Tag: Quilt

Black Tie Boogie!

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Some of you may have noticed the  Black Tie Boogie patch in the right hand sidebar…

Well, it is a quilting blog hop that I have decided to join into, and it begins today!  I am very excited about participating, and freely admit to being a little bit intimidated too,  but it is all for fun and a growing experience for me!

The theme is Chickens, and poultry in general, so you know this was right up my ally!

Black Tie Boogie Rooster Hop Schedule

November 19
November 20
November 21
                                          Pigtales and Quilts ~ Happy Birthday Thearica !
November 22
November 25
November 26
November 27
November 28
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The participants are all very gifted and I hope you will follow along each day to see what they have come up with for their entries!
It’s going to be so much fun!
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Oooh, I just took a peek and I am already feeling the pressure…

Ah well, there will always be next time!  😉

As Promised: the mini-quilt is done

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I promised not to keep you waiting, and I won’t, but I’m less than pleased with the end result!

I machine pieced and hand quilted the wall hanging and learned a few things along the way… well, to be honest that was the idea.  I just wanted the result to be more polished.  😉

All pictures are clickable to see the details… I could feel myself wincing as I typed this.

First, I had to disassemble the pieced top to adjust the trunk of the larger tree.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThis part was actually easier than I expected. 

(original trunk was off-center and had to be replaced)

Once that was done I had to make my “quilt sandwich” and begin the hand quilting process.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAA “quilt sandwich” consists of your backing, batting, and your top.

As a new hand quilter I was fairly pleased with my progress on the diamond background and my stitching.  One thing I have noticed with my hand stitching is that I tend to get smaller stitches as I go.  BTW, the pictured needle is about 1 inch long.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAHm… maybe I should do a warmup before I begin on the finished piece?  😉

I also liked my stripped fabric, and that is not a typo! I made the green stripes by sewing together varying green colored strips.  However, this also added thickness and made it harder quilt too!

An unexpected flaw in the works was my piecing method.  If you must piece together a white background, then you need to use a white backing or thicker batting!  All my seams in the white background are showing in the final piece!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThat pinned button on the bottom will be sewn on as soon as I post this….

Well, after all that hard work, I simply don’t like it all those seams in the white field.

However, it was a very good practice session for my next try!

😀

A related article featuring someone who actually knows what she is doing…   This quilt is amazing!  😀

I made this. ‘-)

30 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

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

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…

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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!

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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.  😛