Christmas is approaching quickly. I still have some sewing to finish up for gifts. I don’t really like being in this position, but it’s better than fighting the crowds at the mall. I would tell you all what I’m up to, but I don’t want to spoil any surprises. I will tell you this; it involves cotton and both projects I’m working on are related to food in one way or another. Intrigued?
November’s project is done, but again I can’t share for reasons stated above.
I’m already looking forward to 2015. Contemplating all kinds of adventures. I’d like to teach more and am considering options in that area as well as doing some more designing. Maybe I’ll write a book filled with easy patterns and lots of sewing tips. Perhaps I’ll venture off into video and become a youtube sensation.
For now, I need to get back into the studio and finish up these gifts. The New Year will be here soon enough.
I started this quilt in January of 2012. It was a block of the month at a local shop. You pay a minimal amount to join and then if you bring in the finished block form the previous month, the fabric for the next block is free. Then there’s no incentive to get the 12th block done, let alone the top finished. Let me just say, I’m not a fan of most blocks of the month. There are usually way too many colors and not enough consistency for my taste. This quilt is no different. That being said, I do them to learn and hone my craft.
The pattern called for the blocks to surround a large colorful piece made of 3″ blocks. I made an error in color choice and didn’t like the way it looked. So I will save that center for another project.
Once I started laying out the blocks, it became obvious who would receive it. A family with 3 small children who ALWAYS fight about color. Each has a favorite color and the others don’t want anything to do with anything that is in their sibling’s favorite color.
At first I was going to do some complicated quilting on the frame using QuiltMotion (a computer program for quilting.) The plan was a block motif for each block and then something different for the sashing and cornerstone pieces. Then reality kicked in and I quilted it with a simple pantograph. I’ll save the complicated quilting for another time.
Have you ever seen something that you just had to try? Perhaps a recipe, a patio table, or even a new route to a familiar place. For me, it’s almost always a fabric thing and if I don’t jump on in right away, it ends up in the forgotten, “Someday” file. That file exists in my head, but I’m working on getting it out of there and into a digital format. This table runner was one of those things.
The pattern is called, Triangle Frenzy™ Swirl. I love the simplicity of cutting only one fabric and ending up with an eye-catching design. I chose Halloween themed fabric, well cause it’s that time of year and it was on sale. I made the larger one first and had enough fabric to make the smaller one. They will find homes with my two daughters.
I considered a few quilting options, but I’m really practicing not over thinking things and not making them more difficult than they need to be. I pulled out my walking foot and went to work. I used a very narrow zig-zag stitch; perfect for the Halloween theme and much more forgiving than a straight stitch. I now have a few go to table runner projects for when the mood strikes.
For the fusible, I used Misty Fuse®. I really love this product. It doesn’t add weight to your fabric, you can lift it up if need be, and it doesn’t leave any gunk on your needle. None! Plus you don’t have to reverse the pattern when tracing. If you’ve never tried Misty Fuse®, I suggest you do. Basically you trace your shape onto parchment paper, place the Misty Fuse ® between your fabric and parchment paper and iron. This process transfers the pencil onto the fabric. GENIUS!
The fun begins when you get all your pieces cut out and then start placing them. A few years back, I taught a technique where you prequilt your background before appliquing. This pattern is so fun to look at so it didn’t need anything extra. I used a very narrow zig-zag stitch for this process. I didn’t follow any lines, just enough to hold it together. This is a wall hanging; not a quilt that is going to be washed on a regular basis.
Once the shapes were fused onto the background, I begin stitching. This stitching also served as quilting. I used a small blanket stitch. I could have stitched down each piece before fusing the next, but I really wanted to practice my blanket stitch and didn’t want to add bulk. (I have a big fusible project on the tarmac and perfecting, well at least improving this skill will come in handy.)
I had fun digitizing some of the pieces. The spider web was stitched with Glow in the Dark thread; the fact that I actually remembered having this product is in itself amazing.I must tell my daughter; she sometimes thinks I’m losing my mind.The cat and pumpkin were done with Bernina’s DesignWorks and the owl, tree, and bats are machine embroidered that I digitized.
Glow In the dark thread
The pattern showed squiggly lines on the prairie points, so I spent a little extra time doing that. I love how a basic stitch like a zig-zag can add so much whimsy to a piece.
I’m giving myself a pat on the back for getting this done well ahead of Halloween.
I came across a blog the other day that I would like to share. The Virtual Quilter is a blog showing computer designed quilts that are NEVER sewn. I am always inspired by other’s designs. I use the same computer program, Electric Quilt, so that’s a bonus. I went clicking around this site and came across a posting that I just had to link you to. Made me laugh, probably because it’s so true. I have done a lot of these things. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did.
The cutting was easy peaszy with the templates or rulers; which ever you have. I cut Saturday night and pieced it on Sunday. The piecing is all straight seams and since the tips are cut off, there is no thinking! There is even a fabric chart if you happen to have an Accuquilt®. Because I have to over think everything, the quilting took over my brain. Do I grid quilt it with my walking foot? Do I put it on the frame? Do I quilt it in the embroidery hoop? BINGO, the hoop it is. Now for a pattern. Six triangles make a hexie, so each flower is quilted with 6 triangles. There are four more triangles (the grey hexies between the flowers.) I’ve done the math, it’s 22 triangles. The alignment was fairly simple; although not perfect. I used light grey thread so you can hardly see it.
The big question I have when making a quilt is, would I do it again? In this case, the answer is definitely, YES. That being said, what I might change is the darker grey hexies between the flowers. I think I would like it better if they were the same color as the background. I’ve also been studying the pattern and think there are some fun things you could do. If you made the center of each flower the same fabric as the center accent (orange in this case) you would have a 6 pointed star. This is also the perfect pattern for holiday runners and I’ve been looking at each flower as a placemat pattern. I’m telling you, my mind is just having a blast!
Well, August is done, September is well on its way, and October is on the launching pad. That leaves November and December for doing holiday gifts.
I started thinking about revamping my sewing studio about 6 months ago. The more I thought about what I wanted, the more I put the project off. Seems to be a running theme in my life, over think the project instead of actually doing anything. Thunderstorms are common here in July and August so I convinced myself that it would be the perfect time.
Step one:Empty the room.
I wanted to work with an empty pallet. I set up some tables in the family room and started hauling things out. Once the room was cleared, I began configuring the set up: 2 sewing cabinets, 3 machines, one cutting station, one pressing station. I moved the cabinets up against the walls; they had previously been somewhat in the center of the room. What a difference! I’m thrilled with the amount of floor space it opened up.
Step Two: Spend Money
Whenever I go off on an organizing spree, it somehow costs me money. I decided to get a cutting table. A super sturdy one would have been my first choice. I ended up buying a craft table at a big box store. (It was on sale half off and I had a coupon for 15% off that.Super Sturdy will have to wait until I’m rich and famous.) When I was younger, assembling furniture was a fairly regular event. The thought of sitting on the floor let alone getting off the floor sent me into a tizzy. Then I saw my kitchen table, lonely, waiting for me to use it. Using allen wrenches, screwdrivers, etc is so much easier standing up or sitting in a chair. The most difficult part was getting my new table off the kitchen table. My next spending adventure was wall mounted magnetic knife racks. I know I’ve seen this before, but it is genius. I got two and they hold my scissors and rotary cutters. No more cute little silverware holders lying around, ok falling on the floor. I added a magnetic pen cup to put my sheaths in so when my scissors have to travel, they can do so safely.
Magnetic Knife rack
Step Three: Make mistakes
Yep, we all make them. Measure twice, cut once. I discovered this also applies to putting holes in your wall and not just cutting fabric. So now I have a few more holes in my wall then what I need, or actually want. I will either figure out a way to cover them, use them or eventually repair UGH! them.
Step Four: Step Away
Sometimes you just have to walk away. I am happy with how the space is coming together, but I really really want/need some creative time. I’m taking a break from organizing, cleaning, spending, etc. to make a table runner.
The blogging world is if nothing else, vulnerable. I will admit, that I jumped in without much knowledge of what I was getting in to. I set a goal and decided to blog about it. Since the goal included a monthly challenge and the end of January was approaching, I made the decision to jump in and figure it out later. I still stand by that decision. You know that phrase: “had I known then what I know now?” …. I still would have started this blog, but it would probably be forever lingering in the conceptual stage. I’d be all caught up in design and content. The fear of “competing” with other bloggers would kick in and I’d be spending all my time reading other’s blogs and not doing what I love; which is sewing. Sometimes you just have to jump.
When you jump, you learn things you didn’t even know you didn’t know. The lesson I’ve learned this week centers around SPAM aka as BLAM in the blogging world. I opened my blog up to comments and then I discovered that spam comes to blogger’s in-boxes just like any other in box. I wasn’t prepared for that or the shock when I found my “spam” folder. What!?! There’s a spam folder? That means I have to keep an eye on it. I guess I didn’t spend much time thinking that this is a two-way street. I blog: Readers comment.
This is my first apology. I hope there won’t be too many more, but I’m not foolish enough to think this road will not have any more bumps. I’m sorry your comments lived in my spam folder for so long. I will work on keeping up on this little chore. For those of you that are commenting in an effort to attract me as a client for your online website services; I’m pretty happy with what I got right now.
There is always room for improvement and as I learn. I’ll make the changes I feel work for me. We are all always a work in progress.
Here is the bag I made for my friend’s charity raffle. I used the book, The Better Bag Maker, by Nicole Mallalieu. There are a number of reasons I like this book. The first half is filled with great techniques including excellent ideas for giving your homemade bags a professional finish. The second half is a series of projects that are organized so that you build a new skill with each bag. Remember math? Learn how to add before you multiply. I love math, so this concept was an easy one…..except I didn’t follow it. Went straight to project number 2. I’ve made a few bags in my life, so what could go wrong?
Well, not really understanding the construction as it is a little different from anything I’ve done. Would have got that down in project 1. Then there was the time I spent redrafting the pattern so that I didn’t have to copy the pattern. Much easier to use a rotary cutter; and it was. Problem was that I was on a time crunch and no one would have known if I made the bag bigger or smaller than the pattern called for. (side note: another great thing about this book is that she teaches you how to adjust pattern sizes to your liking/needs/whim/whatever.) Great lesson, but again, if I had done project 1, the bag could have been done in less than a day. A few blunders, but the end result is exactly what I wanted.
Then there was the weather. Living in the Southwest, we are in the middle of Monsoon Season. Thunder and Lightning almost daily and usually late in the afternoon. I like to sew in the afternoon. OOOPS; didn’t factor that in and lost an entire afternoon and evening to a storm, which also left me with some extra water in my bathroom. NOT FUN.
All in all, it was a weekend well spent. I learned a few techniques, picked up a trick or two, and was able to present my friend with a homemade summery bag, that doesn’t look so homemade. To top that, it’s almost the end of July and I am more than half way to my goal for the year.
Here’s the photo of the top and inside “professional” finishing.
I had just finished another quilt top and was ready to load it on the frame when I got the text. A friend had been tasked with organizing a charity fund raiser and asked if I could make something. It read something like this:
Friend: Can you make something for us?
Me: Sure, what do you want?
Friend: I don’t care.
Me: That’s not helpful. When do you need it?
Friend: When can you get it to me?
Me: How about after the weekend?
Friend: Perfect, thanks.
I have 4 full days and a new book, “The Better Bag Maker,” by Nicole Mallalieu. It’s a great book with interesting projects. I can skip project one and go right to the second one. I made my supply list and headed off to shop for something “summery.” I turned cutting the pattern into more trouble than it’s worth. Will anyone really know if the bag is 3/4 of an inch larger than the original pattern calls for? Of course not, but I’m following directions to the T. My mom had a policy: Never try a new recipe out on company. I wish I had remembered that before I cut the fabric. Live and learn.
It’s going to be a great bag and hopefully only half a day later than promised. We are enjoying an afternoon and evening of thunderstorms and all of my toys are safely unplugged. Here’s hoping for a clear morning.
