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| Hibiscus - Week 2 |
Patience is a virtue that eludes me with more frequency than I would like to admit. None of my work comes together quickly. I do make time to be in my studio, but it never seems to be sufficient to create all that I want to create. I work on simplifying my technique. Then I am inspired to add layers of simplicity until once again I am faced with anything but a simple quilt. That simple little hibiscus quilt continues to blossom, but at the same speed that a watched blossom unfurls.
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| Thread Painted Hibiscus |
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| Detail of Thread Painting |
This week I finished the machine appliqué portion and started the thread painting.
I have experimented with multiple forms of appliqué over the years. I started with needle turn appliqué. (Talk about labor intensive!) I moved from there to fusible appliqué that had a satin stitched edge. This required a far more extensive thread collection than I was willing to invest in, since the thread needed to "match" the fabric it was surrounding. I experimented with just quilting over the appliqué pieces, but this often resulted in raggedy edges. That was great if the appliqué involved a cat with fur, but a disaster for a smooth edged feature like the wall the cat was walking on. Yesterday I discovered that my Bernina 1260 had a blanket stitch that was perfect. So, that is the option I went with for this quilt.
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| Hibiscus - The Flip Side |
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| Backside of Thread Painted Hibiscus |
I've taken Leah Day's advice and started to match my bobbin thread to my top thread. It takes more time, since every thread change is a double change, but I love the effect it has on the back of my quilt.
It's so pretty! I so agree with your first 3 sentences! I have the same problem. It doesn't help that I have to work a full time job for a living, haha :)
ReplyDeleteIt's true, quilting projects inevitably take twice as long as you think they will, but the final product is always too cute to take that into consideration. I like the blanket stitched edges, wonder if my machine has a decorative stitch like this that I haven't discovered yet...
ReplyDeleteThat hibiscus is really, really beautiful Gwyned. And the back is as beautiful as the front!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Danielle, MC and kinsman. I read somewhere that when we estimate the time it takes to complete a project we tend to underestimate the time if it is something we love doing whereas we overestimate the time if it is something that doesn't appeal to us. Perhaps that is why it is always such a surprise just how long it takes to make even the smaller works.
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