Ho! Ho! The Mistletoe
Good Morning, Quilters!
I’m finishing up a few more Christmas quilts –this one is made from last year’s tutorial: Mistletoe and Berries.
As I was stitching, I was wondering why we kiss under the mistletoe…Read more HERE--it’s quite interesting!
Christmas deserves a little bit of glitter, so I hand stitched rows of Sulky’s Holoshimmer. 
Even during the busiest days, I feel discombobulated unless I to find a little time to stitch.
What about YOU? Do YOU make time to stitch (or doodle) every day?
We’d love to hear!
Kisses,
Lori
PS…All tutorials, images and information are the property of Lori Kennedy at The Inbox Jaunt and are intended for personal use only. Feel free to re-blog, pin or share with attribution to The Inbox Jaunt. For all other purposes, please contact me at lckennedy@hotmail.com. Thanks!
I have tried using that silver thread for a little pop on some angel wings. Very quickly stopped because it kept shredding and breaking. I was hand sewing.
I didn’t have any trouble when hand sewing it. Perhaps try another needle.
I too find it helps my spirit and mood to stitch some everyday if at all possible. I find all quilting to be relaxing.
Thank you, Lori! It’s JUST THE THING I need for a Christmas quilt I am currently working on for my daughter!!!!!!
I love when that happens!!!!
Lori is the shredding because it’s the wrong needle?
Yes, Paula –shredding can be from the wrong needle, or from an old or bad needle, or from any small burr anywhere. This thread is more fragile than other threads and you must stitch more slowly. It works great for hand stitching!
Paula, Just noticed the question below…Cindy B was hand sewing–so I think your answer was spot on.
Yes. First off, this is absolutely adorable and lovely. I want to make this.
I hope next year…. haha, I will have more time to dedicate to FMQ and to improve my skills
The shredding. I do not know why it happens, but I have done embroidery with this thread, and I find working with very short pieces works well
My mom made traditional bobbin lace back in the day, when she was about 60 years old and zippy. She made some amazing things, She also attempted to do some modern pieces with gold thread. She made an amazing incredible necklace made of gold thread, all done in bobbin lace. You know what? In the move to Ashby Ponds we misplaced that! It is driving me nuts, because I feel responsible for everything haha
We have one photo of her with that lace collar necklace on, It was about 3 1/2 inches wide!
Okay, back on topic, this stuff is hard to work with, 😛
and your machine quilting is just lovely, Happy Christmas to you and your family, Lori <3
Lori
I have been following you for a while and I feel like we are friends although we haven’t met. I have taken up your 365 day challenge. You started a doodle tutorial and, to be honest, I didn’t take it seriously until recently. You are right! Not only does doodling wake up the, at least in my case, the seriously sleepy kid in me but it has improved my free motion stitching. Well, duh! I’m sorry I doubted you. Thank you for all your hard work and encouragement! Merry Christmas!
I love this design. I cant wait to try it.
I love this!
HOLOSHIMMER (and other metallic) threads can be tamed ! If you’re using it in your sewing machine try these :
1) Use a METALLICA (or Metalic) needle ! I most often use a size 90/14 to help ease the thread through the quilt top, batting, and the backing of the quilt.
2) Use a thread lubricant (like Sewer’s Aid) to help make these rather challenging threads easier to complete their mission ! (The bottle has a small nozzle on the top; I spread 2 or 3 small, thin lines of the Sewer’s Aid from the top of the thread spool to the bottom of the spool.) By the time you thread your machine, the thread has absorbed the Sewer’s Aid, and you’re ready to start quilting 😀 (Available in the notions section of just about any fabric store !)
3) I ALWAYS use Madeira 60 wt. Monofilament in my bobbins ! (You’ll need to adjust your bobbing tension to accommodate this very fine thread ! ! !) Using this light-weight thread is the perfect companion to the metallic (and other challenging !) threads. Heavier weight bobbin threads… or cotton thread in the bobbin, will tend to “snarff” up the stitching, and make a mess that has to be ripped out.
4) And remember … take some calming deep breaths, and relax 😀
HAPPY QUILTING !
Great advice! Thank you so much for your thoughtful answer! I will try all of the above.
Your little sample quilts are always so beautiful! It looks like you sew all those bindings to the back by hand. I am curious; if you do, how do you find the time?!
They are all machine stitched then hand stitched to finish. I have been really focused on doing the bindings in the past few weeks. True discipline as I’d rather be FMQing!
Your circles are so perfect……….I know, practice……..can I get them from Santa?
SO pretty. Maybe this is a project I could tackle and still get done before Christmas. Love you creative designs!