GOINGS ON

Today I finished up a series  of two once a week classes on how to use my serger.  Even though I’ve used it a little (meaning not even once every month or two) over the two years I’ve had it, I knew there was a lot more I could do with it so I signed up for this class at the Bernina shop and it was great.  I can thread it without having to use the manual, change the needles and have a much better understanding of how it works.  We used a different color of thread for each of  the loopers and the two needles so we could see exactly what each part played in the stitching.  My serger is pretty basic but it can still be used for some decorative stitching.  I have some fabric that would be good to make a couple of nightgowns. 

I can’t wait to do them with the serger and put what I learned to practice.

I’ve also made two more of these  crayon roll-ups  in cute girly fabrics (I’ll definitely be making some more)–
 

but forgot to take pictures  and I finished the blue and the purple fatquarter dresses and –surprise, surprise – I failed to take pictures of the blue one before I gave it away.  But it looks just like the purple one except for the color difference.  I made some changes to the pattern as I made the dresses so it took me a little longer.

  
Finally finished smocking this dress –

and hope to get it finished before I go to PA at the end of the month so I can give it to a special little redhead who will be turning 1 this Friday.

That and doing homework for my “Sew Like a Pro” class has filled up much of my spare time.
Hope everyone is having a fun week. 

JUST WONDERING

 Why have a display of plates  on the wall when you could do something like this?

 (photo from Whip Up)

WHAT HAPPENS AT GRAMS STAYS AT GRAMS … OR DOES IT??

Vail and Katy came home with me after church this morning so they could play with Avery.  She and her Dad spent the night last night after we all went to the big fireworks show at Southern Hills.  Anyway, while we waited for Avery to get here from church, they were playing up in the bonus room while I cleaned up from our lunch as I was watching a DVR’d Holmes on Homes.  Just as I glanced up to check on the girls Katy happened to say “Grams, I’m stuck.”  This is what I saw.

Yup, Kates had stuck her head through the bannister.  She looked away as I took the picture but she was actually grinning and giggling for the moment.  Anyway, I was envisioning having to find a hacksaw to get her loose but right then Michael and Avery arrived and we managed to get her out with a minimum of crying and no damage to person or property.  The funniest thing is that the space just to the left of where she is is large enough that she has turned sideways and put her whole self through the rails but where she was her head would not come out easily.   Michael played the part of Samson and pulled the spindles outward and they did move a little, I kind of lifted her up and when it seemed her head would come out without catching, I just pulled her back.  It was a tight squeeze but nothing caught on the way out.  Anyway, I don’t think she will do it again.  After a quick recovery  everyone was back to playing and a great time was had by all.

Hope everyone had a fun fourth.

NEW PROJECT

Had lots going on today one of which was doing my homework for my class tomorrow night. I did manage to find fabrics in my stash and get this ready to sew up tomorrow and/or Friday whenever I have some time. I've got 3-5 places (depending on time) I have to go tomorrow so don't know how much if any sewing I'll accomplish.

It's the cutest little dress made from 8 fat quarters.  The pattern is sitting on the skirt pieces, clockwise from there is the piece for the sleeve bands and bias pieces for the neck and such, the front bodice, back bodice, sleeves and then the strips for the ruffle.  I can't wait to see it come together.

Next on my list -- Mama's Scrappy Table Runner.

I think it will be really pretty on my table.  This kit is from Connecting Threads as was the table topper I finished yesterday.   I think their fabrics are nice to the touch and I really like their threads.  They have a lot of  fun groups of fabrics and lots of kits and what they call samplers to go along with each.

Looking forward to a fun weekend.

SOME FINISHED WORK

Here are pictures of the completely finished yellow brick road quilt that I completed a week or so ago.  First the front

and then the back.  I really like pieced backs.  I think they add a lot of interest to quilts.

It turned out really well.

I decided to try one of the kits I got from Connecting Threads a while back so I made this table topper.  It was an easy 1 day project -- except that too many interruptions made it take a little longer but I really thought it turned out cute.  I practiced some freestyle quilting on this.  Did something different in each of the different sections.  I'm not sure I have piecing triangles down pat but  it was a fun project and I put it on my table (which is badly in need of refinishing --- but that's another job for another year month day )

And finally, I finished the sock monkey quilt top.  I did discover that the  wide border fabric was not on grain(?).  If I had cut it on grain the monkeys would not have been straight so I cheated a little.

Still need to sandwich it and quilt it.  Can't quite decide what to back it with.  I'm kind of hoping I can find some nice muslin at Jo Ann fabrics and use my 50% off coupon on a bolt so I can have backing for several quilts to come.

Tomorrow  (or I guess I should say later today)  I will have to do my "homework" for my Thursday sewing class but it won't take long and then I'll do some more of something...... not sure what.

NEED SOME FREE FABRIC .....HERE'S A FUN GIVE AWAY!!

Here is a link to a giveaway that Cluck Cluck Sew is having.  She's giving away this collection of Moda fat quarters.  Aren't they gorgeous?!!

Check it out.

I'M GOING TO LEARN HOW TO SEW LIKE A PRO!!

I signed up for an intermediate level sewing class entitled SEW LIKE A PRO at the Marguerite's Sewing School in Nashville.   My first class was tonight.  We will meet each Thursday for the months of June, July, and August.  When finished, I will be the proud owner of a new blouse that includes a yolk, long sleeves with cuffs and a continuous placket, a notched collar and a shirttail hem.  I'll also be making a lined skirt with a waistband and a zipper. In  making the skirt and blouse, I am supposed to learn how to fit a pattern to my body shape --- we shall see.    It reminds me of what we made our second year in home ec in highschool.  Hope I end up with a better product :)  Tonight was fun and I'm looking forward to next week.  There are only two of us in this class so I'll have all the attention I want and then some.


I finished quilting my  "modified" yellow brick road quilt tonight.  I really like how it turned out.  I was going to try some free motion quilting but after doing the first couple of blocks, I took out what I had done and went for plan B which I really like.  I chose a decorative stitch -- looks like chicken feet and just did straight lines on the diagonal.  I did the lines in pairs and then put about three inches in between.  Here is a picture.

I really like how it turned out.  Now tomorrow I can add the binding and get it washed before I go to MS on Saturday and I'll be able to deliver it.  I also made a leaf for the newest Kirkbride so G'ma can add it to her family tree quilt.  That makes a total of four leaves that have been added since I finished and gave her the quilt.  I  put all the leftover leaf fabrics in a ziploc along with the color numbers of the embroidery threads I used so it's been easy to make leaves as needed.

I have a lap quilt ready to be quilted and will get to that as soon as I get back from MS.  I'll work on it when I finish my HOMEWORK from my sewing class.

I think I have found someone who is going to make me a sewing table.  I haven't quite worked out the dimensions yet but I think it will be 72" x 40 inches and will be cutting table height.  I'm going to have the sewing machine opening more to the right so that I'll have plenty of room for quilting. The table will have a lift so the machine can be moved down and I'll have a large area for sandwiching quilts and such.  I have a small folding table that is height adjustable to make an L when I'm quilting.  It will be very simple without drawers but I'm thinking about getting a "seconds" cabinet to be one end of the table for some extra  fabric storage . It will also have casters so I can roll it out from the wall when I want to have access all the way around.  The nice tables are well over a thousand dollars and I think I can get mine for a good bit less and be able to  invest in a nice drafting chair so I can sit up high enough to sew on a tall table.  This is the table that I'm kind of patterning mine after.

 Just think no drawers and  a slightly bigger top. I am looking forward to a table that will be the right height for sewing (thanks to an adjustable chair) and will have lots of "level" workspace too.  I'll be a lot braver with my free motion when the quilt will be on a flat surface.  I'm going to work on the smaller table runners and topper kits I 've accumulated to practice free motion quilting when I get my table.  Hopefully some time this summer. 
I'll know for sure after I get my estimate.

Got to go to bed if I'm going to be bright and bushy-tailed in the morning.

WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE??

This is what happens when I decide to stay up a little later than the kids.

Somebody will have to move. 

Been quilting tonight -- maybe a picture tomorrow.

GOODBYE KINDERGARTEN

Yesterday Vail Blue and I went to Ruby Major Elementary and met Uncle Michael and Avery's mom and grandma Peggy to watch her end of year program There are five kindergarten classes at her school so there were lots of parents and grandparents and sibs in the cafeteria for the program.  It was great.  They sang several little songs and did some dancing around the stage and then we went to see Avery's Classroom.

Here are some pictures of the happy occasion.

Of course there was a little water pond in the foyer with some tiny goldfish to entertain us while we waited for Uncle Michael.

Watching part of the program.  Avery was front and center and did a great job if I do say so myself.

Some of the kids started crying back in the room -- I think it was a domino effect thing.  But whatever it was it got a hug from the cousin:)

Max and Vail Blue meet Avery's teacher.

As you can see in the picture above, Ballerina Bunny was there (tucked under Vail Blue's arm) for the whole thing.  We all eventually left the school and went to Chili's for some refreshments before heading home.  It was a fun afternoon.

BLOGGER'S QUILT FESTIVAL 2010

It's time for the Bloggers Quilt Festival again.  Use the link below to visit Amys Blog and see all the wonderful quilts.








I decided to enter a quilt I started in 2008 and finished in 2009.  I made it for my boss to give to her when I retired last year. (she was my principal for the last 15 + years that I taught school.  She was a super boss and continues to be a good friend. )  This is was my first attempt at a log cabin.  It was fun but also a learning experience:)

FINISHED CLASS PROJECT

I took my supplies to class and came home with this.

The class was really a lot of fun. We made decorative triangles, added button holes, sewed on buttons using the machine, put in a zipper, sewed decorative stitches onto some ribbon and then top stitched the ribbon down on both sides of the zipper, quilted the bag itself and made squared off corners -- not necessarily in that order. I'm going to make several of these for Christmas gifts.  I'm going to use mine to corral things like scissors, thread, measuring gauge and other misc. stuff I take to sewing classes.

HORSES AND CLASSES

I've decided that I need an extra mini-camera to keep in my purse because I never have it when I'm gone somewhere around town and always wish I did.  Yesterday Michael, Avery, Vail  and I went to the Agricultural Center where they house the horses that the police use to help in patroling downtown Nashville.  I think they are in use mainly on weekends and for special events.  Anyway, they have funny names like Joe, Edge, Sabre, Scout and about 11 others.  It was a lot of fun.  The horses were out of their stalls and in the indoor paddock that is basically the center part of the huge barn.  Two of them were playing tug of war with a deflated and torn up soccer ball.  They were all quite friendly and I was really wishing I had my camera to take a few pictures.  Naturally I didn't.

This week I have three sewing classes.  Tomorrow I'm going to the Sewing Quick Start class where you take this













and turn it into this small zippered pouch.

while learning more about your machine and some sewing techniques too.  I've never made a case or a purse with a zipper so I'm especially looking forward to that.  Tuesday I have the third of the four mastery classes I'm taking.  I'm a little disappointed because these classes have not been hands on so far but I have learned several things about how my new machine works and that's a good thing.  The class I'm going to on Wednesday is just a lecture but I'm very excited about it because it's about organizing your stash and sewing room.  I can always use organization tips.

Have a great week.

REPAVING . . . SORT OF

I decided that it's time to take the plunge and actually do some quilting -- not just piecing on my new machine. I've done some practicing off and on and have to say I really like how easy it is to adjust the tension so that when I make curves or loops the tension looks as good as when I do straight lines. Anyway, I got out the yellow brick road quilt and and after looking at it again, I decided if it's worth finishing I should do it right so I took all safety pins out and all the basting stitches from around the edge so I could take my three layers apart.  The problem is the backing is plenty wide enough but so close in to the size of the quilt top in length that the top was hanging off the backing in a couple of places.  So I'm going to add a strip across the width to make the backing longer.  I'll take pictures of before and after and show what I do.  Also, it has been rolled up and moved around so much that it really needed to be smoothed out again and re-pinned .   I think I know how I'm going to quilt the blocks -- think free motion flowers.   I'm going to do one or two and see how I like them and go from there..  Here's to steady speed and steady hands.

Tomorrow is a busy day of errands and appointments so it will be middle afternoon or later before I get to sew.  Til then.

BLOG?? WHAT'S THAT???

Been in a writing funk of sorts lately. So .... I haven't written anything. Hopefully I'll get back on track. I haven't done a lot of sewing either. Life keeps happening. But today I worked on an addition to my kitchen curtains. These are the original curtains that I made.  They go more than half way up to provide privacy but are open at the top to let in plenty of light.

I didn't take into consideration that those windows face west so during the months that the trees are without leaves, the afternoon sun is very bright and in your eyes if you are at the kitchen table or sitting in the den.  So I came up with the idea of another tier ... a shorter one . . . and used some nice white muslin that I had with a band of the original fabric at the top.  I've finished the two smaller windows and this is what it looks like.

I think I like it.  I tried it at the top but didn't like it as well.  Anyhoo, I may only use them in the winter when the trees don't filter the afternoon light.  I'll decide that after I finish the rest and let them hang for a few days.

One of my favorite online fabric shops is going out of business, Fat Quarter Quilters.  They are having a sale if you need some nice fabric for a great price.

Had another Mastery class today for my 820.  Learned how to make sure it's threaded correctly, both the top and the bobbin and also the care and maintenance that the user needs to do between checkups that the tech does at the store.  The things I love the most with this machine are the dual feed (totally awesome ), the larger bobbin (never runs out of thread :)), the little clock, and the dual feed . . .  did I already mention that cause  I really love that dual feed.  There are lots of things to like/love about this machine but I'm having a senior sewing moment right now.

Heading off to finish the rest of my kitchen curtains.

FINISHED PETAL KNOT DRESS AND WIP

The Petal Knot dress is finished and being modeled by its new if somewhat camera shy owner.  Vail spent the night last night and wanted to wear her new dress to school.  Since she didn't bring extra accessories she is wearing the pink bow and pink shoes that were going to be worn with the outfit she had brought from home to wear this morning.  What's a grams to do?? :)

You can't really see the flowers on the apron in the picture.  This is what it looked like before gathering.  I think the flowers turned out really cute.

Since I was waiting for the first visit from the  Terminix guy all afternoon (he turned out to be a no show)  I got Jennifer to help me get my sock monkey all situated on its background and then ironed it on.

I'm going to zigzag around it with dark brown thread.  Then I cut my squares and strips to make 5" squares and got all the strips sewn to make 32 5" squares to go with the other 5" squares I had already cut out.

  Now I'll make those into 16 four patch squares and they will make the outside border on my sock monkey quilt.  I had collected most of the fabric before I bought the pattern so my quilt will be a little different but most all mine are different from the original pattern.  Anyway, if I have time between straightening and packing tomorrow for my trip to TX , I may try to get the top mostly sewn together or atleast get the monkey stitched down and the big squares sewn together.

Wednesday I'll be off to TX by way or Cleveland MS for one night and will not be taking my computer.  So I'll be out of pocket til next week.