Month: December 2023

“Traverse” is…Done

She’s in the washing machine–with four color catcher cloths–as I write here. There were a lot of loose threads on her. And, yes, I did prewash these Artisan shot cottons, but…I am not taking any chances with anything running given all these brilliant colors.

I spread her out on my bed as I promised many of you pictures. She glows… And she is going to live folded on my bed.

I layered her and started the hand quilting back in June, and I’ve been faithful to spending some time with Traverse every night. I used 12-wt cotton threads (Sulky, Wonderfil, Aurafil) that matched the fabrics as close as I could–and had fun playing with how to quilt around or over or through the patterns. And, I used a size 6 Tulip embroidery needle. I could have used a 7, which would be a bit smaller and thinner, but I was comfortable with the 6.

You may recall that I took designer Tara Faughnan’s online class on hand quilting–and set out to learn a new method. My front stitches have always been good, but not the back ones. I can tell you now that I have improved a lot and most of my back stitches are good now. And I kind of know when to check the back to make sure all is good.

Here are some close-up pics of the quilting:

I used a thinner cotton batting (Dream Cotton Request I think) and a thinner backing fabric (Cotton Couture). The binding is a dark green/teal Kona solid cotton that work really well.

BUT–there is always a BUT. I will never again use a thinner batting as I couldn’t get purchase with my needle to bury my sewing knots in the batting. And with the thicker needle, the batting bearded badly up through both the backing and the front. I even had trouble with it when sewing down the binding.

I recently also used Dream Cotton on the longarm, and I’ll never do that again either–and I already knew better and did it again, so there’s that. Dream Cotton is pure cotton, yes. It does not have any scrim or polyester, as such it just does not hold its shape. And it is a bear to get it to lie flat on the longarm when it has been stretched to lie flat as one moves through the quilt and checks that the quilt layers are all flat as you roll the quilt up.

I LOVE the look of the shot cottons too, but they are hard to manage. Their thicker threads just fray so, so easily. And it is hard to pull a knot through the fabric without starting a run. I eventually found ways to bury my knots in nearby seams, and that worked, but it was a learning curve.

Anyway!!! Traverse is done and is beautiful!

Green Tree Coffee and Tea

I love coffee!

And I am missing the coffee I purchased on a regular basis in Maine. This small business in Lincolnville, Maine, just north of Camden, roasts and blends its own coffee.

I have enjoyed a latte many times while sitting on the porch pictured below–sometimes with a guest visiting or with a local friend.

So yesterday, I ordered some. I love Dark Harbor and, especially, Roma espresso, which is a special blend made by Green Tree.

https://www.greentreecoffee.com

Ordering proved to be really easy online, but along the way, owner John called me and we had a nice chat. He wished me to be well in my new home in South Carolina and said he’d mail my coffee first thing Monday.

So now I’ll be hanging out looking for my coffee package!

Bits and Pieces, Early December 2023

Hello Everyone!

I’ve been busy and have neglected the blog. For one thing I’ve been walking almost every day for the past two weeks: 2 miles is becoming easy now. And I’m sleeping so, so well.

Anyway, here’s a bit of a long post for you.

In anticipation of walking the winter beach and traipsing through tidal pools, I got a pair of navy blue Bog Boots–on sale!! And they fit beautifully. When I saw the constellation theme, I knew this pair was for me.

The berries on the little Chinese Holly plants that the builder’s landscape sub planted have turned red. Aren’t they beautiful? And all are healthy. Now I really, really need to trim back the red rose plants, which are still blooming.

“Sprinkles” is off the longarm–and the quilting looks awesome. It is now bound and ready for the last hand sewing of the binding.

Look at the adorable backing for “Sprinkles”! It is a Ruby Star Society print–and I bound with it as well.

Traverse is also bound, and I’m hand sewing down the binding now. Oh my heavens, that hand quilting was a LONG project, however delightful.

So, I now have FOUR quilts with binding ready to be sewn by hand. I dragged out my three thread spools–each of which holds 10 threaded needles. Two of these were gifts to me years ago. The only issue is that these needle eyes are tiny, tiny, tiny–too tiny for any threader unit I’ve ever tried. I resorted to magnifying lenses and a strong light. After a while, I got faster, but…

I now have two sides of Traverse done–and have ordered some color catcher cloths for when I wash it–just to be sure. I’ve used up most of the 30 threaded needles now.

I couldn’t stop making the Serpentine blocks from Tara Faughnan’s online class–and I do love this scrappy one. The small quilt I made from these blocks is ready to go on the longarm. I’m still wondering about being able to make an improv quilt with these small fun, playful projects. The third month is a block Tara calls “Lines.” You can see it on her Instagram page.

I have seven colors of these 1920/30 reproduction fabrics–and I’ll make the red one today–the one below is pink. I’m loving the secondary patterns that will come along with this project.

So, this brings you pretty much up-to-date with me.

I’m good, and hope you all are as well.