Sunday 12 July 2015

Not quite snowing

It's a bit chilly here this morning. Not snowing at our place but it is nearby, so no better excuse for stitching the day away. I have started off with working out the border quilting design for my hexie mini. I was planning on straight lines but the sides are not the same so I got a bit more creative.

I've also ironed a couple of DJ blocks finished from a while ago. Will I keep going with DJ or work with what I've done? I just don't know. Do you like my fancy new ironing board cover behind them?


I must admit to feeling a little overwhelmed by just how much quilting there is yet to do on Irish Circles. I always feel like this at the start of a big quilting project.....wondering what I was thinking. The back is also very pretty, although the stitches are a little hard to see here. 



Some of you have asked what needles I use for hand quilting. I've always used Piecemakers Betweens size 10, and Gutermann quilting thread. I have four shades of cream which pretty much cover all situations. I'm sure there are plenty of other options out there but these have worked for me for twenty years now. For wadding I use Matilda's own poly/wool, wool or cotton..........depends on what I can get at the time. My first ever quilt was made with 100% polyester, enough said. In my mini's I use iron on parlan, or Vliseline 630, depending on what size pieces I have lying around. And I just use my beloved 14" round wooden hoop, which was such a huge investment at the beginning of my patchwork journey. 

Happy Sunday stitching. 

Susan x

29 comments:

  1. It is a bit daunting starting the hand quilting on a decent sized quilt.
    your quilting looks so neat and perfect!
    I have been busy quilting too, the cold weather is very conducive to snuggling under a quilt to be quilted. I am on the home stretch with mine, if I'm really industrious I may get the binding on today.
    love the little border design for your mini.
    happy quilting!

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  2. Congratulation on starting your quilting. Winter is great from hand quilting. Do you often get snow.

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  3. perfect day to be inside............wicked enough here............

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  4. Susan the hand quilting is just beautiful, you really are very clever. Love the pattern for the border.

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  5. Every time I see some of your hand quilting I think I should try it out .... One day soon :))

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  6. It is looking fantastic. I am hand quilting a huge (for me) quilt for my mum and my thumbs are hurting. I wonder if a hoop might help.............

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  7. Everything is looking very nice....keep warm

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  8. A perfect day for quilting. I love your border plans, dainty but not too fancy. Thank you for the equipment details too.

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  9. Love your quilting pattern, very impressed you just whipped that up! Keep going with the DJ, we all need a slow burn project and it will be worth it in the long run!

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  10. Pretty chilly lots if places at the moment Susan. Love your border - will be stunning. Keep going with those DJ blocks - they are fabulous

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  11. It's funny to read that it is snowing near you because we are in the middle of a very hot summer. I love your border quilting design. Your hand quilting is so beautiful-I admire your time and talent spent on quilting by hand. I have neither. Keep up the Dear Jane blocks-they are beautiful!

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  12. Ahhh...it's been so beautiful and summery here the past few days! I love the pattern you're using. Do you do all your quilting by hand?

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  13. How beautiful your quilting looks.
    And I recently made the same DJ-blocks !
    Yeah, we quilters tend to start to much projects and always underestimate the work it is.

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  14. That is gorgeous backing and your stitches are beautiful!

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  15. Hand quilting is a bit like a journey of a thousand steps- you just have to put one stitch in and then another and then another . I've rarely hand quilted ( OK I did it once- on a mini) but one of my prolific hand quilter friends sections her quilts to celebrate small achievements - which motivates her to keep on pushing on. It's going to be beautoful when you;re done, no matter how long it takes.

    There was brief snow 25 kilometres from my house this past weekend- crazy!

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  16. Always beautiful work Susan !!

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  17. What a pretty border Susan and how clever to use template plastic to make your own (and keep it for another time too). I am using those needles at the moment too - and find they are good and strong when you have 'bumpy bits' to quilt. Irish Circles will be worth the journey but it's always good to take a break with one of your other lovely projects! It is certainly quilting weather at the moment brrr.

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  18. Having several projects on the go makes the finish line seem so far away. And then all of a sudden you are there. Maybe these projects will see you through the winter. The quilting design for your mini will make a beautiful border.

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  19. It looks lovely Susan and thanks for the quilting tips ..never know what needle to use .

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  20. What a great looking border! I start out feeling a bit overwhelmed on a big quilt as well. One day at a time and pretty soon you've taken big chunks out of it! It's such a great feeling to near the end and/or get to a finish though.:)

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  21. BBrrr I know exactly what you mean, it's been freezing the past few days! Love the design you are going to be using to quilt your borders with....very pretty :) Barb.

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  22. Love your border quilting design ... perfect weather for hand quilting under the nice warm quilt :)

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  23. Loving your quilting journey Susan and I like to see how you have drawn out this pattern! Your ironing board is pretty cool! I'd like to see you keep doing DJ.....I've just started Sylvia's Bridal Sampler...gulp, totally out of the blue so we could edge each other on lol.....as if I needed another project!

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  24. Susan, your lovely fresh unstained & intact ironing board cover puts mine to shame! I bought a new one recently, but just haven't given myself time to actually fit it!

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  25. Impressive quilting work! I seem to be quilting in the ditch a lot, or just a raster. Very inspiring.

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  26. Such lovely even quilting on the bottom of your quilt too..just love your work it is inspiring..thank you for the info on what you use..gives me something to think about as I usually avoid handquilting ..

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  27. Love what you are working on. I always feel that way until I find my rhythm and then I settle in and just love it. My quilting necessaries are the same as yours...exactly lol! Enjoy the journey xxx

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  28. lovely blocks and quilting.... keep warm... I guess hand quilting is the way to go at least you have a quilt on your lap...
    Hugz

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