Wednesday 28 January 2015

Cosying Up With Needle and Thread



I think I should have been a hedgehog, or a squirrel ! I almost hibernate in winter ! I slow right down  and I'm perfectly content with quiet pastimes. Even my sewing takes on a slower pace. I've been happily hand stitching my english paper pieced Passacaglia quilt. I'm working on the second rosette which is quite a lot larger than the first. When I've finished the orange section there are still two more layers to go.
I'm really enjoying playing with colour whilst working on this. I have to admit to making a few new purchases last week so as to have more variety to play with. It's funny that, no matter how much fabric we have, we still can never quite find "the one" in our stash.

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I'm also thinking that as this is such a long term project, I could do with a design wall. I normally lay blocks out on a white sheet on the floor and then roll it up when I'm not working on them. But, it would be nice to be able to look at these rosettes often during the day and be able to swap them around as I pass by a design wall. I have an old lightweight board lurking in the garage that was once the base for a train set when my kids were young. It would make a perfect design wall, so it may get dusted off and de-spidered in the next few days and brought inside to take on a new role. 
I'm also in dire need of  decent thimble! All this hand sewing has resulted in permanent perforations in my fore finger. I can't work with one if it's too bulky. I thought I had the answer when I bought a neat little leather one. But it stretched within a matter of days and now it's constantly slipping off my finger and I'm spending more time picking it up and replacing it than I am sewing! If you know of a good one, please let me know.

12 comments:

  1. yes, there is always one more fabric needed because no stash has everything! your rosettes are looking fabulous. i adore this quilt pattern. good luck with the cozy hibernating. looks like you have the perfect method for doing it.

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  2. I'm with you - winter is the perfect time to hibernate and sew! As for thimbles, I use a great one by Clover that's silicone with a metal tip. It stays snug on my finger and the silicone is nice and grippy which makes it easier to pull the needle through on those odd times when I've loaded too many stitches or the fabric just seems to be extra grabby.

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  3. Beautiful! I use Dill rubber thimbles. I love them when hand quilting. Very comfy and hold their shape. Various sizes and colors too. Happy hibernation!

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  4. I just love these and yours are pretty!

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  5. I use a silicone thimble or the little sticky leather dots that just stick onto your fingertip. I also sometimes just paint a few layers of 'New Skin' wound protector onto my finger, let it dry then off you go and it just peels off at the end of the night.

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  6. what a great project - and this seems the perfect season for it :-)

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  7. Wow, wow, wow, I love these! I've never heard of Passacaglia in quilting, only in music. "never quite find 'the one' in our stash" sigh, I hear you sista!! As for thimble, the only one that I have managed to actually wear continuously without taking it off in frustration is a plastic one with a cutout where your fingernail goes. It doesn't even have a manufacturer on it, but if you like I can send you a pic.

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  8. I agree, I'm quite happy to hibernate in the winter with some sewing
    I have a clover open sided thimble which is good but I've only tried it when hand quilting not general sewing.

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  9. It's lovely, really. Wish I had the patience to hand sew...very special indeed.

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  10. These are such gorgeous pieces! I tried a leather thimble too, but it doesn't work for me. I just stick with sore hands!

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  11. Your EPP looks stunning! I think you're right, you need a design wall so you can ponder it as you walk past (I need one too for that matter!) have you tried those sticky dot thimbles, some people swear by them as they are less bulky.

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  12. I know you're a 'proper sewer' as I have never used a thimble! You really do have a lot of talent, Julie. And I need a design wall too ... happy sewing from a fellow hedgehog :)

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