need a hand project

I did that and pretty much found it was hard to concentrate on much. Take some magazines (gossip/trashy ones) and plan to watch TV. Or take some quilt magazines or books and take notes on future projects. Good luck with the study. Let us know how it went.

How about something small? I once saw in a Love of Quilting mag little (Christmas) ornaments done with cathedral windows (google for this). It can be done by machine, but I'm not sure it is so much easier and it doesn't look quite the same.

If you don't normally do hand work now, then something you start on that day just because you need something for that day may not be so interesting afterwards?

Hanne in London

I take English paper piecing (hexagons) to conferences and meetings when I can get away with stitching.

Last year I made Christmas wreath ornaments for my staff and trustees with six green hexes around a white center. I have two hexagon WIPs, one in batiks and the other in necktie silks.

Nann

Nann

Anne,

I actually found doing insets by hand much easier than by machine. Thus I have done a tumbling block (or baby block, whichever you prefer to call it) by hand. It was quick and easy to rotary cut the pieces for prep work and not difficult to haul around to various places to work on. Maybe something along that line...a LeMoyne star, the Dresdan Plate, Grandmother's Garden or something similar would be good.

But if you get bored with sewing (or your hands get sore) it's always nice to have a pencil (or colored pencils) and a sketch book along with some magazines to do some design dreaming!

Good luck! Dannielle

Could I send you the applique project I need to finish? My mom has decided that she wants "roses, irises and butterflies" all appliqued on the quilt I'm making for her. I'm thinking you would do a better job than I would and then the thing would be finished.

Sunny (with roses, irises and butterflies)

I have a Christmas block that needs to be appliqued, I will be happy to send it to you to finish for me Do you like to do redwork? I nearly always keep a redwork project handy so I have something to work on.

Sherry Starr

Anne, Redwork is my friend. A needle, one color thread and a piece of fabric with a simple outline. Also, I can keep myself out of trouble for hours with a ball of thread and a crochet hook. Making edging or small flowers for embellishments.

I can email you some simple redwork patterns if you like?

Cindy

I like redwork, too, for a hand project. But I like Quilted Diamonds even better. That might not work for you, though, since you'd need to get one of the books with the patterns and then prep some diamonds. But they sure are fun!

It's Sandy in NV's fault. Her picture of her Moon over the Mountain quilt!!! I have pieces cut out, sew the used dryer sheet to the right side of the piece, turn ii, pin in place and off I go. It's very portable. One of these days I will have enough done for WUH.

G> next Tuesday, I have to go to an evil sleep study, where I spend the day

Nope -- not my fault! I've never made the Moon over the Mountain pattern! LOL!

I second the vote for red work. It is always in my travel bag. The nice thing about redwork is that you don't have to study where you left off, you just keep stitching with the same thread.

Susan

I keep a round tin, formerly containing almonds or cookies, in my truck at all times with my one and only hand piecing project. It's perfect in waiting rooms, traffic jams, camping etc. It may be 20 yrs before it's completed, but it's the only way I'll ever do a hand pieced quilt, given the fact that I already have way too many ideas and ufo's and quilting goals to do yesterday. Musicmaker

I will take books etc. but I figured if I had something precut and ready to go it wouldn't need much concentration!

Anne

I'll look, I've seen the pattern (as a box top) in a book and that also had you doing them by hand, I have some fabric that this could work well with,

possibly, which would be why it would need to be a small project, but I've noticed several other times when it would be good to have a hand project available, so I reckon I'd slowly get through something.

Anne

the idea of cutting hexagons doesn't exactly thrill me, are there any shortcuts I should know about?

Ane

that was exactly what I was thinking, when you rotary cut the pieces, do you then mark the seam allowance? I'm thinking you at least need to put a dot at the point.

If you do tumbling blocks, do you first make hexagons, then join the hexagons together, or some other method?

Anne

LOL, thanks but no thanks!

Anne

I've never done red work, I'm not sure it's really me to be honest, one colour appeals, unlike other types of embroidery, but it still requires regular stitches! The way I applique (or sew bindings) is completely invisible and it suits me, I wouldn't say I was wonky, but it's wonky enough that it annoys me if it's visible!

Anne

that looks interesting, but you're right probably not for just now, though my appointment did get cancelled, so I have more time to prepare, but I'm not planning to buy any books right now.

Anne