My Quilting History and a Few Tips

Since I began quilting almost 20 years ago I put all my small scraps into a box until one day my box exploded and I had to do something about it. I started cutting up my scraps into 2" squares and then 3 years ago started sewing them into 9 patch blocks. I had no idea what I was going to do with them. This is how it all started...

Recently I figured it out!

I was happily sewing along and looked at my first finished block and oops! Those sashings weren't quite lining up. I am not concerned with being too perfect with this quilt but I did want it a little better than that.

I thought I would share a few tips to get sashings lined up a little better.

Here is my block laid out and ready to sew the long sashings on.

I match the center of the long sashing with the center of the block and pin in place. If I am sewing a long sashing that goes the width of a whole quilt I divide into quarters and pin at each quarter. That way you know your sashing is evenly distributed across. Pin the rest of the sashing and sew.

Now for the second side- I normally would press before starting this, but in this case my sashing was cut 1" wide and I was pressing towards the sashing, so that would create sewing problems.

Line up the sashing to the block, but instead of matching the centers I match the sashings between the blocks and pin. Then sew and press.

Much better!

This quilt has produced a lot of stray threads, probably because of all the handling over the last few years. I had a head smacking light bulb moment- to use my lint brush to pick up those threads off the finished quilt blocks! Why in the world did I never think if that before now?

And my last tip...another duh moment ( 2 in one day...did my brain just start working?)

I have a couple of rulers with a 1/2" added to them and I am always forgetting that and cutting wrong. I am so used to 6", not 6 1/2". In my notions drawer I had some of the ruler highlighter tape and I just put that down at my cutting line and ta-da! No more cutting wrong! You could also use any low tack tape such as painters tape.

I've been thinking about my miniature double wedding ring I want to make and have been looking through my fabrics. A couple of years ago I had bought a fat eighth pack of 'japanese' type taupes and greys. I needed something to add to those for the background. What do you think? It will be very non-traditional but I am liking it.

Back to my sewing room...Happy Stitching!

Home and almost ready to sew again!

I'm home from a wonderful Christmas spent with my family in North Carolina. I thought I would share some pictures of some 'quilty' Christmas gifts I got, including new snips! Santa was reading my blog!

My calendar and a book of quilts from Prince Edward Island (a part of my heritage)

Some knitting needles (I love Knitpicks needles)

A new spindle my Dad made for me

And finally a quilted wallhanging from my Aunt

And now to get back into my sewing room... next up is my scrappy nine patch that I bought sashing and borders for and more Farmers Wife blocks. I am also going to tackle a miniature Double Wedding ring!

Happy Stitching!

Something a little different!

I'd like to share with you all what my Dad makes...some of it 'quilty' themed. He 'pieces' wood quilt blocks and uses them in his beautiful wood turned bowls. Here are just a few of his bowls. I hope you enjoy!

I'll be away from my computer for a couple of weeks enjoying the Christmas holiday with my family and I hope to have some quilting themed Christmas gifts to show off when I get back!

Merry Christmas to you all!

Christmas Stocking!

I finished a new Christmas stocking for my sister-in-law this week. I knitted her last one many, many years ago and because my brother insisted on stuffing it TOO FULL and I could not repair it, a new stocking was needed. I used as inspiration, a table runner pattern from American Patchwork and Quilting magazine from December 2007.

For a project like this I like to use cotton batting as a stabilizer for the machine buttonhole stitch. I also like my tension adjusted so that the stitches are pulled slightly to the back, making sure that the tension isn't causing your stitches to pucker.

I like the way my stitches look with this adjustment.

My backs are a mess now that I have a sewing machine that locks the stitches. I am so glad no one sees this part of the finished stocking! I used to pull my threads to the back, tie and trim them but now I just pull the back thread a bit, clip the top thread and leave the mess at the back. A little lazy of me I think!

Next I machine appliqued the heel and toe and added some trim to 'pretty' it up a bit. 

Ta-da!

Do you think she'll like it?

And this is my inspiration...

Happy Stitching and Merry Christmas!

A Very Productive Week!

Before I show and tell, I wanted to share a couple pictures of the visitor we had yesterday afternoon. We are hoping he comes back today!

Isn't he wonderful! He was very suspicious of me and did not take his eyes off me while I snapped a few pictures.

And now for my regularly scheduled blog....

I have no idea where it came from but I have been very productive this week! I finished knitting another pair of socks...that makes four pairs in November. I'm taking a break from socks for a bit...or am I? I am still feeling a bit of a tug to knit another pair but I had better save that for Christmas holidays. I have things to finish for Christmas.

I finished another knitting project as well (and just in time for winter!)...a scarf knit with wool from New Zealand that my cousin Heather brought back for me in the spring. It is kid mohair and merino and it is wonderfully soft. I can't wait to wrap it around my neck! The picture does not do it justice. The colors are much more vibrant.

 

I did finish the next 3 Farmer's Wife quilt blocks as well. I am really starting to enjoy all the colors coming together. Even though I have a long way to go, I have started thinking about the sashing and border. I am thinking I may choose either black, charcoal or dark blue. My instinct is telling me dark blue...

I don't make cards that often anymore but I needed to make a couple special ones for a friend. I can't show those but I did do one extra Christmas card just because I loved the paper!

So that is some of what I finished up this week!

I have just one more project to go...a Christmas stocking!

Happy Stitching!