I am making the whole thing by hand. It's rewarding for me knowing I can do it and that I can sit with my family in the evening and be apart of what they are doing.
I'm happy this process is teaching me patience which I lack at times. Only one time did I think that if I were using my machine I probably would have had all of the blocks pieced in the time it took to prep and sew 2 blocks. But the thought faded with the joy I felt from hand sewing them. I'm not sure why I find this so much more rewarding right now. I'm even thinking of a Hand Piece Along type thing. Maybe a small sampler doll quilt?! Anyone care to sew along? anyone? anyone? chirp...chirp.. :)
23 comments:
Wow Erin! Such an achievement! Well done you!
pretty pretty blocks!
Erin- you are amazing!! Plus, Urban Indigo is one of my all time favorite lines of fabric. :)
One day I would like to do this as well, but not anytime soon. I hardly have enough time to machine sew my quilts as it is! Your work is absolutely gorgeous! I love your color choices and you seem to really have a knack for the hand stitching! Can't wait to see it finished.
You are ambitious, looks great!!
I learned to quilt in the 1980's. We were taught in our new quilt guild by a gifted quilter, and I learned to hand-piece and hand-quilt. We made a 12" block every month for a year, until we had enough for a bed-sized sampler quilt. Then, we stripped it and bordered it and quilted it. It took me a long time to finish it, but I gave it to my husband for an anniversary quilt on our 27th anniversary in 1987. We will have our 50th anniversary this summer, and we still sleep under it every night. I've made a number of quilts since then. I much prefer hand-piecing and do not even consider machine quilting. Be sure to press your seams carefully! Once, someone told me I'd never make very many quilts if I did them by hand, but that is not my object!
Mary Jane Plemons
Hi Mary Jane-
I could not reply to you through e-mail but I wanted to say that thank you for the pressing tip. I agree with your last sentence :) Congratulations on your 50th anniversary! That is such a blessing and something we can all learn from :) Take Care-
Erin
I've been thinking about a hand piecing project lately. I've tried laying down but the though hasn't gone away. I may have to learn to hand sew,
By HAND!!! Wow, quite an undertaking! It is lovely. I machine pieced, but hand quilted my very first quilt. It was a crib size, and I loved the process!!
HA! You are crazy, woman! But, those blocks are looking good. And, you're right...having something to do by hand in the evening is good.
I could probably join you in a hand-sew-along if it was really a small doll quilt. {grin} You get me into so much trouble.
I'd be happy to join you. I have an ongoing 9 patch in the works that I'm making from scraps. I take it out when I'm really missing handwork and make a few blocks.
I've made a mini-quilt by hand before and I did enjoy the process. Sometimes I almost think it is easier to match up seams when piecing by hand. And I do enjoy sewing from my couch while involved with my family.
So, maybe? You could convince me. I'll leave it at that. :)
The blocks are just beautiful! Count me in.....I haven't hand pieced anything in a few years and I'd love to do it again......thanks!
Love these blocks! Hand sewing can be so satisfying. I don't do it nearly enough. But I always enjoy it when I do :)
I found your blog via the Homestead Barn Hop linkup. I have this one hexagon quilt that I've been piecing entirely by hand. I'm doing it entirely on my own and not sure if it's even correct...but I love that your hand-piecing your blocks. How big are your stitches? I've tried to do multiple stitches at one time, and I've found that I"m not real good at it. So I do one stitch at a time ;) :) You blocks are so cute, and I LOVE the color choice in the fabric. Love and hugs from the ocean shores of California, Heather :)
I love hand stiching. It's so relaxing! And those blocks look very well made!
I like to handpiece too. It's so relaxing :-)
I learned to quilt by hand piecing/quilting/applique back in the 80's also. Started to machine piece/quilt when I worked for a quilt store who needed someone to teach that method! Whether we hand piece or machine, I think whatever way gives us joy is just fine by me!
Love the fabric too!
How lovely! I have really been thinking about making a small quilt for my son out of his old blue jeans. They are too small for him, but have holes in them so cannot sell them or give them away. I mess up so much on the sewing machine. I know it might take awhile, but I thought that would be so sweet.
i love to hand sew anything!! I would definitely be up for a sew along. I am also reading the first elm creek quilts book which has sparked some interest in hand piecing for me.
I also like to be able to sit in the lounge room with my family and enjoy their company while still being able to keep my hands busy sewing :)
last year i hand pieced a bee block and loved it. i have been cutting apple cores for a quilt i want to hand piece. i think its much easier to be more accurate, dont you think?
love your feminine blocks
I love having something to work on while I'm on the couch in the evening. I started hand quilting last winter and I'm addicted. What could be better than spending time with your family in the evenings with a cozy blanket covering you?? I've been wanting to learn english paper piecing so I have a little project to take with me when I'm out. I'd love to do a project like that!
Hi!
I just wanted to let you know that as I type this I have the pieces for block 1 sitting next to me. I've already begun to piece it together. I too am using scraps. We'll see how it goes. :-) My little girl is 6 and itching to sew. I do believe I'm going to start with some of these blocks. I am a machine quilter but by hand....never! Loving that I'm sitting in the chair next to my sick little ones and working on a quilt block!
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