I am disappointed in the IKEA bookcases I bought. The Billy bookcases are very popular with a lot of people. I liked the options, look and feel.
Billy bookcase damage
What I found, however, is that the 66 lbs each shelf is supposed to hold isn’t true. The shelf holders are very substandard and have damaged the inside of my bookcase sides.
The shelves involved are the ones I can easily access. Those are the shelves I use for my block dictionaries, class related references and color books. I use these particular volumes all the time.
New fir shelves
My DH looked at it and had a plan to fix it. He is really busy, though, so I called my handyman. After taking a look, he brought some new L brackets and some new Fir shelves to try. I installed them. They look ok. Not bright white like I wanted, though we will paint them if we decide they are the ones.
Shelves refilled
They work ok and the bowing of the outside pieces has stopped, but I lose and inch or two that I need, so I can’t fit the books on one whole shelf. I put the books sideways, but that doesn’t help me much since I can’t see the spines.
DH checked Home Despot for other shelf holders and we have a few options. I am really annoyed that these shelves have only lasted for one year. Yes, I have filled them full, but each shelf is right around the max weight, so they should work fine.
One option I have is to get bookshelves built out of wood rather than particle board. My handyman told me about a place in the City that will make custom shelves. Stay tuned.
Friend Julie posted about her Wunderlabels. I received mine as well. I bought a small number to see if I use them. I have been lazy about using the labels I print out. Maybe these will be easier to use.
Wunderlabels
I am pretty pleased with the quality. There isn’t much one can include in the little space, but I decided that simplicity was key.
Putting the blog on them will help researchers and historians in the future when they want to identify my bags and smaller projects. LOL!!!
Wunderlabels
I also like the quality. They look pretty well made. I’ll have to sew one into a bag soon, so see what I think for real.
I updated the HRT page to include basic information about Latifah Saafir’s new HuRTy ruler.
Projects, Classes, Patterns & Tutorials
Just in time for Christmas and Hannukah, I updated the gift bags tutorial to include French seams.
Rock Star Block Finished
Whole Circle Studio has a pattern for an interesting quilt called Big Island Sunset. The shape is a kind of elongated Drunkard’s Path. Someone pointed out to me that the studio has templates available to make the quilt. I think it could be made with one of the Sew Kind of Wonderful rulers since the shape is similar to the top pointy one in the Rock Star block I made using the Wonder Curve ruler**. Whole circle has a couple of rainbow/color wheel free patterns in addition to their other offerings.
Tansy Designs has a great pattern weight pattern called Zen Blocks. The solids Tansy uses make them seem super fun. I saw a link to this site on the FB Sew Hungry Hippie page. Maybe they would make good toys, if the seams were well sewn?
Tools, Books, Fabric, Notions & Supplies
I recently received the latest issue of QuiltFolk. My sister gifts it to me for Christmas or my birthday every year. It is a fantastic gift. In the package were some ads for books from Schiffer Craft. Really interesting quilt books, e.g. not just the project books we are have become resigned to seeing. One is the large coffee table type book by Rod Kiracofe, Unconventional & Unexpected: American Quilts Below the Radar, 1950-2000**. They publish books in other areas besides quiltmaking. There is a book called Wellness for Makers**, another about weaving**. I also saw a book called Deeds Not Words**, which celebrates the centennial of the 19th amendment through quiltmaking. Schiffer Craft describes their business as “Schiffer Craft publishes to help energize maker and craft communities worldwide. We are dedicated to publishing high quality books and kits that inspire, instruct, and educate. We enrich lives through craft”. Their catalog covers paper, metalwork, jewelry making, ceramics and other media. Take a look at their catalog and some of their high quality books.
Tula Pink talks about her new fabric collection, Everglow in a fun video. The introduction of the new collection can be found in another video, which explains the whole concept behind the new additions to the True Colors line.
I saw the Carolyn Friedlander seam guide on the Sewtopia site. Friend Julie sent me to the site for something else. I was sure what this was and how I would use it. The Sewtopia site describes it as “This hand-held guide is helpful for measuring and marking all sorts of stuff while you’re sewing. Measurements start at 1/8? and go up from there. Use for marking seam allowance, appliqués, hexagons, hems, corners and much more.” I don’t think I will buy one, but will keep it in mind. Let me know if you use one and how you use it.
Confused about what zipper numbers mean? Sara of Sew Sweetness has a video discussing the topic
**Obviously, you should shop at local fabric, knitting shops or quilt shops. However, if you can’t, please know that I use affiliate links. I may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I do not recommend items I don’t like. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
After I posted the last 26 Projects post, Sue S commented that I had accomplished a lot. It made me wonder if I should just post the new stuff and not make it an accumulation? That might make it easier to see what I have accomplished in one month. I tried it, but the result was so pathetic that I went back to normal accumulation posting. The problem is that I am working on gift projects and can’t show them until later in the year.
Yellow Improv Donation Top & Back – finished February 2022
Ready for Quilting
Nothing at the moment
In Process or To Make
The ‘In Process’ is used to denote projects on which I am actively working or are on the design wall waiting for me to stitch. I am continuing to try not to put away projects. I find putting a project away ensures I never work on them, because I just lose steam.
I decided that some of my quilts are in a different class because they are hand piecing or embroidery or beading. They take longer. Thus I created a new category and have moved some projects here.
English Paper Piecing Project– half hexies – I worked on this project again while I was waiting for La Pass Month 11 to arrive. I need to lay it out and figure out the bottom so I can put the border pieces on
La Passacaglia – I am up to date on this project and waiting for Month 13 to arrive.
In the Quilting Process
The Tarts come to Tea – I am working diligently on getting this quilted. I have made some good progress, but am still sick of looking at it.
Most of my progress involves thinking or just cutting. I don’t have a bag in process at the moment.
Ultimate Project Organizer – another project from the Crafty Gemini Organizer Club, also on my list, but not yet started
Retreat Organizer – another project from the Crafty Gemini Organizer Club, also on my list, but not yet started. Recently, I saw one of these made up and I am not so nervous about it
Rose Petrillo bag – I found the pieces for this bag cut out, but not sewn.
Superbloom tote using Hindsight fabric – not started
Still UFOs
I still have UFOs. Who doesn’t, after all? A project in the ‘UFO’ category means I am stalled, it hasn’t been worked on in awhile or it is waiting its turn to be worked on. The list is a lot shorter and the projects are newer, for the most part.
I am annoyed that some of these are still WIPs. I just need to work on them!
Handbag Sampler – this is still the forgotten project. It should be on the UFO list. The blocks were teaching samples when I taught a sampler class some time before I started writing the quilt class sampler tutorials. I found one block recently, but otherwise I don’t actually know exactly where the blocks are hiding. I crawled up in the far reaches of my fabric closet to see if I could find them and they weren’t where I thought. I am sort of mystified as to where they could be. I haven’t even found a picture of all the blocks. WTH?
My pace of making donation blocks has slowed because of my mania to clear my to do list. I am, however, still making a few. Many in the guild have gone off this pattern, so I may have to start making something else. I find it easy, inoffensive and easy to make. It’s great for leaders and enders.
I went and got Pies & Points back from Colleen. I also dropped off quilts and projects off for her to quilt.
Pies & Points looks great. I didn’t give specific instructions about the quilting design and she went with a breeze/wind/sky theme. My little niece will like it, I hope.
Quilt designs always improve after I haven’t seen them for awhile. LOL!
Pies & Points wheel motif quilted
I do think the elements of this pattern have possibilities in other quilts. The wheel is a motif I have wanted to play with. I was tempted by Barbara Brackman’s Southern Spin project, but didn’t do it. Yet? I don’t know. It is pretty far down the list at the moment.
Anyway, I kind of like the wheel motif. There is a little view of the overall quilting and the clouds motifs as well.
Pies & Points circular flags motif quilted
The circular flags got spirals quilted into them. The spirals might be too big; they look a little odd to me. However, there is a ton of background in the quilt and I think that makes for a challenging quilted design. I haven’t made a quilt with this much background in a long time.
Pies & Points flags motif quilted
I do like the overall effect of the quilt. I like the sense that the flags are fluttering in the wind or against the sky. I think it looks different from most of my other recent quilts.
While I waited for Month 15 to arrive, I sewed some smaller rosettes to Month 13/14, which will be in the upper left hand corner of the piece.
The pieces I sewed on to the M 13/14 are the smaller sections from Month 11. Since they were so small, I thought it would be a good idea to contain them.
I am now wondering whether I really want to cut off any piecing at all. That rosette in the corner with the chartreuse center might be better off being finished.Not sure I have enough fabric to finish all the pieces that are suppose to be cut off.
Nobody, including Pink Door has said anything about finishing. My book, All Points Patchwork**, doesn’t say anything either. Tula went over it briefly in one of her videos. Otherwise, I haven’t done a lot of research, but will need to do some. We are nearing the end of the project and some decisions will have to be made.
**Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need at quilt shops, I use affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
A local quilt shop is closing. Always bad news. Friend Julie contacted me to tell me that the shop had 60″ wide Soft & Stable for a discount. I had her buy5 yards for me. I didn’t realize, in physical space, how much that would be.
The roll is large – 60 inches tall LOL! Now it is sitting in different places around my workroom. I am going to need a supply closet, separate from the fabric closet if I am not careful. I bought a bolt of Pellon foam* recently and haven’t even cracked it open.
The wider foam is much easier to use. I can use less of the yardage, because I can take advantage of the width.
Foam and fabric ready to quilt
I took some quilts to Colleen the other day and included two lengths of foam and fabric ready to be quilted. One sticking point for me, especially with ByAnnie patterns is quilting the foam before I can even get started on the project. I really don’t like quilting and quilting the Tarts has cemented my resolve not to quilt any project soon.
Before I was even ready to make a date with Colleen, I asked her if she could quilt foam. She had never tried it on her machine. She was kind enough to get some Soft & Stable and quilt a sample. She told me she could and showed me the sample when I saw her. I told her I had opened up a whole new line of quilting for her!
One length (shown above) will be for a project with a drop-in lining, maybe the Sew Sweetness Chickadee backpack. the other length has a lining as well as an exterior and it will be for a ByAnnie bag. I have made most of the patterns I have except the Case in Point pattern. I am still searching for the perfect bag in which I can store my tools in for travel. I am also wondering if, I have a length of pre-quilted fabric, the process of working with a ByAnnie pattern will be easier and quicker.
*N.B. Pellon foam** is ok. It works just fine. It is a smidge less stiff than Soft & Stable. It is also only 20″ wide, so there is a lot of seaming pieces together for larger projects.
**Obviously, you should shop at local fabric stores, knitting shops, independent booksellers or quilt shops. However, if you can’t, please know that I use affiliate links. I may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I do not recommend items I don’t like. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
Once the Halloween pillowcases were done, I knew I needed to start thinking about Thanksgiving.
I finally (that must be my word of the month!) bought some fabrics for the Thanksgiving pillowcases. I was inspired to get turkey fabric by some photos one of my students sent me. The photo showed a flock of turkeys she sees in her yard. They looked like the turkeys on this fabric.
Turkeys
Turkeys
Showoff Turkeys
I need to choose some cuff fabric and wash these pieces, then I can make them. I have about two weeks before I need to send them off.
The other day I mentioned that I had finally received the Month 15 kit. At the guild meeting the other day I cut out all of the pieces for Month 16. After the meeting, I basted them all as well. Fortunately, it is a light month.
We were supposed to use a piece of the cameo for a medallion in this month’s rosette, but I decided to use a flower instead.
I finished the back! I also did the binding, which is not pictured. This piece is ready for quilting.
Pointillist Palette #4: Top Complete
I am pleased with the way the back came out. I think it looks moody. I also think it will go very well with the top.
I am thrilled that this piece is done. I took great pleasure in crossing it off my to do list. It is great timing since I start a new contract today and I won’t be able to sew in the afternoons much any more.
I finally (FINALLY!) made some Pantone Project blocks and handed them off to Julie when we were at PIQF.
I know there are a small number shown here, but along with the fabrics I have selected, I feel like I have made a good start. I am in the process of making the other blocks. Once I do that I will be caught up and should be able to make a couple of blocks per week. Fingers crossed.
As mentioned the other day, I cut out some pouches when I was at Gerre’s house. All of the patterns happened to be Sew Sweetness patterns. I periodically buy acrylic templates for patterns I think I will use more than once.
Medium I Spy Pouch
In this case, I cut out the Moto Pouch and the Hackney Pouch, both Minikins patterns. I have the acrylic templates for the Hackney Pouch, but not for the Moto Pouch. Remember when I made these I Spy Pouches for my Sew Sweetness templates? I need to make more, but I was pleased that they made transporting part of the project so much easier.
Having one set of templates and not the other gave me a good opportunity to think about whether I needed the templates. I have to say that cutting out the Moto Pouch sans templates took me twice as long as cutting out the Hackney pouch with templates. Yes, they were different sizes, but I don’t think that made much of a difference. I think having to be super careful not to cut the paper was the key. I don’t know if I will buy the Moto Pouch templates. I’ll have to see how I like the directions and the end result. I think it has the same kind of construction as the Percheron Pouch, with which I struggled. I think I should make another Percheron. If the construction of the Moto is the same, then it will give me some practice. I could make a Percheron for my sister for Christmas. We’ll see.
