more paper talk

 Paper and fabric fit together in several ways.  In my last post, I talked about English PAPER Piecing.  This time it's PAPER triangles.  English Paper Piecing uses heavyweight (cardstock) paper.  Paper triangles require lightweight paper to work best.  I learned about paper triangles quite awhile ago, and I take it for granted that everyone who quilts knows about this technique.  But I often run into customers at Bear Patch who don't know what I'm talking about.  Here's a little explanation:

What I'm showing you here involves making Half Square Triangles (HST), but papers are available for Quarter Square Triangles and a few other types, too.

I'm making groups of matching HST for a quilt.  This paper method is the best for making a bunch of matching blocks, not a whole bunch of scrappy mixed fabric blocks.  There are better methods for those.  The blocks I'm making require 18 matching 3" (finished) HST.  I only need a fat eighth (9" x 20") of each color.

 This picture shows 4 different brands of triangle papers. There are more.  This just happens to be what I have at home.  They all end up doing the same basic thing.

The long skinny package on the left is from Thangles.

The rolled paper is from Triangles on a Roll.

The package underneath that is from Quiltime.

And on the right is a CD from Bear Paw Productions.  This actually is something I couldn't part with because I use it to print my own triangle paper.  So if I'm in a pickle because I need those triangles when stores aren't open, I do it myself!  I included the package of "typing paper" in the picture because that's what I use for printing.  Paper that is lighter weight than everyday printer paper is the best because it tears more easily when it comes time to remove that paper.  I find this cheapo paper at dollar stores.  This package actually is labelled 16 pound (normal is 20).  Other packages I have purchased have no info about weight, but once you touch it, you know it's thinner.

Each of the websites above have directions or demonstrations of how to use the paper.  The easiest way to explain it without a demonstration is:

Cut 2 pieces of fabric the same size or slightly larger than the paper sheet.  Place them right sides together with the paper on top, loosely pinned.  Start sewing on all the dashed diagonal lines, then cut on the solid lines.  Open the fabric and press.

This is what I am assembling from my triangles and solids.  I have a lot more to go.  You might think that this is a more time consuming way of making these triangles, and in some ways you are right.  But the upside is accuracy.  There's no stretchy bias edges to sew, no wonky corners, no marking, no uneven edges to be trimmed.  You can make the right size of HST blocks from the get-go, not overcut and then trimmed down evenly.

I found a pretty good way to store my assorted sizes and brands of triangle papers.  A magazine file, this one happens to be cardboard from IKEA.  Put a label on it and you know where to find those triangle papers every time!  I use these files to store a lot more than magazines!

discoveries

Today things seem a little misplaced here in blogland.  My pictures won't line up like I want them to.  I am doing a little work-around to even get the pictures in here because the usual system I use is not cooperating, so I will just be happy that I even got the pictures to appear!

While I was just away on a fun quilting retreat, we started talking about the good places to find tools that help our sewing and quilting.  These are not items found at a quilt shop.  Let me explain.

These little paper clips/binder clips are from the office supply store.  They have a heavy paper tab added that can be written on.  I have used these not just for papers, but for groups of blocks or pieces that I can clip together, label, and then come back to later.

IKEA does hold a wealth of gadgets and gizmos that can be applied to our quilting hobby.  Even the button rug I wrote about not long ago!  This item below is a magazine or paper or letter sorter.  Now it is a ruler holder!  Hanging nicely on the wall, it helps tame the ruler madness.

Not every ruler fits into the wall holder, so the remainder sit nicely in this desktop letter/file holder.  This was a thrift store find.  If you are looking for one for yourself, be aware that some of this type of holder are wire.  That works, too, but not very well for the smallest rulers because they fall through the bottom.  The one in the picture is plastic and has a solid bottom to each division so nothing escapes.  I even put small cutting mats in here.








Again, from the office supply store, I landed on a stack of screw top containers meant for lunch or snacks.  Now they are a neat way to transport little necessities.



And lastly, these adhesive pieces can be found in your everyday discount store (Target, etc).  They are adhesive on both sides with a soft gel-like center.  Available in strips or squares.  I have used them when I need to make a seam allowance other than my usual 1/4" width.  I remove the cover from one side of the adhesive, then measure my seam allowance from the needle, and adhere the strip to the bed of my sewing machine.  It has a little thickness, so serves as kind of a bumper for the edge of the fabric feeding under the presser foot.  And when I am done, I just peel it off, replace the strip of clear plastic that covered the sticky stuff, and save it for another day.  The pack contains multiples, so I likely have a life time supply!

Another discovery to share with you--a new brand of oatmeal!  It is certainly the time for oatmeal here with winter upon us, but it can really be eaten anywhere anytime.  This particular brand of oatmeal is called Better Oats and comes from Malt-O-Meal.  Just down the road a bit from here!  I don't have a picture to share, and my attempts to "borrow" the picture from their website have been unsuccessful, but if you go to the website you will see it.  It is Oat Revolution Steel Cut Instant Oatmeal with Flax.  I purchased mine in the little Gordy's grocery store in Augusta, WI.  Mine is flavored with maple and brown sugar, but you can get them plain or in other flavors according to the Better Oats website.  It cooks a little longer than regular instant oatmeal (2 1/2 minutes) but comes out with more chew to it and I like that.  If you can find it in your area, give it a try!

That's the limit of my discoveries for today!  Have a good one!

a special gift

We are back home and getting sorted out again to resume a partial routine. The holidays were festive and fun and fattening and tiring! We had mild weather and no storms, unlike last Christmas, so driving to visit family was not life-threatening. Surviving the delicious meals and treats was more of a threat! I managed to bring home 2 more pounds than I left with, so will need to focus on that along with getting back on the treadmill.

Lest you think that all of my Christmas decor is totally tacky and gorilla-laden, I want to show you this very special hardanger tabletop piece on my Christmas tablecloth--

This was made by my friend, LeAnne, and it is a treasure. This example of needlecraft shows the intricate nature of the stitching, the little open squares shown in the picture on the left are shown in detail on the other picture so you can get some sense of what goes into this work of art. Since this needlecraft is connected to Scandinavia, it is not unusual to see it in this area of the country full of Johnsons, Olsons, Larsons, etc. But of all the people I know who do many kinds of handcrafts, I know of only 2 women who still know how to do hardanger.

Our Christmas Eve kick-off was a fabulous sleigh ride with our North Carolina visitors. Steve Wood (the fellow in the red jacket at the reins) was our host at Wildwood Sleigh and Carriage near Elk River (actually closer to Nowthen, one of the best named towns ever). Steve raises and trains horses to pull people around, much to our delight. Steve also doubles as an excellent vocalist and choir director at our own little church, Cedar United Methodist. We had a fun excursion around the woods and fields, and even learned interesting facts about the area and its history.

After the ride Brita and Ben took a moment to thank our team for the trip!

One of the fun things that were given to me this year is perhaps one of the simplest, again proving that it doesn't require a lot to make an impression! Not everyone might think this is so special, but one of my necessities and favorite things is ziplock bags--they are my go-to storage system for my sewing, quilting, knitting, etc. So when Nancy gifted me 2 boxes of these bags I was in my happy place!

These are the Istad bags from IKEA, in 4 sizes and colors and designs. A sampling of them is traveling back to CA with Dan to go to Katy, who is a fellow appreciator of special bags. I have not yet met Katy, but I feel we must be kindred souls because we both like the same bags and Marimeko fabric!

I leave you today with a snapshot of my 2 little kids, happy to be together.