I remembered the sewing cards we played with when we were young and on one of my excursions, I scored this adorable Moda set complete with two plastic needles and some wool. Perfect for popping in the birthday parcel.
My daughter has since found this site that has some colourful cards you can print out for the young ones. They can use a large tapestry needle which doesn't have a sharp point.
Check out these ribbons I couldn't leave without, I thought they'd be great for the gathered clutches so many are making. The tutorial is over at Noodlehead. Or maybe something else?
I've also had some lovely mail after some button pushing lately. This fat quarter collection is McKenzie by Dena Designs.
I love how the black plays with the pastels, it takes the sweetness level down a notch.
I'm all for some of the simpler patchwork designs with a scrappy look and wow fabric so also felt the need for some reading material to inspire me.
I did promise myself free motion Fridays and today I have been playing with leaves and filler designs in the one piece. It's starting to feel like thread doodling with a needle. I didn't find the leaves hard to do at all and just followed the instructions on the Patsy Thompson Vines And Leaves Vol 2.
I hatching a plan and that's to make the next piece cushion sized, I think it's about time these threads went into something other than practice now.
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55 comments:
Ow Janet, what a post of yumminess. Those stitching cards are the best. I bought two sets when I was teaching junior school and they were loved to bits.
Lots of goodies for Friday Janet. Your quilting is coming leaps and bounce. Practice makes perfect and I think you can do anything with it now. Thanks for a handy site for kid stitching. I will need it soon - Enjoy your weekend - Hugs Nat
Your quilting is lovely. There is hope for me. I just need to practice and practice.
Your free motion quilting looks great. Save your pieces for down the road. They will give you inspiration for designs that you will have forgotten all about. They will be a good reference. Lovely work!
Your posts are always full of lots of interesting things. I'd forgotten all about sewing cards. What a perfect gift for your grandaughter. Lovely ribbons and fabrics. I've said it before and I'll say it again, your quilting is amazing!!
Hi, I love the cards for your grand daughter! and your quilting is georgeous!
the practice pieces would make beautiful tote bags as well...keep going I am in awe. I am starting to think I need a new machine NOW so I can do this as well.
Love the idea of setting aside a day a week to practice
Kathie
Your quilting is now simply stunning - I wouldn't call these practice pieces, I'd be already considering them for cushion panels
I just wish I could leave my machine up all the time and get a hour or so once a week to practice like this - but when you are invaded on a constant but non regular basis, it just doesn't work.
wow Janet,,,your quilting is awesome...and that's practice!
love those ribbons too.
have a great weekend.
Julia ♥
I loved those sewing cards - I would have had them in the later 1950s - lovely to know that they are still available.
Jill
It is a great way to introduce little ones to the art of sewing. I used to let mine loose on my scraps and they had great fun sewing them together whichever way they liked, some creations were just stapled together(they were older than 5 though). Love the fabrics, I wonder what they will become!!! The machine quilting looks most professional, are you open for business? Costly from England though. Shall look forward to seeing what you make.
Love Shirley.x
Your quilting is exquisite Janet, I think you need to start on some quilts, your skill level is incredible!
Those cards brought back memories of childhood!! Your stitching is wonderful .... but it also makes me realise how out of practice I am. And I have no excuse now I have my new machine .......
I loved sewing cards as a little girl and my friend, Jill, gave me those a couple of years ago just for fun.
The new book looks good and your quilting is coming along beautifully!
what weight thread are you using and what batting?
I recently tried silk and fell in love with it!
I recall stitching on similar cards when I was a child and I loved them! I'm sure your granddaughter will as well.
I am so impressed with your machine quilting, Janet. It is simply awesome. If I gaze into my crystal ball, I believe I see a longarm machine coming to live at your house in the not too distant future. The only thing I can't make out is the brand name. *wink*
Your quilting workmanship has certainly improved... progressed to what I would call professional level. Wonderful for you! I have a large project I have been procrastinating about. You have convinced me to get going again, flexing my free motion muscles. Thank you for this bit of quilting inspiration.
You're an obvious natural at machine quilt artistry. All I can say is WOW! I've seen MacKenzie in person and absolutely love the colors. I have a piece of black and paisley Liberty of London I bought in 2003, in London, that I've been savoring. It remindes me of MacKenzie.
Gosh I remember sewing cards. It didn't spark my interest to sew for real though as I didn't get inspired to sew until my 30s. Maybe I'm a late bloomer.
Wow I really love those fabrics!! I remember those sewing cards too, thanks for links, they will be perfect for my GD in a couple of years.
Oh yes, a cushion with all your beautiful quilting will be a treasure!!
Crispy
Oh how I loved to stitch lacing cards! I LOVED it (I also loved painting the sidewalk with a brush and a bucket of water, so go figure -- tasks that you can start again and again). I tried playing favorites among the McKenzie fabrics and veered toward the blue colorway...some of the purple have snuck into my collection. Simply beautiful! Like your machine quilting! Note to self to get the vines and leaves DVD.
I look at your quilting and say "I too shall one day do that". That will become my mantra from now on.
As a special needs teacher last year I made some sewing cards but added numbers to each hole (we were practicing skip counting and counting by 5's). They loved practicing that way.
Your free motion quilting is very lovely. I'm doing a free motion quilt along right now with Christina but may have to get the Patsy Thompson DVD's you mention.
Thanks for you inspiration.
Love those stitching cards and wow Janet your quilting is wonderful, you go girl.
cheers
Christine
ps. Happy birthday to your grand daughter too
I remember doing lace up cards as a child. Love the vintage patterns still being produced.
And your machine quilting is wonderful! Those Patsy Thompson videos are working!
It seems we all stitched with the cards. I'm sure she'll love them as well.
You are getting better and better with your machine quilting! I do think a "real" quilt is in order now. Fantastic!
Looks like you've cracked it now!! That's fabulous quilting!
Yep -- I definitely think your practice has paid off and you should put those stitches in a real quilt! Thanks for a great idea for those ribbons -- I have some pretty ribbons I've been hoarding. And isn't it funny how publishers use different covers for books in different countries? Our cover for Jane Brocket's book is different from yours!
Reading your blog is like opening a goodie bag--so much to enjoy! Your quilting is looking very nice, your new fabrics are wonderful and I may give that clutch a try--would make a fun, quick little gift. My daughter whizzed through the sewing cards, then enjoyed a simple needlepoint dragon picture--perhaps something like that would be a good next step if the sewing cards are a hit. Thanks for all the treats!
Your practice quilting pieces are really incredible!!
Those are such cute sewing cards. The fabric line is lovely as well. So many pretty things to look at. :0)
I have the same cute sewing cards put back for when I have grandchildren. I can remember sewing on them when I was at Grandma's house.
You machine quilting is lovely and I definitely think you should make a cushion or something. I've had my eye on the Jane Brocket book for a little while...is it yummy?
Your quilting filler looks wonderful! All that PPP is paying off! I agree that's it's time to make a pillow/cushion to showcase your work!
Thank you for sharing. I have just recently started to machine quilt and hadn't thought about filler pieces like this one, nor about setting time just to practice like you do. It's a great idea and I think I'm going to start doing precisely that!
Your FMQ is divine Jan! I remember having those sewing cards when I was small. My son also had plastic ones, where you stitched with wool and could pull it out to reuse the template.
Your leaves are just fabulous....
Those cards remind me of some I had as a child. Great idea for gd.
Pretty ribbons and I do like the fabric with the black in them too.
Awesome quilting!!!!
Great minds think alike Janet! I recently received some McKenzie fabrics too - one aqua and one black.
Your quilting is really something! Well done.
The sewing cards brought back long ago memories! ....AND....your quilting is beautiful. I definitely think you should be using these on something useful, not just practice pieces. It's beautiful.
Mum sophie is going to love those card! I love the black and pastel too!
One of my earliest sewing memories is with the sewing cards back in the 60s! Made sure both my daughters had sewing cards in the 80s. The ones you found are so cute - glad you are passing the sewing traditions on to your grandchildren. Your quilting is magnificent - you are really getting good at this, Janet! Just gorgeous.
Had lots of sewing cards too YEARS ago.
And wow, your quilting is awesome Janet! Want to quilt something for me?
Your quilting is AMAZING!
; )
Beautiful quilting!!!
Janet,
Your quilting is out of this world!! Heck, yeah put it on a cushion, even a wholecloth. I'm in awe of your abilities.
Janet,
Your quilting is out of this world!! Heck, yeah put it on a cushion, even a wholecloth. I'm in awe of your abilities.
Janet, I think you can start taking in quilts for quilting anytime now! Your "practice" continues to amaze me. Thanks for the link to the gathered clutch. It's too cute.
Kathie is right! You could use these practices for cushion or bags!
They look amazing!!!!!!!
I remember those sewing cards!! I had lots of fun with those as a girl. Wow, your quilting is amazing!! gorgeous in every way!
You certainly have a natural talent for that! That quilting is wonderful!
Oh, I had forgotten all about those sewing cards! How my sister and I loved those when we were young! I hope I can share that fun with grandchildren of my own one day :). And I had forgotten about that book, too. I bought a copy for my MIL a while back, but never got to look through it much myself. LOVE your quilting!!!
Those sewing cards are so fun for kids. Love your ribbons and those gorgeous fabrics. The book looks interesting and your quilting is so amazing. I'd say you're ready to quilt one of your quilts.
Your quilting is amazing! The cards are so cute!!
I haven't seen thread cards in years and years! I'll be looking for them because I have a couple of granddaughters who would love them. Your "practice" quilting is a hundred times better than what I'm doing - I guess I better work at that a little more often. blessings, marlene
I haven't seen thread cards in years and years! I'll be looking for them because I have a couple of granddaughters who would love them. Your "practice" quilting is a hundred times better than what I'm doing - I guess I better work at that a little more often. blessings, marlene
Beautiful, beautiful free motion quilting. Now go pat yourself on the back. Good job!!!
that cream-coloured piece is exquisite
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