Quick Hardanger question

I use five and have never machined them - I never knew you were supposed to, nothing ever came apart.

I only used 5 in the corners of the Christening gown that I did. I did not machine stitch the edge either. The gown has been worn and washed a couple of times with no problem.

Bobbie V.

I use 5, and I do machine stitch, but I don't think you really need to add the machine stitching.

Have fun cutting....Linda D. in B.C., Canada

I recently finished a doily and did five stitches at each corner with no machine stitching. I had a hard time lining up which holes to place the stitches in at the corners so I basted an outline of the pattern in a bright thread which I removed when the stitching was done. I initially hated doing the buttonhole stitching because of the this trouble but once I put in the basted line it worked like a charm.

I'd do whatever you think looks best. Five stitches gave ample coverage with perle cotton on my doily.

Cheers,

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:

That's what I was wondering. Everything else I've ever read about hardanger says that if the buttonhole edge is properly done, you can cut the shape out and have it hold together. How do you wash your hardanger pieces? I'm assuming hand-washing is best. By the way, Sheena, are you home now, or are you still across the pond?

Louisa

Thanks. I was worried about the washing since it's meant to be used on the table.

Louisa

I'm much better at the cutting now. It took a while to get up the nerve; it's such a counter-intuitive thing to do at first. Even my six- year old looked askance! I really love my Ginghers. They work so nicely.

Louisa

I think I will finish with the seven on this piece, which gives a sharper corner that I think suits this design better, but I'm glad to know that five stitches work, even without machine stitching. It would require far greater precision on the machine than I currently have! Thanks!

Louisa

Mostly I have used it on cushions which I don't wash that often and on coasters and a couple of runners - hate to tell you - I put them in one of those lingerie bags and throw them in the washer.

I think people need to remember the Norwegians used hardanger to embellish every day linens and it had to endure. I know the perle cotton loses its sheen over time but the pieces look nice as they age anyway.

Yes, I am home now thank heavens lol What wonderful weather we are having. It looks like it could be a mild walk down to the Cenotaph in PPP today.

Even if you cut wrong, it can be fixed. I once cut one too many threads and though it was tough going and took time, I did what the book said, pull a thread along the edge and replace the thread which I wrongly snipped. It took time, but it worked.

I think it is still one better than the quilting people who buy yards of fabric and then proceed to cut it all up into little pieces so they can stitch them back together again !

That last line needed a spew warning dearie!

Just telling it how it is lol

I see quilts and I want to quilt. But I haven't yet. Mind you, what I want to do are crazy quilts. And I will one day....

Chery

That was me! For years and years, I said that! I just could not bring myself to start for some weird reason.

Finally, my good mate, PDC, persuaded me to consent to making one (1) quilt. One day, while poring over quilting mags, a pattern leapt out at me - it was exactly one that DD would love: an easy nine-patch pattern with lots of appliqué in it (hearts and butterflies). The recipe was easy, because they tell you how much to buy and exactly how to cut the bits. The appliqué was *delicious* because all I had to do was thread my needle and blanket-stitch night after night in front of the telly. The piecing took maybe a couple of hours and then the day we spent basting the blessed thing went a lot easier with the lavish application of much chocolate and cups of coffee and laughter.

The finished quilt is lovely in shades of dark blue (DD's favourites - she chose the colours). It's only small, though, so I will make another, larger one for DD eventually.

It has been our long-time dream to make an appliqué quilt of the Simpsons characters consisting of square white blocks sashed with dark blue. Sadly, we've had a *great* deal of trouble finding fabric in the right shades (Marge's hair, for example, is utterly unavailable). One of these days, though...

Anyway, you could either start little and try a pillow or just spend some time looking at patterns in books until you find The One you absolutely must make. It's a lot of fun and very absorbing! ;-D

I love lingerie bags. They were a lifesaver with all those tiny little baby socks once upon a time! I'll include one with the doily as part of the gift. Also good to remember that these pieces are meant to be used and enjoyed!

We went down to Grand Parade today. The children did pretty well, considering the wind. We stayed near the church steps, where a number of other families with little ones were, so they had a place to wander quietly, and it was close to the hot chocolate when they got too chilly! How was PPP?

Welcome home!

Louisa

I've made one quilt, a baby size, and I enjoyed doing it, but I had definite goal in sight, as it was a gift for a friend's first baby. I have collected a couple of small wall quilt patterns, including one with ladybugs, but I haven't managed to get to them yet. I like to curl up on the couch with a bit of stitching, and these projects definitely require a table and daylight hours, all of which are occupied at the moment :)! The day will come, eventually.

Louisa

Thanks. In the end I never made it to the Park. My knee is hell at the moment and when I was readying to go I realized that I likely could walk in, possibly stand long enough but maybe not be able to walk out again. I had not been prudent enough to locate the one in Clayton Park (that's for Korean Vets but since one of my uncles was amongst the last three repatriated at Pan Mun Jong, suitable) and I decided for the first time ever, I would watch the Ottawa one. Felt guilty about that and then a friend arrived unannounced and that was that.

It feels very strange not to have been to services today, only one other Nov 11 I missed because I had 'flu.

My younger daughter went to Grand Parade and they had offered to pick me up but at the time I was still set on the Park. If you've never been to the Park, it is specifically the Sailors Memorial and looks right out the harbour to sea. HMCS Sackville used to steam out and strew poppies on the water at 11 just off the point but they stopped doing it a couple of years ago. I like it most because it would be the last piece of Halifax many who would not return would see, it is guarded for the occasion by Sea Cadets, Scouts, Guides etc. and the big wigs don't bother with it, preferring to be seen somewhere they don't have to walk to. It has a rather lovely air of informality and I feel if any spirits come back to watch they would love the fact that the youth are the participants. That's just my silly take on it anyway.

I love the Sailors Memorial. It's in such a beautiful setting, and that sounds like a lovely service. I'll keep that in mind for next year. Grand Parade is always so crowded, and the children get a bit nervous in large crowds. I like that Remembrance Day is still a proper holiday here. In Ontario, it's not, and once you finish school and no longer have an assembly to attend, it can be difficult to mark the day. It's not one that should be set aside. How's your knee today?

Louisa

I meant to say to you that lots of children attend at PPP, likely because a raft of siblings are in the guard. They often run around throwing rocks into the water but I have never minded that, so long as their parents make sure they are silent for the 2 minutes.

Lol, I was in Lawtons so bought myself a new, fancy walking stick, now I can go out in public and be a real threat !