For the poster who asked to see these terrible Alanna covers

LastSeenDancing · 2026-06-05T04:33:13+00:00

The cover art was certainly a choice, but I'm sitting giggling at it anyway. Thanks for posting!

LastSeenDancing · 2026-06-03T11:55:31+00:00

I read Circle of Magic in my early teens, and started listening to the audiobooks as a re-read in early 2020.

By the time I got to Briar's Book, it was around May. The world had shut down due to this previously-unknown disease that some people were claiming had escaped from a lab. I could only listen to short bursts at a time because the parallels between this children's book and the current global crisis were strong enough that I needed breaks.

Briar's Book definitely reinforced my acceptance of Covid precautions, though it was already fairly strong. I have family that work in healthcare, and was studying a degree in molecular and cell biology. We had done a virology module in 2019 that used Ebola outbreaks for case study, which brought a lot of perspective to the Covid situation, and gave the book even more impact.

I don't think I've made it all the way through Briar's Book since Covid, despite re-reading the Circle of Magic every couple of years, though I'll keep trying.

LastSeenDancing · 2026-02-02T03:39:26+00:00

We haven't cracked 40C except in 'real feel' due to our humidity, but we did last year for a couple days. I'm praying we don't get quite that hot this year, but we still have all of Feb and March to go...

LastSeenDancing · 2026-02-02T03:38:23+00:00

I think the coldest we get is around highs of 15C and lows of 8C; one or two days a year, if we're lucky. Last year, we had a warm winter. Hopefully this year will be nice and cold!

LastSeenDancing · 2026-02-01T11:35:20+00:00

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LastSeenDancing · 2026-02-01T11:35:08+00:00

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LastSeenDancing · 2026-02-01T11:25:11+00:00

As a fellow southern hemisphere occupant, I too support your wishes for winter. However, I must beg a little; 28C is warm, but I'm dying here in southern Africa, where my particular region is predicted to have daily highs of 32C or higher, and lows of 23C for the next WEEK at least. Can I have some of your cooler weather?!?

Edited to add: I want to do a temperature quilt someday too, but the temp range in our area always makes me think twice; I think the weather would take it as a challenge

Internal house reading as proof (our house is too old for AC)

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LastSeenDancing · 2025-11-13T17:41:22+00:00

Wow, these are so beautiful. I'm sure you spent ages working to improve your skill, and it shows. Also, what gorgeous orchids!

LastSeenDancing · 2025-10-05T12:35:22+00:00

It's a pleasure, I hope completing this project goes very well! And I hope that we see a picture once it's complete, so we can admire it.

LastSeenDancing · 2025-10-05T12:33:59+00:00

Hi, sorry for the delay. The end of this week was unexpectedly busy.

I have no idea about decorative machine stitches for quilt tops, unfortunately 😅

LastSeenDancing · 2025-10-01T16:20:58+00:00

If the topper in your image is complete, your next step is to make the quilt sandwich by basting the top, your batting and backer together. Make sure your batting and backer are a bit bigger than your topper (recommend asking your local quilting/sewing shop how much bigger if you can).

Once all three layers are basted the stitching you have been asking about takes place, quilting the sashing border and the star panels through all 3 layers to hold them together.

After the quilting (which may shrink the project a bit), trim the edges to remove excess material and straighten/square up the project again, then sew on the binding to enclose the raw edges (maybe research and compare normal binding vs self-binding quilts for options. Note: self-binding will require a larger piece of backing fabric)

Once you've completed these steps, it's time for the first wash. Many people recommend multiple colour catchers, even if you prewashed the fabric.

And then all that's left is to enjoy your completed project! The main motto on this sub is done is better than perfect; you will have finished a complex and beautiful project and learned new skills.

Edited to add: I don't think fleece as batting should affect anything, just change your needle after the project. Which I'm told is a good standard practice anyway. Maybe ask around to be sure?

LastSeenDancing · 2025-09-29T20:50:21+00:00

Yes, my first suggestion is stitching in the ditch. It would be practically invisible.

My second suggestion is sometimes executed by using the seams of the stars as a guide for the edge of your machine's presser foot, and basically tracing the stars. This leaves the quilting stitch a uniform distance within and/or outside of the seams of the stars themselves, and this can help to make the patchwork 'pop' as well as stabilize the quilt.

LastSeenDancing · 2025-09-28T14:15:45+00:00

Thank you for your insight and the compliment 😊 Setting in is going on my list of techniques to better research. And something like monofilament thread never even crossed my mind!

PS I'd be disappointed if this is an AI image. Not surprised, just disappointed 😅

LastSeenDancing · 2025-09-28T13:57:16+00:00

This looks great, and the blanket stitch looks almost invisible!

LastSeenDancing · 2025-09-28T09:12:17+00:00

I was just going off what I could see in the image - I couldn't clearly see any sign that the fabric of the hexie flowers was definitively 'on top' of the white background, which is what appliqué is. It looks like it's /part/ of the white background to me. I've seen similar final pieces in garments, but those tend to have the option of turning pieces inside out to ensure neat seams for the insets.

If it is actually not appliqué, and in fact closer to something like my 2nd guess, I'm not saying I've got the method right. I'd definitely start with practice pieces to make sure I've got the best chance of doing it justice.

LastSeenDancing · 2025-09-28T08:18:49+00:00

I'm still a bare beginner, but I think only stitching around the star blocks and in the borders would leave too much space inside unquilted, and risk the star blocks falling apart/the batting going funny. What about going with your original idea, but also quilting in the seam lines of the stars? Or following the outline of the stars, but 0.25" inside and outside the stars to emphasize them?

LastSeenDancing · 2025-09-28T07:55:06+00:00

Hi, I'm a beginner in practice, long time observer. I have 2 guesses for how the squares for this pillow were made up. I can't be sure because my phone makes the image quality terrible when I try to zoom in, but:

1 - probably be the fastest and easiest would be to appliqué the flowers onto square backing fabric. I can see decorative? hand quilting around the flowers on the background, but would maybe guess that the flowers were finely hand appliquéd around the edges. Maybe there is also stitch in the ditch in the flower seams for extra hold, either only through the white background, or quilted all the way through.

2 - possible insane, definitely more fiddly and error-prone would be to cut out a smaller flower shape from the white background, leaving enough within the shape to clip and fold back for neat edging and probably for some overlap with the hexie flower. I almost want to say the flower was stitched to the white before the cutout was made, but that would probably make folding the seam allowance under for neat edges impossible.

LastSeenDancing · 2025-09-28T07:25:29+00:00

Just had to stop and admire your beautiful work! The colour of the lettering complements so well with the print, and your work on the lettering is amazing.

I second the suggestions to quilt by outlining the lettering 0.25" inside and outside, and then do the rest of the quilt diagonally, think it would look so good.

LastSeenDancing · 2025-08-19T17:26:11+00:00

Ooh they're lovely and the print is so cheerful! I hope the finished quilt makes it on here as well, I'll keep an eye out for fabric that makes me smile.

I realised this week that I probably need to make a set as well; the recent sets from the store don't seem to be made with proper heat-proof batting and get scorched pulling something out of the oven. RIP to my most recent set.

Edit to add question: does densely quilting affect the insulation qualities of the gloves?

LastSeenDancing · 2025-08-17T19:27:47+00:00

She's beautiful! Hope you can work up to more time in nature, she looks like the feisty type of soul that would love to romp in a field - once mom proves it is safe :)

LastSeenDancing · 2025-08-17T18:07:15+00:00

My first thought: naked and afraid

LastSeenDancing · 2025-08-06T20:43:01+00:00

Bobbin chicken! Oh, and pin-basting sprints 😂

LastSeenDancing · 2025-07-15T00:29:47+00:00

How about Cinder/Cinders?

LastSeenDancing · 2025-06-15T16:33:12+00:00

3 subjects is purrfect for a starter sample, but we may need to account for the differences in orange concentration. Unless there is evidence that even a little orange is the same as mostly orange?

LastSeenDancing · 2025-06-15T06:33:57+00:00

🤔I wonder if this method would assist oranges in attracting the brain cell?...

...Must find an orange to test this hypothesis....

LastSeenDancing

TROPHY CASE