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December 14th, 2009
goldensundrop
 | 09:55 pm
Howdy!
*waves*
I've been working on a landscape quilt for my mom for Christmas, and I'm almost done:
I got the idea from this book I found at my library and ended up purchasing. The house is my grandmother's. She and my grandfather had owned it for 50 years. The landscape part I made up as I went along. The house is in Kansas, but in a city... I suppose maybe this is what it had looked like before the city moved in!
It's almost finished. Just need to get it quilted. I tell ya what though, that piecing really is the hardest part!
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meguey
 | 11:16 pm - Buggy Stars
I finished a quilt in time for the holidays! ( Pics etc inside... )
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December 12th, 2009
fabricgirl
 | 09:51 pm - input as to shop practices, please
Today I went to a newly opened quilt shop near our little town. The inventory is very small still, and she's hoping to build it slowly. I went in to help my son (33 ) choose fabric to make sets of napkins with, for Christmas gifts that he'll finish on my serger while visiting. He chose a total of five fabrics, and I figured how much he'd need of each. Of one of the solids to be used as the backings, he needed 2 and 5/8 yards ( which would make the back of 18 napkins). She wouldn't cut any increment of 1/8 ( my guess was because she didn't know how to ring it into the cash register = 2.625 ) - stating that "eights are too little to cut". Needless to say it was annoying, and it happened again when I wanted 7/8 yard of two other prints.
I was dumbstruck. I spent ten years working at a fabric store, a beautiful independent shop, and our smallest cut was a quarter yard. But if someone wanted 1.125 yards or one and one eighth then no problem.
I'm all for seeing this person succeed - we've been without a shop here for a year ( I tried to buy the old shop before the owner retired, but at that point the credit market was locked down ), but with the near non-inventory, few samples, and non customer friendly policy, I'm not sure I'll be returning anytime soon. I've only been there one other time, and driving by it is always totally empty. I'm sure his $70 sale was the highlight of the day for the store. Unfortunately I think my business will continue to go 45 minutes away.
My question is: is this no cutting anything in 1/8 yard increments normal now? Have I been out of the loop too long? Honest, even without a shop nearby, I still seem to find a way to purchase plenty.
Thanks for letting me rant a little.
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December 11th, 2009
fabricgirl
| 10:19 am - Ink
I finished this quilt which is for my 15 year old grandson.
It is another one block wonder , out of this fabric( (more pics and details) )
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/classic/smile.gif) pleased
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December 10th, 2009
aphoenixrain
 | 09:15 pm - Selvedge?
I remember a while ago someone asking if anyone had any excess selvedge. I've been saving up since then, and having cut a ton of fabric for the "Yellow Submarine" quilt, I have some to send.
So, if you're that person, PM me. :)
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cristalskye
 | 01:45 pm
when you start a project, what do you do first. select fabric, pattern or draw a pattern. i'm sure this isn't original, just to me an interesting way to include a border and keep the blocks one size.
do you sketch or draw your quilt projects? i typically use a small notebook that i carry in my purse. but this graph paper at the office works during long conference calls.
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montyollie
 | 10:27 am - Quilter's Basting Spray
Several people asked me about Quilter's Basting Spray in my last post. I didn't want to respond to each one with the same answer, so I thought I'd just start a new topic about it.
Basically, it's a can of spray adhesive (water soluable) that temporarily tacks the backing to the batting and the topquilt to the batting. It really eliminates the need for pins, and allows you to smooth it out completely. I found a tutorial online that is almost exactly the way I've been doing it: http://www.how-to-quilt.com/articles/6021-basting-spray.php
Someone here mentioned they use an Elmer's glue product as it's a hell of a lot cheaper. The can I bought was $25 Canadian, and the ONLY reason I bought it is that it was 50% off day. Even $13 was a lot of money, but I got two small quilts out of it, and I think it was worth it. Pins have always been messy and pinchy for me, and this made stippling actually FUN if you can believe it.
The product apparently washes out, but I haven't washed any of the quilts I made with it, as they were gifts, so I can't speak to that. I will say that it stiffens up the quilt, and I found that nice... I like that 'starched' look and feel.
Anyone else have anything to add? What was the product that someone else recommended... was it Elmer's spray glue?
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polyquats
 | 07:00 pm - Sand Storm
I finally sent this quilt off this week, in time for summer LOL. It was finished ages ago.
( a quilt for my grandson )
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December 9th, 2009
superjen
 | 04:57 pm - T-Shirt Quilts
Don't ever make one.
1o3ielkjas;dkfjalsd.
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December 8th, 2009
aphoenixrain
| 01:49 pm - Walking Foot Update
In reference to my earlier post here:
So ... my walking foot yesterday came and I got almost everything I wanted to do on the Patriots/Bills reversible fleece throw last night.
All I have to say is, Oh my Lordy! That little walking foot is worth 100x its weight in gold, if not more. It did such a fantastic job keeping everything straight and perfect!
I wish I had this thing months ago. I'll post pictures when it's finished. I'm not sure what I'm going to do to edge the thing, I think maybe just a basic blanket-stich/crocheted border in navy blue or red.
Thanks for the encouragement ladies.
BTW - The Sew4Less website is legit and they did a beautiful, speedy job with everything.
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cmerun12
 | 07:48 am - I took all but a 1/2 hour of yesterday as a vacation day
I've been slacking about getting some projects done. With work not having a whole lot to do, I asked if it was ok to take the rest of yesterday off as a vacation day.
( What I did )
Current Mood: rejuvenated
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December 7th, 2009
faetal
 | 04:55 pm - A bit off topic: sergers
Okay, I know, a serger isnt necessarily a tool of the trade for quilting. I mean, it could be used for quilting, maybe for some applications..
but really, I turn to you here in the quilting community because you've always been so helpful and lovely... and I'm just guessing here, but I think maybe a few of you may have some opinions about this.
I'm looking for a new serger.
I'm currently borrowing an old babylock, I believe. .. my MIL says she used it to make summer outfits for her kids. (they were born in 1979 and 1982). so, its an older(ish) model.
It works fine, but I'd really like something to call my own, and something that isn't quite so hellish to thread. The one I'm using brings me to tears if I need to rethread the lower looper for any reason.
With most products that we'd be buying, my husband I usually look for product reviews on amazon.com, or other internet sites. I'm really finding conflicting info! about the only thing that I've definitively heard is, "don't buy a singer".
(The sewing machine I'm currently using is a Singer so it's not like I'm bashing them here)
I'd *LIKE* to have a machine with 5 thread coverstitch, but it seems that these machines are out of my price range. We're looking at about the $300-$350 price range. I'm attracted to the juki's but I dont know what the word on the sewing street is..
Anyone have an opinion they'd like to throw out there? experiences? recommendations? horror stories?
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montyollie
 | 09:24 am - My crib-sized commission...
Last week, I got done THE BEST QUILT I've done to date. This one was a commission, and I took extra care to measure twice, cut once and use that basting spray. It came out almost perfect. I'm VERY proud of it. It's the one featured in that YouTube video I posted a couple of days ago. And I was in Montreal on the weekend and delivered it to the buyer and she LOVED it, so everyone is happy! YAY!
She picked the focus fabric (the recycle one) and I built around it.
( More pics below the cut... )
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December 5th, 2009
December 4th, 2009
meguey
| 05:55 pm - What to say.
What do you do when someone you love is treating a vintage quilt with utter disregard? Think 1930's feed sack Dresden Plate crib quilt as a car quilt to toss over a toddler, muddy boots and all, and just to leave on the floor of the back seat for when you need it. What could I say???
(The whole sordid tale is on my Lj, if you're curious.)
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montyollie
| 11:05 am - I am going to die from the cute
Okay, so that pink quilt I made last week that I was complaining I did a very sloppy job and really was embarrassed to give it to the recipient?
Turns out two year old princesses don't care so long as it's pink. Her dad told me she charged him when he got home and she just knew it was for her. This is the first pic I've seen of any quilt I've made being USED, and I have to say I have a tear in my eye!!!!! TOTALLY makes the whole process worthwhile and FUN! WOW!
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December 3rd, 2009
macbeaner
 | 08:11 pm - Birthday Block community
Are you interested in participating in a birthday block swap?
Click on the link and check it out.
http://community.livejournal.com/birthday_blocks/170480.html
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December 2nd, 2009
cristalskye
| 05:59 pm - Aggie Quilt - Completed
My long-armer completed this quilt for me and I was able to deliver to my customer a month early. Love it when that happens. Since I cut one two many shirts I made a pillow with my remainder fabric. Think I also have enough fabric to make a bandana for thier dog as well.
Happy Quilting.
Current Location: the office
Current Mood: happy
Current Music: none
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montyollie
 | 06:46 pm - My latest instructional video
Sometimes I think I'm grossly unqualified to be making instructional videos, and then I remember I'm not a purist and what I do is just try and encourage beginners (not unlike myself) to take a leap into the unknown and try something a bit scary... such as STIPPLING (or in my case, I guess it's more 'meandering' LOL)
Anyhow, here's the video I just created. Hope you guys (specifically the lurkers) like it! Trust me if I can get to the point where I'm not afraid to do it, you can too! My first few stabs at stippling REALLY sucked, but I'm getting better with every single try.
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December 1st, 2009
aphoenixrain
| 07:29 pm - Walking Foot Question
I am going to be making a fleece blanket for my SO's brother and sister in law and I've researched that a walking foot is recommended.
I don't own one, but reading about them, it sounds like I should have been quilting my bindings with them already (they do pucker a little with my normal foot).
So, I do want to buy one and was wondering if anyone here has dealt with www.sew4less.com ? They seem to have good prices and excellent information, but I was curious as if anyone has dealt with them before?
So, to make this official, here's progress on my SO's Christmas present. I decided to go with a combination of quilts people here showed me, but here's the modified bargdello (sp?) panel, part one.
The Beatles Quilt
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