Monday 18 June 2012

Needle and Thread

I actually got quite a lot done today. But I am not going to show it all to you now. I'm holding some back for future posts. Why? Well, if my whole week suddenly goes shi pear shaped it means I can fake it and pretend that I am a competent modern woman capable of doing it all. Yeah, right! Okay, let me live in my deluded little world. But it really does do to keep some things back at times just so that when you are lost for words or productivity you have something to blog about on those crap days.

So here is what I have to show you today. More of my hand stitching.


This was the fourth hexie I made. I like it, a lot. But it didn't go with the others, or at least I didn't think so. So I made a fifth. and then I took the four that I felt went together best, did some maths, stole borrowed Em's protractor and worked out the size of the paper pieces that I was going to use to join the four hexies up. And it worked! Woohoo!


I am ever so pleased with myself because I was prepared to have to rip it all out and try again, having little faith that I would get it right the first time round.


While doing this wee project I have tried other things new to me as well. One of them was at the advice of a bloggy friend. Try using a washable fabric glue stick to secure the fabric to the paper pieces and then use a warm iron to remove them when you are ready. It might work well enough, but not for me. I ended up a sticky mess and I probably used too much glue because I felt that the needle kind of got all sticky and ugh while sewing the pieces that were glued. So I won't be trying this again because I think I use a glue stick too much like an over enthusiastic five year old to have this method work effectively for me.

Over all I am very pleased with my first EPP project though. I am going to turn this into the cover for a cushion. I don't think I am up to doing a whole quilt like this yet. Mostly because I need to build up a seriously big callous on my middle finger so I stop piercing it with the eye end of the needle. Man it  hurts when that happens!

Susan

31 comments:

  1. Ouch! I get that when sewing on miles of binding! Your hexies are scrummy gorgeous! What a clever lass you are to get all that maths right! Jxo

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  2. I'm having sympathy pains in my finger for you! It really does hurt!
    But, what a result, it really is beautiful Susan :-)
    Can't wait to see it as a finished cushion cover xx

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  3. very nice....did you get the comment on your last post from me??? just making sure you know about your award!!!

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  4. Oh that's a cool arrangement. I like what you've done with the centre piecing. Get you using a protractor. I'd not know where to start to work it out lol Oh and I often attach some of that fabric plaster strip around my finger when I'm doing a lot of hand sewing. It takes a while for the needle to keep penetrating it so you tend to realise you're jabbing yourself before you really hurt yourself.

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  5. It looks amazing! I started EEP once a long time ago and now it is in my cupboard hidden in the back.

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  6. Your EPP is lovely! I recently tried using the diamond shapes and found them so much more fiddly than the hexagons. I think I'll have to go back to the hexagons! This will be a fun project to watch!

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  7. Lovely cushion top, we should compare callouses... one, two, three - stick your middle finger up!

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  8. Great hexies, well done! I can't get on with fabric glue, it's easier to fold them.

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  9. Not just a competent modern woman but one who can do maths too! Cool hexies. Di x

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  10. They are lovely Susan. I am very impressed with the use of a protractor. I bought myself one of those the other day and a compass, just need to remember how to use the things!

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  11. Beautiful! I think you should start a quilt with the fourth one! Oh and get a thimble ;) Xx

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  12. Oh I love the new look of your blog - it looks great! So do your hexies!

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  13. looks like your world is a good place to be if you produce work like this xx

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  14. wow how gorgeous are they well done you,and the new look is fab for your blog you have been busy !!!

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  15. Very nice Mrs. I have avoided the gluestick yoo - I actually like basting!

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  16. Excellent work. I imagine you will probably think you will never try this but I gotta say that my stitching is much faster ans less painful after I got used to using a thimble on my middle finger. It really helps to push the needle trough the fabric and no more holes in the finger!

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  17. I'm with Hadley I love basting! Love the centre star that you have designed. Those hexies all look fab

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  18. I'm with Hadley too (don't tell her though!)- I like the basting process. Also someone once said to me that you can't tell what the glue will do if its left to sit on the fabric too long! Ugh! The diamond shapes are great!

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  19. Goregeous Susan - well done on the geometry too. Those hexies are going to make a stunning cushion!

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  20. They rock Susan! I don't so much keep stuff back as I am always a week behind in blogging ;-)

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  21. I love it, I love it, I love it!

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  22. Those stars look gorgeous. Well done on the paper piecing. Sorry to hear that glue was not your friend...

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  23. Woohoo, looks great! Brioni told us to use a little dab just to temporarily hold it on the paper, then just sew the corners (but not through the paper) then at the end, one good shake will dislodge a good few of them, and apparently they're far easier to pull out. Good wash as normal after than and all glue will be gone :o)

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  24. You need a nice thimble. Tacha told us to use glue to hold the fabric while we basted them. And she sews right through the paper. They are looking lovely!

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  25. Very cute...I have asked (but no one has answered) why needles have to be sharp on both ends.

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  26. This looks brilliant. I wish I was mathsy even so much to know where to start with the protractor. SOmehow I did well at Maths GCSE but then I guess you forget it all as you get older and use maths less and less...

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  27. looking really good Susan! I use a spot of glue and the papers come out fine when I remove them ijust use prittstick! I am no good with the math of quilting though!

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  28. Love it all - could you put no 4 on the back where he won't offend your eye! Or you could just send him here!

    What a maths star you are Susan! Helen keeps volunteering to do my maths for me - says she likes it!??

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  29. Ow! I do that all the time and it really hurts! I love your hexagons - it's been a while since I used my protractor...may have to fish it out and start wielding it!!

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  30. I'm loving your hexagons and how clever are you working out the math for the shape to join them. I might be emailing you with all my math problems from now on.

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