Monday, March 30, 2020
QUILTING THE GEESE AND HALF STAR
I have mentioned a number of times that I simply cannot master free motion quilting. I took a class for a full week with out much success. I know that practice would improve that skill, but frankly I just get bored and move on to something fun. However, I have learned a number of ways to get around this issue.
Bernina offers a number of mini classes on their newsletters and I took note of one a while back. I do love the mini quilting idea and after looking through the class using your decorative stitches I made my self a notebook of stitches that I might use.
And I began quilting my geese and half star wall hanging. Once I had started I found it was coming along really nicely.
The geese side is nearly done with stitch #680 14.1 by 9.0 on my Bernina B750. I am pleased with the outcome.
Not sure what I plan to do on the half star side. I am thinking straight line quilting.
As so many of us are stuck in the house due to the Corona virus, we are still encouraged to take a walk out in the fresh air. These California poppies along the way made for a bright spot in the day.
Monday, March 23, 2020
CORONA VIRUS CABIN FEVER
Like so many here in the United States and other countries too I am hunkered down at home. After a week or two one gets a bit stir crazy and decides to take on a sewing task that has been put off for over a year. And, an insane one at that.
Last winter I decided my king size comforter and cover was way to heavy and large. This winter I used our guest double bed comforter and it worked really well. So I decided to tackle the task for taking that king size comforter and cover down a good 20 plus inches all the way around. Thank goodness the filling of the comforter is not feathers and was divided up with stitching about every 10 inches or so. I just started cutting and turning under edges.
However, the cover itself was a whole other task. It basically had to be taken apart and completely remade. I could have bought the cover in a smaller size, it was still available. However, the original cover cost a near fortune and the smaller size wasn't much cheaper. I figured the worse case was I could always scrap it and buy the replacement if things really got bad.
Things worked out very well, and I am just cutting down and pinning the last size seam.
And the finished product. It just covers the top of the bed with little hang over on sides or bottom.
Now I am back to working on something a bit more fun. One of the last rows of my SOS Charity Guy Quilts for my guild.
Just a few more rows to add and its done and on to something else.
We ran a gift out for my daughter's husband's birthday this week and walked around the property for a bit keeping our 6 feet distance as directed by our state governor. For those fans of my daughter's pets, meet Colonel Sanders having a nice dust bath in the afternoon sun.
And his lady friend. My daughter picked them up off the highway on the way home one afternoon before they became chicken patties in the roadway. They are a bit on forced separation from the rest of the chicken gang right now as the Colonel is the jeolous type and picks fights with the other rooster when he comes near her. Who can blame him she is quite the beauty at least he thinks so.
Monday, March 16, 2020
MACHINE BINDING
Over the last few months I have been busy making table runners and placemats for my quilt guild's boutique booth at our quilt show coming up in January 2021. I made about 50 table runner late last year and now have been adding a few more to that. Sewing binding by hand just didn't seem reasonable, so originally I sewed them down by machine in the ditch. That takes a lot of ver precise sewing and it was a slow process. So just recently I decided on a faster way that still looks nice. And it seems to really work well.
The front of the runners have this nice straight line that looks nice.
The back of the binding also looks nice too.
And even the corners came out nicely.
And the trick is this little baby. I have a Bernina and this #10 foot labeled edge stitcher works great. I just run that middle blade down the ditch on the front of the runner and move my needle over two or three clicks. I pin my bindings down from the front and within just 5 minutes I and done. I do know that the feet are called several different names. There are feet called Overcast or Blindstitch that are very similar and can be used. My Janome didn't have one so I was able to find one on Madam Sew on the internet. They have every foot you could want and more and adapters that fit most machines.
Now I know that binding this way is not the thing for a nice quilt, but for runners and placemats that get washed a good deal it does work well.
For those fans of my daughters peacocks. This is a picture of her front porch and notice the peacocks that seem to think they are gargoyles. My other daughter arrived at the house and couldn't help but laugh at them and said they reminded her of gargoyles on ancient building in Europe, and snapped a photo of them.
The front of the runners have this nice straight line that looks nice.
Now I know that binding this way is not the thing for a nice quilt, but for runners and placemats that get washed a good deal it does work well.
Monday, March 9, 2020
GROWN UP BACK PACKS
My VBF Brooke at Silly Mama Quilts shared her Meadow Whispers Backpack a couple weeks ago. I thought it was a great idea for myself. I often prefer not to haul a handbag around and this seemed like a nice idea for me to use when out and about at quilt related events. I purchased the pattern from her Etsy shop and I was ready to go.
What really got me interested was I had this cork I purchased and seeing Brooke's with the cork bottom really made me think this would be a great adult backpack idea.
Brooke's pattern direction with color pictures are very easy to follow and in no time at all I had my backpack put together.
And here it is all done. It took me two short afternoons and one minor trip to the fabric store for the twill tape. It is lined with a zipper pocket inside as well. It only used three fat quarters for the outside and a small strip of cork. A half yard of fabric for the lining and the zipper pocket inside was plenty to finish them off. I think this would be a perfect children's backpack idea too.
Spring has arrived in our area. The almond trees are in full bloom. Nice to have winter weather almost over, although a little more rain would be nice.
Monday, March 2, 2020
OUT WITH THE OLD IN WITH THE NEW
I was searching for a piece of felt this past week for one of my folio projects and came came across this large hunk of odd fabric.
I bought it ages ago, at least 20 plus years or more. It isn't actually quilted, but has the impression of quilting. It is also quite heavy.
The back side is just this white thread. I had about two yards of the stuff and it is rather bulky so I decided it might be nice to make some bags out of it and get it out of the bin.
I cut out three pieces 19 wide by 44 inches long. Enough to make three bags and be rid of it. It seemed like they would be rather plain so I thought it might be nice to put something on the front of them. I ended up making a 12 inch star block. I turned under the four sides a half inch and it was a perfect idea to decorate the front of the bags.
I sewed the blocks on to the front of the bags. Bought some handle material and finished off the three.
And the finished product. I think these will do well at my quilt shows boutique in January. I did line them as well to give them a finished look.
I also finished up a third folio this past week as well. These have been such fun. I will say that this one was a bit of a chore with so many different compartments and pockets. Is was supposed to have a pin cushion in it, but I figured the felt pin area was fine for a this little travel tool kit.
The best part of this one is in folds up into this nice little handy take with you tool kit.
Sorry no peacocks this week, just Peaches my daughter's gentleman duck helping out with the gardening chores. Marvin his lady is in the fuzzy background. And yes, their names should be switched. My grandson's named them when they were little ducklings, and once grown up they discovered their names didn't match properly, but refused to switch them. They each knew their names and would come when you called them.
Monday, February 24, 2020
QUILT SHOW BOUTIQUES
This past week I attended a quilt show boutique workshop for my upcoming guild's quilt show in January 2021. They are always fun and you learn a few hints and tips along the way. This particular workshop was for making zippy bags and boxes. As I have made some of these type items myself I though it would be fun.
These are the finishes for the day. About 10 of us showed up and accomplished these 12 bags and 1 box. I was able to finish up 2 of them, but I had taken fabric and supplies to make a total of 5. So once home I had homework to do.
So here are my other three. I decided to try the zipper boxes and they are so fun. Very useful for all sorts of storage and take along items.
I finished up this folio for myself this week. I may end up teaching some of these in boutique workshops later this year. Right now I am using them and really find them useful.
I love using some of the fat quarter prints that come to me from my Quilty Box monthly subscription. Such pretty coordinating prints to work with.
And again for you peacock fans. Two of my daughter's male baby peacocks with their baby lady friend. They like to lay in the garden's ground cover just beyond the patio. But if they hear a noise they peek out. The silly little only female she has out of the 5 is sure bold and makes all the noise. Ear slitting screams, best property protector, she lets you know if anyone is coming for sure.
Monday, February 17, 2020
SEWING ORGANIZERS
This past week I decided to take some time to do some sewing for myself. I purchased a new book, Stitched Sewing Organizers by Aneela Hoey to give me some new fun ideas.
My first project was a See-It-All Pouch. I had some really nice fat quarter prints that looked like they would be fun to cut into.
I ended up doing a little modification on the zipper area. But it was just a lot of fun to make.
It ended up going together in just one afternoon. I did make the decision to sew the binding down by hand instead of doing that on the machine I just can't get a nice binding on the machine.
My second project was the Book and Tool Folio. This pattern was a bit of a challenge. I found the direction in the book difficult to understand and ended up doing a bit of winging it.
In the end I did change the folio Pellon 72F interfacing for byAnnie's Soft and Stable. The Pellon is a very stiff interfacing while the Soft and Stable is more of a foam stabilizer. I do think that this book has some wonderful ideas, but it is not for a beginner. I was glad I had some past experience with zipper installation and general sewing experiences. With the four different storage areas the folio can handle all sorts of tools and even a couple magazines or quilt books.
In the end I also decided on a ribbon tie rather than a button closure for the folio. I love how it came out. It is large enough to put a book in it along with all sorts of other goodies.
For those fans of my daughter's pets. Her four baby peacocks and Ginny fowl have found the mornings a bit cold, so they have found the dryer vent a perfect place to warm up.
Monday, February 10, 2020
THE LAST OF THE SCRAP BIN?
I think at least for the time being I can finish up the last guy charity quilt requests and I've finished up two charity quilt tops this past week and now I can get back to doing a couple of fun things for myself.
Early last week I finished up this quilt top. I'm not crazy about it, but Warm Wrappings my guild's charity division appreciates even this not so award winning top.
This one was a little hard to bundle up for Warm Wrappings. It was all 3.5 inch squares out of my scrap bins, but it really is pretty.
These prints are a third guy quilt that Warm Wrappings put out a SOS for guy quilts. They are hard to come by as so often quilts are more feminine.
So two rows have been completed with 14 blocks that measure finished at 4 by 7 inches. I hope to have the quilt finished at 56 by 63 inches.
Time to pull out my favorite Valentine's table runner. I made it so many years ago, but fall in love with it again and again every year when I pull it out of the closet.
This is what I have in mind to make for myself this week. I purchased Aneela Hoey's book Stitched Sewing Organizers this past week and intend to do some fun project for myself out of it. It is full of some really fun ideas.
Monday, February 3, 2020
UFO'S, FINISHED AND START
My New Year's Resolution to get some of my UFO's done seems to still be producing some results.
I finished Hidden Treasures. This long overdue UFO is ready for the quilter.
After digging around in the piles of unfinished projects I found this piece. I think it is time to get it quilted. As I am not a free motion quilter I think some straight line quilting in varied angles might do the trick on this piece and produce a nice wall hanging.
Last year I decided to work on de-stashing my older fabrics. Older meaning some of a good 20 years or more age. My scrap bins were full so I though to try to deplete some of them. These 3.5 inch squares have actually made a pretty good dent in some of my scrap bins.
I am amazed at how fast things have progressed in just two afternoons on this project. Plus I have emptied an entire scrap pin as well. The four middle rows are done with 19 blocks. I like it and think it is really cheery. It will be given to my guild's charity division when the top is done and a prepped binding is done for it.
Last week I posted a couple pictures of my daughter's baby peacocks. They are now big enough to be allowed out for a bit of free roaming around their property in the afternoons. Note the one female out of the four males she has is leading the pack. We know who is boss now. The Ginny hens joined in the parade. They live with the peacocks very peacefully in their fenced in yard.
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