Wednesday 26 November 2014

Love Entwined Progress

 I finished the stalks on the final vase of this panel a couple of weeks ago.

It was, we are told, a coverlet.  That means just two layers.

I want mine to be a quilt, so I've had it up on the wall whilst I tried to decide how to quilt it.

I think that I'd like to try and hand quilt it - but at almost 3 feet square it will be the biggest hand quilting project that I'll have undertaken.

If I'm hand quilting it (which feels right, as it is pretty much all hand work apart from the compass piecing) then I want to choose something easy to stitch through.
 I'm wondering about wool.  It's not the obvious choice for something that I know will be wall hanging, but my hands get sore quite easily, so I need to think about that first and foremost, rather than how flat and straight it might hang on the wall.

I think that I've decided on a variegated King Tut thread (nice fast colour changes for hand stitching, as recommended by Jacqui Harvey at a workshop some time ago).

Now I just need to baste it and start sewing, rather than wondering about it!
Aside from the thinking time, I've spent a couple of happy hours at the sewing machine making scrappy stars for my latest Round Robin offering.

The little stars work out at 2" finished, so each of the 16 squares within it at just 1/2" each.  They are reasonably accurate, but not perfect, if I'm honest.  Nicely scrappy, though!

6 comments:

  1. It is lovely, Plum. I think wool is the most wonderful wadding to handquilt. The needle goes through it like butter. I think you will love it. Personally I don't use anything else anymore.
    Your stars are lovely too!

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  2. Hi Plum your Le looks so lovely, glad to read that you are going to try hand quilting it. Wool is so much kinder on the hands to quilt than cotton but have you tried bamboo batting. it is also lovely and soft and drapes beautifully when hung. We can get it very easily down Under. I can not believe that those wee wee stars are only 2" finished how fiddly is that????? Hugs Glenda

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  3. Your little squares are TINY and CUTE! Congratulations on your Love Entwined. From everything I've heard about it for hand quilting, I'm sure you'll be very happy with the wool batting.

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  4. The wall hanging is looking great. Wool seems to be a good choice, all I can contribute is that fleece isn't nice to hand sew through!!!! Those stars look amazing,well done!!!

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  5. Your quilt is beautiful, I love wool for all quilting hand and machine. The little star blocks are so cute !!

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  6. I have hear wool is great for appliqué quilts, because it almost looks like Trapunto without having to stuff. Great finish!

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