Working for Scale on a Mermaid's Tail

What does the title of today's post mean? Nothing . . . I just liked the rhyme.

Anyway, my friend Laurel came to spend the day quilting yesterday, and I continued to work on my mermaid piece. I used a very narrow, close zigzag stitch to sew down each piece. (For interested quilters, I used a length of 1.0 and depending on the size of the individual piece, a width of 1.5 or 2.0.  I learned this in a Libby Lehman lecture; she pointed out that you should aim to have the zigzag just wide enough to catch each side. I've done my raw edge applique like that ever since.) Of course, sometimes you might want to use a wider zigzag stitch as a decorative element. 

 Here I used a gold thread on the sections of the mermaid tail to provide some definition and matching colored thread for the rest of the pieces.

 

It might surprise non-quilters to know that this stitching took all day! It takes longer than you would think it would especially when trying to use such a narrow zigzag stitch. Because it was so very hot and suffocatingly humid, we didn't even stop to go out for lunch!

I used two pieces of slightly smaller batting beneath this shell to give it dimension.

 

 I also add batting under the fish and the mermaid's pillow; she'll have a soft place to rest her head. :-)

Now it's time to add the embroidery, yarn, beads, handstitching, etc. FUN!!!

For Emma fans, here she is after her trip to the groomer on Monday.

 

This time her ear tips had sparkly green stick-on blink.

I was able to take this angle as Emma is currently curled up on my lap. It's not easy typing with a schnauzer and a laptop balanced on my lap. 

This afternoon I'm going to my cousin Freddie's seventh birthday party and later a Vince Gil concert at the South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset. Life is Good!!!