Odds and Ends
Just a little "catch up" post on some things I've been working on.
I began quilting by taking a class at my local quilting store. This was a year ago but I never posted a pic of my finished project, so here you go:
It is a lap sized quilt and I've been using it for sitting outside on cool evenings when camping. Speaking of camping, I also wanted to make a quilt for the trailer. I needed to protect the couch from Thor and also just to have an extra blanket on hand. Well, Thor got very sick after our last camping trip and we lost him while I was working on this quilt. I sewed in the sunroom keeping him company while he tried to recover from his surgery. Somehow that makes the quilt even more meaningful for me. I've got the quilt pieced and am ready to make the backing, sandwich and quilt it.
I used a package of Northcott's Stonehenge strips and embroidered wolves, bears and other wildlife on alternating squares. I used up every strip from the package with very little left over; that made the cheap b@stard in me very happy! The outer border was cut at 5 1/4" to accomplish this. I've got two 10" pieced squares leftover that *could* be used to make a couple of throw pillow covers.
Because of the piano-key border I decided to do mitered corners. I'm pleased with how they turned out for a first try.
Also camping-related, I have an old quilted plaid jacket that I wear around the fire, but it needs more pockets and the two breast pockets that are there aren't big enough to hold my phone securely (this is how I found out my phone really is waterproof when helping granddaughter up onto the toilet). So some modifications were in order.
I haven't done much sewing for the granddaughters, mainly because they grow so fast! I got an itch to try shirring with elastic and have a little sun dress made for the youngest with a coordinating one planned for her older sister.
I wasn't having any luck when I wound the bobbin by hand as recommended by many online sources, but it worked beautifully once I wound it by machine. When I was finished I hovered the iron over the gathers and gave it a shot of steam which really helped to shrink it up that last bit. I have to say this little dress is adorable, and I can't wait to try it on her!
Finally, I'm working on a couple of pens for my inlaws. Brother-in-law does a lot of woodworking so I am using a burled maple blank for his, and sister-in-law is very close to nature so I have a green acrylic one that I think will be very pretty. I'll post pics when they are done.
We've had a really late wet spring here so I am way behind on outdoor projects, but hopefully I'll have some progress to report soon.
I began quilting by taking a class at my local quilting store. This was a year ago but I never posted a pic of my finished project, so here you go:
It is a lap sized quilt and I've been using it for sitting outside on cool evenings when camping. Speaking of camping, I also wanted to make a quilt for the trailer. I needed to protect the couch from Thor and also just to have an extra blanket on hand. Well, Thor got very sick after our last camping trip and we lost him while I was working on this quilt. I sewed in the sunroom keeping him company while he tried to recover from his surgery. Somehow that makes the quilt even more meaningful for me. I've got the quilt pieced and am ready to make the backing, sandwich and quilt it.
I used a package of Northcott's Stonehenge strips and embroidered wolves, bears and other wildlife on alternating squares. I used up every strip from the package with very little left over; that made the cheap b@stard in me very happy! The outer border was cut at 5 1/4" to accomplish this. I've got two 10" pieced squares leftover that *could* be used to make a couple of throw pillow covers.
Because of the piano-key border I decided to do mitered corners. I'm pleased with how they turned out for a first try.
Also camping-related, I have an old quilted plaid jacket that I wear around the fire, but it needs more pockets and the two breast pockets that are there aren't big enough to hold my phone securely (this is how I found out my phone really is waterproof when helping granddaughter up onto the toilet). So some modifications were in order.
I haven't done much sewing for the granddaughters, mainly because they grow so fast! I got an itch to try shirring with elastic and have a little sun dress made for the youngest with a coordinating one planned for her older sister.
I wasn't having any luck when I wound the bobbin by hand as recommended by many online sources, but it worked beautifully once I wound it by machine. When I was finished I hovered the iron over the gathers and gave it a shot of steam which really helped to shrink it up that last bit. I have to say this little dress is adorable, and I can't wait to try it on her!
Finally, I'm working on a couple of pens for my inlaws. Brother-in-law does a lot of woodworking so I am using a burled maple blank for his, and sister-in-law is very close to nature so I have a green acrylic one that I think will be very pretty. I'll post pics when they are done.
We've had a really late wet spring here so I am way behind on outdoor projects, but hopefully I'll have some progress to report soon.
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