Friday, February 27, 2009
argh...needles!!
it's incredibly frustrating i tell you! this is my first computerized machine. i went from learning on and loving a very old cast iron sewing machine (it makes the most perfect button holes you've ever seen) to my mother's "new" singer that she gave me after i was married (it was 25 years old at that time) to when the timing gear just wouldn't stay put, i purchased a simple, but nice janome. my janome lasted me 8 1/2 years before it needed any servicing and then i killed it. i sew a lot. now i have this more expensive with tons of stitches and computerized brother. and i sometimes despise it, but it sews beautifully. when i remember that the needle is not in the middle!!
my quilting foot with 1/4 guide is set for the middle needle position. if i turn off my machine between pinning sessions, half the time i forget to reset the needle to position 01 instead of 00. argh. since thanksgiving time when i got the machine, i must have broken about 8 needles. maybe more considering i broke 2 needles within 15 minutes last month.
now...i'll put the kiddo to bed and attempt to finish piecing more of my QOV #2.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
first qov top is complete!
i mentioned my first package from sew mama sew the other day and how it cheered me up when i saw it's lovely packaging. (i'm pathetic here...excuse me for a moment) well, i got another package when i got home from the doctor yesterday to tell me i do indeed have a throat infection! well...no kidding...i could have told you that... my new package was from Quilt Home and i haven't even unwrapped it yet (this is my pathetic part). it's too lovely. i know what's inside it and want to peek. tomorrow. just look at how it's wrapped up in tissue paper and then tied with a string. yes, my two parcels from sms are still together too...like i said - i had to retie the yardage pack.
the quilt top is finished and i can get back to working on my corduroy skirt that just needs a zipper, waist and hem. it's almost out of season. and then i'll get cracking on the gift quilt i've been working on again. i need to have it mailed out in april and march is almost here.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
progress on navy QOV
Friday, February 13, 2009
i have a fabric addiction...
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
the start of my first QOV
here is a picture of all my pieces cut up. what you can't really tell is that each blue fabric also has the 3 1/2" squares to go with it. i have them layered. sometimes i'm amazed that such a small stack of fabric makes such a roomy and lovely quilt. this one is lap sized and that's all QOV wants.
i'm quite excited about this. i want to do several quilts for them - definitely some for the navy (what a perfect fabric i found! thanks robert!) and some designated for women. QOV receives about 55% patriotic quilts and then other various ones, but their donations of female-specific quilts is fairly small. i've never had any of my quilts machine-stitched either, so this will be a first for me as well, although i wish i had a say in how it was quilted. i'm sure it will be beautiful in the end.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
my fabric stash and storage
- i usually sew clothes for myself and quilts. it used to be clothes only, then i started to add baby stuff (burp clothes, bibs, nap mats) and quilts to my repertoire. i try to quilt a lot now and have so many plans for clothes and quilts.
- when i purchase fabric, i try to purchase what i need for that particular project. if i have no idea what i'm doing or what specific pattern but it's a fabulous fabric, i'll decide clothes or quilt first and make my decision after that. usually it's a one yard cut, unless it's for a quilt and i like it, but know i don't want to use it all over the quilt - then it's a half yard. if i'm going to use it for clothes, but not sure if it's a short skirt or dress, i'll get at least 2 1/2 yards.
- buy on impulse or go looking for something i need? BOTH!!!
- prewasher. definitely. i have about a third of my stash that is prewashed and waiting. some of it has been washed for years. (sad...i know...)
- i'll iron most of my fabric before i use it. if it's fresh out of the dryer and not wrinkled yet, i'll fold it neatly, selvages together and then more lengthwise, so it stays nice.
- sorting? hah! ok, i do have a bit of sorting but i've lapsed a little. i used to have an ikea storage bin full of flannel for nap mats, a bin of kids fabrics, a bin just for dresses/skirts/shirts for me, and a bin for quilting and clothes fabrics. now, i still have those same bins, but the quilting/clothes bin is now 2 bins and i have plastic grocery bags full of quilt projects sorted out so i don't mix or forget the patterns and fabric combos and stuff shoved on shelves (like my quilts of valor stashes) and fat quarters all over the place. and jelly rolls of batiks filling up the inside of my machine cover and more plastic bags in various places, including my storage unit. i'm a fabric junkie.
- my folding technique is just basically how i'd get it off the bolt - selvages together and then fold in smaller increments lengthwise.
- my tip for building a well-rounded stash is just buy what you like and try to have a few ideas in your head. get colors and "textures" you like and would like to combine. go for variety.
- it's never enough! my hubby is starting to realize how much fabric i really have. he didn't know before.
- my favorite stash busting projects are quilts. just go in there and pull out what you've had stored up and combine them in a fun way.
- i'm loving my day of the dead print from robert kaufman. i had been planning on making a dia de los muertos quilt for a little while and was collecting fabrics - skulls, skeletons (non-halloweenish ones) and bright flowers, etc. at the international quilt festival in oct/nov, i found this one and it's PERFECT for my border. i also just purchased this one by alexander henry for a skirt.