First of all thanks so much for the love for the Scrappy Trip quilt in the last post. And my personal male model. 😉
It's Spring Break here this week. This is the first year we haven't traveled during the break and it's actually been a nice week to hang out with the kids and catch-up a little on other things. Like sleep. We've still been on the go a little, and one thing I finished this week was this cute little hand-sewn pincushion I stared a few weeks back at the Cabin Fever retreat.
I've decided I'm determined to do more hand-piecing. There's something really therapeutic about it. The whole thing was hand-sewn. The pattern is by Messy Jesse and was in a Issue 17 of Love Patchwork and Quilting.
Here's another project I've been cutting into over the past few days. This fabric is called Reel Time by Zen Chic for Moda. I'll share what I've been working on next week.
In other fabric inspiration, this pretty bundle was picked out by Lynne from Lily's Quilts for Westwood Acres' I Want Her Stash Club. It's been so fun to see the bundles that have already arrived this year. I'm in need of a few updated blacks, and these ones were especially fab.
Not fabric, but still 'fiber art' - check out this string art we saw at a local museum this week. (As part of the school break, we've been doing a little bit of "staycation" activities and visiting local museums, etc.) I'm such a sucker for anything in spectrum order lately, and I thought it was pretty cool. The picture does not do it justice - I don't think you can get the scale of it from the picture, but it was in a huge skylight. I love when people make cool stuff.
Nature makes some pretty cool stuff too. Thanks Spring.
therese
I have this magazine and have been itching to make one of these cute pincushions all week.
Thanks for kick I needed. I love yours, very cute!
Therese x
Louise
The string rainbow at the art museum is so beautiful. I tried when I visited last fall (did you catch the costume exhibit? Amazing!), but couldn't get it to show properly. You captured it beautifully.
Amy Smart
Thanks! Still totally bummed that I missed the costume exhibit. I need to get down there more often.
Becky
Oh my goodness! I thought at first you had captured a real rainbow in your picture coming into the window....Love it!
April Jaehn
I've picked up my green tea and sweet beans again from Fat Quarterly Retreat. Now that I'm a bit more comfortable with hand stitching, I'm finding it so relaxing!
Take care and enjoy your staycation! April In Hungary.
Amy Smart
Hi April!! That is exactly what is on my list next. I finally got some template plastic and my goal is to get a new block started and keep going. That quilt is still on my ultimate bucket list. Esp after seeing the original, right? 😉 Sending love to Hungary.
Laura @ Prairie Sewn Studios
I definitely find hand piecing therapeutic, too. I think that's why I still end up doing EPP work even when I'm busy and stressed and don't manage to make it to my sewing machine.
Amy Smart
I also love that it's portable. I keep a little project with me in my purse for when ever I have a down minute. I finished this one while I was waiting to pick up a friend at an appointment that ran late.
Sandra B
Love the little pin cushion....glad you liked the hand piecing....I am predominately a hand piecer and hand quilter...I don't get as many projects completed, because the handwork is much slower, of course, but I just love the accuracy I get with hand piecing, and I the look of a hand quilted quilt is just unbeatable....I hope you will enjoy doing some more hand sewn projects in the future!
Amy Smart
I agree. There is nothing like hand-quilting. When I first started quilting that's all I did. I only have a few projects that are finished from that era and I love them. I need to start doing more again.
Sue Bone
Ooh nice bundle from Lynne, hopefully my March and April will be mailed soon.
Toni
Hi Amy - I love what you are up to lately. I, too, long to do more hand sewing. I've found the perfect time on Friday nights and am working on hexies. It makes my hands hurt though! Have you found that? Any tips?
Amy Smart
That's so tricky. I know that I need to do better about good ergonomic practices so that pain is minimized, but I don't necessarily know what they are. I should try and do some research. I have heard changing positions, taking breaks, etc. can help.
Toni
Since my initial hand sew on Friday night, I did some on Saturday and Sunday nights too - and it hurt less so it seems to be one of those things that improves the more you do it. If you find out any tid bits about ergonomics though, I'm all ears. I love your pin cushion and may try one. 🙂
Donna Murdock
You are always so positive! I always look forward to reading your blog because it is so uplifting. Thank you for being such a light in what could be such a dark world. It is a beautiful area we live in. We are so richly blessed to be here, so well fed and able to enjoy so many wonderful activities. I always love to see what you are working on!
Amy Smart
Thank you Donna! That means a lot.
Ruth Bradford
I've only been a quilter for less than a year and I am loving it. At first my goal was to machine quilt everything I made (in the name of speed....get it done and make another one). Ha! My first lap quilt was so large that I was totally intimidated about getting it under the machine needle, so I decided to hand quilt it. I bought a 14'" hoop and started. That was the beginning. Now I love it. Yes, I still try to machine quilt smaller things....like anything the size of a table runner or placemats. Even tried free motion quilting. I think it may take a lot more practice for me to be proficient at that, but I won't give up trying. Thanks for all your posts, Amy - I really do enjoy reading them and seeing the quilts you make. Also enjoy your trip photos, like the England trip last year. Bloggers are so helpful to us beginners.
Amy Smart
Thanks for your kind comment, Ruth. I'm glad that you've found how much you love hand-quilting. It really is relaxing and gives such beautiful results. I'm still hopeless at free-motion quilting. But I'm okay with that. I have so many other aspects of quilting that I like, that I've decided it's okay if there's one that I don't. 😉 Someday, with more practice, I'd like to get better at doing it too. Keep going with what you're enjoying! Thanks for saying hi.
Peta - Shequiltsalot
The new I Want Her Stash Bundle looks so good. Can't wait to see what you do with yours while mines coming over the ocean. XO
Donna Murdock
I put myself on a fabric fast because I have so much fabric on hand and oh, so many projects to do, but this may be a rule breaker! This reminds me of when I had to wind spools of film in the projector to show a film when I was teaching way back when...before I was even married and after. It was lots of agony if you didn't get the sprockets lined up right with the film and the film was all blurry...Even worse when the film broke entirely...But, seriously, I love this fabric. I was so young and energetic then. No wrinkles then! I gotta get some of this! All the orange in it. And the green. It's too delicious to miss.