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| four 8" blocks made with a new technique |
I decided not to renew my paid membership to "the quilt show" this year. That means I had to quickly watch the show by Gylene Fitzgerald before it was unavailable, and learn to use her ruler. So I did...
she also taught how to do hexies completely on the machine, so I made 10 of them in two sizes.
I won't share all of them because I now plan to put them in my stay at home round robin this year, along with the bunny and butterfly I constructed this week.... gotta wait for those.
If I could sew hexies on the machine I could sew tumbling blocks with the same method (this is her method so I cannot show you how to do it)
I used three shades of batiks and then framed them with sparkly white fabric to go on a panel...
top and bottom, to look a bit like igloos! I hope to turn this into a banner for the stair well for January
Lastly I completely sewed and finished a table topper for my bedroom end table for January... using dark blue scraps, improv log cabins, plus different sized blocks, but that reveal must wait for the Table Scraps challenge at the end of the month... sorry to just tease you this week... but sometimes you finish a quilt, and sometimes you work on them.
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| just a teaser |
I realized as the new year got going, that I really wanted to return to writing... and so I have. I am attempting to write daily because you get better at things you practice. I am very happy so far with what I am writing and hope to actually publish it one day. It's quite different from the novel I put on pause, and my short stories. Anyway.... it feels so good to be putting words together again.
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| thread snarl that happened with the needle break |
Lastly, my sewing machine's needle gave up the ghost this week. Just broke probably from using the inexpensive sulky mylar metallic thread, (I just want to use it up) which messed with the tension. The tip caught in the thread, which is great but when I slightly moved the quilt under it, that bratty thread snapped and sent the tip flying... oy vey, I hunted and carefully searched til I found it. I replaced it with a superior topstitch size 90 in titanium. So smooth and strong. I also replace the bratty thread with a stronger 4 layer mylar halogram thread with even more shimmer!
after cleaning the snarl out of the bobbin case, and giving it a bit of oil, with the new needle and thread the machine hums quietly like she's a young machine again... for now...
some threads are just not worth the effort when there are others made better.
I'm finding it difficult to work in mostly dark blue scraps this month, not enough variation for me to predominantly do a block with one dark color. When the color is yellow, I use all the shades from dark to light as well as variations in blended color. More is better.
I have free workshops the next 3 weeks so there should be lots to show you later, y'all!
linking to these fun parties
design wall Mondays at smallquiltsanddollquilts
lovelaughquilt.mondays
I hate when the needle breaks or even worse on my machine is when it gets dull. It starts making such a mess of the stitches, as well as breaking the thread constantly. Of course it might help if I just changed it more often I think, but I never know when it is fully dull. Do you know if there's a way to tell? Happy Saturday.
ReplyDeleteI agree about trying to use just dark blue (or green) for RSC. One of the blocks I was doing last year really need a wider mix of value, so I ignored the prompt for dark and used the whole range. I'm having trouble getting motivated, so I haven't started anything for RSC this year.
ReplyDeletePat
Lots of pretty blocks!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing how these Dark/Bright BLUE bits will come together in projects, LeeAnna!! Sorry to hear that your machine threw a fit. SEW not fun!
ReplyDeleteSome colour speak to us more than others, mine is blue. Writing is fun , use to love writing stories years ago. Reading is another passion both non fiction and fiction books. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteI finally conquered the dreaded hex/tumbling block when I could avoid Y seams. Instead of sewing hexies together, you divide the hexie in half - sew long columns and then sew the columns together. It does take some preplanning and probably not great for scrappy quilting. Kudos for you for experimenting with your ruler. Clearly, you had another productive week.
ReplyDeleteYou had a good week it seems, with exception of the needle / thread debacle! Someone told me to change my needle with ever new project. But that would be difficult since I am always starting something new! Hahaha! I’m sure mine are used way past “their prime”! Ps glad you found the little tip! I lost an entire embroidery needle while at our son’s. Never did find it. I’m sure the robot vacuum swept it up!
ReplyDeleteI bought Gyleen's pineapple ruler when she visited our guild quite a few years ago. She didn't teach it to the guild, can't quite remember what she did teach but I remember I wasn't too impressed with my project. I love Superior titanium needles. I use them almost exclusively for quilting and piecing. Enjoy your time with your words and have a good week!
ReplyDeleteWhy commit to a process and block you aren't crazy about? The blocks are pretty, but if you don't like making them I am sure there is another block you will love and want to work on. You gave it a try, that is the important part.
ReplyDeleteMy sister and I want to make a Pineapple quilt. We've been discussing whether to use a ruler, paper piece, or just wing it. This ruler doesn't look like something I'd like to use.
ReplyDeleteI bought a small box of less expensive needles two years ago and am still trying to use them up. Sometimes they break and sometimes they just bend.
Those pineapple blocks are really nice in blues. Good thing you found the broken needle.
ReplyDeleteIt may be hard for you to work with dark blues, but your blocks sure turned out pretty! Don't you love to learn new techniques? Seems like you learned a lot of useful stuff this week. Thanks for sharing on Wednesday Wait Loss.
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