Wednesday, July 03, 2013

Hexie Quilt - Embroidery Quilting in Flower Centers

This is WAY, WAY fun! I'm listening to books on tape, sitting at my big bead tables, embroidering the centers of the hexie flowers on my Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt!!! The embroidery serves as both embellishment and quilting, although not all of the stitches go through all the layers.


Here's how one of the flowers looks. Of course you can see the basting stitches which hold the top, batting and back together while I quilt. I'm using a single strand of embroidery floss for each flower center. The longer spokes are just on the surface, while the center knot and short stamen (spokes) go through three layers, quilting them together. It looks fairly neat on the back.


Here's how a cluster of the flowers looks (click on picture to enlarge and see detail). As you can see, I'm matching the thread color (more or less) to the fabric color. At first I considered doing all the centers in various shades of yellow floss, but later decided I don't want the embroidery to be that obvious. Instead, I thought matching it to the fabric color would add a subtle detail, one that would only be noticed when viewing the quilt closely.

After finishing all the centers (estimate 60 hours), I'll begin to quilt around the flower petals with standard quilting stitches using a "harmonizing" color of 50 wt. thread.

12 comments:

  1. I have so much respect for quilters! The quilts are always so nice!

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  2. I have enjoyed your posts on the quilt. I like the embroidery.

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  3. Wow! the embroidery turns this quilt into fabulous-er. I just love the embroidery in the centers. Love it.

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  4. What an incredible work of art! Love all the vintage-looking fabrics and the stunning photo in the previous post of the back of the quilt 'lit up'! Sooo many hours, but what a beautiful heirloom this will be. I've not seen the embroidery of the centers before and it is a lovely accent. Best of luck in the many hours to come. My fingers are currently calloused from quilting, and I imagine yours will be too, but it is a very satisfying and meditative process. Enjoy!

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    1. I've never seen embroidery in the centers either. The idea just popped into my head one day and fortunately I jotted it down in my quilt notes with a little drawing. Glad I did, because otherwise I probably would have forgotten it. I'm glad you like it.

      I had callouses from stitching the hexies together for hours and hours almost daily. But my fingers are nearly smooth right now, after not sewing as much during the months I was moving. I'm sure the callouses will re-form quickly now... kind of like a badge of honor, don't you think?

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  5. I have such a fondness for embroidery on fabric. It is one of the very first crafts I learned to do as a child. This is a lovely subtle touch, and I really enjoy that the thread colors are matched to each flower.

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  6. Lookin' good. Very neat idea!

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  7. Unbelievably amazing Robin! This is perfection!

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    1. Nah... character building is more like it! Thanks, though.

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  9. Oh dear! I had to delete what I wrote because of typing errors. Probably my head is a little empty right now because I am hungry and haven't had lunch yet. So, here goes again. (Third time lucky?)

    Black magic? I had posted a comment some days ago - but there is no trace of it here! So, let me try to recapitulate:

    Beautifuller and beautifuller! Wonderfuller and wonderfuller! Most loveliest! I am so lost in adoration that I am getting all tangled up in the pitfalls of gradation. But without joking: I do think your quilt should be shown to the world in a quilt show once it is complete. And imagine how you will enjoy having it in your house and displaying it to your friends.

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Thanks you for joining the discussion on this post today!