project report

Even though I haven't shown much proof here on the blog, I really have been continuously sewing and quilting and knitting behind the scenes.  It kind of goes in little bursts and doesn't feel like I get much traction on any one project when there are too many in the works.  But here's some updates!

This lacy scarf is a long overdue completion, using a very special yarn.  It's called Quiviuk and it was a gift from my son, Dan, as a souvenir from a trip to Alaska.  What a great son, on his business trip and he finds yarn for me!

This has had some starts and stops since I first posted about it in 2012.  Sometimes it's like that.  I was frustrated with the pattern I was working on then, and I unravelled it and tried a couple other patterns before landing on this one.  A simpler lace.  I knew I would make something lacy with it for a couple reasons.  It would stretch the little pack of yarn further, with the open stitches.  And it is so lightweight, it feels like a feather, and will be fine for a simple dress-up for a shirt or dress.  And won't be overly warm!  I love the way it turned out!

I don't actually remember where I found the directions for this stitch pattern, but it's pretty simple and therefore, easy to pick up and put down on short notice.  Here's the stitch pattern:

K4, (YO, K2tog, K2) repeat between () across the width of the scarf.

I cast on 28 or 32 stitches (can't remember which), it just has to be a multiple of 4.

Knit 2 rows at the beginning and before cast off.

 And another knit that I hope is quick:

A simple little baby hat that with a little luck will be done in time for a Saturday baby shower to go along with this blankie--

 My niece, Nora, and her husband, Shane, are expecting their first baby, a little boy.  I get to attend the shower on Saturday back in my hometown.  This blankie was made from a square of plush double-sided cuddly fabric.  The binding is about 1" wide, and is sewn on by machine.  If you have ever tried to hand stitch a binding to plush stuff, you will understand why I chose to do this one by machine.  I think my mom sewed the binding for this when we were at a retreat last fall, before I even knew about this little baby coming our way!  It's good to plan ahead!

And a fresh finish!  The binding is done on my Mini Rings quilt and it's in the bag ready to go to Bear Patch.  It will be offered as a class this summer and on display at the store soon.

So that's all for now, folks!

And let's all sing Happy Birthday to my little sis, Jan, today!

how to build a better binding

I take a lot of pride in getting a job done right.  I bet you do, too.  

The final step in getting your precious quilt finished is a prize-winning binding.

Now, I don't know if my bindings are prize-winning because I have never entered them in a contest!  But I do know that they turn out neat, tidy and consistent.  So I'm going to tell you about a couple of very easy things that I think make a difference in the look of my binding when I'm done.

First off, I cut my bindings just 2" wide now.  When I started quilting, the standard binding width was 2 1/2".  Then it shifted over to 2 1/4".  I think it's because of a few reasons, most notably the fact that the battings that I use now are not as "poofy" as they used to be.  I use Quilter's Dream Cotton in the Select or DeLuxe weight.  Either one is pretty compressed, if compared to some other brands.  I used to use Hobbs Heirloom batting 80/20 mix (80% cotton/20% poly).  That worked pretty good, but I found that there seemed to be a lot of variation in the thickness.  Maybe that has changed, but when I started using Quilter's Dream because it was the brand we stocked at Bear Patch, I found my new favorite.

Another reason that I use a 2" strip is that I want the folded edge of the binding to just cover the binding seam when it is folded around and stitched to the back.  I always use a walking foot when I sew on my binding, I've tried to do it without in an "emergency", and it just isn't right!

Also, I'm very careful to get a good 1/4" seam allowance when sewing the binding to the quilt.  Sometimes, my seam allowance strays because the weight of the quilt puts too much drag on the portion that is going under the walking foot.  So I keep a little table or cart handy to park to the left of my sewing table to support the bulk of the quilt as I'm sewing.  Sometimes I even have to go back and correct a section that goes askew.  Don't rush past that, just because you can see the finish line on the horizon!

So, after I've finished the machine sewing, I move to the ironing board.  With the right side of the quilt facing up, I press the binding over in the direction that it will need to be folded for the hand stitching.  In the picture below, you can see the bottom section of the binding is pressed over.  It gives a nice crease and makes it easier to do the hand sewing.

In the corners, I just use the point of the iron to nudge the mitered corner out away from the quilt top.

Next, I sit down with a good movie and glass of wine to do the hand stitching.  Or maybe I catch up on a few missed episodes of one of my favorite shows.  Whatever floats your boat!

Finally, after I've taken the last stitch, I go back to the ironing board and press the binding from both the right side and wrong side of the quilt.  It now lays nice and flat and smooth.  

Voila!  Try it for yourself!  Happy binding!

odds 'n ends

Are you in need of a good multi-purpose tote for all kinds of stuff?

I just made up this Union Square Floor Tote by Kenzie Mac and I really like it!  I took it along when I went down to Iowa so I could finish sewing the binding around the top edge.  Then I loaded it up with all sorts of things for the trip back home.  All of the items pictured below were packed into the tote, and even though it was heavy, the bag and handle was plenty strong.  We have the patterns for sale over at Bear Patch, in case you want one.

I've been looking for some little planters, something with a little more finesse than the usual terra cotta pots, and nice for indoors.  I used to have a pretty good green thumb, but pets and kids put a damper on my houseplants.  Now I'd like to have a few around to brighten up the space, but they can't require a lot of care.  Wouldn't want to worry about my plants when I am away on a trip!  

This little bunny was with the post-Easter clearance stuff at Target.  I peeled up some moss from a rock in the back yard, and it makes an easy-to-care-for bright spot.  One little seedling of something else sprouted out of the moss!

I've been on the lookout for interesting succulents, because I can usually get those to grow as long as I don't overwater.  This one is doing well, and I like the shadow it casts.

Last night I did some stitching on the binding for this little quilt.  It's from my pattern, Connections, and I used Cuddle fabric on the back.  The lines of quilting look sculpted!  I don't really like hand sewing the binding on that plushy fabric because it's harder to gauge whether I am picking up the necessary threads without stitches showing on the right side of the quilt.  I have to stop and double check frequently.  Good thing it's a little thing!

Last night I also baked cookies, using the Monster Cookie recipe that I like so much.  I'm taking some along to the class I'm teaching this afternoon, and I'm afraid there are going to be a lot of temptations with the rest of them here at home!  So I better think of some other ways to distribute them, other than to my own hips and thighs!

little bits

Hello once again!  I am so excited!  I've opened windows this week!  Not very far, but officially open and left open for hours.  This says winter is over, now we are in limbo during the period of weather instability until we get consecutive days of window opening.  Then it is summer!

I have been scratching around in the dirt of the flower beds to see if anything is brave enough to start sprouting up new leaves.  Not much happening, which is just as well because it would get nipped with frost at night.  There's still some time to pass until the real growing starts.

And while passing the time, it's good to keep up on some sewing and quilting.  I have an update for you from a post from 2/12.  I have had some re-work to do on this little candle mat.  For such a little thing, it has really consumed more of my time than it should.  I took the photograph and then wrote that blog post on 2/12.  The time it takes me to write the information, format it as well as possible, edit the photos and place them on the page is not brief.  It can take me quite awhile, depending on how many corrections, how many links to insert, size and order of pictures, etc.  While I wrote that blog post, I completely forgot that the candle was burning.  Eventually, I realized it needed to be blown out, but it was too late.  The melted wax had pooled in the bottom of the little basket for awhile, but found its way through the cracks and out onto the fabric.  I was so not happy!  At least the damage was confined to only part of the star, so I could remove 3 of the diamonds and still make it come out OK.  The wax had soaked into some of the layers, but didn't show on the back.  Then it took me awhile to find the fabrics I needed to match, sometimes my fabric filing system fails.  Eventually, I made the 3 diamonds and very carefully sewed them into place so it hardly looked like anything had happened.  And then, for the finishing touch, I pressed it all very nicely.  And instantly realized that was a very dumb idea, because the wax warmed up and showed up again on one of those diamonds!  Aaargh!  (or something like that)  Once again, I had to rip out my little stitches and replace just one of those diamonds.  And the fabric was much easier to pull out of the stash this time!  And now I finally have a completed candle mat for our English Paper Piecing class next week, and it will always have a lovely scent embedded in it!  And battery candles from here on out!

I had an impulse sew this week, too.  At the store, we have an upcoming shop hop event and there will be demonstrations of a little ruler called the Mini Hex 'n More.  I volunteered to make one of the sample patterns.  My thought process was that it wouldn't take much time because it's mini, right?  Wrong!  The seams might be shorter, but there are just as many points and intersections to match as when making an actual reasonable-human-size!  Lots of pinning and matching later, I got all the blocks together!  It does look nice, I have to admit.  I got it all quilted (simple straight lines) on Tuesday and attached the binding on Wednesday and hand sewed most of the binding last night.  Those little zig zag edges also take some extra attention to get them looking right.  I refreshed my memory on that process by referring back to another blog with good instructions.

One of the things that I did on the retreat in March was assembling some new pincushions.  Yesterday I decided it was high time to finish those up, and here's how they turned out.

The directions for the long skinny one can be found on the Green Bee website.  The square ones are a free pattern from Poorhouse Quilt Designs.  I put some of my prettiest pins in them for their Kodak moment.

And now, just because we all need more happiness in our lives, I will share the latest Happy Jack picture!  I can hear his giggles!  Hope you all have a good day just like little Jack!

learning is fun

I was recently contacted by a representative of Fons and Porter Magazine about reviewing their online publication about log cabin quilts.  So that is what I have done!  I didn't just turn around and put this up and announce that you should all read it and use it.  No, I read it all very carefully, and decided it was a good recommendation.  Because even though it is FREE, it still has to be worthy of your time.  And yes, it is more than worthy of your time!

It is well written, beautifully illustrated, and in a very nice format that you can save with your documents for future reference.  It contains historical notes as well as contemporary ideas for using the classic log cabin block and a couple of variations.  I like the tables of information that are included, so you can have an easier time with cutting pieces to the right size.

I also wanted to test out a couple of the techniques that are included.  These are nice little bonuses that add to the value of this ebook.  One section covers binding application, and a good way to complete the connection between the first and last sections of the binding strip.  I have used my own system for making that 45-degree angle seam for a long time, and it works very well for me.  I thought I would try out their directions and see how it worked.  It has just a couple of variances from what I am used to doing, like leaving a little gap and a different way of marking.  I made a little sample piece and it worked slick!  It is on pages 23 and 24 of the booklet.

I also tried out the Binding with Piping instructions on page 22.  I got the basics to work right, but I only did a little bitty sample and I think it is going to take a little more practice for me to get it to line up correctly and neatly.  The directions and illustrations made it pretty easy to figure out what I needed to do.  I have never done piping in a binding before, and this might be just what I need to apply it to a whole project.

So, click here to get your own copy of this publication, and let me know what you think!  And thanks to Fons and Porter for another great learning tool.

the march lamb

Do you believe in the old saying that if March comes in like a lion it goes out like a lamb? And is the opposite also true? Here on the frozen tundra it has seemed pretty lambish for these first days of March, cold but no storms. That does not bode well for the end of the month! Our March weather is typically snowy inshort periods, often coinciding with high school tournament time and snarling up plans for people traveling from all over the state to St. Paul for the final rounds of hockey, wrestling and basketball games. The good thing about any snow we get now isknowing that it won't be around for long, as compared to the snows of Nov/Dec that you know will remain as icebergs for months to come. It's all a mind game at this point!

I am loving my morning at home today, it's quiet, I have noplace to go so I can keep my jammies and robe on for a bit longer, and the fire in the woodstove is keeping me toasty. I've been taking some pictures to share with you---

This is a nice little woolen penny rug that I handstitched not too long ago. The little circles were all cut out for quite awhile, patiently waiting for my attention. If I remember correctly, this started out in Wisconsin when I was on a retreat at Beaver Lake Landing. We walked across the frozen lake to visit the home workshop of a wool dyer, and ended up with assorted woolens that someone (maybe Marilee?) started cutting into little pieces so we could exchange and get a better variety. I might have the facts wrong on that, but I doknow that it was a cooperative project, which always makes it more special.

I finally finished the binding on this baby quilt:

I really got some sore fingers from this one because I made the binding just a titch too small, or the seam allowance just a titch too big, because it really needed some pushing and pulling to turn around the edges neatly. I showed you this here before when I was blocking the yardage to get it squared up. These are not individual little pieces that I sewed together, they are just designs printed on fabric. I quilted them as blocks with a coordinated blue backing that has words about babies all over it. It finished up about 36" square and will be heading off to Arizona soon for a new baby boy in Laura and Rommel's family.

Still doing some winter-type knitting, making an "infinity scarf", which is basically just a big loop to be worn around the neck. The colder it gets, the more it encircles the neck!

Nice bulky washable wool yarn, pattern free here.

I spent part of my morning yesterday making up kits for quilts to be made and donated to Quilts For Kids.

My club, guild, gang, whatever you want to call it, officially the Ham Lake Piecemakers, is having a sewing fest next Friday and Saturday to see how many donation quilts we can generate. So I am getting some prep work done for that, using fabric from my own accumulation and a little support for key pieces from the quilt shop. I think these will bring lots of comfort to some little ones.

Putting my new design wall to good use as I construct these rows. The top row has been sewn together with triangles, but I am not loving this fabric. I might have to have a do-over on that one. I have 4 other rows done and this one just doesn't go with the flow.

Three more rows to go!

And the sorting, reorganizing and purging of my sewing stuff is winding down (alleluhia!). I have prepared a bundle of patterns that I am ready to part with.

These will go to the Piecemakers for a little fund-raiser that we usually do at our retreats. If you are part of a quilt group you might want to try this, it has been a success in adding to our treasury and helping us buy batting for our charity quilts. Here's the deal:

members are encouraged to donate a few items that are likely desirable, not junky. These can be fabric bundles, a basket of notions, a bag of thread, a group of patterns, etc. The coordinator places a few of them on a display table with a little basket next to each item. During the next few hours, group members can put their name into the baskets that they are interested in. $0.25 per name! You can put your name in as many times as you want, but it costs each time. At a pre-determined time, one name is drawn from each basket and that person is the new owner of that treasure. And we start it all over again, until we run out of items! It's fun to see what is in demand, and how many quarters some women are willing to part with!

Time to get on with the day and I will leave you with this parting thought:

"Nothing makes a woman more beautiful than the belief that she is beautiful." Sophia Loren

a little bit about binding

I have a sort-of tutorial here for you today to tell you about something I have learned that helps me with my binding process. I get pretty picky about my bindings, they have to be neat, flat, straight, sharp corners, etc. I watched a video by Sharon Schamber that carries bindings to a whole new level, and while I don't feel the need to follow each step of her process to the letter, I did find one or two things that have benefitted me. Today I am telling you about bindings and starch. This pertains to the preparation of the binding strip before it is even near the quilt.

Here's what you need:

a fabric strip, spray starch, iron and ironing board.

My fabric strip in this case is 2" wide which is all the wider I wanted for this project. It used a very low-loft batting and needed to look narrow in the end, so 2" is plenty wide. This fabric happens to be the same color on both sides. I LOVE Niagara spray starch in the aerosol bottle, but it can be a little hard to find in stores so I have even ordered it online. Type of iron doesn't matter, and my ironing board got covered with a clean piece of muslin so all the stains don't show in the pictures!

With the wrong side of the binding strip facing up, lightly spray the starch.

Fold the strip in half lengthwise, wrong sides together with your fingers, carefully matching up the raw edges. The damp starch will help you stick the layers together with just the pressure of your fingers. Just work on a section at a time, however much is laying on the surface of the ironing board, you want the fabric to stay damp so you can't work too far ahead.

With a hot iron press the folded strip.

This will give you a crisp folded edge and a little more body to the fabric.

The starch actually kind of glues the layers together, as you can see in this picture of a partially pressed strip.

Then you are ready to sew it to the quilt edge, and I find that it is easier to sew neatly if it has been starched this way. There is little or no shifting or twisting of the two layers of the binding fabric and it ravels less on the raw edge. And that's what I know about binding prep!