"a round man cannot
be expected to fit in
a square hole
right away.
he must have time
to modify his shape."
- mark twaine
busy week here in montana. classes. tests. needle chanting. square making. nine patching. snow removal. unexpected shifts. i did, however, manage to needle a couple nine patches together using some of my repurposed bits of cloth from old clothing. i blame jude hill for my technique on this project! using her modified english piecing method...and even tossing in some magic fringe on one of the squares by reversing half of the seam so the torn edge can reside whimsically on the face of the patch. i am also using her added technique of blind stitching down the opened seam allowances to add more texture and dimension to the cloth. unfortunately, this particular photo is not clear enough to see the tiny little row of dots this leaves behind. these little squares are finishing at 1 1/2 inches, and everything is being hand stitched, so this is not a project that will progress swiftly (my attachment is that this manifest into a queen sized quilt at some point)! but it has been immensely calming to be able to sit and mindlessly (more or less) needle chant these little bits together...
namaste'
love nine patches. you have such interesting designs theres.
ReplyDeletedeanna, ha! that's cuz i wear such interesting clothes! roflmao!
ReplyDeleteLovely nine patches Joe, I SO need to try this technique of Jude's. I think Santa needs to bring you a new camera for christmas, then we can see lovely close ups of your beautiful stitching :)
ReplyDeletethanks, hon. that pic was just snapped off my tablet this morning. it's only a 4meg cam. i'll take some better ones this week when i'm back home with my digital camera.
ReplyDeleteSometimes the confines of a little nine-patch create such freedom! I'm always partial to a nine-patch.
ReplyDeleteyes...i've always been partial to them, too. and when the brain is actually functioning, there is so much you can do with them simply by sub-dividing squares, adding circles, whatever! i just love the simplicity!
ReplyDeletegorgeous fabrics! there is something about just sitting and hand stitching that is so calming and soothing.
ReplyDelete: )
Joe...these are so fun! Now you've got me wanting some needle chanting. Your clothes make great, interesting 9 patches, too. It will be a fabulous bed cover...someday.
ReplyDeletethanks, marie and shishi! being a wearer of strange clothing has had its benefits now that i've taken to cannibalizing my wardrobe for my art! ha!
ReplyDeletethe hardest thing has been to make larger stitches and to create them so that they show. for years, i've done heirloom sewing and other needlearts that required the tiniest, most invisible stitches ever...now to make such large stitches (24 or so to the inch) drives me over the edge of madness!
oddly, though, there is something satisfying about turning the seams and giving them a tug to pull all those giant stitches to the front and then add to them with a not-so-blind stitch to secure the seams down. i'm sewing with variegated quilting threads to add yet another dimension and depth to the texture...
it's kinda like letting one rip in an elevator...it is socially unnaceptable, but oh so satisfying!
namaste'