Bending Threads II

I actually have two topics to share this week. So before I delve into a follow up post to the bobbin work from last week, I really need to tell you about the upcoming fundraiser auction for the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts. It takes place this week and begins tomorrow – Monday, August 3rd!!!

I’m excited to be on the auction block – or at least for my work to be 😁. Here are the details of what I’m offering:

“You and three friends can participate in a 6-hour workshop provided by Chris Lynn Kirsch and held at the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts & Fiber Arts.  Enjoy the day learning a new technique, improving a skill, or having a fun and creative experience with friends, led by an award-winning quilter and teacher.  Select from Chris’s workshop offerings, found on her website: https://www.chrisquilts.net/classes/.”

I know there will be many other great items up for auction – and all the proceeds benefit our museum. So please join in on the fun! I apologize that the link in the image above doesn not work. Here’s the actual link to the site: https://www.wiquiltmuseum.com/calendar-of-events

Bending Threads and Bobbin Work

In response to last week’s post, my dear friend Evelyn sent me some wonderful photos and information about her experiences with bobbin work – and you’re gonna love it!

Evelyn has been featured in quite a few of my posts. She has been a blessing to me in so many ways. She was the friend who taught me how to make my Japanese jacket, inspired my “A View From My Window” challenge, she acted as my agent to get me teaching opportunities in Alaska and Arizona, she has used my “Crossing” technique in a variety of fascinating quilts, and is infamous for her part in our Quilt Sissie kidnapping adventure. If you have a little spare time, you may want to read some of those previous posts. Simply click on the subject of each one above to be linked to them.

This was her response to last week’s Bending Threads post:

Hi Chris, I’m sending photos of some of my bobbin embroidery quilts to use on your blog if you want to.  I’ve taken a close-up and a full quilt picture of each one.  I still have about 30 bobbins with the “thread” on them.

“I’ve tried lots of different threads.  It’s the only way to use decorative threads that won’t go through a machine needle.  The easiest to use is perle cotton, size 8, but I’ve also used sizes 5 and 3.  It’s great for metallics, too, or even multi-strand floss.  In most cases, I do the embroidery through a single layer before sandwiching, but it can be done as part of the quilting. 
I wanted the basket in this wallhanging to show up better, so I outlined the basket on the right side, then turned it over and stitched the lines to make it look woven.“

“One of the first pieces I used the bobbin embroidery on was this multi-technique vest.  I used size 3 perle cotton to make the spider webs. You can’t get much thread that size on a bobbin and you have to loosen the bobbin tension more than with most threads.”

“This cotton and metallic thread made a nice filler in the open spaces of this wall hanging.  I traced the design on paper, then pinned it to the back and sewed through the paper.”

“I made this quilt in a workshop on ways to make and use circles.  I used metallic cord to highlight parts of the circles, and a satin cord in the border as part of the quilting.”

“I used a top thread in the color of the background to make this one look more like hand sashako.”

“Bobbin embroidery can be used on bed quilts, too.  My quilter echoed the same motif in the border.”

Almost a week after Evelyn sent me these wonderful photos, I received this message:

“This quilt is hanging in my large living/sewing room staring at me and I forgot it.  It’s called “Cycles to Fit the Stages of Life.” Cycles, Fits and Stages was the name of the challenge for a show and I took it literally.   The spokes are bobbin embroidered.”

Delightful! All of these quilts make me want to go do more bobbin work. I hope they’ve inspired you too. Thanks Evelyn!!!

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And remember to go to the museum auction site: https://www.wiquiltmuseum.com/calendar-of-events, and support our wonderful fiber art museum!