Kafferepet
It all started with this book.
As I love embroidery I wanted to add more embroidery to my quilts. When I found this book I was thrilled. After studying it and trying out some stitches, in #8 Perle like in the book, I was a bit deterred; the stitches looked so heavy and some of them left 'toe-catchingly' long stitches on the back. I shelved the book and the idea.
Then I started work on Bellaflora
My friend Lis Harwood told me she would be taking part in the TAST challenge in 2012 and I thought this would be a great way to learn a lot of new stitches, which hopefully would be useful for quilting.
If you have followed the work on my quilt Kafferepet, you know that I have used a lot of TAST stitches for embellishing the border.
Now came the chance to use them for quilting.
The first blocks I quilted were the cake and the cake server.
For the cake I used one of the most recent TAST stitches, #91 Straight Sided Feather Stitch in Japanese silk thread.
On the cake server block I used three different stitches:
A cross hatch of #10 Running stitches, #7 Detached Chain stitches, both in metallic thread and Colonial Knots in #12 Perle.
As you can see the threads are all thin and that is why I think they worked well. It means that any stitch in 'The Quilter's and Patchworker's Stitch Bible' can be used successfully - if I use a fine thread. The book is no longer on the shelf but out and being thumbed through for other stitch ideas.
Swedish Cushion
On the Swedish cushion I worked a swirl of TAST #23 Cable Chain stitch
24 comments:
how I love seeing what you are doing Queenie, re the book is this another one I need to get?!!
How I loved your Bellaflora when I saw it at the Festival of quilts, so much to see and enjoy.
The cable chain looks so good on your Swedish cushion
If you have an 'ordinaty' stitch dictionary, you won't need the book. Also you have access to all the TAST stitches at Pintangle and Sharon's other website, In A MInute Ago.
Thank you for your kind words.
So creative!
Your work is stunning!
Your quilting with the Tast stitches is beautiful.
Lovely stitching!
Great stuff, Queenie!=)
Thank you, Pamela.
It was fun to think 'outside the box' and do something other than the usual quilting stitch.
Thanks. It was so nice to finally find a use for them in QUILTING!
Thank you!
Thanks, Elizabeth. Let's see how I can quilt the other blocks!
You are on your way! What a great way to use those stitches.
Yes, I am on track. The Book is my map and TAST my compass!
Love seeing your wonderful stitchery!
Good idea about the fine threads as they will 'bite into' the fabric more. Keep thinking sideways :)
Barbara M
Yes, finer threads did the trick, and I will be quilting the whole quilt with unconventional, but thin quilting thread.
Love to see your Kafferepet close up and the stitches and ...... I have got this bible, too and am now and then looking into it to see if I can find Sharon's stitches in there, too.
One stitch dictionary will overlap another. For quilting I think the most important thing is that the stitches aren't too long or loose, to avoid snags. Especially if it is a utility quilt. For a baby quilt even a short stitch can be bad if the little baby's nail gets stuck.
I like the way you are using the embroidery on your quilts, I think it makes the patterns more interesting and individual. Happy stitching!
I am glad you think so, too. Now the qestion is, which is the next block and what stitch to use for it!
I like the embroidery on your quilt! It's something I want to try for a long time, there's a nice quilt in my cupboard waiting for quilting this way. Your work is very inspirational.
My goal with learning TAST has been reached and I will love to use as many stitches as possible for QUILTING. The main thing to look out for is suitable stitches that lie flat and are short.
Please try some TAST-quilting!
I have a version of that book too. I was trying to see if there was a clear picture of the buttonholed double chain stitch in any of my books but didn't find one. Mary Corbet didn't have it either. I love that stitch but haven't conquered it yet. Thanks for sharing.
Sharon said she found the Buttonholed Double Chain in The Constance Howard Book of Stitches (which I have never seen) and it does seem to be an unusual stitch. Many of the TAST stitches are combinations and might not be find in a dictionary of common stitches.
It took me a long time to get used to it, but once I let go of 'perfectionism' and use it as a free form embroidery, it is easy, quick and fun. Don't give up, give it a new try!
Cheers,
Queenie
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