1/4/15

Sew Powerful

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Today was the day I set aside to quilt and bind the "Never Underestimate" stitchery, and it is now completed. There is enough stitching on this piece that it really didn't warrant a lot of quilting. With so much color in the embroidery and movement in the binding, a lot of fancy quilting seemed like gilding the lily to me. When the quilting was finished, it looked like this:


I used a smoky monofilament thread in the bobbin and a white thread in the area that was embroidered. Then I switched to black in the border. I've struggled to get my tension right with the pieces I've quilted on Eliza, but this one was the best I've achieved. There are a few little white specks on the back where the white thread pulled through, but I'd let you look at the back without smacking your hands. It's intended to be a wall-hanging, and it's going to hang in my quilting room once I get the hand-sewing on the binding complete.

I stitched right next to the embroidery on the larger elements of the stitchery.


And I quilted some ripples into the fabric on the sewing machine.


Then I stippled in the background. I considered stitching next to the letters, but it would have meant cutting thread at the end of each letter, which seemed like a pain. Also, the words would have been written backwards on the reverse, and so I decided not to.


I did some wavy loopy lines in the border. The fabric there is so busy that nothing much was going to show up.


Then I added a flange and a colorful striped binding.


And there it is...ready for hand-sewing now.


A couple of weeks ago while I was procrastinating about something...housework, no doubt...I made labels for all the quilts that were ready for quilting. I had forgotten about it, but apparently I decided to call this piece "Sew Powerful" when I did that. Finding the sewing machine image with the brand name "Friend" was just a happy accident.


I'll need to print the label onto fabric and then and sew that on. After that, this one will be ready to hang. It's going to be a nice little addition to my upstairs quilting room where Eliza resides.

And with that, I'm finished with a weekend of sewing. Time to make dinner and get on with the evening. Mike has been off work for the past ten days, and he'll be going back tomorrow. Erik and I are having breakfast in the morning. I'm looking forward to that. As for me, time to get going with my annual goal to get more exercise this week. I'll say more about that later.

How did you spend this first weekend of the new year?

16 comments:

Teresa in Music City said...

Wonderful new stitchery piece Barbara! Looks like you and Eliza are becoming fast friends :)

Denise :) said...

I love it, Barbara!! The scissors print was perfect for it. Your stitching is really beautiful and the quilting enhances it nicely!! When are you sending it my way? ROFL!! :)

Janarama said...

What else can I say besides awesome ... the whole wallhanging, the stitching, and the label. Lovely addition to your sewing room wall.

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Just the perfect little FMQ to add to the design. And the flange setting super. A sweet little piece to enhance your sewing area. We had a snowy, icy weekend - so house bound again, but the handwork was pleasant.

Carol Swift said...

This is beautiful...love it! Your FMQ really looks great, too!

quiltzyx said...

Lovely job once again Barbara! Just the right amount of FMQ & the flange & binding go great too. I spent most of Saturday driving home from my sister's & today was a reading day - finished 2 books!

Michele said...

Oh it really turned out adorable.

SJSM said...

Nice! I love the quote and your label is perfect. Sew inspiring. This weekend was spent taking down outside decorations and the Christmas tree. Next weekend the garland in the rafters and the elves will go away. Working on a fleece jacket for the grand dog. Little guy is too long for an XXS so only half his body gets covered with RTW. Ha! Custom dog jacket business ahead. :)

Jeanie said...

I love it! It can be hard to decide how to quilt an embroidered piece and I think you did it just right. It adds to the little hanging....doesn't take away from it. It will look great in your sewing room!

Dar said...

I love that embroidery. Just perfect for all of us sewing fanatics. Your quilting looks just right for the piece too. And that label -- what can I say - it's perfect!!

Lyndsey said...

A very pretty wall hanging. It will look great in your sewing space.

Diane Wild said...

Both those pieces look great. I really like them. My weekend was spent putting Christmas stuff away and setting up the new "Smart TV". Ugh. I don't think they are that smart. They don't do what you want them to do. Still working on it. Did a scrapbook of last year's trip to Mesa. Thought I better get that done before I go again in a few weeks. So very cold here...windchills below zero all week. Sew on.

Brown Family said...

THat is so sweet! It will look great hanging!

Kate said...

Sew Powerful looks great and the label fits perfectly!

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting said...

Great quilt. Love the label!

Muv said...

Hello Barbara,

Thank you for linking up with Free Motion Mavericks!

Great little quilt - all that hand stitching! Shame you didn't have that Friend machine in real life and try it out for the FMQ.

Happy New Year!

Love, Muv