Change of direction

  
I have completed the applique stage for my 12 blocks, now as I prepare the blocks for the next step, I make the decision whether there needs to be any embellishment.  This block required a couple revisions.  My husband did not like that the bird was swooping down... he said it just didn't look right.  It had to be turned around to be swooping up out of the garden.  Once I made the change he was happy.









Next change was to fix how the center blended in too much with the flower.  I did a chain stitch around the edge, and added some pollen (beads) to the middle.

Overall I think the block looks much better now.












I got busy this afternoon prepping blocks for "quilt-as-you-go".  I had 7 more that needed to be basted before Monday and ready to go with us when we head to Colorado.  Gotta keep my hands busy on the road. I'm really liking this "quilt as you go" thing.  I'm able to be productive while sitting in the living room.  I put my Willcox & Gibbs to work.  This is my treadle machine that is very old and mostly just sitting for looks in my living room.  My husband suggested I use its loop/chain stitch to make my basting easy to remove.  Of course the loop/chain stitch is the only thing it does, but it does it very nicely.  I now have my hand work ready to go on Monday.

Vintage sewing machine

The other day on TQS (The Quilt Show) Bridget posted a picture of a vintage sewing machine cabinet and she indicated that there was no room to have it open.  Her post inspired me to post pictures of my little beauty. The Wilcox and Gibbs that I have open in my living room is a family heirloom that dates back to a great-grandmother.  I could not bear to leave it closed up in its cabinet.  My little Willcox and Gibbs actually does sew.  My husband fiddled with it and with a little digging on the internet, we found out how to thread the machine.  I quilted a set of place mats on this machine. It does a chain stitch and it does not have a bobbin.  If anyone is interested, there is a little history about this machine that dates back to the 1800's at this website Willcox and Gibbs.  When people do notice the machine, it becomes quite the conversation piece.  This is the second house that I have had the machine open and on display.  In the other house it was in the foyer.  The dresser scarf protects the cabinet, but it also covers the space left for the missing drawer.