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Bryan House Quilts

WIP Wednesday: Hand work in December

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5 Dec

I love hand work in the winter. Snuggling up on the couch with a hot drink, some good TV (recently, football and Downton Abbey) with something to stitch is just divine. Escaping from the hustle and bustle of the ever so unquenched needs of my household (the pile of laundry could actually eat me and is a mockery to my existence) is so wonderful. (Michelle sums the love of hand quilting beautifully.)

 Ahead of Thanksgiving travels I prepared several hand projects to stuff into my weekender (my weekender dahlink!). So this week finds me with plenty of snuggle worthy hand work. 

First I am finishing up a needle book using this tutorial for my mother’s birthday. She hearts purple and I heart itty bitty paper pieced six pointed stars. I just need to doll up the inside pages and voila a birthday present has become a Christmas present. 🙂

Purple needle book for mom
Second, a Dresden plate pin cushion for me. Would you believe I don’t have a pin cushion!? I need a pin cushion, no? This is a market inspired project. (More on this project Friday!)

Third, I’m working on finishing up the hand quilting on a Dresden pillow a la Sarah Fielke’s Dotty for Dresdens. It’s almost finished with the quilting. Then I need to finish it into a pillow.

And finally, I’m working on stitching up a clutch from Anna Maria’s new book.

I’ve almost completed all the pinwheels. Can’t wait to add the gold threads! I hope to take this on an upcoming weekend getaway (Hello time in a fancy hotel!). 

I’m linking up with 

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced
What are you working on this week?

Pssst! Check out my entry for Sew Mama Sew’s Giveaway Day! 

Previous Post: « sew, mama, sew! {give-until it hurts-away}
Next Post: Rainbow Dresden Pin Cushion {A Finish} »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. mamaraby says

    December 5, 2012 at 4:10 pm

    You've been busy! I love your pillow – such great fabrics.

  2. Nat at Made in Home says

    December 5, 2012 at 4:23 pm

    So beautiful! I may have to ask the Ana Maria book for Xmas. The cluth looks beautiful!

  3. Chez Roo says

    December 5, 2012 at 6:18 pm

    Love that little Dresden plate – is it appliquéd onto a lace doily? So sweet!

  4. Heidi Staples says

    December 6, 2012 at 5:48 am

    Look at you! I'm absolutely swooning over those dresdens — great fabric choices. And you get time in a fancy hotel too?! Trying not to be jealous on this side of the internet… 🙂

Trackbacks

  1. February Goal Setting: About Face – Bryan House Quilts says:
    June 21, 2016 at 9:04 am

    […] goals for this month are to make some pillows for my couch. I’ve actually already started two pillows for my couch. But I wasn’t quite satisfied with them. They are cute and all, but I wanted […]

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Comment ‘FREEZER’ to take my free class! Keep read Comment ‘FREEZER’ to take my free class! Keep reading for tip number four... 👇

Always print your templates at 100% scale.

Before cutting your fabric, measure the 1-inch test box on your template.

Even being slightly off can affect the accuracy of your blocks later on and lead to some BIG oopsies. 😅

This is one of those tiny steps that saves a LOT of frustration later... Speaking from experience, and more re-done blocks than I could ever count! 

Follow along @bryanhousequilts for more freezer paper piecing tips that will make your quilting life easier and more enjoyable along the way. 💕
Comment ‘FREE’ and i’ll send you straight to my fr Comment ‘FREE’ and i’ll send you straight to my free class where I’ll teach you the life-changing technique that made me fall in love with quilting. 💕 

You’ll even leave with a free modern triangle block pattern to start sewing on your own! 🪡

Drop ‘FREE’ below and start the new creative hobby you’ve been dreaming about. ✨

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1️⃣ Make a test block. I know it’s tempting to s 1️⃣ Make a test block. 

I know it’s tempting to skip this step... I cannot tell you how many times I have skipped making a test block and ended up regretting it later. If I had just made the test block, it would have saved me HOURS and HOURS of seam ripping and re-sewing, so take my advice and just always make the test block! 

I have never regretted making a test block, but I have regretted not making one. 😅

2️⃣ Celebrate the ta-da moments.

I’m not talking about just the finished quilt. I mean EVERY moment along the journey that feels like a win. Picking your colors and fabrics, sewing that first block, the points that line up, arranging blocks onto the design wall... Celebrate as much as you can along the way. 

I think too many quilters rush past these moments because they’re just focused on the finish line, but quilting isn’t one big “ta-da!” It’s a bunch of little “ta-da” moments stitched together.

3️⃣ Learn the freezer paper piecing technique.

I’m not kidding when I say it completely changed my quilty life... The more I quilt, the more I realize that frustration doesn’t make a quilt more valuable. Struggling doesn’t make you a better quilter. A good process gives you more confidence, helps you enjoy the sewing, and frees up a lot of your time to keep quilting. It makes you want to come back tomorrow and sew another block! 

Quilting is meant to be enjoyed and there’s so much to learn along the way. These three things have been HUGE along my quilting journey, and I know they can make an impact on yours too. 

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When I say I’ve tried it all, and quilting was the When I say I’ve tried it all, and quilting was the only thing that stuck, I MEAN IT! 😅

👉 Tried gardening, and all the plants would die before I got around to them. 
👉 Tried crochet, and discovered I can’t count that high (or just don’t want to!)
👉 Tried making kids’ clothes, and they always grew out of them before I could finish. 

But quilting? THAT’S my bread and butter. 

It was my mom who got me into quilting many years ago, and I’ve even been teaching quilting for over a decade. 

I’ve built a community of thousands of quilters from all over, at all ages and all skill levels. 

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Comment ‘ALCHEMY’ if you want to enjoy ALL phases Comment ‘ALCHEMY’ if you want to enjoy ALL phases of the quilting journey and make this beautiful quilt alongside a supportive community that is all learning, growing, and sewing together! ✨

We just started the Alchemy this month, but you can join and start your own anytime! 💕

#modernquilting #paperpiecing #foundationpaperpiecing #quiltingtechnique #quiltteacher
Does anyone else just love this feeling? ✨ Walk i Does anyone else just love this feeling? ✨

Walk into the sewing room, shut the door behind me, and suddenly all other problems disappear. 

A feeling we all know too well. 🙌

What are you sewing right now? Let me know in the comments! 💕

#quilthumor #quilterslife #quiltteacher #modernquilter
Comment ‘FREEZER’ to take my free class! Keep read Comment ‘FREEZER’ to take my free class! Keep reading for tip number four... 👇

Always print your templates at 100% scale.

Before cutting your fabric, measure the 1-inch test box on your template.

Even being slightly off can affect the accuracy of your blocks later on and lead to some BIG oopsies. 😅

This is one of those tiny steps that saves a LOT of frustration later... Speaking from experience, and more re-done blocks than I could ever count! 

Follow along @bryanhousequilts for more freezer paper piecing tips that will make your quilting life easier and more enjoyable along the way. 💕
Comment ‘FREE’ and i’ll send you straight to my fr Comment ‘FREE’ and i’ll send you straight to my free class where I’ll teach you the life-changing technique that made me fall in love with quilting. 💕 

You’ll even leave with a free modern triangle block pattern to start sewing on your own! 🪡

Drop ‘FREE’ below and start the new creative hobby you’ve been dreaming about. ✨

#modernquilting #paperpiecing #foundationpaperpiecing #quiltingtechnique #quiltteacher
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