First embroidery on the center piece

I started the embroidery on the adapted carnation in the center piece (I left out the two outer petals).

The stitch: coral stitch, here you find how it is done

Thread: Appleton wool, color 756

The last block has been pieced

The nineth block top right.

The whole quilt laid out.

The arrows show the curves that expand from one block to another.

I hope that when the quilt is assembled, the blocks will fit like I planned.

Two more blocks, still one to go.

The top left block.

The top middle block.

Block 6 of 9 pieced

The bottom left block.

All sixth blocks laid together.

Piecing the fifth block, on the left of the center

This time I decided to eyeball and cut the curve of the last patch.

I drew along the edge of the cut curve. That line will be the guide for the pressurefoot.

With right sides together I stitched along the line. About every 3 stitches I stopped to adjust top and bottom fabric raising the pressurefoot if necessary.

After stitching it looks somewhat messy.

The seam is too curved to stay flat so I clipped it.

The patch is flipped and it looks OK now.

Two more blocks pieced

The block on the bottom right corner. This time I didn't use a straight stitch on the edge, but a very small zigzag (width 0,5 and langth 2,5), followed by a standard zigzag.

The fourth block right to the center block.

The four pieced blocks.

After three blocks I discovered a flowing line and I decided it would be nice to continue that line on the fourth block.

Block below the center pieced

The block below the center block is almost pieced. That lace looks pretty on that place.

It is not white, a kind of cream.

The block completely finished, I forgot to stitch the lace ;-$

Gradually I become more confident stitching curved seams.

Finishing off the center block

I basted along the 20 cm outline and zigzagged along the edge.

That bottom right patch doesn't look OK, so I unpicked the zigzag.

A vari-overlock stitch could be better.....no! Unpick...

A super-stretchstitch........no! Unpick...

 

I decided to do a simple straight stitch first and then a zigzag. That worked better.

That pink fabric is rather weird, depending upon the light it is light pink or dark pink, it doesn't stay flat when stitched, though it glows lovely. What fabric is that? Does anyone know?

Piecing the center block part 2: curved seam

How do I sew a curved seam? First I studied this tutorial from Allie Aller.

But how do I get the 2 pieces I want to sew together exactly the same shape?

I thought a template could do the job. I made a template from sandpaper with 4 different shaped sides. 

This is the shape I want for this patch. The edge of the template is the sewing line.

I drew a line about 1 cm right of the sewing line (width pressurefoot) and cut the patch. The edge of the patch will be layed along this line.

What if I sewed the patch this way (right sides together). I pinned the patch in place.

 Flipped it...oops, this is not right.

The patch has to be cut in mirror image.

This looks better.

Sewed right sides together and opposite curves, the way Allie did.

Piecing the center block part 1

This is the center patch. I have already traced the pattern I want to embroider there.

This makes is easier to sew the encircling patches around this flower.

The first patch: sew......

and flip and iron flat.

The five patches form a pentagon in the shape of the flower.

This 20x20 cm window is very handy to see how the block will look in the whole quilt.

In the lower left corner I sew a little dark ochre patch, later I replaced it for another one because it was too dark. The picture doesn't show this clearly.

The lower right patch is a beautiful fabric, but it is too large. There I plan to sew a curved patch.

Stumpwork finish!

This is a stumpwork piece I embroidered a few years ago. Till last week I didn't feel like finishing it. The design is from "Inspirations".

You see here the used components: fabric for the back, a thin batting, a CD and a cord.

I put all on top of each other, made running stitches along the edge of the fabric and pulled it together. I sewed from one side to the other to stretch the backing tight over the CD.

The cord was pulled through the CD hole and the side of the backing.

I did the same for the front only using a thicker batting.

It looks somewhat chaotic on the back.

Then I placed the two parts on top of each other and sewed them together tightly.

New project: pink quilt

I have been busy gathering stuff for my next crazy quilt.

It will measure 60 x 60 cm, so there will be 9 blocks.

Matching threads, beads and other stuff.

This is a design from the Australian magazine "inspirations".

I want to incorporate these lovely motives (or parts of them) in my quilt.