It is week 2 of the quilt along for Autumn Jubilee 2020. This week we worked on row # 2.
This was fairly fun and fast to make using a small leaf print and a variety of background fabrics. It took me longer to decide on background bits than cutting out all the leaf fabric. I bought this leaf fabric a few weeks ago, specifically for this project. I like all the variety of colors in the print.
I bet I rearranged the few background pieces 10 times, and cut lots of extras! I do like the way this came together. Pattern is located at https://frommycarolinahome.com/2020/10/09/autumn-jubilee-quilt-along-week-2/
Another project for Autumn Jubilee 2020 this week is the Machine Embroidery Wall hanging.
Details at https://frommycarolinahome.com/2020/10/12/embroidery-wall-hanging/
When Carole announced that she was incorporating some machine embroidery into this years Autumn Jubilee, I got very excited. I have SO many designs saved on my computer, and they are sorted by categories like Seasons, or Holidays, and sub-sorted by specifics, like FALL or Thanksgiving etc. For two or three weeks I have been going through those folders and looking at all the Fall / Autumn designs I have, along with continuing to download ‘free’ designs from lots of places. I narrowed it down into 8 designs.
I decided to use some interesting stitch patterns from a digitizer called Sew Sweetly. I get a freebie every day, and of course, I can’t help but window shop. They have a series of fall designs that I liked, and have some great prices. Rather than order the complete set (Fall/Autumn Bean/Vintage Stitch Embroidery Design bundle) https://www.sewsweetly.com/embroidery-and-applique-design-bundles/3408-fall-autumn-bean-vintage-stitch-embroidery-design-bundle , I picked just 4 of the designs since Carole recommended stitching out 4 blocks. (Don’t tell, I have all those designs, but bought a few more….)
I decided to use one fabric for all 4 blocks, and my 8″ x 8″ hoop on my Janome 11000. Since I don’t know what the “assembly” or “finished piece” is supposed to look like, I felt like the “one fabric” would give my blocks some continuity. I have a couple of other prints set aside to use for possible borders. (I am keeping out my fall fabric container, and my Autumn Jubilee bin in close reach for the “next set of instructions”.)
As I matched threads to the design worksheet for the first block, I decided to keep those threads out and try to use them in each of the 4 blocks.
My first design really defines the grouping –
I find it fascinating to watch the machine do the work. Don’t kid yourself, machine embroidery has a huge learning curve, and I am continually learning. I’ve learned a lot about stabilizers, hooping, basting boxes, floating fabric, floating stabilizer under my hoop, tension adjustments and more. The most important thing I have learned is to LISTEN to the machine. I can tell if something is going wrong simply by the change in sound. It may have sounded like noise to you, but to me, the sound in the video below was the sound of everything running right.
My second block was one I called a “swirl” of leaves. I did a little rotating of the design on the screen and some slight increasing of the size.
My third block tells the story of what happens when the wind blows.
The last block I played with quite a bit in my machine options. I had the colors from the previous 3 blocks lined up on the ironing board next to the embroidery machine. When I brought the design in to the machine, I decided to “duplicate it” for a total of 3 designs. I rotated the designs and positioned them in a way that I felt was fairly balanced. I did some minor increasing on each of the 3 designs, and when it looked good on the screen, I decided I was happy with it. This really filled the space in the block and made it more interesting .
As each group of 5 leaves stitched out, I adjusted the colors to keep them balanced with the previous group.
When the “next” round of directions come out for this wall hanging, I will make the choices on other fabrics that will compliment the blocks I have made.
It’s been fun to do these 4 blocks and I can’t wait to see what Carole has planned next on her blog https://frommycarolinahome.com/
Are you stitching along with #AutumnJubilee2020 ??
Stitching Grandma 
Awesome designs! Cannot wait to see your final project, it is going to be wonderful.
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Thank you Carole. I liked them because they are open and airy. The “bean stitch” gives a bit of a “hand work” look. Since I never got past Embroidery 101 in Brownie Scouts, I never really pursued hand work. (Lazy, fast & furious, get it done now is my excuse). I look forward to seeing what your plan for the wall hanging is. If you have a chance, look at Brenda’s comments on this post. She is a digitizer….and has created 5 designs! 🙂
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Mary, your trees look awesome!! You are smart to have all your designs grouped by categories, but ultimately decided to file by designer. Now, many, MANY gigabites later I wish I had grouped by categories and designers within the categories! BUT, I have too many to go back now. I haven’t stitched even a portion of what I’ve collected over the last 20 years! I just finished digitizing my designs for the Jubilee, but I have five!! I hope I can incorporate them all somehow! I love the fabric you are using for your embroideries. I need to dig through my stash and locate something I can use. I usually do my test stitch outs on white or beige, but would like something more colorful!! Today, I have to quilt my Halloween Hoppin’ project and then I can play with my embroidery machine! Moving onward!! Have a good day!
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Hi Brenda – thanks for the nice comments. A very long time ago I was a file clerk and got sent to “training” on how to build an official government filing system. Long before computers. When we got computers in the 1980’s at work, I realized quite quickly how the computer directory seemed a lot like a filing cabinet. So, my brain works that way today organizing STUFF. 🙂 The fun thing with the patterns and projects that Carole does with Autumn Jubilee, is you can quickly modify it to suit YOU. I’m sure you will figure out a way to do all 5 designs. If you haven’t done so yet, use her link and join in on the Facebook group, where I am a moderator. Share what your projects look like for #AutumnJubilee2020. I am in awe of those who have mastered the digitizing software, what ever brand you use. I dabble in some of the free stuff to resize things, but never tried anything from scratch, and don’t have the mental bandwidth anymore to learn new software. I won’t “buy” any, because the prices are so high and for what little I would do, it is not cost effective. I went down that rabbit hole with EQ 7 and EQ 8, and just don’t spend the time working with the software. Have fun with your projects.
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Your machine embroidery looks good, but it’s too much fiddling around for me! I’m sure you’re right about that learning curve.
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I got interested in machine embroidery when I won a machine from Brother Sews in 2013. This past year I have had the most fun, fiddling around. I never learned hand embroidery, so this suits me. Instant gratification once I have gone around the curve.
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