We’re over a fifth of the way through the Splendid Sampler quilt along, it’s being organised by Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson but they’ve asked over 80 different quilt designers to design a block, so we’re learning all sorts of styles. One of the blocks for the Splendid Sampler last week had rather a lot of embroidery on it. Now I like doing embroidery but I did feel a bit time pressured with this one, I know it’s not a race, but I’m not very good if I get behind!

Splendid Sampler

The pattern called for satin stitch for the flowers, but there were lots of variations coming up on facebook. Some people just back-stitched the whole design, which actually looked really nice, I was tempted! Others appliqued the flowers and leaves, that looked very fiddly and not at all tempting! I decided to chain stitch round the edge and blanket stitch the middle heart, I wasn’t convinced my satin-stitch would pass muster!

I traced the design onto the fabric using my new DIY light box! The green thread for the leaves and the intertwining stems is one of the new DMC variegated threads, just subtly shaded in different shades of green. I rather like their new variegated range.

It took about three evenings to stitch the embroidery. Today I made it up into it’s final 6.5″ block. It’s called Nature’s Walk and was designed by Vicki Tucek. I wasn’t sure about the ladybirds at first, but now it’s made up, I like them!

I was quite relieved that the next block was a fairly simple one called ‘Sweet Candy’, it gave me a bit of catch up time! I managed to fussy-cut my bunny fabric too!

Thursday block was designed by Amy Udall-Smart, it was a foundation paper pieced block. This is only the second time I’ve used this technique. The first block completely freaked me out, it took ages to get my head round it. I was very pleased therefore that I remembered how to do it and didn’t get the least bit stressed about it, I didn’t even need to watch the tutorial again!

I really like this block, it’s called ‘Goose on the Loose’ and I managed to use nearly all the fabrics I’ve been using for this quilt. I’m also really pleased with how it’s come out accuracy-wise, I’ve actually managed to match all my points 🙂

On the other end of the scale, I finally managed to do Aprils Secret Garden block, this is also by Pat Sloan, but is fortunately only once a month. These blocks are 16″ square, they seem huge after the Splendid Sampler ones! We’ve made four out of nine, so we’re making progress.

The one quilt I am behind on is the one quilt I didn’t want to fall behind on as it’s the only one I’m actually buying! I’ve a rooster to applique for my Anderson’s Farm quilt, I had issues with deciding which fabric I’m meant to be using as we’re only provided with a tiny photo, in the end I’ve managed to buy some more which I think will co-ordinate nicely. I’m away at Denman College this coming week, which is the WI residential college, so I’m hoping if I can get myself organised, I might take it down to stitch in the evenings. I’m doing ‘Ribbon Embroidery in the style of Monet’ during the day!

I’m linking up with Kathy’s Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday and Super-Mom No Cape for Vintage Embroidery Monday and with Cath of Bits ‘n Bobs, a lovely blog I’ve just discovered. Why not follow the link and see what hand-stitching everyone else is doing.