happythings

New things

My mind seems to be constantly swirling with new things -- the next thing to do, the next item on the to-do list, the next project...phase...  I'm happy with my life (or so I tell myself!) so why am I always in search of.  Deep breath.

Anyway, we are getting ready for the next new adventure -- a kitten that comes home tomorrow (most likely).  David and Bea went to the vet's office to buy flea medicine and called me.  "MOMMY!  I'm old enough to get a kitten now!  I won't pull its tail.  It's so coooot!  That would be a good plan!  Talk to you later!  Goodbye!"  The rest is, as they say, history.

Oh. my.  Baby kitty was left on the vet's porch at 6 weeks old.  She had a parasite but is recovered now and just about ready for her new home.  We're just about ready for her.  We have a pink kitty carrier.  We made her a pillow and blankie of Bea's design and mommy's sewing.  Bea VERY carefully set up her food station complete with the VERY crucial bent metal curtain rod thingy.  Seriously - she got that even before the bowls.  ????

And speaking of new things, I'm gonna ramble on because I can't seem to post more than a few times a week these days and I might as well talk while I have the podium...

My WIP - batik style.  I don't usually like to show works in progress like this, but it seems appropriate for this one - a different kind of quilt for sure.  Most of my quilts evolve as I'm working on them, but this one has evolved more than usual.  It will be a housewarming present for a friend.   

I bought all the little squares in a pack at the quilt show in Houston in 2005 back when I thought batiks might be my style.  They aren't.  I hope our friends like them though.  (I made this pillow for my mil with them back then.)  As you might have noticed, I ran out of red fabric for the borders.  I went to the quilt store today and they had. the. same. fabric.  (I bought the original piece like 2 years ago too.)  Amazing.  So -- I'm gonna play some more with the borders and then FORCE myself to do something playful with the quilting.  And then maybe play some more with it ?? until I'm done.

And one more new thing:  I just got off the phone with the nicest farmer in Seguin and I am his newest CSA client.  I'm sure he'll be giving me lots of yellow squash too, but I'll be happy to receive it and the rest of the goodies each week while supporting local agricultural in the process.  He was A TALKER! and I was so humbled to hear of his knowledge of local agriculture.  He said that the shallots he is growing have been grown on the land where he farms for over a hundred years.  He's been growing them for 25+ and the woman he bought the farm from was over 80 and got the shallots from her grandmother.  WOW.  That gives me shivers.  That's definitely not a new thing -- but it will be new to me.  That gives me shivers too.   

Catching up on the sewing stuff

While we are still pretending this is a craft blog, I thought I'd just have a post that caught us up on the stuff I've been sewing this month.

1.  Aprons. 
I made myself a new apron - the one in the back -- (um, same color scheme, same pattern - Simplicity #9565) but the pocket is bigger so I can shove tons of clothespins in it while hanging out the laundry. (note my pocket sagging down)  My first instinct was to try a different pattern.  But I like my apron.  It's comfy and functional and easy to sew.  It was so easy that I was inspired to make one for my mom and sister (her first m-day) for mother's day.

2.  Pillow cover
I promised to make a cover for a throw pillow for my aunt back in January.  I finally did.  I made the front quilt style with batting and quilted and then sewed it to an envelope back.  I like that style - gives the pillow more structure I think.

3.  Eye spy quilt for Mateo
For a friend's new baby.  Back on the eye spy train...  This is the first time I've used a solid fabric for binding and I was afraid it would be too stark or show too many flaws - but it's ok thankfully.

4.  Baby four patch for Linus
I found a stack of completed four patch blocks in the pile of donated Linus fabric I'm cutting into kits.  I was "obligated" to do something with them so I made a few more blocks to even out the pattern and then added the borders to make a small quilt.  Hmmm - the colors blend with the original blocks but the completed project is looking a little too 80s to me.  The kitty fabric on the back will hopefully make up for it.

Will I sew anything this week?  I'm thinking maybe a skirt.

Foundation pieced strip quilt / tutorial

Next!
This quilt is my latest answer to how to use up the scrap strips that pile up when I cut squares for the kits from fabric donated to the Linus Connection.  It reminds me of fruit stripe gum for some reason.  I'll donate this at the next meeting along with more kits (And you know what that means.  More scraps.  Argh!!)

I made one before but it was problematic because I didn't know how to deal with the thick seams.  Now I've got it -- leave an overhang of fabric 1/4 inch over your foundation!!  The diagonal strips use up a lot of scraps.  Not the best if you are living through the Depression and need every inch of fabric I bet -- but here in the land of fabric-by-the-pound -- cheap!, it's cool. 

Anyway, do you want to learn how?

First - do it straight.  Unless you TOTALLY get it, you might want to try it this way once.

Straight foundation pieced strip block

1.  Cut a square out of muslin or any light colored scrap of cotton fabric.  Mine was 6.5 inches.  Gather a bunch of scrap strips, any width, and longer than your square.  It helps if they are ironed, but they don't need to be cut straight or all the same or anything.
2. Lay the first strip down RIGHT SIDE UP on your square positioned so that it overhangs the left edge and the top and bottom by more than 1/4 inch. 
3. Lay the next strip down on top of the first with RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER.  Go ahead and make the edges of these two pieces even just for yucks.  Make sure it overhangs the top and bottom by at least 1/4 inch. Now, it helps if you use a pin to hold all three layers together to move it to the sewing machine.
4. Sew a 1/4 seam on the right side of these strips, then press the top piece open flat.
5.  Now it is just about repeating.  Lay another strip RIGHT SIDE DOWN on top of the 2nd strip.  You'll note that you don't really have to align the right edges with this technique.  You can sew it at any angle you want.  Just make sure the pieces always hang over the edge by more than 1/4 inch.
6.  If you do sew a piece on at a wonky angle you will most likely want to then trim away the excess in the seam allowance so there aren't 3 layers of fabric.  Trust me, this quilt will already be heavy enough.
7. Keep on a going until you've filled up your square, making sure the last piece overhangs by at least 1/4 inch.  It is up to you whether you actually use an iron to press each seam open as you go or whether you "finger press."  I've been known to do both.
8. Definitely press it all flat at this point.  Now, flip the square over so you see the original square foundation and use this edge to guide you to cut your new square 1/4 inch bigger on all sides.  *It is more important that your final square is square so if you foundation has shifted at all during the process, you might have to fudge your 1/4" on some sides.  You'll see.
9. Now you are done.  :-) 
I do think it is nice to learn the technique with the straight on method but I don't think it is necessarily required to do straight strip sewing with a foundation.  If you plan to do a lot of wonky seams (as described above) then it would be good I guess, but otherwise I think you could just sew a bunch of strips together and it would be good.  If you want diagonal on the other hand, I think the foundation is very helpful, so read on.

Diagonal foundation pieced strip block   

This is the same method, just diagonal.
1.  Start with the muslin square. 
2. You start out at one corner with a right side up strip (or even a square as shown) that overhangs all sides by 1/4 inch or more. 
3. The next strip is tricky! Watch out - it needs to overhang the square not just where it starts but also where it will end once flipped over.  You'll probably make a few mistakes like I did before you finally get this into your skull.  Basically, make it longer than you'd think.  Sew it on.
4. I found that with the diagonal block it really did make things nicer to press in between each seam.  Breathe.  It helps if you do an assembly line - sewing one strip on a ton of blocks and then pressing each one open for the next strip instead of jumping up and down from the sewing machine to the ironing board each time.  Good exercise though.
5. Remember to trim away excess seam allowances as you go.
6. Keep going until you have your square covered.  Press.
7. Use the rotary cutter and ruler to cut your new block 1/4 inch bigger on all sides.
8. Done.
9. Repeat.  When you sew your blocks together you'll just sew the overhung edges together and not really sew through the foundation squares.  You're seams will still be bulkier than normal, but it is pretty managable (if you aren't hand quilting I guess.)  As you could guess, this top is twice as heavy as a normal top (duh) but you should keep that in mind for how you plan to finish it and use it.

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My apologies to those who got lost on my last tutorial.  You'll probably get lost here too then.  I'm kind of rushing through these tutorials with less than perfect photos and quick instructions -- but I've been wanting to share this for a while and this isn't my day job... 

Anyway, for those of you who get it and who have overflowing scrap baskets like me, I can't wait to see your scrap quilts!!  Let me know if you make any!

A load of quilts

Shall we pretend that this is a craft blog for a few days and talk about quilts?  OK, lets.  I highly recommend finishing five quilts at the same time, if only for the photo opps. 

Pretty.  Below:  The real reason I wanted a clothesline ;-)

Some day I'll have enough quilts of my own to do this with.  As it is, 4 of the 5 are leaving.  You saw the one staying yesterday.

Below is a very simple and tiny (not even 2x3') baby quilt for Linus.  I had a scrap of their batting so that determined the size.  I don't usually make them *this* tiny but I heard they were low on baby baby blankets at the last meeting and I decided I could handle a small order. 

I've wanted to try multi-colored ties on a solid background for a while now and this was my chance - I like how it looks but I got nervous and added a couple rows of quilting for added stability.  I'm liking the idea of combining ties and quilting.  The back is a happy, sunny flannel.  Bea picked out the orange binding and a good job she did too!

Scrap strips squares quilt / tutorial

Say that 3 times fast.  Oh, it's finally done.

I don't feel like going on about it.  I just like it.  I'm keeping it.  It is made with the scraps of one of my first sewing projects. 
Here's the back.

I like it too.  I didn't exactly proceed with a plan but one thing led to another.  Quilting those squares in the squares wasn't fast nor fun but I do like the way it looks.

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Scrap strip method tutorial

The pieced squares in this quilt were made from scrap strips with a method I learned at a Linus Connection meeting.   It is kind of a fun, addictive method and I thought I'd share it with you.

 

1.  Cut a ton of scraps into equal width strips (not equal length.)  If you have enough you can make your whole quilt top like this.
2.  Sew them end to end -- I did it in 2s, 4s, 8s, etc. to save time piecing -- until they are in one long strip. (fig 1)  Don't think about what pieces you are sewing together -- it'll all work out in the end. I don't worry about ironing the seams at this point.
3. Fold this very long strip in half, making sure there aren't twists and, starting at the open end, sew down one length of the strip.  Crease folded end as you approach it and cut it open before sewing. (fig 4)  Now it will be half as long, twice as wide. (fig 2)
4. Repeat. Now it will be half as long and twice as wide again (fig 3)
5. Repeat, repeat.  Press seams when you are done. (fig 5) 

I used 1.5 inch strips for this example but like 2.5 or 3 inch strips in my quilt.  If you have it long enough you can make a whole quilt top like this - though the math can make for a weird shape.  I didn't have a ton of strips so I did this until I had 4 wide and then decided to cut that piece into squares.  It made for an interesting random pattern that wouldn't have happened another way.  Have fun!

Good read for quilt lovers

While visiting in Kansas City in February, my aunt shared this book -- The Quilters: Women and Domestic Art --  with me and it is such a treasure I've been meaning to share it here.  I wasn't able to finish reading it during our visit so I was happily surprised to find it was still in print and available (although in paperback and with a much less pleasing cover.)  Nevertheless, the stories and quilts make up for it.  The book profiles a group of "old lady" quilters in west Texas and New Mexico who couldn't be tougher, more opinionated or funnier.  Listen.

     I can remember even back before I was old enough to quilt, my mother and older sisters would be quiltin' and us little ones had to keep their needles threaded.  We'd be out in the yard playin' and they'd holler they needed some needles.  We had a whole bunch of needles that we'd run in and thread and stick 'em on top of the quilt for them.  Then when they run out of needles threaded, here they'd holler again.
     There was six girls and one boy in my family.  We all quilted and pieced together.  I can remember Mama even saved her strings and cut them into long, thin strips for some pattern she had in mind like a Log Cabin or Windmill Blades.  Then she would cut me a square piece of paper and I'd sew them strings across there in rows.  They had to be the same width that I'd measure with my school ruler.  I can remember it just as well.
     My husband tells about the time he got sick with the measles.  He was six years old.  His mother set him to piecing a quilt and every other block he set in red polka-dot pattern.  Said it was his measles quilt.  He wouldn't like me to tell it now I know.  But lots of cold nights when I'm at the quiltin' frame on one side of the fire, he pulls his big old chair up on the other side and cuts pieces for me.  He's even done a bit of piecin' from time to time.
     It's a sight, that big old long-legged man with his boot toes turned in to make a lap to do his piecework on.
     We've got a fair long road from the highway and three loud dogs out there.  They all always sound off when somebody turns up our road.  And let me tell you, he can git rid of that work quicker than a gnat can bat an eye, when them dogs commence to barkin'.
     Plumb tickles me.

I laughed the whole way through this book.  Maybe it isn't as funny to those that have never lived in Texas -- but I bet it "translates."  Wow, those ladies had some hard lives and a strong spirit and it showed in their quilts.  Most of the text in the book is in the form of stories and remembrances straight from their mouths.  Below is a bad picture of my favorite quilt in the book -- a scrap quilt of course.  I love that huge zigzag embroidery in the sashing.

And speaking of scrap quilts, here is an example a quilter's wisdom from the book:

You can't always change things.  Sometimes you don't have no control over the way things go.  Hail ruins the crops, or fire burns you out.  And then you're just given so much to work with in a life and you have to do the best you can with what you got.  That's what piecing is.  The materials is passed on to you or is all you can afford to buy... that's just what's given to you.  Your fate.  But the way you put them together is your business.  You can put them in any order you like.  Piecing is orderly.  First you cut the pieces, then you arrange your pieces just like you want them."

How about that for a metaphor.