New Quilt Project, Ragged Hearts

I went to a quilting group last week and a lady demonstrated this block and gave everyone the instructions. I was too late for Valentine's Day but this week I've worked on it, between coats of drywall mud.

I changed over to feedburner today. If you have any problem with links or your reader, please let me know.

Linking to New Beginnings - February at California Dreamin'

Singer Featherweight Added to My Collection

I've missed several of these machines at auctions and estate sales but I finally was first to get to this one last Thursday. It was listed as pristine in the sales flyer, and the machine may be (although there are a lot of light scratches), but the cord is not. It worked at the estate sale when the cord was held just so, but when it isn't held up, power is cut off. It looks like mine has been repaired a couple of times and that someone unplugged by pulling on the cord instead of the plug. So now I need to replace the plug.

My neighbor has a featherweight, so I borrowed her cord to see how well my machine works and I compared cords. Looks like mine has had several repairs, hers has just one. When I looked online to find out how to replace the plug, a lot of people say they don't like the button foot control and recommend replacing with a clam shell type pedal. I'm still trying to figure out how to thread the machine, so I haven't spent any time with this pedal yet.

The machine came with a box, a tray that slips onto the side of the box, a spare screw (or it could be a screw from something else that the previous owner just threw in there), a bobbin, and a bobbin case. If anyone knows what the screw is for, please let me know.

Also, if you know what the two holes in the base are for, please let me know that also. My neighbor said she figured they were for oil, but they are threaded so I wonder about that.

Now I'm off to find out how to thread it and how to fit it in the case. The way they had it at the sale, the screw on the face of the machine rubbed a spot in the fold up bed extension.

The 15 Minute Sewing Challenge, a Top Completed

I'm not going to take the time to make a chart. For the first time in a very long time, I sewed every day this past week. That is probably the end of my current sewing streak though. I wanted to get this top off the floor so we could move furniture out of our bedroom and get floors done. Also, the tiller and I had a major disagreement about starting, and a finger joint on my left hand and a muscle in my lower right arm were wrenched. I can't even open a water bottle right now.

The Concert Memories quilt top is finished, back is stitched, and I have the batting. All I have to do now if find a place to lay it out and pin it. Then I'm going to try quilting it myself. It's not worth it to me to send it out for quilting.

I'll update my stash list next time. This is all the typing my fingers can do for now. Join me at Kate's Life in Pieces to see how others have used bits of time this week, and let us know what you've been doing too.

It's Tuesday, Time for the 15 Minute Challenge

Brownie made an unexpected trip home last Tuesday, so I pulled out the pieces for her t-shirt quilt so she could approve the layout. Then I put the shapes onto an excel grid and figured out the exact size for each block.

I had ironed interfacing onto many of the blocks before I put them away, but I left some undone so I could cut them to fit different sizes, and I needed more interfacing. Around here, the only place to buy interfacing is Walmart, and I am not a Walmart fan. I got the orginal interfacing at one Walmart but I was in another town when I bought the rest, and I got the wrong kind. It looked the same in the store, and when I started ironing it on, I noticed it was stiffer, but thought it would probably soften with use. It didn't. Even after sewing several of those blocks together, it didn't change. Turns out I got the wrong kind. So I spent one evening ripping out at least two days' work. What is it with me!??

So I had to go back to get more of the right kind of interfacing. I went back to the first Walmart for that. One good thing that came of these trips to Walmart is that I found the perfect background fabric for this quilt. I know, some of you won't use Walmart fabric, and if this were going to be an heirloom type quilt, (stop laughing), I would use quilt shop fabrics. But I can't afford to buy fabric there often. Most store bought quilts and comforters last me about five years with regular use and washings. These will last about fifteen years of daily use, so I think it's a good trade off.

Here's what is on my design wall floor today. I'd really like to finish the top by the end of the month.

Six out of seven days again. Not too bad. Still wish I had more to show for it.

I haven't done nearly as well with my stash busting. Not only did I buy the wrong interfacing, I bought two different fabrics for the Around the World Quilt I posted last week, and didn't like either one when I got them home and laid out next to the top. If white doesn't look good, I'm just going to bind it the way it is and call it a lap quilt.

I'm linking up to Kate's Life in Pieces. Hop on over to link up or see how everyone is trying to fit at least 15 minutes of sewing time into their day.

Sewing, The Challenge

I tried to get some sewing in this week, but as Hubby observed, I spent more time unsewing than sewing. I wanted to use my new Janome and thought the denim quilt would be a good test for it. Unfortunately, the first set of instructions I found had an error, so I spent several hours ripping that out. A few more trials and I found a method that seems to work. This is where I am now, three meager rows after four days' work.

Then I took a day off so I could can some tomatoes and work on my fabric inventory. While doing that, I came across this Around The World from the Couch quilt. I couldn't decide what to do about borders so put it aside.  I know it looks rectangular in the photo below, but that's just camera distortion, it's really square.

The problem with square quilts is that they just don't fit beds. So after looking at it again, I decided to add more rows to the top and bottom. A search through my scraps and I remembered why I stopped it where I did - I had used all I had of a couple of fabrics. Then, inspiration hit and I thought it would make the right size twin quilt if I took two rows off each side and added a row to both top and bottom. So more ripping. Here it is today with the side rows off and the top and bottom rows ready to sew.

Six out of seven days isn't bad, all things considered. I just wish I had more to show for it.

And now for a confession. I wanted bright fabrics for my denim quilt, and did have a few in my stash, but... I had them earmarked for other projects.

So I bought more fabric.

Just a few fat quarters of brights. But then I saw some all cotton seersucker which makes excellent backing for receiving blankets, and it just jumped in my cart and held on when I tried to put it back on the shelf. So it had to come home with me. I have a weak spot for strays, be it cats, dogs, or fabrics.

An update of my stash buster report and stash inventory:

Join me this week at Life in Pieces to see how others have used their sewing time this week.  It's funny, Kate wrote that she thinks the hot weather they have had has slowed her sewing.  We've had a stretch of the coolest days I can remember having in July.  We've had over three days of a nice, steady rain, and Tuesday our high was 74.  It's been heavenly.  I can just imagine what it's like to live in Seattle or England where it rains all the time.  I have been wondering when they mow their lawns.  My grass is long and green, but the ground is too soft to mow without leaving ruts.