Lately in January

Today’s post is just a random assortment of bits of things that I’ve been working on.

I’ll start with this mini I made for a gift.

It started with one a Bari J fabric, this one to be exact.

The little bird above my mini was trimmed from the fabric, fused to my background and then I embroidered over it.  I spent one evening with the embroidery, and one evening on the hand quilting.

Have you tried embroidery before?  Is it not the most relaxing thing ever?  I’m so in love with it.

Several years ago I first started buying embroidery thread here and there, trying to slowly build up a stash.  Then, last year, my husband’s aunt handed me an entire paper grocery bag full of it.  I feel like I now have thread for years, some of it was this lovely variegated strands and that’s what you are seeing in the lighter turquoise shade and the orange.  It looks multi colored.

I did something a little different on the binding of this mini with a zig zag stitch instead of my usual straight stitch.  What do you think?  I like it.  I just don’t like what it looked like on the front.  Should I reverse my binding method, so this is is the front instead of the back if I plan to use it in the future?

 

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Support a Small Shop

Visit Rose Bay fabrics here.  Rose Bay Fabrics specializes in Art Gallery Fabrics, even a few older hard to find prints.

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I finished this month’s Emerge Circle blocks.  Maggie was in charge this month and she chose the Modern Heart block by Threaded Quilting Studio.  She requested low volume hearts with gray backgrounds.  I hadn’t paper pieced in months, so this was a nice project to do.

You can read about my work with Emerge Circle here.

 

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Product Spotlight

 Learn to embroider lots of different stitches with these drop cloth embroidery samples by Rebecca Lindquist.  When you order this product, you receive the drop cloth un-embroidered, and then you add the stitches yourself.  Along with Rebecca’s class here and the drop cloth you are sure to get the hang of this relaxing skill.

 

 

 

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In other news, I’ve started a new WIP .  Yes!  As if I needed another!  I couldn’t resist.  I have wanted to make a Kantha quilt since last year when I did this little bit here.  I created this board for inspiration.  I’ve been showing some progress on it in my IG stories.  When I get more of it done, I intend to do a full post on it.

The idea is to do only hand stitching on it.  This picture I feel best describes my goal with this quilt.  I intend to only hand stitch raw edge scraps, orphan blocks, and bohemian looking blocks I will make specifically for this quilt.  I am SO excited about this project.

It will take me months to complete.  I intend for it to be one the biggest projects I take on this year.

 

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Sign ups are still open for the Morning Sun Quilt Along.  We don’t start until February 1.  If you haven’t signed up yet, I’d love it if you did!  Quilt alongs are ideal for getting your quilt finished and building community and friendships.

You can read about the quilt along here, or sign up here.