Pinning Progress & Clip Crazy

You can only guess what I've been doing this week. Yes I've been pinning. Well, first I had to iron....which ended up being quite the chore. The instructions don't give instructions for ironing one of the seams in each row....so if you iron one way, you end up messing up the next row, which in turn messes with the next....and so on. Can you say... "a little stressful." I finally gave up and decided some of my seams won't "lock" like they could or should, but it will save me a ton of time and sanity.



I was able to find enough pins in the house to pin HALF of the quilt.....o.k...let me think about that....actually enough to pin 20 rows.....then I need to sew all those rows and pin again...then sew....then pin....then sew. And on it will go. Whew.....


CLIP CRAZY
This is for Carrie over at LaVieEnRosie. A couple of weeks ago she blogged about how she binds her quilts by putting binding clips all the way around the quilt before she starts stitching. Go ahead and check out the blog here. Well, I told her she was insane!! Seriously....if you see how many clips she uses you'd say the same. She does explain herself here.

Wellllll......last night my wrist was really hurting, but I wanted to bind a table topper I had finished. So I wondered if Carrie's method would help out my aching wrist. Normally I only use a few clips at a time and hop around the quilt, but if her method keeps me from gripping too tight, then I'll try it. So here is my mini version of clip crazy.......



I'm still trying to figure out if it helped or not. Not sure either way is better or faster....or? Maybe it's just a preference thing. Although I will say my hurting wrist was my right...it rarely does a lot of "gripping" anyway....more of a motion thing going on. So maybe when my left wrist is in pain I'll try this method again and see if it helps!!:-)

EDIT:ARGH!!! SOMETHING WACKY IS HAPPENING IN BLOGGER!! THE PINNING PICTURE IS IN THE WRONG PLACE AND I CAN'T EDIT OR TYPE UNLESS I'M IN HTML MODE...SO I'M DONE WITH THIS POST....IT'S NOT HOW IT SHOULD BE BUT OH WELL...YA'LL GET THE GIST!!:-)

Quilt Retreat.....

Strip piecing.....oh the many strips I did piece!!!

Last weekend hubby sent me on a quilt retreat. I do mean that literally. He came home one day from work and told me I had to do what he said, and I couldn't argue. I was like, "WHATEVER DUDE!! You can't tell me what to do!!" He then goes on to tell me he signed me up for a quilt retreat and I was going to go and enjoy myself. Oh....well, then....I'll go if Jess can come with me. And she did....

It's always good for this Mom to get out of the numbers world for a bit. At a quilt retreat there are no other obligations other than quilting, chatting, and nibbling....and spending time with my daughter!!:)

The weekend wasn't without it's trials! Jessica's machine freaked out on her. I spent most of Saturday morning messing with her machine. I finally came to the conclusion that it's beyond help....it needs the repair guy! Thankfully I brought the trusty Featherweight.....but I was threading it wrong for the first hour or two and I couldn't get the tension adjusted. So my patience was tried.

Because the projects Jess brought with her needed the Pfaff she ended up making the extra projects I had brought since it was just piecing. She was whipping out project after project while I was putzing on my BIG project.

Look at all these!! Three baby quilts, two table runners and her block of the month. I actually thought I would get to work on these...well, not her block of the month....but the rest!!

I decided to work on the quilt kit Jess got me for my birthday. It looks like a simple enough quilt. It is simple as far as techniques go.....but I underestimated how long it would take. The ladies on Friday night told me there was no way I would get it done...and in my head I thought they were probably right....but for sure I could get the center pieced. WRONG!!! OH MY!! I only got so far as making and cutting out the tubes.

Sunday when I got back from the retreat my husband was in bed with the worst migraine he has ever had. So I gathered the kids in the basement to watch a little TV to keep the house quiet. While watching I decided to begin unstitching my "tubes". It took me until midnight to get the rows laid out and labeled. So here is my quilt retreat progress so far.....

I almost ran out of room laying it out my floor!!

See the little labels? That's to help me when I begin pinning and sewing!

Hubby was feeling better around 10 pm and came down to see how I was doing. I told hubby I would have to pin at least 41 times 15 times 2. He said to me....."Why do you have to pin?" HA!!! Oh......the naivety!! Well, you see all these seams won't magically come together....pinning is the only way to ensure it will line up accurately. If anyone has done the math yet.....that's at least 1230 pins!! Of course I will have to pin in sections, but still...that's a lot of pinning! After hubby gets the idea that it NEEDS to be pinned he says, "Yep, put it in the UFO pile". NO!! Don't say that....I want to finish this one!!

I will end with a few "show and tells" from the retreat.


This was our lovely quilt neighbor, Deborah....she sat just behind us. It was her first retreat. We ended up nicknaming her the Batik Lady....she only likes Batik fabrics!! Aren't they just beautiful!!??


This bear panel was in a shop in McGregor, MN....a lot of the ladies took a break on Saturday to head to this shop. Anyway....aren't the bears just adorable??? It came in a panel and this person ended up putting sashing between the pictures to create a quick lap quilt.


I absolutely love this quilt. I've eyed the pattern and fabrics for a long time.....too long....I'm sure it's not available anymore.....but I do like it. I kept thinking I was going to buy it in bits and pieces and make little wall hangings...but never happened. Oh well....

This is Nancy....she made the above quilt....and on her shoulder is Woody....her sewing bear. He sits on her machine while she quilts. He was "kidnapped" often during the weekend. At one point the kidnapper set him on my sewing machine. I kind of got used to him sitting there....in fact at one point I was talking to him!!!! So I think I should get myself a "woody"....what do you think? I'll have to keep my eye out for the perfect sewing companion!

I took a few more pictures of quilts I absolutely LOVE.....but the lady is a designer and in the process of publishing the patterns and I would hate to mess that up somehow......you know internet design thieves.....I know sad, but it does happen. So....as soon as she has them published I'll be sure to post.

Quilt Surgery.....

Somehow.....someway......this grease spot magically appeared on the corner of the quilt I'm working on!!:-( Mr. NOT ME did it.....I'm sure your house has one too!!)

Thankfully I found a scrap that would work to replace the damaged piece. So.....

"Seam ripper" ....check!

"Thread".....check!!

"Needle"......check!!

"Ma'am.....the surgery was a success....thankfully the piece that needed to be replaced was in the corner....not the center....so.....you will have this quilt for many more years to come!!":-)

My Coloring Purse......

I was able to finish this little coloring purse in a little over a day!!! The pattern came together easy enough, but I did make a couple mistakes.....like putting the loop on the wrong side, and cutting on the bias (per the instructions) but should've cut with the grain to get the striping effect. Oh well, lesson learned. I did shorten the strap because my daughter wanted it shorter....but it can go at least 12 inches longer!!


One thing I would have changed on this pattern is the corners.....I think I'll round them next time instead of cutting off the corners.

Pattern: My Coloring Purse by Clothesline Quilts
Fabric: Fresh Squeezed by Sandy Gervais for Moda

Shop Hoppin' to the Border.......

WARNING: With my older girls gone I'm feeling quite chatty....so watch out.....long post....

Ever since I realized I forgot a fabric for my Lucille quilt, I've been chompin' on the bit to get to some quilt shops.

Yesterday I drove an extra 25 miles north of where I needed to drop off my 3 oldest girls to camp, just to see if a shop had it. (well, not just to do that.....I had to drop off my oldest who is a counselor 3 hours before I could drop off my other two, who are campers!!) So anyway...I check the website for this shop and it says open Sundays 'til 5 p.m. I get there at 3:20...SHOP CLOSED!!!! There was a piece of paper covering the 5 p.m. with a 3 written on it!!:-( I was so incredibly bummed.


So today we head north again.....but this time much farther north. The first stop was in St. Cloud, MN. I stopped by the sewing center there to see if they had a 1/4" foot for my Featherweight. Hubby had stopped by a store in the Cities to ask about a quilting foot, but they gave him one with a guide on it....personally I hate those....I was looking for one without a guide. The sewing center in St. Cloud knew exactly what I was saying and handed me a foot that was $7 cheaper than the other one hubby had found......I like a good deal. They were also super friendly in the store. I think I'll have to go back.

I checked Gruber's for my missing fabric.....NO LUCK!! And Gruber's is one... if not THE.... largest quilt store in MN.

Then on to two more shops in small towns in MN that I won't mention the names. I was not impressed at all. The selections in these stores were rather slim. Not much to mention about these stores. In fact I was beginning to get a little disheartened. After yesterday's experience and then walking into Gruber's.....who has a large selection, then these two small shops with no selection....bummed I was.....but we continued on......

On to Fergus Falls, MN. This is where I hit the jackpot!! Quilter's Cottage HAD MY FABRIC!!! At first I didn't see it because there was just so much good stuff to see in this shop. The fabric line was right near the cash register.....which is normally the last place I look. (Don't you find yourself doing that?.....going away from the cutting tables and/or cash register when you first walk in a shop? Well, I do...) ..so anyway.....hubby is calling me to tell me he is done with his appointment when I rounded this corner and I let out a squeal...."THEY HAVE IT!!" He takes that as a "She's not done yet!"

I not only found my fabric I got a pattern and fabric for these cute little crayon/marker purses by Clothsline Quilts. My 7 year old loves taking markers, paper, and coloring pages with her to church, but she has a hard time keeping track of her markers......and they make a lot of noise. When I saw this sample I knew it was what she needed. I showed the sample to her, but she had a really hard time understanding that she didn't have to choose those fabrics. She kept saying she didn't like it, but what she didn't like was the fabric, she liked the purse. These are the fabrics she chose......aren't they just yummy!!?!!!

Oh, I wanted to walk out with so much more and spend more time. But I only have so much money, and with the family waiting only so much time. I did end up writing down many notes for future reference!!

We went to one more "dud" shop, but after that I was spent. No more shops!! Maybe on the way back we'll try one or two that I missed.

I really, really wanted to bring my Featherweight and sew, but I had to be realistic, who am I fooling? I would probably bring the machine along and never have time to get it out of the case to sew!! So instead I brought my knitting. I finished two washclothes along the way. Not bad considering my wrist has been bothering me.

I'll end with a crazy family photo....well, part of my family.....it's been incredibly weird having just a 7 year old and 5 year old. So this is what it's like with just two kids this age? I never had this.....by the time my two oldest were this age I had two more. So this is fun.....yet my heart is aching for my others. I wonder what they are doing, if they are sleeping o.k.....and then tonight we watch the news from back home to find out they'll be getting severe thunderstorms at their camp.:-( So yes, my heart is aching and longing to chat with my older girls, but for now I'll take the memories we're creating with my youngin's!!:-) So......on to the crazy family photo......

Singer Featherweight 221.....

Finally, after two years I pulled out my Singer Featherweight sewing machine. I've been dreaming of this day since I first received the machine.

I didn't want to start using it until I knew it was oiled and lubricated. Since the machine was well cared for and didn't need any major repair work, I was able to use the book, Featherweight 221: The Perfect Portable by Nancy Johnson-Srebo, to help me figure out how to get it in tip top shape. Now it just purrrrrs!!!

Of course it took me all afternoon....and part of this evening.....but I knew it would....and that's why I am sooooo relieved to get it done. I want to be able to take it with me when we travel. I have a paper-piecing project I started two years ago and can't wait to finish. Now that this baby is up and running I'm sure to get it done......hey, stop laughing.....I will!!

As you can see it came in the sturdy case. I know, I know.......I can just hear the Featherweight enthusiasts snicker at the fact that it's not "original". Well actually it is in a way. If you can see in the picture the black box is encased with the wood, plus the clasps and handle appear to be original.....but not absolutely sure about that. It does have the "musty" smell as is characteristic of these machines.....or their cases!!:-)

This particular machine is dated to be manufactured between 1935 and 1938. But according to the book the type of scrollwork on the faceplate means the machine was made before mid-1937 when they changed the plate. It's kind of cool knowing the machine is 80 years old and works like a gem.

Now I can take projects with me when I travel and I won't have to worry about damaging my machine....this thing is built to last!!

Lucille.....

......note to self....do not hit enter before writing a blog post!!!:-)

Man O' Man....was I excited for tonight. I knew I'd sit down to watch KG and his team finish off the Lakers while starting on a quilt I'd been dieing to start for weeks. The good news.....the Celtics smashed the Lakers......the bad news.....I forgot to buy one of the fabrics for my project!!:-(

A month ago my grandmother in Nebraska fell and broke her neck. I spent many hours with family at the hospital waiting......and waiting.....and wondering.....and waiting. A couple of times I was able to steal away for a little breather....and where did I go? The nearest quilt shop. Quilting is a stress reliever for me so going to the quilt shop just seemed like the natural thing to do.

While I was there my eye caught a quilt pattern by one of my favorite designers.....Carrie Nelson from Miss Rosie's Quilt Co.!! I said in my head the typical quilt fanatic phrase.... "Oh, that's a cute pattern." But then I caught sight of the name of the pattern.........

LUCILLE!!

Lucille is the name of my grandmother. (Or do I say it WAS her name.....she passed away that week.) I knew I wanted to make that pattern.....as kind of a memory quilt. The problem was the sample was made from pinks..........my grandma hated pink!!! And the suggested fabrics were florally....again....not so much my grandma. I decided to take my quilting whiz daughter with me back to the shop when she arrived for the funeral. I knew she could help me find something.

(As a funny side note.......I am on the floor of the shop with fabrics all around me and my daughter is across the aisle from me. So I call out to her....."HEY CHICK, come help me figure out these fabrics since you're so good with colors!!!" The moment I said that one of the employees walks right in my line of sight with my daughter. She stops and gives me this look and I burst out laughing trying to explain my "rude" behavior.)

So anyway.....this is the fabric we found. It's Hemming House by Brannock and Patek for Moda. It kind of looks florally but it's not so much!! I decided to not make a queen size, but a wall hanging....so I've adjusted the pattern slightly.


The problem is I forgot to get the inner border fabric!!! I kept telling my daughter I had forgotten something. I was a mile away and said "We forgot a fabric." We looked and didn't think we had. Then I get home and look through the fabrics, and tell her again...."This doesn't seem right." It wasn't until tonight when I was making the final cutting instructions that I realized I was missing the inner boarder!!! UGH!!! This quilt shop isn't just around the corner!!! I can't just run in tomorrow and get what I need!!!! UGH!!!

Hopefully I'll be able to find this line in a quilt shop next week when I head to Canada with hubby. He's agreed to let me do some shop-hopping along the way!! He even printed out a list of shops along the route we are taking!! What a guy!!! But seriously.....how bumming is that....I could have this finished by the weekend!! What?? I must be joking!! Of course I can't finish it by this weekend.....but maybe pieced!! Now I'll have to hope and pray I find the missing fabric......

I'll keep you posted.....in the meantime if you're a quilter (or a cat lover, or a purse lover) check out this site...she's having a contest and the winner gets a quilt... machine quilted for free!!:-) I'm going there to make my guess now!!

Ta-ta for now!!