It’s been a slow, quiet start to the year in most aspects of life, including sewing.
Last night I finished up the hanging sleeve for Backyard Chatter. One down, one to go! Since this is a smaller quilt (~35″ x 33″), I only had to make a 2″ sleeve. L Is For… will need a 4″ sleeve, but the process is the same. I plan to have both quilts in the mail no later than Monday.
I took some supplies for my La Passacaglia quilt to North Carolina last week and did a (very small) bit of stitching. In my 2018 goals post, I mentioned that I was considering several different options for an “epic quilt” project this year and I think this one will be it. I started my first rosette back in fall 2014, but 3+ years later I only have a couple done. Since I’m not that far into it yet…I’m actually considering starting from scratch. That seems a bit crazy, but I think it may be necessary.
One of the big things I learned last year in the process of making my Long Time Gone and Gypsy Wife quilts is that epic quilts really benefit from some significant advanced planning. With the slow pace of my La Passacaglia thus far, I haven’t done that — instead, I’ve been picking and choosing fabrics somewhat at random as I go along. I have one rosette that’s yellow, green, and blue; another that’s pink, white, and navy; another that’s pink, purple, black, and white; and the beginnings of the fourth one above that’s blue, white, gray, and orange.
I like each of these 3+ rosettes individually, but together they really aren’t cohesive AT ALL. And while there’s something to be said for the scrappy look, I suspect I’ll be happier with the end result if I use a color palette a bit more curated.
Time to whip up a coloring page and get to work!
I hope you enjoy the moments of hand sewing on the hanging sleeves as you get your quilts ready for ship. There is always such a fun anticipation for me when a quilt needs a hanging sleeve. And I think a plan for your La Passacaglia quilt will help you enjoy the full process… and I’m even thinking the coloring and planning will be fun!
I tend to fluctuate between enjoying hand sewing and finding it too repetitive and/or tedious. But I definitely agree — when I’m doing it for such a fun reason like sending something to QuiltCon, that means good things are happening!