thanks for that information on the diffrent needles. always a good idea to have this available in our sewing rooms.

those mats are just beautiful! I didnt get around to making any this past year but high on the agenda for 2018. Never thought of using the same color though. That makes them even more beautiful.

Current Projects - Redwork and Bluework
 

I decided to use embroidery as an enhancement to my quilting. I tend to quilt with 6 1/2" and 8 1/2" inch blocks, so I reasoned that the Brother PE525 embroidery machine would fit my current needs (4X4 is the largest size I can embroider with this machine). I bought it in November, and I just love it! I've had little time to experiment with it, but I have become enamored with Redwork and Bluework embroidery. My first project was a 22X22 Redwork wall hanging, a Christmas gift for a friend. It was a nine-patch; the center block was a lovely cardinal, and the remaining blocks were flowers that held special meaning to my friend. I embroidered on unbleached muslin and used a matching red for the sashing/border and muslin for the cornerstones. It was truly lovely! Alas, I did not take a picture.

I have just completed a Bluework wall hanging top, same design as listed above. It has a winter theme and the sashing/border is a matching blue with muslin cornerstones (bleached muslin, this time). I should be able to complete this tomorrow or the next day. I tried uploading a picture of this wall hanging top, but I could not do so, nor could I do so as an attachment. I will contact Quilting Board and see if they can tell me why there is a problem. It is not a large file, just a simple .jpg, so I don't understand why I can't do it. I have not tried doing any of this before on this site, so it is probably just my ignorance.

These are my plans for using embroidery this year in my quilting: I am redecorating my living room/ dining area (open space), using a rustic country motif. In the dining area on one wall, there will be a Bluework wall hanging, the first being the winter one of which I just finished the top; this will be replaced for one depicting the other seasons. On an adjacent wall of the dining area, there will be a Redwork wall hanging -the first one is like the one I made for my friend, but the center bird is a Dove of Peace and the flowers are different from the ones I chose for her. The Redwork wall hanging will be replaced according to changing themes -Valentines, St. Patrick's Day, Easter/Spring, etc. For 2018, all will be the same size and layout. ALSO, back in the fall I cut out the squares for an Irish Chain quilt, the 9-patch done in bleached muslin and two different green prints, with the alternating squares being bleached muslin. I had always planned to make this in February, knowing I'd be tired of winter and longing for spring -I live in Colorado -and that is still my plan; however, those plain muslin squares will now be graced with Greenwork depicting designs like the Celtic knot, shamrock, etc. I can hardly wait! Finally, for this year, I want to duplicate the one quilt I made in 1976 -my first and only quilt until almost three years ago when I began quilting in earnest. This quilt was made of nine-patch small-floral calico prints with unbleached muslin alternating squares; upon these squares I hand-embroidered different flowers -a rose, an Irish, etc. Arthritis does not allow me to do hand-embroidery anymore, but I can now use my delightful little embroidery machine and achieve, I believe, quite lovely results.

I hope this thread continues for a long time. I am really interested in all the ways people use embroidery! (By the way, I do make quilts other than 9-patches, the log cabin and rail fence quilts being two of my favorites; I am awaiting the arrival of Civil War Era fabrics I ordered so that I can make a King's Crown quilt; I am still a student of quilting and want to try new patterns, and that I hope never changes! I like the looks of the King's Crown quilt.

Quilt On! Embroider On!

I have a Pfaff Creative Visions, -Babylock Ellisimo (4 upgrades) and a Brother Quatro 6000d ...thinking of selling them to get either Brother Dream Machine or Bernina 800e plus. Are you liking your Bernini 800e?

My BFF just bought a Dream machine and she loves it!!!! She's constantly telling me about the things it can do. I haven't been able to get out to see it yet but I really want to play with it.

Cari

I just cut a slit in the backing felt and slip the clips in as the directions say. I use the snap style, and they seem to fit snugly.

Here's my latest finish. These are for DD for her "table scatter", except one of the blue ones which I will see if DGD has a use for (in her hair or something). I'll send DD hers for Easter.

The patterns are from Artistic Thread Works and sold through Etsy via an online download. The price was exceptional for 10 different butterflies, and the FSL stitched out beautifully on water soluble stabilizer.

Oh wow, love your butterflies. Thanks for sharing where you got the design. How long does it take to stitch out one set?

designsbysick.com is having a sale ... $1.50 on all their design sets. I don't know how long it will last.

Here's what I've been working on....the first 4 are placemats, I have to bind them..I just love how realistic the bunnies ares are. Designs are Bountiful Bunnies from Morehead designs.
The last is a sweatshirt...it is from a new to me place... https://embroideres.com/
she has some really different stuff, and her prices are great. It stitched out beautifully, even though it's a very large, dense design. She calls it "root man"....I think it's a cultural difference..we call them tree spirits here.


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