Don't let the difficulties of the present moments overshadow the reality of God's promises. God's promises still stand. And God's promises are stronger than our failures.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Some Finished Stitchin' Stuff...and an Observation

I'm calling this table mat Reclaimed Strawberries. All the wool I used on this piece came from garments I bought at thrift stores, cut up, washed and dried to felt it. It was so fast, not only to qpplique and embroider, but also to finish. I put a black back on it and blanket stitched the edges one evening while watching NCIS reruns. Yes ya'll, I'm still addicted to NCIS and I get all the reruns right here in the mission. :) I am still loving this piece! This one took more than one rerun of NCIS of course, but it was so much fun to sew. The back on it is a plaid reproduction fabric that I also blanket stitched on. Both of these patterns are from Primitive Gatherings.


The LOVE U baby quilt is also a finish - yea! I did some free motion quilting on it so I got a little more practice at that. I can see some improvement so I know that eventually I'll be able to do more than just meander around trying not to cross my stitching. The whole time I'm quilting I'm muttering under my breath, "Breathe, Relax, Do small areas at a time, Breathe, Relax..." I'm sure I look like a mad woman hunched over my machine with gloves on my hands when it's 112° outside, mumbling some sort of mantra, pushing fabric around and around. :)


Observation: Have you ever noticed that when you are completely finished with a quilt, I mean done...ready to put the label on...you see something that's "not right"? I always look and look before I start quilting to be sure one block isn't turned upside down and other weird stuff like that. But as I look at this picture I'm wondering what it is that I've missed, because I always miss something. And then I see it. It's you. No, not you. U. U is crooked! Not much, not even noticeable to anyone else, but it definitely slants a little. I just love that. No, I'm not crazy. I just think every quilt needs a little character and there it is - character in the U! That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. :)



I didn't make this but I thought you'd enjoy seeing it. Some of you may have never seen anything like this before because it's a dying art. This cross was tatted by the wife of one of our volunteers. She sent about 30 of them for him to give away! Just look at the even stitches, the delicacy of the pattern. One of my grandmothers tatted and my mother knew how but didn't really do it. Isn't it beautiful?







9 comments:

Osage Bluff Quilter said...

How funny that you see the crocked letter. My Mom use to say way back in the days of title flooring, I could always find one that didn't match. I've slept since then and I don't remember that!

Linda - Behind My Red Door said...

LOVE the pumpkin penny rug. I have looked at that pattern many times and keep telling myself when I finish my 29 other projects, then I will buy the pattern! LOL

I was blessed to receive a tatted cross like that back when I was teaching. It is indeed a dying art!

Purple Pam said...

Your pumpkin penny rug is great. I love your tatted cross. It is beautiful. I don't know anyone who tatts anymore.

Lea and her Mustangs said...

Love your things you make. Envious too. I learned to crochet from my grandma but she never taught me to tat. She did it. Love it. Thank you for praying for me. Appreciated it so much. Am OK and getting better

FabricFascination said...

I inherited a little tatting tool (at least I think that is what it is), but haven't tried it yet. This inspiration may get me started.

Jody Blue said...

Lovely work you do!!! I started to learn how to tat about 10 years ago...and that is as far as I got! It takes ALOT of practice to getting started, I'm sure once a person could get past the initial "I don't know what the world I'm doing" that it would go smooth-er:) I will take it up again when I don't have teenagers breaking my concentration when they are looking for their clean football game pants that are on the line that they passed on their way in:)

Val said...

I love all of your projects. That quilt is beautiful. No one would even notice that U. I sure didn't. I love your One thousand Blessings. How did that start? I guess I could go all the way back, huh? I love it.

Maggey and Jim said...

That baby quilt is so cute with those owls peeking out everywhere. Also the pumpkin round is amazing. Lots of work but really super.I love getting thrift stores items and turning them into art and you have really done a great item here. Have a blessed week.
Maggey

Julie Fukuda said...

Crooked? One of the baby quilts I made last year had one inch conversation print blocks framing each alphabet block. I didn't notice until I was qulting the "O" that there were a lot of owls hanging by their toes! Oops.