A Sneak Peak At A New Version

This is less the 1/4 of a new piece I am working on. The base is one of my ice dyes.
I am using shiny rayon thread to do the satin stitching. I must have at least 200 HUGE cones of this thread. Some of them are so close in color. It is a variation on the pieces I’ve done before with straight satin stitching on the surface.
Using the cones takes a lot more time than using small spools as they need to be handled more carefully. I am loving the effect I am getting with the wandering lines.
I am always excited as I enjoy each more variation on a theme more than the previous one.

Decorative Machine Stitches

I have had my Janome sewing machine for over 15 years.
As with most people who have machines with a lot of decorative stitches I have rarely used them.
I found they were the perfect touch for one of the latest quilts I finished.
It is not easy to see what a stitch will look like from the tiny diagram on your machine.
After cutting two fingers and having them bandaged while they heal I had to find things I COULD do.
Knowing that I might like to do some decorative stitches on future quilts I made a sample of all the stitches. I was surprised to see some of them.

I have two alligators, one facing left and the other right. Not sure I’ll be using them unless as a Florida joke!
I have found some that are candidates to use on future quilts.
So stay tuned and see if any of these stitches show up on future quilts!

5th Quilt Finish For 2016

It’s such a good feeling to finish another quilt.
When I started working with the red/yellow/green fabric I had intentions of creating something entirely different with it. I am open to trying something different when I see the original idea is not making the most interesting use of the fabric.
This one has been a joy from start to finish.
 
Using the satin stitch and the decorative stitches from my sewing machine in this way were something I had never done before. I was very pleased with the detail and accent they provided.
Who knows? This could show up on future quilts.