Saturday 5 September 2015

A picture tells a thousand words...


...and what does this one tell? Well - it is Spring here and my daffodils are flowering cheerfully in the garden, and indoors. But also - the basting pin tin is full again! Every last pin is out of my Ann Randoll quilt and that is something to celebrate. 
Once that last pin was out I spread the quilt to review the quilting - checking there was enough of it. Being a medallion quilt with multiple borders the quilting needs to look balanced across each border. 
I'm happy with the centre... 


...happy with the clamshell border (just quilted in the ditch) 

..happy with the pinwheel border (quilted in squares) 
hmmm...not so happy with the two applique vine borders. Here I have a nasty case of 'Introduced Puckers'! See them?

There were no puckers or crinkles when the top was pieced but they easily get introduced when the fabric either side is quilted more densely. I was rather expecting this to happen, but hoping to get away with it. There's a bit more of it than I like, relative to the other borders. 

Solution?  Add a grid on the cream background of the applique borders. I use a large triangle ruler and a Hera marker to score the lines - very easy and quick.

The scored marking shows up beautifully in the hoop -  all ready to quilt: 

Here's some of the border before quilting the grid - complete with crinkles:

And some border after grid quilted - behaving better:

You might be thinking "What a huge bother!" but for me, it is a pleasure to hand quilt grid work around applique. You see, for years I have done it by machine - on my domestic machine - and I found it so tedious that way - all the stop/start, fixing a million threads and cutting a million threads. When hand quilting you just pass the thread between the layers from place to place - blissfully easy!

Here is an example..my Carolina Lily quilt which was quilted on my domestic machine. 




I went to a lot of trouble to give it the look of hand quilting because I just could not hand quilt ( or thought I couldn't) at that time. It took about a month to quilt on my machine but I'm guessing I could now hand quilt it in 3 months - and enjoy the process so much more. Interesting to look back in time.  
So I'll continue hand quilting Ann Randoll - I need to finish the two vine borders and then am thinking to add some parallel lines on the outer large hexagon border. It has only a mild case of Introduced Puckers  so not such dense quilting needed ...I hope. 

Meanwhile Wheat and Woods is growing.


A this point I decided I didn't fancy the itty bitty fractions of brown squares around the edges of the outer border applique triangles - looked too untidy somehow and the eye is drawn to them.

So I removed them - just a bit of applique unpicked. I tried a wavy strip of applique instead...
basted ready to needle turn



I think I like that better. Am keeping that unpicker on standby though! 
So that is where I am up to now -  three more corners to add to the top.

Meanwhile the garden is calling. There has been a bit of tree trimming - just a few branches trimmed and 'dead headed'. These eucalypts are beautiful but huge, and prone to drop great branches without notice . 


It's still a bit chilly to sit out for long but there is much growing and flowering happening. 
Hellebores and rhododendrons
Bluebells leafing up everywhere
Have a lovely weekend

45 comments:

  1. What a treat to see such beautiful work. Your new inserted border works beautifully on your latest project. I am struggling with my applique on my Dear Jane, so I appreciate the skill you have stitching all those melons!

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  2. WOW! Your Wheat and Wood quilt is quite stunning already! Love the little wavy applique strip. So subtle and yet, distinctive--and all of it with such wonderful balance. Very fun to take a walk through your hand quilting decisions border by border. It really is a process.:)

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  3. Love the Wheat and Wood! Is it your design?

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  4. Wonderful sewing, you are so talented, love to see your work.
    Greetings,
    Sylvia

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  5. Your work is beautiful....my favorite would be wheat and woods...lovely garden too

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  6. Hello Hilda !
    Celebrating the end of quilting with Spring is amazing ! You can be proud of your quilting by hand ! It's simply stunning as your quilt !
    Your Wheat and Wood will be be awesome !! What a great work !
    Bravo !

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  7. The grid quilting looks just right, very pleasing to the eye when it's so neat and even too. Do I dare ask if you're writing instructions for Wheat and Woods? It's looking magnificent. I especially like the wavy border and corner appliqué. You're very clever!

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  8. I agree about hand quilting just so much more enjoyable. It may take a bit longer but since your having so much fun it doesn't mattter. Hand quilting around applique is my favorite also. Love what you have done so far and your new project is just stunning!

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  9. Ann Randoll is such a beautiful quilt ; it is wonderful that you can hand quilt again and enjoy the process.

    I am enjoying watching wheat and woods grow...you are quite the inspiration.

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  10. Ann Randoll is such a beautiful quilt ; it is wonderful that you can hand quilt again and enjoy the process.

    I am enjoying watching wheat and woods grow...you are quite the inspiration.

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  11. Beautiful work - love both projects. Hand quilting is do much prettier than the stiffness that machine quilting can do to a quilt. Love the way you removed the small pieces and did the little border!!! Wonderful Creativity!

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  12. Your work is really exquisite. I haven't done much needle turn in the past three years or so, but I'm itching to get back to it. Thanks for the motivation!

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  13. What a delight to open my mail this morning and see all these beautiful photos. I'm with the rest of the crew on the Wheat and Woods quilt - that's such a great design. Thank you for sharing your process.

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  14. such beautiful work and I love to see you enjoying hand quilting. the quilts you show are amazing works I love them all. I think some just do not realize how relaxing hand work can be - no one should look at hand quilting as too much work - think of it as enjoyment, stress free time to sit and think or listen to a book or movie or time to visit with friends and family.

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  15. A real weekend-treat to read your post! I love how you did the handquilting on your Ann Randoll, and how you solved the puckers-problem in the border, but most of all I love to read how much you enjoy the handquilting process, as I feel so much the same, while anyone here seems to bring their tops to a long-arm-quilter... Your very own Wheats& Woods is going to be a real stunner, and I love the wavy sashing you added, which really fits in wonderful. Enjoy the first signs of spring in your lovely garden!

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  16. Your quilting is beautiful. I can't believe you quilted the Lily quilt on your sewing machine! Enjoy the springtime, it is fall here. gretchenscorner.wordpress.com

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  17. Omg, so much to comment on! I knew you were a fabulous hand quilter, but had no idea you were a fabulous machine quilter as well! I agree you needed the grid around the aplique, and also with switching out the brown bits for the tan wavy band on the Wheat one. That's going to be a gorgeous quilt. Also agree hand stitching is SO much more pleasant and relaxing to do than all those little lenghts by machine. Beautiful work, all the way around, Hilda!

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  18. Beautiful work Hilda. The 2nd wavy border on Wheat was a perfect fix. I am in the mind numbing process of cross hatching Auntie Green on my home machine. Perhaps she will be the quilt I look back on if I have the confidence to hand quilt the next appliqué quilt :)

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  19. It's so wonderful to be able to come here and see your beautiful projects. Thanks so much for sharing. I love the clamshell border on our Ann Randoll quilt. And the Wheat and Woods project - oh my!

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  20. Beautiful quilts! I too love hand quilting and am very slowly hand quilting a lap quilt - it's been on the go for 3 years now but who's counting?!!

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  21. Absolutely beautiful work, love your hand quilting and I do so agree that hand work is much more relaxing than sitting hunched over a machine! I always enjoy your posts and this is an extra special one, thank you. Celia in England

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  22. It's always such a treat to see a new post by you because I know it will be filled with incredible work. And I was right! You're always an inspiration in workmanship and to go the extra mile in a project. Because it will be worth it. Happy spring!

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  23. I love that you went back in and added the cross hatching, it's going to be fabulous when finished. And the wavy appliqued is SO much better when you compare the two pictures, I'm sure if you left the squares no one would comment, but to be able to see both by scrolling back and forth, well, GREAT change you made. I longarm for customers, but hand quilt most of my own pieces, I completely understand.

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  24. Just beautiful! Your quilting (hand and machine) is amazing and I love both of these projects so much--thanks for your lovely photos!

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  25. love the wavy border. much more than those cut off squares. While it is stanks for the quilt show.ill very warm here in the US South evening light is less which tells me autumn is approaching and cooler weather. Hate to see summer end but next spring we are going to Holland for tuliptime so we must get through winter to do that. so I do welcome it. th

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  26. Beautiful work!! Thank you for the details and tips. I so look forward to your posts here in Texas in the USA!

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  27. Stunning and so warming and welcoming your color choices are, its like stepping back in time. Beautiful, thanks so much for sharing!

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  28. Nothing makes a quilt top shine like hand quilting. It is wonderful. The Wheat and Woods fabrics just sparkle. I really like the scalloped border that you replaced the brown units with. Your work is so inspiring.

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  29. Hilda your Wheat and Woods is drop dead gorgeous!! I love the corners you are making - they look beautiful with your centre. I think your handquilting is lovely. I don't mind cross hatching by hand either - it creates wonderful texture :0) I'm so glad you are enjoying it now!

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  30. Your quilting looks so beautiful, and makes the quilts so much more special! So great to see more hand quilting lately. Your yard looks lovely too. Always enjoy your posts, and seeing how you solve issues!

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  31. Just LOVE your Wead and Woods !!!!!

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  32. Wheat and Woods is stunning. I agree that the partial squares were distracting and the wavy border you added in their place is perfect. Mary Koval should see what you've done with that fabric!

    The cross hatch quilting you added to the AR border is perfect. Even if you didn't have the pucker situation it really did need a little more quilting and I think what you've done is very elegant. The quilting is visible and the vine really pops!

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  33. That was a very enjoyable read and reminded me a lot of the movie I watched last night called Handmade in France with Love which was a big wake up call about how important it is to spend time on making handmade items as the world moves into everything being instant! The time you are allowing to evaluate and re work is fabulous to see.

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  34. Wonderful post! I enjoyed seeing your quilts. I especially like Wheat and Woods--it's so elegant :)

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  35. Such gorgeous quilts! Thanks for sharing your solution to the Puckers. They can indeed be quilted out.
    Love the change you made to Wheat and Woods. Much better!

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  36. How lovely Hilda! I didn't actually notice the 1/2 or 3/4 squares until you mentioned it, but I do like the wavy border better.
    It will be time to bring out my BTCT and start on hand quilting. I dont enjoy larger projects as much as you do.

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  37. You never cease to inspire me. Your hand quilting is beautiful. I adore the Wheat and Woods. I would never have thought to add the wavy border and yet it makes it so much better. Thank you once again for such lovely inspiration.

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  38. Lovely stitching! Your wavy border is lovely it a great solution to the partial squares and more cohesive. I too like a grid behind my applique - looks lovely and "finished". Inspiring post!

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  39. Wheat and woods is gorgeous! The wavy border is perfect! Softens up those edges and and make the design flow beautifully!

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  40. Happy Spring to you!
    The quilting on Ann Randoll is coming along just stunning!
    I absolutely LOVE your Wheat & Woods, this quilt just sings to my heart!

    wishing you a wonderful start to September!

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  41. Your quilt is one of the best designs ever! I feel the hard work you offered on creating your masterpieces!
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