Three Kitchen Fairies

We have had some lovely weather this week in Michigan. I've been taking advantage of the cooler drier air by spending time outside reading and even doing a little hand stitching. It's been like a vacation without the hassle of packing and driving.

Paloma, of Three Kitchen Fairies, sent me some of her hexie papers to try and I finally got around to making a project with them. These are one inch on each side. The paper is thinner than the papers I had been using and I love that you can get a thin crisp turned edge with these papers. They are also easier to pop out after stitching. The papers in the photo have been used and are in great condition for using again. If you want to try them yourself you can get the papers here in Paloma's etsy shop. She also has some sweet instant download embroidery patterns. I especially like this one.

A few scraps, aurifil 50 wt thread, and hexie papers are the perfect ingredients for relaxing afternoon and a pretty transformation for a tea towel.

Now, I think I need to get some more of these bright tea towels to decorate.

Wordless Wednesday

Applique!

I finished the February blocks for the Bee FF group. Tia wanted applique.

For this block I started with a ring of bias. I cut a one inch wide bias cut strip, folded it in thirds and basted through all three layers. Then I basted that to the background fabric using a plate as a guide.

I added a bird over the join of the bias and a couple of leaves and flowers. I wanted a sort of minimal look but it still needed something else so I added an embroidered vine.

Here's the other block.

I do love hand applique.

Fall

I'm slowing down to appreciate the warm sunny days of fall.

I even started hand quilting again this week.

It has been a long time. I need to build up some callouses on my tender fingertips.