Thread Tales From A Scrappy Quilter

I had the pleasure of quilting another of Sally Coble's applique masterpieces.   This one is a Sue Daley pattern called "Lancaster".  The clamshells are needle turn but they are long strips, not individual little clams which you might think would be the case.   Sally does impeccable handwork, her quilts are so exciting to work on!     My acrylic sheets.   I plan most quilts this way.   I don't transfer the markings, I refer to them for design.   I have 3 so that lets me keep certain elements by my side.  I can mark what ruler, how much spacing I used, etc.   I can't work without them for auditioning designs to scale.   The next problem is that the markers are thicker and of course bolder than thread.  You are really never sure what you have until you start stitching.   This client does not want blue markers used, so it is a challenge to get registration lines and sp...

Sometimes our ideas and our execution of those ideas just don't work out.   Other times we are too hard on ourselves and if you keep going, the end product works just like we had planned.   But you never know, it's a trial and error thing.  But this one is did not work out so forgiving and I want to do better.  With all those backtracking spines and feathers, this one is costing me lots of hours of "frog stitching".   Rip-it, Rip-it! Issues, issues but I'm thinking the end result is going to be nice for this little top.   Work in progress.   The Good, The Bad and The Ugly! Wobbles in the outer curve, melons not consistent size and I'm not sure I like the boxed off feathers.  Maybe I'll place them in an oval fashion on my 2nd attempt.   20" boomerang should arrive today! Quick sketch of design ideas, I like the doubled crosshatch oval.  Open space on the tiny mock up is refreshing. ...