Here is a mini quilt of my original design, and the latest FO.
Size: 16"x22.5"
Techniques used: piecing, raw edge machine appliqué, turned-edge machine appliqué, a little bit of hand appliqué, and a little bit of embroidery stitches.
Batting: Quilters Dream wool and thin cotton (2 layers together)
Thread for quilting: WonderFil Invisafil
I really like making mini quilts! It's much easier to maneuver on a domestic sewing machine, and quick to make. I can't wait to make more!
2017-08-04 Update: Guess what! I entered this orphan block to the 2017 National Juried Show of Canadian Quilter's Association and it got accepted! It was displayed at the Toronto International Centre in June. Unfortunately I was in China at that time and missed the show (my first ever show entry!!!). Ben went to the show and sent me pictures... I was quite embarrassed because mine is the smallest piece and least design/workmanship involved. People who were juried into the show did a fantastic job! Their quilts are stunning!
My productivity is not bad since my last post. My sampler quilt top was finished before Christmas, and I decided to send it to a longarm quilter to finish it. I contacted Michelle from Quilted Memories for some custom quilting, and yesterday I finally brought the quilt top (with wool batting from Quilters Dream) to her place. We opted for simple fillers so the focus will be on the blocks instead of the background. This will be my first quilt that's longer-quilted. I can't wait to see the result... in two weeks!
With the epic quilt top finished (it took me over a year, on and off), I had two orphan blocks (a Baltimore Rose and a Nosegay) and decided to make a mini quilt using one of them.
I used WonderFil DecoBob (DB115, a linen colour) on top and AuriFil 50 weight cotton as bobbin thread. The top thread is slightly darker than the background fabric, making the quilting stitches quite standout. The finished "quilt" measures 16"x16".
The is a turned-edge machine appliqué block. I used washed-away appliqué sheets, glue sticks, and the Tweezerman cuticle sticks to prep the edges. The wash-away sheets actually would stay in the appliqués after washing, but becomes softer. To reduce bulkiness, I cut open the background fabric and pullout as much paper as possible.
The batting includes a layer of wool and a layer of thin cotton (both from Quilters Dream). It's thick and lofty at the beginning, but the dense quilting did a nice job of compressing the background and bringing a trapunto effect to the appliqués.
Some in-progress photos of the block...
The finished block. The zig-zag stitches using Sulky's invisible thread and a #60 sharp needle is very much invisible, indeed. The only thing that I don't like about a size 60 needle is that my machine cannot thread through the tiny hole...
Finally a sneak peak of my sampler quilt top:
I made another Baltimore Rose block using mostly traditional fabrics to blend in more with other blocks.
It's been tens years since I started my first blog in 2006! In the mean time, I went through undergrad, masters, marriage and have been working full time for almost 4 years. Looking back, I am really glad that I kept a (not so complete) record of what I made, what I bought, what I suffered and what I accomplished. Indeed, I also used to write about life in QQ zone and MSN space. I also occasionally (and still) post in Weibo, WeChat Moments, Facebook and Instagram. Once in a while I would enjoy pinning for 30 minutes in Pinterest. Hmmm... Seems like I am so keep up with the social media! The only place that I never have an account is Twitter.
Today I hang out with an Instagram friend at a Starbucks near my house, and we talked a lot about the knitting community (while finishing our socks). I found I have missed a lot about the "hit" stuffs and designers in the knitting world! Just now, I went through a Toronto Yarn Shop blog that I created in 2006, and was surprised to see many of the local yarn shops that I visited 10 years ago have disappeared. Maybe it's time to refresh the blog entries and put in new ones (and include fabric shops). If you are in the GTA area, please share with me your favorite shops and I will take a visit.
These are placemat size (about 13" x 18") samples I made back in July and August. I love the freedom of no-marking free motion quilting. Just relax and doodling on fabric! My favorite thread for dense quilting so far is WonderFil InvisaFil, paired with Size 60 Microtex needles. My favorite batting combo so far is one layer of Hobbs Tuscany Silk + one layer of Quilters Dream Angel Request Cotton (very thin batting). Love the drape and the trapunto finish!
Unfortunately, there is something wrong with my camera lens, so you see an off-colored strike through many of the pictures.
Update from last post: I had another ultrasound last Friday and found some tissues remaining in my uterus. I was send to the Day Surgery, had a D&C and started another round of recovery. While resting at home, I resumed my sample blocks quilt and worked on a Baltimore album style applique block. This time, I tried prepared edge hand applique., using Appliquick fusible webs and glue to turn the edges before stitching the pieces to the background fabric. As I was working on the fell stitch, I wondered how close the stitches need to be. Then, I remembered the pictures taken at the Maryland Historical Society Museum last Christmas. Browsing through the pictures again, I must admit that my stitches are too sparse from a Baltimore lady's standard... (need improvement)
I felt guilty that I used mostly a cream color thread for applique and don't bother about the stitches being (hardly) visible. But that's how people had done in the past actually. I think they were proud of they tiny stitches and fine workmanship, and wouldn't mind the stitches being visible.
Indeed, the stitches, even done in white thread, are invisible if you are more than 4 inches away.
It's been more than 3 months since my last update. There has been so much going on actually. In mid-August I found myself pregnant but was horrified with more than 2 weeks of spotting and light cramping. I pretty much stopped all sewing and quilting, and off from work for 2 weeks. The symptoms improved in September. I thought I would be fine. Unfortunately, when I had my first appointment with my OB on October 3, the ultrasound showed that I had already miscarried (no bleeding yet). The bleeding started in the afternoon, and became really heavy at night. This was my first pregnancy and my husband and I had no crew what to do, so we went to the emergency. Long story short: it's a terrible night. I spent the rest of the week resting at home and drank bowls and bowls of chicken rice wine soup to recover myself from the miscarriage. The bleeding lasted for two weeks, and I am finally recovered this week. It's been an emotionally and physically challenging period for me. I am glad that I am finally able to stepping out of the blue and resume normal life. More quilting and knitting will be coming up!
Look, I now have everything organized in the basement:
I can't wait to have more work done!
