I Will Quit Quilting Now......

We finished the red quilt this afternoon. That's what made me late with the entry. Tessie quit and I had to finish it myself and now we both have sore fingers.

Before I show you that quilt I have just a couple of more ways to do a quilt. Then I promise not to mention quilts until next time I come up with a harebrained scheme.

This first one is a pattern that was in one of the craft magazines years ago... I believe it was Mc Calls. It is all done in cross stitch on #22 hardanger. The blocks are faked with lines of white cross stitches running diagonally between the tulips. It was pretty simple to do once I got the pattern established. There is no backing on this one. Poke the photo to see it better.

The point is, you can take a quilt pattern and figure out how many cross stitches it takes to do the pattern on a piece of graph paper if you don't have a computer program. It is time consuming but turns out a very effective quilt. If you do have a program it is quick and easy.



The next method is with straight needlepoint stitches. I did this one with just straight stitches on the diagonal. If you try this, be sure to put it on stretcher bars or some kind of frame. Be warned. Doing all diagonal and all in one direction warps the fabric.

Here's a close up so that you can see better. I did each square over one thread then two threads and then three threads, back to two and then to one. Very simple indeed. The inner border was over two threads on the diagonal and the outer border was over three threads.

And yes, I know it's not finished. It will be when I have a place to put it........Don't nag!

There are many other ways to make mini quilts. I have one somewhere from, I believe, Thailand that is all folded pieces of cloth stitched to a base cloth in a star pattern. I need to dig that one out to show you. It is really neat. My friend Pat brought it back to me from one of her trips. Some of these days I am going to try making one with that method.

Now about the red quilt. After I finished the border, Tessie and Spike tried it out.

Zar happened by and saw it.

He likes it......I mean really likes it. He wants one.

Tessie told him that she would consider making him one if he would show her what is on the other side of the bathroom wall......He's tempted, but he isn't giving in. He keeps telling her it is all in her imagination. I don't think that he is going to give away his secret room for a measly quilt. It's the only place that he can get any peace and quiet. No quilt is worth that. Especially when it is Tessie that is disturbing the peace.

Tessie made me swear that I wouldn't make him a quilt. She thinks that is leverage for finding out the truth.....How many times have it told her? I am saying it again. "Tessie. Don't hold your breath!"

See you tomorrow.