Another Thankful Day

Sew much to do - sew little time

2011-09-16T08:41:00.000-07:00

Wow - working full time really gets in the way of my fun. I also had 3 grandchildren visiting for 1 1/2 months this summer so practically no sewing got done - except for teaching the girls to make pillowcases.

I am backlogged now on baby quilts so I need to get busy - more grandchildren on the way! Here is a photo of a Stomp Chomp Roar quilt I made for my grandson (pattern by Pam Manning). After I made it - several of my friends ran out and bought her book and made quilts for their grandsons!

My favorite method of applique, which I used on this quilt, is using templar, a heat resistant plastic that allows you the starch and iron your fabrice around the template shape. Then I love to hand stitch it down but I must admit, I may start doing a little more machine stitching from now on. The backlog of projects is growing!

2011-04-25T10:27:00.000-07:00

This quilt is Named "A Trip Down the Arkansas River" and was a block of the month quilt for Nature Programs I gave at the Delta Rivers Nature Center when I worked there. Many of the blocks are my original designs and techniques range from piecing to applique and paper piecing. This photo was featured in the Pine Bluff Commercial on Tuesday April 19, 2011.

If I didn't have to work full time....

2011-04-25T10:10:00.000-07:00

Well, making a living and paying the bills definitely gets in the way of the really important things in life. Can you tell I haven't had much time to sew recently? That equates to base-line grumpiness of attitude for me. At any rate, I finished my block testing last month for Volume 3 of Quiltmakers 100 blocks. It was a lot of fun and used a variety of techniques that made it interesting. I even got my name in the front of the book!

Although the craziness of my husband's impending research schedule has caused me to scale back other activities, such as block testing, I hope to be able to participate for further issues.

In addition I am currently working on Halloween 1904 by Blackbird designs and also getting ready to start on another dozen or so charm square tote bags. Probably a few baby quilts too.

Recently one of my quilts was featured in our local paper because I gave a presentation to the local Daughters of the American Revolution chapter and showed them my quilt. I was actually substituting for my hubby who had a schedule conflict ... and they most heartily expressed after my presentation that they were very glad he wasn't able to make it!

Do the Math!!

2011-02-22T10:10:00.000-08:00

I heard a dear friend say the other day that she majored in her degree field because she wanted to avoid Math. Actually I often see pained expressions and sometimes terror in the people's faces when the word "Math" is uttered. And I do understand. For some people it comes easily and for many of the rest of us it takes work and personal focus. Math is for the mind like physical exercise is for the body. At first it hurts and we don't want to do it. But once you get over the initial hump - it gets easier.

I am not talking about anything more than simple math. It comes in handy every day. Doubling a recipe, or simplifying it ( why write 3 teaspoons when that equals 1 tablespoon; or 4 tablespoons when that equals 1/4 cup?).

In quilting it makes all the difference in the world.

Yesterday I was working a particular block pattern - that was made up of 4 equal units. Each unit was made of 4 quarter-square triangles, of which 1 was whole and 3 were pieced from templates. However, when the blasted thing didn't fit together correctly - I started measuring - and sure enough the templates weren't sized correctly. The designer didn't do his/her math (or obviously make the pattern as written).

Here are some ways to double check yourself and your templates:
Half square triangles: should equal the finished size plus 7/8 inch
Quarter square triangles: should equal the finished size plus 1 1/4 inches

For example:
If a 6 inch square is made up of 2 triangle pieces, your pattern should call for you to cut a 6 7/8 inch square and then cut once on the diagonal to make 2 triangles. This is called a half square triangle (or you put 2 squares together and sew on either side of the diagonal to make 2 HSTs at once). These cut pieces will finish,when sewn together, into a 6 inch square.

If a 6 inch square is made up of 4 quarter square triangles (picture a square divided twice diagonally), the long side of each of those quarter square triangles should measure 1 1/4 inches longer than the desired finished size for the side of the square. To cut the triangles pieces for those, you would first cut a square 7 1/4 inches and then cut again diagonally twice (like an X ) to produce 4 equal triangles.

So the problem I had was that on of the 4 triangles in each block was from a solid piece of fabric. So the instructions said: cut a 7 1/4 inch square and then cut diagonally twice to make 4 triangles, 1 to be used in each block unit. (Here that tells me that each unit should finish out at 6 inches).

Next, there was some strip piecing and fancy cutting involved with provided templates to make the other 3 quarter square triangle parts of each unit. But a measurment of the templates showed them to be incorrect since their long sides only equaled 6 7/8 inches and not the 7 1/4 they should have been.

Wasted effort?? NOPE!! With a little trimming and the addition of a block border this 11 1/4 inch block will recover into it's rightful 12 1/2 inches just fine!!!

Winners!!

2011-01-04T05:42:00.000-08:00

Here are the winners from my Blog commentors! Congratulations
Miss Summerson: One year subscription to Quilt Pattern Magazine!

Cheryl and Scarlette each win a hand-blown glass button and fat quarters!

However - I don't have your email addresses, so if you could please forward your information to
aprillayher@yahoo.com I will be happy to send your prizes. Note: I can't send outside of the continental US- so if you are overseas - I'll send you some e-patterns instead!

If ya'll don't claim your prizes at the above email address - I'll choose other winners!

Thank you EVERYONE for your participation!!

Check out the UPCOMING Quilt Pattern Magazine

2010-12-05T00:01:00.000-08:00

QUILT PATTERN MAGAZINE!

A Magazine developed by quilters for quilters!

FIRST ISSUE COMING IN JANUARY!! Preview on their website

http://www.quiltpatternmagazine.com/

VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AND THEN....
RETURN TO MINE AND LEAVE A COMMENT...
AND YOU WILL BE REGISTERED TO WIN A FREE SUBSCRIPTION AS WELL AS OTHER PRIZES I AM OFFERING!

My prizes include: quilting supplies, fat quarters and unique hand-blown art glass buttons!

As a quilter, a biologist and environmental educator - I love this e-magazine concept! No paper, no waste and no environmental impact!

• File and Print only the parts you want to keep

• More magazine for your money!

• Instant Access – no waiting for delivery!

• No Shipping Costs!

11.95 gets you 13 issues of Quilt Pattern Magazine – that’s an issue every month PLUS a bonus issue!

Subscribers will receive monthly issues with no less than five new patterns included in each. Also included monthly will be an interesting article or two about quilting. Ads will appear in the magazine but they will play a minor part. All pattern templates will be in PDF format for accuracy of printing. Since there are no space limits, templates will not overlap one another the way they do in regular news stand magazines. This will provide you with easy to read templates for every pattern.

The Quilt Pattern Magazine is always seeking new material to share with other quilters and welcomes submissions too. Check www.quiltpatternmagazine.com .

SO CHECK IT OUT and TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!

"Bobbin' for Answers" or the "Seams of Discontent"

2010-11-17T08:32:00.000-08:00

Some things are just frustrating. Some people just delight in aggravating others. Last night I twice experienced the frustration of running out of bobbin thread on my machine. It's frustrating enough to have to stop in the middle of sewing a seam and wind/change a bobbin. In my case - Murphy's Law often demonstrates that I have sewn an entire long seam with tricky matching challenges only to find that I ran out of bobbin thread one inch into the project. Oh those pesky bobbins. I have one machine that USED to beep at me when the bobbin was ready to give up, but that machine is now siding with the bobbin and keeps silent. Even on my friend's long-arm machine - one must interrupt a beautiful sequence of decorative stitching to reposition the machine, remove and rewind the bobbin.
My question is: WHY CAN'T BOBBINS BE ON LARGE SPOOLS LIKE THE TOP THREAD?? I realize you can buy the pre-wound variety in many colors. But many of us are too cheap to stoop to that and furthermore, not all machines will take them.

Which brings me to my next observation: People can be like bobbins.
I work in a place with other people. (Anyone surprised here)? Most of the people here click right along with me and we "sew a smooth seam", if you will.
Except for the one guy. The Bobbin. I might even call him a Pre-Wound Bobbin because his thread is wound on factory tight.
Interacting with him causes me to try to continually adjust the tension; tighter, looser, tighter, looser... until he has me totally trussed up in thread knots on my backside and I have to return to my office and rip out my "seams of discontent". How hard would it be for him to at least pretend to be on a large spool and get along?
MOST machines won't take this pre-wound.
Bobbin, watch out - I pack a heavy duty seam ripper so don't THREAD on ME!

Prairie Points

2010-10-15T06:42:00.000-07:00

Prairie Points are easy and a fun way to finish a quilt instead of using a binding.

To make prairie points - first decide what size... I usually do either a 3 inch or 3.5 inch square.
Determine how many you'll need by figuring the perimeter size of your quilt, divide by your prairie point size and add a few extra just in case.

Cut the squares out.
Next fold each square diagonally once, corner to corner - and press; then fold diagonally the other corner to the remaining corner and press!

I line mine up on the ironing board and do about a dozen or so at a time in assembly line fashion.

Pin the bottom of the triangles to the front edges of your quilt top, spacing so that the corner points line up with their respective quilt edges - it's okay if you have to fudge the spacings to make sure the corners are even - it won't be noticeable.

Sew - making sure not to catch the quilt back in your sewing as you go.

Once you have sewn the top and points, press and turn under the raw edge then hand stitch the back. You can also machine stitch along the edge of the prairies points but in my experience, this never looks as nice and you run the risk of bunching the back fabric or losing a raw edge.

Halloween Fun

2010-10-15T06:23:00.000-07:00

Halloween Fun

By December 15th I will have 14 grandkids. And nothing is more fun than Grandkids and Halloween! So I have designed this quick and easy little trick or treat bag for my kiddos! Directions to make them follow:

2 fat quarters (18 inches by 22 inches of fabric)- of coordinating fabric: one for the bag and for

the lining and handles

Fusible batting (whole pieces or scraps) I LOVE Hobbs Heirloom Fusible batting (available at

Connecting threads.com)

Directions:

Iron fat quarters

Cutting: Note: Be sure to start with a straight edge before you cut. Make sure and square up the edges with the selvedge before you begin.

From Bag and Lining fabric:

1. Along the width of fabric Cut a 9 1/2 inch by 22 inch piece - it will use the entire width

2. From the remaining LINING fabric cut 2 4inch by 22 inch pieces for the handles – this should use up the rest of the lining fat quarter

From Batting

1.Cut 2 9 1/2 inch by 22 inch pieces to line the bag and lining.

2. Cut 2 4 inch by 22 inch pieces to line the handles
Sewing: USE A 1/4 INCH SEAM THROUGHOUT

1. Bond the fusible batting to the WRONG side of the bag and lining, and handle pieces.

2. Handles: Fold each long edge to the middle, pressing as you go. Then fold again half. Stitch close to the edge on each side.

3. Mark the center of each bag and lining piece.

4. Measure and mark the spot 2 inches from the center mark and 2 ¼ inches from the side of each bag piece.

5. Pin the outside edge of each handle to these marks, and making sure the handles don’t twist on you. Baste the handles in place

6. With Right sides together, sew the bottom and side seam of the bag and of the lining. BE SURE TO LEAVE a 4 to 5 inch opening in the bottom of the lining to later turn your bag.

Boxing:

To make a squared bottom I like to “box” the bags.

1. At the corner edges, holding the bottom of the bag, squish the corners so that the seam follows the bottom of the bag and forms a triangle at the top

2. Measure 1 ½ from the top of the triangle, down the seam and mark. Draw a horizontal line across this mark – so it forms the bottom of the triangle.

3. Sew along the drawn line. Trim ¼ away from the sewn line (you will be trimming off your ‘triangle’)

4. Repeat for all BOTTOM corners of the bag and lining (4 total). It may help to mark the side of the un-seamed sides.

Finishing

1. Turn the bag section right side out.

2. Place the bag section inside the lining section so that their right sides are together.

3. Line up the side seams and middle marks and pin the tops together, making sure that the handles are well tucked down – helps to pin them in place.

4. Sew along the top edge – I also like to backstitch again over the handles for extra strength.

5. To turn the bag, pull the entire bag through the opening in the bottom of the lining. Check stitching – especially around the handles.

6. Iron the top edge seam well, pulling the handles out and flat.

7. Topstitch ¼ inch from the top edge.

8. Pull Lining out – iron the opening at the bottom, turning under the exposed edges. Pin and then edge stitch the opening together.

Finished!!!

Quilting and the World

2009-09-09T10:19:00.000-07:00

I am a quilter. A totally addicted-beyond-all-hope quilter. And, I often ask myself WHY? Why do I prefer quilting to all other activities? Why do I prefer quilting to cooking and eating, playing music, watching movies, and sometimes to my family :)....?
The answers come in small revelations....while I am quilting. Quilting connects me with the universe. As I build my creation, thoughtfully choosing each shape and color, I watch a miniature world emerge from previously uncut cloth. The shapes and colors take on movement and meaning. The finished quilt is batted and bound, transforming it into a small niche of our of human habitat and creating a place of warmth, security, and rest from the world within it's folds.
I watch my aging parents warm themselves, my loving husband nap, and my grandchildren construct immense forts and hiding places with my quilts. I feel connected to my foremothers, indeed to all mothers everywhere, and their own pleasures. And as the sunset of my ancestor's lives brought on the sunrise of my own life, I look to the past, the present, the future as the earth gives me yet another thankful day to live and love and quilt!