Hello and welcome 😊 The heat is giving us a short reprieve and I'm very grateful for that. I've done very little except a bit of slow stitching. I don't even have the energy to clean up my studio to keep going on the projects that I mentioned last week. When my body and spirit say stop - I've learned to listen!
Kawandi style quilting
Since the last Making Zen event, I've been doing some Kawandi style quilting. You may have seen my first piece which I finished while in Alaska. I've started a second larger piece and am trying to avoid the mistakes from the first. I think that it's going well.
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| Kawandi Style Quilting - second piece almost done |
I just have the centre section to finish. I had other fabrics in mind but changed them since they read more like solids, which didn't really got with the rest. Of course the look changes a lot once it's stitched.
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| Kawandi Style Quilting - my stitching tray |
This is the tray that I keep my supplies on for stitching outside in the back yard. I've kept this project's supplies on the tray, even for stitching inside. It's great to have everything together. I also have a pouch that contains smaller pieces of fabric that I mostly use for hexies. Most of the fabric for this project came from there.
Mosquito proof swing
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| Swing heaven 😊 |
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| The view from the swing |
I purchased some cute little solar lights on sale and placed them inside the swing. They only had a few hours of sunlight to charge yesterday but they still worked, at least for a little while. It was very pretty! Unfortunately the camera on my phone doesn't do darkness,
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| The milk can backed with flowers |
What I learned
- For the Kawandi style quilting, this time I was much more careful about my edges. The bottom fabric is not supposed to show from the top and I did that!
- Getting the centre part done is still not easy but pins and planning helps.
- To finish off the Mosquito proofing, I added half of a panel and stitched it by hand to one of the edges. For this half-panel, I stitched it top side up (where you hang the curtain) and then pulled a ribbon through it and attached it to the other side of the opening. I then stitched another ribbon where it can be closed. To get in and out, I only lift up the netting. No need to tie it up every time.
- I'm enjoying pool siting 😁!
- I've been reading a bit but mostly listening to audio books. I've discovered Audible's Great Courses lecture series (and many are free with the membership). I'm learning about the Industrial Revolution, and Daily Life in the Ancient World among others. It's the best part about going to school - listening to a good lecturer without the homework! Of course I realise that without taking notes and doing homework that I won't retain a lot, but it's entertaining and I'm actually surprised by how much I retain.
- I am taking the Practicing Mindfulness course and doing the practice. So far so good.
- I'm hoping that my sewing mojo will return, but until then, I'm enjoying the R&R.
Related links
- Alaska and a Quilt Show on Free Motion Mavericks, June 14, 2024
- Mosquito proofing on Free Motion Mavericks, July 11, 2024
Linking parties
I'll be linking up to many lovely parties. Why not check them out? Monday Musings, Put your foot down, Needle & Thread Thursday, Off The Wall Friday, Patchwork & Quilts, 15 Minutes to Stitch 2024, Oh Scrap!, Slow Sunday Stitching,
Free Motion Mavericks
Welcome to week 490 of Free Motion Mavericks! Everyone else seems to have had a productive week! Thanks for linking up. Here are the projects from last week that included FMQ, ruler work or walking foot quilting.
Gretchen is still at it - quilting up her smaller quilts on her domestic machine! These two Ladybug quilts are so cute! The yellow-red ladybug quilt wanted to be quilted with cross-hatching. It worked out really well. You can see the quilting more clearly from the back in the next picture. The second Tulabugs quilt was quilted in an "X" design. You can read how Gretchen did this on her post.
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| Front of Gretchen's Ladybug and Tulabugs quilt |
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| The back of the ladybug quilts - check out Gretchen's quilting! |
Preeti of Sew Preeti Quilts has a new quilt, Shanvi, in Annie's Perfect Precut Quilts. It's it lovely in the Island Batik fabrics? You can see the publication in the picture below. Congrats Preeti!
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| Preeti's Shanvi quilt in Annie's Perfect Precut Quilts |
Donnalee of DonnaleeQ made this cute runner for a beginner quilting class. I'm sure that the students will be thrilled with their new skills and runners!
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| Donnalee's cute runner |
Gail of Quilting Gail participated in the Luminous Layers QAL with Sandra of mmm quilts. Gail made two quilts! Gail used FMQ as well as her Rocket ruler for the straight lines. Aren't they lovely, and so different from each other!
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| Gail's Luminous Layers QAL |
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| The second of Gail's Luminous Layers QAL |
It's now your turn!
I like the texture of Kawandi stitching but I've never tried it. Your project looks very nice. The mosquito netting is a great idea for your swing, happy stitching!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Gretchen. I really love the texture and it's just so mindful and enjoyable stitching.
DeleteBonne lecture, bien à l'abri sous la moustiquaire ! Le kawandi est très réussi, bravo !
ReplyDeleteMerci beaucoup Frédérique. Si la chaleur peut nous laisser, je serai dans mon fauteuil bientôt!
DeleteI love that Kawandi stitching! One day I will give that a try! Enjoy your swing! Thanks for sharing with us at Monday Musings!
ReplyDeleteThanks Brenda. I hope that you do try it out one day. I can't wait for this heat to leave so that I can back on my swing - it's dreadfully hot, even at night!
DeleteThe second project of a new technique is always so much easier, you've got a good start on the Kawandi piece. Hope you get a cool off soon. We did, but it's back to the heat for us later this week.
ReplyDeleteYou are very right Kate. It was easier and a lot of fun. We did cool down but now the heat is even worst. Oh well, fall will be here before we know it! Take care.
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