Projects in Process

At this point I've got two quilting projects in process.

The art quilt I posted about previously has had some work on it, but now I've got to think about it. Close up it looks great. Pinned on the board so I can see it from far away, you can't see the machine stitching for the most part. That is OK because what I wanted from the machine stitching was a layer of complexity and I got that.


Get closer and you see more.




Originally the top layer was supposed to be more fused applique in bright colors in vaguely flower shapes, held down with some free motion embroidery stitching. But I'm also thinking about doing hand embroidery, similar to what I did with The Blues. So the art quilt, which doesn't have a name yet, needs to sit on the board while I make up my mind.

I also need to remember this is one quilt in a series. It is OK if it is not perfect. <grin>



The second project is a much more traditional project. I'm making a bed scarf for the end of the bed. I'm using "my colors" to do it. I've made a small start on the project.

I only put out 3 of the small units for the photo, but I've actually done 20 of them. I'm using a ruler I bought at the Lancaster Quilt Show. This is a traditional pattern, one of several called Cactus Flower, done in a non-traditional way. The units I've done so far are so small, they literally shocked me. You make the pieces bigger than they need to be and then cut them down so all of them are the same size. For these units I didn't need to worry about the seam allowance, because I was sewing on a drawn line. The next step is a bit different. I take the units and sew them with a quarter inch seam to a strip of fabric. The size of the seam does matter, but not totally. Once that is done they get cut apart and "squared up" again. Those units then get sewn to another strip of fabric and squared up again.

I'm enjoying the sewing and not making decisions as I go. I think I need to remember to have one traditional project to sew in between the art quilt projects, so I can hold off on those decisions until I'm actually ready to make some.

Meanwhile the Spring Garden is about to close down. I'll be deadheading almost everything this weekend in between rain storms. Or, if I don't get to them, after the rain is gone.

Take care all.