Erica's Stitches

This project has been on hold for a while.  I last blogged about it in fall while preparing the border nine patches. I got the quilt all sewn together and basted over Christmas break and it's sat ever since.  Traditionally there is a waiting period between basting and quilting that depends on the quilt size.  A very small quilt I'll baste and quilt the same day.  A rather large quilt is allowed to sit for up to a year.  It can sometimes take that much time to get up the nerve to start quilting. This quilt is about 48 x 48 inches so 5 - 6 months was the perfect amount of time.  And, there's nothing like a long weekend to make me want to tackle something. While working on the quilt I decided it needed a black binding.  This was going to be my "make do" quilt done with supplies on hand.  So, I rummaged for black and white fabric that I knew I had.  When I found it I  discovered I didn't have as much as I thought - not nearly enough to bind the q

Otherwise known and Mint: 0 and Wild Rose: 4 The saga continues... I've been fighting an ongoing battle in a large planter with a wild rose.  Finally it got too big and last year I ripped it out .  I had to remove all the soil from the planter to get all the roots. In it's place I planted a spearmint plant which totally took over crowding everything else out.  Well almost. This year there is no sign of the mint and there are 4 wild roses coming in. For now, I'll let them be. The chives are still going strong and I planted some oregano. There's room for a few more herbs (basil and something else).  My mini rabbit is still hiding in the chives.  It will be interesting to see what develops in the planter this summer.

And now ... the rest of the finishing instructions ... Measure the top of the pincushion and cut squares of quilt patting about the same size or a little smaller. Place the squares in the pincushion and mush them down until they just fit.  You want them to fit tightly, but not too tight. Fold in opposite sides and lace together. Be careful of the tension.  If you pull too tight or not tight enough you will distort the box shape. Repeat with the other two sides making sure that the edges are tucked in.  If you want to add a bead or button to the center, now is the time.  It helps to have a really long needle.  Go up from the bottom and come out of the top center.  Pick up the bead or button and go back down through the center and out the bottom.  Tie the ends together tightly and cut off.  I finish with a drop of nail polish.  (Somehow I missed getting a picture of this step) Next, cut a felt square just smaller than the pincushion

When I finished my second pincushion I tested the directions I wrote up for the first one.  They were horrible!  So, the second time around I documented my progress.  It's such fun testing my own patterns. The pincushion started out flat, stitched with a square plus sign shape.  It could also be rectangular, as long as the corners are an equal number of threads. First is the creasing - both along the edges of the top of the box and at the bottom.  As you can see in the top photo, I also creased the corners. Now, trim the linen to about an inch to inch and a half past the stitching.  Then, turn the pincushion face up and fold diagonally across the upper left corner. With thread that matches the linen, go through the corner on the front and the back and come up two holes to the right on both sides.  The basting stitches are very important here but can be removed as you go. Keep going along over two and under two (running stitch).  I had to che

I recently posted a pincushion with an alphabet going around the edge .  Next, I tried one with a design flowing across the edge and over the top. I think of the design as a ribbon of color.  But, what to put in the center? My first tries were all ripped out.  None of the cross stitch designs worked. Next, I tried pulled thread. This didn't get ripped out.  Still, I tried again with the double running stitch and I like that the best. Bright and bold or more subdued I like this pincushion and would love to make more in many different colorways. What colors would you use?  This pattern is for sale at patternsonline .