Thursday, September 13, 2018

What does the Log Cabin block, Paper Piecing, and a Ballerina have in common?


Absolutely nothing!!!

Except that they have been sitting on my longarm in piles waiting to get finished for a while now.

Below is the Log Cabin blocks.

Island Batik Scraps, I can see the Victoria and Albert Line in there.  November's Island Batik Challenge.  This one would be close to be getting done but I have to do some cutting on these blocks and boy am I nervous that I make a mistake.  I know....get ur done!!!





I have been working on this paper piecing for months, I do mean months.  This is something that I designed. Not much on paper piecing but I am hoping this turns out.  Not a great mathematician either so keep your fingers crossed that it all works.  This project is the October Island Batik Challenge.  I will not be able to sew for ten days this month so I am frantically working on this one.



Then this ballerina, oh my gosh.  I have put more thought into this one.  It seems like all I do is think.  I have embroidered some things to go with it and now I am trying to decide how I can make her name look like the lettering I used in the embroidery machine.  I used designs that don't include the letttering, just the words.

By the way, this ballerina was made by enlarging her and then enlarging her on my printer.

I think I finally came up with something but we get our grandson today.  Oh yes....can't wait.  Maybe while he sleeps I can get her name done just right.  I have had several failed attempts but I am thinking this time might work.



Last night I finished four towels, this is the smaller towel but the larger one took me an hour to do (each).  Done....did I say it was done???  

It seems like the older I get the passing of time just speeds by, so enjoy today and don't worry about tomorrow.!!

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Tuesday, September 11, 2018

STARSTRUCK


September's Challenge for the Island Batik Ambassadors is Starstruck.


We are celebrating Stars this month.

My sister Jeanette, Inchworm Fabrics, was visiting in June and so we decided to do an Island Batik project together.

We chose September's Challenge using Paisley Dot's by Island Batik.




If you like industrial, maybe you will like this wall hanging. 



Jeanette will show you her project as soon as her frame is finished.

Jeanette was with me when we found this frame in one of the antique (JUNK) stores in town.

Then I decided to use my  Island Batik scraps to make this project below.


I have done this pattern several times.  As you can see below it is really a simple quilt.


You can find the tutorial at Diary of a Quilter

As I said above,  I wanted to make it scrappy!


Here are the Island Batik scraps that I used, separated into light and darks.

I just had to make six light and six dark 10" squares.

Then I decided to make a scrappy border.  For the corner squares I made four 6" squares.


Here is what's left.  I have to admit, they are organized a little better than the first picture but I am pleased as punch that my piles have gone down.


All of these left over bindings from other projects made up the binding of this quilt.  Don't you just love scrappy?







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Wednesday, September 5, 2018

MEMORY PILLOWS MADE WITH DAD'S TIES AND HIS WORK JUMPSUIT

My sister's boss wanted five memory pillows made from her husband's ties.

When my sister brought me the ties, also included was a huge work overall, sweater, sweatshirt, nine ties.

I looked at these items and thought, what in the world am I going to do.

The items looked like cast off's.

I saw the overall and thought oh my heavens NOOOOO.

I got on pinterest.

Got a few ideas, well...I only took one idea,

and started to work.

This first pillow is what I got off pinterest.  It is simple but cute.


                                        

                                        Here is the back of the pillow.  This is actually the pant leg.

                                          

Then the ideas started coming.  I actually cut up the overall first.  The overall is the blue in all of the pillows.  When I sorted through what I cut up and made sure I had cut enough for five pillows, I just went to town.   When I got the ideas going, it was easy from there on out.



I loved using the pockets.  I pieced together the back.  Trust me, there was very little left of the overalls.



                               I thought this one was fun.  The back is the back of the sweatshirt.




Actually, they were all fun, so I just kept going and going.  In one evening I had four and part of the fifth pillow done.  Just need to sew them up.


Here is the back of the pillow.



Here is the sweater.  In fact, I was wondering what I would do with the sweater.  I actually, did not have any iron on interfacing so I took my heat n bond and ironed it onto a pieced of fabric.  Then I ironed it onto the sweater.  I didn't want it to stretch.  I saw on you tube how they made them without the interfacing but I wanted mine to be strong and not all stretchy.



                                                               Here is the back.

I tell you after the initial shock of the items and doing the first pillow, it was one fun time.  I don't think I have enjoyed myself like that in a long time.  Just cut me loose with some cast off's and Barb will be happy.  Like giving your small child a box and they will play for hours.

Oh, almost forgot, my Juki sewed over those thick parts like no one's business!


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The winner of my Island Batik Giveaway is:

Kathy E. said...
Your daughter-in-law is a very lucky lady to be a houseguest in your home! Learning the art of quilting from you is a gift she will always treasure...yes, you can tell you that! :) I'm loving the table topper and those luscious colors!

A big shout out to all of you who came by and commented and even to those who were not able to.
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Tuesday, September 4, 2018

LAST CALL- COME ONE COME ALL!!

This is the last day of  "The Great Outdoor" Blog hop.

Here is my day!

My fabric line for Island Batik was "Victoria and Albert".

Here a pillow from this fabric (which I need a bigger pillow form).




This pattern is made from the cancer ribbon by Accuquilt.

Below is the back of the pillow, I just love these fabrics, don't you?


Here is the link to the pattern:


I saw on facebook the pattern for this double pot holder.

Here is the link to the tutorial!


I just love this pattern.  The only thing that I changed was I put insul-brite inside.


It is rare that I get a day in my sewing room so I took total advantage of it.

I spent my evening making these embroidery designs, it is for a custom quilt that just needs to get done!


pattern for bandanas

I sat up a machine for Maria (my daughter in law) and last night she made baby bandanas AND



   
                                                                 Kitchen mats



                             She liked the ones I have and it truly does put a nice touch to the kitchen.  She didn't round the corners and made her bigger than mine...see she already has a quilter's heart, she will make designs her own.

What I like about her in my sewing room is that she is using up scraps.  Every little bit helps...right???
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------If you haven't had a chance to go by and visit these blogs, today is the last day.

WEEK 2

WEEK 3

Monday, August 20 – Ocean Odyssey
Toby Lischko, Karen Overton
Thursday, August 23 – Dragonfly Dreams
Inchworm Fabrics, BeaQuilter

WEEK 4

WEEK 5

Tuesday, September 4 – Whatnot
heARTS Creations, Slice of Pi Quilts

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Monday, September 3, 2018

UNVEILING OF MY NEW MACHINE


Juki HZL-F600 Full Sized Computer Sewing and Quilting Machine


I did not even start out wanting a Juki.  I have heard nothing but good things about juki's and when we left the Janome Shop in Texarkana, I just went on line and searched out what I was looking for.  



The below picture is the reason I purchased this Juki besides the price tag.


See the number six?  Just a tap of the button.  My Pfaff you enter in two numbers and truly it was no big deal to do this.  The Janome I was looking at you had to punch in, well...let's say I stopped counting when he hit the button more than four times.  I just want to go from one to the other.


Here is a practice pillow top, using my Island Batik Fabrics, of course.

I chose one of my patterns that would use every feature I would need.  The quilting on this is fabulous, the stitches look great.  The thread did not break, that was a great big plus.

My pfaff the presser foot just goes down automatically, that is a nice feature.  This one you have the lever in the back.  Still no big deal, I just put the knee lift on and well...there you have it.

I do not need or want the decorative stitches, nor did I want a machine that does straight stitch only.  I just need the straight stitch, blanket stitch, and quilting abilities.  There you have it.

I love the lighting on this machine, the table that comes with it.  I folded a piece of fabric eight times and it just hummed over it. 

Simple.


With every machine there is a learning curve and once that is over we will sing songs of love.

Still love my pfaff but will be selling her.

What machines do I have left?

Juki
Pfaff embroidery machine
Pfaff (lifestyle)
Nicce
White serger.

My daughter in law asked me how many machines do I need.  One day I will answer that question without rolling my eyes.

So what do you have and what is your favorite.
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This is the last week of "The Great Outdoor" blog hop, still time to win amazing fabrics, thread, patterns, tutorials, etc.


WEEK 1

WEEK 2

WEEK 3

Monday, August 20 – Ocean Odyssey
Toby Lischko, Karen Overton
Thursday, August 23 – Dragonfly Dreams
Inchworm Fabrics, BeaQuilter

WEEK 4

WEEK 5

Tuesday, September 4 – Whatnot
heARTS Creations, Slice of Pi Quilts
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