There has been work going on here this week -- I just haven't been posting. Thanks to everyone for their kind comments about my shopping spree. I do try to respond to all comments left with an e-mail, but for those of you who are "no-reply" I'll say thank you here!
Mostly I've been working on Mom's pillows. I've finished the tops, now I just need to sandwich them and do the quilting before creating the backings. I'm pretty pleased with how they have turned out (well, mostly -- there is one I'm not too thrilled with, but not so unthrilled that I plan to do anything about it), but now I have a quandary. 
My quilting skills (machine -- I haven't done any hand quilting) are not the greatest and I'm not sure how to tackle these. I probably should just close my eyes (metaphorically) and take the plunge and hope for the best. I'm never going to get any better if I don't practice. I did make a practice sandwich and stitch away (no, no picture of the practice) and by the time I had filled up the sandwich I was feeling better -- but still have very little control. Since these are decorative pillows that are unlikely to see much wear, not so concerned, but I would like them to look at least decent. If any of you have suggestions about how/what you would d0 with them, I would appreciate it. Frankly, I'm at the point where either I'm going to dive in or I'm going to put these away for a bit. Since they were SUPPOSED to be mother's day gifts (for this year mind you) I shouldn't do that -- but I have so many other projects clamoring for me to get back to them and/or start them!
Oh, and sorry for the sippy cup in this photo. My daughter was trying to "help" when I was taking these pictures and I was lucky to get this one at all -- she's adorable, cute, and wants to help but doesn't always understand what is or is not helpful.
There were a lot more photos that included the back of her head and other body parts as she tried to lay across the pillow tops. Good thing I have a digital camera -- think I would have torn out my hair if I had had to pay to have some of them developed! Then again, I will put up with a lot for sloppy wet toddler kisses and giggles. Those make it all worth while!
I do have another finished project to post -- but I need to edit the photos since I promised another blogger I would show part of the progress. So, I decided to make a little tutorial -- just need to find the time to do the edits. Hopefully I can find the time to do that and get it posted tomorrow. Of course, I've also been saying that I need to run to the store and start cleaning up my sewing area for the past several days as well -- but I took most of today off to read a new book that had nothing to do with school. Bliss. It was fun, it was mindless, it was pure enjoyment. Oh -- I forget what that is like during the school year!
This last picture is here just because. Or, well, partly just because. I had to run back to one of the quilt shops I visited last week for a fabric I should have bought then (which I will show in the tutorial). Next door to the shop is a lovely sushi place. Since it was the right time of the day, I treated myself to some take-out for lunch and some for dh for later. So 1/2 of this was for me -- 1/2 for him. But really the picture is here because I was chatting online with a friend of mine this week whom I hadn't spoken to in ages and had to post it for her. We've been friends since we were in 8th grade together and she remembers when I wouldn't have touched sushi with someone else's mouth (and she loved it). We've both changed a lot since then -- grown up, tastes have changed, live in almost opposite ends of the country. I now eat and love sushi -- but one thing hasn't changed, she's still my friend, and I still can give her a hard time. So DBFWWW, if you read this -- this sushi's for you. It was lovely. And I thought of you while eating it. Hang in there, it won't be long until you can indulge again! And for my quilting friends in blogland -- it is just kind of pretty -- there HAS to be a quilt in there somewhere.
14 comments:
A sushi quilt,hmmm, could happen I guess.
You just can't beat sloppy toddler kisses can you. I miss em.
Well, I'm not much help on the machine quilting as I am still a novice at that too!!! I do a little meandering and stippling with my special Bernina stitch regulator foot on, but mostly I wimp out and use my walking foot. You can do some neat gentle curvy stuff with the walking foot. Good luck!
Just utility quilt them then and you'll feel like a pro. I use wide blue painter's tape to mark my row and off I go with my walking foot. You could put some lovely diagonals on those squares.
Even at 6:14am my mouth is watering at the sushi!
They look great, as is!...maybe concentric circles in the big square in the corner, maybe one in the bottom corner and some wavy lines in the rectangles. Keep it simple, anyway. In the 2nd one, perhaps a big X and then a couple of concentric squares. Good luck!
I'd suggest if you're feeling timid about quilting the pillows for your mom, you just use a walking foot and quilt straight lines. Being pillows, they probably don't require a lot of quilting. But if you free motion quilt them, just use a thread that will match the background as well as possible, and then anything that's not quite perfect really won't show much. But with the free motion quilting, it's all just a matter of getting the rhythm of moving the quilt and with the speed of the stitching. So, yeah, practice, practice, practice! LOL!
You're right about needing to just dive in... you can do it. I was going to suggest some straight line quilting with a walking foot, as others have suggested too. It will get your confidence up to try more and more adventurous quilting later on other projects. That sushi is a work of art.
I just love sloppy toddler kisses, it's been 17 years since I had one. Enjoy, they are precious.
Your pillows are beautiful. I'd go along with the other comments, straight line quilting. How about doing diagional grids.
Pretty pillows - Gee thanks, now I am craving sushi... (I sure hope the tuna salad fits the bill, because that is what is for lunch!
As those cushions look somehow asian, maybe you could try some mock sashiko, choose a pattern with straight lines that meet at different angles and it would look very interesting. Some circles could work as well but they are a bit trickier. The cushions are already great without quilting so when it is possible, quilting in the ditch would be the easiest solution. Have fun and take care.
The pillows are coming along nicely, and I love the colour combination! The New York Beauty is great! And the sushi is making me hungry *lol*
Yummm! Susshhhhiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!
Love the pillow combos! Coming along so nicely!!!!
I love those colours together. They really sing. The blacks are gorgeous (I'm into blacks at the moment. Can't help youy on the machine quilting front I'm afraid. Am still trying to make my own hand stitching even.
Oh goodness - awful spelling mistakes. Sorry. Hope you get the giste.
Lovely patterns for your pillows - especially like the New York Beauty one - aren't little helpers just precious?
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