Summer Stitching

Its that time of year when lots of hand stitching happens as we keep an eye on the Aussie cricketers.  If you miss any of the vital action well there is always the replay to watch and today they are giving the South Africans a run for their money.
 
I am hand piecing at the moment and with some blocks that have lots of different shaped pieces I usually lay them out on a block holder (a piece of card covered with cotting batting) as this way there is less chance of sewing the wrong sides together and having to do some reverse stitching.
 

My current favourite tools are - Mettler Heirloom 60-weight 100% cotton thread, John James quilting or applique needles (the smallest size I can thread), Clover very fine glass head pins and small scissors for cutting threads.

 
As I finish each block I lightly finger press it to arrange the direction of the seams and then place the block in a zip bag for storage.  By flattening the bag and zipping it closed it keeps the blocks very flat and makes them easy to press with an iron before assembling the quilt.
 
Outside the studio there is a corner of wilderness that Peter still has to landscape and I couldn't resist taking a photo of this flower that just grew despite the odds!
 
Till next time
Frances
 

Comments

Susan said…
Your stitching looks so sweet- are they little kimonos?
November 25, 2012 at 2:34 PM
Razzle Dazzle Quilter said…
Love that idea of popping the blocks in a zip lock bag.

Cricket and gentle stitching, a perfect match!

Cheers

Linda
November 25, 2012 at 3:47 PM
Karen said…
Yes, the cricket has been on here, too. Hope to be able to watch tomorrow to see if there is a result.
I admire your patience with the hand quilting. The block looks great.
And the flower is gorgeous.
November 25, 2012 at 6:37 PM
Shirley said…
Good tip there Frances about storing the blocks in a tightly closed bag, those little kimono's look divine. Just as well it is not cricket season here as our grounds are under 2ft of water with all the rain.
November 25, 2012 at 8:28 PM
Anonymous said…
I can't believe how fussy I've become over the years with regard to tools of the trade - and we all make different choices. Glad the cricket is going well, our team have quite a few matters to resolve before we get any decent results ....
November 30, 2012 at 7:26 AM
Linda said…
Hope the heat and humidity haven't been too bad up there Frances. Quite hot and dry here, totally annoying. Love your little stitching tools/favourites. Take care.
December 3, 2012 at 3:35 PM
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