Friday, April 27, 2012

Two AAQI Quilts

It's been so long since I posted that I almost forgot how to do it. Seems like my blog sometimes ruled my life. It's not that I haven't been crafting, I just haven't worried about finishing and blogging on such a regular basis. It's less stressful. I've completed two more mini-quilts for AAQI. I never seem to find a day when the sun is shining and it's not too windy to take photos outside, so these photos aren't all that great. Plus it's hard to get those quilts to lay nicely and not look totally wonky. Anyway, both designers were very quick to answer my e-mails and allow me to use their designs in this manner. The first is "The Quilter" by The Floss Box. Emily's designs are just too cute. I stumbled on this appropriate finishing fabric too and couldn't resist buying it even though I'm really trying to use up the fabric I have. This is stitched on 36 ct linen from Vikki Clayton. I think I only changed one color from the designer's suggestions. I made the little girl's dress a slightly darker shade of pink. It didn't show up well when I was stitching it in the original lighter pink, but that may have just been a fluke of the lighting in the room at the time.
Next, I stitched the "Take Time To Collect" design from the Jan/Feb 2012 issue of JCS. This is by Jeannette Douglas. It had lots of different embroidery stitches. I decided to use a sample of Vikki Clayton's 28 ct linen for this. It's very stiff. She calls it "canvas light" since it's so close to needlepoint canvas. I wasn't sure I would like working with it, but it's great for these different stitches. It has enough body to support them. Since this was a sample, Vikki hadn't paid much attention to shrinkage when she dyed it. Turns out that it shrunk in one direction more than the other. The design is 68 stitches on a side, but as you can see, it's certainly not square. I didn't realize this til near the end, but I did think those spools at the top seemed oddly tall. Luckily it made no difference in this case. I would have been disappointed if I had been planning to use this for a pre-purchased square box or frame. I did this one all in DMC and changed all the colors so it doesn't look too much like the one in the magazine. I added a button and charm instead of the personalization shown in the original.

20 comments:

ArchangelDecker said...

Beautiful finishes! :)

Nancy said...

You did a lovely job as always Annie! I love The Floss Box designs, and your stitching on the second design is gorgeous!

I've been going through the same thing as you. I looked at my blog recently, and I have not written a post since the middle of February!

Margaret said...

Oh my! They are both so wonderful!!! Love them! I do think it's important for us to enjoy our blogs and only blog when we want to. Blogging should be fun!

Ranae said...

I was wondering latelty about you!
Both quilts are fantastic and the fabric too.
The Quilter is darling, I love the little girl and that sewing machine
Take care!!!

Heather said...

Nice to see you posting again!

The quilts look lovely. You did a fabulous job.

Jane said...

They are both lovely. I really like the blue of the fabric you used in the first one

Anne said...

Annie! Been wondering about you!! Glad to see you are good! It's important to only blog when you want to and not worry about it!! Love your little Quilter Girl! So adorable!!I like the Jeannette Douglas design too but can't see that it isn't a square?!

Theresa said...

Both quilts are soooo adorable!!!!! Well done!!!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Annie

Congrats on your lovely finishes, they are both gorgeous!
Happy weekend.

Carol said...

Such wonderful contributions to the AAQI, Annie! That little quilter design is so sweet--I'm sure it will be snapped up in no time by some lucky bidder. Even though I don't quilt, I love pieces that show stitched quilts in them. And what a relief that your Take Time to Collect didn't need to be a square finish. It turned out really cute, tall spools and all :)

My posts are about down to two a month...it really does seem like your blog can run your life if you let it, but it's been so much fun getting to know so many great people!

Chocolates4Breakfast (Terri Malinovich) said...

Wonderful finishes, Annie! Although it turned out great, and no harm done, Im sure the fabric thing was aggravating. So glad to see a post from you!

Gina E. said...

Hi Annie, lovely to see you back here with your beautiful stitching projects! Glad to hear all is well with you, and like many others lately, I'm not posting as much to my blogs as I used to. But I'm not going to close them down! I still love reading all the other blogs that I follow.

Annette said...

What a beautifull quilts you have made!!
Great job
Sometimes, lifes gets so so that blogging is the last thing you think about.. have a great weekend

Liz in Kansas said...

They are both lovely. But then, everything you do is wonderful!

Karen said...

I love the mini quilts, Annie! You've done a beautiful job with both of them and your fabric choices coordinate so nicely! I also have not been blogging as much as I used to, but I think we shouldn't feel bad about it, I just tell myself there are plenty of other nice blogs for everyone to look at and enjoy!

Melanie said...

Super cute!!!!! :)

♥ Nia said...

Wooowww!! Both works are beautiful sweetie =) Great work! Really well done :)
Hugs&smiles to you

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

How very darling both of your finished quilts are...I love them Annie :)

Lucy said...

I'm with ya on the blog writing. I recently started again now that I found an app to do it from my phone. Love your finishes!!!

Veronica said...

Your quilts are just gorgeous! I love how you've combined cross stitch and quilting and made something so lovely out of it. Beautiful work altogether.

Hugs,
Veronica.