Look what you can do with fabric swatches!!

I forgot my camera when my quilting group got together on Sunday. I borrowed the hostess's camera to show you what it looks like when women have the opportunity to dig through free fabric. Unfortunately, the photos have not been sent to me yet so I can't share them. Let me just say that it was great fun and a great fabric scramble!! Ideas and fabric were flying around the room. There will be some beautiful shopping bags seen at grocery stores in Berks County!

I took some pieces of Waverly fabric swatches and decided to make a fabric basket. Originally I thought it would be a good size for my bathroom but I got carried away and it ended up much larger that I had envisioned. It is about 20" long and stands about 10" high.

From Quilty stuff

From Quilty stuff

The lining is a large scrap of a Robyn Pandolph fabric that I have had for years. I used a fusible fleece for the body and quilted it to give it more strength. I think the next one I make (because I really like the size of this one) I will use a more sturdy interfacing.

I brought home lots of swatches and I will be making matching checkbook covers and business card cases. I have a couple of other ideas and I may end up making gifties for all of my S4 sisters when we have our retreat in August.

Thanks again to Ms. Darlene for providing all the fabric, some great bag ideas and a FABULOUS lunch!!

Optical migraine

Anyone else have these?  I had one one Thursday this past week and another one this morning.  It has been a couple of months since the last one.  I just read somewhere that they can be triggered by images on a computer screen.  I was in the middle of watching a YouTube video when this one started.  The flashing lights and “blind spot” have moved to the bottom of my field of vision now so at least I can see to type!

Saturday was another “no sew” day.  A friend and I went to my favorite used furniture store to pick up the buffet that I bought a couple of weeks ago.  She had never been there so I gladly took her on the full tour.  Naturally I found a couple of things that I had to have but managed to restrain myself and only bought a spool chair.  (If you want to see photos, they are posted on my other site, My Little Nest.)

Today I am sewing with the Society of Sexy Sewing Sisters.  One of sexy sisters has a huge number of fabric sample books – home dec kind of stuff.  We are going to get creative with the fabric swatches.  Everyone is bringing patterns to make cloth grocery bags, totes or whatever ideas they have for using up the swatches.  I think we are going to have a great time.

Enjoy your Sunday!

A picture is worth a 1000 words?

Referring back to my post yesterday, I know my explanation on how to set up your sewing machine to use it more like a mid-arm was a little (ok, a lot!) confusing. 

Here are two photos.  The first shows my machine in standard sewing position.  The second shows the machine turned 45 degrees with the quilt shoved into the harp and the fabric being supported on either side of Jenny.  

A couple of things will make this better.  It would be great if I had Jenny on a wider surface.  I am just working on a baby quilt so this will work out ok but if the quilt were larger, the table length would make a difference.  It would also be great if the bed of my machine was level with the sewing machine surface.  I am thinking about making one. There is a YouTube video on building an inexpensive quilting table:

Now, another quilter modified the idea and turned the machine: http://bafonsquilter.blogspot.com/2009/02/faux-mid-arm-quilter.html  These are really fabulous ideas and if you have the room to set up the table (and a couple of other supplies), you can have your very own imitation “George” or HQ16!

Quick post (since I am at the office)

Not much sewing going on here. I did make a couple of pillow covers for my mom and that is about it. I have 2 quilts that are still in the piecing stage and now I am looking at starting another one. At least I am predictable!

Last weekend after my visitors left I was lured into my backyard to work on tilling up large plots for flower beds. I have much to do to make my yard presentable but I am up for the challenge! It is such a joy to have my own yard again and to be able to garden.

In one of my Yahoo groups I saw something about pretending to be a mid-arm quilter. The idea is to turn Jenny so that I am looking directly at the front end of the left side of the head...basically turning her perpendicular to the front of my table. This will allow me to put most of the quilt onto the table and shoved into the back of the arm. Theoretically I will be able to better move the quilt when doing free motion. I still need to finish quilting the baby quilt so I am going to give it a go this weekend. I know this sounds goofy but when I am all set up and ready to roll I will post photos!

At last

The purses are finished…well, nearly finished.  I bought a very cool button for my Mini Bow Tucks bag and now I cannot find it.  I am sure it is somewhere in the studio but it may be WEEKS before I find it.  (I am such a slob when I am “creating”!)

So – here they are.  First is the Mini Bow Tucks.  (The lighting is pretty bad but, trust me, it was worse with the flash!

This one is for Emily.  It is a cute bag.  However, as I mentioned in my previous post, the directions to make it were convoluted and it could have been so much easier.  After several rippings, a little re-design and some very minor swearing, here it is

I do like all the little trims and embellishments.

I have company arriving today so I have been cleaning and organizing.  Sadly, none of that has occurred in my studio.  I think I will back away from the computer, grab another cup of coffee and see if I can make a little bit of a difference up here.

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Back at it

It has been ages since I last posted.  Nothing terribly exciting to report except that Jenny is now quilting again.  I changed my needle for the second time and then slopped Sewer’s Aid all over everything.  I started a very simple meander over the rest baby quilt and only had one thread break.  I ran out of thread in my bobbin and so I put the quilt down.  I think I was just tired of looking at the darned thing. 

You know what happens when I get frustrated…I started two new bags!  One is a Mini Bow Tucks and the other is a small bag that I found on line at American Patchwork and Quilting  (All People Quilt).  I do love that magazine and most of the projects I have tried have had great directions.  This little bag (which is really darling) has very strange instructions.  I just finished ripping the bag from the lining because I did not like the design.  I am going to “re-invent” the bag and hopefully will have it finished by the time Ms. Em comes to visit next week.  I love the other bag.  I wanted something in black and white.  I found some beautiful toile and a stripe with a fleur-de-lise so the bag has kind of a French flair.  As soon as it is completed I will post a photo.  (Don’t you just hate posts without photos?!)