10/4/11

Red and White

Everything I sewed today was red and white.  And I made more pasta sauce, which was red.  And it rained.

Here's how I spent my rainy sewing day.  I finished the second stitchery in the Sew Happy Sewalong.


After that, I readied my hand-quilting project for the class I'm taking through Quilt University.  For as much as I like hand stitching, I really hate the tracing of the design onto the fabric before hand.  I'm not sure why I detest it so much, but when it's finished, I'm always very glad.  And relieved.



This is going to end up being a whole-cloth mini quilt.  It's a little hard to see in this image, but it's a feathered heart shape with a cross hatch background.  This is the fabric I'm using for the back of my little quilt.


And here are my first hand-quilting stitches.  I can't really say I'm very happy with them, but as I've said before, everybody starts somewhere.



I gave up on the "rocker" stitch within the first five minutes.  My fingers were totally fumbling, and it wasn't working for me at all.  Someone is going to have to show me how to do it in person because reading the lessons off the computer just isn't happening in the way of instruction.  I resorted to "stab" stitch, which means that the back isn't as even or straight as I would like it to be, but I'm hoping it'll get better over time.  Or, it won't and I'll just never show the back to anyone.  It was probably a good choice to use a print on the back.

And just to show you I have room for other colors in my life besides red and white, I'm showing you a picture of the fabric that was impossible for me to resist the other day.  I've been trying not to buy more fabric, but I needed a back, and this fabric cried and cried and cried when I tried to leave the store without it.  I gave in . . . reluctantly.


I don't have anything in particular in mind for it, but it was different from other Christmas fabrics I've seen.  I kind of liked it.  It's a batik.

So that's it from red and white land for today.  I hope you had a good Tuesday.

I'm linking up to: 


Check it out to see how others are doing with their interval projects!

8 comments:

Winona said...

I think your hand quilting is very good. I have been hand quilting for 5 years now and still do not make tiny stitches. I do it for fun, so I am ok with that. I kind of do the rocker method. I love your embroidery. I hate tracing projects off. I never seem to get them like I want, but I make do. LOL

Mommarock said...

I've tried the rocker method off and on, and always resort to the stab and pull method. Atleast I'm quilting right? I'd love to be a fast quilter, but I'd rather be a happy quilter. I keep giving it a shot on occasion though. Oh, and there is SO nothing wrong with Red and White. I love it!! For Christmas, ever since 9/11 we have added Blue instead of green. It is weird but it looks wonderful!

Unknown said...

I think the red hearts are sweet! I just love your stitching! Hugs!

quiltzyx said...

All your stitching looks good to me! Even back in the olden days, in my first quilting class where we did it ALL by hand, I never did get very small stitches. But I did manage to get even stitches. lol Giant, even stitches.
I have printed off the patterns for the Christmas SAL, but haven't started yet. I'm playing with the idea of white thread on red & green backgrounds. Maybe. Need to get some floss & appropriate needles too. That would help, wouldn't it? ;^)

LethargicLass said...

I can't do the rocker stitch to save my life lol... I'm a stabber too :)

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting said...

You're getting there. It just takes practice. I like the longer stitches on top and shorter stitches on the back. If you don't want the stitches on the back to show, use a busy backing fabric. I'm quilting spiderwebs now.

Lynette said...

I couldn't help giggling, because I'm sure my first hand quilting will be a similar experience. What did you use to mark the design with? Thanks for linking up to BOMs Away. Love your redwork pieces!

Rosa said...

I`m in the christmas quiltalong too.I love your stitching.