Sunday 7 August 2011

Work in progress Progressed.

Got a bit of a memory test for you!  Remember this?

I rescued it from its spot in the WIP tray where its been lurking for months and got my butt down to the Local Quilt Shop to get it basted the other week.  Here's a pic of it on the super big table they have, just to prove I did actually leave the house...

I had been a bit nervous about doing the basting in a shop - customers coming in, people nosing at it, what if they tried to talk to me? etc.  A lot of my lovely readers gave me quite the boot up the backside, figuratively speaking of course, and told me to just go and do it.  So, I did.  And, no, it wasn't so bad!  Well, fortunately the LQS lady had her 7 year old daughter in the shop with her, so I spent most of the morning chatting to her!  Yeah, conversation with a 7 yr old is a bit more my level... lol  

This week I got said quilt quilted.  Turns out my basting on a wonderfully large flat table is not any better than on a small bouncy mattress...  Oh I don't know what I did, or didn't do, but once I'd sat and happily done the horizontal "straight" lines I had a look and, well, it certainly wasn't going to stand up to getting vertical lines too.    However, rather than be discouraged by yet another basting turkey (geddit?!) I decided just to leave it at the horizontal lines and do a bit of hand quilting detailing.  Whaddya think?




This last pic maybe isn't the best, but it does show up a bit more of the hand quilting.  What is more, I loved the way the last of the evenings sun was streaming through the window (it showed up a bit late, but rather that than not at all).  It seemed too nice an opportunity to miss so I got Dorothy out again and took a photy of it too :-)  Hope you dont mind!


All this week as I've been sat on the sofa playing with my Perle cotton on Innocent Quilt, I've been wondering if there was anything I could or should do with Dorothy to maybe improve it a bit.  I've not come up with anything as yet.  But looking at it in the sunlight, seeing the quaint quilting showing up more, I'm not sure whether or not it needs anything else!  I am open to suggestions though if you think there's something missing from it...

I've not much news this week, its been a very quiet, but rather pleasant, week of hand sewing - me, Doris Day movies, cups of tea, and occasionally (when she could drag herself off the new bathroom floor - I've lost my little shadow to heated tiles) little Ellicat.  I've steered clear of the kitchen, except for tea and ready meals...  Not so tasty, but relatively disaster free.
So, with no stories to add this time I'll leave you with my hexie progress!


17 comments:

  1. Good for you! I am so glad you got to the LQS! I was at mine today too :)

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  2. I am UBER proud of you!! Does your LQS have a long arm you can use? Just curious...

    BTW I don't think Dorothy needs a thing...I think it is beautiful!

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  3. RESULT! I knew you'd be OK down at the shop. And you made a new friend, all be it a 7 year old!Love the new/old quilt. Quilting is perfect on both.

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  4. What a lot of loveliness! I really like the newly quilted top, lovely fabrics, and the quilting on Dorothy is really unusual, and fab!

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  5. Oh, and glad to hear the kitchen hasn't needed another wash!

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  6. I find straight line quilting makes things go wonky as well. Even if I and being careful and reversing the directions. But I figure what saddo is going to get a ruler out and measure so don't worry about it.

    Also - leave Dorothy alone! She is perfect as she is.

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  7. I'm soooooo proud of you! Well done for getting out into the big bad world of quilting shops!!! And I adore the hand quilting on your quilt, it's the perfect touch. Dorothy doesn't need any touching up! Leave her alone! Jxo

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  8. I really like the progress on the hexy quilt and am blown away by both the other finished quilts, they're both just so pretty! I can't decide which one I like best!

    Glad you haven't had any more disaster's in the kitchen. Ellie cat will get bored eventually of the heated floor. Fizz was the same when we had the kitchen floor heated. xx

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  9. Yay! Well done :) Your quilt looks beautiful and I really love the little handquilted details. I think Dorothy looks perfect too

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  10. Yay yay! Way to go, my lass (and I talk easier to kids, too! They're less judgemental - even though that's prolly in my own head.)

    I don't think Dorothy needs anything else, that quilting looks amazing! And I, too, find straight line quilting shows up EVERY little wonky bit and I always get puckers. Free motioning is much more forgiving, I find. Weird as that sounds!

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  11. Dear Dorothea looks gorgeous as is.......in my humble opinion ;-)
    and as for the Innocent hand-quilting, well,flip 'n heck 'n all..........just wonderful. As ever :-)
    You are too, too, sooooooo good at hand quilting sweetie - & I should know being the Proud Owner of one of your bee-u-tee-full quilts. HeHe. x

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  12. I'm impressed with those quilts! they give me ideas for what I can work towards in future quilts!

    Maggie cat here likes to help with the sewing, though her idea of helping is to climb in your lap, curl up and occasionally wave a paw at the thread!

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  13. totally in love with both! i love the hand quilting and dorothy she does need something else. she needs me. send her on over! ;)

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  14. Love the hand quilting & I think Dorothy is absolutely adorable - looks like you have my love for anything circles/dotty too! Love the quilting on both xx

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  15. Dorothy is stunning - I hope you don't add anything else, its so beautiful as it is. I can't get my head around quilting properly without puckers......I keep hoping its just practice but I suspect in my case it has to do with patience and skill! Juliex

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  16. Your quilts are both beautiful, and I am very impressed with the hand quilting. Wish I could do as well, but I know if I tried I would end up giving up. Your hexes are great as well.

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  17. Back reading for missed blogs! - I love the look of this quilt, and well done you for heading out to the LQS as suggested by all of us! I bet you made that 7 year old's week :) x

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