Stitching Hands Studio

I Believe in Love for AAQI March

I had already decided to finish this little cloth for AAQI when I got the email for the March themes.  One theme was "I believe in ...".  Well, it had to be!  This piece was started in a cloth weaving class with Jude Hill and I hope it does well for AAQI.  

I'm up to $816.29 on my $1000 Promise goal and my latest quilt for sale is A New Vision.   Fine Feathered Friend has not been photographed yet.  However, the March auction is going on now and there are some gorgeous pieces available to bid on!.   I hope you'll check it out and consider contributing to this fabulous organization!

Imperfectly Perfect

All of life is imperfectly perfect, including love.  Today I'm working on this little piece.  It was started in the first cloth weaving class I took with Jude.  I can't even remember how long ago, seems like ages.  It's time it was finished. I added a braided tie that I couched down and am putting in some quilting stitches. It may or may not be done today, but I've got a cold and I'm tired so I won't push it.  Thursday is the hubby's birthday and we'll celebrate then, or this weekend.  Meanwhile, I'm just stitching.

PS- Exciting news to tell- I will be one of the featured quilters at our guild's show this August!  The other honorees are Janelle, a friend and member of my book club, The Undercover Quilters and Joanne one of the guild's greatest resources.  Joanne has been a member since the inception of the guild almost 30 years ago.  I'm am thrilled to share the stage with these amazing artists!

PPS- I changed up the blog a bit and added a subscription button there on the upper right.  I am subscribed myself to be sure it works.  It usually takes a day or more before the email comes out, but if it's convenient for you to keep track of this blog that way, you have one of my readers to thank. Kathleen wrote to ask how to subscribe and I really didn't know the best way to do it.  A little bit of research later and I had this going.  Let me know if you have any problems.

Stitching Weekend

I'll be adding items to my shop over the next few days.  It's been a productive weekend.  Hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

Continuing

I've been working on many things this week and feel in a bit of  whirlwind with so many things I want to do.  The chores and have-to's keep getting in the way.  I'm finishing up a couple of these samples from Jude's classes (Patchwork Beasts and Cloth to Cloth). I had originally intended to put several of these pieces together into one big piece, but have changed my mind and will make small wall hangings that I plan to offer for sale in my shop.  I'll post here when I do that.

Meanwhile, my new design wall is getting a workout with this quilt for Chloe!  This was meant to be her graduation/going to college quilt.  It's  bit late, but will come just in time for the cold weather.  I decided to make two design walls and the other one isn't up yet.  This one is behind the door and so will be somewhat hidden, but it's a great use for a wall that really wasn't good for hanging artwork.  My pinboard is up too, but photos of that will have to be another day.  Must get going!

Changes are afoot

My very astute sister has noticed that changes are afoot here.  I've been working on the blog all day and think I am getting where I want it to be.  I've been thinking a lot about what I want to do in the future and tweaking the focus of the blog is part of it.  I've added my name to the banner- a huge step for me!  It still feels a little funny to have it in big bold letters like that.  I've also re-written my about page, added photos to my gallery, put my Pinterest link in the header, changed the location of my shop back to Etsy (contingent upon the supposed name change option coming next week) and generally tweaked the look of things.  I've also added a link for following my blog at the bottom of the sidebar and linked all my posts to my Facebook page.  Actually getting items listed in the shop will take a while longer, but I do have some quilts to sell and hope to get them listed in time for holiday shoppers.  Stay tuned for that.  I hope to get back to good, old-fashioned stitching real soon.  

Sunflowers Moon Stars

Today's musing over at SunMoonStars was about this method of creating a sun/moon/star burst.  I found myself so intrigued I dropped everything and started making.  The star below was the first one, the pieces above came afterwards and need to be finished.  I do need some sunflowers for my Second Chances quilt, so I made several of them to give it a try.  The version top left is a little what-iffing with a square center and I may add more points.

I've already added the first star made with this method to the top right (above).

The center was created with an off cut from the moon.  The points are made with the backside of this great Kaffe Fassett print.

I really like it!

Moon and Stars

Sun Moon Stars is continuing and so is my Second Chances quilt.  I'm stitching down the moon now with a turned edge.  The stars are variations on themes that Jude has been talking about over at SMS.  Previous posts about this quilt are here, here and here.  I've done my sun and now it's time for the moon and stars.

I'm filling in areas with stitch now and having a wonderful time.  I especially love couching.  Many of the couched yarns are my own handspun.

The tree leaves are created with little cloth weavings.  There is obviously more to come.  I guess I've been concentrating on the left, but the right side will get more leaves, an outer border and something done to make the trunk not so rigid.  There will also be a swing hanging from the tree and some sunflowers.  Stay tuned for more!

Whispering Hearts

This month Jude has been offering a new kind of online class, called Whispering Hearts.  In addition to videos, there are audio posts and more real-time look at how an artist creates.  I just love it.  For this one, the idea is to use 9 patch and hearts, but it always goes beyond that to Jude's what ifs.   There are many different outcomes with this format and the best news is that Jude is offering her SEW blog free to anyone to read and comment.  It had been a private blog at first, but now open to anyone.  Students- past, present and future, can post as well as Jude herself.  Please go check it out!

This cloth began with that blue and white vintage block that I was given from the stash of a friend who died too early.  I believe the blues may be vintage Japanese indigo.  I added the blue velvet heart that I hand dyed.  Then the yellow hearts and green woven part hand dyed by Deb Lacativa.  Lastly, it's all backed with a piece of blue linen that I hand dyed.  This little cloth is just for playing around and I'll be adding more stitching as I go along and maybe trying some other heart ideas in small samples.  Meanwhile, I've got a lot of work to do on  my Second Chances quilt.  More on that later!

Imagine: Done!

Happy April Fools Day!  Today is also the opening of the Kapitoil quilt exhibit at QuiltWorks.  On Wednesday, I was finishing the binding just minutes before I had to turn this in.  I actually added the label at the quilt shop.  As such, I didn't get the greatest photos of this finish.  

I love, love, love this quilt!  It's soft and so substantial.  It would make a lovely baby quilt.  I ended up adding a lot of quilting on Earth.  I also did Jude's hug method of binding- easy peasy though it requires a lot of stitching.  This quilt is completely hand stitched.

If I had more time I would've added more quilting stitches.  Maybe I'll still do that when I get it back.  Meanwhile, it will spend the month of April at QuiltWorks and can be seen there any time the shop is open.  If you are in the area and would like to come to the grand opening, it's tonight 5-7 pm!

Previous posts: here, here, here and here.

Moon face 2

 Isn't it nice that I can take a natural light photo at 6pm!  I worked on this all afternoon.  Now I'm working on the quilting on Imagine.