Saturday, May 15, 2010

Reprise -- So Many Stitches

Here is a quilt related repost from May 22, 2007.  I have not done any work in the past three years on this quilt.  Perhaps I will this year.

I have been working on this appliqué quilt top for a while now. It keeps getting put aside as I piece another QOV top or make another baby quilt for a friend. This top/quilt has no deadline. Sometimes that is a lovely thing. Sometimes a deadline will help motivate me, as it does others. I'll finish it someday, even if it's years from now.

I enjoy making these ruches roses, but I must admit I don't really enjoy making the leaves. Each ruched rose takes approximately 200 stitches. Each one can easily take an hour to make before stitching it to the background fabric. The instructions for making a ruched rose can be found in American's Heritage Quilts published by Better Homes and Gardens, 1991.
I think I am more a piecer than appliquér at heart though I love appliqued quilts--Baltimore Album quilts, Hawaiian quilts. I enjoy using the rotary cutter to "mass" cut pieces which I can't do when I do applique. There's that cutting and sewing that quilts and surgery have in common. Don't have to finish a quilt in one sitting, as I do any surgery. That makes it much more relaxing.

4 comments:

Val said...

I love those ruched roses. Do you do most of your sewing by hand, or by machine? I've never got to grips with sewing machines.

I was thinking about your quilts today, while I was trying (and so far not succeeding very well!) to base a painting on patchwork. I'll try again tomorrow as I have an idea... Have posted one today that you might like as it's very fabric-orientated.

rlbates said...

These days I do most of my sewing and quilting by machine. I still do some Jane quilting, but mostly for small quilts.

Gizabeth Shyder said...

The roses are almost as pretty in the picture as they are in real life. Love this piece.

StitchinByTheLake said...

I've made exactly one ruched flower - I do like applique but not enough to do many of those! blessings,marlene