Monday, November 27, 2017

Seeing Red, Quilt Binding by Hand, Improv with AHIQ 27, Matchstick Quilting

Mr. colorful neighborhood woodpecker/sapsucker at work.

Hand stitching the binding down on my quilt.

I love the look of matchstick quilting, great texture.



Happy Monday from the Pacific NW!
 Where rain has let up and blue sky and sun are taking turns with clouds.
We're  staying with relatives, busy helping and sightseeing.

In the backyard a woodpecker/sapsucker has claimed a tree. I researched it and read that this kind of chipping away at a tree's bark for sap can kill it. It's not my tree so I'm not involved in the rescue. Plans are now being made by the 'responsible adults' to take steps to save the tree and deter the sapsucker. There's a whole forest out there to choose from after all. 

I've had time here and there to work on hand sewing the binding to the back of my wall/art quilt.
I started piecing it last fall when we were visiting my daughter and her family in New Hampshire.
I started with a traditional log cabin style block and used color to make it exciting.
I've submitted it to a quilt show, who knows maybe it'll be accepted.
The binding is almost done!
I'm linking up with Ann and Kaja for AHIQ 27 celebrating improvisation in quilt design.

Also stop by to visit Victoria Gertenbach @ thesillyboodilly to see her beautiful embroidery/stitching projects and catch her interview on American Patchwork and Quilting Podcast. 

That's the news from the shire where I'm remembering to be thankful.

Have a good week and I'll be by to visit.


12 comments:

KrisR said...

I love matchstick quilting too - I must do more of it. Digging around on your blog, I saw those keep sewing tools you made with practice FMQ work - they are wonderful and look quick and easy. Think they might be on my list for gifts to make. Thanks!

Janie said...

Hi Kris, thanks for stopping by, I love your work.
The sewing tools are easy. The sewing pouch is from a free tutorial by Anna Graham @ noodle-head.com. The needle case and pincushion measurements I put together myself. For the scissor fob I used measurements from a tutorial in Weekend Quilting, July 10, 2017, 'Workroom Makeover' by Susan Standen page 113.

Ann said...

I like seeing your woodpecker although he sounds like a problem. Let us know if they successfully deter him. The matchstick quilting looks beautiful. The tiny bits of color in your binding make it sing. Good luck with the show. Thanks for linking with AHIQ.

Kaja said...

We have woodpeckers (though they look different) but ours seem mostly to sit on grass and hunt for ants. I too like the way matchstick quilting looks and love your binding with its little flash of colour.

Pamela said...

A gorgeous bird, too bad it is so destructive. I like the look of the matchstick quilting.

Queeniepatch said...

I remember coming very close upon a woodpecker in the woods in Sweden. The pecking at the wood was ear splittingly noisy. I wonder if the tree is still there...
Hand stitching is so relaxing and a nice way to finish a machine quilted quilt.
Good luck with the show!

Marly said...

Nice matchstick quilting and I find the little piece of colour in the binding a great idea; thank you for sharing it.

Cathy said...

Good luck with the quilt show.
We've had several trees destroyed by woodpeckers. I frequently hear them pecking away but rarely see them.
I love the look of matchstick quilting too but have yet to do any. It will probably take a year to do it on the big quilt I'm thinking of doing it on. I have to get up the never first.

audrey said...

Love that matchstick quilting too! I still haven't ever tried it, too afraid of the possible wrinkles I suppose. Yours looks wonderful!

Janie said...

Hi Audrey, basting always helps and there are good tutorials, I'm thinking of Jacquie Gering's Bing video, 'Machine Quilting with Jacquie Gering'. She makes what she calls registration lines, very helpful for good results.
Thanks for stopping by.

Magpie's Mumblings said...

I have never heard the term 'matchstick quilting' before (obviously I'm not a sane quilter!). Nice to see the wee woodpecker but it's true they can do a lot of damage. We have downies that come to the suet on our balcony - at least they can't hurt anything there.

Julie said...

I've never tried matchstick quilting - one day. Woodpeckers are a bird we don not have in New Zealand.