So... What have we been doing since getting back to Japan?
First off, report on John. He was very happy to see us when we went to pick him up at the vet's though the first couple of days there was a lot of barking from him. The vet reported that he barked even in his kennel and wouldn't much listen to anyone except for herself and her parents. John obviously places people in his established hierarchy and won't listen to anyone he considers below him. I'm not sure where I place... He listens to me and we don't cross each other's boundaries. (I don't even pet John unless he touches me first.) We are back on our routine of daily walks and life with John hasn't changed much from before he went to stay at the vet's.
This was a picture the vet sent me while I was in the States. And good doggie parents that we are, Tetsu and I sent a video to John telling him to be a good boy and to not forget us!
Tetsu's tiny vegetable garden managed to survive without him and he has gotten three mini-tomatoes and a very small eggplant out of it so far. He devotedly goes to check on his garden but it doesn't seem to require much maintenance on his part.
We have headed into the rainy season and thus especially enjoy the days when it is a bit sunny. The rice in the flooded fields is growing quickly.
The wheat is ready to be harvested (first harvest?)
For no other reason than my 2 1/2 inch squares bin was overflowing, I have started sewing squares together to make blocks and lattice. This means that I had to go out and buy more white fabric and therefore I've probably got just as much fabric as when I started... This quilt is not designated for anyone and so it may get waylaid when something else turns up...
Ah! Question! Yesterday a couple friends helped me baste the Kitten Tales flimsy I have had on my design wall for months and it is now ready for quilting. How does one quilt embroidered blocks? If I was going to do this by hand I might just put a quilted grid on the main blocks with the embroidery and applique. If I am going to quilt this by machine then I don't really know how to go about quilting around leaf lines and tree lines and embroidered cats etc. I have checked Pinterest for ideas but a lot of quilters just leave the main blocks unquilted... Any ideas?
I am sure John was very happy to see you!
ReplyDeleteI like your scrap quilt with the lattice. Sorry I don't have any advice for the embroidered blocks except maybe to add something else in quilted form, like wind, clouds, butterfly or something just to add a little hidden surprise.
I've seen quilting echo the embroidery on many quilts but I think some of your embroidery really fills the block and trying to echo any shapes would be distracting. Maybe just stitch in the ditch for those blocks?
ReplyDeleteNo "sin" in buying white...you always need it...like having extra spools of white thread on hand!
Are you still confining John in the house? Maybe he feels he's being unfairly punished?
I like your scrap quilt with the 2 1/2 inch squares. Putting them in he sashing also is a nice touch. Your other quilt with the embroidered blocks looks very nice too. You could hand quilt the embroidered blocks only. I did some hand quilting in a few blocks once and that is what everyone seemed to notice first It gave a hand quilted feeling to the whole quilt.
ReplyDeleteI took a machine quilting class yesterday and the teacher said she either loosely outlines embroidered shapes such as leaves or she uses 80 or 100 weight thread and quilts right over the embroidery. The super fine thread doesn't really show but it adds texture and anchors the block.
ReplyDeleteTanya, you are allowed the have hand and machine quilting together! I wouldn't attempt to machine quilt the little embroidered blocks and I'm a machine quilter, unless it was a simple stipple. A hand stitched diamond grid in the background would be lovely, as you already guessed. The rest of the quilt can be machined as usual. Congratulations on the wedding. Thank you for sharing. It was beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI love your kitten tales flimsy! This gal makes a lot of quilts using embroidered squares - https://catpatches.blogspot.com/ On some that I remember, she just works a design into the block. Sometimes she will outline some of the embroidery or add things like stars, the feeling of wind blowing, etc. Whatever you decide to do, I know it will be beautiful. Also, I can't even begin to tell you how much I enjoyed your posts about the wedding and your travels in the States. Thank you so much for sharing with your readers. What an absolutely special time for your family.
ReplyDeleteI made a stitchery quilt once and hand quilted in the stitchery blocks but machine quilted everything else and you can't even tell unless you look closely. As indigocarole stated, it is okay to do that and it will look beautiful. I'm glad John was happy for your homecoming and everything is back to normal for you all.
ReplyDeleteYou always seem to come up with just the right thing in all of your quilts. It's your art so whatever advice you use or don't use will be okay. I think quilting is a form of art and we just don't give ourselves enough credit for the talents we have. Poor John! He never looks happy but I think he knows he's very loved and just won't admit it!! Naughty Puppy!! LOL
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