Progress Reports!

It's been quite awhile since I've posted any "works in progress" blogs and I think it's because I've been bouncing around on LOTS of different things.  Rather than focus on one project for this post I thought it would be fun to have a mixed bag of sorts.  I've definitely not been sitting around eating bon-bons for sure...although I'm working on  a wonderful piece of Ghiradelli chocolate at the moment!

There has been a lot of interest in the Irish linen piece I posted about a few months back.  Although I haven't devoted a ton of time to it lately I do peck away at it a bit in the evenings.  It's coming along beautifully but it's oh-so-tedious! 

 

Before the quilting...

 After the quilting....

If you remember it was literally falling apart with lots of previous repair work done, holes, tears, and generally just discintegrating.  Using Superior Threads' Bottom Line thread in the top and bottom and a Microtex Sharp 70/10 needle I am painstakingly ditching around every tiny piece of embroidery and then tediously doing micro-echoing to fill in the background.  This is strengthening the piece (stabilizer is underneath the linen) and covering up the holes and tears.  I think it's turning out gorgeous!

This pretty piece will be ready for the machine soon...reverse applique of a hankie center, embroidery piece in the middle and both pieces together  will create a beautiful medallion for this quilt. 

Beautiful lace doily was meticulously quilted with birds, ribbons and flowers and used as a medallion for the center of this piece.  The lace is being beaded down and attached to the linen with itsy-bitsy freshwater pearls.  I am also adding hundreds of french knots to open circular areas below the swags.    Still loads to do on this one!

This piece has turned out to be my quilt-from-hell but I persevered and am seeing it thru to the end.  I ended up having to add a wide border AFTER the quilting was done and then added the lace on top of that.  I'm in the midst of adding lots of pearls and beads, getting the binding hand stitched and the rod pocket and signature linen stitched on. 

When I am done with the above quilts I will have a special blog post for each with great close up pictures and details about how I did particular techniques.  

On top of quilting and teaching I'm still plugging away at new quilting designs for the second set of my newly written designs book.  This is going much slower than I would like but progress is being made!  For those of you who have purchased the "Oldies But Goodies" book of designs you will be getting the second set of newer designs by the end of the summer. 

I also have several new class samples I'm working on for my Heirloom Feathers & Backgrounds classes.  I'm off to the Washington State Quilters in Spokane on Wednesday and then turn right back around and go back to teach at the APWQ Symposium in Tacoma.  Hopefully my new samples will be ready for those workshops.  Can hardly wait!  I plan on having down time in the airports, airplanes and hotel/dorm rooms to get some of the hand work done...

Hugs, Cindy :)