Sunday 1 February 2009

Hand-sewn UFOs

Well, I've been giving some thought as to how to find essential therapy whilst my sewing machine is broken (credit crunch delay ensues...). Karol-Ann's shining example has led me to pull out my UFOs, and I have found some likely candidates for finishing and here are some photos. Suggestions as to how to finish these off would be welcome!


Firstly we have a sideways view of my favourite UFO. This was started in one of my (many) hexagon phases, and was intended to make the most of a small quantity of Dutch wax print strips that I purchased at a show. They were only 2 1/2 inches wide at the most, so there wasn't much flexibility. However, they are all used up, and this is all I managed. I am planning to fold the backing to the front, to create a border all round, but I don't know what to do about quilting, if I am hand-quilting it. I'm not very good at delicate hand-quilting - what do others suggest? This is a wall-hanging rather than anything else...Secondly, this is an octagon/squares quilt, inspired by Lucy Bolton's piano quilt. The rather garish black and white unit is going to be replaced. However, this one has stalled because I have run out of the rather lovely white background material. It was a heavy cotton jacquard weave skirt that I wore in the 1980s. I hope you can see from the close-up what it looks like, and why I have a dilemma. I shall have to haunt the second-hand shops to find anything suitable.

Thirdly (and finally for now, although I have many more, I didn't dig them out today), I have another hexagon/diamond effort. This is as big as I'm going to make it, and I'm thinking another border provided by folding the backing to the front. However, I could add along the zig zaggy ends to make it longer. At the moment, it is good for nothing except a cot quilt.

4 comments:

sewkalico said...

Firstly, I am definitely NOT a shining example LOL. Secondly for the first quilt, I would recommend Baptist fans for the quilting a la Lazy gal Tonya:
http://quiltville.com/tonya/fans.shtml
It's a very folksy way of quilting and would suit the style of quilt. No ideas about the white fabric you need, but will keep a look out. And the 3rd quilt is very cute and would make a lovely cot quilt.
And they can all be finished without a machine!! Best of luck!!

katepang said...

Thanks Karol-Ann, following up the Baptist fans tip... And as far as stitching progress goes, you are always doing something interesting, so you are a shining example! Have you got snow? It is disappointingly dry here in NE Scotland.

Karen said...

Love the hexagons! My hexagon phase is just starting. :)

Lynda said...

All these UFOs are lovely! I suggest the top one (which is yummy) just be quilted round the sahapes, either in the ditch or just a quarter of an inch in from the edge of the shapes, to avoid too much bulk. Or you could even tie it. Too much quilting will spoil it.