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20 Jun 2012

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.

Posted in Daily and tagged beginner, blogging, bobbin, Fabric, learning, project, quilt, Quilting, Quilts, Sapphire, Sew, sewing, Sewing machine, singer, Viking

15 Jun 2012

The Scissor Effect

Nostalgia has me in its grip this week apparently. I found myself talking about some of the things my wife and I have discovered as beginning quilters. I started talking about the scissors we use most. I thought it was hilarious that after spending our time, energy and money on selecting these large and really nice scissors, (one of them bought by my wife is purple even on the cutting surface) that aren’t even the one’s we use the most. I’m not opposed to spending money on useful items but we both try to stay away from frivolity in our purchases (most of the time!!). Although we’ve used everything we purchased, when we were thinking about it, the scissors we use most are the little 4 ½” detail Singer scissors. I think they cost $5.95 Of course out of all the things we do while quilting, the cutting, sewing, measuring, ironing, and washing this is one of the key instruments that when I can’t find it, can really be a bummer. We actually have two of them and they are exactly the same… well last month our daughter visited and left them too close to the iron which partially melted one of them. Even with two around, there are times when we sit down to sew and go to clip off the thread that they aren’t where they’re supposed to be. Sometimes Kay is the culprit and sometimes it’s me, but at that moment we just want those lightweight little gems. Don’t get me wrong, we’ll use the “bulkier”, more expensive ones when push comes to shove, but the little scissors are definitely in the “can’t live without” category. What is the implement of destruction can’t you live without?

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

11 Jun 2012

1 Comment

Free Persian Plum Block 7 Give-A-Way

Believe it or not I happen to have an extra Joann Fabrics Persian Plum block 7 that I am going to send to some lucky bistroquilts.com follower.

How to Enter:

1. [Required] Leave a comment on this post. What would you do with your Persian Plum Block 7?

2. [Required] Be a follower of this blog. It only takes a moment to click the follow button.

2. {optional} Like BistroQuilts.com, and then leave a separate comment letting me know you did {or that you do already}.

If you are reading this in your email or feed reader, please visit the actual blog post to enter. Email entries, Facebook comments, and Twitter messages will NOT be counted.

Prizes:

At the end of the week on 6/16/12 I will randomly select a lucky recipient to send this prize to. This is not restricted to the U.S., I will send anywhere in the world.

Posted in Giveaway and tagged beginner, block of the month, blogging, crafts, Fabric, Free, Giveaway, joann, Joann Fabrics, learning, project, quilt, Quilting, Quilts, Sew, sewing

11 Jun 2012

Five quilts in nine days… well almost

It was ridiculous of me to think I could have finished everything, I mean five quilts in nine days? I was on a mission to be sure and ready to take up the challenge. To be fair, two of the quilts (Arbor Lane and the School House) were in their final stages of completion and since have been taken to my long arm quilter along with one of the Sage Garden Patch quilts I made here. So, in a way that doesn’t make it sound like I’m cheating, I finished off the assembly of two quilt tops, put two entirely new quilts together and have one nearly across the finish line.

“I kept complaining that although I have made a few quilts, I really hadn’t kept any for myself.”

Just in case you were wondering and hadn’t read any of my previous posts, I have been suffering from separation anxiety regarding the quilts I’ve made. It might have something to do with the fact that every time one of the children stops in for a visit, I end up one quilt lighter . Three out of seven children have a quilt made by me or by my wife and me. We’ve come to the conclusion that we should just make one for each and call it done. This means of course, we still have four other quilts to make and give away which is tough to do when you want to stock pile quilts for your own personal use and enjoyment. Trying to complete five quilts in so short amount of time isn’t anything that I’ve done before. I have to say that nine days ago when I started this I wouldn’t have believed I would have accomplished this much.

My vacation is over and I am back to work again. I will most likely finish the fifth and final quilt tonight as I have already started to sew the strips together. To be honest, three of the quilts are of the same pattern, with only varied fabric selections to make them look different. I chose to make a few for its beautiful, yet simplistic style and each quilt only calls for three colors. Having never assembled a quilt the way this one goes together, I also wanted ample practice getting those points together with minimal space between or losing them to the border. All three turned out far better than my expectations!!

So, what are you making? What goals have you set for yourself this summer?

Posted in Daily and tagged beginner, blogging, books, Fabric, learning, project, quilt, Quilting, Quilts, Sew, sewing | Leave a comment

02 Jun 2012

My Struggle with Appliques

Applique sewn on with Husqvarna Viking Sapphire

Eating carrots as a child was always a chore at the dinner table. My parents knew they were good for me and would not injure me as I thought they would. Likewise, although quilts can contain any number of different techniques from paper piecing to string art, one of the most popular remains that of the applique.

I set my sights a couple of times on trying this out and it has been a disaster, my technique is horrid. I am okay (read not thrilled) with mistakes in the quilts that I make. But there comes a point in time where giving up on a technique seems really compelling. Luckily for me, unluckily for my wife, I’m stubborn. I will ruin 20 pieces just to become adequate at its creation.

Why would my wife become unlucky? Because I will plead and beg her to stop her projects to work with me on mine, asking her questions nonstop, and criticizing our work until I’m satisfied with the result. She is a real trooper but has politely suggested that I join a quilting guild so I can learn more.

My confession… is that everything I do has been self-taught through trial and error, although at times (many times) I have come across wonderful people who’ve shared their videos of how to’s on the web. (Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!) I know I should be trying to work with more experienced quilters, but it’s difficult while working a full-time job. That doesn’t even mention that I’m a guy and a lot of experienced quilters in my area are women… married women whose husbands probably wouldn’t understand why their wives were spending time quilting with another man!!

Kay and I do go to quilting events when they’re in town and plan on going to the quilt show in Houston this October. that is normally where I am able to connect with other quilters and ask the questions that are giving me fits.

Until then, I would love comments from anyone out there on the best way to do appliques on quilts. I’ve seen them with a satin stitch, a zig-zag, and have seen them done by hand. But would love to know what your favorite way is…

Until then thank you for all your support and keep sending the comments!

Posted in Block of the Month, Daily and tagged applique, block of the month, blogging, crafts, Fabric, joann, Joann Fabrics, learning, quilt, Quilting, Quilts, Review, Sew, sewing, Viking | Leave a comment

01 Jun 2012

3 Comments

Works of Art a.k.a. Labours of Love

I love piecing together a quilt it’s my favorite part of the quilting process. Designing is fun and I love binding the quilt, but watching the top coming together is the most rewarding to me. I feel a sense of accomplishment when I’ve laid the top onto the bed and think about what it will look like fully quilted.

Kay and I will interrupt each others work to show our progress and chide each other with “have you taken a picture of it yet?”. This came about because while quilting at one point I was nearing completion of a quilt without having taken a single photo of it yet. There would be no way to know how it had gone together or what it had looked like while it was still in process. We both had wanted to document the process long before we started writing about it. The main reason though was to share this process with our children.

We’ve been together for 16 years and have seven children between us. Yes, I said seven… though all of them are out of the house and in different states, we’re lucky enough to have frequent visits. We thought at some point a few of the children might wonder how these fantastic quilts that made it into their hands had manage to come together. This inevitably led to writing about the highs and lows, successes and challenges of making a quilt.

At times we become frustrated trying out something new and having to undo it for the third time. Having those photos from the past showing where we started and how far we’ve come have really helped us stretch our ability and has driven us to try harder. Using advanced techniques makes for a more challenging quilt to be sure, but it allows us to grow in our abilities while making more elaborate works. Don’t get me wrong, there are times when putting together something less intense feels just as rewarding. I think it’s the sense of accomplishment of having completed a work of art, which is how I view all quilts… works of art. There is no machine that does all the work, just a person or three and a lot of hard work.

Which part of the quilting/crafting process is your favorite?

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

31 May 2012

4 Comments

UFO’s and how to complete your least engaging projects

So many times I plan on doing a project and get caught up doing something else, like a site I read that had the same subject “buriedinscraps.wordpress.com. So this evening I was looking at some of my unfinished projects and knew that I needed to get a move on to finish some. I decided to start with my old block of the month project from Joann Fabrics Arbor Lane.

Has anyone else out there worked on a project and as it was coming together felt their stomach drop through the floor? As soon as I started I realized that the measurements were all wrong. I was texting my wife and letting her know how disappointed I was in this, but that I was persevering in the face of adversity!!

“I AM going to complete this quilt” I keep telling myself, all the while thinking about the quilt I really want to be making. It’s not turning out horrible, but some of the blocks do NOT match up.

What do you do when things go wrong with your projects? This UFO isn’t complete yet, but by the end of this weekend it will be. I think the best way to complete these unfinished project is the same way you do anything else that’s overwhelming like eating an elephant… one bite at a time. After all, it really isn’t the rabbit that wins the race, it’s the turtle. Steady and with perseverance, at least that’s my .02 worth.

So as far as ease-ability of putting the Arbor Lane quilt from Joann Fabrics together?? 2 out of 5 stars. We’ll revisit once we’re completely done.

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

04 Feb 2010

Your Moleskine and You

I couldn’t imagine my life now without my Moleskine as it’s become part of my everyday life capturing my joys, sorrows, doodles, thoughts, pictures, and critical information finder. One of my favorite sites to visit is http://www.moleskineus.com/moleskine-stories.html where there are ideas and exhibits of the Moleskines that have gone before.

So small it fits neatly into my pocket, backpack, or laptop bag my Moleskine travels everywhere with me detailing my life and coloring my world. I’ve seen so many uses for this little wonder and yet I know there are so many untapped ideas just waiting to be explored. I love new ideas and suggestions, so pony up and send me your scans of the many wonderful things that you’ve done with you Moleskine.

Posted in Daily and tagged beginner, blogging, Moleskine | Leave a comment