This quilt was inspired by my idea of the perfect ending to a colorful day. Imagine being on a quiet island in the evening. The seas are calm, stars are twinkling, your blue cozy little house snuggles next to the light house as it spreads it's warm glow across the sea. And all the boats are parked in their parking spots.
The only thing slightly scary about this scene is the
Herringbone Stitch that makes up the stylized trees on the shore. Yikes! Fortunately, there are directions in
Fanciful Stitches, Colorful Quilts on how to make this embroidery stitch. Friendlier stitches to embellish the quilt are also in the book. (Please, no letters about my lambasting of the Herringbone Stitch. I'm just saying its scares me.)
And now for my fellow lambasters!
I'm giving away a Fist Full of Threads! to a random reader who leaves a comment on this blog today. (Please note: if you win, I have to get your shipping address somehow, so you may have to leave your email address.)
99 comments:
I get so excited when I see one of your projects in my blog roll. the colors are always so bright and cheerful!!
A fist full of thread would be great if it takes the voyage to Switzerland.
Edith
Laura, the lighthouse is fabulous! Lovely colors and stitching. I'm enjoying your preview for the book. Best wishes from Ankara, Turkey. Cheers, Mara
Good morning and your lighthouse is wonderful. Happy Tuesday to a "fellow lambaster" Maybe you could stitch THAT image into a project! LOL
Maud
I have my fingers crossed that the fistful of threads is coming to Canada. Love the lighthouse
This one may be my fav of all time. Living on the coast of Maine, this is my life. I actually very much like your herringbone trees. They have a certain impact. I also love the running stitches around the moon. A really wonderful piece.
LOVE LOVE the lighthouse stitching !!!! that is just too clever
and it's TUESDAY - another chance to win some awesome thread - I have my fingers crossed !
This one is great! Nothing wrong with the stitching. Your work is very inspirational.
On such a cloudy morning you quilt brightens the room, its beautiful. I would love a chance at the fist full of threads.
Thanks
sheilarbales@gmail.com
Laura, they just keep getting better and better! My hubby loves lighthouses! And I think I will love making this one for him!
Love the lighthouse.
Would love a fistfull of muted, moody colored threads too.
Just kidding any color thread is always welcome.
Mary Ann
mavs@netnitco.net
I really love how you've accented the moonbeams!
Your color draws me in. Would love to
work with your threads!
I got the reservation card in the mail for my new book! What a nice touch. Also a great nice touch that you are putting a sample of thread in with it. Woot. Can't wait.
A fistful of dollars would be nice, but a fistful of threads would be nicer.
I totally love those trees. They are so fun.
Ok, I am thinking that this is my week for sure. fingers crossed
loveslove00@aol.com
Wow, I just love the intense colors in these quilts - you rock the color world!
I got married at a lighthouse just down the street from where I grew up...not a lot of trees around it so I can avoid the herringbone stitch!
I was so looking forward to seeing the lighthouse! I love it. And I love the way the light wraps around the moon...the three little boats at the shore are the icing on the cake for me, though. I have a thing about boats in pictures, etc. Just wonderful!
Kim
Hmmm! I live on an island ( San Juan in Wash State) and we have a Light House in Whale Watch Park. I have always wondered about the lives of those who lived in lighthouses in the old days. Beautiful stitchery.
Janet Wright
Ah, this looks so inviting! I could use some warm weather.
I am a;ways delighted to see your bright colors .....A fistful of thread you say! Oh, I wopuld love some!
treasuregab@yahoo.com
I have yet to read what is so sinister about the dreaded herringbone stitch, but I am most curious...
Another fun 24 hours of anticipation for all of us hoping to win thread!
Love those little herringbone trees!
I would so love to win a Fistful of Thread! I'm currently teaching myself embroidery techniques by working through "Threaducation Thursday" posts. Wouldn't it be wonderful if your threads were in my sampler?? Rhetorical question. Of course it would!
I think the fistful of thread would love to come to Utah! I love the lighthouse...reminds me of living in Maine. Tuesdays are so much fun. thank you, Laura.
Clever use of the Herringbone.
Love the little windows on the lighthouse. Just like last week, trying again to win a Fist Full of Threads!
Laura, I happen to think your herringbone stitches are great because they look like trees on the mountains. Thank you for this wonderful give-away. Take care and God bless, Cory
You always use such colorful, cheery fabrics in your pieces. These are eye candie for those of us in snowbound climates! Thanks for lifting our spirits up.
I love your use of color and this wonderful lighthouse is cheerful ... brightens a cold winter day. Your fabric choices are divine. Warm regards, Beth fibermavenbeth@gmail.com
The light house piece is wonderful!
It does feel like a great end to a day. Please, please, threads ....!
I LOVE this piece! The little blue house is just waiting for the lighthouse to put it's arm out & embrace it. I also really really like the stitching from the light house to the moon!!!
Love your herringbone stitch in varigated thread.
LindaMac lov2quilt@gmail.com
We were just talking about how much we loved being by the lake in the summer...I can use your thread at a lake house, too, you know!!! Thanks so much for sharing your work with us.
Lighthouse is fabulous. I would not have expected to see "trees" after looking at the herringbone close-up but they are amazing. How did you know that would work?
Sandy in CA
I really like this quilt! The stitches are great. Is the fusible hard to needle through?
I'll leave my email address, so when you pick me for the fist full of thread, I'm easy to get ahold of. ;) (cutienbo@hotmail.com)
My word for this year is "Lighten Up" so your light house really resonated with me today! I am certain that a fistful of your thread would bring light to my life.
Rachel
I am still hoping to win a fist-full of threads!
That's a gi-normous lighthouse! Love the multi-colored trees.
I love the lighthouse and especially the way the stitches swirl around the moon - gorgeous!
I look forward to hearing from you Tuesdays!
I am enjoying your stitch postings. I would love to win a fistful of thread.
Love the lighthouse, especially the colors. I use lighthouses as my subject frequently, though I haven't tried one so colorful. I'd love to be in the running for your thread. Thread is one of my obsessions lately!
I love the hand stitches you did to emphasize the moonlight streaming on the lighthouse. I believe checking into more of your Tuesdays ....I am going to have to break down and do hand stitches on a quilt. There is something about them that free motion and machine stitches just can't match.
Ann Morrell
Yzarctoo@aol.com
A fistful of your threads would be a great way to start the new year! /jill
Let me just say that if you plan on lambasting us with more great inspiration, then please continue!! (I hope I am an inspiration to someone somewhere someday.) But other than that I don't honestly aspire to lambasting and I hope to avoid all lambasters because lambasting just sounds, well, painful really!
Seriously -- thanks for the giveaway! Love your blog!! Love your artwork even more!!!
Kathie F in NC
http://ramblingdandelions.blogspot.com
Hi Laura.... all these little houses and the beauty of stitch have me not only wanting the threads but the book, too!
Here's hoping..........
Everything is soooo cute. I can't wait to get my book....I preordered. The fist full of thread would be such fun!
Those herringbone trees are so fabulous! I sure hope that I'm a winner!
Hope that you had a thread-tastic New Year!
Hi Laura,
I hope I win the beautiful thread, it might help me get out of the "Formerly Artistic" funk I am in right now. Maybe it is because we don't have any snow.
Thanks, Shelly in Nebraska
burgequilt@windstream.net
And what about a long trip to Italy????
Missed you last week. But now I can see you were busy stitching! I love the light wrapping around the moon. Herringbone trees are interesting. Such fun you have. I need thread so I can have fun, too. Carolyn in Kerrville, TX
kerrgirl@gmail.com
I'm trying again, Laura -- would love to win your threads!
Diane
Would love to win some of your threads...your posts are starting to entice me to start stitching on my designs.
The lighthouse is fab love the stitching of the trees. :)
I love the lighthouse. Lighthouses hold special meaning to us here in my house. My father-in-law was the first National Park Ranger for the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, NC. He and his wife and 3 little boys lived in the lighthouse keeper's house (that little blue house) for a while. The oldest of those little boys is my hubby, now 62 yrs young.
Beckie in Brentwood, TN
The Lighthouse quilt makes me long for vacation. Oh, the "Fanciful Stitches, Colorful Quilts" book looks fun!
Happy New year!
Your Lighthouse is awesome! I would love to win your threads too.
mereasoner@comcast.net
Love the lighthouse! And all embroidery stitches scare me ...
Hope I win the thread!
This reminds me of when I lived on Vancouver Island. We weren't near a light house but the moon on the water was pretty neat. I'd love to win a fist full of your gorgeous threads.
Laura, love the work and the book looks great. A fist full of thread would make me swoon -- Nancy
For something that scares you, you make it look so easy.
love how your stitches really bring to life a very simple piece! hope this is my week to win!
<3 judi
Love, love, love all the stitch work on this piece.
The light house is great! I adore bright colors, they make my heart sing!!
penguingranny55@yahoo.com
Love your projects - quite inspiring. Would love to win that thread, also
This may be your loveliest yet! It's the perfect combination of wacky colors (I say this affectionately) and lush serenity. And I am asking my valentine for green and blue thread.
Fun lighthouse especially with the herringbone stitch! I tried to download the poppy pattern from last week and received pdf file damaged errors.
Meanwhile, let me re-read todays Fanciful Stitches post. Thanks for the chance to win a Fist Full of Threads.
I'm so enjoying all your preview posts and Thread-u-cations as I'm hoping to add more embroidery to my work. I'm inspired by all you do with needle and thread. Thanks for the chance to win some threads.
Your use of color in fabric and thread is wonderful. I especially like the curvy edges. Is the black behind the edges part of the quilt or just for photography. I'd love to win some of your thread to go with your dyed socks that I won years ago at Quilting by the Lake (and still wear occasionally).
My normal e-mail address is nancysch@nycap.rr.com.
Another great project. Thanks for sharing your talents with us!
Your work is inspiring! The color is a treat to the eyes and the threadwork only adds to the whole effect. Lovely stuff!
I think the running stitch swirl in the sky totally neutralizes any scariness from the trees. Another fabulous work.
Laura, i absolutely LOVE this one!!! Seriously? As soon as your give-away is completely done (& i *don't* win a copy), i'm going out and buying a copy of my very OWN!
LOVE!!!
=-)
lupansgirl(at)gmail(dot)com
Great project! I acually hug lighthouses whenever I get the chance (long story). :)
Lorchen
Love that piece! I would love to win a fistful of threads!
Love the lighthouse!
I would love to win your fist full of thread. I have a spool and needle quilt kit (from you) that needs embellishing.
sheila.fernkopf@gmail.com
Ooh, ooh, PICK ME! PICK ME! I want to do some big stitch with some pretty thread!!
Laura, your hand-dyed variegated thread played a big roll in my first accepted quilt in AQS Paducah. Bought more last year at QBL. Love your thread
Absolutely wonderful! I love the herringbone trees. A delightful way to represent them.
A fistful would certainly be a fantastic win!!!
Count me in...I always enjoy visiting you...Thank you for the inspiration!
Val in Kansas :-)
Oh I love this lighthouse. Reminds me of Gig Harbor, WA. Gosh the list is getting longer and longer each week for your thread Draw! Hope I made it in time:)
Love the lighthouse. It reminds me of home. The colors are cheery and the the sense of calm is immediate.
Love the lighthouse, I saw one today
I love the stitches around the moon! Very van Gogh!
Looks like fun! I really love the stitching between the lighthouse and the moon.
Wow - really love this quilt and the stitching around the moon is just great!
Laura,
This little lighthouse is breathtaking! Love the stitching in the sky!
Hand stitching of all sorts is a bit intimidating to me, so I love to see it done so well and with so much playfulness, and the gorgeous colors! I enjoyed your blog very much.
This is my favorite one yet!! Love the sea ... and your blog!
Love the stitching from the light house and up around the sun/moon - very nice
I really love the stitching around the "ball of light in the sky"! I like the image of light traveling and air currents.Stitching well done - you get another A+ ...Marybeth
Hi Laura,
I will be making "Morning in Birdland" as a sample at the new store "Make It Sew" and would love to have a fistful of your threads to embellish it with!
I am a lover of lighthouses and exceptional work. This is stunning. Your herringbone stitches are perfect every one! Wishing me luck!
Thanks for sharing,
Deborah
I love thread! Please enter me in the drawing.
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