Stack and wack quilt

The past 3 months or so was spending quilting this huge queen size quilt on my domestic machine.  At times it felt that this quilt will be the end of me as it was stitched during the weeks I did not know if I will find another job or not.  

This is a UFO from way back in 2012 which I for some reason never wrote about.  I finished the top a few years back but added another row of blocks earlier this year so that it would be big enough for our queen size bed.  It is made by stacking 9 different fabrics on top of each other and slicing twice through all the layers horizontally and vertical.  Then all the fabrics are swopped around and stitched back together on top of vilene using bias binding.  The different blocks are then stitched together using the same method.

Half of the blocks were meandered as the fabrics is so busy, no pattern showed up good.  The other half I quilted in different patterns.  I however foolishly choose only one pattern which was stitched normally which meant I had to change feet and convert the machine from free motion to normal stitching every time the yellow blocks came up.  A mistake I hope not to repeat ever.

Below are close ups of the different patterns I used.

Workwise I did manage to land the job I was writing about in the previous post although only for 6 months.  So, it is turning out to be a stressful situation either way which is having a detrimental effect on me.  I don't know which direction my life will take and the uncertainty is preventing me from quilting or machine embroidery at this stage, both hobbies which I dearly loved but just can't seem to get myself to enjoy currently.  I am sick and tired of just sitting around doing nothing as this is not me under normal circumstances, but hope that the two weeks holiday coming up will rectify this situation.

Heart Quilt 6

It's almost two months since my previous post and about the only needlework done around here was finishing up the last three blocks of the heart quilt.  All the blocks have been stitched together and quilted, so only the borders needs to be added.

Crazy hearts from Molly Mine

On a personal front it was quite a difficult few moths behind me workwise.  After going back to the UK firm in April, everything was going well until the mid of August when they decided they didn't have enough work to occupy me and let me go.  And I have been struggling ever since getting another job lined up as things in South-Africa is very tight with all the SOE's bankrupt and me being in the engineering (infra structure) field, you are dependent from the national and local governments for work.  I am praying that the contract work I have applied for do materialize so that I could go back to being the normal me without all these external pressures, worries and stress.  It is not a picnic finding oneself without a job just a few years before pension. 😓

If any of you reading here can join me in prayer about this I would really appreciate it.

Heart Quilt 5

With winter upon us I find it increasingly difficult to do anything other than sitting by the fire.  So any quilting etc. now is done on Saturdays only.  I also find it difficult being cooped up in my office alone the whole day and then spending the evenings alone in my needlework room as well.  My husband do visit me during the day but I am definitely having a bout of cabin fever.

With that being said, I did embroider another 3 blocks of the heart quilt as well as adding sasching to the completed blocks so I can start quilting them.  I am however struggling with puckers.  Almost all of the blocks pucker, bit I will try my best to eliminate them with the quilting which I decided will only be meandering between the hearts.

This block contains one of Molly Mine's Crazy Hearts

These blocks I did not crazy quilt as I wanted to show of the beautiful Langa Lapu fabric prints which doesn't show up as well on the small crazy quilt pieces.  I used Molly Mines heart outline and omitted all the crazy patchwork.  By sizing them smaller, I added the smaller plain hearts.  All done with the help of Embird Basic Embroidery Software.

Three quarters of the blocks is done with only 4 more blocks to go.

Heart Quilt 4

 After falling seriously behind with this quilt, I finally got time to stitch another two blocks.

The crazy patchwork heart designs can be found here.

Crazy quilt handbag

It feels like ages since I last did any embroidering or quilting as I only worked day and night for the past 2 months or so.  Workwise I left the company in England and returned to my previous employer on a 6 month contract basis to finish the only contract they have at the moment.  The company in England kept in contact and so I decided to return to them at the middle of April as I can't get any work locally.  That left me with unfinished business which I had to finish up after normal business hours leaving me with no down time at all.

Luckily it is almost done so this week I could start playing around again although my machine broke down after only 2 nights of embroidery and had to spend some time in the workshop getting fixed.  Hopefully all the problems brought about by sub standard work done by the local dealer are now fixed.

One of the crazy quilt handbags I wrote about in  this post was finished and gifted to a dear friend of mine for her birthday. 

After stitching all the pieces together, this is what the front of the two bags looked like.

Then it was time to complete one of them and I started with the red one.  It was a huge task with lots of stitching and quilting every piece as I go.  But the end product was a huge success and truly beautiful.

On the the back I added an extra zipped outer bag which I decorated with satin ribbon and a few other bits and pieces. 

The completed front.

                                               Below is a close-ups of the front and back.

I still have to finish up the black one, but is at the moment trying to catch up on the heart quilt where I am 3 months behind.  Time just slips away with 2021 almost halfway.

We are truly blessed not contracting the Covid virus going around although it is coming ever closer with friends and acquaintances coming down with it.  We are still deciding about the vaccine and needs your prayers in this regard as to what we should do. May you all be blessed with good health.

The designs for these bags can be bought here.

Heart Quilt Block 3 and Spit Cloths

I finished Block Number 3 of the Heart Quilt.  Although the pattern calls for a traditional pieced block, I enlarged one of my Crazy Quilt Heart blocks and stitched it manually playing along the way with different decorative stitches built into my Brother.

I also embroidered some spit cloths for friends of mine to gift at a Baby shower on the 10th of April.  Designs are from Buystitch.

Homestead Quilt 11

 The last 3 blocks are done!

Block 48 Wedding Ring

Block 49 Basket of Grapes

Block 50 Sister's Choice