2/10/15

Leaves in the Wind

It was a blustery day on Monday. Smitty usually isn't shy about going out in the rain. He goes out for his usual morning hunt, then comes in soaking wet and shakes off like a dog. The wind and the rain is even too much for him, however, and so he spent the morning bored silly.


Finally, Mom put on a video for him, and he happily watched it for all of about 20 minutes.


I used the time to finish stitching the right side of the Vintage Tin block. It's about 2/3 finished now.


It's hooped up and ready for me to move left now.


I was able to get quite a bit of the quilting done on the Aspen Tree quilt. The tree trunk is stitched now, along with the markings on the tree bark. 


I settled on using matching thread to top-stitch the leaves, and I have the dark and light green ones finished now. I'll start with the yellow ones next.


I love how effectively thread can mimic nature.


Almost looks like the same image doesn't it? This one was taken on Wheeler Peak in Great Basin National Park in Nevada.


Today I'll continue on with the leaves. I'm not sure I'm going to be happy with my thread selection on the orange leaves. I don't have a good orange thread for those. They might be okay with a red, but I'll have to stitch them and see what I think. Just in case, I have some bright orange rayon thread on order. Even if I don't need it for this quilt, it'll be good to have some on hand in the future.

I've been amazed at how well the rayon has performed. I've been doing this free motion, and I've only had one episode of thread breakage. Just to be sure, I massaged some Sewer's Aid into the thread, and I've had no more problems.

So, off I go. It looks like the weather is going to clear up for about a week. I'm anxious to get out for a walk. We've all been cooped up inside for too many days in a row.

12 comments:

Vroomans' Quilts said...

You are moving right along with your stitchery. The aspen tree is looking good, too. Oh, poor Smits - my furries can relate to the house bound boredom.

Julianne said...

Your Aspen tree is beautiful! That tree bark quilting looks great and so natural! I have a question for you, what do you use to transfer your embroidery patterns, I use a iron on pencil and it tends to smear...any suggestions? Thanks! Stritches to Gracie and Smitty!

Unknown said...

Pretty tree :) I usually have pretty good luck with the rayon thread, too, when I pull it out. Don't use it super often, though.

Marlene said...

Smitty cracks me up watching that video! Love how you have quilted the bark on the tree. Looking forward to seeing the progress with it.

Snoodles said...

Your quilting is gorgeous! Bravo!

quiltzyx said...

Wow - Smitty watched the video for 20 minutes? That is amazing! We're having lovely weather down here. The storm wasn't expected to make it all the way down here to SoCal, but we did get a little bit of sprinkles. Since then it's been beautiful - mid-to-high 70s, blue skies with puffy clouds. I can hear the birds chirping & singing outside.
Great job on the Aspen bark! I know which ever way you decide to go on the orange leaves will be wonderful.

Lyndsey said...

Love the way the quilt is coming. You obviously chose a good video. Picasso will sit and watch one with lots of birds in and he got really excited watching a youtube video of a rat recently.

WoolenSails said...

My pets jump on my keys and now my computer seems to have a mind of its own, lol.
Think one of them hit something that changed the touch pad settings and I cannot figure out how to fix it. Love the quilting on the tree.

Debbie

Kirsty said...

Loving the tree trunk quilting. Magic! And that you put a video of birds feeding on for Smitty. You are my kind of crazy.

Dana Gaffney said...

The tree looks amazing, I think red could be perfect for the orange leaves, it would stand out and look pretty realistic. It's windy and cold here too, but the twins love it, I just keep mopping up the muddy prints.

Kate said...

The Aspen Tree is looking good, you did a beautiful job simulating the bark.

Michele said...

Oh what a tough life he has. I'm sure he will recover. The kidlets are kinda the same with not being able to be outside much.