Slow Stitching - trailer journal cover is finished

My Trailer Journal is finally finished.  I have been working on it for a while and it is finally finished.  I used my Teesha Moore inspired patches machine stitched together to make the cover for a composition book to create the journal.  After that, I started adding stitching to all the patches one at a time.  It was great to be able to do any sort of stitching and be inspired by the fabric design as well.  I used embroidery thread in either coordinating or contrasting colours depending on the look I was going for.  It has been a very fun project and I am glad to have such a creative and interesting cover for our trailer journal.  Once we have filled the composition book we simply have to put in a new one and we are good to go!!

This is the front cover.

This is the back cover.

insides     

Below are some close ups of the stitching in the patches.  

Therese

 

Slow Stitching - second little house

I have finished my second little house in my Slow Stitching project!!  I used a fused panel of fabric for the base of the house because it allowed me to match the pattern and have a slimmer house.  I added brown roof, a chimney, two windows and a double layered door.  I like the fun look of this house.  I stitched the chimney horizontally to give it more texture and interest.  I did three rows of stitching around the edge of the roof.  I used soft teal thread to make the three rows around the base of the house and I like the softness of the colours.  I added two windows and stitched them in place using similar colours instead of contrasting which makes them really bright.  I used two layers of fabric for the door - a brown in behind and a turquoise/peach pattern for the double door which echoes the house colours.  I added to dark red stitches for the handles one for each door. Happy with this one!  I will use try to change up a few things for the next house - roof line, windows and maybe a different front door placement.  We shall see!!!!!!!  Therese

Slow Stitching - my first house is finished

I have finished slow stitching my first house in my new Slow Stitching project!!  I have changed my daily routine in order to add a daily walk outside so slow stitching has moved to the evening but I don't always get to it so this project may take a little longer than I expected but it is summer time and there are other tasks that will need to be a priority.  No problem, this is a relaxing activity and I will do it as often as I can. 

I pinned the house body - a 5" square - and then added the windows and the door which I cut from scraps.  I used a 7" hoop to stabilize the area and then started stitching.  I did the perimeter of the house body with three rows of running stitch using a light yellow floss.  I stitched the windows in place using running stitch and dark brown floss.  I went around twice filling in the spaces on my first row on my second go around.  I like how that works!!  I added some bright yellow running stitches on the corners of all the panes to create a highlight.  I stitched the door using purple floss and then added a half round window and a door handle in light yellow floss.  I removed the hoop, pinned the roof in place and then flipped the top edge and put the chimney in place and stitching it down with several rows of running stitch in dark brown.  I replaced the roof and stitched it into place using dark maroon floss using three rows of running stitch all the way around.  I added some small black stab stitches in each little black line in the roof to give it a bit of texture.  Pretty happy with how it worked out!!  I am hoping to give all my little houses their own unique look so we shall see what the next one will look like.  I will consider adding foliage and flowers in between and possibly in front of the houses once they are all stitched in place.  We shall see!!          Therese

Slow Stitching - sky, trees and ground fabric collage for my houses

I have been working on my fabric collage which will be the background onto which I will be hand stitching my little houses.  I did some research on fabric collages in hopes of finding a way to finish the edges of my fabric pieces in order for them to be solid and secure so this base would be strong enough to hold the houses once this piece is incorporated into a quilt.  I did not want to use fusible webbing because generally it creates stiffness and would make the handstitching of the houses more difficult.  I found this video tutorial called Edge Colouring Applique from Fourth and Sixth Designs which is a technique they developed to finish off their applique designs for their Full Bloom Block of Month quilt in 2014.  It was exactly what I was looking for!!!!!  I started with my brown strip.  I simply used this method to join my scraps to each other.  I had trouble with my tension when I used reverse and so it is a little wonky but I did not want to start over so I have decided to use as it is.  Its wonkiness will add to the texture of the background.  I did the green layer next and this time I chose to stitch all my scraps to each other using a single line of  straight stitch before I used this technique to "colour" the edges of my scraps.  This worked better.  I also changed sewing machines and used my Bernina 830 which worked much better.  The tension was good in both forward and reverse and gave me a good result with this technique.  I am really happy with how the green layer worked out.  As you can see the blue layer is a single piece of fabric which perfectly simulated a sky which is what I was looking for!!!! 

Check the images below for a close up of the stitching which I used to secure the edges of my pieces.  I simply laid my scraps over each other and the back and forth stitching of the technique securely attaches them to each other and also blends in the line of straight stitching I used to create the green collage.  This technique is a bit like free motion stitching and requires developing a rhythm to get it to go well.  Free motion stitching is also a technique they recommend for this "edge colouring" but I was not ready for a steep learning curve so I used this one that uses regular straight stitch instead. 

 

 Here is a portion of the finished piece with the three layers of the fabric collage attached in the same way as the scraps pieces were attached for the brown and green strips.  The blue is the sky, the green is the landscape/horizon line and the brown strip is the dirt/road in the foreground.  I expect this will not be used literally in that the houses will likely overlap all three layers.  They have yet to be invented.  That is work for another day. 
The first photo below is the finished fabric collage and then the bottom one has the bottom edge straightened in that it would be best to have the houses all sitting straight to the edge of the collage and perpendicular to it as well.  I would prefer not to have my houses looking like their are off kilter. 

So I will be working up pieces of houses next and will get back to slow stitching when they are ready to go.  I will be doing slow stitching in the day or evening for the summer to allow me to get a morning walk in every day.  Therese

Slow stitched trees are all done!!

I have finally finished stitching my little trees to the bases.  I have added two rows of running stitch to all of them using yellow floss.  It frames them nicely, echoes the star and securely achours them to the squares.  Once I finished the stitching I trimmed all the squares to 6" and they will be used as an accent column in a future quilt.  I will have work on what sort of colour scheme will work and then get some fabric together.  For now it is on hold in the cabinet and I am working on my next slow stitching project.  It will be little houses!!!!!!!  I am currently working on the substrate for the houses which involves fabric collage and a new thread colouring technique. 

Therese

Rainbow quilt top featuring my heart rainbow squares

I managed to get my rainbow quilt top made up today.  It features my little rainbow heart slow stitched squares which are in a column between the blue strips.  Without the strips they blended right in and were not very noticeable.  Very happy with the way it turned out.  I have a bit of trimming to do at the bottom and then it will be finding batting and a backing. 

Therese

Slow Stitching - Trees

 I have been working on my slow stitching tree project for the last few weeks getting the little tree squares stitched to larger squares.  I have used blue floss for all the stitching in order to have the trees remain the focal points.  It has been fun to find stitches in my books which I have not done before that will overlap the edge of the square  - cretan, fern, closed fern, etc.  I have also used blanket stitch and a variety of combinations as well including fern, stab, daisy, etc. 
I am feeling like there is not enough stitching to keep these little squares attached to the larger one so more stitching will definitely be added.  Not yet inspired as to what exactly that will be so I will sleep on it and see what I can come up with tomorrow.          Therese

Slow Stitching - Tree #11

I have finished my eleventh square!! I have added running stitch in horizontal lines and some in a chevron pattern in three different colours.  I am liking this pattern of stitching.  I added my stab stitch star which is working reasonably well.

I have decided to change the scope of this project as I have discovered more and more that the blue precut squares I chose for the backgrounds of these trees are not of a consistent size which will make assembling them into a column for a quilt difficult.  I have been pondering this issue for several days now.  I decided today that I will be stitching these squares to larger squares which I will cut to 6" in a variety of colours which means that I have already stitched enough little trees to make up the column I need for a quilt.  So I dug into my stash and found some squares which are cut larger than 6" which I will use as backgrounds for these squares.  I will be stitching these little squares to them and then they will be assembled into a column for a quilt.  I am not sure how much stitching yet but for sure a row all the way around to secure it to the background.  I am inclined to add a bit more but I am not sure exactly what manner that will be.  Will invent it when I get there!  I feel good about this new direction.  It will make the squares more interesting as the little trees will be framed with colour.  I will be getting started tomorrow! Looking forward to it!!            Therese

Slow Stitching - Tree #10

With a bit more time on my hands because were are choosing to stay home to avoid contact with Covid 19 and all of our outside activities and commitments have been cancelled I have spent more time stitching on my little trees than the bit of time I usually commit to in the morning.  So I have finished another one!!  This is my tenth one!!  I did blanket stitch around the edge of this one in light green crochet thread and couched a heavyweight red thread with orange floss over all.  I really enjoyed the  ability to shape the red thread any way I wanted so I will be doing this technique again!!  I added french knots in blue afterwards to punch up the colour a bit and add some interest and texture. I add the star in yellow using small stab stitches.   Therese

Slow Stitching - Tree #9

Here is my ninth tree for my slow stitching project!!  I started with a modified blanket stitch on the bottom edge and could not get it done consistently so I switched to just regular stab stitched for the rest.  I created blue rectangles over all of the tree and then added yellow french knots in the middle of all of them.  I added the star at the top using small stab stitches which seems to work out the best.  I remember to put them one on the right to help balance the collection!!     Therese

Slow Stitching - Tree #8

Here is my eighth little square in my Slow Stitching project!!  I made chain stitches all the way around and then filled in with running stitches in  coordinating thread all through the middle section.  Added the little star using yellow thread.  I laid them all out and I see that most of them are lefties so I will have to make a few righties to balance out the collection.              Therese

Slow Stitching - tree #7

Here is the tree I have been working on for a few days.  I used fern stitching in green to anchor the tree to the background and generally to contain the edges from fraying.  It was fun to be able to make the stitch curve and have motion though the tree is not big enough to really highlight that ability.  I might try again on a different one knowing how easy it is to get a curvy line with this stitch.  The stitches could also be executed a bit smaller which would allow more options for moving a line.  I will consider as well drawing a line or following the black lines in the fabric for a guide.  This star worked out better though I am using the same technique of building it using single running stitches. 

Therese

Slow Stitching - tree #6

I have one more finished!!!  I did have a bit of free time a couple of days ago and worked on it several times over the course of one day a few minutes at a time.  This is another tree comprised of two fused halves which I am liking a lot better.  I did a row of verticals and three rows of horizontal running stitches in green at the bottom and decided to repeat the pattern adding one more row of running stitch with each different colour.  I managed to add dark pink, purple, green and orange which brought me to the top.  My yellow star is looking a little mangled.  I made it the same as the others but somehow that is how it worked out.  To finish it off I added white french knots over the whole of it.   I am liking coming up with different patterns and thought up a few more overnight to use on my next trees.  I am enjoying the stitching.  They don't take quite as long as the larger squares but are a little less creative in that they are all trees in the same colour scheme.  Will change that up next time around.   Therese

Slow Stitching - tree #5

I found another square in my pile that had not been blogged!!  This one is one that was stitched before I fused the halves together hence the white stitches holding the halves together and to the background.  This little tree was stitched with stab stitches in thread colours that matched the fabric colour.  The black lines had somewhat receded so I stitched them full of french knots which really made them stand out.  I added two rows of alternating running stitch which created a solid line around the perimeter of the tree to help balance the dark lines of french knots. 

Therese

Slow Stitching - tree #4

This is my fourth tree square for my Slow Stitching project.  This one features a tree made of two halves.  I took the time to add fusible webbing to the back of all the trees I had left that were halves.  It was a bit tricky to get the two halves close enough to not have a gap and then to get them not to move when I applied the webbing.  They worked out quite well.  It sure is easier to do the stitching when they are whole trees!!  For this one, I made horizontal stitches in orange and then vertical stitches in between in yellow.  I added a yellow star using 6 short stitches which works a bit better.  I added some purple "ornaments" using satin stitch which I had never done before.  I like the way they turned out!!!!        Therese

Slow Stitching - tree #3

I have finished another tree in my Slow Stitching project!!  For this one I used black floss and did back stitch on on the black lines in the tree and then filled all the spaces with small seed stitches. Seed stitches are really like running stitches - in and out - but placed randomly instead of a line.  My star looks better this time!  I added several stitches from the points to the mid points which has helped a lot but it is still not really great.  I will keep practicing!!  I added three yellow daisies created with chain stitches which helps the design!!          Therese

Slow Stitching - #2 tree

I have finished my second tree square in my current Slow Stitching project.  I am really happy with how these are working out!!  I first pinned the two halves to my blue square and used cross stitches in deep pink to secure them both to the background.  Next, I stitched up the right side with vertical stitching.  I did horizontal stitching on the left hand side.  I did my best to capture the edges while I was stitching which gives them a bit of a different look than the other squares I made.   I added a star to this tree as well but it is not much more of an improvement on the first one I did.  I will have to check my embroidery book and see what I am doing wrong as I am sure there are some that look better than that.  I also added french knots in yellow thread over all of it!!  Therese

Slow Stitching - #1 tree

I have finished my first square featuring trees!!  I really like how it turned out!!  I started stitching in one corner and kept going around and around until I was in the center and then tied off my thread.  I did add a small yellow star on the top but it doesn't look a lot like a star unfortunately but it does secure very nicely the top little portion of the tree fabric which works for me.  I added French knots as decoration on this one in a variety of colours.  I like the texture of the trees and yet the colours are still very visible though a bit subdued.  So far, I am not adding anything else though I did seriously consider it.    Therese

Slow Stitching - my new project is trees

 I have been brainstorming concepts for my new slow stitching project and it has taken a while to sort out what it will look like.  I have settled on triangle trees on all the same background though it has been a struggle to sort it out.  I have tabled my other ideas and will make them up later.
I found these very bright 4" squares in my stash of precuts and decided they would be the trees.  I finally decided that the trees would be 2" x 3" which allowed me to make four trees from each four inch square.  I cut off a one inch strip off one side and then cut two 2" x 3" from the piece I had trimmed out.  These I cut into two solid trees and used the four cut offs to make another two.  I chose dark blue with a red pin stripe squares from my stash of precuts as my background which works very well.  I am very happy to be back to slow stitching.  These are going to be very cute!!  Therese

Slow Stitching - snippet roll is finished

I finished my snippet roll yesterday!!!!!!!!  It has taken a while and I have found the process a bit restricting in that I had to undo if I failed to follow the stitching pattern as I would not end up where I needed to begin the next square and I wanted the back to look as good as the front so I did some undoing several times!!  It is about 130 inches long so will certain serve as a wonderful ribbon for securing a creative gift somewhere along the way.   I had hoped to make one more of these but because of the need to keep to the pattern I did not find this process as fulfilling as I had hoped so I will be moving onto a different process for my next slow stitching project.  I have been working on another idea for a bit now and did a prototype this past week and it will also not be a good slow stitching project for me it requires too much precision to get a good result so that has been put on the back burner for now.  

Therese