A Quilting Finish

There isn't much patchwork in this quilt but I am very pleased with the results. I have made it for a newly refurbished holiday cottage. I needed a thow for the sofa that had both lime green and taupe in it.

I happened to see both pieces of the extra wide Amy Butler fabric in a sale and bought two metres of each. I am making a second quilt in a reverse of the way used on this one. I will be able to swop them over between guests to launder.

For once the two quilts will have worked out very reasonably. Quilting can be so expensive at times.

I used a varigated Gutterman Sulky thread and had dreadful problems with the first reel. The thread felt very thick and kept breaking on my machine. I changed to a needle with a larger eye but that did not make any difference. I was on the verge of unpicking all I had quilted when I tried another reel and found it to be much finer. I double checked the reels and they were lablled up the same.

Most odd !!!

Until the next time

An Invitation - Ellenor Wykcs a 17th century band sampler

I have fallen in love with band samplers after seeing Tommye, Nupur, Barbara H & G, Bhooma and Kate stitching theirs.

I have been apprehensive about some of the speciality stitches they require but I realise that with the knowledge we have in the group their is always someone who is able to help.

Would you like to stitch a band sampler?

Ellenor Wykcs is a great one to start with (no trellis or detached buttonhole) - enlarge this photo and see just how beautiful she is.  The stitches used are cross, double running, counted satin and Montenegrin cross. For me I worry about turning in curves not corners on Monetenegrin but I have decided to put my big girl's blouse on with my Proper Stitch page (23 to 29 bookmarked) to hand and stitch this stunning sampler.

Kate and Krista are stitching with me and we would like to invite you to join us. 

Ellenor is stitched on 35 ct and measures 7.5" x 29" and will be a great addition to your sampler wall.

I will post close up photos of each section as I stitch them. 

Will you join us?

A Quick Update - Rachel Jarratt

This is my current project - Rachel Jarratt from The Scarlet Letter. She is a sampler I have admired for a long time but needed to build up my confidence to stitch.

With the help of my pin pals, particularly Kate from Poundng Sand (thank you Kate)  I have been stitching away and there is only one more band plus some personalisation (of course) to stitch and some more of the endless eyelets on Band 7 to complete.

I love the sheen from the AVAS thread.

There is so much I love about this sampler.

The band below is my favourite. I have some more work to do on this section with the Algerian eyelets which I am stitching instead of Queen stitches. Personally I think they give a finer more appealing look on this particular sampler.

The next section is a whtework band which was stitched in pink on the orginal but I am going for AVAS 3026 Darke Rose which is the colour off the flower in Band 7 and the four sided squares in 2235 Gold. I think it will tie it all together.

The design of my own band that I am adding at the end is nearly finished, I am just playing around with a few more ideas.

I do have a quilt on the go at the moment and my Saxony Sampler which is being stitched as a SAL with some friends, however, I am unable to share these with you as I am sat in Archie's nursery as he sleeps in his cot. I have my Nanas's hat on today and am looking after him. He makes the sweetest little noises as he sleeps - I wonder what he dreams of ..........

HAPPY NEW YEAR

It has been an age since I posted on my personal blog. I have been busy with lots of projects though. Elizabethan Treasures has been framed and hung.

I am very pleased with her and it was a good exercise in mastering some speciality stitches.

I have also completed a fairly large blackwork piece and I added lots of petite beads. I think if you click the photo it will clearer ( I am having problems with posting photo from my ipad onto blogger).

 

I am afraid that I could not get on with Elizabeth Simon, I adored the satin stitch flower border but unpicked the two outer borders and filled in the centre with a favourite poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

She is now at the framers.

A small finish was a hardanger placemat.

I tried very hard so that the back and front were identical. Can you tell the difference? I have left a waste knot showing on the front.

My other stitching projects are a SAL for GiGi's Saxony Band Sampler and we are on week 13.

I started at the bottom as I intend to change the top band and to add a verse if I have enough fabric.

It is very delicate looking and I am loving The Attic's conversion.

My main stitching project is Rachel Jarratt by the Scarlet Letter.

This is my first time with the fishbone stitch. I am very taken with band samplers at the moment.

This one has been very enjoyable (so far) stitching the outline and then colouring in.

Here is where I am at the moment.

I have been busy quilting and have had two finishes. A gift for a little baby girl who lives on a farm close to the sea.

The Celebration range from Moda seemed perfect as it had animals and sailing ships.

My other finish was going to be for one of my cottages but I loved it so much it now resides in my drawing room.

I used a favourite quilting pattern.

I have a few more quilts on the go but seem to be waiting for threads or wadding after the Christmas break.

I have completed some more blocks on Vintage Valentines

I seemed to have made lots of pillows lately. They make great gifts. Here are two of them.

Chris and Kate were delighted with their Christmas present.

The artist has captured the dogs so well. They didn't have the foggiest idea that they were getting this for Christmas and it was so nice to see their faces when they opened the box.

Archie was very poorly over Christmas and we were unsure if he would be able to celebrate his first birthday but he rallied on the 2nd.

We can tell from this photo that he has lost a lot of weight. He is growing up so quickly.

The weather has been dreadful, quite frightening in fact.

One of our very tall trees cracked from the top to over two thirds down and was only stopped from crashing down onto our cars by another tree. It was fortunate that the wind dropped for a few hours for the tree surgoens to attend to it.

Huge chunks of sand have been gouged out of the cove and I think that the owners of the beach cafe are worried that their building is going to be washed away. No photos as I am not well at the moment to go out with my camera.

These photos are from Porthleven which is very close to us. You can see just how big the waves are.

Stay safe and warm until next time.