The instructions and design (in pes, jef and hus) are now available here or check out my sidebar (Machine Embroidery Designs).
Snail’s Trail
I’ve been working on my Snail’s Trail block.
It is working better now that I stitch the entire foundation first and then the seams (before I was doing a bit of the foundation and then the seam and it took much longer). As the final block is 13cm by 13cm, you can see the ‘trail’ is quite detailed.
Once the instructions are finished, I’ll upload it.
Filed under Foundation Blocks, Machine Embroidery, Quilting
Birthday Cards
I’ve been working on a foundation pieced snails trail block embroidery design. At the moment I’m testing the design – more on that later.
However, I took a break from this to make some birthday cards for my daughter’s friends.
They’re quick to make and I think quite effective. I’m not sure about their ‘keep-ability’ because I use double sided sticky tape – probably rots the fabric away.
They’re very easy to do, but you do need a fancy sewing machine. I purchase the card blanks from Officeworks, use the built-in alphabets on my sewing machine and then sticky tape the fabric to the card. I use a stabiliser on the back of the fabric to make the inside of the card look OK.
Filed under Machine Embroidery
Foundation Piecing Using Machine Embroidery – 2
This is the block I made using my embroidery machine (a janome mc350e). The block is 13.8cm by 13.8cm. If you would like a copy of the design, check my sidebar or go here.
Filed under Foundation Blocks, Machine Embroidery
Foundation Piecing Using Machine Embroidery
I’ve always enjoyed the accuracy of foundation piecing, but I don’t have the time to make the foundations. I decided to try to digitise an embroidery that I could use instead.
I do all of my digitising in Thred (it’s free!) and use Embird for converting and resizing.
The first colour stitches the foundation and then it is a matter of placing the fabric, stitching the next colour, flipping the fabric, placing the next piece of fabric, etc.
The final colour stitches the cutting line around the edge.
This design will stitch out a block 13.8 cm square (including 6mm seam allowances). I know this is a strange size, but it was the biggest I could fit into my hoop!
Here is what it looks like in fabric …
I’m in the process of writing instructions and converting to different sewing machine formats. Leave a comment if you’re interested in a copy (free!).
Filed under Foundation Blocks, Machine Embroidery
Turning Twenty
I’ve been working on my turning twenty quilt…
and
I’ve cut all of the fabric, but only sewed two of the blocks.
Filed under Quilting
Turning Twenty
I’ve been ironing and cutting my fat quarters …
and
Of course I’ve already managed to cut one wrong. I’ve order a new fat quarter from here.
No word on my sewing machine…
Filed under Quilting
Another Log Cabin Post
I tried making the ‘logs’ on my log cabin block bigger…
I like it. I’m not sure about the arrangement of fabrics. The red in the middle is my favourite and I don’t think there is enough of it in the block.
I’ve been using my PCQuilt software to audition different arrangements…
or …
I like the above option the best, so I might sew a block and then see.
I’ve taken my sewing machine to the sewing machine hospital. We think it might need a new computer, but it’s still in warranty so that’s OK. It does mean I can’t sew out the above blocks for a while (I use my embroidery machine to do foundation piecing), but I have two other sewing machines, so I still be crafting.
I’m thinking about using my 20 fat quarters of Heather Bailey Freshcut fabric to make a turning twenty quilt.
Filed under Foundation Blocks, Quilting
More Fabric
After reading about the fabric purchasing trip of Patchy Work of Mini Grey I though I too should take a trip to Textile Traders. Here is what I bought …
Some of it I bought just because I liked it – so no plans yet. The two fabrics on the right end I thought might be useful for quilt backs – they’re quite busy, so it would hide my somewhat dodgy quilting.
The floral on the left I love. A lot. I’m thinking about doing some kind of disappearing nine patch using the plains as well.
My sewing machine saga continues. I think its poor brain is fried. I’m going to take it back to the dealer tomorrow.
Filed under Fabric Stash
Log Cabin Revisited
My sewing machine woes continues – it appears I’m the only person in the world with this problem. Luckily it’s still under warranty. I’m waiting for the people at Janome to do some testing to determine (I think) if the upgrade is a bit dodgy.
So I’ve been think about some of my unfinished projects – like this one. As it was very time consuming to piece this block, I decided to make each of the strips wider.
Some of the stitching lines are showing – maybe I could use ‘rinse away’ thread because they’re just placement lines. Also I really need to press as I go, but this was just a quick one to get an idea of the design.
Filed under Foundation Blocks