PICK A PETAL -- MONTH 7

PICK A PETAL is the 2024 Block of the Month quilt designed by Jen Kingwell exclusively for The Quilt Show. It is FREE to Star Members, join today to take advantage of this great bonus. WATCH Jen's Show to see how she makes this quilt--it is FREE for EVERYONE all of 2024: Jen Kingwell Show 3401

This month we start on the EMBROIDERY. The pattern provides basic embroidery stitches and placement guides for two of the log cabin borders. Month 10 will provide the remaining embroidery motifs and placement for the remaining two borders.

While I am familiar with embroidery it is not my strong suit. Here I will show a lot of photos of the embroidery on the  quilt. And I will provide links to great resources, showing how to do the basic stitches used.

Watch Jen's show, #3401, it's FREE for  ALL this year--use the link ABOVE. She explains how some of the embroidery is actually quilting stitches, taken through all 3 layers. We are only doing the embroidery stitches now that form the various motifs on the borders.

Alex Anderson is great at hand embroidery and has provided several CLASSES with excellent videos:

BOUNTIFUL FRUIT  a great place to start. Click the VIEW  button to see the 4 lessons.

MAKE IT YOUR OWN EMBROIDERY STITCH ALONG LESSONS 19 lessons!!

The current Alex Class, MAGIC GARDEN GNOME Lessons 4-7 show BASIC stitches you will use. Find it in her Classroom on The Quilt Show: MAGIC GARDEN GNOME

Alex advised me to: 

1. Use a hoop on the pieced log cabin borders to keep the fabric from being pulled or distorted.

2. She uses SASHIKO needles, her favorites are in the SHOP

3. Work with thread about 18"-22" long. Single strand for thicker thread, like Perle size 8, or double strand like the Wonderfil size 12 included in the kit. When using double thread cut it twice as long 36"-44".      See how to make a Non-Knot with doubled thread:

Alex's Make it Your Own Embroidery Stitch Along--LESSON 2, start at 16 minutes

LESSON 3 start at 30 minutes  Chain Stitch, also called Stem Stitch  

            BTW--from 8-30 minutes is an interview Alex did with me about my personal exhibit at                         Houston in 2021--if you want to see what I used to look like and lots of my quilts. 

4. Mark designs with Quilters Select Self Erase Marker--it disappears in less than a day so don't mark more than you will stitch today.

There are MANY videos on Hand Embroidery, simply Google it. Here are two I found very simple to understand and helpful:

5 BASIC STITCHES

14 Hand Embroidery Stitches NO WORDS, just demos

I am using the threads from the KIT, Wonderfil size12. I preferred double strands for good definition and I love the little "knotless-knot"--I used it all the time in cross stitch. I have lots of needles in my collection, find the size that works best for you. The eye must be big enough to allow easy threading. When doing "wrapped stitches", like French knots, you want a needle that is straight all the way, like Sashiko needles that Alex likes. 

I am just getting started. Here are my SUPPLIES:

My first stitches in many years

Lots of needles, two hoops, both a bit large for this 6" border 

Try a variety of threads and needles to find your favorites. If you have trouble threading needles, try the Self-Threading ones. Alex doesn't like them but I have found them useful for some threads. 

You can add more stitches if you like, or do fewer motifs. It's your quilt, you get to decide.

It will be fun to see all the embroidery/embellishments everyone will do. Please post your work on the FORUM so we can see your progress.

Next month we get more appliques for Border 3. 

Let's quilt.

Barbara