Monthly Archives: November 2014
Quilt started
I have learned that frustration just doesn’t get the job done. So instead, I will stop the quilt right here and wait until Monday when I can call the company again. (They are getting to know me quite well) At this point, I am half done with this quilt and all has gone well. Then I started to do this row and the machine only wants to quilt in one place. Rather than damage the quilt, I’ll just wait.
Shirts and a skirt
Here’s another skirt and another little tee. I actually did sew another pink one like yesterday’s top and two of these little Tees. I’m surprised at how long they take. Somehow it seems that since they take so much less fabric they should also take less time. Not so. Of course, right now, I’m just sewing separates. Next I will need to find what goes with what and make the missing pieces of the wardrobe.
This afternoon I made a successful trip to Wal-Mart for some sweatshirts. But as I walked in the door, they had a few racks of leftover Halloween shirts at 75% off sale. There is enough fabric in a shirt to make 3-5 doll shirts, depending on how much of the shirt is in design. So I found a ladies s and a size 2X and I paid an average of $2. The mottled orange is not something I would wear, so it was fun finding a different color. (The black is a good black, not grayed like this photo). I have been making them out of clothes that are too stained or have a hole in them. Sometimes, too, I get donations .
More doll clothing
There was just a bit of sewing time today so I made this cute little tank top and pulled the skirt and cape from an unfinished sewing pile. I still have 3 skirts in that bag and then I’ll have the clothes that were cut out 3 years ago finished sewing. I think I’ll be needing to make several little tops.
A doll outfit!
I haven’t conquered the quilting computer yet, but I am a lot closer than I was yesterday.
My friend, Mary, came over for awhile today and she sewed and I cut and we now have one little nightie finished and more cut out, as well as some other outfits. Now that some are ready to sew, I think I’ll get to them faster. However, the quilts are still in line first and then some Christmas stockings.
Yes, and then I did promise dolls with outfits to the Christmas giving. I just need more working hours in my day. If I were like my cousin and only needed 5 hours sleep each night, there is the possibility more would get done. Where, oh, where, are those elves I’ve heard about?
Win some, lose some
Today was spent trying to learn a new machine computer and so far it is winning. I think it is time to let the computer and myself rest and retry tomorrow. I have the quilt mounted and am ready to go when I get the tension right and the program booted.
Changed plans = Peppermint quilt
The plan was to quilt one of the “I Spy quilts that needs to be mailed by Thanksgiving, but by the title above, you can guess that is not what I did.
We did a lot of run around errands including trying to get the jeweler to put a new battery in my watch. Would you believe they take Mondays off? So off to do the other chores and get a bite to eat – tostadas. Yum.
Home by 2, I still could have started the quilt, but I was a bit side tracked by this Maywood Studio pattern, called Peppermint. It was just too cute and only takes 1/8th of a yard of most of the fabrics. Certain that I had at least that much of enough different fabrics, I cut out the body of the quilt and put it together.
Then I decided a wall hanging wouldn’t be as usable as a baby quilt and cut out 4 more blocks to add one to each row. Perfect! So I finished up the top and will clean off the cutting table tomorrow.
This pattern is often called the “rail fence” and is done in 3 different colors. I like the take on this, making it more of a scrappy quilt, and will have to go through my smaller pieces and see if I can put it together in different colorways. It is quick, easy, and would be great to have on hand for new babies. The finished size will be 44 1/2″ square.
The other great thing about this pattern, is by doing what I did, it is easy to make larger or smaller. I’m thinking with another row each way (row is 8″) it would be perfect for a lap or wheel chair quilt. And if I changed the sizes of the blocks, I could make a doll quilt. Oh, so many possibilities with this.
Tomorrow, I absolutely must quit this type of playing and get a quilt all the way to the finish line.
November 2nd/daylight changed
The desktop was just too out of control this morning. Where many people fill their cutting table, it seems most items land near the computer on the desk – at least anything associated with paper. So today was the day to organize that. The problem is that I collect more things (and magazines) than I can get made. But, because I really do want to make them someday, I don’t throw them away. See there are parts of the desk that you can see. The printer and scanner are bare The papers on the right are all categorized and standing so that I can find them and the box has magazines through which I really want to go.
Jen brought the boys over this afternoon and they brought a “Rummy” board game that we all enjoyed.
After they left, continued organizing and then made this Nov. block for the Aurifil BOM. Only one more block to go.
2nd Purple sweater
I ran out of the purple that I thought I would never run out of just as I finished the hood. So the plan is to get some heavy black – matching the weight of the purple yarn – to do the button band which goes from the bottom of one side up over the hood and top of the other side. Then this sweater will be ready to warm a young one. Both these sweaters were in 12 month size
