Six Blocks Together

I have just put the six blocks together on a cork board. And can already see ways I could change them. But it doesn't really matter, as I need to make at least three more. Just it is nice to be able to get an overall impression.

I will be away for a while now, and will make them when I get back.

You can see the full sized one HERE. And the Flickr Set is HERE.

The Sixth Block finished

The Sixth Block is finished. Time to make three more.

The bad news is that the sides are far from straight. The good news is that I am really not worried. I don't want 'orribly straight lines, and she'll be right on the day.

You can see how I have taken a bit of the impact out of the green block on the bottom with the white stitching, and the same with the green along the edge of the white block on the lefthand side. And totally the opposite, I have put a very "quiet" edging along the top right-hand corner, so nothing argues with the vine that is there.

I was looking for a way to add a centre to the tatted motif - so just doodled with all the leftover pink thread. I only have two colours of pink in the bag - maybe I need another, a very soft pink.

But in the meantime - I am off to play with the squares on my cork board. And resist any temptation to sew them together now.

Getting there with Block 5

The inside seams on Block #5 are finished - now I just need to go around the edges, sneaking in a bit on the big green and big white patches.

Then I might lay out all six together to see how they look - and make another three. I need to resist sewing any together until I have all nine made. Cold, wet and wintery here, so it is a good Sunday for Sewing.

Tinkering around the edges

Just tinkering around the edges with Block 4. It is now completely finished, so I am off to work on Block 5. That will then mean all six of the first set are finished, and I need to make another three.

Time to find a sewing machine - they are both at the other house. But I have scored my Mother's Horn sewing cabinet, which means I might have somewhere to sew here.

Vine Finished

The vine is finished.


It would have been better had I known ahead I was going to do this, and completed the long green seam in an off-white. I tried to do the vine in as different a green as possible, but it is still a bit lost on that side.

But I can try this again on a future block.

The full process is over on my Flickr page. If you are trying to find it months after I posted, you may be better in the Apple Blossom set.

One thing I have discovered - I work from two different scanners, and the colours between them are quite different. Strange!

Having Fun

Hi Everyone,

I am having some fun in what might be an otherwise busy Easter. I was looking at some unfinished blocks in another project, and found a seam treatment I had devised, that I rather liked. So I thought I would life it off a seam, and put it on a feature panel (above).

First step was to find a reasonably neutral area (ie no patterns), and treat the seams on it in complementary colours. The stitching (Herringbone with an extra cross - my all-time favourite stitch) also had to be reasonably "quiet".

Done!

This may take a day or so, but I will post to my Flickr pages as I go - so if you would like to see what I am up to, drop over there.

Going from Block 6 to Block 5

I am about to declare this block finished. One good thing about the joining technique (crochet), is that it doesn't matter if the blocks are not totally square in the end - it is a very forgiving process.

I've tried doing this with corners before, and I like it. It is Blanket Stitch with three lengths, then Chain Stitch across them. This one is a bit rough, but I don't mind it. And I needed something in the centre of the tatted motif - to there are some Pistil Stitches, with one French Knot in the centre.

Then, I decided to highlight the Cherry Blossom (or is it Apple Blossom) on the satin. This fabric is a robe I found in an Opportunity shop. I rather like the effect. Maybe I could also try Blanket Stitch. So I might go back and "Retro Sew" some of the earlier blocks.

Or I might move on to Block #5 - these blocks are NOT in numerical order.

For those who have stumbled on this, and wonder what the heck it is - I am trying some self-discipline. It is a "stitching only" work, the only embellishments being added are tatted motifs I do myself. All stitching is in crochet cotton, and every seam is in one colour only.

I won' always stitch like this, but it does allow the pieces of Apple Blossom embroidery, from an unfinished work my Mother started in 1948, shine through.

Hello Again

Hi Everyone,

I have been away for a while, as life became very complex, and I was not sewing. Life is still complex, but in different ways, and I am finding some time to sew again. So I have grabbed one of the blocks from the Apple Blossom Quilt, and been doing a little stitching.

Hopefully I will be back regularly soon.

Love to All