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Archive for the tag “Fabric”

26 Jul 2012

When do bits of fabric become a quilt?

Someone at my work asked about the quilts that I make and made the mistake of asking me to bring one of them in. I do still get some ribbing from the guys that I work with for being as passionate about quilting as I am. I take it in stride though, and sometimes it still does get to me. Luckily my passion outweighs any reservations I have about spending my time with this wonderful art form.

Waking up early, I prepared for my day… made coffee, packed my lunch and, oh yeah… remembered to take my perfectly folded quilt with me to show off at work. It was a little of a let-down when I found out that the person I was supposed to show the quilt to was off-site all day due to some issues that he had to deal with. On second thought though, this would give me a reason to take it back with me the next day.

As I was walking back to the car I realized that what I had under my arm was no longer bits of thread and fabric. I could feel the weight of it and even the feel of it had changed from when I was sewing the fabric together. As I took the quilt home I wondered what it would feel like when I finally washed it. This wasn’t the most complicated pattern and if you’ve followed my posts at all, you’ll know that it is one of five that I made in nine days. It has become mine though, unlike any of the other quilts that I’ve made and that’s saying a lot. I want to say a special thanks to Linda my quilter, the person who did such a wonderful job quilting these bits of fabric into such a resplendent quilt.

While talking to my daughter Samantha who I’ve convinced to pick up this passion, I mentioned that I hadn’t come up with a name for my quilt yet. She reminded me of a time when she was only six years old and had come home to find a doll that I had bought for her. The doll was made out of fabric and dressed in blue and white pajamas, had yellow yarn for hair, and big blue eyes. You should have seen her face when she saw the doll, she said “she looks like me!” I told her that the doll’s name was Sally from a bedtime story that my father had told to me. This quilt, my daughter told me is like the doll you gave me and should be called the ‘Sally doll quilt’.

Yes… it’s the middle of summer but as I sit here writing this and it’s still over 95 degrees, I am wrapped up in my quilt and still I wonder… when did these bits of fabric become a quilt? The minute it made the connection to my heart through my memories. It will always and forever remind me of that day of happiness with my daughter.

Sally Doll and her Sally Doll Quilt

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

25 Jul 2012

6 Comments

Heidi Grace Panels are done!

While getting ready to finish the top for the “Acadia” Heidi Grace fabrics quilt, I had received a call to pick the other quilt up from my new Long Arm quilter. I did manage to finish all of the panels before I left and have put them out on the bed to get a sense of what it will look like when finished.

Tonight I will hopefully have the time to finally finish sewing the top together. I still have so many other irons in the fire however that I might not be able to get the back together until the weekend. I feel a little bad because I’m already thinking about the next quilt I’m going to make! Focus, focus, focus should be my mantra!

Posted in Daily and tagged beginner, crafts, Fabric, Heidi Grace, joann, Joann Fabrics, learning, project, quilt, Quilting, Quilts, Sapphire, sewing, Sewing machine, Viking

24 Jul 2012

3 Comments

Free Fabric!! Joann Fabric’s Persian Plum Setting Kit

Just a reminder that I’ll be pulling a name for the Free Friday giveaway this Saturday July 28th. Just click the link off to the right of this post and comment there. Don’t forget to follow my blog for your chance at some really cool prizes.

Posted in Giveaway and tagged Fabric, Free, Giveaway, joann, Joann Fabrics, quilt, Quilting, Quilts

23 Jul 2012

4 Comments

Bound and Determined

This weekend I finally did it!! I received a call from Linda who had my blue and yellow Sage Garden Quilt that it was ready to be picked up! After wrapping up what Kay and I were working on we drove the 45 minutes to the quilters and picked it up. It turned out so very beautiful and I could hardly wait to get it home.

What I didn’t know at first touch, was how stiff it would be with that much quilting on it. I was actually unprepared and we started joking about it being so stiff that it may just walk off on its own.

When I got it home and pulled out the fabric to use for the border, it was close to 8pm already. Determination set it however and I put most of the fabric together for the binding… yes I said “most” of the fabric. Like any great story with trials and tribulations, I hadn’t measured correctly and while sewing the binding on came up a little short. Not to worry though, I quickly added two more strips on and I was off and running.

No one every mentions it, but when you have something with that much quilting pushing the needle through the fabric is very difficult. On several occasions I looked at my finger at the hole that was forming from where it created an indentation! Well, here it is, I’m very proud of how this turned out. Now I have but to put the label on to put it in use.

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

20 Jul 2012

Joann Fabric’s Persian Plum Block 8

Block 8 for the Persian Plum was definitely an easier block to put together than block 7 was, at least for me. It was fun and went together in less than 30 minutes!

I can hardly wait to see all of these blocks together in what I hope is going to be a beautiful quilt. Let me know what you think of this one.

Here is the fabric that came with the kit:

And then the sewing began…

Here is the block almost finished

And here’s the finished block

I took a break from my quilt to put this block together and you can see the reviews of my post for the previous blocks

Posted in Block of the Month, Blogs, Daily, Reviews and tagged beginner, block of the month, blogging, crafts, Fabric, joann, Joann Fabrics, learning, project, quilt, Quilting, Quilts, Review | Leave a comment

19 Jul 2012

2 Comments

A look at my future quilt

I know I’ve talked about it a little before, but what is on my mind right now is the Heidi Grace quilt that I’m putting together. Half of the panels are done and even though it’s slow going during the week, I’m still at it. Kay has a nasty cold that she’s been battling with lately and I’m not the best caregiver but I’m trying to take some of the dinner making and house cleaning duties off her shoulder while she gets well.

So I wanted to post a few more pictures of the Arcadia quilt in progress and here they are:

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

18 Jul 2012

2 Comments

Patience and Anticipation

A funny thing happened last night that I was reticent to talk about without the approval of my spouse. I asked her only because I am making fun of both of us, but didn’t want to offend her by including it in my post. She of course approved of my using it because she’s fantastic.

I had to do some work from home last night and knew that I wouldn’t be able to do too much on the quilt that I’m finishing. All of the blocks are together, all that’s needed is to piece the blocks together to make the panels and then sew the panels together. Two of the panels are complete, but rather than have the expectations of finishing during the week, I’m trying to be realistic and have the patience to finish this weekend when I have more time.

After my work was completed and dinner was finished, we went back into the sewing room for the last hour of the night before we went to sleep to get a little sewing in… After I’ve sewn my first strip to join two blocks together, I realize that I’ve sewn the strip on the wrong side of the block (with this pattern there is no way I could leave it in and make it work). Now I have to say that on occasion this happens to me, but with this quilt… let’s just say that it is chronic. It was at this point that Kay looking over at me and my “new” difficulties and makes fun.

Kay suggested that I give it up for the night and laughed a little at the continuing difficulty that I’ve had with this quilt. Sewing blocks and strips to the wrong sides, forgetting to use the 1/4″ selection of the machine, and other trials I’ve faced while making this quilt. I was thinking (you could actually see the gears move) of something pithy to reply to her when I looked down and saw that she was using the wrong sewing foot for what she was working on!! What ensued at that point was nothing less than storm of cursing at our machines and the collective fate of our two quilts.

We could have given up at this point, but given our nature we hunkered down, brought out two seam rippers, and proceeded to “fix” our mistakes. Rather than stopping afterwards, we completed what we had started before finally going to bed. I had finished another panel, number three out of eight. I realized though that I’m kind of enjoying the time that it’s taking to finish this quilt. I happen to be making it for myself and think that as I use the finished quilt this Autumn, I will appreciate it that much more knowing as I do the time and patience I’ve had to have with it. All of the effort I’ve put in leaves me feeling a great anticipation for what this quilt will be when it grows up.

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

17 Jul 2012

3 Comments

Letting go… when it’s time to let go

Lately, all of my free time I’ve devoted almost entirely to piecing my latest creation together. After feeling under the weather at the beginning of the week I was almost manic about catching up I guess. Though the race is with myself, I have the funny notion that I can’t get behind. In a very real sense this is true because I have a tendency to slack off if I don’t put pressure on myself.

Yesterday we had the pleasure of visiting one of our long arm quilters and dare I call her a friend. Every time we visit with her and see the quilts that she has laid out, stuffed in a cubby, or draped on one of her beds, it makes me want to go home and quilt myself into oblivion.

We have five quilts out being quilted at the moment and of course have them staggered to arrive back home over the course of the next two months. At home however, we only have three quilts large enough for our bed with a few lap quilts and minis thrown in. Four of the five are large enough for at least double to queen size. It got me thinking though… how many quilts should I be keeping and how many should either be sold or given to friends and family?

We haven’t discussed it really. I’m sure Kay wouldn’t think I was funny if I told her we needed to have a hundred!! I suppose because at the moment I feel that we don’t have enough for ourselves and every quilt that goes out the door represents literally weeks of work that we won’t personally see the benefit of. I know that the ones we’ve given out were very much appreciated, but have a difficult time letting go of them all the same. I would say that I’ve even given blood for some of them (I really have to watch where I’m putting my needles sometime).

Yes… even the ones with obvious mistakes I have difficulty letting go of and provides no end of amusement for Kay. I don’t know if people realize the care, joy, love, frustration, time, and angst that goes into each step of making a quilt. Quilts made by hand and not an assembly line, with quality fabrics and personal attention are worth far more intrinsically than anything that a store could put up for sale. Which brings me to the other facet of why I have such a difficult time letting go… will it be appreciated?

This is not an easy question and for me is a difficult thing to get past. In the end though, I can only hope that what I’ve made and given finds a good home and is well-used by the recipient.

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

16 Jul 2012

I wanted to go a little farther than dittencraft and say that after quilting for two years, I still consider myself a beginner. Although I agree with Sandi on a lot of the points made as well. As a beginner however, I do try and stretch myself and may not learn a new technique as fast as expected. I find myself doing pinwheels until all points line up every time I make them. I don’t want to just know a basic technique, I want to master it before I move on to the next. I bet dittencraft’s moms friend can make a garter stitch better and faster than anyone else around. Rather than blocks as Sandi suggested, i use mini quilts to try out new techniques because I do want to stretch myself, just not too fast.

Piecemeal Quilts

EDITED TO ADD:
1. I am not calling “you” dumb. I don’t know you.
2. Nor am I calling your quilts dumb.
3. Please read the second and third posts as well, linked at the bottom. There’s a bit less snark.

Anyone who is easily offended, please stop reading.
Anyone who believes that Sew, Mama, Sew! is the be-all and end-all of fabric crafts, please stop reading.
Anyone who thinks bloggers should always write nice, happy posts, please stop reading.

If you’re tired of seeing the same seven quilts on every blog you visit, keep reading.
If you’re frustrated by lopsided log cabin blocks being called “adventurous,” keep reading.
If you’re able to disagree constructively, hey, welcome! I don’t mind healthy discussion.

So what set me off today? Sew, Mama, Sew’s blog post about sewing trends: What’s New?! I agree with the trends listed, I think they’re spot on. Pinwheels…

View original post 728 more words

Posted in Daily, Reblog and tagged beginner, blogging, crafts, Fabric, learning, quilt, Quilting, Quilts | Leave a comment

14 Jul 2012

2 Comments

Joann Fabric Persian Plum Block 7

Block 7 was a real challenge and I almost took it completely apart and put it back together. The quality control for my cut pieces left a little to be desired. I would say that 80% of the pieces were cut to the proper dimensions, but it was the 20% that gave me fits. When I started to put this block of the month quilt together however, I promised myself to use what was in the kit only and see how the quilt turned out.

The pieces supplied had me scratching my head for a little while… as a guy I tried to see how everything would go together without looking at the instructions. I think that is hard-coded into our DNA! After looking at the instructions though, I quickly started putting the block together.

It was at this point that I realized that the pieces where going to be a little off-center which I tried to correct. It didn’t turn out bad, just didn’t go together as seamlessly as the other blocks had.