Variegated Spools

 Jeanne does such wonderful applique.  I've tried a few different ways, and ugh mine looks like well maybe I should just say it doesn't look very good. So when I get a change to quilt with  exquisite applique, I enjoy every single minute of it and this was no exception.  The spools have so many different fabrics, it was fun to look at them all. But this baby is done!!

Variegated Spools - Laundry Basket Quilts - Pieced by Jeanne McGill

Some details on the quilt 

Pattern - a modified Variegated Spools from Laundry Basket Quilts (I love the two birds)

Batting - 1 layers of Quilters Dream 70/30 on the bottom, Quilters Dream Wool on top

Thread - Glide 60 wt top and bottom

Rulers - Quilted Pineapple 12 in straight, Julia Quiltoff small straight ruler, Quilters rule (no idea what the name of the ruler is but I use it ALL the time and Scully for the applique.  I start using Scully for applique at the beginning, then just use my hand on the quilt and my non dominant had to guide the machine (I can't explain it but it works!).  I the mornings I will start with Scully then switch.  He's great for going around irregular shapes but ya gotta go slow no matter what!!

Other - a fine line air erasable pen and  a sew line water pen to erase.   I marked the centers of the blocks between the spools for the feathers.  I mark a block, quilt, erase, move to the next one.   I do NOT mark for the straight lines , only for the center of the feathers.

Time - this one took between 18 - 20 hours and I believe I quilted everything before it came off the frame, hallelujah the quilting Gods were on my side this time!

Other findings.  I'm embarrassed to admit that I have over 700 hours of stitch time clocked on this machine and I have never changed the check spring.   I've been able to quilt but lately have been struggling with tension with threads that normally work just fine.  So I did it, I changed the check spring and everything about quilting changed! Wow, tension fixed right away and stay fixed.  Why did I wait so long and how is that you are suppose to be able to tell with your spring has sprung?   I mean hey if ain't broke don't fix it! How often do you change your check spring???

I've got some sweet little teacups up next.  It's a  little one, can I get it done in a day?  Shoot I don't feel like I can get anything done in a day!!

I may have an opening in Oct / Nov if you would like custom quilting.  I can always fit an edge to edge in between the custom quilts.  I'd love to quilt for you.  Just hope over to https://suedaurioquilting.com/ there's a form at the bottom to contact us, I'd love to quilt for you.

Lots of link up parties see the buttons on the side bar, so much creative goodness out there waiting to be shared.

Slow Stitching Sunday

Yep that's right, me not only slow stitching but loving it! I thought binding would be the easiest hand to do.  If I didn't like binding I wasn't going to like any hand work at all.  Oh was I wrong, I hated binding.  I started hand embroidery and I just feel in love with it.   I'm just learning so my stitches have a way to go, but I'm enjoying getting there.  Today I'm working on my Squash Squad by Sue Spargo.  Squash #4 almost done.  

I started this summer when we were on a road trip to FL.  Circle Sampler was my first project, but knew there was no way I could stitch 90 circles, just no.  But I thought 16 was a reasonable number so I started with that.  Sixteen was just about right.  A little more than 1/2 way through I was getting bored, and started picking my favorites to do, then I started tweaking them....and you know how this goes right?  I finished by needle case.  A sampler of stitches, threads, yarns and ribbons. 

Sue Spargo Circle Sampler - Needle Case

Now maybe just maybe I'll start the Cathedral Doves II BOM from A Different Box of Crayons.  Or maybe I'll work on the next squash and try to get more practice....It's nice to have choices.

Hope your thread is untangled and it's a great slow stitching Sunday for you.  See the link in the sidebar.

Oh and tomorrow I'll have pics and details of the spool quilt that was finished, I need on of those!!

Finished or Not Friday

 I just love the thought of "finished or not Friday"  no pressure, sometimes you have a finish and sometimes, like this time it's really close.  This is Friday morning and just maybe, if the quilting Gods stay on my side, it just might be finished today!!!!  I'll have more details on batting, thread and rulers used on the final reveal coming soon....

Jeanne's Spool Quilt - FMQ and ruler work all hand guided

This is a quilt made by Jeanne, she does fabulous applique and her spools, wow!!  I don't think there are two fabrics alike.  I just adore this quilt, it's on my bucket list.    As I was quilting, it hit me why I love this so much.  It's the spools!!  Anyone that knows me, knows I'm a thread junky.  I LOVE thread!  When I'm at a quilt store I swear it takes everything in me to NOT touch the thread when I walk by.   More often then not, my fingers come in contact, if only for a brief moment! And I've just started collecting threads for embroidery.  I'm in thread heaven, thread on the wall, thread for embroidery, spools that are being quilted, how can life get any better?  I'm one lucky girl!

Who doesn't love a little thread??

Oh and in the spirit of not finished, here's my newest crazy, some Sue Spargo embroidery.  I tried a little sampler and was completely smitten with this handwork.  Current project is Squash Squad, I've finished 3 of nine. So I'm gonna take the 3 blocks as a finish.  I can have my cake and eat it too!

Sue Spargo Squash Squad - I'm learning something new!!

Almost forgot national pup day (shhhh this needs to be our little secret).  Jacks and Isaac my sweet little prince and princess, love them to pieces!!

Jacks (after Mary Jackson) and Isaac (after Isaac Newton)

linking up  with Alycia at Finished  (or not) Friday, 

a pup link up Quilt Fabrication National Dog Day Link

TIGIFF - link on the side bar

Nina Marie - off the wall Friday - link on the side bar

Peacock Party - link on the side bar

Hope everyone has a happy weekend - the last one in August?  How does this happen????

Do people still read blogs? Northern Wilderness Quilt

Hello!!!  Is there anyone still out there?  It's been so long since I've blogged on a regular basis, 2018 ish????  And to be honest I've been using a lot of social media, facebook and instagram.  I just can't get into tic tok right now but I hear there's a boat load of stuff on there for quilting and crafts as well.  How do people do it all?

I retired this year  (hehehe so I can quilt more!! )and there are a number of occasions where I sat down and wanted to find out what regular quilters like me were doing.   So I opened up facebook (which I think has some really good  groups) and Instagram (which I think has taken a wrong turn since being purchased by Meta) and the inspiration just wasn't there.  Both of those platforms have  ALOT of adds and posts for business which is good becasue I'm pretty good at buying things.....not always that good with making things for those same purchases, but the potential is there!  However I wanted to see what real quilters were working on, not just the businesses that enable them.

The other big difference between a blog and a post on social media, is the content.  Blogs go into detail about the process the things that worked well, the things that didn't....you know what I'm talking about.  And honestly I want to show you what I'm working on  and see what your working on.  I'm interested in more than the shops and quilters that make close or more than 6 figures on the craft.  I want to see what those that are crafting are doing.  But blogging does take time....so we'll see if I can keep this up again.  

Goals for my blog are easy.  First to share my process and tools as much as I can.   I can show what works for me, what I liked what I didn't like.  I love getting comments from people on things that worked for them (I'm assuming there's still a person or two that reads blogs :).  Second to have  an archive of what I've make.  I did pretty good with the archives until 2019.  I know my producity was greatly reduced but there were quilts that were made, there were experitments gone both ways, good and bad.  So I'll try to catch up on a few of those for every new thing that I post about for 2022.

So with that said, I'm already a day late, I wanted to blog every Monday, but really do I need such strigent rules???  Rules are meant to be broken and I certainly wasted no time with this one!

What have I done in 2022?  I'll have to dig deep to find something, it's been a year!  When I said "bring on 2022 I'm ready"   I had no idea what is store!  But I was ready, almost, made it through and here we are today. Ready to be inspired?????  Lets start maybe with something that I didn't make but something that I quilted.

Theresa did a fabulous job on this #appliquequilt. It’s based on @northern_threads #northernwildernessquilt. Theresa made a few modifications, king size and she wanted the blocks to reflect her families travels to the national parks. Her and her daughter drafted a few blocks and it looks spectacular!! I have them all here! So hard to choose a favorite, but two of my favorites are at the end. Which blocks were modified?? First lets take a look at the whole quilt, wow, this will definitely be the star of the room! Its so big there's no way I could get a picture of the whole thing without a 12 ft ladder!

King Size Northern Wilderness Quilt

This quilt was meant to show all the national parks they have been to over the years, here's a couple they modified to better reflect their experiences.

He's hiking and he has a Cubs hat on in the top corner, int he bottom opposite corner you can see them white water rafting with the fire by the side of the river

She's in the kayak, I recognized her as soon as I saw it!

Her and her daughter drafted the train block, this was a special memory they wanted included and it's a fabulous block!!

I love when quilters do this, take a pattern and make it your own, personalize to you. This will certainly be treasured for many generations and I can just imagine future generations talking about the adventures that were had in all of the different blocks. Great job Janice

Here's a few more pics of the beautiful quilt -

Now for a few details on the quilting. This has one layer of quilters dream wool batting. Is there anything better than wool batting (provided you don't have allergies). I used a 60 wt Glide thread on top for all the dense background quilting. Mostly bottom line in the applique and pieced blocks. I try to do as little quilting on the applique and blocks so they really stand out in the quilt. If there is any area that has greater than a fist with no quilting, some will be add to help enhance the scene and provide a more consistent look to the quilting. Push the background back with dense quilting and that allows the pieced and applique to appear as though they are almost trupunto!

Rulers, you know there was not alot of ruler work but I think every ruler was on the table! I can't help it, even the straight line rulers, I used 5 different ones, totally not necessary but yet I can't find another way to do it!! Here's a picture of the threads, the marking tools and the key rulers after I cleaned up the others, oh it was such a mess! But neat and tidy for you!! If you're wondering why I have tape on the curved rulers, I do that so I know which part of the border nees which ruler and the location of where I should mark the dots for quilting. LOL I'd lose my mind if I didn't do that.

bottom line thread to match the applique and blocks

air erasable fine line marking tool and water filled pen for erasing (you dont' want to too much water in case the fabric bleeds.   And scrubbies, just in case you need to pick out a thread or two, they are great for catching those wayward threadst that have been rejected.

rulers, why do I need so many straight rulers???  The tape tells me where to put the registration marks for the border.

And just like that my first blog post of 2022 is complete. It's been a while since I've been in the linky parties, if you know any good ones, let me know, I'd love to join and go see what other are doing.

Have a wonderful quilty week!