7/14/11

July Stars and Stitchery Complete!

If you're looking for my Giveaway, click here.



Talk about feeling the wind at my back!  We're not even half way through July, and my July UFO Challenge commitment is finished.  This morning, I sat in my pajamas doing embroidery until this "Snow Birds" stitchery was complete.


I really like this one.  Maybe it's because we're winter snowbirds too.  I just think the birds are cute.  So!  Along with the two "Maple Stars" I finished a few days ago,



I've reached my July goal for this quilt.  The wind is at my back now because that gives me two and a half months to work on the largest of the stitcheries.

You can see it across the top of the stitcheries in this image.  (I go back and forth over whether this one is the largest, or the one in the lower right-hand corner.)  In any case, when that one is finished, I'll just have the very center one of the snow people on the toboggan, and then I'll be ready to sew the stitchery panel together.  There's still the little matter of the embroidery on the seams of the blocks, but I think I can do that on my sewing machine.  (I just need to make sure my thread matches the rest of the embroidery floss.)

I'm so excited to have made so much progress on this one.  I loved the quilt when I first laid eyes on it in a quilt shop.  All the embroidery put me off, however.  It took me a long time to decide to buy the pattern.  Then, when I bought it, I started on the first stitchery right away.  Then it sat for months and I made no progress on it.  This is another quilt I never actually thought I would finish.  As it is, the end is in sight!  In retrospect, I don't know why I was so put off by the embroidery.  I've actually enjoyed the hand work involved, and I like having a project I can just pick up and work on for short periods of time without a lot of fuss.  It's very relaxing.  I'm already plotting my next embroidered quilt, but that's another post.

I can see now why hand-quilters feel so passionate about their craft.  I might even decide to give that a try on a small scale.  The other thing I've realized is that when I work on these for just one length of embroidery floss each morning, they actually go pretty fast.  When I say one length of embroidery floss, I'm talking about one length about 18 inches long, and then divided into three because I'm only working with two strands of a six-strand length of floss.

So that's not the only thing I've been working on this week.  Yesterday, I got a pretty good start on another row for my Peaches & Dreams quilt.



This is a pattern by Judy Laquidara.  When I look at the picture of Judy's quilt, I realize how busy mine is.


I sort of like all the colors and patterns in this, but when I add the next row of blocks, I'm wondering if it will get to be too much.  I'm in the process of deciding whether to put a plain orange sashing between the blocks.  What do you think?  Yesterday, I decided to name this quilt "Sunshine on My Shoulders."

So now, I need to get on with my day.  I'm embarrassed to say that I'm still sitting in my pajamas as I write this.  On the other hand, quilting is not a sport for wienies.  It involves time and sacrifice!  I know you will agree with me about this.  I really need to weed the garden, but our weather has been cold, gray, and rainy for the past two days.  I'm afraid it will just be a mud hole if I go out there now.  This might be a day for working inside the house.  It's definitely an "In the Kitchen" kind of day, and later on, I'll post about my latest kitchen extravaganza that results in meals-a-plenty.  For now, maybe I'll just make the bed and see where I end up next.

10 comments:

The Vegetarian Hunter said...

I love the orange quilt you are making and you picked the perfect name for it. As for solid or pattern, I think both would give a great - but different look. I may go with pattern to keep the top from getting that boxie / like each section is its own category look. Does that make sense? If you like that look and most people do - then do the solid. I would audition both and go from there. Good luck and have fun choosing!

PS, If I could, I would be in my jammies too!

Yvette said...

I have always loved that stitchery too and then when I saw the one that Linda quilted I really fell in love with it. Your version is going to be gorgeous too!

Stray Stitches (Linda G) said...

Your stitchery work is beautiful!! I really like your new project - so bright and cheery :)

quiltzyx said...

Looking at your embroidered block, first I thought, "those snowmen are so cute!", then, "and so are the birds...and isn't that a cool tree!!" I guess what I'm saying is that I just like the whole thing! lol

Your orange quilt is cool (or maybe, hot). I like the idea of sashing, and me being me, I would probably put blue in there, to really make it vibrate! lol

Linda said...

Wow, it's going to be gorgeous! Love it in blue and I really love the fabrics you are using!! It's going to be a stunner!! :-)

Anonymous said...

Love the stitchery!

Flutterby Gail said...

LOVE your Winter Wonderland. I don't have the patience or the eye sight for hand embroidery anymore.

Your Peaches and Cream is very similar to Zip Zap Bricks. I made a queen size Zip Zap in shades of blue for my grandson that turned out gorgeous! These are quick and easy, huh?

Kate said...

Congrats on the progress on the Winter Wonderland quilt. It's going to be stunning when you get it all done.

The photo of your Sunshine on My Shoulders quilt doesn't look too busy, so I don't think you need the sashing.

Lynette said...

I just love this project so much, Barbara! It's GORGEOUS in the blues. Congratulations on getting so far on it, and thank you very much for sharing at BOMs AWAY. :)

JudyCinNC said...

Your stitchery is really coming along fine. The Candy Cane clothes line is really a fun one to stitch - IMHO - the top one was really time consuming - IMHO - LoL. Love all of your finishes and the new Judy L quilt will be fantastic. Judy C in NC