So I want to make it clear that this is NOT what France embroidered on her mug rug pattern. She has the words "Tea in the Rose Garden" or, in French: "Petit napperon Le thé dans la roseraie". The reason I thought that France's pretty pattern worked so well for this is because it contrasts so much with the phrase I used, thus making it more humorous.
This is still a work in progress. It's for my friend who has been battling dire health problems for far too long and sometimes just doesn't feel up to explaining everything that has been going on. She will immediately recognize that it is for her, because we've been joking around about this phrase lately.
I'm spilling the beans a bit early because I need advice on how to quilt this. How in the world do you quilt something with embroidered details? Any thoughts? The whole piece measures only 8 x 10 inches. The embroidery is a whipped back stitch, so it's raised up a little. Bear in mind that I'm not good at embroidery and this is the best I've ever managed to do. I used the Crafted Applique method for the teacups and rose and it worked like a charm.
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Happy Mail!
Recently, a surprise arrived in our mailbox for me. It was from my friend Preeti Harris, who blogs at Sew Preeti Quilts. She's just such a complete sweetheart and I've been so glad that we've become friends. Thank you Preeti!
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| Three FQs, beautiful variegated thread and Mysore Sandal Soap, which smells so divine! |
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Giveaway Winners!
Here on BuzzinBumble, I had a giveaway during the 12 Days of Christmas in July Blog Hop. It was a really popular giveaway and I can see why. Thank you everyone for your participation and for all the wonderful comments! I managed to reply to everyone, unless they were a no-reply commenter. So if you didn't hear back from me, that is why.
Three lucky commenters won this terrific Kate Spain panel from her North Woods fabric line.
The winners were drawn by the Random Integer Generator. I had to redraw for one of the winners, because number 83 turned out to be my daughter Alina... which wouldn't be very fair, although I loved her comment.
So the winners are: # 50 - Selina, # 41 - Nancy, and # 100 - Susie.
I'll be in touch with all of you!
Thank's for stopping by, because...
You can click on the pup and she'll
take you to the comment section.
Well I think your gift will bring a chuckle to your friend, most any time she lays eyes on it! Well done, Lara! So funny...except I am sorry for her troubles :(
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry to hear you friend is going through so much. I would probably quilt bubbles / cloud around the embroidery (just think of a "hump" over each letter) and echo that once or twice, leaving the embroidery un-quilted over. Then I would probably do an all over meander or something fun and floraly for the background. I hope that idea helps?
ReplyDeleteLara, you are a hoot, your friend will absolutely love this! I think I'd probably echo those gentle curvy lines of the "wallpaper" behind the teacups after forming a cloud or bubble as Yvonne suggested around the words. Congratulations to the winners of your giveaway!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to the winners, well done for lovely comments. Quilting, a sort of cloud like oval with cloudy like wavy lines round the words. echo round the cups and tea bag, and follow the wavy lines of the pattern on the fabric if you need more. and I send all wishes for your friend , I am sure she will so appreciate this gift.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking thinking along the same lines as Quilting Babcia. Since the background has a lot going on with the floral. I was thinking gentle curvy vertical lines with maybe a little flower or leaf thrown in every now and then. I think your friend will surely smile when seen this! Congrats to all the winners!
ReplyDeleteMy first thought was, omg she did do it! Haha Lara. Such a needed laugh today. I will leave my comment there for the moment...
ReplyDelete;)
Lara, you do make me laugh and I hope this brings your friend some laughs too. Your quilting query seems pretty much answered by other commenters so I look forward to seeing this all finished.
ReplyDeleteI don't know that expression, and on that background? So funny, sounds like your friend has the sense of humour to appreciate it, even in this difficult time, I wish her well. With my quilting skills I'm not up to giving advice, bit i would do a sort of oval to isolate the writing too, then maybe quilt around the appliqué and at least some of the flowers on the wallpaper.
ReplyDeleteSmiles
Kate
I would do a bubble around the lettering, cups and flower as others suggested. Then some wavy straight line quilting. I hope your friend gets a laugh out of it every time she sees it and can feel the love behind it.
ReplyDeleteI love that! It's a perfect smile maker and just what your friend needs. I think everyone has already given you good ideas, I would frame the words with a wavy oval and free motion hearts and flowers on a vine over the rest of the open spaces.
ReplyDeleteAre your sandals sore? Are we supposed to wash them with a special soap? I have things to learn :)
Congrats to the winners! I cannot express how much I love that mug rug. So simple and elegant but speaks a blunt and realistic truth. And whether anyone will admit it or not, sometimes there is beauty in blunt honesty. It reminds me of a book of cross stitches I ran across. They look like vintage samplers, with, let's say, phrases of a sailor. What about a simple cross hatch in the background?
ReplyDeleteI'd do loopy gentle free motion on it I think. I like the idea of the odd flower thrown in from those above! It made me smile too and I think your friend cant help but love it!
ReplyDeleteOMGosh....that is too funny. The elegance of the teacups and rose with the embroidery is a hoot. She is going to love it. I would duplicate the wavy fabric lines omitting the applique and embroidery. Since it is a mug rug I also think you could easily get away with just outlining the cups and flowers. Whatever way you do it will be great.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to the lucky winners.
Congratulations to the winners! I agree with the other commenters who have suggested some simple quilting that just comes to the edge of the pretty stitching....It will be awesome, whichever way you finish it!
ReplyDeleteI am sure your friend will appreciate the gesture you are making with your sewing project. All the best to her and to you too of course =)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to the giveaway winners.
Thank you so much for the fabric, Lara !! ( I love Kate Spain fabrics!!)
ReplyDeleteFor your embroidered/appliqued mug rug: I'd also keep the quilting to a minimum... and stop at the saying area.... Maybe diamonds ?
Susie
I think that will be perfect for your friend Lara! I would just do a small free motion stipple stitch on the mug rug but not go over the embroidery.
ReplyDeleteHmm, not sure if my comment went through because I see I had to select a profile. I selected Google so here we go: How about stitching on the flowers of the background fabric, as if you were appliqueing them.
ReplyDeletekakingsbury at verizon dot net
Gah!! I have no idea what happened there Lara! It's good now.
DeleteWhat a lovely mug rug, your friend will be seeing the sentiment every day and know there is a good friend thinking of her, whether it is a good day or not so much! As for the quilting, since the mug rug is so small, you don't have to do much quilting at all, but definitely go around the embroidery and not through it.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about your friend. France's design is beautiful, and your mug rug is very pretty and fun at the same time. I am sure this will make your friend laugh out loud.
ReplyDelete-Soma
BAHAHA! This is just such a hoot!! But you know I'd love it. What else is a hoot is that you and I posted within a day of each other and had two identical topics in our posts: profanity and Mysore Sandalwood soap from Preeti! Wee-ooh! Wee-ooh! Twilight Zone music...Quilting, cross-hatching is very à propos behind appliqué (funny, I see Tish suggested this too! We DO think alike.) That way you could tie off at the letter lines so it would look like the embroidery was done afterwards. Granted, tying off would be a major PITA. I also thought (ha, truth: as I was driving home from yoga this morning, since I read this post yesterday but hadn't commented) of outlining the flowers and doing a little wavy meander with 3 or 4 petal flowers, maybe a bee at one point :-) and again, I think you could get around the letters. A cloud around them and no quilting inside might make that area poof out too much, IMHO. Tricky for sure. As for the saying oh yes, my MacGyver says a similar one when asked how things are, "Same old shit; different pile." :-)
ReplyDeleteHaha, those flowers with that text is so funny. Sorry to hear about your friend though. I hope it'll cheer her up a bit.
ReplyDeleteNo apologies are needed, Lara! lol You made a gorgeous and funny little piece. I love your tea cups. I can well imagine a lady drinking in this cup, in a victorian tea shop... and whispering these word to a dear friend. Witty. :-)
ReplyDeleteYour embroidery is pretty lovely, in my opinion. It suits your fabric choice. As for the quilting, I would suggest a diagonal garden fence. I would then be easy to stop at a letter and continue on the other side of it.
Also, thank your for the links leading to my place. :-)
Congratulations to the winners!
Let's talk about SHIT. When I first came to US, someone explained the terms to me - BS and MS. Being in school, I still naively believed that they stood for Bachelors and Masters in Science. However when I was told that PhD stood for "piled higher and deeper" I burst out laughing. You Americans are so weird!!!
ReplyDeleteI know I live with one. Wait, now I am one too. YIKES!!!
Glad you liked your surprise.
Hugs,
Preeti.
Thank you for participating to my Fabric, Thread and Yarn link party. Have a good week!
ReplyDeleteSo funny Lara, and that's what your friend needs the most--a good laugh. It's especially dear that you used a phrase you have both shared in fun. The quilt will be so perfect and uplifting for her. As for quilting, I was thinking a series of diagonal lines. You could first quilt a box around the phrase and stop and start the lines on each side of the box. This would make the phrase stick out a bit, but I think that would be perfect.
ReplyDeleteGreat phrase! I don't do much applique or embroidery so I am not sure how to suggest quilting it. It will look wonderful any way to do it though!
ReplyDeleteI'm a straight line quilter myself but I do love embroidery in patchwork , especially words . Your friend will love this
ReplyDelete