WIPW - Linear Stitches

 On the menu today for Work In Progress Wednesday are: 

some linear stitches on the Sunday Stitch School Stitch Sampler, 

the completed label for the log cabin challenge quilt, Morning Glory 

and a face lift. Yes, a sagging 'face' has been been treated to a lift.

Sunday Stitch School Stitch Sampler

I added 

#83 Mennonite Tacks (three parallel rows)

#41 Thorn Stitch (a light lilic fancy flat braid and light blue 'silk'

 and #188 Quaker Stitch (four rows of Perle 5)

Label for Log Cabin Challenge Quilt

The label was completed in  Quaker Stitch (text), Satin Stitch (gold squares) and Herringbone Stitch (on the appliquéd log cabin block).

The label was attached to the back of the quilt with Feather Stitch.

The quilt was finally named, Morning Glory.

New! Update!

This new project is a restoration of the Crazy for Crazy quilt. 

When it was new it hung straight and looked crisp and fresh. However, with time it has somehow lost its beauty. It turns out the quilt is so heavy with beads, buttons, trinkets that it began to sag and was in need of a 'facelif't and other forms of plastic surgery.

Crazy for Crazy: 'I'm SO tired!' 'Let me just rest here in a heap!'

Queenie: 'No way! You need a pick me up, a strengthening tonic to hold your head high, and a nip and tuck to lift that face of your'.

So the backing fabric was cut open, the innards flattened out and a sheet of stiff vliseline pressed on for support. 

Next week Dr Queenie will tuck up the flabby skin and suture it up till it's tight and firm again.

WIPW - Writing

This is a Work In Progress Wednesday report.

Log Cabin Challenge - Label and Name

All along I worked on the Log Cabin quilt

I just called it the 'Log Cabin Challenge'. Every week, as I was about to report on the progress I though I should give the quilt a name. I never did, not even after the quilt was completed in December last year.

In a sense I am glad I didn't find a suitable name for it at that time. It was not until I had hung it on the wall beside the daybed and the sun came into the room that I saw the effect of the light. The sun played with the various shades of aqua, the 'hearth' of gold in the centre of each block, and all the Herringbone quilting done in gold metallic thread. The quilt was beautiful in all light, but really at its best in the morning. I am therefore delighted to give it the name Morning Glory.

I have started on the label. After writing the text with a black felt tip pen I began stitching the text with Quaker Stitch in black. Later I will work some metallic into the text, and appliqué a single log cabin block. More progress next Wednesday.

Sunday Stitch School Stitch Sampler

I switched from circles to lines, and used three linear stitches: #10 Japanese Darning, #15 Open Chain Stitch and #77 Tied Herringbone Stitch.

More linear stitches will be added next week.

WIPW - Completion

Work In Progress Wednesday is proud to report on the completion of the 

Velveteen Cushion

At last, the cushion is completed and is now resting on the day bed. It took far longer to reach this stage than I had anticipated. Well, it is my own doing - I just added on things all the time. It is a nice way to work, to start in the middle or in a corner, and then play it by the ear, adding things along the way.

The end result is a cushion that has no back, but TWO fronts, and I will turn the cushion around each day to vary the look. One side for odd days and the other for even days.

Here you can see how well it goes with the quilt I made 17 years ago of the same fabric.

On the other side, I have only used the grey velveteen, and some grey+metallic print fabric, raspberry pink batik for the circles,  a length of silver bias tape, and lots of embroidery in mainly metallic thread.

Sunday Stitch School Stitch Sampler

I worked three stitches on the two circles left from last week:

The little circle has #212 Loose French Knot Stitch (in orange) while the larger circle is filled with #176 Buttonhole Cross Stitch and the green machine braided edge is held down with #171 Ray Stitch.

New! Catch Up!

Label for the Log Cabin Challenge Quilt

I have not yet made a label for the Log cabin quilt 

and as I have some spare blocks I'll make a simple label.

WIPW - A Finish and Some Knitting

 Happy New Year and welcome to the first Work In Progress Wednesday report for 2022.

As I mentioned last Friday I have completed the

Log Cabin Challenge

quilt. The last stitches of attaching the hanging sleeve were taken late on December 31st, and the quilt is now hanging on the glass wall behind the day bed. It has taken 21 months to make, and there is not one single machine stitch, everything was done by hand. Almost all of the fabric used comes from my stash and many pieces hold good memories.

The quilt is large enough to cover the bed with a nice overhang. However, I don't want the cat to spoil the quilt so it will not be on the bed, but behind it, for the time being any way. 

I think the quilt goes well with the collection of cushions I have. It's a nice place to cuddle up and read a book, or take a nap.

Even the back is quite attractive - especially the gold quilting thread gives off a nice sparkle.

Unfortunately no photograph can give justice to the right colours. This quilt really should be seen 'in the flesh'.

Leg Warmers

During the New Year holiday I started knitting a pair of leg warmers to beat the cold winter of Tokyo.

Sunday Stitch School Stitch Sampler

Around the oval I stitched last week, I have added four smaller ovals. They are made with #2 Back Stitch, #19 Satin Stitch Outline Stitch, #30 Holbein Stitch and #35 Outline Stitch.

I have also started adding appliquéd ovals, which I will decorate later.

Friday Finish Just Before the End

I don't usually have a Friday Finish post, but as it is Friday today and I have finished the Log Cabin Challenge quilt I just wanted to prove that it is finally hanging on the (glass) wall. 

I am delighted to have finished it just before the end of 2021 - there are about 90 minutes left of the year for us in Tokyo.

A better photo and more details on the next WIPW report next Wednesday.

Enjoy what you have left of this year, and let us look forward to a great one 2022.

WIPW - Cutting the Wadding

This is the last Work In Progress report for 2021.

Log Cabin Challenge

I have started to cut off the excessive wadding, and will then do the same with the fabric of the back. After that I can fold it over and stitch down the edge (a fake binding).

In the top half of the picture you can see the blue fabric I will use to make the hanging sleeve.

Sunday Stitch School Stitch Sampler

There is now a new area where I have placed an oval of #182 Snail Trail Stitch. With this as a base I will build something with various stitches, just like I did with the star and the four hearts.

You can see how difficult it is to photograph this wool fabric, neither picture shows the true blue grey shade!

WIPW - The Last Stitch

Work In Progress Wednesday.

Log Cabin Challenge

I have taken the final quilting stitch, a Herringbone Stitch in gold metallic thread. Phew!

Remaining work: binding the edges and attaching a hanging sleeve and a label on the back.

Sunday Stitch School Stitch Sampler

I have not had time to do much work. I simply added #21 Upright Cross inside those three leaves.

WIPW - All Sorts of Things

This Work In Progress Wednesday report contains all sorts of things.

Log Cabin Challenge

I have had little time for the quilt, and only managed two more columns of Herringbone quilting stitches. Seven more to go...

Sunday Stitch School Stitch Sampler

On this project as well, I was not able to spend a lot of time. I only added #154 Plucked Knot Stitch inside the leaves and berries.

and #177 Double Seed Stitch inside these leaves.

Christmas Cards

Postal service is getting poorer and less reliable. I decided to send most of my Season Greeting cards as ecards. For a few elderly relatives without internet though, I made these of cardboard, felt and beads.

Thank You Gift

I had to make a Thank You gift for a friend who loves reading. The obvious present was a book cover.

 

WIPW - Angelina

Welcome to another Work In Progress Wednesday report.

Log Cabin Challenge 

I have quilted the three last horisontal rows and then five of the longer vertical ones. Nine left... 

I am rather pleased with the result, even the back is attractive with the little glint of gold thread.

Sunday Stitch School Stitch Sampler

Reading blogs will give you inspiration and information, but it will also remind you of what you have in your stock. 

I was reading how Angela of Princess Bubbles Creates was using Angelina, and that made me think of my stock of these synthetic fibres. They have been slumbering in a cabinet and as soon as I pulled open the drawer they were in, they called out: 

'Wrap us in baking parchment, warm us up with an iron, flatten us, make us into useful fabric, put us on the Sunday Stitch School Sampler. '

Of course I had to obey!

I cut out drop shaped pieces and attached them with various stitches from the Blanket/Buttonhole family.

#66 Berwick Stitch

#194 Magic Blanket Stitch

#134 Slanted Buttonhole Stitch

#167 Fringed Buttonhole Stitch