I'm checking back in today with WIP Wednesday. It's worked pretty well for me lately to keep a running tally of all of my in-progress projects and revisit it every couple of weeks or so rather than every week. I think with the pace of the projects I've been working on lately (i.e. lots of hand sewing) it seems like a good way to stay focused without posting the same projects week to week.
Lately I've been doing a little of this and a little of that, working on multiple projects at once. I have also started practicing free-motion quilting to get a handle on a skill that I have been excited to try out for a long time. I made up some small sample sandwiches to test out first before moving on to a full-size quilt. Here's my first completely quilted sample:
I just went all-out, practicing some different types of patterns altogether. It's not perfect, but it's a start! I really wanted to learn this skill so that I could tackle my Parterre Jardin quilt top. I think I have finally decided to do a mix of straight-line quilting and stippling on it. Here's what the stippling looks like on a sample of the actual quilt fabric:
I think the stippling will work pretty well with the Prince Charming prints, maybe even with the gray Aurifil thread I have been practicing with. I might quilt some more practice sandwiches to test out making the design larger before moving on to the main event, but I feel confident that I can do this now. : )
I have also been working on my Christmas embroidery pattern and having lots of fun auditioning different stitches, including some that are new to me. I hope to finish this one by the end of the weekend and get the pattern written with plenty of time to spare before Christmas.
I have also been thinking more about bag making as I am participating in the Long Weekend Blog Hop this November. I've wanted to make the Weekender for a long time now, but haven't really made time to do so. Since it's a more challenging bag (with lots of layers and sewn details) and since it's been a while since I have done zippers, piping, and machine sewn bias tape, I've decided to dust off my bag making skills first with an easier to sew project, the Runaround Bag by Anna Graham of Noodlehead.
Right now I am trying to decide between two fabric options for the bag: Option #1 with the Anna Maria Horner fabric above or Option #2 with the Yellow Floral. I am leaning more towards Option #2 even though it's slightly less colorful and bright. I'm thinking that for a basic everyday purse, less colorful might be better, but what do you think? Which option would you choose?
And finally here are the number this week:
Completed
- 80's Cross Stich projects (from Wee Little Stitches)
New Projects
- Runaround Bag (by Anna of Noodlehead)
Ongoing Projects
- Christmas Embroidery
- Voile/ Flannel Figure-8 Scarves
- Parterre Jardin (Prince Charming) Quilting
Completed Tops Awaiting Quilting
- Made in Cherry (Echo) quilt
- Sunglow in Loulouthi quilt
- Gnomas in the Window quilt
No Progress
- Hexie Quilt
- Swoon Blocks
- M&C Wedding Quilt
This Week's Stats
Completed projects - 1
New projects - 1
Currently in progress - 11
Completed Tops Awaiting Quilting
- Made in Cherry (Echo) quilt
- Sunglow in Loulouthi quilt
- Gnomas in the Window quilt
No Progress
- Hexie Quilt
- Swoon Blocks
- M&C Wedding Quilt
This Week's Stats
Completed projects - 1
New projects - 1
Currently in progress - 11
I am linking up today:
Your FMQ practice looks great!
ReplyDeleteFor everyday use, you're probably right, the more muted fabrics would be better, but I am LOVING those AMH prints too!
ReplyDeleteYour FMQ is looking great. Good for you Jenelle.
you werent kidding - you're as all over as me!! haha love it - cant wait to see that new pattern! i wish i embroidered, cross stitch is fine, embroidery hates me!
ReplyDeleteI love option 2, the colors are great together.
ReplyDeleteThe more you practice FM the more it seems like an everyday event....as easy as brushlng your teeth.
ReplyDeleteThe older I get the more I wonder why I saved the bright colors for dressup and stuck to more muted colors for every day use. My heart has always been in to bigger and brighter so why did I think I coukdn't use it all the time? Geez....my next dressup might be my furneral and then who will even care. So, now I say wear the good clothes and shoes all the time if that is what you like. Why wait for a special occasion? Everyday you are alive is a special occasion. Tomorrow may be too late. So if you like bright...then run with it and show it off. It might be your ast chance. I don't mean for this to sound morbid. I simply want everyone to go to their closet tomorrow, put on something nice, put on some makeup, do your hair and feel good about who you are. You are woman! Hear yourself roar!!!
Well whatever you make will be wonderful but I would always go for AMH any day! Love your embroidery.
ReplyDeleteYour freemotion quilting is looking good! Practice, practice and more practice!
ReplyDeleteI'd go with option #2. That yellow floral...is it from the Origins line by Basic Grey? I'm actually making a quilt with that line (using a layer cake) for a friend of mine.
ReplyDelete