In my quilting life there are several projects in the works. I have mentioned in the past that I am a "sprinter." I define that, for my context, as one who starts a project with grand enthusiasm. Then, sadly, I get a bit bored after making 100 blocks and set it aside for a while, have a think about assembly, then wrap it up. I always, or almost always, hang the finished flimsy before quilting. Considering multiple ways to quilt a piece is often distracting. On my Destiny II I have so many options that I only use it for small projects, things that need a large overall pattern pulled from the library of patterns. These blocks are essentially embroidery that connect consecutive patterns to create a quilted piece. Once I finally load a quilt onto the Coronet, I can fly along.
Considering patterns I have used in the past are usually where I go. My experimentation phase has mostly passed. Recently, in my email, Leah Day compared a large flower motif that she demonstrated on a domestic machine and again on a long arm. I thought this might be of interest, you can see it HERE. Several years ago, with her inspiration, I completed an entire quilt with this design. It was fun, fast, easy, and by enlarging the echo created a really nice pattern. That quilt was gifted so I don't have a photo. Here is an older photo of my playing with an echo design on a quick jelly roll picnic quilt. Dark colors are good to cover a picnic table because stains sort of blend in! Since it was an experiment, I decided to use the light gray thread you see here mostly so I could track myself. I didn't use a flower like Leah does but I mimicked the hosta leaves in my garden. I followed the veining in the leaves, sort of. It was a fun project. That was on my sit-down quilting machine.
When I look at this now it looks like spider webs laying on to p of the quilt! Oh my. I want to try something similar to this concept on the next quilt I am going to load onto the Coronet. Not this design, something a little more loosely patterned, but echo just the same. I like to make samples. Here I have loaded a full thickness piece of fabric, a Warm and Natural Cotton batting and some backing, Nothing complicated. First I will play with a patriotic theme Jelly Roll quilt that I just don't like, You know what I mean. Cut this one up and make place mats for the next patriotic holiday. There are many things you can do to use all your practice pieces, orphan blocks, and other duds. Remember the old saying, Bonnie Hunter often says this. Even an ugly fabric can look good if you cut it into smaller pieces! We can revisit that idea another time.
Just remember, this can be done on any domestic machine, any sit down quilting machine *have I mentioned lately how much I wish I would not have traded my sit down? Oh my, lesson learned. Anyway, you don't need a long arm to do this.
I have to cut this post a little short, our insurance man is on the way. The other day, while walking her dogs, my DIL noticed that a large tree, probably 2-1/2 feet in diameter had fallen on to our pony barn. We just finished a total rehab of that building, including totally replacing all the trusses and wood on the roof, re-shingle, new doors, paint. I can't even waste the energy to go see it. I had been stalling on that project for a year or so because I had trouble finding a contractor who would work that far back into the woods and the cost. Well, dear son found a team for us, I fed them and hydrated them well and they finished last fall before the snow fell. Now, this. Not good, not good at all.
- I want to say to everyone here, thank you so much for visiting. I am thrilled to be back to my blogging routine. It keeps my wee brain cells working, it inspires me to get moving, and most of all it fills a void that occurred when the last blog disappeared!
- It may be of interest here to note that I have been able to recover a large amount of information from the old blog. It seems that by making some changes to some settings, doing a recovery test, I had some good results. It was meant to be.
- There are times in life to drill down on what is important. Quilting is important to all of us, different reasons, all good. It's going to be a good week from today on I insist. Today, hopefully, lay out the yellow/blue quilt.
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