Commentary about works in progress, design & creativity
Fabric keeps appearing on my doorstep.
I think I have a fairy quilt mother.
Actually, I know who it is. Mrs. K is on a mission to find some more Happy Go Lucky light grey. In the process she is sending me some lovely greys. I now know what the background of the next few quilts will be. 😉
You already heard about the various needle cases I made. Here are the final photos of the one I made for my BAMQG Secret Santa. Presumably she received the gift yesterday, but I wasn’t able to attend the meeting as the Young Man had a concert.
I finally finished the first needle case and am able to post about it.
I am posting a picture of it open and closed. While closed, it needed a ribbon or something to close it. I am not thrilled with the ribbon. I think it looks really nice, but it isn’t really practical for a needle case. I thought about other options, but the supplies for the closure I really wanted weren’t readily available.
When I was a teenager, thin hair elastics were available. I have a very few left, but only large. For this project I need a small one and didn’t have one. I don’t think they are sold in stores anymore as I haven’t seen them at Walgreen’s and such stores. I haven’t tried places like Claire’s, but will, perhaps. I would have put a button on and then pulled the hair elastic taut around the button to close. I will look at, and think about some other closure options.
I forgot to fill up the needle case with pins and needles, etc. I hope the recipient knows what it is without those little touches.
Tomorrow is my only day at work before Thanksgiving until December 2. I am cooking for Thanksgiving and ‘need’ the prep time. I also need to go to the dentist and clean up the house and sew and laze around. The whole Grama thing has been really hard and even though I was off for a week at the end of October/beginning of November, I need more time off.
None of that is either here nor there, except that you should watch for the Pie Day photos that I will tweet out. I don’t know if you like it, but I always have fun tweeting Pie Day photos. I plan to make a pie for my mom’s priest who was awesome while my grandmother was sick. He was a great support to her and is a super nice guy.
So, two paragraphs in and no discussion of sewing. Let’s get to it. I made a second needle case. I couldn’t help myself. I needed to get it right. It still isn’t exactly right, but is much better. I did it last Sunday and then worked on the hand stitching on Monday night.
The problem this time is that I put batting in and I think I just don’t like batting for small accessories like this. I think batting should be in quilts and something thinner (not sure what yet) should be in journal covers and needle cases.
The changes I made to the pattern are:
This pattern really doesn’t take very long. I am going to Joann to see about some ShapeFlex sometime this week and may look for fusible flannel as well. I don’t know if there is such a thing, but I will look. Flannel might be sticky enough without the fusible.
When I was down at Grama’s I had a stack of quilt magazines with me. I hadn’t brought a lot to do, because I was supposed to be at a conference and didn’t want to feel like it was a waste to have lugged a bunch of stuff down with me only to lug it straight back home.
As you know, I ended up at Grama’s, racing around like a crazy person before dropping into bed exhausted, looking at two pages of quilt magazines and falling asleep with the magazine on my face. Two pages, however, is progress. While looking through the magazines, I found a needle case pattern in Modern Patchwork. I decided to add it to the shopping bag for my BAMQG Secret Santa. As soon as I finished the machine part of the shopping bag (I still have a bit of hand stitching to do), I started in on the needlecase.
The pattern is by Rashida Coleman-Hale of the I Heart Linen blog and I, initially, had a hard time with the way the pattern was laid out in the magazine. Remember, I am much better at being shown how to make something than I am reading directions and following them. I began reading the directions and couldn’t figure out what to do first. The pattern started with “Create the Pocket.”
Huh? What pocket?
Finally, I realized I needed to cut all the pieces out first, even though the pattern says nothing about that. Step 1 should be “Cut out pieces (see Sidebar)”, but it wasn’t. Also, the list of pieces of fabric that need to be cut is on the right hand side of the page and I was looking on the left (we read from left to right), which happened to be instruction #1 of the pattern.
My heart sank. I didn’t want to do a project that was so hard to understand that it wouldn’t come out well. The project is small enough to use scraps, so I decided to cut out the pattern pieces and try one more time. Miraculously, as soon as I cut the pieces, step #1 of the directions made complete sense.
I am skeptical of magazine instructions, but these were ok, after my initial confusion, for a not very complex project. I am not quite done with the project, but the one thing I would do differently is sew the cording (I am using a ribbon) on before I sew on the binding. I think it would look neater and be stronger. I might also figure out some other closure, but I haven’t thought that far ahead. Live and learn.
I used fabric scraps from the shopping bag and also a few others. The the two Secret Santa pieces will match, but not be matchy-matchy. Cute, huh? I did not use the linen. I used regular quilting cotton.
If I made this project again, I would give the outside pieces some body by lining them with ShapeFlex (LOVE that stuff!).
I didn’t have any Fiberfill to fill the pincushion, but if I had been thinking I would have used the roving I bought for the other pin cushions I have been making on and off. I just wasn’t thinking so I cutting up some batting scraps to fill the pincushion. It is small, so I think the batting will be ok.
My Secret Santa likes pink, so I am going all out on the pink. I really hope she likes what I have made. This needle case really did not take me very long and I think I might make a few more for friends. We will see.
I went back and forth about whether or not I should post this on my blog before the BAMQG party, but I have so little to post these that I decided to go for it. I don’t know all of you as well as I would like, but I don’t think the recipient is a reader. Perhaps she will be after receiving the gift.
I agreed to make a Secret Santa gift for the BAMQG Holiday Exchange. It was hanging over my head, so I decided that Saturday would be the day to start. I actually cut out all of the pieces on Friday night and put most of the interfacing on as well, so the sewing went pretty easily.
I decided to make another Jane Market Tote for the gift. It is a good pattern – useful and nicely shaped. I am also familiar with it since I made over a dozen of them since I bought the pattern. The other bonus was that a shopping bag was on the giftee’s list.
Perfect.
As I said, I cut out the pieces on Friday night. I also decided to try adding some ShapeFlex stabilizer to see if that would give it some body.
As an aside: Have I said how much I like ShapeFlex? I love it. It is so easy to work with. It is not thick. Now, I am almost out again and am now thinking of buying a bolt. Crazy?
Anyway, I was able to put ShapeFlex over all the pieces except one, so I was really ready to sew on Saturday morning. So, Saturday morning, which was really about 11am since I slept so much, I sewed. The bag went together really well. I tried very hard to make it look nice. I used a star pattern on my machine to finish the top of the bag. I also put the handles inside rather than outside after the bag is finished, as the pattern suggests.
It is a nice bag, but I also decided to make a little needlecase and put that in the bag as well. I know it is not necessary, but I have some leftover scraps from the bag. I also found a pattern in Modern Patchwork for a needlecase that doesn’t look too difficult. Stay tuned for that.
I just returned from Southern California Tuesday night late. My mom and I drove down Thursday to stay and take care of Grama and to help her celebrate her birthday. Grama’s birthday was Thursday. She turned 90.
She was really in bad shape when we got there and it turned out nobody had brought her dinner. 🙁 Miscommunication, but she was a little manic and confused when we got there.
It was a hard weekend. I did get to run off with Susan for a few hours on Sunday, but aside from that and a trip to return some clothes, it was all Grama all the time. At least she doesn’t get up in the night. I cleaned house. I shredded about a gazillion old bills and generally fetched and carried for Grama.
I have to say that I visited two quilt shops – one on the way down and one on the way back. I also picked up my sewing machine, which means that if I wake up, I can sew on the weekend.
I thought I was ok when I got home, but at work today, it was the last place I wanted to be. I should have taken the day off. I didn’t because PPTO days don’t grow on trees.
One of the packages had the most delicious treat in it. Now I know that at least one person reads my blog. 😉
The colors included are so fabulous. They are just what I wanted even though I didn’t know I wanted them.
That was my one special whine and you can be assured that I won’t indulge too much. Thanks, Mrs. K.
I made about three quilts as baby gifts for friends and then stopped. I like to give baby gifts that people are going to use rather than put in the closet for ‘good’. Receiving blankets are good for lots of things, not the least of which are superhero(ine) capes and playmats. I wrote about a full list of the possibilities which I could think up the last time I did a big post on receiving blankets.
I don’t always make receiving blankets for people. Sometimes I just go to Target and get the something off their list. I just felt like sewing some receiving blankets this time.
I think I said this before, but for new readers:
The red piece in the upper right hand corner is more of a wrap. Sometimes something a little smaller is nice, especially if the mom is layering.
Great gift! Try some!
I visited my grandmother last week and noticed a quilt I made hanging on the wall of her guest room.
I made this quilt in 1996 according to the information on my webpage about the quilt. I am pretty sure I gave it to her around that time, but her husband wouldn’t let her hang it up and it wasn’t even large enough for a lap sized quilt so I didn’t see the quilt for years. My Grama gives everything away, so I thought it was long gone.
I also made one for my grandfather. That one used plaid blocks and went to my aunt when my grandfather died. I don’t know what happened to it when my aunt died in 2007. it has a label, so, perhaps, it will end up in the IQSC someday. Hopefully, it is not being used as a dogbed in the back of someone’s station wagon.
The blocks are from a swap on the Q-XCHG list. I could see some of the names written on the blocks.
The Q-XCHG list was a listserv hosted at a university back in the Internet dark ages when there was only text on the web. It was a companion list dedicated to swaps of QuiltNet, the mother of all lists, blogs — everything quilty on the web except, perhaps, Usenet.
I realize that many of these words mean nothing to those of you who have joined the Web quilting community since the advent of the visual web. Just keep in mind that there was a web before there were blogs and we still managed to swap and have fun.
I received these two gifts related to quiltmaking at Christmas. They are from my mom. She couldn’t resist the fabric (I have pink flamingos in my front flower bed) and the book was on my list.
I am thinking that I will make some pillowcases out of the flamingo fabric.
I am really looking forward to delving into the book and seeing if I have anything in common with the women interviewed.
Thanks, Mom!
I really like making these pincushions. Since they are quick and provide for a nice level of creativity, I probably won’t stop until I have nobody else to whom I can gift one.
They are quick to make, but not boring to make.
I put this one in a box of Christmas gifts for my friend, Julie.
I chose a couple of fabrics with yellow as an alternate to the purple. I think it works for the look.
The pattern is from Fig Tree & Co. It is called Petite Gateau. I have the print version (available at PIQF), but there is a downloadable version available, so you can get it RIGHT NOW! 😉
As you may have seen in another post, I have been on a bit of a pillowcase making binge. It is hard not to binge as they are similar to potato chips. In the process of making donation pillowcases, I also made a couple of gifts.
The gift pillowcase for my 14 year old nephew was languishing. It started it a long time ago and never finished it. I don’t know why it was sitting around, but it was. I had seen it a week or so ago, so in the midst of the pillowcase making frenzy, I pulled it out to assess what needed to be done.
What needed to be done was pretty easy to fix. I hadn’t caught part of the seam in the stitch line, so I trimmed the bottom even and stitched it again, then made the French seam on the inside and it was done. Too bad I didn’t finish it for Christmas.
I also found more of the chocolate fabric I liked so much when I made the Chocolate/Sweet dreams pillowcase #2 earlier this year. I believe I bought the fabric in Pennsylvania or Maryland last year. I have to say, I could make pillowcases with this chocolate fabric until the cows come home and never get tired of it. This will go to my niece when she is back at college so she has sweet dreams.
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I spent several hours last week quilting the Corner Store.
Yes, she who does not normally quilt large pieces quilted a large quilt.
I went easy on myself, because my shoulder is acting up again and I didn’t want to be crippled when I had so much to do for the holiday. My pile of quilts to be quilted is getting ridiculous (7 that I can remember), though, and I wanted something to give to my BIL to provide some comfort while he goes through radiation treatment.
I used to be a good quilter (not like Colleen, but I could hold my own). I stopped quilting large pieces when I hurt my neck and am way out of practice. I wanted to go easy on myself and I didn’t want to try anything too ambitious, so I stuck with straight lines and gentle curves. I have to admit that my original idea for the first border (white) was to fill it with a line of large circles. I couldn’t fix the tension enough to make it look good, so I went with the straight lines. It kind of looks like a frame, if you squint.
In the last photo (left), you can see some of the quilting in the center. I used a Valdani variegated thread that I bought in Chicago several years ago. I don’t really like variegated thread, but it works in certain circumstances.
You can also see how I used the walking foot to measure the space between the quilting lines. I kind of like doing that as it seems to be a consistent measurement.
The quilt won’t win any prizes, but if it provides some comfort, I will be happy.
You also might be interested in reading:
I wrote about my second Jelly Roll Race quilt a few days ago. I don’t remember if I hadn’t made the back yet, or, for some other reason, I just didn’t post about it. Probably the former, but that seems like an eternity ago, so I really can’t say.
I had a number of pieces of Paris related fabric that I bought specifically for the back of this quilt. Lil Sissy loves Paris, so it seemed appropriate.
I am actually kind of eager to quilt this. I need a basting fairy.
I had the pleasure of being involved in a very sweet gesture recently.
You may know that the History Quilter lost her dad earlier this year. I am fortunate enough to still have my parents, so I can’t imagine her pain. Being a public figure like History Quilter generates a lot of empathy. That empathy generated a quilt for her from Melissa of Sew Bittersweet Designs, Shanna of Fiber of All Sorts and Jenna of Sew Happy Geek. Susan met all of these wonderful women via Twitter and her podcast.
In the strange quirks of the Internet world meeting the Real World, I met Melissa at a BAMQG meeting. She had the quilt and I offered to send it to Susan for her. Susan received it and loved it. How could she not?
It is such a sweet gesture and I am pleased to be a part of it.
I made a couple of pincushions for the raffle baskets that will be up for raffle at BAMQG.
I have decided that I enjoy making these pincushions, so there will be more in my future. I have more of the Sandy Gervaise fabric from the charm pack, so I will make at least one more of these. I have more roving and more pellets, so I think I will make even more from other fabric.
I don’t know if tickets will be available of meetings, but if so, I will let you know.
You might also be interested in my last post on pincushions.