You know how every once in a while you make a purchase that turns out to be just wonderful? You hesitated at the time, but after a while you realize that you are SO glad you did it?
I feel that way about my portable design wall. (Shoot. I don't have a picture handy, but you can see it here. I remember spotting them at PIQF when "Cheryl Ann" first introduced them, and I remember standing with my friend and hemming and hawing over whether they'd be useful and whether they'd be worth the price. I didn't buy one that day, but some weeks later got the opportunity to get in on a bulk order and I went ahead.
I sure am glad I did.
I use it at home more often than I would have thought. I don't have a big design wall in my little office/studio, so when I'm laying out a large quilt, I set it up in the bedroom and work there. Twice a year, I take it to quilt retreat and if I don't use it, I set it up and some one else will need it. (At the retreat, the entire large room is lined with these large portable design walls.)
And this week, I brought it with me to Tahoe and I've laid out two large quilts whose pieces have been in the UFO pile for quite a while. Designing the quilts and laying out the blocks in preparation for sewing is one of those fun tasks that takes time and space -- so I've spent several peaceful mornings just moving pieces around on the wall. I have my own funny numbering and stacking system so I can remove pieces from the wall and have them ready to sew for later.
So I've been appreciating my design wall this week, and thinking about how glad I am I bought it.
Do you have any item that brings those feelings to mind?
Showing posts with label quilting supplies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label quilting supplies. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Friday, July 02, 2010
The Newest Addition to the Studio
Some months ago, I started thinking that it might be time to get a new sewing machine. At the quilting retreat I went to in April, I cruised the room to see what my friends were using, and I even tried out a few machines. The machine I use for most sewing is an older Bernina, and I didn't realize until I sat down at my friend Pat's Pfaff Creative Expressions machine how far sewing machines have come in recent years. That got me thinking, and I set out on a research mission.
Gosh, the internet gives us so much access to information. An overwhelming amount, actually. Between manufacturer's websites, and blogs with folks raving (or complaining) about their machines, and yahoo groups where machine owners collect to share information and tips and problems, one can explore the subject for a long time! I finally decided the thing to do was to go out and test some machines.
So off I went to a few dealers in my area, to explore the major brands and see how they felt. It's also amazing to me how different machines can feel, too. I guess it's like test driving cars -- on paper they can sound quite similar, but you have to feel them to decide what feels right for you. I tried Janomes and Pfaffs and Husqvarna Vikings.
At an area Bernina dealer, I couldn't help looking at the newest of the Bernina lines, the 830 and 820. They're made, I guess, to be the machines that'll do most everything. They have a huge throat (12"), an extra large bobbin, one has embroidery capacity but both have tons of built-in stitches... and when the saleswoman invited me to give it a try, I sat down knowing I'd never in a million years buy a machine in that price range.
It's like test driving a Lexus when you're shopping for a midpriced minivan. Right off, I set myself up for difficult comparisons in later shopping. Yes, I loved the Berninas. No question.
But I kept looking, and kept researching, and kept weighing pros and cons, and kept assessing what machines seemed to have which ongoing issues. As I started following the discussions on various yahoo groups, I was reminded that there is no one perfect machine.
And then an opportunity came out of left field at me. I encountered a woman in the midwest, a total novice sewer, who was selling her Bernina 830. Her husband had bought it for her to encourage a new interest in sewing, not realizing that this "computer that sews" is complex enough that it daunts the most experienced seamstresses and quilters. The woman, Kay, was wildly overwhelmed and was discovering that she didn't enjoy trying to use it because it was too complicated. She didn't like her local dealer and was unable to get help from them to her satisfaction. So, in disgust, she put it up for sale at less than half of the retail price.
The short story is that she and I exchanged a lot of emails (with me thinking "this is just too good to be true") and we built in various contingencies for what happened if I identified any undisclosed problems once the machine arrived in California. After much discussing and nail biting (and a phone call to a friend of a friend who has one of these 830s who told me I'd be insane not to jump on this opportunity), I bought the machine. Hugely exciting, but risky. And, upon delivery, I did learn that there was an issue with the machine that needed fixing. Aack. Kay and I worked that out, I took the machine to my local dealer (Cal Sewing and Vac in San Rafael) where Sharon the Bernina expert and the rest of the staff were welcoming and incredibly helpful and totally willing to advise and help me even though I hadn't bought the machine from them. The issue with the machine was an odd one which required a trip back to the factory (more nail biting and wondering whether I'd done the right thing) -- but the machine is home, has been cleansed and restored by the fairies at the Bernina Factory Spa, and has been thoroughly tested by Sharon, who assures me that it passed all of the most difficult sewing issues with flying colors.
So here is the new addition to my tiny studio:
I've been sewing on it this week and I am loving loving loving it. It threads the needle for me! It has a huge bobbin, holding almost twice as much thread as the typical bobbin, and the machine tells me when it is running low. It lets me customize all sorts of settings. The 830 will also embroider, which I've not tried yet -- not something I would have sought were I buying this directly from a store, but I'm thinking it'll be wonderful to have the option to explore some machine embroidery.
So the risky purchase has a happy ending and now sitting down to sew feels like a new adventure. I feel the urge to make a BIG quilt just to take advantage of that big space on the machine. I know from what I've read that it'll take me some time to learn this intricacies of this thing, but I'm armed with a thick manual, links to great tutorials online, and my guru Sharon. Let the sewing begin!
Gosh, the internet gives us so much access to information. An overwhelming amount, actually. Between manufacturer's websites, and blogs with folks raving (or complaining) about their machines, and yahoo groups where machine owners collect to share information and tips and problems, one can explore the subject for a long time! I finally decided the thing to do was to go out and test some machines.
So off I went to a few dealers in my area, to explore the major brands and see how they felt. It's also amazing to me how different machines can feel, too. I guess it's like test driving cars -- on paper they can sound quite similar, but you have to feel them to decide what feels right for you. I tried Janomes and Pfaffs and Husqvarna Vikings.
At an area Bernina dealer, I couldn't help looking at the newest of the Bernina lines, the 830 and 820. They're made, I guess, to be the machines that'll do most everything. They have a huge throat (12"), an extra large bobbin, one has embroidery capacity but both have tons of built-in stitches... and when the saleswoman invited me to give it a try, I sat down knowing I'd never in a million years buy a machine in that price range.
It's like test driving a Lexus when you're shopping for a midpriced minivan. Right off, I set myself up for difficult comparisons in later shopping. Yes, I loved the Berninas. No question.
But I kept looking, and kept researching, and kept weighing pros and cons, and kept assessing what machines seemed to have which ongoing issues. As I started following the discussions on various yahoo groups, I was reminded that there is no one perfect machine.
And then an opportunity came out of left field at me. I encountered a woman in the midwest, a total novice sewer, who was selling her Bernina 830. Her husband had bought it for her to encourage a new interest in sewing, not realizing that this "computer that sews" is complex enough that it daunts the most experienced seamstresses and quilters. The woman, Kay, was wildly overwhelmed and was discovering that she didn't enjoy trying to use it because it was too complicated. She didn't like her local dealer and was unable to get help from them to her satisfaction. So, in disgust, she put it up for sale at less than half of the retail price.
The short story is that she and I exchanged a lot of emails (with me thinking "this is just too good to be true") and we built in various contingencies for what happened if I identified any undisclosed problems once the machine arrived in California. After much discussing and nail biting (and a phone call to a friend of a friend who has one of these 830s who told me I'd be insane not to jump on this opportunity), I bought the machine. Hugely exciting, but risky. And, upon delivery, I did learn that there was an issue with the machine that needed fixing. Aack. Kay and I worked that out, I took the machine to my local dealer (Cal Sewing and Vac in San Rafael) where Sharon the Bernina expert and the rest of the staff were welcoming and incredibly helpful and totally willing to advise and help me even though I hadn't bought the machine from them. The issue with the machine was an odd one which required a trip back to the factory (more nail biting and wondering whether I'd done the right thing) -- but the machine is home, has been cleansed and restored by the fairies at the Bernina Factory Spa, and has been thoroughly tested by Sharon, who assures me that it passed all of the most difficult sewing issues with flying colors.
So here is the new addition to my tiny studio:
I've been sewing on it this week and I am loving loving loving it. It threads the needle for me! It has a huge bobbin, holding almost twice as much thread as the typical bobbin, and the machine tells me when it is running low. It lets me customize all sorts of settings. The 830 will also embroider, which I've not tried yet -- not something I would have sought were I buying this directly from a store, but I'm thinking it'll be wonderful to have the option to explore some machine embroidery.
So the risky purchase has a happy ending and now sitting down to sew feels like a new adventure. I feel the urge to make a BIG quilt just to take advantage of that big space on the machine. I know from what I've read that it'll take me some time to learn this intricacies of this thing, but I'm armed with a thick manual, links to great tutorials online, and my guru Sharon. Let the sewing begin!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
My Dear Fabric Store,
You haven't seen me in a while, I know. It's been far too long since I've visited, and many is the time I've been tempted to give in to my longings and cross your threshold.
I miss fondling your soft cottons, running my hands over luxurious fabrics flowing from bolt after bolt. I miss gazing at the array of vivid colors laid out on your shelves. I miss the anticipation of the hunt for new bolts of fabric peeking coyly out from behind familiar friends. I miss the gentle dance the book rack and I do together, as the books twirl their colorful covers past to tempt me. I miss scanning the neatly arranged notions for shiny new gadgets, and running my eyes over the lush piles of hand-dyed fabrics and threads.
Yes, I'm longing to see you. But I dare not place myself in your presence.
You know all too well that I have made commitments to others. During our past dalliances, I have succumbed to your temptations. Under your spell, I have purchased yards of fabric, piles of fat quarters, spool upon spool of finely-woven threads. I have drawers filled with the gadgets you've so cleverly promised will improve my life.
I am only one woman. I have only so much time, energy and money to devote to your wares -- and I have over-committed my loyalties to the investments I have made in our past encounters. I must pay some attention to the offspring of our encounters, so to speak, before I can in good conscience return to you for more.
I weep for the distance between us. But know that you are ever in my thoughts, and that I will be dreaming of the day when I can once again surround myself with the warmth of your fiber-filled embrace. In the meantime, please understand that I must devote myself to the closets-full of materials you have already bestowed on me. In short, my stash is full and my pockets are empty.
But I do not love you any less, but I will not be jealous. May you stay well, and be comforted by the company of others.
With fond fabric memories,
Diane
I miss fondling your soft cottons, running my hands over luxurious fabrics flowing from bolt after bolt. I miss gazing at the array of vivid colors laid out on your shelves. I miss the anticipation of the hunt for new bolts of fabric peeking coyly out from behind familiar friends. I miss the gentle dance the book rack and I do together, as the books twirl their colorful covers past to tempt me. I miss scanning the neatly arranged notions for shiny new gadgets, and running my eyes over the lush piles of hand-dyed fabrics and threads.
Yes, I'm longing to see you. But I dare not place myself in your presence.
You know all too well that I have made commitments to others. During our past dalliances, I have succumbed to your temptations. Under your spell, I have purchased yards of fabric, piles of fat quarters, spool upon spool of finely-woven threads. I have drawers filled with the gadgets you've so cleverly promised will improve my life.
I am only one woman. I have only so much time, energy and money to devote to your wares -- and I have over-committed my loyalties to the investments I have made in our past encounters. I must pay some attention to the offspring of our encounters, so to speak, before I can in good conscience return to you for more.
I weep for the distance between us. But know that you are ever in my thoughts, and that I will be dreaming of the day when I can once again surround myself with the warmth of your fiber-filled embrace. In the meantime, please understand that I must devote myself to the closets-full of materials you have already bestowed on me. In short, my stash is full and my pockets are empty.
But I do not love you any less, but I will not be jealous. May you stay well, and be comforted by the company of others.
With fond fabric memories,
Diane
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
It really is Sew Easy.
One of the great side-benefits of attending workshops and retreats is that you see your fellow students using tools and products you'd not discovered. And I made a great discovery at my workshop with Laura Fogg a few weeks ago.
My friend Diana was using these quilting disks, by "Quilt Sew Easy," as she did her machine quilting. I'd not seen these before but I'd seen something similar somewhere, and I just didn't think they'd make much difference. But Diana insisted I try them, and I was amazed. Truly amazed.
The white part is hard plastic, and the blue surface (which sits on the quilt) is sort of dense foam but with enough texture that it grips the fabric. I know, it simply doesn't seem like it'd be a big deal. But they make machine quilting WAY easier. You don't need to grip or wear gloves or clutch at the fabric.
I was totally sold after using them for 10 minutes, and I ordered them for myself when I got home. They're around $12.00 (or more, depending on the retailer) -- I ordered mine here.
Trust me. They really work!
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Still Going in Circles
I've written here before about the nested circle templates I bought some time ago from Quilter's Rule.
Well, I recently pulled them out again and they helped me solve a quilterly problem.
I was struggling with a challenge quilt for the 12x12 group, and I'd gotten to a point where I'd painted fabric with a design I liked, but it didn't say anything except busy pattern.
I was struggling with how to create some sort of focal point, and some sort of connection among the pieces, and I remembered the circles.
Maybe you can see it better on a detail shot:
I sure am glad I bought those templates. They're very handy.
Monday, May 07, 2007
Random thoughts
It was a hodge-podge weekend around here. And in keeping with that theme, here are some miscellaneous things on my mind:
1. Did you know you can get a great deal on replacement rotary cutter blades on Ebay? I need new blades, and was going to send off my used ones to that guy who sharpens them...but I nixed that plan when I learned that even that costs $3 per blade. There are lots of deals on Ebay where you can get brand new Olfa replacement blades for around $2 per blade. Bargain!
2. In the new guilty pleasures file, I have just discovered "Tori and Dean: Inn Love" on the Oxygen channel. I find this show hilarious, and mostly unintentionally so. It features Tori Spelling and her new husband as they move "to the country" (ie, Temecula) from LA to open a fancy, cool, trendy bed and breakfast and live a "quiet" life. There are lots of vastly entertaining moments, where the rich city girl discovers life as normal people know it. ("What? There aren't any restaurants that DELIVER?") I think I find this so amusing because it reminds me of my college dorm experience, where I lived with a bunch of girls straight from Beverly Hills High School. I remember writing home to my mom within the first few weeks that I'd met a girl who didn't know how to make her bed. And frankly, Tori seems a lot nicer and more practical (in a very impractical sort of way) than the girls I knew.
3. I got to watch the Kentucky Derby while I was mid-way through Dick Francis' newest novel, Under Orders. I felt like a racing insider with all my Dick-Francis-acquired racing knowledge. I looked at the race in a very different way.
4. I'm listening these days to a lot of Alice Peacock. If you don't know her, she's sort of a cross between Sheryl Crow and Sarah McLachlan. If you want to sample her music, go here and scroll down to listen to a few songs. My favorite right now is "I'll Start with Me," which is a wonderful political statement that I find inspiring. And check out "Parallel Life," and "Leading with my Heart."
5. A little boy in our neighborhood, age 6, keeps dropping in to see if Caroline can play. The funny and rather adorable thing is that he pronounces "C" as "T." So, when asking for Caroline, he says "Tan Taroline tome out and play?" He's a very articulate kid, in terms of vocabulary, and he's really earnest in his delivery. He stopped by the other day, when Caroline wasn't home, and said "Tell Taroline I won a tontest!" Cute, cute, cute.
6. It's hot today, supposed to be up in the 90's. I think this means grilled fish tacos for dinner. I'll grill some fish and serve it with chopped lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, and spicy ranch dressing. And maybe there'll be a margarita involved too.
Happy Monday!
1. Did you know you can get a great deal on replacement rotary cutter blades on Ebay? I need new blades, and was going to send off my used ones to that guy who sharpens them...but I nixed that plan when I learned that even that costs $3 per blade. There are lots of deals on Ebay where you can get brand new Olfa replacement blades for around $2 per blade. Bargain!
2. In the new guilty pleasures file, I have just discovered "Tori and Dean: Inn Love" on the Oxygen channel. I find this show hilarious, and mostly unintentionally so. It features Tori Spelling and her new husband as they move "to the country" (ie, Temecula) from LA to open a fancy, cool, trendy bed and breakfast and live a "quiet" life. There are lots of vastly entertaining moments, where the rich city girl discovers life as normal people know it. ("What? There aren't any restaurants that DELIVER?") I think I find this so amusing because it reminds me of my college dorm experience, where I lived with a bunch of girls straight from Beverly Hills High School. I remember writing home to my mom within the first few weeks that I'd met a girl who didn't know how to make her bed. And frankly, Tori seems a lot nicer and more practical (in a very impractical sort of way) than the girls I knew.
3. I got to watch the Kentucky Derby while I was mid-way through Dick Francis' newest novel, Under Orders. I felt like a racing insider with all my Dick-Francis-acquired racing knowledge. I looked at the race in a very different way.
4. I'm listening these days to a lot of Alice Peacock. If you don't know her, she's sort of a cross between Sheryl Crow and Sarah McLachlan. If you want to sample her music, go here and scroll down to listen to a few songs. My favorite right now is "I'll Start with Me," which is a wonderful political statement that I find inspiring. And check out "Parallel Life," and "Leading with my Heart."
5. A little boy in our neighborhood, age 6, keeps dropping in to see if Caroline can play. The funny and rather adorable thing is that he pronounces "C" as "T." So, when asking for Caroline, he says "Tan Taroline tome out and play?" He's a very articulate kid, in terms of vocabulary, and he's really earnest in his delivery. He stopped by the other day, when Caroline wasn't home, and said "Tell Taroline I won a tontest!" Cute, cute, cute.
6. It's hot today, supposed to be up in the 90's. I think this means grilled fish tacos for dinner. I'll grill some fish and serve it with chopped lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, and spicy ranch dressing. And maybe there'll be a margarita involved too.
Happy Monday!
Friday, April 27, 2007
More fun ahead
Well, I am very excited about tomorrow.
It started last week when I had an orthodontic appointment. (Yep, more braces adjustments and a new PINK rubber band chain to yank my teeth around even more.) But I got talking with my favorite orthodontic assistant Shelley, a single mom with 2 kids. And she announced with a big smile that she has re-entered the dating pool by placing a personal's ad on Craig's List.
(The whole conversation reminded me of how glad I am to be married to an all around nice and easy-going guy, and how really really glad I am not to be worrying about dating. Remember how much energy that took?!)
Anyway. I got laughing pretty hard at some of her date stories, but she is now dating a guy she likes a lot and things are looking good for her, which is rather nice.
But that, I guess, planted Craig's List in the back of my brain. I never go there. I think I've looked at the site twice in my whole life. But, for some inexplicable (and fateful!) reason, last Sunday I was at my computer and popped over to Craig's List. And, don't ask me why, I searched "quilting." (Well, what else would I search? Did you think I was going to say I searched the personals and I have a date tomorrow?!)
And there it was: an ad for a Hinterberg Stretch machine quilting frame, for sale for a really, really bargainous price by a quilter who was moving and was going to upgrade to a big old professional machine when she relocated.
I have this thing about long arm machines. I want one. I don't want to quilt professionally, and really, we don't have the space (not to mention the huge hunk of money those big ones cost). But still, it looks like so much fun! I always try them out at quilt shows. A friend in town who has one gave me lessons on hers and lets me rent time, but I'm sort of self-conscious about working on her machine, in her garage, and I feel compelled to rush so I don't leave something on there overnight. So I've not used it much.
I took to lurking on a great yahoo group about home quilting machines hosted by my friend Angie, to learn about the various smaller machine systems that are becoming available now. And, a while ago, I decided on what I'd get if I could get one. You know, just in case.
My system of choice? The Hinterberg stretch machine quilting frame with Hinterberg's Voyager 17 machine. Just hypothetically speaking, you understand.
You see why that ad for the Hinterberg frame leapt right out at me. AND such a bargain! I called Roger to the computer, we looked at the Hinterberg frame info, we looked at the ad, and he said "Go for it!" (See? Just what one wants in a husband...)
I called Angie, to pick her brain about questions to ask, then called the seller...and 30 minutes later we had a deal.
So, tomorrow I'm going to pick THIS up:
The beauty of this frame is that it is take-downable. It doesn't have to be up all the time. So I can put it up to do a few quilts and then take it down for storage in the garage. (The manufacturer claims it can go under the bed...but they haven't seen how much fabric I have under there.)
It doesn't come with the machine, of course. I'll use my zippy Juki TL98e on it, which won't be as ideal as a bigger machine, but which will work wonderfully I'm told.
And now I'm gonna have to pop into Craig's List more often to look for a bargainous Voyager 17.
Ooh, I can hardly wait!
It started last week when I had an orthodontic appointment. (Yep, more braces adjustments and a new PINK rubber band chain to yank my teeth around even more.) But I got talking with my favorite orthodontic assistant Shelley, a single mom with 2 kids. And she announced with a big smile that she has re-entered the dating pool by placing a personal's ad on Craig's List.
(The whole conversation reminded me of how glad I am to be married to an all around nice and easy-going guy, and how really really glad I am not to be worrying about dating. Remember how much energy that took?!)
Anyway. I got laughing pretty hard at some of her date stories, but she is now dating a guy she likes a lot and things are looking good for her, which is rather nice.
But that, I guess, planted Craig's List in the back of my brain. I never go there. I think I've looked at the site twice in my whole life. But, for some inexplicable (and fateful!) reason, last Sunday I was at my computer and popped over to Craig's List. And, don't ask me why, I searched "quilting." (Well, what else would I search? Did you think I was going to say I searched the personals and I have a date tomorrow?!)
And there it was: an ad for a Hinterberg Stretch machine quilting frame, for sale for a really, really bargainous price by a quilter who was moving and was going to upgrade to a big old professional machine when she relocated.
I have this thing about long arm machines. I want one. I don't want to quilt professionally, and really, we don't have the space (not to mention the huge hunk of money those big ones cost). But still, it looks like so much fun! I always try them out at quilt shows. A friend in town who has one gave me lessons on hers and lets me rent time, but I'm sort of self-conscious about working on her machine, in her garage, and I feel compelled to rush so I don't leave something on there overnight. So I've not used it much.
I took to lurking on a great yahoo group about home quilting machines hosted by my friend Angie, to learn about the various smaller machine systems that are becoming available now. And, a while ago, I decided on what I'd get if I could get one. You know, just in case.
My system of choice? The Hinterberg stretch machine quilting frame with Hinterberg's Voyager 17 machine. Just hypothetically speaking, you understand.
You see why that ad for the Hinterberg frame leapt right out at me. AND such a bargain! I called Roger to the computer, we looked at the Hinterberg frame info, we looked at the ad, and he said "Go for it!" (See? Just what one wants in a husband...)
I called Angie, to pick her brain about questions to ask, then called the seller...and 30 minutes later we had a deal.
So, tomorrow I'm going to pick THIS up:
The beauty of this frame is that it is take-downable. It doesn't have to be up all the time. So I can put it up to do a few quilts and then take it down for storage in the garage. (The manufacturer claims it can go under the bed...but they haven't seen how much fabric I have under there.)
It doesn't come with the machine, of course. I'll use my zippy Juki TL98e on it, which won't be as ideal as a bigger machine, but which will work wonderfully I'm told.
And now I'm gonna have to pop into Craig's List more often to look for a bargainous Voyager 17.
Ooh, I can hardly wait!
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Desert Twilight
I realized that I never did post a finished picture of "Desert Twilight," so here it is. (Once again, it's straight even tho it looks funny from the photo angle here. I've got to figure out a place where I can photograph quilts hanging in a straight vertical...)
Anyway. Can you see from the picture that the binding colors change and angle to follow the main lines of the quilt? That was tricky and mainly a function of fussing and fussing until things lined up. There's probably an easy way to do that, but I used my own "seat of the pants" method. Also, in the lower right hand corner, I wanted the binding to change colors right at the mitre... Which presented a challenge as I figured if I pieced the color change there, my usual continuous-binding method would leave me with an even bigger lump at the corner. What to do?
Well, Ricky Tims came to my rescue. I know I've raved over and over about his Grand Finale DVD on machine quilting and finishing techniques, but I remembered that he showed a mitred corner method that involved joining the binding pieces in the mitering seam. I put the DVD in my computer, followed the steps (again, having to pause, run to the machine to execute it, then play the next bit) and I came out with a PERFECT corner.
I"m going to use this mitering method on all my quilts in the future, because it really does work. And as soon as I finally get the steps fixed in my thick head, it'll be easy. (It's actually quite simple, just so different from what I usually do that it's not fixed in my brain yet.)
So, check out that DVD. I've gotten my money's worth several times over. (He shows how to stop and start machine quilting so it's secure and invisible--another challenge for me. I'm going to do some practicing on that today, in fact.)
Whether or not this Desert Twilight quilt established my "credentials," I'll never know...but I've been invited to join a small art quilt minigroup of quilters whose work I admire tremendously. I'm quite thrilled. They don't meet regularly, but they do coordinate a few small shows at local wineries and arrange to bring in really great teachers for private classes. I'm delighted.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Quilting is strenuous business
Yep. I'm doing a lot of "still" today.
My back (wrenched during the strenous task of pulling laundry out of the drier) was improving, until I got careless while tidying my studio. My portable Juki machine is rather heavy (have you ever considered the idea that ANYthing is "portable" if you're strong enough to lift it?) and I discovered that lifting it to turn it over and eventually put it in its handy case was perhaps a bit much.
But the activities resulting in the need to turn the Juki upside down were interesting. Inexplicably, while doing the last free-motion quilting on a comfort quilt, the needle broke and I was unable to find the end of the needle. Hmmm. I pulled the bobbin out and undid all the screws to open the throat plate and dusted and even used the miracle magnet wand thingy that I love, but no needle-end appeared. I felt carefully around the quilt in case it was embedded, but no, it wasn't there.
I did, however, find a PIN sewn INTO the quilt, which I've never, ever done. That I know of. See? There's a reason not to pin seams.
So, after the long process of pin-extraction, and a bit of sewing to repair the hole I made to extract the pin, I gave up hunting for the needle end and figured it'd been disposed of in a ball of lint.
I proceeded to make the binding...but when I went to sew the binding on the now pin-free quilt, I found that the lever for raising the feed dogs back up was STUCK. Unmovable. Hmm, maybe that's where that needle end went?
With a bit of internet research, I discovered that the sticking-of-the-feed-dog-lever is is not an uncommon problem on certain machines. I found photos showing how to remove the bottom of my machine and shift the lever-part back into place so it'd work.
Which explains why I was hefting the machine upside down.
I unscrewed the various screws holding the bottom in place, and found the needle end rattling harmlessly around under the machine. Phew. And, gingerly removing one more screw, I was able to fix the machine lever thingie.
Using tools and fixing stuff is so empowering. I am woman, hear me roar. From a sitting position, that is.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
It used to be a design wall
Having set out my blocks and gotten them pieced together, I decided to put away the portable design wall so the bedroom looks more normal. Here's how it looks disassembled:
It all fits into this handy bag, which is about 20 inches long and weighs maybe 4-5 pounds.
Nifty.
It all fits into this handy bag, which is about 20 inches long and weighs maybe 4-5 pounds.
Nifty.
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Odds and Ends
Thanks for all the nice comments about my red and white house blocks. They've been fun to make.
And about those blocks? Some time ago (over a year, probably) I bought this set of templates thinking it'd make the house-construction easy. So, last weekend I pulled them out to use them. Well, although the package doesn't say this anywhere on the outside, these templates only work for the traditional style house if you applique several components. Frankly, this hugely irritates me. The block is perfectly piece-able, and the package didn't provide any clue about this change in construction technique.
So, after some fiddling (and concluding that I was too spacy to try to draft a new block) I found a paper-pieced schoolhouse block, a freebie on the Quilters Newsletter site. So I was able to forge ahead, without that nasty need to cut precise shapes ahead of time.
Meanwhile, on another note, the cats are enjoying our new sofas.
I'm getting really good at getting the cat off in a flash, by the way.
At least Willow cooperates by snuggling on the washable throw. (Isn't it gorgeous?)
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)