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A Flourish Of Finishes: Sewing Machine Little Quilt


Finish Along 2014



Last November, I went to the Knit and Stitch Show in Harrogate and found this lovely pattern on a stall (sorry, I have no idea what the stall was called!).  I knew I wanted to change the look and that I didn't want to make an embroidery for framing so I decided to make a cushion.  (You'll notice that the title of this post doesn't match this intention!)



Pattern details for the sewing machine embroidery


My lovely friend Beryl gave me a piece of 28 count evenweave and a quick introduction to stitching on it (I've only ever used Aida and canvas for counted work) and I got to work.



Embroidery on 28 count evenweave


I changed the spellings of some words to their British English versions and added touches of colour as I went.  For future reference, the threads I used were: Anchor 399 (grey), Anchor 55 (pink), DMC 211 (lilac), DMC 3846 (turquoise), DMC 703 (green) and Metz 0295 (yellow) (I don't think this brand exists, but I have a collection  of stranded cotton going back to the 1980s and some of the shades are perfect and don't exist in either Anchor or DMC, which are the easiest to get locally.).  I used Aurifil 50wt in 5006 (turquoise) and 2021 (off-white) when assembling and quilting the little quilt.

A few months after starting and in between other projects, I finished the embroidery


Sewing machine


and then added it to my FAL Q3 list, where I stated my intention to turn it into a cushion (I even had the cushion pad ready) using these fabrics and putting a covered zip in the back



Cushion


Well, it sat in my 'FAL/WIP' bag for weeks and weeks and weeks.  Then, when Archie was poorly and I was taking a break from knitting, I spent a few days turning it into a little quilt for my sewing room wall.  It took a while because Archie didn't like me out of his sight for more than a couple of minutes.  (I even spent five nights 'sleeping' on the front room carpet in front of his cage.)  While working on turning the embroidery into a little quilt, I would nip upstairs for a couple of minutes and cut a piece of border fabric or pin something together or thread the machine, etc. and would then come halfway down the stairs and reassure Archie I was still in the house and was coming back soon and then go back up for another couple of minutes before coming downstairs for a while.  I got the accent border attached and quilted in the ditch between the border and the embroidery, before attaching turquoise borders in a QAYG style.  I then spent a whole evening unquilting and unattaching said turquoise borders as I didn't like the way the piece was hanging!  The next day I reattached the borders (as normal) and then quilted in the ditch between the pink and the turquoise.  It hangs much better now!!


Sewing machine little quilt



Sewing machine little quilt


Sewing machine little quilt hanging with all my other little quilts and postcards


It is currently hanging with my other little quilts (made by lovely friends) and my fabric postcards (made by me and others for swaps) until I can get my new 'hanging wall' sorted.  I've rearranged my sewing room (more on that in another post) and I now have a spare wall that's crying out to be covered in little quilts!


Today I finally found the time and energy to plant up the 60 new bulbs I bought a few weeks ago.  A fortnight ago I repotted my existing bulb pots (it took ages and I was broken after it!) and now I've finally finished the job I started.  While I was mixing compost and grit and planting crocus, dwarf iris, tete-a-tete daffs and allium (not in a pot but in one of my raised beds), Archie enjoyed some sun


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Look at that lovely blue sky, you'd never think it was October!!

Thanks for popping in, I hope you aren't getting sick of me - nothing for weeks on end and then three posts in less than a week!  I'll be caught up soon, promise!

Comments

  1. Oh wow that is amazing!!! I think the colours you put into it really finish it oofoff!
    I love cross stitching on evenweave, even if my eyes don't! That is a perfect mini!!

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  2. Always lovely to see what you're up to, such pretty things and such a handsome Archie!

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  3. Love to see you posting a bit more. You are doing lovely stuff! Garden and sewing..

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  4. Oh poot Archie (off to catch up on your other posts which will probably fill me in) Love the embroidery!

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  5. Love that you did the pattern in colour and not just one colour - it's fabulous. Love your wall of minis! Can't wait to see all your bulbs flower :)

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  6. We'll never get sick of you lovely! Your wallhanging is simply stunning! I love it! And I love your creative wall too! What lovely inspiration and reminders of how much you are loved. Jxo

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  7. No my dear. Not sick of you ; ) Such beautiful stitching. Very nice. Your shawl from the previous post is just lovely too

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  8. Couldn't get sick of you, in fact rather enjoying your resurgent presence. I think it was a great idea to make this cross stitch into a mini quilt instead of the cushion. I love cross stitch and embroidery and evenweave is one of my favourite fabrics for doing it. Always feels like "grown up" stitching fabric to me. Well done on your finish! I love your colourful display of minis and postcards too.

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  9. Lovevthe sewing machine - much better as a wall hanging, so glad Archie allowed you to finish it !!!

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  10. What a beautiful mini quilt. Love your shawl from the previous post. Sounds a mammoth task with all the bulbs. What a talented lady you are. So lovely to see Archie looking so well and enjoying the sunshine.

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  11. You are going great guns Helen, great mini, love your wall.
    Your garden is looking good, nice view thro window in previous post.

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  12. Lovely project, and it is heartening to see that I am not the only one who takes a while to get projects finished!
    It's sunny here too, we managed to get the decking re sealed last weekend and the grass has needed cutting twice this week. October you say!

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  13. Love how you added color to the stitchery. Really makes it sing!

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  14. Wow, that's beautiful, Helen! Love your little quilt wall too! x

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  15. it's lovely! (and so nice to see the stingy bee mini in situ!)

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  16. Fabulous stitching as usual! We could never be sick of you!!

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  17. What Charlotte said - forgotten about that one! Love the colour you added it makes it I think!

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  18. I was a wee bit thrilled to see another post from you in my feed this morning. Only a wee bit, mind, don't be getting a big head now. *g*

    Your addition of colour to that kit is inspired! It just adds such a bit of sparkle to it. Perfect!

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  19. Your new little quilt has turned out beautifully. I love your collection of of minis and postcards :)

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  20. Everyone is going to want one of those cross stitch patterns now ... love all of your minis!

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  21. It's lovely, and a teeny bit jealous of your mini quilt wall!

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  22. This is absolutely stunning ( as is your wall of mini quilts/postcards) and reminds me that I really need to do something with a screen printed sewing machine I bought from Emily (lovestrawberrypatch) a few months back!

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  23. Lovely finish. Great collection on your wall too.
    Looking forward to seeing your garden in spring ehen those bulbs are blooming

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