I can tell you where I bought certain fabrics and which fabrics came from Grandma's remnants; I can tell you on which vacation certain ones were stitched. Such stories stitched into this! That's one of the beauties of quilting.

I've been eager to share this with the quilters who participate in Kathy's weekly Slow Stitching party. I invite you to click over there to see what all the other folks have in store for us this week. From cross stitch to crochet and applique to quilting, all the needle arts are represented.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

My Projects for Florida

As you know if you follow regularly, DH and I are spending the month in Florida. I could just not bear the thought of facing a month without sewing, so I put together a collection of hand projects that would be doable for me while on the road - from the passenger seat while in the car, from hotel rooms, and from the comfort of homes in which we'll be staying.

Hey, a quilter's gotta' do what a quilter's gotta' do, ya' know!?

I forced myself to limit the projects to what would fit in this collapsible tote. Of course, items that stuck out the top didn't count, so this mess is what made the cut.

It looks somewhat neater turned the other direction.

I've shared previously the cross stitch baby quilt I am working on for my niece's upcoming new addition. I worked on this just a bit on the drive down. That's why this is sorta' stuffed into the top of the tote.

My Lake Effect Quilt came along for the trip. This post is from about a year ago, so my progress moves at a snail's pace. All that applique still needs some finishing touches, and then, should I get that done, I can continue working to attach all the panels to the hexies. Those are folded into that see-through Missouri Star bag underneath.

And, if those two projects bore me, I have fabric and supplies for making EPP flowers. I even thought to bring a small iron and hot pad for pressing fabric.

So, I am set for a variety of hand work - cross stitch, applique or EPP. If I discipline myself (i.e. put the phone down), I can work on any of these while visiting with our hosts, sitting quietly in the evenings, or soaking up some Florida sunshine.

We arrived at my brother- and sister-in-law's last evening after dark, so we've spent today visiting with them and acquainting ourselves with the surroundings. We will be here about 10 days, then move on to see more of the state.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Itty-Bitty EPPs

A few weeks ago I happened upon something or other that gave me the idea of revisiting the English Paper Piecing branch of quilting. 

After looking at a few books, I came across this one particular pattern which captured my attention. It is a small project - just around 11x14 inches - and even though the pieces in it are quite small, I figured I wouldn't mind fussing with it since I would only be making six 4" blocks.

My first attempt at a starflower is shown below. This sorry mess is the result of my decision to cut corners. I used a school glue, instead of the EPP glue. Additionally, I used cheap cardboard for a template rather than the slick paper available for the purpose. The tattered, distorted abomination shown here is absolutely unusable.

I worked on this about a week ago when my friend and EPP expert Becky was seated next to me. She watched as I destroyed this little star while removing the cardboard. She suggested that instead of gluing, I try the stitching method of folding fabric around the template. This is her preferred method; she says she believes this method results in little to no distortion and sharper points. I was willing to try. Becky is such a good teacher; she guided me through the process, although it is pretty straightforward.

After doing a few, the process becomes pretty fast, and I am rather surprised at how fast these little buggers can be cranked out. 

I need 6 for the little project I want to make. Won't be long before I have them done, and will be moving on to the next step.

More details later. This old dog's gonna' practice her new trick with a few more starflowers.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Lake Effect Update

After posting late Saturday night about things I thought I might try to accomplish in the new month, I had a comment from Gretchen asking about my progress on Lake Effect. It hadn't even occurred to me to add this to the list of projects for September, as I have steadily worked on it all year long, especially on those Friday get-togethers with the Frankfort Girls.

I am continuing to sew rows of 6 hexies together, and soon I will have to consult the pattern a bit more frequently to see the height and width of the sections I will be needing. I have done a bit of this already (click here to see), but I stopped when I realized that to optimize my random placement of fabrics and colors, I needed units rather than individual hexies. Blending will be easier with bigger pieces to move around - at least that's the hope!

Over this Labor Day weekend, we had a Sunday trip to our niece's in the Columbus area, so I took my little sewing pouch with me to stitch while DH drove. In just that couple of hours on the road, I  stitched 4  6-unit strips together. On Friday morning, we Frankfort Girls met at Sheryll's and I did about 5 strips there, so the last few days have been productive -- and the weekend isn't over yet. *grin*

I know that very soon I will need to print out the pattern pieces for the appliqued panels and begin that process. I admitted in a recent Instagram post that I have an inherent disinclination toward applique, but I am determined to overcome it. This will really test me, but I am ready for the challenge!

Thanks, Gretchen, for thinking to ask about Lake Effect, and for being so faithful to comment frequently. I appreciate you so much! Here's Gretchen's blog, if some of my readers would like to give her some love, click over and take a peek around! In addition to being a quilter, she's a diary farmer! I was raised on a dairy farm, so I know what a special life you live, Gretchen!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

It's A Slow Sunday

We have been through a busy stretch of days this past week, and looking ahead, I see another week of busy days. For that reason, it has been a really nice, slow day here with a needle and thread. It's a really happy place! From a couple of movie nights with DH, to our youngest moving from Athens to Columbus, from book club coming up (still gotta' finish the book!), and a dinner date with friends, we have been - and will be - on the go.

What you see above is what I have actually accomplished today. I had not yet sewn any hexies top to bottom - vertically, in other words. To this point, I have only stitched hexies side to side. I selected five segments of six hexies, placed them vertically, and began stitching. A new phase of the process! I have two rows together and a third row partially added. I will finish this little section later tonight as we watch some Indians baseball and a PBS/ Masterpiece show we love, Endeavour.

I was led to this point by work I did on Friday at our Frankfort girls gathering. It seemed like I had a nice-sized stack of  these units, and I began to think that I might be getting to the point where I could move on to the next phase - gasp! Could that possibly be!?

Above, I have a stack of 40 6-hexie units. I like seeing this progress! When I began this endeavor (not related to the afore-mentioned television program, heh-heh), I told myself it was likely to be a 10-year project. I actually am beginning to rethink that timeline. It won't take me nearly that long if I continue to whittle away on it as I have thus far this year.

While I am making satisfactory progress, it is definitely slow stitching, and for that reason, I periodically link up with a blog that celebrates slow stitching. Check out Kathy and her Slow Sunday Stitching linky party on her blog. I am so happy to visit her each week to be reminded to enjoy the slow creative process of stitching.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Progress on Lake Effect

The most portable stitching on my current to-do list is, hands down, Lake Effect. Because DH and I have been doing much gallivanting around this month, and will do more before the month is over, I really felt it necessary to work on something during this car time. Lake Effect has been perfect.

The photo above represents the hexies I attached on Saturday and Sunday while we were on the road to Mansfield, Wooster and Coshocton. As long as the roads are smooth enough, I can easily stitch these rows of six that will surround the appliqued panels.

I continue to be concerned that the "look" effectively resembles water. With the name Lake Effect, I need this to have the look of a cold, winter waterway or waterfall. I will use more blue, and hopefully this will bring my desired result.

The last three pictures show my combined work from this month of road trips (and it's only the 14th!) - the one to Put-In-Bay and the one to Mansfield - as well as the Friday with the Frankfort Girls. I consider this significant progress.

And my perceived progress is just the motivation I need to keep myself on track with this endeavor and work toward a finish. It won't be long until I will need to be thinking about switching gears to do those appliqued parts. I promise I will no longer be intimidated by applique.

Promise.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Lake Effect Update

The 10-year-project also known as Lake Effect continues to advance. I am devoting every Frankfort Girls' Friday to Lake Effect. That is proving to be a good plan. And now that baseball season is in full swing, I find that this is the perfect companion while watching the Cleveland Indians play. I hate the wasted time if I watch a game and don't have something to show for that time. Hand-stitching is an easy go-to. Below are some pictures of the progress to date.

The tub is getting messy from my use of it. In addition to all the hexies, I have thread, needles, thimble pads, and whatever other necessities I might need cluttering the space.

The picture above is what three rows sewn together looks like with the paper still in. I am hoping that once the papers are removed, the surface will look more natural and flat.

My intent is to be as random in my placement as possible, yet I still find myself being far too deliberate in the choice of what fabric to use next. However, that only affects the row I'm working on. I don't really lay it all out to see what will be above or below it, so it really should just be random.

The top section is three long rows stitched together. The middle shows two rows that are partially connected. The bottom two single rows are next to be attached.

Can you see the "lake effect" that the pattern designers were going for? I am using random fabrics I picked up last April while on retreat. I later added pieces from the Minick and Simpson line that was used in the original pattern. This blend of their stuff and my stuff will work fine, I hope.

So now you see my Lake Effect progress. While it was rather a daunting endeavor when I began it, I am finding that it is easier and quicker than I anticipated. Boy, am I glad about that.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Slow Stitching on Lake Effect

A week ago I was in a bit of a quandary about the reds I was planning to use in Lake Effect. My concern was that mine were too intense for the quilt, as it is supposed to have (to me) a very calming waterfall-like feel. I posed the question here on the blog and received some very interesting and much-appreciated responses and suggestions.

One comment was that I hadn't shown a really clear picture of my reds; see below for that. I like that leafy one because I can see leaves floating on a pond or a lake. The other just, well, because.

A different commenter suggested that I take a look at them interspersed with the rest to see how it would look. The picture below does this, and I don't mind it too much, honestly. I will have to use that darker red very, very sparingly, but it will be okay in small doses. I do not think I will be displeased after the fact, and wish I'd used something else.

I have an additional solution, though. After thinking I would add another icy blue to my mix of hexies, and use far fewer of my reds, I remembered that I had a Snowfall Charm Pack - only one - and what on earth else would I do with just one charm pack?!!? (Laurie Simpson used her Snowfall line to make the original quilt.)

Below, I have laid out my reds on top of the Snowfall fabrics, and while the one of mine is pink-red, I still think in very limited use it will be fine in this quilt. I am going to use the Snowfall charm pack to make some more hexies which I will blend into my current collection. Hopefully, it will result in a happy little merge.

I had a bit of time to sew at Terry's on Friday; rather than tote my machine, I just worked on some more hexies. I added some beeswax to my sewing kit (thanks, Terry!) and hopefully this will cut down on the tangling and knotting I was experiencing. That gets to be a drag (pun intended) after the umpteenth time.

Hope you are having a great Sunday! I am linking up with Slow Sunday Stitching!

Happy Quilting, Friends!