Wednesday, November 7, 2012

WIP Wednesdays - hand quilting edition

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

I will post more details on Friday about how my list of projects to finish in 2012 is coming along. This past week I finished my Sakura quilt. I started making some Figure 8 scarves and I embarked on some Christmas pillows.

A while ago I made a spinning star block with some test fabrics I didn't particularly care for. Or so I thought... the spinning star block actually looked good! Of course, I was heavily influenced by my desire to not waste anything. I think the colors are Christmas worthy and so I am using this block for one of my Christmas pillows I am making.

Spinning Christmas stars pillow - quilting in progress

Spurred on by all the beautiful hand quilting projects I've seen all over blog land and flickr. I chose to hand quilt this pillow. I used embriodery thread and just winged it (wung it?) This is being heavily quilted with straight lines every 1/4 to 1/2 inches apart echoing the octagonal shape of the block. I guess when I try something I just dive right in.

Side note: my left wrist hurts like a bitch. Like I was typeing at a non-ergonomic keyboard for 50 years straight. I guess I need to work out my handstitching muscles some more.
On the bright side - It gives such a great texture!
Spinning Christmas stars pillow in progress 
Second side note. This eats up a lot of embroidery thread. I started with an off white and switched to a slightly darker tan about halfway through. I can't even tell where it happened though so who cares. Maybe I was just adding interest, jeez.

Spinning Christmas stars pillow
Here's the back where you can really see the texture shine.

Next time I will use an embroidery hoop (oops!) to eliminate the bubbling I got in the center. I also need to buy a thimble and a longer, sharper needle.

Linking up with Lee over at freshly pieced. Happy Wednesday!

3 comments:

  1. wow, love your hand quilting. Thanks for linking up to WIP Wednesday.

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  2. Such nice handquilting! I don't have the patience for it so I'll just enjoy yours!

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  3. Your experiment turned out lovely and bumpy! I love embroidery floss quilting on a pillow cover, especially. Shh don't tell, but I never use a hoop or a thimble when I quilt. But I do also get some tiredness in my left wrist-arm-shoulder. I think the key is to only work for 1.5-2 hrs at a time?

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