Happy Slow Stitching Sunday!
The first order of business is to announce the winner of the 100 blocks magazine draw. The winner is...
commenter #22 which is Maureen, who is listed as "no reply" blogger, so I can't contact you Maureen. Send me an email and I can get your magazine sent out to you.
Now onto my slow stitching project for today...
One of my projects for the Scrappy Rainbow Challenge that I started in August is pumpkin seed blocks. These blocks started as a way to practice my hand applique stitching and I am encouraged that I can see improvement with each finished block.
These are the blocks I have finished. My goal is to make this a true charm quilt with each seed and each background fabric used only once in the quilt.
These are my two favorite pumpkin seed making tools.
1) I am using the "Leaves Galore" ruler to trace the seed shapes, and it works perfectly.
2) And I am using the Bohin mechanical chalk pencil to draw the sewing lines. The chalk has never broken on my pencil, it makes a clear line that is erasable, and the point is always sharp. This week I had to change the chalk and couldn't remember how to do it. I was thinking it is "mechanical" so there must be something to push or twist, some kind of mechanism to figure out. But nope! As with many things in life, it's really easy if you know the trick.
This is how to put in the refill...
*pull the white eraser off the top of the pencil
*stick the refill down into the pencil
*push the white eraser back into the top of the pencil.
*repeatedly push the top of the eraser to get the chalk to come down into the writing position.
What a great product!
Today I hope to finish some brown pumpkin seeds to add to this collection. Did you notice the Thanksgiving block with the fussy cut turkey (top right block)?!?
This week I felt like starting a few green blocks to get into the Christmas spirit. Just look at that pointy point! I think I might be ready to move on to some more challenging shapes!
But this is still a really fun scrappy project, so I will continue making more blocks until I get tired of them.
19 comments:
So glad you are enjoying the applique journey. Practice Practice Practice!
Just love these!! I am one who always enjoyed applique by hand. I don't know why? More control I guess? These are lovely!
What fun blocks! What a pointy point! I should make a charm quilt sometime....
That was a great point. Seeing your quilt makes me want to get mine out to finish it! It just needs to be quilted. But that's being done by machine as I am a slow, unmotivated hand quilter.
You are doing a great job with your applique. Your design wall looks so pretty!
I love charm quilts. What a good idea to do it with the "seeds".
Ooh, very pretty. You have a magic touch with scrappy projects. This one is going to be another gorgeous quilt when you get it all together.
Love your seeds and how you are making it a true charm quilt.. I want to do one with apple core template I just got! Yay :) Slow stitching with you and enjoyed your post! Kathi
Your pumpkin seeds are looking great!
This is a beautiful quilt, Kathy...love your scrappy blocks!
Do you mean my sewing is supposed to have POINTS!? ! :)
I didn't do a sewing post this week ( have a vintage Xmas series starting ) but I stopped over to see what you are all up to. Our Thanksgiving was on Friday Dinner Time and evening and I think that I am still catching up on cleaning from that plus getting some Christmas decorations out.
I will fit some hand stitching in later on, though.. I have a block to finish hand stitching for a super slow sampler and I REALLY like these pumpkin seed blocks...I should be able to find a template online to do one ...I see that the ruler works great but for just one block I'll go the cheap way...Happy Stitching! :)
Girl, you are getting SO good at applique! Isn't it fun to see those pointy points show up? And isn't the Leaves Galore ruler wonderful? I've found so many uses for it!!!
These blocks are so pretty! Thanks for showing us your tools too - I'm hoping to get better at machine applique next year then I'll be ready to try it by hand.
Love the pumpkin seeds. They are looking sooooo yummy.
And you reminded me that I think I bought a couple of those chalk pencils on clearance a couple of years ago and put them away I know not where.
I love your pumpkin seed quilt - gorgeous! And that pointy tip - well done!! I need to do a practice quilt with applique. I tried needle turn once, but I never got the hang of it. I'd like to try the back basting method to see if I can't master that.
I'm going to make Christmas ornaments ... miniature pineapples in red, green and white/cream. I intend to start on them this week. ;-)
Thanks for the technique tips - will definitely be trying these tools. Your pumpkin seeds look terrific!
Great looking pumpkin seed blocks. I really like the scrappy fabrics/colors you are using for this quilt.
You are getting good pointy points, perfect, It will be a scrap seeds, more insteristing quilt.Thanks for the tip of the mechanical white chalk pencil, I'll look around here, wish me luck, to find it. Hugs
Love your applique! I am sorry I missed the deadline to link up this week, as I had computer problems yesterday. But, I do enjoy so much seeing everyone else's posts!
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