Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Applique Every Moment


....so blogging again, at least trying to....and I thought, why not talk about how I make my applique more accessible to the various spots of free time I find sprinkled throughout my day.

Currently, I am carrying around block #3 of Jan Patek's Jubilee quilt
(of www.JanPatekquilts.com). You can see me posing here with block #1 and I thought I'd only do that one, but I just love the easy folk-si-ness of this block, and I couldn't resist doing block #2, and then I got even more addicted to it, and decided, I am going to do the whole dang thing.

Of course, I have chosen some really vivid fabrics, and they're eclectic, seeming as though they wouldn't be friends or cousins, but they just love each other on that black background. In order to get in as much stitching as possible, I have realized that I need to have as few items that I carry as possible. I have it down to a science.

I carry only a few items in my purse that pertain to a given project: the current block, my Needle Keeper, and lately, my reading glasses. In my Needle Keeper, I have gotten myself down to 6 threads that will usually match almost any block I need, but I customize them for each block, I keep a plethora of needles that I pre-thread often, pins, a Clover needle-threader thing-a-ma-bob, and a small pair of scissors. That does the trick. At any moment, I can just pull out that block and start sewing within one minute's time. It has become worth it even if I only have 10 minutes to spend. Those 10-20 minute increments add up and eventually equal hours.

And we all know that oft-quoted and trite but true idiom, "Every moment counts!"

~anna in md

5 comments:

grendelskin said...

Hi, I popped over from the Joseph's Coat linklist to say "hi." Your Jubilee block is BEAUTIFUL! I'll be looking forward to see your work on the quilt along!

Jeanne said...

Hi Anna,
I found your blog! And I love your suggestions for getting stuff DONE. I need to set stuff up so it's handy, like you do.
Jeanne

alobsiger said...

What a beautiful piece you're working on, Anna! LOvely!!

Joanna said...

Yippee you got your blog going again! And you changed up the look! Love the jubilee - can't wait to see them all together!

Angela said...

I'm a 'wanna be quilter'..seriously..I have tons and tons of material..even have a sewing machine..I buy material...and than I stare at it,,LOL..

It's just so amazing how the Lord leads His daughters together like this,,one that quilts and one that has the desire..Wish we lived close by,,guess what I would be asking you to teach me? lol