Ongoing June Update

Well, it has been quite busy around here for the last couple of weeks.

I finally got this little lap quilt quilted.  It took much longer than I would have liked.  Only because, I chose to quilt each little piece of the quilt.  Starting and stopping, cutting the thread and starting again takes a lot of time.  But, it is now done, and it went on a trip with my mom.  Her favorite color is blue.  More can be seen about this quilt here.

I have jumped on the vintage sewing machine bandwagon, and decided to get this one out of my garage storage to see what I could do with it.  It is a Bernina Model 1130, and is still selling for around $800 - $1200.  It was made in the '70's, so it is holding it's value nicely.  It has 10 feet, including a walking foot, a retractable plug in cord, and a leg lift attachment that will lift the pressure foot while you are sewing.  Never used one before, but can see where they would come in handy.  But after all that, it is missing the correct pressure foot.  I looked for one online, but a new one, genuine or not,  runs around $140.  WOW!  A lot to spend just to see if the machine works well,  I can turn the flywheel, the light comes on, and the bobbin winder works, so now I have to ponder if I want to spend that kind of money to get a pressure foot.  I wrote about this with my own Viking Designer II machine's pressure foot that cracked and is not working properly, and its replacement cost is around $250!  It all boils down to the machines that are electronic, and have electronic connections to the foot pedals causes the high prices.

I think everyone knows by now that my favorite color is pink.  My sewing room oozes pink, and it has all kinds of pink sewing decor.  So, when I was out garage sale(ing) with a friend, and I came across this pink iron, I knew I had to have it for my sewing room.  When I saw that it was only $8, I knew I really had to get it, and the little sticker swore it still works!  So I bought it, brought it home, tested it and sure enough it works.  The retractable cord does not work, so I just put a little clip on the cord to hold it out so it stays plugged in.  

The garden work continues, I have pulled the pea plants and then planted beans in the spot.  Below is the picture of the pepper plants that I started from seed in my green house.  I planted over 35 plants, hoping to get enough with the tomato plants to make salsa this year.

I made a resolution the last two years, to work on getting UFO's done in my stash.  This few months I have pulled out tops that I had completed.  I have had 5 done at my long arm quilter to date, she currently has 4 more to quilt, and the picture below is 8 more ready to go.  When I say ready to go, I have to stitch the backing together and cut batting off a big roll.  Then I have to fill out paperwork for each quilt before I can drop them off.  But, I will have to wait until she is done with the 4 she has before I send over any more.  I am still waiting for a nice day here in the Pacific Northwest (and when I don't have any gardening work to do) to get pictures of the completed quilts.  Most of these completed quilts are BOM's from 2004 - 2008.  I didn't get pictures of the progress work of any of these quilts, so it will be limited posts about them when I do get pictures of the final quilt.

While I was digging through my old UFO's, I came across this next project.  Back in 2013, I was spending late nights trolling through all kinds of quilting blogs, and came across this "Mystery Quilt" by Heather Spence.  I felt that it was a good cause (for cancer), and I was intrigued by doing a mystery quilt.

This mystery quilt called for a jelly roll in the fabric requirements, and I had just picked up this jelly roll at the quilt shop I worked at back in 2013.  It is a fabric line called Whimsy, by Fig Tree for Moda.  See the red line through the price?  It meant that it was half off, and I then got my employee discount, so I was invested in this mystery quilt for about $15.00.  

What I didn't do well in considering this jelly roll for this quilt, is the fact that there were not distinct darks and lights.  This is what I would call a "muted" color line of fabric.  So after I tried to sort out the darkest colors and made up the top, it is really hard to see the the pattern of the block and the way it should look in the quilt top.

This is an isolated block, and it is hard to see how it should be for the quilt.  

Oh well, I am going to go ahead and quilt it up and use it for a travel lap quilt or a donation quilt.

Thanks for stopping in and catching up with all my ongoing projects.  As always, there will be more to come.

Warmest...

New Sewing Room Decor

I obtained a couple of new sewing related decor items to hang up around my sewing room.

I bought this while on the shop hop during the shop hop this February.  It is all metal that has a been cut out with a quilt pattern.  The color is a dark blue, and done in the traditional bear paw pattern.  It measures 12' X 12".

I hung it over "Molly" my dress form.

I had this one from a couple of years ago on a quilt run, but I guess I never got around to taking a picture of when I put it up.  It is a deep red and has a star pattern around the American Flag.  This one is 12" square too.

This is the spot I have it hanging in my sewing room.  It is over my wicker shelf that sits between the entrance into my sewing room door from the house and the exit door to the outside porch area.

Next up is a set of 5 plates with dress forms printed on them.  I bought them about 5 years ago, when my husband told me he was going to build me my sewing room.  I can't believe it took so long to get them up on the wall (I am going to blame it on the fact that I kept forgetting to get plate hangers to be able to hang them up properly).   I put them on the little bit of wall on one side of the closet, so try to just enjoy looking at the plates and not the mess in the closet please.

Warmest...

Cheddar Blocks:

Quilting Acronyms and Glossary

Many of you who might be new to the quilting world, might appreciate the largest amassed listing of the quilting acronyms and glossary that I have come across all in one place.  I don't know much about this blogger, but over at SLIKStitches, they have put together what I would call a complete list of quilting acronyms and glossary.  The direct link is here.  It is worth the time to click on the link and read through all of them.  I even discovered quite a few that I had only seen once or twice, and didn't really know what they meant until I read this list.  I will bookmark the page for future reference in reading quilt blogs, and to use them in writing of my future posts.

On another note, I was working on a UFO that I found while doing inventory of my sewing room.  I am sure many of you have seen patterns by Bareroots, and I happen to have purchased this one back in 2005 or so.

I couldn't believe it, I had already did all the embroidery of the center square and all the little squares.  For the life of me, I cannot remember buying this (it came as a kit), or even doing any of the embroidery work.  Hmmm.  Anyways, it was a nice surprise to see that I had it done to that point.  So, I sat down this evening and put it all together.

I was puzzled as to why I had embroidered the squares, but not the border.  My first assumption was that I either got bored and put the project away (yes, I do it all the time) or we moved and I had to pack it away (for a period of 4 years, we moved 4 times).  But after getting it put together last night, the instructions said to sew on the linen border and then trace the design and then embroider it because the vines travel around the corners.  No I understand why that border didn't get embroidered!  Fortunately, I packed the embroidery thread that I used on the squared with the kit, so I can just sit down and start stitching.  This might have to wait until the middle of February, because I gotten three custom sewing orders, three trade shows, a 9 day out of town trip, and a 3 day trip doing out annual Quilt Run 101.  I am stacked up busy, and will be trying to get a few personal things done, including getting the embroidery done around the edge of this project.

Warmest...

New Year's Clean-Up

So, I am back today to show you the pictures of the whirlwind going on in my sewing room:

This corner area is the worst, I mean, I have lost floor space and the whole length of the desk table area is piled high with left over fabric from the Christmas projects, and several UFO projects that I am currently working on or going to be working on.  Yuck!

Here, a clear tub of completed items that I have listed on my ETSY site sits in front of my nice bookcase, and it is piled high of either completed projects or completed tops that need to be quilted.  I've got to figure out a better way of displaying my wall hangings and full sized quilts around the house.  Something to ponder this coming year.  Hmmmm......

Under my cutting table, I have a 24 inch wide bookcase that stores my thread, sewing feet, interfacing, bag hardware, embroidery supplies, and then the bottom shelf holds some quilt kits that I have acquired over the past years.  the three packages sitting on top of that pile are kits that I had sewn the tops, and now needs quilting.  

I have to continue to work on clearing up the floor area, and the closet.  I am trying to get an inventory of all my projects and the material I have so that I can get a little organized and prioritize what I want to be working on and completing this next year.

Let me take a minute here and give you some background of all this acquisition in my sewing room and garage.  I worked for a company that moved me four time in seven years.  The last year I worked there, I was only home for 20 days out of that year.  I spent many nights in the hotel room surfing the web visiting all kinds of quilt shops, doing online shop hops, and participating in many programs.  I made really good money, so I didn't go into any debt purchasing all this material(s), and it allowed me to keep my toes in the water so to speak of the hobby I so dearly love.  

Then, BOOM, the recession happened, my company did a big layoff of all middle management, me included.  We had only been in the newest place my company had moved me to for 9 months when I was laid off, and I had only spent a few actual days there.  We were away from friends, family and virtually no network of acquaintances.  By this time in my life, I am in my late 40's, no job prospects available in my narrow niche of speciality, I felt I had a very dim view of life.  I went into a very dark place.  I sewed for hours every day for almost 18 months.  I moved from project to project, using the sewing to escape from the harsh reality I was facing.

So, here I am seven years later, with a room and garage full of materials to continue to sew and create, without having to spend any money.  I call it an investment for early retirement.  In sorting through the lower shelf and finding a few already completed tops, I for the life of me, could not recall  the purchase of the kit, nor making the kit.  That is how dark it really must of been during that time.  

I am in a so much better place now, perfectly content to stay home, saving money gardening, canning, making things from scratch, and doing without things that I really don't need or really want.  I look forward to finishing these projects from my "dark period".  I will be closure to this time, and will allow a feeling of satisfaction of accomplishment.  

I writing about this, because I know many people go through dark periods in their lives, and having a hobby or a passion about something can really go a long way in getting through it with some comfort.

While my hobby helped a lot, it was also my faith in Jesus my Savior that did most of the work and progress in getting out of the dark hole.  But, I also know that God can use all avenues to help us in our time of need.  

Warmest...

Bringing In The New Year

This is my beautiful sewing space.  What you see below is the nice organized space when I first moved into my new room.  

I can't even show anyone what it looks like now.  (My head is hanging low, very low).  I might give you all a peek tomorrow before I dig in the cleanup.  Unfortunately, while making the seven quilts, microwave bowls, pillowcases and such for Christmas, the room became a whirlwind of clutter.  So, before the new year rolls in, I am going to get my wonderful sewing space back to clean and order.

Just a note, here are my sewing resolutions for 2015:

1.  Quilt at least two tops of completed project tops per month

2.  Work on the 58 BOM kits that I have in bins (true confession time)

3.  Only fabric purchases will be backing or background and only if really necessary

4.  Inventory of all fabric bought for specific projects  (working on this while cleaning up room)

5.  Share and teach skills to anyone wanting to learn to sew or quilt  (this is the most important resolution to me.  This craft is slowing dying, and anyone interested, I am willing to help in any way so that this most wonderful craft can keep going on into the future!)

Come and enjoy the ride all through 2015!

Warmest...

Fabric Hoarder

Are you one of these:

When I look around online at different quilter sites, I see glimpses of their fabric stashes.  This is especially true when they go about reorganizing their work spaces or entire sewing rooms.  After all it is spring time, and we all get the "Spring Cleaning Bug" and I especially have this bug this year when it comes to my sewing room (and other places I have fabric and accessories stored.

Here is a glimpse into my fabric hoarding stashing:

This set of cubbies are all along a 14' wall in my sewing room.  And, yes, each of those cubby boxes, white and pink, are full of fabric.  There is even more to the left, it just didn't fit into the whole picture.  The small cubby to the far left is just wool though, and not quilting fabric.  Just sayin'.

This is a peek at the bins in my closet behind the recliner.  The recliner is for my husband, as he comes in every night and sits with me as I sew.  Priceless.

This is my wicker shelf tower, that I got last summer, and it is full of ongoing projects and some of my most favorite fabrics.  the pieces hanging on the left of the tower is all the blocks to the project I have posted about for A Civil War Tribute.  I need to get all the blocks made into the quilt top.  It is on my to do list.  Sigh.

This area is a mess, and has a pile of "bag lining" fabric, that hasn't found a home yet on the shelves.  It is waiting for a vacancy in the the cubby wall.  It is a long waiting list.

Finally, this is out in my garage along one wall.  My husband so kindly built me shelves that were specifically sized to hold plastic tubs.  Just sayin' again, the top shelf is all my wool.  And to the far right (out of the picture) is all my yarn.  This walls alone tells anyone that I have too may skills hobbies.  

So little time!


Warmest...

New Addition to the Sewing Room

While out and about the other day, I stopped in the Goodwill store and came accross this too cute new sign. I have a a special area in my sewing room dedicated to wool crafts. And, i am always on the lookout for "wooly" kind of knick-knacks.  I saw this wooly sheep hanging off a Welcome sign, and knew it would fit in oerfectly in my wool area.

The only thing I didn't like was that it had '80's country look blue ribbon tied around it's neck and used to hang off the welcome sign.  So, I pulled out my wool strips and found a muted tan/off white piece to hang off the sign and around it's neck.  Aahh, so much better, and more updated.

Here it is hanging under my "Wool,Wool, and More Wool" sign.

Here is the close up.  Isn't it just too cute?

Warmest....

New Sewing Chair

I don't know about you, but I have been sewing on a leftover office chair for over 15 years.  I have recovered it twice, added more seat padding twice, and even tried to put foam on the base spokes for some comfort when resting my feet on them.  

I have been toying with the idea of purchasing a new chair, because the one I have is become so broken down, and had started causing some serious back pain while sewing.  I looked at the Koala brand chairs, but they run in price around $300 (Yikes).  But, I tried to justify the expense because of the back pain, and would probably not have to buy one again for the rest of my sewing years.

Well, hubby and I went into our local office supply store (not a big box one), to get him some stamps made for his business, and I went on a walk about the store while he was giving the clerk the specifics about his stamps.

Low and behold I came upon this beauty.  First off, it is rare to find a chair that doesn't have arms,  I find that the arms get in the way with table I sit at, and catches the fabric in ways that really frustrate me.

On top of that, this chair sits higher than all other office chairs because it is a drafting chair, designed to adjust to the high slanted tables that architects sit at to do their drawings.    Which is just perfect for me, because I am a tall long legged woman (been called an Amazon more that once in my life) and it fits my body and sewing set up to a tee.

And the cost was not bad either, as it was on sale from $389 down to $195, and as an added bonus, my dear sweet hubby bought it for me!!  I am one appreciative woman!! 

I did some sewing last night and I can't believe the difference!  The height is just right, as I don't have to lean over as much and the back pain was so much lessor than before.  And the ring at the bottom is just right for placing my feet, a nice resting place.  I am hoping to spend long hours for the rest of my sewing life in a very comfortable chair.

Warmest...

Dress forms

It is no secret that I like and have a small collection of dress forms.  Some have been found in re-sale shops, and some are new found in various retail outlets.  I have them displayed in several places throughout my sewing room. 

Here are a few standing in my window sill, all lined up in a row.

This one is hanging on my back wall.

These two wire framed pink ones are found on top of my fabric shelves.

This one is a pretty one in a chiffon flowing dress, and it's pink!

Yesterday, we were at a factory outlet discount store and look what I found!!!  Yep, another dress form, and this one comes with it's own little matching purse.  Cute, huh?

My collection would be much bigger, but for some odd reason, dress forms in any fashion (wire, clothed, jewelry holder) are usually quite expensive.  Most of mine bought in a retail store have been on sale at at least 75% off.  The lowest price on the small ones start at around $30 and if they are over 12" high they hover around $100.

I feel fortunate enough to have the collection currently residing in my sewing room.

Warmest...

Wicker Shelf

Funny story about my newly acquired wicker shelf.  I so like wicker!  But really good, solid, sturdy wicker is expensive.  So any way onto the story.

My husband and I went to the big city of Portland to find some store fixtures for his new gun shop he is opening.  We ventured into a back area of a big warehouse where the used  fixtures were located and while hubby looked at counters, I ventured over to the clearance corner and there it was, just waiting for me to come.  It came from some kind of retail environment, so it was made to have heavy things setting on it.  The unit is  wicker wrapped around metal tubing, even the shelves are sturdy metal tubing.  The only thing that was out of whack, was one of the leg bottoms was missing a rubber cap.  The very best thing about this shelf was, drum roll please,  $10 price tag!!!!!!! Yikes!!!!  I was stoked!   Something like this, for a retail setting would run a couple of hundred dollars.

Brought it home, put all new rubber caps on the legs, blew out the dust, found the perfect place for it in the sewing room, and loaded it up.  Yep, this is the new spot for my WIPs, right by my sewing machine.  Just now all neatly stacked and not spilling over on my workspace.  Did I say I'm stoked?

Yipee skippy!

Addition to My Sewing Room

I have wanted a treadle sewing machine for, since forever.  When I was younger, I thought I wanted to be a pioneer woman, born in the prior century.  Since then, I know how hard life was then, and wouldn't really like to have been born then.  Leftover, from that line of thinking though, I have always wanted a singer treadle sewing machine.  Up until now, I either couldn't afford one, or didn't have a space to have one.  I now have space for one in my sewing room, and my husband shelled out the bucks for this one.  And, you are not going to believe where I found it either!  At the gun show we were doing this weekend!  Yep, at the gun show!  There is another seller there that always has older guns and usually a Singer Featherweight for sale.  I guess he finds old broken ones, cleans and fixes them up and brings one with him with his guns.  So I asked him if he had any Singer Treadle machines, and no he didn't, but a gentleman had just stopped and talked to him about his recently deceased wife's treadle machine.  So, this Featherweight guy hooked me up with the Treadle Machine guy, and ta da!

So enough talk, here are the pics.....

This is the drawer full of attachments and feet!

I Woke Up This Morning.....

WARNING, this is a lenghty post! I woke up this morning with this on my mind:

And I wanted to go straight to here:

But I had these things to do first:

Laundry. There is always laundry to be done since I first had children. I am greatful, that the amout of laundry is less now that the boys are out on there own. I even have those nice front loading units on pedestals, which is supposedly to help in doing the laundry. Not. Laundry is laundry, no matter how it is done, and it is a neverending chore. One is never done with laundry, as there is always the clothes you wear the day while you're doing all the other laundry.

While the washer was working it's cycles on the first load, I had this chore to do.  The chore of ironing.  Yep, I iron. Most people can't believe that I am still ironing.  Mostly it is the button up shirts for my husbandAnd once in a while a shirt or blouse of mine.  I feel, and this is just the way I believe, that how the family looks out in public is a direct reflection on the woman of the household.  So I iron! What can I say?

Ok, so we are about three hours into my day, I see there are more tomatoes ripe out in the garden. So I trek out there and pick a large bowlful.  Then I remembered I had about this much more in the fridge from a picking earlier this week.  

So, I cut them in half (throwing in some yellow pear tomatoes), into a big stew pot to cook down into sauce.

I pureed the pot of tomatoes, and decided to make this batch into enchalida sauce. I let it cook down with all the other ingredients for about three hours, and the pressure canned it.

And here is the final result, 4 quarts, and 1 pint. Hardly seems worth the canning of such a small batch,

I am not sure how well you can see in the picture above, but I used the "Tattler" reusable lids. This is my first time using them, and I really like the way they work. They seem a little pricey initially, but I think they will be worth it over the years. I went to put three boxes of regular lids in my cart, and then I saw the "Tattler" lids. The cost of the three boxes of regular lids equals one box of "Tattler" lids. So in reality, I will recoup the initial cost after three times of use, and then after that it is like free money! You can go here to find out more about these lids.

I did manage to get some sewing in late in the afternoon and evening, but I will save that post for tomorrow, as this one went on forever. Kinda like my day felt today. canning season does that to anyone who cans.