LE center complete and a bit more stitching

Last week I spent lots of time prepping blocks for appliqué. But for me that is a daytime job so the evenings were spent stitching and I finally finished the center of Love Entwined. I am so much happier with my color choices now that the center is all together. I am now thinking about my approach for the borders but first I am basking in the glow of the center!

Here is a close up of the final corner vase. If anyone is working on Di Ford's mystery from Quiltmania magazine, you will notice that my broderie perse is done using the same fabric that she selected to use. I had planned to purchase a bit more if needed but now, due to the excitement over her mystery, it is sold out where I purchased it. So I will make do with what I have and hope I have enough to add some of the flowers to the border vases. I do love Di's quilts and hope to make the mystery quilt myself but I will be selecting a different fabric as my starting point.

I also stitched the second block in the Benjamin Biggs Quilt BOM. I am really enjoying these simple green and red blocks.

Now that all the pomegranate blocks are prepped for my Jacobean Elegance quilt, I could not resist stitching the first one. While stitching I realized that I am no longer intimidated by all the tiny curves of the leaves. In fact they were really fun to needleturn. I think the tiny details in LE have helped my appliqué!

And finally, for a bit of quick machine stitching, I put this block together for the Quilt Doodle Designs BOM. I did simplify the construction of the block due to my use of more modern fabrics. The original design is rather scrappy but I am liking this look with my bright colors.

Still no house sale so I will be back in the sewing studio this week. Trying to save money means no fabric store trips, no eating out and no excursions that are not free. So happy that I have a large stash, free online patterns and all my blogging friends to keep me busy. Thanks to everyone who stops by, you really help to brighten my days!

 

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Love Entwined another finished vase

Another vase finished and I think I am staring to fell the love again for this quilt. Thanks for all the encouraging comments on this one, I think I just needed to get some perspective. These vases look so much better once stitched down, the details really seem to shine then. Here is a good comparison of the same vase. Before stitching.

And after, with embroidered stems added as well. I am using a tiny chain stitch with two strands of floss for these little stems and I just love them.

So here is where I am so far. Hope to get the next vase prepped later today.

 

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Love Entwined part 5 and 6

Thank you to everyone who wrote encouraging comments about this quilt. Though I am still struggling with the colors, I am enjoying the process once more. I am still trying to figure out what is not quite right in my eyes but am reaching the point that I may have to accept that the reasons for my dissatisfaction may remain a mystery. I truly love the colors in the antique looking quilts like those made by Di Ford and I was using that as my inspiration when selecting the background fabric but perhaps that is the main problem. I was trying to recreate someone else's style rather than my own. Hmm, just food for thought. Anyway here is the part 5 vase after stitching.

As you can see the stitching really helps bring out the details. I have now prepped the next vase. Originally I had planned to do this vase in another fabric but after trying a few, I decided that I prefer them all to be the same fabric. I am liking the quilt better each time I add more of the teal color. I so wish that I had purchased a full pattern repeat of the Dutch chintz as there are several flowers that are not complete and thus cannot be used. And of course they are the perfect size and I am running out of flowers that are the right size. Lesson learned!

So here is where I am so far. I feel confident that I can get this center finished soon but am not sure if I will go any further. I still love the pattern but am not sure if I want to continue with a project that I no longer love quite so much. And since we are selling this house the place of honor that I had designated to display this quilt will no longer be an option and it is highly unlikely that our next home will have the space. But the first border does look lovely so who knows!

 

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A return to Love Entwined

I have finally got back to my Love Entwined quilt. I was all caught up before my back surgery but when Part 5 came out in October I was in no shape to continue. And then November we were busy with the new grandchild and December was filled with Christmas sewing and, well you get the picture. I am not sure what happened during that period but I am not as in love with this project as I was when I quit, and I am having trouble finding my enthusiasm. I think it must have something to do with the colors so I made another small revision by changing the gold color that was in the center of those oak leaf shapes and replacing it with a navy. I also am changing a gold flower as I am trying to reduce that color. I cut out Part 5 and am ready to begin stitching. Sure hope I fall in love again!

 

 

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