Stitch and go

I’m back with another in my series of small art quilts that combine patchwork squares with fluid hand stitching. In my last post I noted the portability of these projects. Today’s example was designed specifically to accompany me on a trip where I knew I would have lots of opportunity to sit and stitch while I visited with my hosts in their home. This time I was drawn to my bag of brown scraps, where a leaf print with gold and red-orange highlights was my starting place for selecting the other colours. This piece uses the same random mixing of squares and rectangles I used for Heart Blues, but the earthy colours suggest a much different mood. In order to prepare for stitching on the go I started by cutting and machine piecing the quilt top at home, and then basting it together with the batting and backing. I then pack myself a little kit with assorted colours of embroidery floss, needles, thread gloss, and a tiny pair of scissors.

(Note: If you’re flying in Canada, small scissors with blades measuring 6 cm (2.4 in.) or less, measured from the joint - or fulcrum - to the tip, are permitted in carry-on. Be sure to check the airline regulations where you are before packing your favourite scissors!)

“Hearth,” 2023. 15” x 18”

I didn’t start quilting with any kind of a plan — I used the numbers from the selvedge scrap that I included just for fun as my starting place, and worked outward and upward in a variety of improvised patterns. I often refer to this process as “doodling with thread.” This piece started out untitled, but I have recently decided its name is “Hearth” because of its association with the warm hospitality that surrounded me as I stitched.

Don’t forget, everyone who signs up for the newsletter by midnight Central Time on October 15th will be entered into a draw for a custom art quilt in this style based on the prompts the winner provides. The winner of the draw will be announced in the first newsletter on Tuesday, October 17th. You will be able to specify a colour theme and a mood or idea you want your custom piece to convey. (Maybe something a bit less heavy than the mood that inspired this piece — but I’m open to your ideas!) If you want you can even send me a photo showing where you want to display your art quilt, and you can specify the size (within a range).