I forgot to mention that on my way home from Wonky Bits on Thursday I stopped at a place called Northwest Fabrics and
I finally bought 3 metres of pillow ticking fabric. Why? you ask? I want to make leaders for my Next Generation frame (remember I do have one) so it'll be easier to quilt smaller items. My pile of finished tops is growing and none of them are getting quilted! Hopefully this week I'll get the leaders made. The tricky part will be cutting the strips exactly on grain and sewing it that way as well. Tried to get woven striped ticking but no luck. This stuff will have to do.Here's some pics of my snowmen (are you sick of them yet? it's all I talk about! LOL).......Click on the pics for a closer look at the blocks.
This guy is one of three that will be sewn in a row. I satin stitched his eyes by hand with 3 strands of black DMC floss. I found it frustrating and I'm not keen with how it looks.
The second guy was even worse....maybe that's because I was working on them during the guild meeting on Wed. night....... 
Anybody got any suggestions on how to do the satin stitch better?? I've got these snowmens' eyes to do next and I want it to look good, ya know? 
I'm so tempted to rip out the satin stitching and just colour in their eyes with a black pigma pen. And no, I don't want to add buttons for their eyes! Any advice or tips on doing satin stitch by hand would be appreciated. Until next time .......
14 comments:
Hey Kh!
If you just make a snip in your pillow ticking and do the rip, it will rip on the straight of grain...Some would cringe at that suggestion, I know!
For your satin stitch, did you draw circles/ovals/whatever onto the fabric first to have a guide? Maybe putting a tearaway stabilizer on the the back may help?
I love your snowmen and I'm not getting tired of seeing them yet! About the satin stitching - I was just reading a magazine yesterday and I noticed a different way that I thought I would try next time - so this is untried by me. The area to be satin stitched was loosely stitched vertically and then the horizontal stitching was done over top - it appeared to create a more filled in look. If you try this let me know how it works - try a test one first maybe. Good luck! - Marlene
Oh - congrats on the 4 months. Time flies doesn't it! - Marlene
Only four months, it feels like I've knwn you longer than that.
With the satin stitch try two or one strand and doing more stitches you might be able to get it more accurate looking.
The way I was taught the satin stitch is to take your first stitch through the longest point, bring needle up just one or two to the right then go down one or two threads at the top of the stitch. Work one half then flip your project around and work the other half. After you have completed the circle (I'm assuming for the eye) embroider around it to finish it off.
Does that make sense? Or clear as mud?
Your snowmen are adorable. I just love them.
Nope, not tired of hearing abt snowmen here! :-)) I love them! No tips on satin stitching~ I'd probably try to use my sewing machine- I'm 'allergic' to handwork LOL! :-) Congrat's on 4 months!
Such cute snowmen. Looks like you have some good ideas posted already about how to satin stitch. Usually I start in the center and work my way out on each side, then fill in the wimpy areas. Works relatively well for me :o)
The eyes look pretty good to me! Keep on enjoying yourself ... we are always our own worst critics!
Hugs ... Lurline!.
Love your snowmen, satin stitch always draw in the shape and start from the middle go to to one side go back to the middle and go to the other side, I find it easier to go big to small then small to big...congrats on 4 months QGB I love visiting your blog, love your tall houses as well....keep up the good work.
The snowmen's eyes are much better than I could ever do. I just passed 3 years of blogging but missed it so I guess there will be a contest on 4 years. Lol. Back then when I started I could easily read every single quilting blog I could find and have time left over. Now there are thousands. That's a good thing.
congrats on your blogoverary!!! your snowmen are really cute and look fine - i agree with Lurline that we are always our worst critics!
x
Congrats on 4 months. I love the cute little snowmen.I am just a beginner so no help with the stitch to use.
Congrats on the four months, and I love your snowmen? Where did you get the pattern?
Micki
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