I've made it through winter and we're officially in Spring now. My work conference is over for another year and I finally have some headspace to think about quilting again.
The US Open tennis started earlier this week and I've been enjoying watching that on TV. The timings work really well for someone with a flexible part time job like me. The night session starts at 7pm in New York, but that is 11am here in New Zealand. I try to do my work in the mornings and then watch a lot of the night session during my afternoon. If it goes really late it can still be going at 6pm here in New Zealand, which is 2am in New York.
I try to choose one quilt to work on during the two weeks of the US Open. This year it will be my Spooky Darlings Halloween quilt. I showed you a sneak peek of it back in July. It's a very simple design, but I want to jazz it up by hand quilting cobwebs on to it.
I started by quilting a cobweb into the centre of each diamond, but now I've decided to quilt a giant grid first and get those lines in first. I was finding it difficult to work out paths to follow because there are so many lines in the design. I'm using a stencil and chalk pencils to transfer the cobweb design on to the quilt.
Now it's time for the Peacock Party. Feel free to link up a recent blog post below.
That's nice that the timing of the Open coordinate nicely with your work schedule. Happy stitching!
ReplyDeleteI love your cobweb quilting!! Our meteorological autumn started, but it's still warm and sunny and very, very dry!
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy. This looks like it’s going to be gorgeous. I ave a question and I apologise if you have answered it already in a post or tutorial and I’ve missed it. I follow your blog every week but I might not have caught into this. I want to hand quilt my next quilt. My problem is that I can’t get my head around how you move from place to place with the hoop. Do you have several needles loaded up with thread so that once you’ve quilted as far as you can within the hoop, you just move the hoop and pick up where you left off with each loaded up needle? Does that make sense? Also, while I recognise that practice makes perfect, and while I have the right hoop and thimble, I find it really hard to get the tension right. On small pieces for practicing I’ve given up the hoop altogether in favour of gathering up the fabric in my left hand and working right to left with the needle in much the same way that I did counted cross stitch for many years. Welcome your thoughts and tips. Also from fellow commenters. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI have never gotten into tennis nice though to have something that you are watching while quilting.
ReplyDeleteCute hand quilted cobwebs!!! I like them way better than the real ones!?!
ReplyDeleteJust love these diamond Spooky Darlings blocks and the wonderful webs you are stitching over them. You have a great stitching schedule too; enjoy every minute!
ReplyDeleteSuch a fabulous Halloween quilt you are working on and a great idea to work on multiple projects while watching the Open. Happy quilting.
ReplyDeleteHand quilting is a perfect thing to do while watching sports on TV.
ReplyDeleteI love the cobweb quilting on this Halloween themed quilt. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteHow nice of you to be enjoying watching the US Open. My hubs did too. Though I'm not such a big tennis fan, I caught Serena's final interview after her last match. She's a legend, for sure. What a great idea to hand-stitch spider webs on your Halloween quilt! The quilting design and your stitched look wonderful. Keep up the great work.
ReplyDeleteHello Hubblebird - I hope you see this comment - I can't reply directly because you're a no reply blogger.
ReplyDeleteYes, I quilt as much as I can within the hoop, and then I move it to an overlapping position. I leave the needles in my work still threaded up, and just move the hoop so I can carry on stitching with the same thread and needle. I hope that helps.