This is a detail of a project I have just finished. I tried out the instant braid made with twisted embroidery cotton, with several strips laid side by side. It gave just the effect I wanted. There was a slight problem with a bit of pulling, leaving the background fabric with a tiny bit of fullness, but this was all absorbed by the quilting. It was fun to do, a bit time consuming, and I think I shall be doing this again in the future.
Otherwise known as sulphur polypore. This monster was almost a foot across. Taken on the 3rd June in a wood full of bluebells and wild garlic. I saw it from some distance away and decided I had to get up close to make sure it really was a giant fungus and not a Sainsbury's carrier bag.
Welcome to the latest follower, Ann Brooks - thank you for joining!
Today's job was putting the binding on a miniature quilt. If the binding has a clean selvage edge on at least one end then there is no need to sew the strips together, they can be overlapped instead. The selvage on the first picture is a bit irregular, but this end will be hidden.
The first strip of binding is sewn on all but for the last three eighths of an inch or so.
The the second strip is put in place ready to sew, with the neat selvage edge lapped underneath the first strip. The hair grip is holding the second strip steady,
... so it is easy to stitch straight over the overlap.
When the binding is folded over to the other side, it is sewn in the opposite direction, so the second strip is now at the top of the picture. The first strip is folded underneath the second strip.
As the machine feeds the work through, the overlap has a tendency to pull out of place, so an unpicker is handy for poking the underneath layer back down and holding it flat.
Once the foot has the binding properly held down there is time to get the unpicker out of the way before it reaches the needle.
Here it is, finished. The overlap is fairly inconspicuous.
Welcome to two new followers today, Ann Bassett and Joe Zuchowicz - thank you for joining!
This is the latest item I have completed for the Doll Quilters Monthly swap - my partner Brittoni in New York State has just received it. The theme for May was to make a quilt any shape but square or rectangular. That had me flummoxed for a bit, until I decided to make a free motion quilted doily
Starting with a tiny circle at the centre, I kept on going outwards, making it up as I went along. It started with a flower shape with radiating leaf shapes around it. Then I changed the top thread for a lighter colour, and went round a few times doing flame shapes, followed by spirals.
Around the edge I put binding in a contrasting shade, pink ric rac using the braiding foot and added buttons and beads.
When a vase is put in the middle you can see the darker quilting thread peeping out.
And because today is the first anniversary of the blog, here are the flowers, picked on a quick raid on the garden last month.
Finally, the encounter. I was in Bath this morning, on my way to my favourite café there, and heard singing. Nothing unusual, Bath is a buskers' haven. But this was two unaccompanied, unamplified voices singing folk songs in harmony. It was an absolute delight meeting Will and Ed, who walk around Britain singing on their way. Yes, really. Visit their website, where you can hear them sing. I had a request for them, but they didn't know it - a new song might be added to their repertoire if I'm lucky, in which case I will stand them a few jars next time they are in Bath.
Update - 28th June
Well I didn't tell you yesterday, but I sang a quick song for Will and Ed, and ended up being recorded, and today it is on their website with other soundtracks. Thanks for the lovely picture of the swans and cygnets, lads!
My top favourite song is The Good Old Way, which you will find if you click on the last track, Little Song in St. Rumwold's on the Marsh - the player will keep on going straight into it. I love it, it is sung with real feeling!
This post is being linked to Leah Day's blog for Free Motion Friday, so there will be links to lots of other free motion projects...
and also to My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday for quilting and other needlework projects. .
This rather nice packet of needles was in a second hand shop. The price is in old money, so it is from 1971 or earlier,
and from the date on the back of the packet, 1964 or later.
One of these days I might finally understand needle sizes. I have a tendency to go blank at the sight of numbers. All my needles end up mixed up in the tin, so if it looks pretty fat I will use it with a thick thread, and if it looks thin, with a fine thread. If it hurts when I jab it into my fingertip, it's sharp, if it doesn't, it isn't. Not the technical approach, I know, but I've got away with it so far.
This page of advice all about needles on Helen Howes's website is very interesting, but I'm just glad I haven't got to sit a written test on it. I'll just bash through the practical and hope for the best.
These beautiful tiles are at Lily's house, a Victorian terraced house which still has the original tiles in the porch.
The glazed wall tiles are such an unusual colour combination - olive green alternating with a pinky beige.
The floor also has its original tiles.
The tiles are still going strong after over a century of use. The floor is tiled in the same pattern over the entire hall, right back to the kitchen door.
Hardly surprising, then, that Lily is fascinated by quilts!
This beautiful stone angel is in the church of St. John the Evangelist in Bath. The warm flickering candlelight seemed to bring it alive.
