Design Wall (Floor) Monday February 28, 2011

I've still got the old flower basket quilt on my floor. It's basted and I've started tying it in places. It is quilted with such a thick thread that I decided to use embroidery floss to tie it. I found a color that matches, but it looks a little too new so I aged with a little tea.

Also on the floor is the beginning of a Depression Block Quilt. I've been cutting triangles every time I have a small bit of fabric and I've finally got them all cut. 544 dark triangles in various colors, and 544 light triangles in various colors. I've got 84 triangles put together into squares. Only 1004 to go.
I had a question (after I finished all the blocks) asking what size I made these blocks. I started with 4-1/4 inch squares and made the quick 1/2 square blocks.

But after I made a few, I noticed there was too much of a color pattern, so I just started cutting the fabric into triangles that were 4-1/4 inch on the short sides. Then I could mix the colors better and avoid having the same colors touching. I wish I had made the original triangles 4-1/2 inch though. By the time I finished the blocks, some of the fabrics had frayed some and in some there was no way to cut off the frayed edge when I squared the block.

Blessings,
Marti

Stash Report - Week 9, 2011

Boy howdy, this is hard for me to admit. I fell off the "using-the-stash" wagon big time. I bought some fabric to make into some projects I hope to sell on etsy. I made the mistake of going to Jo-Ann's for just some thread and a set of grommets. Then I began perusing their marked down home decor fabrics and came across some pretty pieces. Unfortunately, I had to match them to fabrics that weren't on sale. I stood in a long line at the cutting area and an even longer line at the checkout, and three of my fabrics were near the end of the bolt so I just took the whole bolt. Because of that, the lady marked them 50% off! So it was worth the wait.

I also bought some thread, even though my thread stash is overflowing too, but most of that thread is probably vintage. I haven't been sewing this week either. A pinched nerve in my neck is making life difficult to do anything looking down.

Does it count if I cut up a couple of pairs of jeans for a future denim quilt and put them in my quilt projects drawer?

So, here goes.

I hope you did better than I did this week.

Design Wall (Floor) Monday

Still laying on my design floor is this:

Remember this quilt?: (click the picture to read the post about it)

Now that I've finally got the backing ready, I'm nervous about putting it on. I know it needs to be done to keep the wool from falling out as the original backing deteriorates, but I'm really not sure how to baste it. I don't want to use pins because I think it could tear the old fabric. I'm going to put a few gentle stitches into the seams to hold this backing in place, but I need it basted first. So I'll probably study it awhile, or until Hubby tells me to get it off the floor.

In other areas of design, I've been working on my shopping bags.  Have you ever taken your cloth shopping bags to the grocery store, handed them to the checker, and seen a look of annoyance on her face? I've been using cloth bags for years and have seen that look a lot - to the point that at the Wall of Mart I finally told the checker to just put my groceries back in the basket. Then, after pulling the cart out of the way, I loaded them into my cloth bags. Why? Take a look at my cloth bags:

I got the two in the top left corner about 1986. They were freebies - one at the grand opening of a Hypermart (a precursor of Super Wally), and one at the grand opening of a Page Drug (before Tom Thumb had their own inside drug store). The two in the lower left corner were company freebies at a trade show. I actually bought the Brookshires bag in the top right corner (and it's the poorest quality of the lot), and based on the construction of all these bags and a paper bag, I made the one in the bottom right corner.

The reason most cashiers despise these bags (and the person who brings them in) is mainly because of the handle. For one thing, the handles are too long, and for another, they are attached side to side instead of front to back. Because of the handles, the bags don't fit well on their wire rack made for plastic bags. The long handles also make it harder to carry them without dragging on the ground.

I've been meaning to remake my bags for quite a while and a handle on the Page Drug bag was unravelled so it was a good time to try a remake. (I had replaced the other handle to match the size of original.) Oh, and this is the other side of the bag.

I took both handles off, cut a shorter piece of strap, and reattached front to back.

Better, and fits the wire rack but not well. The construction of the bag could be improved.

So I made a new bag based on the typical grocery store plastic bag.





Marti

Stash Report

I decided to start doing a stash report like a lot of other quilters since there is no 12 step program for my stash addiction. These gals are trying to use their stash also and post their progress for all the world to see. It seems to be working for them, and since I have added more than used this year, I think I need the support.

So here goes.

Eeek! I didn't know I was in the red until just now. I resolve not to add this week, but to lose those 8 yards. Losing a few pounds would be nice too.

* I included the project I am revealing tomorrow because technically, it's already used.

I have a question for all of you quilters out there. What is the oldest quilt you've ever washed, how did you wash it, and what product did you use? Ok, that's three questions, but only one question mark.

Until next time, may you have blessings and resolve,
Marti

Remake a Short Shirt

Have you noticed how hard it is to find a long, knit shirt? After a few washings, most of my barely long enough knit shirts are too short to wear in public. I finally decided to do something about it. There is a reason I don't make clothes, and it is because they seldom fit, even if I follow a pattern and adjust in all the right places. But I was going to toss this one anyway, so what did I have to lose?

Before (and this is where it hit the top of my jeans:
After:
And it still fits! I still need to do the hem, but I have a red velvet cake to make.

Until next time, may you have blessings and easy sewing,
Marti