Books quilts and sewing

Remember you're unique!! Just like everyone else.

Archive for the category “Daily”

29 Jun 2012

Shopping and Other Sins

I have purchased fabric for my next six large quilts over the past couple of months. I’m also thinking about which projects that I would like to make for Autumn and after that for Christmas. So, why did I find myself at a fabric store yesterday afternoon on my way home from work??? I normally do not buy my backing fabric for any of my quilts until before I drop it off to the long arm.

I don’t know if this is common throughout the quilting community, to buy the backing while buying the rest of the fabric to ensure color coordination, but I like to live on the edge! There have been a couple of times where I was stressed for not finding the “right” material to go with the rest of colors that I had in the quilt, but it’s always worked out for me.

My wife and I like a lot of the same color schemes, but when it comes to what colors work well in our quilts it becomes vastly different. We’ve learned to accept our differences of opinion when it comes to each others’ quilt material selection. At times we jokingly try to steal a piece of fabric from one another.

So, back to the store where I’m standing there looking for a reason to buy more fabric… I come across one that would be perfect for the persian plum block of the month quilt I’m in the process of making. It wasn’t on sale and I almost bought it any way… that’s when you know you have a ~~problem~~ issue and probably need to just… walk… away. I feel very good about myself because I did walk away and will wait until at least the 1st before I shop again!

Posted in Daily, Shopping and tagged beginner, blogging, crafts, Fabric, joann, Joann Fabrics, learning, project, quilt, Quilting, Quilts, Sew, sewing, Sewing machine, shopping | Leave a comment

28 Jun 2012

9 Comments

Careless with Pins

I really haven’t talked to much about the person in my life that is such a large part of everything I am and do, my wife Kay. She has nurtured my creative side from the first time we met and has only gotten better after 16 years. We both like to discover our inner artist and support each other in all our endeavors.

I am not being coy when I say that I wish that I had as much talent as she does, but what I don’t have in talent I make up for in patience and sheer tenacity. I will do something and have it turn out wrong 10 times and once I’ve finally got it right do it a couple more times to ensure I understand why I have to do it a certain way.

Along the way, or as I like to think of it, on my path to creative enlightenment I create messes of epic proportions. Think for a minute what a guy does to a garage and calls it “neat”. Our sewing/living/dining rooms sometimes look like a cyclone has blown through and deposited neat (and sometimes not-so-neat) stacks of fabrics, thread, scissors, and yes… pins everywhere.

I do not even pretend that this doesn’t happen and I’m actually really good about cleaning up once I’ve finished a project. I have to give credit to my wonderful wife however for knowing that this is part of my ‘method’ of creativity.

I also, in smaller circles, talk about this amazing but often invisible cleaning fairy. The fairy comes by after me when I’m not looking and deposits items back where they belong. If I wait long enough, the fairy will clean the entire room while I’m not looking. This joke came about one time when I caught my wife cleaning up after me. She was picking up some items that I had left out because I was still using them. Instead of making this fact clear, it came to me as a funny moment when I stayed her hand from picking said object up and said “You don’t have to clean this up Kay“. She informed me that it wasn’t going to clean itself. I then told her that if we wait long enough, and leave the room the cleaning fairy will come and do it for us.

She game me that look like I was crazy until I explained that it had happened earlier that same day already. To which she replied that it was her and not some ‘cleaning fairy‘. It was then I saw the light go on and got smacked! We have joked about it ever since.

Posted in Daily and tagged beginner, blogging, crafts, Fabric, learning, project, quilt, Quilting, Quilts, Sew, sewing

27 Jun 2012

2 Comments

Persian Plum Block 5… almost half-way there!!

I’m so happy today that I was able to get accomplished the behemoth task of working late today and still managing to get the block finished and sew on the binding for my Arbor Lane quilt. Of course I’ve probably stayed up a little later than I normally would to make sure I could finish this. So here it is:

This block had a little more assembly, but went together fairly easily and finished 12 1/2 x 12 1/2.

And underneath was the fabric I used to bind the Arbor Lane.

Then a little trimming and some more sewing

and finally…

Posted in Block of the Month, Blogs, Daily, How to, Reviews and tagged beginner, block of the month, blogging, crafts, Fabric, joann, Joann Fabrics, learning, project, quilt, Quilting, Quilts, Review, Sapphire, Sew, sewing, Sewing machine, Viking

26 Jun 2012

2 Comments

Ironing out my problems

Ironing is a chore made more so by trying to iron 10 different fabrics over three yards each, all in the same afternoon… but as you may know by now, that’s how I do things!! My back was breaking, my neck was stiff, and my dogs were barking by the time I pressed my last. Looking back on the four hours that I was there at the ironing board I realized today that it may be the reason I wasn’t able to complete the binding on all three of my quilts.

I know many people hate ironing, but it’s the neck down work that I love so much about it. I work all day long, solving computer and server issues. By the time 5pm rolls around, my brain is fried. It’s nice to come home and while away a few hours with something that I don’t have to think about. I think that’s why I love the piecing process as well, it’s the creating, cutting, and assembly that you really have to think about (neck up work) that makes it so challenging. And then you have these wonderful activities that allow you to zone out.

Now, I’m not saying that I want to volunteer to do someone else’s ironing, but I really do like how the fabric feels after it’s been pre-washed. You can tell how it will feel in the quilt as well. It’s that time again, happy quilting!!

Posted in Daily and tagged beginner, Fabric, ironing, learning, project, quilt, Quilting, Quilts

25 Jun 2012

2 Comments

Almost but not quite!

If you’ve been following my attempts at quilting then you know that binding the quilts is one of my favorite things to do. It is the ending, the completion that seems to make the whole process worthwhile. I am by nature ambitious and set out this weekend to ~~cram~~ finish three quilt bindings in one weekend. That was the plan… I even had the hubris to say that I might try to do something else, like put one of the nursery quilts together as well.

Binding a quilt the way that I’ve chosen to bind my quilts is a stately process. You really can’t hurry it along as I was trying to do and if you did, I don’t know that I would like the finished product at all. It is a methodical, beautiful, measured, process and if I can be so bold as to quote one of my quilting friends, “neck down work”.

I started with the Christmas quilt since I had finished piecing it back in March, the my green Sage Garden Quilt since I am to surprise a friend with it tonight!! EEEEK!! The Arbor Lane quilt, which is by far the larger of the three quilts will have to wait until next weekend.

I didn’t even create the binding yet, let-alone sew it to the quilt. It’s still on the couch mocking me for my overly ambitious plan. I did take out one of the nursery quilt kits to see what I will have in store for me this week. My plan (don’t laugh) is to try to finish it by the end of the week.

On a side note, I never did finish the mini quilt for the swap due to the fact that I sewed the first half at 3/8″ and the second half at 1/4″ seam… but that’s a different story. Until next time, happy quilting!!

Posted in Daily, Quilt Swap and tagged beginner, blogging, crafts, Fabric, learning, project, quilt, quilt swap, Quilting, Quilts, Sapphire, sewing, Sewing machine, Viking

23 Jun 2012

Binding the weekend away

A friend of ours that’s been there for us throughout the last three years is going to receive a quilt on Monday that she knows nothing about. This will be the first time we’ve given a quilt to someone outside our immediate family. This means though that I’ll be binding all weekend since I plan on finishing the binding on a Christmas quilt that was put together in March. After that quilt is finished, I’ll bind our friends quilt and finally the Arbor Lane quilt. Not bad now that I see it in print… binding three quilts in two days!

If you are interested in the how to of binding, check out this link Crazy Mom Quilts. This is more or less the method that I’ve used since I started up quilting again two years ago.

If I can squeeze it into the weekend, I’ll also finish the mini quilt that I started and maybe piece one of the nursery blankets together for my nephew.

Posted in Daily, How to and tagged beginner, Binding, crafts, Fabric, learning, project, quilt, Quilting, Quilts, Sew, sewing | Leave a comment

22 Jun 2012

Shopping Day

Yesterday was a shopping day for me. I had specifically purchased fabrics for three quilts minus the backings, but had received a couple of coupons from Joann Fabrics for 30% in addition to any other discounts. So, off to the store I went where I found the Heidi Grace fabric collection.

This I thought would make a really nice queen size quilt. I ended up buying enough of the fabric to make a queen and a twin. My plan was to make a twin first as a sort of proof of concept and then make the queen. I had assumed that I could readily find a pattern for this fabric set… and that’s what I get when I assume! I laughed until I cried. I will find something suitable however and soldier on.

I also found a couple of quick nursery blanket kits that I intend on making for my nephew and niece:

And of course a shopping trip wouldn’t be complete without buying some more Jelly Rolls

There was another item I was able to pick up was some of my favorite Warm & White batting. Have you done any shopping lately?

Posted in Daily, Shopping and tagged baby blanket, beginner, crafts, Fabric, Jelly Roll, joann, Joann Fabrics, learning, nursery, project, quilt, Quilting, Quilts, Review, Sew, sewing, Sewing machine, shopping | Leave a comment

20 Jun 2012

7 Comments

Jelly Rolls and Persian Plum Block 4

At lunch I slipped out to buy something from the fabric store, not out of need but there are a lot of sales going on and I just had to. After almost an hour of trying to decide between fabrics I ran across some jelly rolls. I used my last one that I received for Christmas for a quilt that my son absconded with recently. As I have no other jelly rolls at hand, I wanted to get some should the mood strike me. Let’s be honest, can you really ever have enough fabric?

On to Block 4 of the Persian Plum BOTM

So now onto the new block. This was definitely one of the easiest I had the pleasure of putting together! And the colors as usual were stunning and magnificent. If you were looking for a beautiful block this one turned out rather well. There is some cutting involved, so be aware.

And the finished piece!! Block 4 of 12, hey that’s means we’re already 1/3 the way there.

Posted in Block of the Month, Daily, Reviews and tagged beginner, block of the month, blogging, crafts, Fabric, Jelly Roll, joann, Joann Fabrics, learning, project, quilt, Quilting, Quilts, Review, Sapphire, Sew, sewing, Sewing machine, Viking

19 Jun 2012

Out to Lunch

I’ve mentioned it in an earlier post, I do quilt swaps of mini quilts with a group on Yahoo. For the past two days I’ve been working on mine but can’t publish it here until after the swap is complete to ensure anonymity. Yesterday when I arrived home from work, I had only to finish the second half and started in on it immediately. As I compared the two halves of this really neat quilt top I realized that something was dreadfully wrong. One side was easily four inches longer than the other.

A little perplexed, I examined both very closely and figured out almost immediately that somehow one was sewn with a 1/4″ seam while the other a more generous 3/8″ seam. The rest of last night was spent picking the “good” one apart. Yes, I said it… I’m shortening the long one by resewing with a 3/8″ seam because it will have more of the look that I was going for in the finished mini.

This leads me to remember my lunchtime conversation with my coworkers on Monday. I work with a bunch of IT techies with talk ranging from what is the latest in sever hardware innovation, to which character do you play (Sith or Jedi)… Occasionally we talk at lunch about our families, houses, activities, and other stuff that I guess bonds us as a group.

At one point during lunch (did I mention one of our permier vendors was also there?) the table had quieted down a bit and my best friend turned and asked me what I’d done with my nine days off. Seven people turned to me for my answer as I (shamefully) admitted that I’d spend the entire time quilting. The table remained silent when my friend spoke a little louder, I’m not sure if he was goading me or not, but asked me again and I said a little stronger that I’d spent the entire time piecing five quilts together.

To be honest, I felt worse that I didn’t say it proudly the first time… it came out as more of a squeak and that’s not my style. I am proud of how I finished though. One of the others who were at the table admitted afterwards that they get together with needle and thread on occasion as well. I apologize to anyone reading this for not standing up to the opinion of others and can only say that I must have just been… out to lunch!

Posted in Daily and tagged beginner, blogging, crafts, Fabric, friends, lunch, project, quilt, Quilting, Quilts, Sew, sewing, Sewing machine | Leave a comment

16 Jun 2012

2 Comments

The Bobbin Surprise

Among the things that give me pause while quilting is the sewing machine bobbin. It’s the red-headed step-child of the sewing machine. It is busily doing all of these wonderful things behind the scenes and rarely (did I say rarely?) complaining. As much as I remember to check my top thread, I’m almost always surprised when the bobbin runs out. The thing is… it doesn’t even upset me when it happens.

While piecing together a top furiously… (can you imagine yourself in action?) Three times in a row, the bobbin ran out at the end of what I was sewing, so no inconvenience encountered. At times however, I am so intent on sewing straight and managing the fabric while it goes though the machine that I don’t realize that for the last yard and a half the bobbin was empty!

I HAD an excuse when I was using my Singer Brilliance machine. There was no way to know while sewing as it the bobbin is enclosed for that model. Using the Viking Sapphire though leaves me with no excuse other than I like to gamble. It is a top-load bobbin with a see-through window so you can check see the bobbin on the fly.

One of my other peccadilloes is to wind two bobbins at a time. I know that I’ll still have to stop and change it out when it runs out. It feels though like it will be quicker than having to wait to wind it every time it runs dry. Do you have OCD about certain things while sewing? You heard it hear first from my, mine is “The Bobbin Surprise”! Happy Quilting.