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Friday, March 11, 2016

Down in the Ditch

I believe I have stated before that I take ditch stitching very seriously on my mini quilts. Well, that is what has pretty well consumed my sewing time since my last post. Here is the evidence.
Only just beginning the ditch stitching on the little log cabins. Then I have some cable designs I am thinking will go well down the furrows.

I was going to try to do this entire basket quilt with straight line quilting, but after doing all of the ditch stitching, and the basket weave and handles, I was sick of straight line quilting on this piece. I will set it aside for now.
The cross-hatching I had planned in the setting triangles may just be too much straight line for one little quilt. I may put feathers in them to juxtapose some curves onto all of the angles here.

This was a little Pam Buda SAL (Orphans and Scraps) a year or two ago. She made hers as a mini runner, but I wanted a little square. The blocks finish at 4". The 9-patch cornerstones are 1 1/2".
This was all ditch stitched, except the border. Often on minis I feel like too much fancy quilting can detract from the piecing, so I usually keep it pretty simple.

Here we have one of those Temecula SAL quilts that I tended to do in excess. I think I made three of these. The other two were gifted long ago and this one has yet to be finished. This SAL was called Summer Stars.  I wasn't enamored with the layout Temecula used, so I exchanged it for a layout they had used on similar sized blocks in another SAL called Blessing Baskets (I made 4 of that one).
Ditch stitching all finished here. This will probably get curved cross-hatching in the setting triangles, and I haven't decided yet on the outer border.

This is not a small quilt--it is a holiday table topper for the breakfast nook table. I pieced it from scraps I got in a scrap bin at a LQS years ago. I wanted to try a freehand holly design, and never could get up the courage. I finally went for it (after ditch stitching the borders).

This is the result. Better than I had hoped. As I stitched, I felt like the design was going down very unevenly, but it doesn't look as unbalanced as I feared.

 Had a sweet surprise in the mail yesterday from Pat (Amity Quilter blog). I had commented on a fabric she had used in a quilt and I was interested in it. She sent me some and I already know where it will go. See all of those HSTs a friend gifted me? This will be a perfect border fabric for a quilt from these pieces. I will throw in a little more darker blue with the triangles to tie it all together, but the orange-y coral and browns work great! Can't wait to get a chance to work on this. The quilt has been dancing in my brain for a while now.
Thanks, Pat!

Until next time, I am doing my best to stay away from SALs!! They really suck me in, as you can tell above.  : )
Janet O.

P.S. The Beast is in hibernation right now, but I really need to wake him up and finish him. It is so peaceful in the sewing room when he is asleep.

28 comments:

  1. I have finished two Jo Morton quilts and a third is in the works. I am very torn about the quilting. Jo mostly straight stitches but I think stitching in the ditch would look better. Your quilts are beautiful and you are so productive. Keep that beast in the closet a little longer

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  2. I am loving all of your projects, Janet!! As in LOVING...with capitals! Your holly quilting blew me away...perfect!!!

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  3. Holly quilting looks absolutely wonderful! I find that with the small tiny projects that SID doesn't take away from the small pieces...but gosh I get bored with SID. Looks wonderful as always! No time for all those QAl's but it is nice to have so many options especially when they are FREE.

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  4. Wow - You've been BUSY! And I like ALL the quilting on ALL of your projects! I especially like the way your straight stitching makes the baskets look woven on the first picture you shared. I always feel like an underachiever when I compare what I do - to what YOU do, so I guess I better stop that, right? (smile) Sounds like you've been having fun, for sure.....

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  5. All of your small quilts are so pretty and so well done, but the prize winner of this grouping must go to the Holly quilting! Kudos to you on that, both front and back are lovely!

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  6. Beautiful quilting on all your projects! Love the holly design.

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  7. Yummy goodies here! I am a ditch stitching fan, it just finishes the piecing and applique off nicely.

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  8. Your log cabin quilt is one I like very much. I enjoy paper piecing log cabin blocks and I think that is the only style block I do like doing in that method.

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  9. Kepp on resisting the Sals. You're getting other stuff done. Nice to see the eye candy when I am still making blocks. Cathching up on 1930's blocks in the hotel tonight.

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  10. Loving all your quilting designs!! I'm currently stuck on a few hexie doll quilts for quilting ideas but I can't really do any SITD to get started, not even any borders to start with. I'm gonna have to put my thinking cap on as I have 2 months till trunk show...

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  11. Love all the SAL eye-candy! I think I discovered Pam's Tucker here and now I want to go have fun with the Orphans! Your holly stitching looks great. Surprisingly that was one if the first FMQ motifs I tried when I started machine quilting and I found it to be very forgiving.

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  12. You're inspiring a lot with your ideas of quilting ! Thank you so much for sharing Janet...
    You've done a beautiful and great work !
    Nice present in your mail ! :)))

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  13. such pretty little quilts....as always, janet! and i am curious about those colored pins...are they a quilty notion or what? and that focus fabric IS very nice...name please? glad to see you are keeping busy....lol

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  14. Love your quilting! On the Log Cabin--is the ditch quilting between the light and dark fabrics only, leaving the furrows open for FMQ?

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  15. Your quilting is really beautiful. Good for you keeping away from all the sew alongs. I had to drop out of the some of them. Hugs

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  16. Love those holly leaves in the quilting - you did a super job of stitching on those little baskets. SAL's are so inticing and always a great way to get to know other bloggers...we just need more hours in each day.

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  17. I love each project! That stitching in the ditch is hard work! Free motion is much more .....freeing.... Love that blue fabric!! Have a great weekend.

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  18. Your projects are always a treasure to see. Stitching in the ditch isn't easy and you've done so much. I like the simple designs you've added to the borders and the holly design was perfect for the holiday table topper. It's been a very productive week and you're always so inspirational. How many new babies?

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  19. I am so impressed with your free hand holly! It looks perfect :)
    I say let the beast lie :)

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  20. Janet, your machine quilting is awesome!~! Love those colorful pins holding the top together!! And I thought you did all your machine quilting on your mid-arm (is that what it's called??)... nice to see you use a regular machine!! Great looking quilts~ as always~

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  21. Love all your quilts, Janet! Ditch Stitching is pretty much the only machine-quilting I do..have done a couple FMQ but certainly need more practice!! Your FMQ is wonderful!!

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  22. Such a pretty parade of small quilts today!!! And I'll bet you are ready to do some fun feathers or something. Ditching is such hard work! I always look forward to having that part done so I can play with the rest of the quilting. Your holly design work turned out great!!!! I'm pretty much trying to avoid the SAL's too, and amazingly I seem to have more time for play time for me :*)

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  23. It must be feeling great to get so many little projects closer to completion. These sew along's are getting to be killers--we must be strong--lol! All your little quilts are adorable!

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  24. Wow Janet, you have been busy. Love all the little quilts. Love the Holly Leaves.
    Hard to pick a favourite, but I do especially love the log cabin quilt..

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  25. Oh, my goodness!! You been a busy girl!! They are all wonderful!! I am especially fond of the Pam Buda SAL!!

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  26. It amazes me how much you accomplish. I know some people must think it doesn't take as long to do mini quilts so you can do a lot more, but I know that is definitely not true! Your minis are lovely and I like the Christmas quilt too!

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  27. I find ditch stitching terribly dull but effective! Love all your tiny quilts --you've got a lovely old timey well loved look to the colors you choose. The holly and berry stitching looks great!

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  28. good for you to be strong about new SAL when you have so many lovely things that you are on a roll of finishing!
    The holiday topper is really nice, I can just picture it at Christmas.
    Love that tiny Log Cabin. I have a tiny one too - maybe I'll try and find it today!

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