Machine wins !

With eagerness to get hand stitching on my leaves, after work I dashed to my in-town LQS for embroidery floss, then dashed home to start hand stitching my leaves on my Bargello vine.

I found my Embroidery Tote in a corner and washed the dust off the box. With an effort for organization, I wound these new threads on the appropriate little gadget, put the thread ID number on that little gadget (what is that thing-y called - plastic spindle?? ), lined everything up in appropriate sections in my organizing box, and started my stitching. Uhhh, not quite was I was thinking - oops, I know, I'm heading the wrong way - gotta start from this end. Drats, knots, cut the blasted thing and restart. Hey world, do I hafta know which end to knot on embroidery floss? "HEY, DH, sweetie, sugar pie, would you please bring me my needle threader???" Oops, that's not looking so great either - crud, I have 3 threads instead of 2. Again, ??? strength for this project is waning fast ... Crud, I know, stitches too big .. but .... oh crud, this looks like XXXX! It's just sitting there, on TOP of the fabric, with pokies evident here and there.
OK, I knew using the machine for doing a featherstitch would be a pain, since I already had the border on, but ... in about 30 minutes, I had a good portion DONE! My vote is for the machine work for this project. It gives the leaves the barb-y, prickly edge that I wanted, the darker thread (dark green) is the perfect 'look', and I'm very happy. Where the leaves go into the border and over a seam or two, I used telephone book pages for stabilizer, and that worked like a charm.
And, FYI, my machine has stitches that slant UP, and another mode for the same stitches that slant DOWN. I did not push for perfection and stuck with just one mode.

One other thing - I was worried about messy stitches when starting and stopping with that awkward featherstitch, so I did NOT do a locking stitch. Instead, I left a thread tail when starting and stopping, and then, using an easy-threading needle, quickly threaded the threads to the back where I tied them together. If you haven't seen one of these needles, they are kinda open at the end, and the thread sort of slips into the eye. Perfect for this use. I keep that needle in a special segment in my tomato pin cushion, because it's hard to recognize.

I feel like a 5-yr. old in kindergarten, still playing with my colors, paints and pencils. Life is good.

A solution

Thanks for all your most welcome suggestions in answer to my whining about, "what shall I do with this bargello border?"
I used chalk to find the center (lengthwise) of the border - that is my guideline (allow for binding). Then I used a plate (note tick marks on plate) to start an even winding vine, starting from the corner. Decided to go 3/5 or 2/3 up from one corner and about 1/3 from the same corner going the other way. I'll do the opposite corner the same way.

The first two vines looked like SNAKES, especially after reading about a snake at a blogger's home! Narrowing the vine solved the problem. I then used a plastic pressing bar, then blind-stitched the bias vine in place. IMHO, the leaves should be all the same size and shape, repeating, rhythm, etc., because the bargello was so repetitious, but it needed some curves to soften the strong pattern. My one leaf template was used right side up and up-side down, resulting in a bit of variety.

And then, not being one to leave well enough alone, a divided leaf came to mind, and then why stop with just two greens? It began to show promise! The best use of fabric and easiest method was to make a strata with many greens, and fuse the entire piece, then cut them out, all at one time, rather that fiddle with a few at a time. I'm using Steam-a-Seam Lite (I think there's a "2" in the brand name somewhere - very confusing!). It worked very well.
I eventually rounded the outer tips of the leaves, knowing a point would be difficult to machine stitch. I'm hoping to use a stitch that resembles rough edges -- we'll see what happens with that, but "practice first" is necessary.
More fiddling with color, placement, 1 leaf or two, what about the ends? etc.
The greens are just enough 'not matching' to please me. And I deliberately placed leaves into and over the inner border, to give it more depth.

If you have not messed with fusible applique, give it a try. (I must admit fusible scared and confused me for a long time.) Also, don't throw the fused scraps away - save them in a plastic bag - they are good for a long time, and you never know when you'll need just a bit.

BTW, this was my UFO that I had dragged out of a dusty corner -- a corner I cleaned out as we were expecting company. What's in YOUR corner?

A present to meeeeee

I was the lucky winner of a drawing at Ann's, Quilttilyouwilt blog and this week my goodies arrived! Happy Day! Thank you again, Ann! I plan to definitely USE it to make more-original labels on somelabels of my quilts. Ann also included some teensy paper pieced designs -- whew looks like they finish at 1 inch!

Some days we need a pick-me-up, and this did it for me. A good day.

New tote bag

I promised myself I was NOT going to purchase another iron, after the last one's Steam feature lasted less than 4 months, despite me following the directions for the appropriate water. Well, I couldn't stand it any longer, having to spray with a bottle, then press, spray more, etc. The purchase of a new iron gave me a 'lift', and an incentive to cover my board with something fresh and clean. This ticking came out of my stash of "free stuff." I've learned to use a cover with stripes -- it makes a handy pressing guide.

My tote bag is well used/well loved. The best part of this bag is that it holds my 18 x 22 inch cutting mat. And, it is extremely strong! That webbing goes all around and could probably hold a toddler! The handle can go over shoulders or carry in your hands.
Some quilting gals have commented about my 'old' one, and Quilt Guild is asking for items for a Silent Auction, so ... I'll make another - the pattern is from this Singer book.

This is NOT quick and easy, but it IS extremely durable and strong. There is a lining, an inner lining, batting, four 9-inch blocks, webbing and fabric. No new materials were used in this tote - all was stash, and pieced batting.
It's made like a large panel. I added 2 Star blocks and 2 Contrary Wife blocks with a minimum of machine quilting. Sewing down that webbing was slow going is a couple of places, but my machine went along just fine. Oh, if you purchase webbing, do NOT press it!!! I added 2 outer pockets, and there is one inside.

I chose to make it somewhat patriotic, as the Silent Auction is in July, -- well I need to use that brushed denim too!

Bargello Borders

I am so proud of myself -- in preparation for expected guests (who unfortunately could not come), I cleaned out a corner and resurrected this UFO(and a few others also). The corner is dusted and this project is back on "go".

Even though I knew how to do this technique, it was still enjoyable to take the class with my quilt-y sisters! A guild member, Judy Woodworth, gave the class. Judy is a quilt artist, and a long-arm professional machine quilter, and we're all happy when she's able to lead a class. DO look at her web page. She often teams up with another member, Mary Sue Suit, another guild member, artist and author of several quilt books. (I am name dropping today!)

The floral was my focus fabric, but as is often the case, after the quilt is together, my focus fabric is no longer appropriate. While the colors are right, it appears kinda light and air-y, while the quilt itself is bold and strong. So back to the quilt shop, where I decided to insert a narrow (1 inch) peachy strip, then that pale creamy polka dot with floral applique added? (seen on the bottom of the photo), and now, looking at my own photo, more possibilities are coming to mind. Dang it, these numerous artistic options require more work!!! Now, I'm thinking of rummaging for my scraps from the center and making a pieced border after the peach/creamy polka dot border. Maybe I'll use the floral for the back.

Suggestions from the peanut gallery would be just fine!

A Bestest Day

Saturday was Quilt Guild Day, and we local quilters were fortunate to meet right here in my town - no time lost for traveling! I had signed up for the class afterwards.

We started with an incredible 'snack' although it was more like a country-club brunch. The Hostess Committee outdid themselves!!! Thanks gals!

Next on the agenda was the regular business meeting, always necessary to keep a group informed and growing, as a Guild. At one point near the end of the meeting, the speaker, dear Sandy, called me up to the podium ... huh??? me ... wonder why we're doing that? I no longer have an active part in the meeting since retiring as Newsletter Editor a few months back. Was I in for a surprise!

Sandy is on the right, me on the left, receiving an appreciation quilt for the years I published the guild newsletter, a job I LOVED!
Isn't this the most delightful quilt, signed by many of the guild members!!! It WAS the bestest surprise!!! The triangles are all 3 dimensional, and look how the colors blend from bright to dark. It even has the hanging sleeve already affixed! Did I have another good day? "You betcha" as Nebraskans say!

But wait, there's more to my Bestest Day!

Our class afterwards was called Ironworks, by Jo Waldman. She's another blogger, author and very creative woman with a number of books to her credit. This time I found her ideas so clever, I'm taking some of her ideas ideas back to the guild, to start a new sub-group for Art Quilters (well, many of us don't know what that IS, but I'm wanting to start working in that direction!)

Now, our class was wonderful, new ideas, new concepts, and by the time the day was over, I was exhausted, and Elaine Adair is deliriously happy and content! Here is my Ironworks, near completion. This will be trimmed on the outside and bound with black, and quilted. One snafu is when it was discovered that our fusible width is no longer 18 inches in width, but 17 inches -- however we managed.
As if all that was not enough, when I arrived home, there was a large USPostal box on the counter. I couldn't even open it, being already so happy and content, but next morning, here is my parcel from Quilt in a Day. They had this gigantic special (thanks Nancy, for mentioning it), 10 one -yard cuts for $25.00 and there were about 8 color choices - I chose RED, and ordered that light check to go with them all. Shipping was about $11.00. I ordered it either Wednesday or Thursday, and it arrived Saturday. Every time I've ordered from Quilt in a Day, it has arrived VERY QUICKLY!

Life is good. (Please, remind me of this day when I have a downer!)