Ten Blocks to Go

To anyone who has been following, I have not given up on the project but have not been diligent about posting my progress.   Probably because at some point, I mixed up the already posted blocks with the unposted and was too lazy busy to sort them.

I now have 10 blocks left to embellish and at the rate of 1 or 2 a day, I will be done in about a week.  Then I have to figure out how to back them.  I have an idea to use the leftover necktie pieces on the back.  The front is attached to the batting so I just have to add the backing.  How to sew the necktie pieces together?  Probably onto fusible interfacing.

And then how to attach the backing to the front/batting.  My original idea was to pillowcase them rather than bind or face.  I was worried about the delicate beading/binding/findings getting caught when I turned them inside out.  Reesa suggested that I make the backing from two pieces which will make the turning inside out easier and then I can just use a little fusible to rejoin the pieces after sewing.

I also had to figure out a hanging sleeve.  I usually do triangle corners but if I want to gallery hang these, they should all have a hanging sleeve.  OK.  The top of the sleeve will get sewn by machine when I sew the pillowcase seams.  And then the AHA moment.  If I use ribbon (of which I have plenty of wide ribbon), I can machine sew the bottom onto the back before I pillowcase thereby eliminating hand sewing.  

So I am going to finish my last 10 blocks, prepare the backs with the ribbon sleeves and give my idea a try.  Hopefully successfully.  And then photograph the blocks one by one, perhaps with commentary on how I reached each decision.

Have I mentioned that 1" painters tape is my friend?

 

 

Progress Despite Lack of Postings

I haven't been posting daily but I have been stitching daily.

  

  Just finished # 40!  For those you us keeping score, that's more than half-way to my goal of 75.

I haven't done the stats, but most of the pieces are collages.  Some are "finished" but may be revised when I finish them all.

I am now dealing with backgrounds which are fairly dark so I think I'm going to try my hand at sashiko stitching with weaving.

I tried a miniature embroidered landscape.  Might try another.

Having fun for the most part although I am sometimes frustrated when a piece doesn't turn out as nicely as I would like.  I keep reciting my mantra "the big picture"... 

 

 

20 Done-ish

With the addition of these

 I have reached 20 blocks.

Done-ish because the top one whose pattern I saw briefly on a Facebook reel had a black centre for each intersection.  I tried various stitches and beads but did not like the look.  So I set it aside.

 Done-ish because the middle one when viewed from afar seems empty on the right side.  I will revisit later.

The last one, I couldn't find a green fabric to match the perimeter's green so I used a bit of the same tie from the cut off pieces.  Kind of like the effect.

I figure that if I do one or two blocks a day from now until I finish I should be ready for the Pomegranate Show and Share in June.  Maybe. 

Also working on the leaves for the POM Temple Emanuel project.  The quilt is being quilted this week and hopefully we will be able to attach the tree and leaves before the end of the month.  Don't know what I'm talking about?  I'll review the project with photos when the quilt comes back from the longarmer. 

One more in progress

I perhaps should have documented my process.

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 I started with a burgundy tie as background and gold centre square.  Did not like it.

Then tried a goldish orange linen look background and burgundy background.  Did not like it.

Then a burgundy duppioni background with gold centre.  this was better.  I tried embroidering the burgundy perimeter with gold fly stitches.  Did not like it.

Finally settled on this gold silk background from upholstery samples and burgundy duppioni from my stash.  the central finding is from one of my recent trips to Israel.  I have now used up all of these particular findings of which there were originally six.  Unfortunately, the guy I buy from in Tel Aviv does not have a website or do online selling.  I'll just have to travel again...

In the meantime, I am mimicing the blue colour in beading from one of Inbal's deconstructed jewellry pieces.  My hands are not cooperting with my beading right now so I'm setting it aside.

I do want to try some shibori embroidery and may even venture out to the library to see what they have to offer in the way of books.  There is plenty of stuff on youtube but I'd like to see a few patterns at the same time. 

Three More

 

Picking Up Steam

I have, until today, completed - ish 10 blocks.

I say completed - ish because after I complete the 75th block, I may revisit and decide if I want to continue.

Here are the blocks I've done so far:

I try to let the necktie fabric dictate the colours, styles and techniques I will use.  Often my original idea does not end up happening and something else does.  I am using up the bits and bobs I've accumulated over 25 years of quilting/embroidering/sewing etc. and am rediscovering stuff I made for other projects which were abandoned which now find a place.

I'm also getting to review what I have and declutter at the same time. 

 

Blocks - Continued

 Although I determined I should photograph the block before embellishment, I forget until I had done the first seam.

This is the 2nd of the crazy quilt centres.

And the finished, block.

 

Ran out of sparkly thead at the bottom of the vine...

Hands were shaking a I attached to chamsa.

I think that the spider in teh bottom right doesn't match the rest of the block but can't decide whether to leave it or what.  Just had an idea.  I may replace it but not today.

I have two crazy quilt centres left - I will wait on them and try some of the other blocks.  But not today.