WIPW - Making Parts

 In today's Work In Progress Wednesday report I will show you 

Sunday Stitch School Indigo Sampler

where I used leftover variegated sashiko thread to make a trellis of #375 Oblong Cross Stitch.

Hexablooms

As I had to make one more column of hexagon blocks, I have been working hard to make the parts.

First, I interviewed the fabric in my stash and decided to add the column on the right side, where there are darker blocks. 

I selected fabric, pressed, cut and decided where to put each block. Then I numbered them, pulled out my box of hexagon card templates and started basting. I have made four stacks. 

I have also basted 7 white hexagons and 17 with metallic fabric.

WIPW - I Thought I Was Done

Work In Progress Wednesday Report.

Hexablooms

I thought I was done with the Hexabloom flimsy! Alas...

Here is the last stitch:

However, after hanging the flimsy across the window, I can see that it does not fully cover the glass.

With the electric light on.

With the electric light switched off and the daylight seeping through the fabric (no backing yet). 

I quite like the 'stained glass' effect, but that would mean a backing of tulle or netting, and no batting. Hmmm...

To cover the glass means I need to add another column, either on the left or the right side. I will have to 'interview' (an expression my friend Janie of Craczy Victoriana Crazy for Quilts often uses when she looks through her stash for suitable fabric for her stunning colourful quilts) my collection of fabric to see if I have more of light (left side) or dark (right side) fabric left.

In a sense, I am glad I do not need to go shopping for backing fabric and batting just yet - it is still too hot to pedal to the fabric shop. I can do with another week or so.

Sunday Stitch School Indigo Sampler

Here I added #374 Whipped Reversed Fly Stitch.

Canvas Sampler

I realised I had missed a canvas stitch, #368 Balloon Stitch, so it has now been added.

WIPW - Only 9 Left to Go

 Work In Progress Wednesday-  progress made since last week.

Hexablooms

I have stitched 18 hexagon flower blocks to the flimsy.

9 left to do!

Sashiko Kitchen Cloth

I completed the sashiko kitchen cloth with a hem.

Sunday Stitch School Indigo Sampler

A small square of #373 Surface Darning Stitch was added to the Sunday Stitch School Indigo Sampler.

WIPW - The Last Stitch in the Last Snake

 Work In Progress Wednesday.

Hexablooms

I put the last stitch in the last 'snake'.　The assembling of row #17 is completed.

Here are the 27 blocks in the last snake (row #17).

The next step will be to join this snake to row #16 of the flimsy.

Sunday Stitch School Indigo Sampler

#372 Looped Stem Stitch in wool.

This is what the Indigo Sampler looks right now.

Sashiko Kitchen Cloth

I have worked hard on my kitchen cloth. One section remains.

WIPW - The Last Piece in Place

 Work In Progress Wednesday reports on a good reason to celebrate. Look at Hexablooms, below:

Hexablooms

I have made the final hexagon piece.

I added it to the flower that will be in the lowest right-hand side corner.

Here I am joining the sections together with needle and thread,

Voila!

Now, it should be time to celebrate. Alas, the quilt is only halfway finished.

Here is the list of things yet to do: 

1) join the blocks together into a long 'snake' = row #17

2) add the long snake to row #16, and the flimsy will be complete

3) stitch on a turn-over binding edge for the backing.

4) sandwich with batting and backing, or think of a creative new idea for the back...

5) quilt with embroidery stitches, using metallic thread

6) embellish the white pieces with something metallic

7) add some form of hanging sleeve

78) display on the wall

What year shall we set the goal at? 2027 or 2028?

Sashiko Kitchen Cloth

 The cloth is slowly gaining stitches, a small step at a time.

Sunday Stitch School Indigo Sampler

Cross and Twist Stitch hits the indigo sampler.

WIPW - Row 16 Secured

Work In Progress Wednesday. As I recovered strength, I managed to speed up my stitching progress.

Hexablooms

I have now stitched row 16 securely to the flimsy. Sorry, no photo.

Furthermore, I have made 18 new blocks for Row 17. SOON, I will have made all the Hexablooms I need for the tapestry - 459.

Sunday Stitch School Indigo Stitch Sampler

A #370 Colcha Stitch heart found its way into the ring of #367 Whipped Stem Stitch.

Isn't the surface beautifully rough?

Sunbonnet Sue

I was even able to complete the Sunbonnet Sue sampler! The full picture and details will be shown on Friday.

WIPW - Catching Up On the Indigo Sampler

Here is a Work In Progress Wednesday report from a swelteringly hot Tokyo. The rainy season is still not over but the temperature tells another story. The themometer says it is the height of summer.

Hexablooms

I have started attatching the line of blocks in row 16 to the row 15 of the flimsy. This is the job I illustrated with this picture earlier.

I have also assembled a number of new blocks for row 17.

Sunday Stitch School Indigo Stitch Sampler

First, I made a circle with #367 Whipped Stem Stitch. Then, with the help of waste canvas, I started on a set of #368 Balloon Stitch. I hope to have a larger area filled in by next Wednesday, as well as a sample of the #369 Single Wave Stitch and #370 Colcha Stitch..

WIPW - Catching Up On The Indigo Sampler

Work In Progress Wednesday report for the beginning of June.

I have neglected work on the 

Sunday Stitch School's Indigo Sampler 

for a couple of weeks. Therefore I am pleased to show you #363 Torocko Stitch, #364 Kashmiri Ball Stitch and #365 Link Powdering Stitch.

Hexablooms

22 blocks in row #15 have joined hands. As soon as the others are attached, I will start joining this row of blocks to row #14.

WIPW - Experimenting with Air Chain Stitch

 This is the last Work In Progress Wednesday report for March 2026.

Hexablooms 

I made five new flowers.

Sunday Stitch School Indigo Sampler 

Here is #357 Whipped Wheatear Stitch made with a plain red Perle and a knobbly, braided and slippery synthetic thread in purple.

As for the #358 Air Chain Stitch, I wanted to use the fact that the arch has plenty of room under its 'belly'. I couched a piece of ribbon under four of the arches. Please note that, on purpose, I put one of the stitched arches out of order. 

A ring was trapped under another two arches. As the ring is not fixed to the fabric, it can be flipped over.

Birthday Present

Here is the completed pot holder I showed a zoomed-up picture of last week.

WIPW - A Productive Week

After working hard with non-stitching-related things a couple of weeks ago, THIS week I was able to indulge in stitching, quilting, cutting fabric, counting Hexagon blocks and mending clothes.

Mending in the spirit of SDGs

I have some very old and very dear garments. When they show signs of wear and tear, I prefer to mend them rather than toss them out. So was the case with my black jacket. I have had it for 20 or 25 years, and I have never wanted to replace it. 

It's of very good quality, but eventually I had an accident and tore a slit near one of the pockets. It was time to mend it.

 I had some iron-on-fabric-repair tape in black to patch up the tear. As the jacket is lined, I had to rip open the hem to get at the reverse side of the jacket and reinforce the inside before I could iron on tape on the outside, too. Then I stitched the hem and the pocket by hand. 

You need to open the pocket to see the mended area.

Hexablooms

At the end of January, I hung the Hexabloom quilt to see how far I had got. There were 292 blocks on the flimsy at that time.

Since then, I have added more. The total number of hexagon flowers is now 324.

I have also started placing and marking the next set of flower blocks.

Furthermore, I have cut more fabric squares.

Sunday Stitch School Indigo Sampler

The sample of the latest stitch, #356 Breuten Stitch, was added.

WIPW - Back to some form of Normal

 This week I can report that I am back on track on my Work In Progress Wednesday projects.

Hexablooms

I am now stitching the long bands of hexiflower blocks previously made, 

to the flimsy.

Sunday Stitch School Indigo Sampler

I will have to add the latest stitches to this sampler tonight before the end of Wednesday.

WIPW - What I Hate About Metal Stud Buttons

Work In Progress Wednesday. Here is my report.

Mandala

I have now completed every one of the four lines with yellow beads.

What's next, I wonder?

Hexablooms

I selected 61 more blocks, placed them and marked them with placement numbers.

Part of them will look like this:

Sunday Stitch School Indigo Stitch Sampler

#343 Open Fishbone Stitch in light green and #344 Persian Star Filling Stitch in ochre.

SDGs for Clothing

After spending hours ripping up the factory machine-stitched waistband, I finally managed to set the elastic free from stitches. However, it was still trapped inside the waistband as it had been fixed with a metal stud button.

There I stood with the newly bought elastic... and fumed: 'This is what I hate about metal stud buttons!'

In the end, I had to cut two slits and pull out the old elastic in order to cut it off as close to the button as possible.

I will treat the slits as buttonholes and work Tailor's Buttonhole Stitch around the holes, then insert the new elastic and stitch it down by machine across the waistband. I will set the stitch length to large so the next time I need to replace the elastic, it will be easy to unpick the stitches.