Thursday, May 13, 2021

Blue Skies Inside and Out


Commuting

Surely you expected I'd wear pink Crocs to work. I have a raspberry pink shirt on right now, too. Color is a powerful thing.



Follow me into my office. I was grumbling earlier this week about trying to get everything done, and I had lots of little bumps. But I turned around while I was working, and saw this. Okay, the color surrounding me kind of screamed out, "How hard is it to work surrounded by all this amazing color?!" And, yes, I had to smile. This job has some emotional benefits, I admit.



This quilt is to mark a major educational milestone is the maker's son's life. It's simple, but stunning. She chose this overlapping spiral design from the many I offered her. It was an excellent choice.



I want to show you in detail how matching a design like this works. It can come very, very close, but not always meet perfectly. Digital designs encounter something called 'drift' as they're stitched out. It might meet exactly on the left in the beginning, but because of the fabric stretch, bar movement, etc., it is slightly off on the other end.

Imagine a curving line across 100" of quilt. Three layers moving independently into one, fluid, yet one full of seams pulling many directions. A pieced backing creates yet another dimension. As a quilter I'm aware of keeping the design in line with the horizontal seams of the quilt, but more so with the design from the previous quilting. It's a physical, and bit of mental tug of war lining it up after each pass. And while there are places like above where there is 1/16-1/8" of overlap, in other places it's spot on. So in full disclosure, I am happy with how well this went! Once the quilt is washed, the inconsistency will be hard to see.



And do notice the thread on the front was a variegated black-blue, and the bobbin thread pale grey. Awesome tension with not a single pokey!! I am cheering because I have struggled so hard with this in the recent past. Okay, I'm done crowing.



On the opposite side is the applique quilt I've been working on for a few weeks. I started block work on it on the HQ Forte then switched to the HQ Avante for more detailed work. 



Fine detail work is easier for me with the smaller of the two machines. Also, I can't stand and work for hours on end on detail work. It's hard on your arms and neck, and I find myself getting very tense. Ruler work around the edge of the applique is first then freehanding all the fills. 




Someone asked me about thread color a while back. This thread color is actually Cream by Superior. It looks fairly dark on the spool, but provides just the slightest of contrast on the quilt top. It's still terribly hard to do light thread on light backgrounds, and not lose your place. Thankfully those little bobbles don't show up as easily either.


But they will show on the back, mind you.



It's coming along slowly, but beautifully!




Look at these beautiful heirloom pansies! Aren't they smashing? I've been tucking them into my salads along with pea tendrils, and I think the color adds pea-zazz.



And this is my hydroponic salad bar that needs harvesting before dinner. Isn't that lush? Fingers crossed that tonight is our last night in the 30's for a while. I'd forgotten to bring in plants last night I was hardening off, and a few show signs of frost damage. Drat! It' been a late spring here, but I am hoping for sunny, warm days in the future weeks. I wish the same for you, too. I don't think I've ever looked more forward to a summer. Bring it on!

Come on, Doxie girls.
Let's go sew.



 

4 comments:

  1. You are an amazing lady! Beautiful quilting and a green thumb.

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  2. What an amazing quilting motif - love it. Reminds me of a Baptist fan but more fluid. Is that a hostia near you pink crocs - that's beautiful, too! What a blessing to work in so much color.

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  3. I do my quilting on a domestic machine, but I find black on black so much harder to keep up with "my place" on it.

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  4. Great quilting pattern for the blue quilt! Do you use some type of clamps on each end of your quilt? That could help the over-stitching a bit. It's a confounding problem. Your greens garden is enviable! Enjoy the harvest.

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Thoughtful comments are Honey to My Heart! Thank you for taking time to leave such words. Feel free to email me directly with any specific questions at julie@pinkdoxies.com
Julie
Pink Doxie Mama