Hexie Tape Measure

I found this great pattern on quiltingAbout.com, and decided I just had to make it.  I've gotten their newsletters in my inbox for years.  Here is what I made.  (Sorry for the bad pictures, but I took these before 6am, in a dark sewing room, while my brain was still asleep).

front of tape measure

back of tape measure

what she made, with mine next to the picture

 

I decided that I'm going to demo this project at the Arkansas TOGA next month. 

I found that turning the tiny stitched hexies is not easy!  Next time, I'm going to try using some tweezers.

tiny stitched hexies with batting glued on

I also had to find a workaround for cutting the felt, since I don't own a working pair of pinking shears.  My cute craft scissors (for scrapbooking) wouldn't cut the felt.  I looked up on a fabric shelf and saw this...

Singer pinker hand crank

It worked great!  I'll be bringing this with me to the TOGA. 

*I found the tape measures for $1 at Hobby Lobby.  I used scrap fabric (it doesn't take much) and scrap batting.  I did have to buy some green felt.  I did buy the Gorilla Glue she mentioned (hubby didn't want to share his), but, I also have another project to use that glue with. 

Some Finishes!

I have gotten a few things finished in the last week or so.  First, is the baby quilt.  This is the 2nd of these baby quilts, since the first one turned pink when I washed it (red Minkee bleeds).  This is a picture of it after I washed it (yes, even though it was treated with Retayne, the color catchers still came out pink on the 2nd quilt for some reason). 

2nd baby quilt

up close of the straight line quilting

red Minkee on the back

corner showing the binding

Woohoo!  The baby shower is next Tuesday. 

I also finished the witch blocks for my little guilds challenge.  We had to make a 12.5" block with either a witch or a scarecrow.  Here is my finished block.  I have another block made, that I will turn into a wall quilt sometime.

challenge block finished

I also finished a quilt that another quilter started.  I was asked to finish it, since she got sick, and couldn't finish it.  I didn't even know her.  She passed away the end of last year.  I finished the quilt (lots of applique) and sent it off to be quilted (she had already arranged this part).  I stitched the binding on, and made a special label for the back, per her husband's request.  I delivered this quilt to him earlier this week.

Salt Box sampler

Her family has pictures of the blocks I made, so that they will know which blocks she made.  I found out when I delivered it, that one of her daughters is having a birthday this week (she wanted it finished for her daughters).  The quilt will be a great way for them to remember their mother/wife. 

I'm off to the Ottawa, IL quilt guild tonight.  My large quilt guild has a raffle quilt, and we will be taking it to their guild.  It will be a nice road trip with some of my guild friends.

Have a great weekend!

National Sewing Machine Day!

Happy National Sewing Machine Day!  There are actually 2 different National Sewing Machine Days (why not celebrate BOTH days)!

Well, I celebrated National Sewing Machine day the PROPER way, by rescuing a vintage sewing machine from the thrift store.  Here are some pictures of my newest sewing machine.

Stitch Master sewing machine (class 15)

lovely faceplate on the end

view from the back

This machine looks just like a Singer 15 sewing machine, except that it says Stitch Master on it, instead of Singer.  Check out the motor on the back.  The 2 places where it would say Singer, or have the red 'S' on the motor plate, have been cut out.

notice where the metal plate has been cut out

It also has a serial number the same place there would be a serial number on a Singer sewing machine.  I couldn't find 'Made in Japan' anywhere on this machine.  Very strange.  Singer didn't make 'badged' sewing machines (machines with someone else's name or 'badge' on the machine).

Serial # DA201062

Singer did have some serial numbers that started with DA, but, they weren't until 1962, and I don't have a list of those numbers.  Either way, I'm pretty certain that this is a Japanese class 15 machine. 

The new sewing machine came with a whole box of attachments and a small box with extra bobbins.

attachments and bobbins

It also came with a blue (not original) foot control, and some scary wiring.

scary wiring and replacement foot control

I just bought lots of wiring, so that I can learn how to re-wire a sewing machine at the Arkansas TOGA in October.  I may have to take 2 machines instead of just one (my machine is the 'example' machine for the wiring demo, woohoo!

I haven't been sewing, like I should have been.  I'm supposed to have a sample made of the tea bag holder that I'm doing a demo of at the Arkansas TOGA.  I'll get it done.  Instead, I pulled out a puzzle yesterday, and started on it.

puzzle I'm working on

what it is supposed to look like, completed

I may have to roll it up, and work on it later (gotta get that sample done soon).

I have done some stitching the past few days....

sewing machine embroidery, almost done

I need to finish the 'stitchery' under the foot of the machine, and a couple of flowers and spools. 

I purchased a different type of sewing machine this week, too.  I guess I've really been thinking about National Sewing Machine day this week.  Sorry it is dusty.  I still need to clean it off.

sewing machine box

*Update on my hand.  I saw the doctor, and, it is ligament damage.  He thinks I just need to give it more time.  I have an appt scheduled in a month, but, I'm hoping I can cancel it.  It is getting better, but, it is slow going. 

Happy Sewing Machine Day!

Busy! Busy! Busy!

Just because I haven't been blogging, doesn't mean I haven't been busy.  I've been doing things a bit slower since I injured my hand on the way home from the Michigan TOGA (bottom of post).  I finally went to the doctor earlier this week.  He sent me for x-rays (no fractures, thank goodness) and I now have an appointment with a hand specialist for next week.  I still think I damaged the ligaments, but, we'll see what the specialist says. 

Here are some of the things I've been working on recently.  I've worked on my Red, White and True quilt along tops.  I've changed mine up so that they fit the sizes needed for a Quilt of Valor.

I took a row out of the middle of the quilt to make them a bit shorter.  Yes, I'm making 3 of these, but, I only have 2 tops this far.  I took apart the blocks from the row that I didn't use, and, I figured out how to use them in the border instead.

my graph showing how I will finish these tops

I only have to cut some of the white to add to the block pieces that I took apart.  I also need the white for the little, inside border.  I don't think I have enough white left over for the quilt in the top picture.  Maybe I'll 'frame' it in red or blue instead of using the white for a frame, before I add the pieced border.  I like the white better, since it seems to make the top 'float'.  Hopefully I'll get more done on these at the next Quilts of Valor sew-in on Tuesday.

Remember this frog quilt top? 

Frog quilt top

Not only did I make a backing for it (not basted or quilted yet) but, I started on a 2nd Frog quilt, using different frog fabrics.  I have the blocks made.

blocks for 2nd Frog quilt

Here are the fabrics I'll be using for the sashing and cornerstones.

stripe for sashing, green frogs for cornerstones

The first Frog quilt is for a friends husband, but, the 2nd Frog quilt will be for charity.  Both need to be finished before Christmas.

Remember the baby quilt I made that turned pink?  Well, that baby quilt is due in 3 weeks.  I made a new top.  I pre-washed the Minkee (red) this time.  Guess what?!?!  The Red Minkee bled again.  I've treated it with Retayne, and washed it again with another color catcher.  This time the color catcher came out white (thank goodness).  This is a WARNING to all of you out there!  Pre-wash your RED Minkee, just in case!  Now I need to baste and quilt this.

NEW Churn Dash baby quilt top

And YES, I pre-washed and pre-treated ALL of the fabrics for this quilt BEFORE I cut anything out.  I'm not taking any chances. (all the quilt top fabrics for the last quilt had been pre-washed and treated, too, just not the Minkee).

I've also been working on some other projects, bit by bit.  I've started the blanket stitching on these RV placemats and pot holders (8 of each).

The blanket stitch on my Janome works great for a while, then the tension starts messing up.  Do you know how hard it is to remove bad blanket stitches?  Let me tell you, IT'S HARD!.  I've already changed the needle once on this project.  I'll change the needle again, when I go back to it.  A new needle seems to help a lot! 

I've also been working on my little guild's challenge block.  We are supposed to make a 12.5" unfinished block with either a witch or a scarecrow for our October meeting.  As usual, I'm making two blocks (one for the challenge, and one I will turn into a wall hanging for me).  This is as far as I've gotten so far.

Witch blocks

I still need to draw on the words so that I can embroider them.  This is the pattern.

Hopefully I'll get the words traced onto the blocks this weekend.

I did get a fun package in the mail yesterday.  I was involved in another pin cushion exchange with my Treadle On group.  I forgot to take a picture of the finished pin cushion that I made.  Here are pictures of the unfinished pin cushions I made.

I sent the pin cushion on the RIGHT (I kept the one on the left for me)

back of pin cushion, signed

Well, I got my exchange pin cushion in the mail yesterday.  I even got a bonus pin cushion from the hostess (how sweet).

pin cushion from exchange, isn't he CUTE!

pin cushion from the hostess of the exchange

Usually people send a gift to the hostess.  I've never heard of the hostess sending gifts.  Thanks Stephanie!

Oh yea, I did get a FINISH in the past few weeks.  I finished the binding on the twin size Churn Dash quilt.

twin size Churn Dash quilt (DONE!)

Now to go FINISH some of my projects!

Some Whoop! Whoops! and a Major Disappointment!

This post is supposed to be all Whoop! Whoops!, but, I have one major disappointment included. 

I made a baby quilt for a friend.  The baby shower is one month away.  I'll have to make a whole new baby quilt now. :(

This is the quilt, before the binding, and before washing.  Yes, I'd washed all the fabrics on the front of the quilt, but, I didn't wash the Minkee backing fabric.  I've never had a problem with Minkee before.

quilted, before binding and washing

This red Minkee bled all over the baby quilt.

baby quilt after binding and washing

 Check out the background fabric I used, next to the washed baby quilt. 

background fabric is now pink, not off white

Almost all of the color fabrics on the front of the baby quilt were what was left over from my son's wedding quilt.  I'd washed and treated each color with Retayne before I started making his quilt.  Now I have to go buy more fabric, since I don't have most of the colors needed anymore.  For once, this was NOT a fabric purchase I wanted to make. 

I do have a few Whoop! Whoops! that I've been working on.  Not much sewing going on this past week, but, I have lots ready for stitching now.

I made 8 of each of these RV's.  Four of each will become pot holders, and the other 4 of each will become placemats.  These are for hubby's aunt and uncle, who live in an RV full time, and for my brother and sister-in-law, who own an RV.

RV's

I'll stitch these thru the batting and backing, and, then the quilting will be done.  I just have to cut out the placemat fronts.  The placemats will be a yellow with white geometric print. 

I'm also working on a secret project.  The fusible isn't sticking very well on this one for some reason (same fusible as in the RV's).  I'll stitch across everything with a mono-filament thread.  I've not use mono-filament thread in several years.

hiking mini quilt

Hubby is a back packer, hiker and camper.  He can hang this in his cubicle at work.  I hope I don't mess it up, trying to stitch over all the pieces.  Some of the pieces are tiny!  I was using tweezers to hold them in place. 

I'm off to pick up another sewing machine.  When people know that you collect old machines, they keep offering them to you.  The lady said that this machine needs some work.  We'll see.  If it works, I will give it to a friends sister, whose machine just broke.  A win-win for everyone.

Slow Stitching Sunday

I am slow stitching today.  I'm not hand quilting, but, I am hand stitching the binding down on this quilt.

hand stitching the binding down

This is the front of the quilt.

twin churn dash quilt

This quilt will be going to Illinois tornado victims, thru Quilts of Compassion.

I'm linking up at Kathy's Quilts.  Check out her post today, and, go read the great story about finding the 'owner' of a thrift shop quilt.  Great story!