Thursday, April 5, 2007

Maundy Thursday

Spring has left the area and been replaced by stiff, blowing winds, cold temperatures and even snow! Enough that the Tigers/Blue Jays game in Detroit was cancelled today. Now that's enough to make a baseball enthusiast sad in April.



I love to applique! My lists of stitching preferences would also include both hand and machine piecing and hand quilting. Hand quilting is a slow process for me, but I'm not really comfortable with machine quilting larger quilts, as yet.

In the early days of my quilting, someone at a retreat demonstrated hand applique. My initial thought was "I'll never be doing that!" And now it is my favorite part of quilting, next to the binding. When you are hand stitching down the binding, you are nearing completion, which is always a good thing. This is the project I need to finish asap. The pattern is from Sentimental Stitches and has always been a favorite of mine. I chose spring colors and am doing needle turn applique. The bottom border will have "Bloom Where You are Planted" stitched on it and then it will be bound with a light, yellow checked fabric. My preferred needle is a Clover Gold Eye sharp - size 12. For hand piecing, I use the same needle and YLI Heirloom thread. When I piece by machine, it's my trusty Featherweight.

8 comments:

Mrs. Goodneedle said...

Very pretty and traditional-- I love it! Clover 12s for me too!

Carole said...

I'm with you on hand applique. I just love sitting quietly working away. I use a strawneddle and silk thread. The silk thread is so smooth. I'm looking forward to seeng the finished quilt. Take care and happy quilting!

Judy said...

I, too, am an applique lover. However, I often go thru periods where I set it aside and zip thru several pieced "fun" quilts and then return to the more serious applique. Applique takes longer, but is such a great stress buster. Silk thread and Jeanna Kimble's needles are my favorites as well. Enjoy your project - it's very pretty and Spring-y! (which the weather isn't!!) Thanks for stopping by my blog.

Libby said...

Binding is my favorite part of quilting, too. I guess I never really thought about how it is very similar to applique. Partly because I have only recently come to enjoy needleturn applique. Very soothing - and portable, too.

swooze said...

Bllom Where You Are Planted....my favorite saying. I have it in cross stitch and framed in a little house frame!

I love your piece. I do enjoy appliue as well.

Darlene said...

I love to stitch down binding - something cathardic about it. Actually, I love handwork; x-stitch used to be a major passion, enjoy embroidery and discovered a true love of hand applique last year and am hopelessly addicted.

Your project is adorable!

Wendy said...

My favorite part is hand applique, love the flowers you've done.

Greenmare said...

I agree!
and you flowers are very pretty~
I used to do a lot of cross-stitch also, and maybe that is why I like doing applique and bindings, never thought about it like that before.