Thursday, January 10, 2008

Winter quilting progress

Well you know me once I get the bit between my teeth I can't stop
So last night I ploughed on with quilting the 'Dancing Snowflakes' for my Four Seasons winter effort.
Why is it so difficult to get the lighting right to get a decent photo of quilted texture?
For the centre I decided to quilt along the landscape features and then in the ditch for the skinny borders.
Then on the white border I left the writing standing proud and flattened the area round it with mini stippling.
Finally on the outer hourglass border I'm leaving the dark triangles puffed up and flattening their neighbouring white ones. Then on the interspaced blue squares I've marked diagonals and am doing the opposite to the white and grey blocks. Instead of stippling on these triangles I'm just quilting fine parallel lines less than an eighth of an inch apart - a bit long winded but I love the effect I'm getting with it.
I'm only part way round this last border, said it was long winded didn't I?, as I had to give up once my eyes started to water with tiredness late last night - no point pushing it and making a mess - there's always tonight.
Then it'll be just the binding and the label and that's Winter done with :o)
Would that the English weather would take the same journey! This morning Nick asked me if it was really 8.10am when he was ready to set off for school as it was still so dark and dreary. At the moment some days it's so grey it doesn't seem to even get properly light.
Roll on spring and summer :o)

18 comments:

YankeeQuilter said...

I'm with Nick...the darkness is really getting to me! The quilting looks wonderful! Great job. When you get back into something you really get going!
Sio

Clare said...

I too agree wity Nick, although I noticed on Monday that it is getting lighter in the evenings.

The grey, damp, drip drip mist is getting to me. I want some sun!

Beautiful quilting.

Joyce said...

Amazing quilting! You are an inspiration. Maybe I can get near your quality if I keep practising.

dutchcomfort said...

The quilt looks beautiful and I love the quilting with the snowflakes and words coming out of the fabric!

Melanie said...

Beautiful work-- for your tiny stippling what tension is your bobbin set at? When I try this, my bobbin threading on the bottom always looks bad. I know it's a tension thing, but do not know how to fix it....

Juliann in WA said...

I am seeing some really beautiful quilts being made for this swap. I love how you are quilting this. I agree about the darkness - I am so tired of leaving home in the dark.

Suzie Sews At DOTTY RED said...

OH my look at thei quilting...stunning stunning stunning...did I say STUNNING!!!!

Fiona said...

What a beautiful quilt - I am so envious of the swappee!

Deborah Levy said...

Anne, thquilt is looking great! And I can see the texture. Beautiful job.

tami said...

Your quilting looks great. I love the mini stippling.

meggie said...

I always love your work!

I say Roll on Autumn here!

hortenzita said...

Your swap partner is very lucky. It is sooo beautiful.

Carla said...

The quilting is beautiful.... very graceful. Please post a photo of the entire quilt when you're finished. :)
I'm a longarmer, and need to photograph my work. I've learned that the best lighting is that which comes in from the side of the quilt. This will give definition to the quilting.
I try to have my tall boys hold the quilts perpendicular to large windows giving indirect light.

Tanya said...

I know. I wonder what the perfect combination is for taking good quilting pictures. Even if you're lighting is just right, the quilt still shows up beautifully. I really need to get back to the machine and work on my skills (lack of skills.)

julieQ said...

Such beautiful quilting!! WE all need some sun therapy, right?

JulieQ

ForestJane said...

Wow, really beautiful what you're doing with the quilting there, how impressive! That quilts going to look lovely. :)

atet said...

Oooh, despite the photo problems your winter quilt is lovely! I wish I were half as talented with the machine quilting. Your Christmas/New Year's sounds lovely and that pile of fabrics to play with? What fun.

Juliann in WA said...

I hear there is more rain in the south. Hope you are staying relatively dry.