Do you keep a record......

Of the quilts that you have made?

I sort of do, I try to give every quilt a number and keep a log of what it was, who it was for and all information relating to it. 

There are times when I find this information valuable as often large parcels of time pass between the planning and beginning stages, some of the construction and the completion stages of the top. 

There is often a large chunk of time that passes from the completion of the quilt top or 'flimsy' to the quilt top being sandwiched/batted and quilted. Once I get to this stage though, the binding normally goes on pretty quick and gets sewn down. 

So if you put all these parcels of time together, that quilt top has been hanging around for a long time and with my memory not as good as it used to be, this can be a problem when trying to write the label. This is where and when all of that information written in one place can be very handy indeed.

Do you document your quilts anywhere?

If so how do you do it?  What information do you include?

Please share how you achieve this or not, I am looking forward to hearing how everyone records their accomplishments.

Where are you working today?

Sometimes we get the opportunity to work somewhere different. Where are you working today?

I had the opportunity to accompany hubby on a day trip and so while he is doing business I am sitting looking out over Lake Taupo having coffee and working on a project. Not what I had planned for today or what I was going to work on but a bonus day and trip out is worth it. It also means that this project gets some much needed attention.

I again have too many projects on the go and I want to get all of the tracing on this one done so that I can do the hand appliqué when I get the opportunity. I can't move along on this project until the hand stitching is done. This project you have seen before on my blog, probably many times. It is a Gailpan Design Homecoming Lane, I still really love it and want it done and on the wall.

Unfortunately I left my glasses in the bathroom in my rush to get out the door and so I must look a little strange sitting here with my prescription sunglasses on - alas it is the only way that I can see to do anything, lol.

Happy stitching everyone

Donna-Maree

Feeling the fear and doing it anyway...

I have many quilt tops that have been sitting quite a while waiting patiently to be quilted, occasionally I can hear them calling to me as they want to be quilted and promoted to being out of the cupboard.

I have been procrastinating over quilting these quilts, but I am beginning to feel totally blocked by them as there are lots of ideas for new quilts in my head and I know that I can't begin them until I have dealt with this pile. I am also aware that I have an opportunity of time at the moment to deal with these now and that opportunity is fast running out. 

One of the reasons also for my procrastination is that four of these quilt tops are for gifts for very special people in my life that mean a lot to me and I want to do the best job that I can do on their quilts. A lot of time and money has been invested in these tops already and I am scared I will stuff it up as I haven't machine quilted for a while now.

So I pondered on this and decided that I needed to do some practice, but I really don't see the point in practicing on a practice sandwich. 

I am not sure when I created this little wall hanging, but it was my version of machine stitching or thread play and at the time that I created it I was quite happy with it. However lately I keep looking at it and can't help but think that it needs some updating. I used this as my practice piece and this is the result.

This is the result of my practicing and I learnt a lot through doing this. I started by doing the lines in the petals with variegated thread but this drew up the fabric around the flowers, so I had to work out what I was going to do in the background to even it out a little. The background also needed to be a design that was completely different to the flowers otherwise they wouldn't stand out. Circles seemed to be just the right thing. Then the borders desperately needed some taming so I flicked through my book to get some inspiration and decided on the continual curves around the edges.

I purchased Angela Walters book a few years ago now to help me through the inspiration slumps that happen when you are machine quilting and for when I don't know what to do next. I find that it definitely helps me work out what my options are.

I am happy with the end result, it isn't perfect but it is done and I am much further ahead than I would have been if I had done nothing and let the procrastination continue. I felt the fear and I did it anyway and I feel better equipped to tackle the pile of quilt top that are waiting for their turn at the machine.

I love getting your feed back so please feel welcome to leave a comment.

Until next time

happy stitching everyone.

Donna-Maree