Grey Day Stitching

Hi All,

This winter the weather has been a bit different than the years previously. Since it is only my 5th winter here in Paducah I can barely call it strange but the temps have been up and down, and down and up since November. No snow...for it seems these have been our dry days. But there has been weeks of rain.

Today the day is gray. It has been gray, wet and cool for quite a week and we are looking at another week of the same. With the gloom settling in I decided it was time to finish up some projects that have been put aside for quite awhile for one reason or another.

I was totally surprised when I opened this first one. I was just hours away from completion.

This second one was another story. I loved using these amazing Cherrywood fabric to stitched together this HOME piece. The rich solids begging for thread play - and playful mark making. I pulled the stitching kit out and soon had a big pile of thread bits. The piece is still underway, but there are a few more gloomy days ahead -- time to get it done and enjoy the process. I do love hand stitching!

Then the projects swimming around in my head  will have a clear go ahead. Til then....

hope you are finding a bit of time to be creative.
Would love to hear what you are up to!

Pulling the Stuff Out of My Head

Hi All,
It has been a while since I last sat down and shared stuff with you, but I want you to know that it has not been for lack of stuff happening or lack of thinking about sharing. Time has just been flying by.

Today though, I am hoping to share something that may be of interest to some of you and useful...especially as we approach the holiday season.

For several years I have added a stretched and mounted quilt finishing method to the others I use. Once completed these pieces hang nicely on the wall as would any framed art item.

The quilting remains the same.... though if I know I am planning to mount a piece my backing fabric does not have to be anything fancy, for it will not be seen. Once the top is done, I create my quilt sandwich and quilt and embellish the piece. With the piece done the mounting process begins by first selecting the size pine wood you want for your frame (I use 1x2s-but note these are not really 1"x2"-more 3/4"x1 1/2") then:

1. Trim the quilt to the size desired.
2. Cut binding strips. (for the 1x2's I use 3" wide straight of grain binding strips)
3. Attach the binding as 4 separate strips. 1 to each edge of the quilt. Starting 1/4" from each edge. Leaving about an extra inch unstitched on each side.

4. With all the sides stitched into place I fold back each corner, right sides together, matching the binding edges. This creates a 45 degree angle on the quilt edge and lines the the binding up below. From that corner point of the quilt edge I drawn a line straight down to binding edge.

5. Once it is lined up, line drawn I stitch on the line, then trim it back to 1/4". Repeat on each corner, and turn the corners out to complete.

With the corners done, I move on to building the frame.

1. Measure the inside dimensions of the prepared quilt. Note the measurements of the width and length.
2. Cut width pieces of wood to the dimension noted.
3. Take 1 1/2" off the length dimension (for 1x2s), and cut length pieces to this size.
4. Line up frame pieces widths to the outside with lengths on the inside to create the corners. Use wood glue and nails to hold frame together.

For the mounting and stretching:
1. Cut batting approximately 3"s bigger than frame all around.
2. With batting on flat surface, place frame in middle and starting in the center of each side stretch batting around the frame, while either gluing or stapling in place.

3. Lastly, slip quilt over the batting covered side of frame, and again working from center of each side stretch the binding around frame and staple in place.

If desired, a backing can be made and glued in place over the back before adding hanging hardware as below.

Then they are ready to hang and enjoy!!!!

Hexie This!

The little hexagon of quilts passed has transformed itself over the last several years. Taken on by a whole new group of quilters beginning their fabric journeys.

They have become bigger, smaller, brighter and darn right cute at times, but the most historical fact about hexies has not changed. They are addictive! I personally have warded off the small -- grandmother's flower garden sized hexies by sharing that free package of hexie papers from the quilt show with my good friend (and beginning quilter) Angelique.

See what happens?!?

My own hexie trail lead off in an entirely different direction.
I took pics & postcards from a summertime trip and mixed paper and fabric hexies for this wall hanging.

I used sheets of self-seal laminating pouches for the paper hexies, and there is batting used for the fabric hexies.

It was a bit of a trial run to see how everything stitched together, but I am pleased and can see lots of possibilities.

Are you intrigued?

I will share the pattern and how to's if you'd like...
just let me know.