Stitching Monday today

There was rather a small elite group at Stitching Monday today – just five of us.  But that was fine, we all worked hard at our own particular projects, checked what the others were doing, and engaged in plenty of chat.

Pamela was stitching a pieced backing using leftover fabric from her Japanese quilt.  It’s not quite big enough yet, but it is coming along nicely.  I must admit that I really like pieced backings like this which have a proper design to them, rather than bits and pieces of fabric stitched together randomly.  That’s probably because I am a Libra, so prefer designs to be balanced, even on the back of the quilt. 

Pieced backing for a Japanese inspired quilt

Heather is using up even more of her recycled shirting fabrics hand piecing stars.  Not just any old stars, but diamonds set around hexagons – all too hard for me to do!  She decided she wanted to work with striped fabric, and found a pattern which took her fancy.

Pieced stars made from shirts

Joyce was quite busy too.  She started off making tessellated kimonos, which will be the centre portion of a set of placemats.  These will need another border before they are finished.

Tessellated kimono placemats

Next she worked on more of her quick flying geese blocks.  I’m not quite sure of the secret behind this way to do flying geese blocks, but I’m assured it really is quick and easy.

Flying geese blocks

Margaret has many strings in her bow, and today she was doing beading, working on a beaded brooch.  Lots of beads will be needed to complete this brooch.

The bead work at the top will finish up like these

I was rather taken with the pretty little beading sampler which Margaret had stitched, and I marvelled that anyone could work with such tiny little beads. 

Margaret’s beading sampler

I did some more work on my ongoing project, the burgundy and cream paper pieced log cabin blocks.  Doing it this way is slow, but very accurate, and I usually stitch six blocks at a time.

My log cabin blocks

So we all enjoyed another very pleasant (monthly) Stitching Monday.  Thanks, ladies, for your company.