The next four blocks for the 1857

April 1, 2016April 7, 201622 Comments

My monthly 1857 wedding quilt post is here! I wanted you to see where I am in this needle turned applique adventure.

There are two more blocks from the original that are supposed to be done and they involve building and Mason’s tools, but I am making a couple to my own liking that represent me and my endeavors too. There is a method to my madness, because you see, I want this quilt to fit our queen sized bed when I am done with all this painstaking applique! So the tools will be done later throughout the year. 😉

My personal blocks as if you couldn’t guess are the goose, which is Polly, and a representative chicken. These will soon have some outlining added to them for more definition.

That red number with the bazillion red diamonds was a challenge. I almost didn’t finish it, but then I hitched up my big girl panties and took charge of it! Now I am proud to say, “I did it!” 😀

I think a monthly summary of my progress is probably prudent, don’t you? Well, unless I do something truly thrilling and spectacular and then I will not hold back, OK?

The 1857 Quilt: the first six!

March 13, 2016March 14, 201621 Comments

This is a slap dash post, but I have to get it up now or I’ll just let it ride for another six blocks.

The following are my attempts at needle turned applique. I have done it before, but never for such a large project as this! This is 64 blocks from an antique wedding quilt to be dished out each month a few at a time. I am playing catch up as I only started last month… that meant that I was already 4 blocks in the hole! I have one left for February, and then the three for this month to do. I will get there!

I must admit, I had a real hate thing going on the upper right flower block. It was far more complicated than it looks to do that orange part of the blossom. It was supposed to be satin stitched and I just couldn’t pull it off! In the end, I cheated and used a blanket stitch on my sewing machine to finish the edge, cut it with a selvage, then turned it under and made a bazillion little stitches to hold it down. In spite of that,

I am learning tons, having fun, and getting better block by block.

Follow the link on the right to be taken to Sentimental Stitches for a bit of history and pictures of the original old quilt.

I made this. ‘-)

February 6, 2013February 6, 201330 Comments

To understand the following, you would have to know that Tucker stole my Gutermann quilting thread and I couldn’t find it. I eventually found it and posted this:

https://pixilatedtoo.wordpress.com/2012/03/29/what-once-was-lost/

The Managing Director sent me a message on Facebook that I didn’t see until months later wherein he had offered to replace the thread. I explained that the thread color in question was not a usual color for my work and thanked him anyway. He then said to name my thread and I told him I could use some polyester sewing thread in color 102 (gray) which I use a lot of in my machine piecing. I received the thread shortly thereafter. 😉

I feel it was a very generous, and much appreciated gift!

The following is my response to him.

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Letter to Managing Director at Gutermann Thread

February 5, 2013

Dear Mr. *******,

I would like to properly thank you for sending me the two spools of gray sewing thread to replace the quilter’s thread my dog Tucker chewed up. To show my thanks I have made you a little gift. It is a bit primitive, as I am still learning,

[EDIT]

Sincerely,

Lynda Swink & Tucker too

Tucker, my little (B)Rat Terrier

Oh yes, and Tucker wanted you to know that he has promised to never chew up such fine thread again!

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My enclosure…

One six and one half-inch Mini Quilt depicting a spool of chewed thread. 😉 The work is machine pieced, needle turned applique, with hand quilting. I almost sent this without taking a picture of it! (That would have made me sad.)

I had fun!

~*~*~*~

PS: I still owe you a post, but I am trying to figure out how best to write it and if it even wants writing. 😛