Art, Craft and Needlework, June, 2010

[Harriet]

editing - this post seems out of place. It has to do with helping Harmony upload her photo. Not so necessary now, but I'll leave it in case others are interested in the info we talked about. Btw, the only problem Harmony was having was that her photo hadn't been saved as a "jpeg" yet and our site can only take jpeg format. (I added that into this post, since I didn't have it there before. )

Harmony, I'm thinking it was too large? (Could be wrong) I resize using
"Paint" by choosing from the row of icons under the photo the one that says "closes this program and opens the image for editing". In that screen under "image", you can see the size of the photo by clicking "attributes" - it tells the numbers of width and height and neither should be above 300 or it might not show up here.

So, also under "image", I resize by clicking "stretch/skew". It will ask for percentages for width and height. From there I use trial and error, but 30 percent typed into both boxes is a good first stab at the right size. I just keep checking "attributes" until both numbers are less than 300 but at least one is pretty close, like 275.

When you know your photo is a good size, save onto computer with a new name (making sure you "save as" a jpeg), click to edit your post, click "upload image", choose the resized photo, and click "add the file".

If you are way too busy to keep trying this, or if you are on a Mac, or if it just won't work, email it to me and I'll stick it in your post and you can keep sewing.

[Harmony]

Thank you Harriet, you are a dear. I did send it to you. Oh, to have the computer knowledge everyone else has!

I finished all the hand sewing on my 2nd quilt tonight. Grew a couple nice little callouses on my fingertips in the process!

[Harriet]

So I get to be the first to tell Harmony how great her quilt looks!

I can see there is a pretty double-diamond pattern of hand-quilting in the inner border - was it hard to mark that? It turned out perfect. Did you have a template or did you just mark without one? You have so much work in this quilt. And it's a good size (Gee, I assume those are your fingers holding it up, lol! If that's dh, it's a larger quilt than I thought and even more work!) It won't be outgrown very fast, good for a crib.

Noticing the binding is dark. I like to bind with a darker fabric just in case the quilt is hung on a wall. Walls are usually light and light binding doesn't show up sometimes. It's nice to have a really defined edge to the quilt.

Harmony, next time you post tell us what your family thought!

Nancy, if you had enough to make that shell-stitch edge that would be so nice. Those are such a pretty finish. It IS easier to keep working when projects are still portable, isn't it? LOL! But happy work to find they grow larger and reach the finish line.

[Nancy]

Harriet I still have a large skien left unused so I'm thinking I have enough for the shell stitch.
It was so tempting to take the big project with us yesterday
but I knew there was a big chance is was going to get in the dirt so
it had to stay home.

I did a section of knitting however.

Harmony Such a Lovely quilt!

[Harmony]

Thank you, Harriet for posting my picture. Those were MY fingertips holding it up! I think it's plenty big enough for a little baby, don't cha think?!

I have a whole bunch of templates and I just picked 2 diamonds to use for the inner border. I cut pieces of tissue paper the same width and length, folded it until I figured out how to space the diamonds so they'd be even end to end - I don't know the proper way to do this stuff, but this worked!

What doesn't show is I put diagonal lines on the 4 patches in a way that every four converged to make a little square in the intersection of the 4 squares. Now that was clear as mud! And on the bears in the middle I quilted a shell pattern. How does one take a picture so that the stitches show?

Oh, DDiL says "Thank you for the beautiful quilt". So I guess she liked it. (I'm sooooo glad it didn't get lost in the mail!).

Nancy, I like the shell stitch, that's one of the prettiest ones.

My other quilt is out of the rack and I've sewed around it. Binding is next.

[Lynlee]

Beautiful Quilt Harmony. I don't know how you did so much with broken wrist.

I am crocheting most nights. Need a better system as I sometimes do an extra square of some colours. I am happy with the cream/ ivory now I see it crocheted. Working with a vibrant emerald green atm.

I'm sure the extras will "become something". Maybe the pram cover I wanted to make in the first place. I have a large piece of an interesting pattern done in variegated blue to pale .... If I can pull so together with that its 1/2 done - wondering if thats too boy only. Wondering if the new blessing is M or F. And if it matters.

Just seeing Harmony's post on 2nd quilt. You are a whirlwind of activity.

[Lisa B.]

Lovely colors in the quilt, Harmony. it's a great size for a little one - should last a number of years.

[Nancy]

I also got the granny square afghan strips crocheted together and
the rounds around the whole thing after that are completed now also.
It's ready for the shell stich around it yea!

Once time I made an afghan out of shell stitch for mom it was lovely.
This is the first granny square one that I've done.

[Harmony]

Nancy, I've never done granny squares but always wanted to learn. Just never knew how to change colors. I think someone said just to tie on the new color?

Got my binding on and pinned around the back side, ready to sew. Took all the quilting markings off, my that took a while.

[Nancy]

Harmony that's what I do is just tie on the new color.

Finished the granny square afghan yesterday it turned out better than I hoped! Yea!!!