Quilting Decisions

At Quilting Arts, Bredon in Gloucestershire we're making a Sampler Quilt using Lynne Edwards' book.  After making up about four blocks the time has come to decide on what type of quilting to do.  It's a quilt-as-you-go technique to make life easier as we have domestic machines not particularly designed for quilting,, so quilting a block at a time is manageable and not too scary!

The other benefit is that it gives us scope to practice different types of quilting, as well as learning different patchwork techniques as we work through the book and through the blocks.

For my blocks I have tried a different method of quilting for each one so far.

We started with Tumbling Blocks and on this one I used one of the built-in reversible embroidery stitches on my machine and followed the angles of the 'bricks' as I quilted around them.

Quilters' tape is a good way to extend the lines and angles of the blocks so you can follow the lines and see where to quilt outside of the bricks. This was a quick and easy, stress free method.

 The next block was called Rail Fence.  Unfortunately with this design if your're not careful how you place the fabrics it can end up looking like a swastika (which is not what I wanted).

So to offset this illusion and to move away from all the straight lines I decided to  quilt circles radiating out from the centre.

The method here was to draw the lines in faint pencil using a curved 'OmniArc' ruler and then to machine those lines, carefully turning the block as I went.
A little button in the centre was the final touch.

 For the Maple Leaf block I wanted to emphasise the beautiful leaf fabric with its gold highlights so I decided on free machine embroidery, drawing around the leaf shapes where I could and making some up where necessary.

I had been unhappy with this block because I had mismatched the border fabric (with the big green flowers) and they didn't line up in one direction.

So rather than undo it and start again I added some 3D leaves to hide the mistake and now I like it better - serendipity!!

So moving on to our fourth block I used a walking foot to do some precise straight stitching.

These large feet vary for different machines but the one pictured here is for my Husqvarna,  They are designed to help keep the layers of fabric moving through the machine at the same rate, pushing the fabric through from above and below.  very helpful when sewing straight lines.

The fourth block is called 'Trip Around The World'.  It is made uip of lots of small squares which radiate around one central square in a diagonal pattern.

The patterns can vary - it doesn't have to be like mine shown here.

My quilting then echoes the shape on some, but not all, of the little squares.  It was important to keep the distances accurate to achieve the consistent look across the block and I used the edge of the walking foot to measure the distance and counted the stitches as I went around the squares.

Each square was quilted separately and the threads were pulled through to the back and fastened off by hand one at a time.  Very time consuming.

You may have noticed (or not) that I have changed the colour scheme for the last two blocks.

I started off with a blue and pink plan and then changed the colour scheme in my sitting room.  I want the finished 'throw' to cover my sofa and for it to reflect the greens & golds with little splashes of bright pink that I have in that room.

So the two first blocks will have to become cushion covers in another area but I'm not going to repeat those designs in the new colours as there are 40 sample blocks in Lynne Edwards' book - more than enough to play with.

More to follow - but not all quilting, so watch this space ................

Hello From Stitch Pretty

I have decided to have a blog that is not specific to quilting so that I can post a variety of different articles which may cover hand embroidery, quilting, machine embroidery, textile art and anything to do with stitching.

My interests are so varied and each day I get caught up in something different that really interests me.  Sometimes it will be design work, another time preparation for a project or a scheme.

So this is the introductory post and I will add to the blog when time permits, as often as I can.  

Welcome if you are interested enough to read it.

The first image on the right is a paper, string and PVA glue design based on an old ruined wall at the back of Tewkesbury Abbey which was damaged when Henry VIIIth destroyed the monastery which used to be attached to the abbey.  This design was created as part of the Texture module for my Patchwork & Quilting coursework.  I haven't used it as a basis for any textile work just yet but I plan to do so at some stage.

This image on the left is a pencil drawing of a sleeve.  I studied Wars of the Roses for my coursework and found a painting of  some nobles in a garden each plucking a red or a white rose.  This extract was from that painting and I noticed how beautiful the men's garments were with the most amazing sleeves.

This design became a reverse applique with the sleeve lining in pink and the robe in black & gold.

The dagger was omitted from my stitched sample!

 Here is a sample of Hawaiian applique which I really don't enjoy doing.  You can probably tell that because it's obvious I kept it as simple as possible.

The design is cut from folded paper first and then reproduced in two layers of cotton.  The top layer is hand stitched with needle-turn applique.

It's unlikely I'll ever try this technique again but some people love it and each one is unique.


The coloured image is part of a hand embroidered landscape which took me absolutely ages to do.  Fields, trees, river and buildings.

I started a hand embroidery course on-line before changing over to the Patchwork & Quilting one which I have now completed.

After trying all these different things I have realised that I love hand embroidery and have now gone back to it and am just starting a Stump Work course.  So no doubt some of my efforts will end up on this new blog.

I've called this new blog Stitch Pretty because I always want to make pretty things with colour and visual appeal.  I like shiny, sparkly and transparent materials.
I used to make lots of organza pin-on flowers and that is where the name Stitch Pretty first came from. I took them to craft fairs and also produced lots when I participated in Open Studios in the Forest of Dean.  So I've come back to that name because although I am enjoying my excursion into quilting I'll never be passionate about it nor totally absorbed by it as some are.  Variety and experiment is more important and more fun.

Even so:  as we at Quilting Arts in Bredon work our way through our Sampler Quilts the blocks I make will be featured on here as well as the other stitching and textile work that I choose to dip into.
But variety is exciting so I do hope to keep this blog interesting and I hope you will come back from time to time and keep me company.