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Friday, April 28, 2017

Block 4 of the Growing Up QAL

Getting this one done in a nick of time! Here's block 4 from Alida at Alidatweloqdesigns and her Growing QAL.



This one is all about embroidery, something I haven't done since my early teenage years. At first, I thought about couching a white thread, but wasn't happy with the thick threads or yarns that were available. So, I bit the bullet, and actually sat for a few hours to stitch this out. By hand.

I have no idea what this stitch is called, but essentially, it's up through the front, back down 1/8" or 1/4" away, and back up at the end of the first stitch. This created an overlap, and a more defined stitch.



And I also used all six strands of embroidery floss. I want this baby to be seen!

Hate to admit it, but this is probably the only QAL I've kept up with. Couldn't stick with the Honey Pot Bee, (no pun intended!) as I wasn't into the blocks. The RSC17 challenge is still a QAL I want to do, though I'm far behind. All of the January purple quilts took it out of me! Hopefully I'll catch up since the t-shirts quilts are waiting for a batting sale.

Funny how this always seems to happen. I have great intentions, then it all falls apart. Does that happen to you?
Leave a comment, and maybe we can come up with a strategy to deal with it!

Have a great weekend!

9 comments:

  1. Ha. I hear you. The RSC is one I keep saying I will catch up with but it is almost May already. What am I thinking?

    The embroidery looks great. It is so relaxing.

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  2. Yes, I always start out strong - and then life gets in the way. I've actually kept up with a couple this year. The Growing up QAL being one. However, I know there is a lot of year left. lol

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    1. Darn life - it does have a habit of getting in the way!

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  3. Oh, definitely, I always bite off more than I can chew. Way behind on RSC, two blocks behind on Pat Sloan's 182 day Solstice project and have several leader and ender projects in the works. I quickly lost interest in the Moda weekly challenge and wanted to do Barbara Brackman's latest but there is too much applique which is just not my thing. Right now I have two gift quilts that need to get done.
    Pat

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  4. I believe that we all do the same thing. I tried that last year and now back to my "list" and working on monthly goals. So far so good, except when the pattern has a problem. Someday I would like to design my own and then I can yell at myself for the mistakes. Interesting that you used 6 strands!

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  5. Your block turned out beautiful!! I think that stitch is called stem stitch but I am not sure :) I am happy that you were able to keep up with my QAL, but I am the same as you: I start strong and then fall off the QALs because it is either too much (splendid sampler) or too fast (one block a week) or too loose in the directions (RSC)... that's why I use the "encouragement/force/incentive" of "you get the next block free only if you share the previous one completed" to keep me (and my followers) motivated. I don't remember where I got that idea from, but I saw it in another QAL and I found it simple and very motivating! Thanks for sharing your block and your experience!

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  6. You did a great job on your block. I have been working on mine today, but I technically cheated because I am using my sewing machine stitches. I have been wanting to do that for a long time, so I decided I would just do it. I probably spent as much or more time doing that rather than doing it by hand.

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  7. I have kept up with the RSC 2017 up until March. In April, literally since April Fool's Day, I have been hitting the ground running. My first week of May is taken up by my daughter visiting from California (yeee!!!). But; since I am retired, I figure after she leaves, I will want to fill my time even fuller to not think about her being gone again. I will just do double time! I'm also doing the Sea, Sun, Sand block of the month. (Which is really taking it out of me with all the applique, but it is fun!)
    I really like your block. The white stitching on black is great, and you have done nice stitching too. I'm starting to get back into embroidery too.

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  8. Very dramatic, very pretty! Keeping up with any quilt along is a challenge. Playing catch up is perfectly acceptable (though I'll admit it should probably be just months, not years to get caught up!)

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Thank you so much for commenting...you just made my day!