tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77985399249593000102024-03-18T21:40:53.223-05:00Sew I See!quilts, treadle sewing machines, crochet, watercolor, dogs, & other fun stuffMichaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575839458599807879noreply@blogger.comBlogger534125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-37868063392580598022023-04-07T14:09:00.006-05:002023-04-07T14:09:47.909-05:00April 2023: This Blog is Moving!<p> I'm moving my blog! </p><p>After frustrations with the limitations of Blogger—and after becoming accustomed to building pages in WordPress, as part of work—I've decided to pack up this blog and move to a new location. </p><p>The new blog looks much the same as this one, really (especially the mobile version), but I think it will be more pleasant to work with, and that's worth a lot. </p><p>Donald very kindly set up the new blog for me. (I can add to existing sites, but have never started one from scratch...) We migrated the old blog posts from here to there, so they should be at the new site. However, I'll be leaving this here for now, too. </p><p>Future blog posts will only appear at the new site: <a href="https://sewisee.com/">https://sewisee.com/</a></p><p>There may be some minor adjustments to color and layout over the next little while, but it's already up and running. I hope you'll join me over there!</p><p><br /></p>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-91274979005644312732023-04-03T19:27:00.002-05:002023-04-03T19:29:26.930-05:00WIP: Bitcoin Quilt<p>After finishing a few older WIP and UFO quilt tops, it felt like time to start something new. I thought "Bitcoin", designed by Bonnie Hunter, might be a good choice for something easy and fun. </p><p>"Bitcoin" also seemed like a good way to use up some of the fabric I have that's too busy for use in most of the patterns I gravitate toward. Some of this is fabric bought on clearance, pretty much only <i>because</i> it was on clearance. Some of it is stuff I chose back before I had actually made many quilts, before I fully realized that wildly multi-colored fabric, while often beautiful, can be trickier to use than fabric with more subdued color schemes. (The same thing is true for variegated yarn. You can definitely use it, but it can be limiting and more work to find a pattern that looks "right" in a strongly variegated yarn.) </p><p>This fabric—novelty prints, oversized florals, busy and colorful designs—has been accumulating over time. I wanted to put some of it to use, and I had a mental image of "Bitcoin" as something that would accommodate lots of wild prints and multi-color fabric and somehow tone them down and make them blend together pleasingly. </p><p>However, once I looked at the pattern again, I saw that it wasn't quite so crazy with busy fabric as I'd remembered. It's scrappy, yes, but in the versions I saw online, most of the fabric used isn't large-scale prints or busy multi-color stuff. Still, I'd already pulled the fabric, so I thought I'd give it a try. (I really wanted to make a dent in that weird fabric collection!)</p><p>I cut and sewed some of the units, then put them on the design wall and looked at it. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=998&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=998&dt=3&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><p>It was a little cuckoo, to be honest...<br /><br /></p><p><b>I felt I had three choices:</b></p><p><b>One:</b> Abandon the project as planned. Put what I'd already sewed and cut into my string bags for later use and possibly try the pattern again, another time, with a less chaotic fabric selection.</p><p><b>Two:</b> Keep what I had, but pull in more subtle prints for the rest of the quilt, in the hope that the newly added fabric would drown out the noise of the units already sewn and create a more calm quilt. </p><p><b>Three:</b> Decide there was no point in turning back now, keep sewing, and see what happens. </p><p><br />I did a combination of 2 and 3, leaning more toward the latter. That meant pulling in more black and things that read at least a bit more like solids and laying off some of the prints that seemed to fare the worst, in terms of contrast. But mostly, I just kept going. After all, I'd already cut quite a few strips of the busy/loud prints, I still wanted to get them sewn up into something. </p><p>My mantra became, "If it's too bad when it's done, the dogs won't mind." </p><p>Gradually, the design wall began to fill up:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=999&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=999&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=1000&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=1000&dt=2&g=2" width="600" /></a><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=1001&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=1001&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>It looked chaotic. Not my idea of a dream quilt, but still fun to make, and if I hate how it looks, it can always be a dog quilt. </p><p>This has taught me a lesson, though. (Maybe. Probably. It's one I apparently need to be taught repeatedly in order for it to fully sink in...) </p><p>That lesson is this: Life is too short to worry about trying to use up fabric you don't love. (Or at least <i>like</i>.) </p><p>If I were sewing quilts purely for warmth or utility—sewing on a strict budget with limited options—it would be different. But I'm not. I'm fortunate enough to have a closet full of beautiful (to me) fabric that I've bought or been given as gifts, and I want to use some of it while I have the chance and am still in the quilt-making phase of my life! I'm going to start using the good stuff NOW. </p><p>I'm sure I'll still sew fabric that, strictly speaking, isn't my absolute favorite—especially as part of string and crumb projects—but I'm not going to feel I always have to eat my vegetables (i.e. use up the less-loved, difficult fabric) before I can dig into the delicious carbs and gravy. It's time to enjoy the best bits without any silly, self-imposed rules! </p><p>...Some of these harder-to-use fabric may end up as backings. That's a perfectly valid use for fabric, too, after all. I've been working my way through some flannel for backings, but sometimes I'd prefer the cooler surface of smooth quilting cotton.</p><p>Well, that's my resolution, to stop saving good things for some unknown time in the future. Use it while the using's good, and enjoy it while you can. If these treasures are ever used up, there's more good stuff out there to find, if you need it. </p><p>I have a feeling it won't be easy to break old habits, but it's worth a try!</p><p><br />When the design wall was fairly full, the time had come to sew the units into longer strips. After joining up all the pieces into strips, I found I still had less than half what I needed for the quilt! Back to the cutting mat! </p><p>The wall slowly being depleted of smaller strips:<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=1002&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=1002&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><p>The finished strips are hanging over a closet door, where they'll probably stay until it's time to determine the final layout:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=1003&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="534" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=1003&dt=3&g=2" width="534" /></a></div><br /><div>And that's where this project stands, as of now. I cut a bunch more strips, and before too long will have another full wall of sub-units waiting to be joined into long columns. More on this as it comes together!</div><div><br /></div>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-53752750122148159432023-03-05T20:39:00.019-06:002023-03-05T20:58:43.195-06:00 4th UFO Quilt-Top Finished: Disappearing Four-Patch<p>The Disappearing Four-Patch quilt top is done— ready to fold and put away until it's time to quilt it. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=997&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=997&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><p>Last time I wrote, I was still putting the blocks together. That went pretty quickly, and then the step I'd been dreading had arrived: It was time to figure out which block was the smallest and trim down all the blocks to the same size. </p><p>I'd expected this to be unpleasant. Either boring or difficult. Maybe even both. As it turned out (who would've thunk it?!), it actually wasn't too bad. </p><p>At first, I thought I'd hold two blocks together, choose the smaller, and work my way through the whole stack this way until I was left with the smallest block. I started doing this, but immediately decided that I hated that method and that it might be easier to just use a ruler. (I know. Using a ruler to measure things? Unheard-of!) </p><p>I'm not a big measure-er. I have vague memories of not liking the "learn to measure things with a ruler" lessons in elementary school, and some of that has stuck with me all these years. I don't trust my ability to measure things with precision. Yes, I do use rulers all the time in quilting, but I still don't love the idea of measuring a stack of blocks. But... It really didn't take long at all. It was almost instantly obvious what size would work best (18" squares), and before long I'd measured all the blocks to double-check that they were big enough. </p><p>Phew. <i>That</i> was done. Next, I needed to trim them. Because I didn't have a singe ruler large enough to simply put down and cut around the edges, I also dreaded this step, so I left it for the next day. </p><p>Next morning, I figured out how to use three rulers to get the job done:</p><p> </p><p><b>Step 1:</b> Put the 12.5" square ruler on the block, with the 6" lines in both directions lined up as near as possible along the central seams of the block. </p><p><i>On two sides of the ruler, I needed to measure an additional 3" to reach my goal of 18" (9" from the central seam). On the other two sides (the ones with the extra half inch), I needed 2.5" more from the edge of the original ruler. </i></p><p><b>Step 2:</b> Put a weight on the ruler to help hold it steady. (I used a heavy stack of two ceramic bowls that were nearby.) </p><p><b>Step 3:</b> Lay a 3"-wide ruler along the two sides of the 12.5" ruler that need an addition 3". Trim those sides, rotating the cutting mat between cuts, if necessary.</p><p><b>Step 4:</b> Lay a 2.5"-wide ruler along the remaining two sides of the 12.5" ruler and trim them, as well, rotating the mat as needed to get a good angle for trimming. </p><p><br /></p><p>I was lucky that I had both a 3" and 2.5" ruler. The narrower of the two was a bit short, but it wasn't difficult to just scoot it up the edge of the square ruler and finish each side in three shorter cuts instead of one long one. </p><p>So, with that, all the most-dreaded parts of this project were done! I finished trimming down those blocks before the end of the day, tackling them a few at a time between other things. </p><p>Next was choosing a layout. I tried to find a pleasing arrangement, spacing out the colors, prints, and contrast for the best effect. (This is always more difficult than it seems.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=994&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=994&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><p>And then I sewed them all together! Because these blocks are so large, I didn't even attempt any webbing. I just joined each row, then put the rows together. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=996&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=996&dt=3&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><p>Now this new quilt-top joins the rest that are waiting for their final transformation into fully-fledged quilts. (Someday...)</p><p style="text-align: center;">- - - - - - -</p><p>At this point, I don't have many quilt-related UFOs, unless you count the quilt-tops that need quilting. (In my mind, those are two very separate things.) There are many quilt projects I have in mind, and materials waiting to be used for them, but not much that's been started and abandoned or "paused". I think I've done enough, at present, to get the UFOs under control. I'm allowing myself to start something new for piecing in the next day or two. (...But maybe I'll try to get back to work on the FMQ backlog soon, too...)</p>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-82047418903083228612023-02-27T10:26:00.008-06:002023-02-27T10:36:46.469-06:00New Hobby: Hammered Dulcimer!<p style="text-align: left;">For a long, long time, I've admired the sound of the hammered dulcimer. I don't even know for certain when I first heard the instrument or learned what it was, but I used to associate it with the Appalachian Mountains. (More on that later...) Maybe they were playing a CD in one of the souvenir shops we visited... Or maybe I just made that up. 😉 In any case, I liked the way it sounded, but I don't believe I've ever seen one being played in person. It's not a particularly common instrument, around here— not like a guitar or marching band instrument or even something slightly more niche, like a banjo or Dobro. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Fast-forward to now: Donald very sweetly built me a hammered dulcimer as a surprise for Christmas 2022! He used a plan from the same place where he bought the kit for the harp he built a few years back— a place called "<a href="https://www.harpkit.com/" target="_blank">MusicMakers</a>". He also bought the dulcimer's hardware from them, but he sourced his own wood for this project. (With the harp, he ordered the kit, because he was less experienced at that point.) </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=984&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="513" data-original-width="800" height="513" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=984&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">It's a beautiful instrument, and he even customized the rosettes to feature the image of an American Eskimo Dog! 😂 It makes me laugh, thinking of some time in the future, long after we've all gone to our reward (as they say)... Maybe this hammered dulcimer will still be hanging around, and whoever owns it will wonder why there are <i>dogs</i> in the rosette designs. It's a fairly distinctive and unusual choice, I think. Most of the ones you see are Celtic knots or crosses, botanical/organic patterns, or something of that type. Here we have a love for the Eskie immortalized in a musical instrument (however "immortal" a piece of wood can be)!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=985&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="800" height="498" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=985&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://sandmonguitars.com/building-a-hammered-dulcimer/" target="_blank">Click here to visit Donald's post about the hammered dulcimer, on his luthier blog!</a> (All the photos in this blog post are borrowed from that linked blog entry.)</p><p style="text-align: left;">He's also made a couple sets of dulcimer hammers and an adjustable stand to go with it. The original hammers he made are lovely to look at, but after researching a bit, it seems they're a little on the heavy side of what some expert performers suggest. (Apparently you can knock the strings out of tune with too-heavy hammers, and that's something you want to avoid. Tuning all those strings takes a while to do.) So he quickly whipped up a lighter pair of hammers that I'm using, instead. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=986&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="533" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=986&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">We were originally playing it with the instrument just sitting on a table, but that wasn't a comfortable height or angle. The stand makes it much easier, and we noticed that it sounds louder and the note hangs in the air longer when we use the stand. (Maybe a longer "sustain" isn't always a good thing in this instrument... Some people use dampers to actively limit that— but I'm just a beginner playing on my own, so it's not really an issue for us.)</p><p style="text-align: left;">This is getting long, but I was also going to mention that while I'd always associated the hammered dulcimer with the Appalachian region and Celtic music, maybe that's not completely accurate! </p><p style="text-align: left;">There are two types of dulcimers— the hammered dulcimer and the mountain dulcimer— and they really don't seem to have that much in common, apart from the name and the fact that both have strings. The <i>mountain</i> dulcimer apparently originated in the Appalachians. (The clue's in the name, I guess! 😅) It is sometimes even called "the Appalachian dulcimer"! It's a smaller, fretted instrument that looks like a strangely shaped guitar or rustic version of a violin, but instead of hanging it around your neck by a strap or tucking it under your chin, I think you hold it in your lap. It has fewer strings than a hammered dulcimer, and they're usually plucked instead of "hammered". </p><p style="text-align: left;">The hammered dulcimer has been around much, much longer than the mountain dulcimer and has a more confusing history. This instrument has existed in some form for so long that it's impossible to trace definitively. There's a mention of a dulcimer in the Bible, but modern scholars say that was a translation error, possibly due in part to the popularity of the hammered dulcimer during the time that the King James Version of the Bible came to be. </p><p style="text-align: left;">I've read that the instrument has its origins in the Near East, but there are a few different theories. In any case, it's now considered a traditional instrument in many parts of Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. It has a fairly simple design (despite how complicated it looks, with all those strings). As it traveled around over time, it was adapted into slightly different forms and tunings. There are even at least two different ways of holding the "hammers". The mallets themselves vary by region/tradition, with some being rigid and others extremely thin and flexible. </p><p style="text-align: left;">These days, you can find chromatic dulcimers, which have more notes than the traditional ones do, or no "missing" notes. The dulcimer Donald made is a traditional diatonic version. Most notes are there, but not all. Dulcimers also come in a variety of sizes. Ours is a big 'un— a 17/16. The numbers refer to the number of strings on the instrument. The more strings, the more notes are available (and the larger the dulcimer will be). </p><p style="text-align: left;">Evidently, the hammered dulcimer experienced a revival in popularity in the U.S. toward the end of the 20th century, coinciding with the trendiness of Irish/Celtic music and culture. (Remember Riverdance and all of that?) <i>That</i> is probably where I got the idea that the hammered dulcimer was somehow traditionally Celtic. And it kind of is; It's just that some version of it has been used in many, many places before and since. I guess it's not that easy to pin down to one specific place! I'm interested in <a href="https://music.si.edu/spotlight/hammered-dulcimer/history" target="_blank">learning more</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=987&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="640" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=987&dt=3&g=2" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">As far as learning to play it goes, I'm starting from scratch, of course. There are some helpful videos available for free on YouTube, as well as books for beginners. So far, I've watched only a few free videos, really, and I'm mostly just playing it by ear— quite literally! 😂 </p><p style="text-align: left;">Though I try to play at least a little every day, I've barely scratched the surface. Between all the other things that need to be done in a day, not to mention my other hobbies and interests, it can be hard to make time to learn something new. But that's okay. It's not something you should expect to master in a month or two, and as long as you're having fun with it, that's all that matters. I don't expect I'll ever be singing for my supper, so this is strictly for my own entertainment!</p>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-69021611360527498332023-02-26T14:22:00.005-06:002023-02-26T14:28:12.656-06:004th UFO Underway! Disappearing Four-Patch<p>As mentioned in the last entry, the fourth UFO project of the year is underway. I have no idea how long this one has been stashed away, but I'm sure it's been several years. </p><p>This project started with a layer cake Mom gave me. The colors and prints are in the "shabby chic" style, I guess you could say. Pinks, aqua, sea green, grey, baby blue, and white, with a couple of rose florals and other sweet, feminine prints. </p><p>...I just spent a couple of minutes searching and found it: Connecting Threads "Cottage Chic" from 2015. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=983&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=983&dt=3&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><p>I think I searched for patterns using layer cakes and found one on Jen Eskridge's old blog. I'd link to it now, but though I can find photos doing a photo search, the page they link to is no longer available. Essentially, it's an "exploded" (oversized, enlarged) disappearing four-patch. Each disappearing 4-patch uses four 10-inch x 10-inch squares. (In my case, I used two pieces from the layer cake, then two pieces of white muslin that I cut from yardage.)</p><p>Sew these together into a four-patch and press open. Next, cut 2 inches from the seams— on both sides of each seam and in both directions (horizontal and vertical). This will create a large square in each corner, a small center four-patch unit, and four rectangles (rail units?) in between the corner squares. Flip each rectangle to alternate between light and dark throughout the block. Assemble the newly-cut pieces into the completed block. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=981&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=981&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><p>Well, I got as far as making the jumbo 4-patches— the first step. Then I guess I looked at the result and put the project away in disgust. 😖 Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration, but I definitely didn't want to deal with it then and there! </p><p>I was still pretty new to piecing, and somehow I'd messed up. I'm not sure exactly what happened... Maybe I cut the background squares the wrong size. When I pulled it all back out again, this month, I checked my seam allowances, and while one or two were off, most of them looked okay, so I don't know where the problem came in, but somehow, these 4-patches were not at all uniform in size, and there were places where the pieces didn't match up at all. Just very shoddy work! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=982&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=982&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><p>I didn't want to put too much work into this project. I really just want to get it put together somehow and done— off my list of UFOs! So I'm taking the easy way out. I'm just completing the blocks as they are, cutting and re-assembling the parts. When they're all done, I'll measure them to find the smallest block and set that as my new size, trimming the others to match. </p><p><br /></p><p>This certainly won't be my best work— there are a few accidental pleats where I'm trying to force the fabric to match up without taking forever with pinning— but at this point, I'm just getting it done. When it's all finished, it'll be fine. I won't be inviting scrutiny. I'll just turn a blind eye, use 100% cotton batting, and hope it crinkles up like there's no tomorrow. </p><p>Here's the progress so far. I'm making 20 blocks total, so this is half of them "done" (except for the trimming):</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=993&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=993&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">- - - - - - -</p><p>I'm listening to a creepy audiobook while I piece this: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15793201-last-days" target="_blank"><i>Last Days</i>, by Adam Nevill</a>. A lot of times I listen to talk radio, but when the news starts getting me down, it's better to shut out the world (what a relief!) and listen to something else. </p><p>Music is best for when I'm using the quilting machine, but for piecing I find it usually gets boring (unless I'm singing along in an empty house— too self-conscious if someone can hear me). Generally, I prefer podcasts (true crime, quilt-related, or occasionally comedy) and audiobooks, if I'm not doing something requiring absolute concentration. It's easier to listen "just enough" with radio or podcasts. With the denser pacing of books, I feel like I've missed something, if my mind begins to wander. </p><p style="text-align: center;">- - - - - - -</p><p>Earlier this month, I visited Lori Kennedy's blog. If you're not familiar with her, she teaches quilters how to machine quilt their quilts, and I enjoy her quirky, illustration-style quilting motifs. Her older blog entries have a wealth of information, and she's also published a few books focusing on machine quilting. She has a longarm quilting machine, now, but I believe her books are more from the perspective of quilting on a domestic sewing machine, so anyone interested in quilting can use them. </p><p>Anyway, this particular blog entry I read was titled <a href="https://lorikennedyquilts.com/the-7-better-quilting-challenge/" target="_blank">"The $7 Better Quilting Challenge"</a>. Basically, the challenge is this: Buy a ream of printer paper (which costs $7 or less) and commit to doodling X number of pages each and every day for 100 days, or until the paper runs out. There are 500 sheets in a ream, so if you doodle 5 (the original challenge), you'll fill every page in 100 days. If you only have time for 4, 3, or 2 pages per day, do that! If you miss a day, pick it back up the following day. The key is just to make time for doodling every day. Don't judge your doodles. Don't think too much. Just do<strike>odle</strike> it. 😉 Initial and date them, then set them aside. Save them to look at again at a later date. (I assume there will be more blog posts on the topic later on...) To begin with, you don't even have to worry about not lifting your pen/marker off the paper, if it helps. (That's usually important with quilting motifs, because you don't want to have to stop and start the line of quilting too often.) </p><p>I decided to give it a try. One of the things I've read again and again is how important doodling or practicing is to quilting. I've had a doodle notebook for years, but I haven't always been consistent with it. Months would often go by between doodle sessions. I thought this might help get me into the habit for a longer period of time. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=988&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=988&dt=3&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><p>Also, one of the main ideas behind this challenge is that it should free you up from feeling that you're wasting paper by doodling on it. The $7 (or less) that it costs to buy the paper is an investment in helping you become a better quilter. Consider it the fee for a self-led class. That's what the paper is for, and you're not "wasting" anything! I have my ream of doodle paper set aside from the regular printer paper. It's in a totally different room, in fact, to send a mental message to myself. "This paper is spoken for: It's for doodling!" </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=989&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=989&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><p>I used to be a prolific doodler, in school. If I wasn't taking notes during class, I was probably doodling. As an adult, I've fallen a little out of practice, and the types of things I once doodled for fun weren't really great for quilting motifs... But I guess the idea is that all doodling helps strengthen your mind-hand coordination and encourages creativity. I struggle to not judge my doodles, and while I'm no longer doing 5 pages a day, I do try to get at least a couple of pages filled each day. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=990&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="640" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=990&dt=3&g=2" width="640" /></a></div><p>I do think I'm improving from some of my earlier doodles. I've come up with some new (to me) ideas and am learning a bit more about what I think will make a good quilting design. While I admire the illustration/line-drawing style quilting, what I really "need" for my quilts is textures, so I mostly focus on that, at the moment. But I still give myself permission to doodle pictorial things, just for fun. I'm also trying to take note of interesting patterns I see during the day and thinking of how I can tweak them to make continuous line doodles. </p><p>There's still a lot of paper left in that ream! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=991&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=991&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><p><br /></p>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-28334189521129062512023-02-23T10:17:00.007-06:002023-02-23T10:28:35.385-06:003rd UFO Done! String HST Quilt Top<p> Yeah! The third UFO project of the year has achieved "quilt top" status! </p><p>I suspected this one would go pretty quickly, and it did. In the last blog entry, I had started sewing the string blocks into half-square triangles with a plain white background. There were quite a few on the design wall, even at that point. </p><p>A lot more of that, and I ended up with a full design wall:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=971&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=971&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p>There were too many to fit on the wall, so I arranged some on the tables, instead. Putting them in order on cutting mats worked out well, because I was able to stack the mats and keep them all in the desired layout, but stacked up to leave room for joining and pressing. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=972&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=972&dt=3&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><br /><p>I joined them in groups of nine, where possible. This was a manageable size for using the webbing technique of joining. Once I finished a row's worth of these "nine-patches", I joined that row, pressed it, and set it aside. With all rows finished, I then sewed those together. (I'm probably over-complicating things with that explanation, as usual! 😜)</p><p>I'm not sure if stay-stitching has as much value for a project of this kind, but I decided to do it, anyway, since it may be a while before I get around to quilting this one. </p><p>Here are several photos of the finished quilt top!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=973&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=973&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=974&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=974&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=975&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=975&dt=2&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=976&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=976&dt=2&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=977&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=977&dt=2&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=978&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=978&dt=2&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=979&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=979&dt=2&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=980&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=980&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p>This was a quick, fun project. Well, quick if you only count the amount of time spent working on it, rather than the time between starting and finishing! I do love string-piecing! Some of my seams don't match up perfectly, but most are pretty good, and once it's all done, no-one will notice— much less care! </p><p>It feels good to finish another UFO project! (Well, "finish" except for quilting and binding!) So much so that I've gone ahead and dug another one out to work on, before I allow myself start anything new. This next one's been stowed away for a while, but more on that in the next blog entry. </p><p style="text-align: center;">- - - - - - -</p><p style="text-align: left;">This next thing is a mini project. Donald tends to feel the cold a lot, these days. His hands in particular get cold, so I offered to make him some quick-and-easy crochet fingerless gloves to wear while he works at the computer. He was sometimes using a pair I made a long time ago, but those are cotton and aren't particularly warm. This time, I used sock yarn in a merino/nylon/bamboo blend that I had in my stash. </p><p style="text-align: left;">I've made this pattern ("Firecracker Gloves" by Ria Saakshi) several times before, but it's been over a decade since the last time. (WHAT??? I only know because I just checked those project notes to find the pattern name and designer. I can't believe it's been that long! Feeling old, now...💀) ANYway... I don't love working with this yarn, because I find it splitty. It's also a bit thinner than I like, for something that's supposed to be sock yarn, but I don't have much left, now, and it's discontinued, so little risk of accidentally buying more. (Not that I've bought any yarn in quite some time! Now my guilty pleasure is hoarding fabric...) </p><p style="text-align: left;">I like the pattern, but working it in a solid color yarn was a bit dull. I was just glad to be done with the mitts. They look a bit odd at the thumbs, because I picked up too many stitches. Oops! I was too lazy (and just wanted to BE DONE with them) to rip back and re-do. They fit fine, look okay when worn, and are really just for around the house. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=970&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=970&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">This project was a reminder that it's been quite a while since I did much crochet or knitting. I wouldn't mind doing more of both... I do enjoy both crafts, and with their portability and near silence, they're a good fit for certain times and circumstances where machine sewing isn't possible or as convenient. I've even pulled yarn to make an afghan, but I just have other things I'd rather do, these days, when I have the time. Like patchwork and watercolor doodles. Such is the life of a crafter. It feels like most crafters drift from hobby to hobby, over time. As a matter of fact, Donald has started dabbling in coin collecting, lately, taking a bit of a break from miniature-painting and woodworking. Too many interests, too little time! </p><p style="text-align: left;">Well, speaking of time, it's time to post this! I have housework and work-work to do, and maybe some sewing this afternoon and evening. </p>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-5797007559094620232023-02-01T22:03:00.003-06:002023-02-03T17:00:48.767-06:003rd UFO Project Underway!<p>My third UFO project "reactivation" of the new year is underway! </p><p>I did take a little time to clean under the needle plate of the Juki, but it really didn't look that bad, so it wasn't strictly necessary. It's probably a good habit to get into, though, cleaning it out every project or two (or three, depending on the size of the project). </p><p>Once that was done, I pulled out the string blocks I treadle-pieced a while back. I made them with the intention of eventually making HSTs out of them, modeled after a quilt I saw online. The original used more pastel colors, but I worked with whatever was in my "everything" string bag, supplemented with a little of this and that from the single-hue bags.</p><p>The main "rule" I set for myself was to try to use a relatively wide string for the center of each block, since they'd eventually be cut down the middle, diagonally. (You don't want seam allowances in your way when you get around to turning the string blocks into HSTs, obviously.)</p><p>I had enough for 25 white background squares, in the piece of fabric left over from the previous UFO project. At that point, I decided to cut the rest later. (I'll need a total of 72, eventually, which will yield twice as many finished HST blocks.) </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=966&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=966&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><p>These HSTs come together very quickly! I'm sliver-trimming each one, which takes a bit longer. If it weren't for that, they'd be even faster to make. They are 7" squares after trimming, so will finish at 6.5" in the quilt top. </p><p>Here's what I have so far: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=967&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=967&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=968&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=968&dt=2&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=969&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=969&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p>25 string blocks + 25 background squares = 50 string HSTs!</p><p>Lots more to go before it's time to start joining them... But it feels good to be getting these UFOs off my list. (Off the piecing list, at least. Now, the to-be-quilted list, on the other hand...)</p><p><br /></p>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-63769801065077971222023-01-28T22:00:00.005-06:002023-02-03T17:03:07.922-06:00"Make It Pink! Make It Blue!"<p>Today I finished putting together the quilt top with the pink and blue-green/aqua strings and stitch-and-flip units. It's now folded and put away in the closet with the other quilt tops awaiting quilting... </p><p>At some point early in this project, I started thinking of it as "Make It Pink! Make It Blue!", which is a bit of a mouthful for a quilt name... But it's still what comes to mind— that scene in Disney's animated <i>Sleeping Beauty</i>, where two of the fairy godmothers duke it out (with magic wands) over whether Aurora's birthday surprise dress should be pink or blue. (It was one of my favorite parts of the movie, when I was a child!) </p><p>Here are a few photos of the quilt top as it now stands:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=963&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=963&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=962&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=962&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=964&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=964&dt=2&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=965&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=965&dt=2&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><p>I think the next thing to do is give the Juki a cleaning under the needle plate. The next project will <i>probably</i> be the string HST quilt started several months ago. All the string squares are ready, so the next step is cutting the background squares, marking them, and making the HSTs. </p>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-64645361749849194682023-01-26T17:52:00.007-06:002023-01-26T17:57:38.559-06:002nd UFO Project of 2023<p>Continuing on from last time...</p><p>With the rainbow strings UFO project set aside, I moved on to the next UFO. This is another string-based project I started but never finished. (Seeing a trend? I get excited about string-piecing and crumb-piecing— strings especially when I want to use the treadle— but sometimes I don't start with a very specific end in sight, and even if there's a plan, momentum stalls out once the fun part is over.)</p><p>I had two stacks of string blocks, one blue-green/aqua and one pink. A while back, I'd pulled some pink and blue/aqua fabric for the next proposed phase of the project, but I wasn't sure I wanted to do the work that involved. It didn't sound like fun, but I wasn't sure what else to do, instead. </p><p>So I wasted part of a day one weekend just thinking about it and looking a quilt blocks to see if anything jumped out as a superior alternative. After all that, I reluctantly admitted that the original idea was still the best thing I could come up with. 😖 I should've just started doing the work and saved that time! As it turned out, the part I thought didn't sound like fun actually wasn't so bad, after all, and those stitch-and-flip units came together quickly. (Frustrating, how often that happens! And I never seem to learn!)</p><p>Anyway, the first step was cutting a bunch of background squares and making stitch-and-flip corners...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=956&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=956&dt=3&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=957&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=957&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=958&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=958&dt=3&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div>I sewed up the bonus HSTs right away, as I went. (Those are from the triangular pieces that you trim away after stitching and flipping the corners.) I'm not sure what I'll do with them, but even if they just go into a crumb or string project, they'll be put to good use.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've also been saving all my too-small-for-crumbs scraps to use as stuffing (for some as-yet-undetermined future project). I haven't been saving them for that long, really, but they do add up pretty quickly. They're what's in the plastic bag in the photo above. </div><div><br /></div><div>Next, it was time to start playing around with how to arrange everything. I started by putting the string blocks into groups of four (by color)...</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=959&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=959&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div>Then I added in the stitch-and-flip blocks... (This isn't all of them— just what would fit on the wall at one time. The rest went onto flat surfaces, out of the way.)</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=960&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=960&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div>And then it was time to sew things together. I opted for the webbing method with 4x4 units. I do like webbing for this scale of work— much, much more manageable than with the whole quilt, in my opinion! All the benefit of keeping things easily in place, but much less irritating than trying to wrangle a whole quilt this way and that. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=961&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=961&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div>As the 4x4 blocks come together, I'm sewing them together into rows of 3. The whole thing will be 3 x 3 blocks. Not very large, but fine for a lap blanket at the couch. I'm just looking forward to seeing it done! For something that I didn't even want to think about for the past several months, I'm happy with how it's turning out. Pink and blue/blue-green aren't my favorite color pairing, but it'll be okay for spring. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">- - - - - - -</div><div><br /></div><div>I rearranged some things in this corner of the craft room, recently (though it may not be noticeably different to anyone but myself). It started with wanting to use a particular box for my bobbin storage. That meant moving what was already in that box to a different container, which inevitably ended in just about everything on the two shelves being at least nudged, if not completely rearranged. Funny how that happens! I think I've got it all sorted out again, and it's good to lay hands on things every so often, just to remind yourself of what you have and where it can be found. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=955&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=955&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">- - - - - - -</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div>Now that the 2nd UFO project is nearing completion (well, nearing the flimsy stage), it's time to consider what comes next. I have more UFOs waiting in the wings, or I could let those wait and work on something new... </div><div><br /></div>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-19219332125966379662023-01-24T22:22:00.003-06:002023-02-03T17:13:50.775-06:00New Year, Old UFOs!<p>I've been trying to finish up a couple of old UFO quilting projects, lately. There are so many other new projects I'd like to start, but the backlog of UFOs was weighing on my conscience. I'll feel better with some of the old WIPs wrapped up and scratched of that mental list. </p><p style="text-align: center;">- - - - - - -</p><p>My first UFO pick-back-up of the year was the stack of rainbow-colored string blocks. You may remember them... I originally thought I'd make them into a quilt of my own design, based on paper lanterns, but as time went on, I lost steam and didn't want to spend that much effort on them. </p><p>At that point, I wasn't sure what to do with them, instead. I played around with ways of laying them out in rainbow order, and came up with a layout that would be "okay", but I still wasn't excited about it— and then serendipity struck, and I found something better!</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fun-Fat-Quarter-Quilts-Innovative-Variations-ebook/dp/B017IZGQW0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&linkCode=li3&tag=gulfcoastlocal-20&linkId=c91fe0d1ed60141a6e4dbbb2b5a5a8f9&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B017IZGQW0&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=gulfcoastlocal-20&language=en_US" /></a></p><p>I had some digital rewards points to use up on Amazon before they expired, so I bought the Kindle version of a quilt book that happened to be on sale. As I write this now, it's back to regular price again, but that could change at any time. If anyone's interested, you can click the image of the cover for an affiliate link.<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=gulfcoastlocal-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B017IZGQW0" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /> </p><p>The book is <i>75 Fun Fat-Quarter Quilts: 13 Quilts + 62 Innovative Variations. </i>Be aware that the 62 "variations" are presented with just graphics, so there are no photos of finished quilts beyond the 13 base quilts. Some of the quilts are very pretty, but in at least a few cases the variations get a bit predictable and repetitive. Then again, I've yet to see a pattern book or magazine (for <i>any</i> hobby) where I've absolutely loved every pattern. It's always a mixed bag. </p><p>In any case, the pattern that caught my eye for the string blocks is named "Beaded Curtain", designed by Allegory Lanham. As I flipped through the pages, it occurred to me that this pattern could work with my string-pieced rectangles. In the original, all the rectangles are the same size, and mine are not, but that wasn't a problem: I'd just alternate rows of large and small (or short and tall) blocks.</p><p>I laid the string blocks out on the design wall and figured out how many more string blocks I needed— and in which colors, for a pleasingly "random" layout. Then I started making flying geese in the right numbers and colors, in the correct size to match my string blocks. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=949&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=949&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><p>(Incidentally, I love this ruler for making four-at-a-time flying geese: <a href="https://amzn.to/3iXhsaU" target="_blank">Lazy Girl Flying Geese x 4 No Math Ruler</a>. I've had mine since 2016; it was quite a bit cheaper back then... But if you need to make a lot of flying geese, but don't already have a method you enjoy, this might be worth it for you. No math is involved, and there's no waste. You don't even need to sliver-trim them at the end— or at least I never have. Just find the right markings on the ruler to yield the size units you need, cut one large square from one fabric and four small ones from the other, then follow the instructions for marking, cutting, and pressing. It's very easy to use, and I get consistent results, despite my cutting/piecing shortcomings. 😜)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=950&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=950&dt=3&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><p>Before long, the geese were done, and it was time to join! It felt like it went together very quickly, since I had almost all of my rectangles ready and waiting. I joined the first few rows using the webbing method, but I found it cumbersome. Just not for me! So I broke down the rest of the quilt into two segments and joined them in the old-fashioned way, which I found preferable. It all came together eventually! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=951&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=951&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><p>The finished flimsy is waiting to be turned into a finished quilt! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=952&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=952&dt=2&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=953&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=953&dt=2&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><p>More about making this quilt top:</p><p>I used an old sheet for the background. (I guess you'd still call it a background, even though it takes up less than half the surface of the quilt...) I wanted grey. This fabric leans more toward the army green/olive green side of grey, but I think it still works. </p><p>When marking the fabric while making the flying geese units, I had the chance to try out a Christmas gift. I think this is the exact set, but if not, there are other similar ones. (It's another affiliate link.)</p><p>"8 Pieces Heat Erasable Pens for Fabric with 52 Refills Fabric Marking Pens Fabric Markers":</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Marking-Refills-Erasable-Quilting-Dressmaking/dp/B08KCQHVH4?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=oEnar&content-id=amzn1.sym.3aaa24ab-eb65-4c9f-b64b-a539fc469ffc&pf_rd_p=3aaa24ab-eb65-4c9f-b64b-a539fc469ffc&pf_rd_r=HKT0VZC9S6AJNZYG0D2F&pd_rd_wg=6w4HF&pd_rd_r=c6c3afb3-9700-4ebd-9312-60aad24e9a7e&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=gulfcoastlocal-20&linkId=021ab2973f3192032a958f5a32e1d160&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B08KCQHVH4&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=gulfcoastlocal-20&language=en_US" /></a></div><p></p><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=gulfcoastlocal-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B08KCQHVH4" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><p>I can't remember where I originally saw these mentioned online, but I eagerly added them to my wish list, because I'd been interested in trying Frixion pens, and these seemed to do the same thing. Now, I haven't actually tried a Frixion pen, so I can't compare, but my understanding was that you mark on fabric with the pen, then "erase" the marking with the touch of a warm iron. These pens do that, too. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=939&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=939&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><p>I started with the white pens, since I was marking dark fabric. After a few experiments, I noticed that it took a little while for the white ink to reach its full opacity. You can go over the line a couple of times (or more), if necessary, but once I learned that the line gets brighter after a couple of seconds, one pass was probably enough. Two was plenty. </p><p>The iron really does make the ink disappear completely. Someone in the product Q&A section asked if the color might come back if the quilt is exposed to cold air, as can happen with Frixion pens. Apparently it's possible, but someone indicated that washing the quilt will prevent this. My quilts are unlikely to ever get really cold, anyway. When you're marking lines that will be hidden inside the quilt, I doubt it would be a problem, even if they did reappear, but if you use them to mark the exterior for quilting, embroidery, etc., I can see how it might be a significant issue. Of course, you can always gently use an iron to press the marks away, again, if nothing else works. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=938&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=938&dt=3&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><p>I was a bit surprised at how quickly you use up the gel ink in these pens. You could easily go through a pen or two per quilt, if you're doing much marking. However, they come with a lot of refills (52 in this set, along with eight empty pens-- two of each color), and they're cheap per refill. It looks like some sellers offer just the refills, which is what I'll try to find if/when I run low. </p><p>I definitely recommend these. They glide over the fabric so smoothly! Much, much easier to use than pencils, which (for me) tended to catch on the fabric and break if I wasn't very careful. I think they're easier to use than the Sewline ceramic pencils, too, primarily because you're supposed to wash or erase those away and not heat-set them, but... I usually need to use an iron exactly where I've marked, and I'm too lazy to wash/erase lines! (Confession: I never erase my lines... I just hope that no-one will notice <strike>or care, if they do notice</strike>. 😛👍) Anyway, I love that this gel ink disappears with an iron, so you don't have to worry about whether or not they'll wash out later on. It's simple to test them on fabric beforehand, if you have any concerns. </p><p style="text-align: center;">- - - - - - -</p><p>Another UFO project is back under the needle, but that one will wait until next time! <br /><br />Also been happening since the New Year came in: Crumb-piecing continues as and when the mood strikes (and the crumbs accumulate). They're a fun, mindless project for just goofing around. I love scraps that would otherwise end up in the garbage! You never have to worry, with them. Whatever you do is better than what the alternative would've been (tossing them out). </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=954&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=954&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><p>Next time, the next UFO!</p>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-49224490202069140872023-01-10T20:22:00.030-06:002023-01-10T20:40:44.865-06:00Welcoming the Juki into the Fold<div style="text-align: left;">There's a new sewing machine in the house! And this time it's an actual new machine, not a "new" vintage machine. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><a href="https://sewisee.blogspot.com/2014/12/oh-brother.html">I bought my "old" computerized sewing machine-- a Brother Designio DZ2400-- during a Black Friday sale in 2014.</a> It's been a good machine, and it's still going pretty strong. So much so that I'm keeping it as a back-up machine-- especially because it has some features that, while I don't use them often, are occasionally very useful. (Zig-zag and decorative stitches, mainly.)</div><div><br />However, it does sometimes make some squeaky noises, and... well, it just felt like a good time for an upgrade to a better machine for piecing. That upgrade, bought in another sale around Black Friday, is a Juki TL-2000Qi. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=940&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=940&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: #ffd966;"><b>Be Advised:</b> This is a long, rambling post about the features of the new sewing machine, comparisons between the new and the old, and so on. It's probably not interesting to anyone who isn't considering buying the same sewing machine, so if you just want to skim through and look at the photos, I'll understand. 😉 Better yet, I won't even know about it, so skim (or just plain leave) at will! 😆 </span></div><div><br /></div><div>Let the rambling commence!
<br /><br />The Juki TL-2000Qi is a semi-industrial mechanical sewing machine-- something that straddles the line between a typical domestic machine (like my old Brother) and a fully-fledged industrial sewing machine, which would be overkill for someone like me (not to mention less convenient and much more expensive). It's very solidly built, powerful (can sew through thick fabrics or multiple layers with ease), and capable of 1,500 stitches per minute, which is useful if you're a speed demon or interested in sit-down FMQ. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It can only stitch a straight line-- no zig-zags or other stitches-- but as someone who really only ever makes quilts, that's fine. It's very good at making that straight line, and it's less likely to eat the corners of your triangles than a machine with zig-zag and other stitch options. I'll keep the Brother for any times I actually need a zig-zag or decorative stitch.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One thing I appreciate about the Brother is the drop-in bobbin with the clear cover, so you can easily monitor how much thread is left on the bobbin. (So very handy!) However, I'm familiar with this type of bobbin system (side-loaded, with the bobbin standing vertically); it's not a problem. I'll just have to get used to paying attention to avoid "sewing" long seams with no bobbin thread. Or I'll just sigh, change the bobbin, and sew it again! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Another feature the Brother has that this machine lacks is a built-in speed control. Basically, you can set that machine to low, medium, or high speed, and it won't allow you to go over the speed you've selected. This feature is good for those who are new to sewing machines or anyone who may have trouble controlling how hard they press the pedal. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I was a little apprehensive about going without the speed control, because the top speed of this machine is rather intimidating! However, I preferred not to go up a level to the Juki TL-2010Q. It's almost the same machine as the TL-2000Qi, but costs a bit more for only a few upgrades (as far as I understood). I figured I should be able to control the speed well enough, and so far it's been absolutely fine-- though I do get a bit nervous when the dogs try to go under the table while the machine is on! I'm doing my best to avoid them stepping on the pedal and doing some accidental sewing!<br /><br />As a non-computerized machine, the Juki doesn't have a stop/start button-- that button that allows you to begin and stop sewing without engaging the foot pedal. The Brother does have that, but it only works if the pedal is unplugged, and I've probably only ever used it once or twice, so I don't expect to miss it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The Juki has the needle up/down setting, which I loved in the Brother, but also an automatic thread cutter. Not only can you cut the thread with a button on the machine, but you can also conveniently cut the thread by tapping your heel down on the pedal, without having to stop and look for the button. <br /><br />From what I've read, some people have trouble accidentally cutting the thread with this heel-tap feature. If that's a problem, there's an accessory you can buy to put on the under-side of the pedal and prevent the heel-tap function from engaging. (It probably ought to have come with the machine, but I can't say I'm surprised it doesn't!) Other people get around it by turning the pedal 180° so that the heel is where the toe would usually be. (Seems like you'd need some time to get used to that, but maybe it's not a difficult adjustment to make.) So far, I haven't had an issue with the pedal as it is. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />I haven't actually been using the thread-cutter as much as I thought I might, though that may change. I'm usually chain-piecing, and will generally just use snips when it's time to cut the thread at the end of a chain (with a scrap to hold my place under the needle). It might be more useful with other types of sewing. Maybe it's good for things like foundation paper piecing.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Both the Brother and the Juki allow you to raise or lower the feed dogs, which is useful for FMQ (and probably other things, but don't ask me what they are!). The Juki makes this easier, though, because the switch is right there on the front of the machine. It has the ability to back tack, adjustable stitch length (up to 6mm), and adjustable presser foot pressure, as well. (I think those are all pretty standard features for modern domestic machines.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Both machines also have an extension table, which is a great accessory that makes sewing much easier. The Juki's is quite a bit bigger than the Brother's. I'm mostly used to it, now, but when I first set it up, it felt huge.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The Juki is the first machine I've sewn on that has a knee lever for lifting the presser foot. It took me a few sewing sessions to really get the hang of it, but after a little practice, it became clear why people like that feature. It's certainly useful! I hardly ever use the traditional presser foot lifter, now.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">There's also an automatic threader, but I've yet to try to figure that out. I like the one on the Brother, and I'm sure I'll be able to learn how to use this one, but it has a reputation for being a bit tricky to get the hang of (and you can even break/bend it if you don't do it correctly), so I've put it off. One of these days, I'll sit down and repeat the process a few times until I have it down pat, but so far, I've only had to thread the machine a few times, and I've just done it the old-fashioned way. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One big difference between this machine and the Brother is oiling. The Brother didn't even come with a bottle or phial of oil, and the manual specifically stated that it didn't require oiling. You're supposed to take it in to be serviced, so maybe the person servicing the machine would replenish any internal oiling stations then. ...I've never taken it to the shop... So... Whatever! (What?! It wasn't broken!) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">...Maybe that's why the poor thing gets a little squeaky at times. (Now I feel a tiny bit guilty... Does anyone else get those horrible nightmares where you realize you've left a baby or a helpless animal in a closet for days, weeks, months? The poor thing is always alive and okay, though feeble, but the guilt is still tremendous! Fortunately, those bad dreams aren't as common, these days!) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Well, anyway, the Brother actively tells you NOT to oil it, but the Juki is apparently thirsty. It demands frequent oiling, even as often as daily, depending on use. I'm familiar with oiling, at this point, thanks to the quilting machine and the vintage machines, all of which require oil. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I followed a tip I saw on a YouTube review: Mark the holes that need oil with tiny bits of washi tape. The tape can easily be removed, if needed, but it helps you quickly find the places that need oil, because there are also holes in the machine that <i>don't</i> need oil, which can be tricky if you don't want to constantly consult the manual. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Ok, that's probably enough rambling about the machine itself (for now!), but there's one more thing to mention before I end this blog entry. A lot of people are less than impressed by the amount of light provided by this sewing machine. I haven't used a ton of modern, lighted sewing machines, so I can't really compare, but yes, it's not a lot of light. I noticed multiple reviewers had added an LED strip to the harp area of their sewing machine-- not just for this sewing machine, but any that could use a bit more light (and most can). </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I ordered one from Amazon. There are a variety of similar options available, so I chose one that had good reviews, watched a couple of videos of people installing them, and gave it a go. I pretty much agree with what most reviewers had to say about these LED strips:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>They do provide a good bit of extra light. </li><li>It's a bit on the blue side, which I wasn't sure I'd love, because I generally prefer a warmer tone of light-- but they all seem to be that way. I haven't found the slightly blue-ish light distracting or unpleasant, so that's good!</li><li>The sticky strip attaching it to the machine may eventually give out, but if it does, you can add new double-sided tape. I'm not too worried about it. </li><li>Most of the light falls in the harp area, to the right of the sewing machine needle, which isn't <i>perfect</i>, but it's probably about as good as it can be, with an LED strip attached to the machine itself. </li></ul><div><br />A few more observations/points:<br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The strip I bought is dimmable, but I don't think I'll ever care to dim it. </li><li>I wouldn't want this to be my only light source, so I'll continue to use the extra lamps on my table, in addition to the ceiling-mounted light in that room. Yes, you sacrifice some table surface with lamps of this sort, but good lighting is worth losing a little space. (And I'm lucky to have a large table, to begin with. If table space is in short supply, maybe a floor lamp would work better, or you could possibly hang an LED task lamp from the ceiling.)</li><li>After watching those videos of how others had placed their lights, I decided to position my LED strip a bit further back, rather than right down the center of the harp/throat area. I didn't want bright LEDs glaring into my line of sight. This seems to work for me, lighting the bed of the machine without burning into my eyes. </li><li>Another positioning tidbit: Rather than putting the whole strip inside the harp area, I put the very end of the strip right along the back edge of the needle area, then went up into the harp. It's a little difficult to explain (photo below), but I stuck the end of the strip in the area just behind the needle, under the presser foot lever. Whether or not this positioning is possible will vary by machine. I'm sure some have plenty of space for this, while it will be impossible with others. On this machine, it's a tight fit. At the moment, part of the sticky side is kind of exposed, hanging off the edge, so we'll see what happens in the long run. For now, it's working, and I thought this would help extend the lighted area a little further to the left, where it would be closer to the needle. </li></ul><div>Overall, I'm happy with it! It definitely lights up an area that would otherwise be in shadow, and the more light the better, as far as I'm concerned!<br /><br />I took several photos to try to capture the degree of difference it makes. I'm not sure they really show much, now that I look at them, but here they are!</div><div><br /></div><div>This is with just the light that came on the sewing machine (and maybe no lamps?):<br /><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=943&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=943&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div>This is with the sewing machine's light and the LED strip:<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=944&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=944&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div>And with the sewing machine light, the LED strip, and at least one of the lamps on:<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=941&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=941&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div>Another angle with the LED strip turned on...<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=945&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=945&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div>And one where I tried to show how the LED strip is positioned (behind the needle, under the presser foot lever):</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=946&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="640" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=946&dt=3&g=2" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>I believe I've finally run out of things to say about it! 😉</div><div><br /></div><div>Next post will be more about crafty stuff and less rambling about sewing machines. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=942&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=942&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div></div></div></div>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-82898967291682539002022-11-28T19:59:00.001-06:002022-11-28T20:17:12.546-06:00Continuing with the Christmas Gnomes Quilt<p>The Christmas Gnome Quilt is a finished quilt top!</p><p>Originally, I planned to make this quilt in a 6x8 layout, but once I reached that target, I still had so much fabric left over that I decided to make it a bit wider-- 7x8. (Probably a more pleasing pair of dimensions, anyway-- not so skinny.) I pieced the extra blocks and decided that the quilt was large enough. (It will be a couch quilt, so no sense in making it too large.) Some of the left-over strips will serve as binding, and the rest can either be worked up into a table runner/table-topper or used as strings. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=933&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=933&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=934&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=934&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p>There were too many blocks to fit on the design wall, so I had to put some of them on the table for the final layout arranging. After it was all joined up, I spotted a cluster of red that I probably would have rearranged, had I noticed it earlier. It's not really a problem, though, and I'm not sure I could have done much to improve the layout, even if I had noticed in time. If you move things to disperse an unintended grouping of one color or print, you often discover that you've only created a different unplanned cluster somewhere else. It's fine as it is-- a random-ish checkerboard of dark and light. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=935&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=935&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p>I used the webbing technique for joining up the blocks. I can't seem to decide if I like webbing or not. It does make things easier, in some ways, but maneuvering the unwieldy bundle of webbed blocks to sew them together in the other direction is awkward and a little annoying. Does webbing make joining in the other direction any worse? I don't know for certain, but sometimes it feels that way. I guess it's worth any extra effort, since it does reduce the chances of putting a block in the wrong place or joining a strip in the wrong direction (like I did with the Halloween quilt, and then had to unpick that long seam)-- but it will never be my favorite part of the process. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=937&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="800" height="599" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=937&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p>Here's the quilt hanging over the light rail. You can't see the whole thing, of course, and it's kind of blurry, but it gives the general impression (and Luna's in the photo, so I "had" to choose this one). I'll get better photos once it's quilted, though the quilting may take a while to get around to. The "Use it Up" crumb quilt is still on the frame, so I'll need to finish it before I can even think about quilting this one. A backing will have to be arranged, as well. If I can find flannel in the stash that's a good coordinating color, that's probably what I'll use. Flannel seems a decent choice for a Christmas quilt.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=936&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=936&dt=3&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><br /><p>What I do have ready is the binding. Originally, I'd planned to make a scrappy binding from the leftover strips, but there were plenty of the dark green snowman print left, so I kept it simple and just used those. </p><p style="text-align: center;">- - - - - - -</p><p>And that's it for now! I've been feeling slightly under the weather for a couple of days. Nothing too bad, but just enough to make me a little tired, even though it's not even eight p.m. I think I need to get a little extra sleep (and drink more water). <br /><br />It's hard to believe November is nearly over! It feels like just a week ago that cool October had finally arrived, and now it's time to think about putting up the Christmas tree... Where does the time go?! Donald just celebrated his 50th birthday over the weekend, speaking of the passage of time! Everything they say about time only going faster the older you get-- it's all too true. Better make the most of things and have as much fun as we can along the way, because it's later than you think, etc., etc. (Cheerful thought!)</p><p>I'll try to be less depressing next time! 😁</p><p><br /></p>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-13527067405343386802022-11-19T20:42:00.023-06:002022-11-19T20:56:17.873-06:00Halloween Quilt-Top Finished & Christmas Jelly Roll Piecing<p>I didn't quite finish the Halloween quilt top by October 31st, but it was pretty close! Here it is hanging over the lighting rail on the quilting frame:<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=929&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=929&dt=3&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=928&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=928&dt=3&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><br /><p>And here's a final "in progress" shot of the layout that spilled off the design wall and onto nearby surfaces, including the floor...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=927&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=927&dt=3&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><br /><p>I'm satisfied! Just need to get around to quilting it (and another autumn quilt-top that's still lurking in the closet) before next autumn! (Easy, right?)</p><p style="text-align: center;">- - - - - - -</p><p>Immediately after finishing this quilt top, I dove into some crumb strip piecing, because there were crumbs accumulating and I was in the mood for something spontaneous and carefree. I already have enough crumb strips saved for the planned quilt, so I guess these will be saved for the next one...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=930&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=930&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p>They're nothing special, but they were fun to make!</p><p style="text-align: center;">- - - - - - -</p><div>Since I didn't finish the Halloween quilt before October 31st, I thought I'd better start the planned Christmas quilt a little earlier! I still may not finish the whole quilt before Christmas, but at least I can get the piecing done by then. </div><p>So what is this Christmas quilt project? I received the gift of several jelly rolls of holiday-themed fabric, a year or two (or is it even more?) ago. At that time, Mom mentioned that my great-aunt (who is an accomplished quilter) had said that these jelly rolls would work well in a pattern she'd used. (Or maybe Mom just remembered her talking about that pattern another time and thought these would be good for that... I can't quite recall; it's been a while since that conversation!) <br /><br />The pattern in question was named "Apple Crisp", and it's in <a href="https://amzn.to/3Gh8Oxd" target="_blank"><i>Log Cabin Fever</i>, by Evelyn Sloppy</a>. I found a couple of <a href="https://sisterschoice.typepad.com/sisters_choice_quilts/2009/01/time-to-get-sloppy.html" target="_blank">helpful blog entries</a> that gave me a sneak peek at the pattern, which apparently is a courthouse steps variation. (I only just learned that... The blog entry I originally found only had a photo of the blogger's finished quilt, the name of the pattern, and the book it was from. This info could have saved me some work!) </p><p>The "Apple Crisp" pattern uses 1.5"-wide strips, and jelly rolls are 2.5" strips... Trimming down the strips? Not what I had in mind. Surely such a simple pattern would have a free version available online-- perhaps even one that was written specifically for jelly roll strips? Having a name for the block would've helped-- a lot-- but even stabbing in the dark I did find a couple of free quilt patterns that were almost-but-not-quite right for what I wanted. </p><p><a href="https://www.lovecrafts.com/en-us/p/riley-blake-around-the-meadow-downloadable-pdf" target="_blank">"Around the Meadow"</a>, by Jill Finley, uses larger squares in the center, and I wanted to use the jelly rolls for the whole block. (The pattern my great-aunt mentioned uses larger center squares, too, from what I can see in photos online. It looks great, but I wanted to stick with these jelly rolls, as far as possible.) These blocks are larger than I'd planned on making, so I'd have needed to alter it, anyway.</p><p>Another almost-right pattern was <a href="https://patchworktimes.com/tag/sweet-treat/" target="_blank">"Sweet Treat" from Patchwork Times</a>. In this case, I would've just used the main block to get the look I wanted. However, this pattern uses 2" strips, and I wanted to use the full 2.5" strips. I did like that it used three colors/prints per block. That was what I had envisioned.</p><p>Okay, enough rambling! <br />Let's get to the point. 😅</p><p>I took the layout from the "Sweet Treat" pattern linked above, then did a little basic math (to use 2.5" strips instead of 2" strips) and came up with something that worked for me. I'm a bit resistant to doing math (so glad I'm done with math class and never need to go back again!), nor am I the most accurate quilt-piecer, but it's coming together pretty well, so far. It's definitely good enough!</p><p>Of course, now that I've learned the "name" of this quilt block ("courthouse steps variation"), a quick search has brought up a video tutorial with everything already figured out and demonstrated, step by step. 😖 Oh well! I guess it didn't hurt the old brain to do a (very) little math. In case someone else sees this and is interested, here's Teresa Down Under's <a href="https://youtu.be/CYUE8Qvcvik" target="_blank">video tutorial for the "Courthouse Steps Variation" quilt block</a>! </p><p>These blocks do come together very quickly, even when you're a slow-poke piecer like me. If life doesn't throw too many wrenches my way this holiday season, I may even have the finished quilt on the couch before Christmas Eve! <br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;">Stacks of pieces ready for piecing:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=931&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=931&dt=2&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />And what I had done by earlier this afternoon:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=932&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=932&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />This isn't even everything, because I kept going for a while after taking this photo, and also cut, pressed, and stacked pieces for 10 additional blocks, ready for next time. They really do work up very quickly!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Though the pattern is simple, piecing fabric with pinked edges is a little bit annoying, especially for someone who's not a perfect piecer even with straight, non-pinked edges! I didn't want to trim off all the pinked edges, so I'm just doing my best. I think it's coming along well enough. A little busy, with the more boldly patterned "lights", but better from a distance. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is far from a final layout, obviously. I'm just putting them up on the wall as I make them, to keep them out of my way and to maintain a current count. You may notice that there are no pinked edges up there. While I'm not trimming the individual jelly roll strips, I <i>am</i> trimming down the finished blocks, to make them more uniform, for easier joining when the time comes. I'm not being very precise about centering the "rounds"-- just trying to get them all to the same size. <br /><br />I suspect there will be fabric left over after I reach my planned target. Not sure what I'll do with that... </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-78439392415618584612022-10-28T13:45:00.005-05:002022-10-28T13:45:31.249-05:00Halloween Piecing Continues<p>The Halloween quilt is still coming together, a few blocks at a time. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=922&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="534" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=922&dt=3&g=2" width="534" /></a></div><p>I've been selecting the fabric for three blocks, then cutting out the pieces (stacking them as I go).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=921&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=921&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p>This is how I've been "storing" the fabric for this project. 😁 It's worked out well. Makes it easy to see what I have available without getting the fabric wrinkled or having to dig through a pile. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=920&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=920&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p>I mark the squares destined to become hourglass units with one of these handy little rulers. You do have to draw two lines per square, this way, instead of drawing just one down the middle and sewing a quarter-inch from each side of it. Personally, I prefer this method. </p><p>Then I sit down and sew all three blocks-- put them on the wall-- and start the process over again. As it now stands, the final three star blocks are ready to put together. Even the hourglass units are prepared and trimmed down! </p><p>I don't think I've ever made hourglass units before this project, unless you count some "improv-pieced" ones I made with scraps, back when I pieced my first super-scrappy crumb quilt. I think I prefer making flying geese-- which were used for the other type of star in this Halloween quilt-- but these are okay, too. </p><p>I do like how these stars come together. The inspiration quilt used the same fabric for the star center and the little "inner corners" of the hourglass units, so that from a distance it looked like a larger central square, on point. I decided that I'd rather have some contrast, instead, so I used a fourth fabric in these star blocks. <br /><br />For example, I used the polka-dot fabric in the block below instead of the orange apple print. I like the added visual interest of this method.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=919&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=919&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><p>Next up is selecting a layout and cutting the spacer rectangles. I'll have to see what's left in large enough sizes to make those rectangles. If I don't have enough, I may need to add in some new fabric (solid black, if nothing else) or do some string-piecing. I would actually enjoy some string-piecing, but the busy-ness might not be great in this design. We'll see! </p><p>I've already supplemented the original fat quarter stack. Let's see... The fabrics I added are the candy corn print, the purple plaid, the lavender polka-dot, the orange-colored apple print, the black fabric with grey bats and yellow moons (bought on clearance at Wal-Mart so many, many years ago, long before I thought I'd ever be interested in making quilts), the orange-on-orange pumpkin print, and both the pink prints (swirls and polka-dots). </p><p>A few more photos of the design wall getting fuller and fuller...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=923&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=923&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=924&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=924&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=925&dt=2&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=925&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=926&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=926&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p>And a few more went up on the wall after this photo was taken. There's no room for the last three blocks!<br /><br />I don't think I'll get further than <i>possibly</i> a finished quilt-top by Halloween, but that's okay. Close enough for me. I'm glad I finally used that stack of fat quarters, and I'm glad I decided to add in some pink and purple to "sweeten" the quilt a bit. </p><p><br /></p>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-45662551671880883842022-10-14T21:23:00.004-05:002022-10-14T21:26:46.340-05:00Spooky Season Piecing<p>Well, I wasn't happy with how the quilting machine was behaving (skipping some stitches), so I've left it for now. Soon I'll need to get back to it, but for now, I've allowed myself to start another quilt, instead. </p><p>I had a set of Halloween-themed fat quarters bought on clearance a while back, and this seemed like a good time to finally use them. Looking for pattern inspiration months ago, I found a starry quilt that seemed like a good match. I selected a slightly larger block size, to make it come together a bit more quickly-- and also because I thought larger blocks might better suit the fabrics. </p><p>There are two types of star blocks in this quilt. The pattern book I'm using calls them sawtooth stars and variable stars, but maybe they're known by other names, too. So far I've only made some of the sawtooth stars. </p><p>Progress photos taken along the way:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=912&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=912&dt=3&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=913&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=913&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=914&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=914&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=915&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=915&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=916&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=916&dt=3&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=917&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=917&dt=3&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=918&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=918&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p>That's where I am, at this point. I may not finish this quilt top by Halloween, but there's no deadline. It's been fun to see the blocks come together, and it'll get done, eventually. More to follow! </p><p style="text-align: center;">- - - - - - -</p><p>I also recently finished the moth diamond painting: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=911&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=911&dt=3&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><br /><p>The next one is ready to go, but I haven't been in the mood to start it, yet. </p>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-6318134566893863872022-09-23T21:52:00.011-05:002022-09-23T22:49:49.865-05:00Quilting in Progress!<p>Making progress on the "Use It Up" quilt (a.k.a. the crumbs and words quilt)! </p><p>This week I've pieced a backing for the quilt. Originally, I was just going to use a single large piece (or two) of flannel for the backing, but as I dug through the stash, I found that I'd marked some of the remnants with notes to indicate that they'd been pre-washed. That reminded me that I've been prewashing the flannel before using it as backing. </p><p>I don't usually bother with pre-washing, but since (as I understand it) flannel can shrink more significantly and differently than quilting cotton, it seemed like a good idea to prewash in this case. I was itching to get something done and didn't want to deal with the delay of prewashing, so I thought I'd follow the mantra of the quilt and use up those scrap strips and pieces of pre-washed flannel. It's good to get those scraps out of the stash, but piecing it all together was definitely not a time-saving decision! It would've been much faster to just pre-wash the fabric. </p><p>Which brings me to the things I've learned with this quilt:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>I don't love making pieced backings!<br /></b>Maybe it would be different with quilting cotton instead of flannel, but probably not. I might do it again, in a pinch, but it's not something I particularly enjoy. It takes more work than I expected.</li><li><b>I don't love piecing quilts that are constructed in rows!<br /></b>Long rows, like this quilt has, are kind of a pain, in my opinion. I'm not that precise of a piecer, and it's so easy for things to get askew with long, long rows. Again, I might do a row quilt again, but I think I prefer blocks to rows. <br /></li><li><b>Black fabric and a house full of heavy-shedding, white-furred dogs don't mix!<br /></b>Unless you don't mind tons of very visible dog hair, it's not a good idea. I'll probably avoid using too much black or other dark fabric. Not to say I'll never do it again, but not as a regular thing, if it's a quilt I'm keeping. I'm having a hard time getting the hair off the black sections of this quilt top, despite my best efforts with the lint brush and roller. </li><li><b>I need more consistent practice with FMQ!<br /></b>They say that regular practice is the key to success, and I suspect they're right. It can be difficult to keep in practice, but it would be worth the effort if it made enough of a difference in my skill level and confidence at troubleshooting. </li></ul><div>Enough rambling! Time for a few photos, instead. The quilt is on the frame, pieced backing and all. I'm going through and quilting just the black sections on the first pass, using dark blue thread. When that's done, I'll go back up the other way and use cream thread (probably) to quilt the crumb-pieced rows. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=909&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=909&dt=3&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=910&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=910&dt=3&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=908&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=908&dt=3&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div>Brainstorming some doodles to come up with ideas for FMQ...</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=907&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=907&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div>This week, I also cleaned under the needle plate of my regular (domestic, electronic) sewing machine. It had been too long! (Look away if you're squeamish about dirty, neglected, lint-filled sewing machines! 😜)</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=906&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=906&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div>I think it's happier now, after its long-overdue cleaning. <br /><br />This weekend, I hope to finish quilting the "Use It Up" quilt. When it's finally completely done, I have <strike>three</strike> four other WIP already on the go, but I may leave them for now. There are some autumn/Halloween projects I'd like to work on, now that it may start feeling more like autumn around here. One way or the other, there's no shortage of things to do!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><p></p>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-66008523983882794642022-09-12T22:17:00.004-05:002022-09-12T22:24:38.311-05:00Progress on the Crumbs and Words Quilt<p>No, still not finished, but making progress. Every bit counts! </p><p>This isn't quite where I left it:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=905&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=905&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><p>But it's close! <br /><br />Let's back up a bit... Last time, I'd just finished putting the top and bottom padding/margins on the individual words. After that, I put in the spacers between the words. (I think it was something like 3" strips, finishing at 2.5" spaces, but I don't remember and don't have it beside me to check.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=903&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="800" height="605" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=903&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><p>Then I added in the random dots of blue before or after the words on each line of text. And at that point, it was time to remind myself of how many crumb strips I had, how tall each was (they're in three different heights), etc. I decided on a layout by... laying them out. 😁 I used the floor-- the only surface in the room large enough. (Pinning these strips to the design wall would've been messy and just not worth the effort, in my opinion.) </p><p>Now I've begun sewing the strips together. I'm stopping as I go to trim things down and add fabric to the lines of text, to get them to the right size. There will also be thin strips of black between some of the crumb strips, yet to be cut and pieced. </p><p>It's not my favorite part of the process-- at all! I find it a bit tedious, in fact, to try to get these long strips to match up. Deciding where to start and stop each strip, where to trim... I know there are better ways to do this-- probably all involving painstaking measuring-- but I'm mostly just going with the "it'll be good enough" style of quilt-making. Hold things up together, eyeball it, cross your fingers, and shrug. It's a raggedy crumb quilt. It doesn't have to be perfect! <br /><br />No photos of the strips coming together, this time, but here's one more of the very careful planning stage. 😉 It was more like this: "Okay, I have three skinny ones and three gaps between the lines of text. That's good enough for me. Now, turn that strip so the pumpkin's upright... Perfect! Looks fine to me. Let's move on to the next phase!" (Apologies for the upside-down text. It'll be right-side-up in the quilt. 👍)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=904&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=904&dt=3&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">- - - - - - -</p><p>Does anyone reading this participate in the Bing / Microsoft Rewards program? Basically, you sign up and get points for using Bing as your search engine (and doing various little daily quizzes, polls, etc.). I do most of it in the morning, as I'm waking up and having breakfast at the computer. <br /><i><br />Anyway</i>, the points are redeemable as various rewards, and I usually take them as Amazon gift cards. Lately, I've been using them to buy one-yard cuts of fabric to bulk up my stash. It's fun to splurge a little with "free money", and I'm always excited to get a new piece of fabric in the mail! <br /><br />The latest one-yard order came with this sticker: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=902&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="548" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=902&dt=3&g=2" width="548" /></a></div><p>"JACKPOT - You got the end of the bolt!" <br /><br />Lucky day! I measured, and it was nearly an extra half a yard of fabric! Jackpot, indeed! </p>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-39012153405943276582022-09-06T17:11:00.006-05:002022-09-06T17:12:39.025-05:00Little This, Little That<p>Trying to stay "in the groove" with this craft blog! The key does seem to be posting regularly, even if there's nothing momentous to report. </p><p>You may have noticed the font size on this blog changed recently. I've been increasing it, because when I checked how it looks on the tablet (and maybe the phone, can't recall), it seemed too small for comfortable reading. I hope this will make it a bit better. </p><p style="text-align: center;">- - - - - - -</p><p>I didn't do a <i>whole</i> lot of crafting this long holiday weekend, but I did some. There are now a couple more string blocks for the HST project and another inch or two on the current diamond painting. </p><p>What I'm more excited about, however, is that I finally resumed work on the freestyle words that have been sitting on the design wall for<strike>ever</strike> a long, long time. As always in these cases, once I started working on it, it went fairly quickly and I enjoyed it. (Why does this happen so often?) I didn't spend that long with it, however, and I'm not done, but at least I'm making progress again. I know what my next few steps are, so it's just a matter of keeping up the forward momentum. </p><p>Here's a photo of the design wall before yesterday's short burst of progress (sometime in August):</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=899&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=899&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p>And here it is after:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=901&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="800" height="627" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=901&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p>You might have to really look to see the differences (especially since I didn't even get all the words in the first photo). Basically, I decided how tall the rows of text should be and added strips of black to the tops and bottoms of the words to make them tall enough. They'll need to be trimmed slightly, in some cases, but they're on their way! Next is spacers between them. <br /><br />The rainbow pieces above the words are the string-pieced starts of what <i>was</i> going to be a paper lantern quilt top, but unfortunately I lost interest in that, so now it's going to be something else. Something easier, faster, and more fun to sew, I hope. But that has to wait. The words/crumbs quilt needs to be finished, first. </p><p style="text-align: center;">- - - - - - -</p><p>I mentioned diamond painting before. Here's a quick progress snap of that:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=900&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="588" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=900&dt=3&g=2" width="588" /></a></div><br /><p>I like the effect of the dark background in this one!</p><p style="text-align: center;">- - - - - - -</p><p>To close, how about a couple of doggy photos? <br /><br />Miss Trixie:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=898&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=898&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p>and Mr. Frodo:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=897&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=897&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><p>I hope you had a good Labor Day weekend! It's amazing how you can emerge from a three-day weekend feeling sleepier than you did at the start...</p><p><br /></p>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-12931930530642724852022-08-31T20:09:00.017-05:002022-09-02T11:19:32.950-05:00Welcome, Singer 15!<div style="text-align: left;">There's a new old sewing machine in the house. </div><div style="text-align: left;">That is, a new-to-me vintage sewing machine. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It's been here in the house for a while, actually, but what with one thing and another, I haven't gotten around to writing about it until now. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Okay! Confession: I actually wrote most of this blog post back in March, and I'm only now coming back to the draft in late August. It's long and rambling, but I'll probably keep most of it. There will be a "too long; didn't read" summary just before the photos. </b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">- - - - - - -</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As much as I like the Minnesota, it has its drawbacks-- the special needles and the less-common (and more difficult to replace) shuttle. I'm almost afraid to use it too much, for fear that I'll completely wear out the shuttle... I still <i>will</i> use it, I guess, and just hope for the best (and maybe find a spare shuttle, if I can), but I thought it might be nice to have a more modern vintage treadle. Something with a rotary-style bobbin assembly. Something that uses modern, typical needles. A Singer or Singer clone, so replacement parts (if needed) would be easier to come by. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I won't go into the long story of how we acquired this machine and brought it to its present condition. The short version is that this treadle cabinet didn't come with this machine. It's an older style base, but it's in better condition than what came with the Model 15, so we traded it out. (That's another good thing about Singers-- the cabinets are so readily available, and most of the Singer machine heads fit interchangeably into any Singer-style cabinet. Of course, things get more complicated if you have one of the ¾-size machines, the Singer 28, the Singer 128, and the Singer 99. Those are different because they're three-quarters of the size of the standard machines.) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">If we fix up the other cabinet-- it needs a bolt or two and could use some aesthetic improvements-- I might trade them back, eventually... We'll see! This one is prettier than the more modern cabinet, though-- more ornate. (I'm fairly sure that two of the drawers in this cabinet have been replaced, though. Either that or the decorative elements fell off, at some point. I think it still looks nice, though.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It wasn't easy finding a local non-electric Singer 15, for some reason. This one was electrified, too, but it was the type with the external motor that is quick and easy to remove. Take out a few screws, slip off the belt, put away the motor and foot pedal, and it's ready for treadling, unlike the Singer 15-91, which has a potted motor that (from what I understand) is <i>not</i> easy to convert for treadling (if it's possible at all). </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Most of the Model 15's I saw for sale around here were the 15-91 type with the built-in motor. This one is-- I believe-- a 15-88. There are quite a few variations, so... Who knows, really?! Actually, I believe this one came with a solid handwheel, so <a href="http://needlebar.org/main/15chart/index.html">according to this chart</a>, that means it's a 15-90, but since we changed the solid handwheel out for a spoked one-- and that seems to be the only real difference between the two-- perhaps that means it's now converted to a 15-88... <br /><br />Well, anyway. It doesn't matter. It's a Model 15 that works on a treadle base, which is what I wanted. I would've been happy with a Japanese-made Singer 15 clone, but even those seemed difficult to come by. They come in some beautiful colors (pastel pink, powder blue, mint green, red etc.) and are evidently quality machines. In some places, you can-- or could, recently-- find them priced very cheaply (under $20, even) in second-hand shops, but we weren't able to find any around here. (If I ever do find one for $20 or less, I'd snap it right up!)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So, back to this machine...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After a few ups and downs, I think it's running pretty well. It came with only one suitable bobbin, so I ordered more, because I wanted spares. I say there was only one "suitable" bobbin, because there were actually a few others included with the attachments, but none of the others are the correct type! A couple are clearly the wrong size. They're too large to fit into the bobbin case. There's one that fits, but it's narrower than it should be and doesn't completely fill the bobbin case. After a little research, I learned that it's a bobbin for a Singer 66. You're not supposed to use the class 66 bobbin in a Singer 15, really, and besides, it holds less thread than a class 15 bobbin. Not ideal. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">During all this research, I learned that the class 15 bobbin is standard for many (most?) modern domestic sewing machines. It's the same size I use on my computerized Brother, for instance, so while waiting for the new replica bobbins to arrive, I thought I'd try one of those modern, plastic bobbins on the Model 15. (Maybe I need a better name for this machine... I'm not great about remembering and using actual names for inanimate objects, though. I have enough trouble remembering people's names!) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This modern, plastic bobbin does fit just right, as far as I can tell, and the machine sews with it. However, I did have some issues with the top thread sometimes getting caught in the bobbin area. I don't know if that could be linked to the incorrect bobbin or if it was due to something else entirely. (From what I read online, it could stem from a variety of causes-- bad needle, needing oil, incorrect threading, etc.) After removing the plastic bobbin, I went back to the original one, and I haven't tried the new metal bobbins enough to say if they work perfectly or not. I've just been refilling the original one whenever it runs out. It does last a long time! If it's ever lost or damaged, though, I'd need a working replacement.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We bought this machine in Pensacola, FL, from a young woman who didn't know anything about its history. It wasn't a family heirloom, and she didn't know where it came from originally. (August-Me thinks she said she bought it up in Tennessee, but I'm not certain I didn't just make that up!) All I know for certain is that, based on its serial number, it was allotted on November 10, 1950-- one of 17220 Singer Model 15s for that date. I find it interesting that it's from 1950, yet it has the blue-rimmed badge that reads as follows: "Century of Sewing Service, 1851-1951". I guess they just couldn't wait until 1951 to start their centennial celebration! (Just looked it up; this badge was used from 1950-1952.) <br /><br />The decal pattern used on this sewing machine is known as "Trefoil" or "Trefoils", and apparently it was used to decorate Model 15s from the 1930s through the 1950s. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">There's not much to say about the treadle cabinet, except that we got it in Mobile County, where it had been in the family for generations-- maybe bought new just a few years before 1920. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I have it set up in the living room (our main room) for now. There's not space for it in my craft room, unless I move something else out first. It seems okay where it is. Luna's crate right next to it on the left gives a little extra surface to put strings (pretty much the only thing I sew on the treadle), and the little TV tray with the iron fits to the right. Everything can be pulled out or tucked back, as needed. I've added a couple of LED lamps-- one floor lamp and one clip-on lamp-- to make it bright enough for comfortable sewing at night. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>"Too Long; Didn't Read" Summary:<br /></b>It's a Singer Model 15 from 1950 fitted into an older (date unknown, possibly circa 1920) treadle cabinet/base. I have it set up in the main room/living room, because there's no space in my craft room.<br /><br />Here are a few photos:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=891&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=891&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=892&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=892&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=893&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=893&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=894&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=894&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">And here it is at night, with the LED lights on:<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=895&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=895&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=896&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=896&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I've been using it quite a bit lately. All the string blocks for the string-block HST project were pieced on this machine, as were the rainbow color string blocks on my design wall in an earlier blog post. I think I'm getting better at treadling, though there's still (always!) room for improvement. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I wouldn't want to have to sew on a treadle all the time (though I suppose I could, if I had to), but there's something special about powering the sewing machine with your own motion. It's just more fun to sew (when you're sewing something simple, like strings). It feels calmer, somehow. I don't know if it's just a reaction to the charm and history of an old-fashioned sewing machine or if it has something to do with the motion of treadling. Maybe it's the sound the machine makes. It's a different experience from sewing on a modern, motorized machine. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">- - - - - - -</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Sidetrack: I don't remember if I've shared this link before... <a href="https://www.stillstitching.com/2018/11/unhealthy-treadle-sewing-machines.html" target="_blank">"The Torture of the Treadle Sewing Machine"</a>. I've read it before, but just happened across it again. Apparently, in the late 1800s a competitor of the treadle sewing machine used some sort of spring-powered contraption instead of a treadle to power their machines. In a bid to scare people away from treadles, they made outrageous claims about how treadling was dangerous and detrimental to women's health. "Thousands of women killed by treadles"-- for instance. Anyway, it's an interesting article/blog post for fans of treadle sewing machines or historical curiosities. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-17809980331133921852022-08-24T21:39:00.022-05:002022-08-24T21:53:03.292-05:00Diamond Painting (FO and a New One)<p>I finished a larger-than-usual (for me) diamond painting, since last time. There wasn't much left to do, after I filled in most of it while Donald was travelling in July. (He went to a figure-painting show in the Netherlands, then visited his family in Sweden.) I needed a break from it, so set it aside. The last 1.5 inches or so went pretty quickly, once I got it back out again. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=888&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="800" height="535" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=888&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p>It's a 40x60 cm diamond painting, with an image of jars of wildflowers against a dilapidated wall with peeling paint-- I mean, against a shabby chic wall. 😜 </p><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">* * *<br /><br />Sidetrack! <br /></div><p style="text-align: left;">Is shabby chic still "a thing"? I'm sure some people are still decorating in that style. In fact, I recently saw a decorating magazine where many things looked like the "primitive" or "country" style I remember from the 90s. Are those things back in style or did they just never go away for the people who love them? </p><div style="text-align: left;">I think I've officially reached that point where things are already going out of style by the time I get around to adopting them. Grey paint is "out" (according to some), but we'll be keeping ours, because I still like it. (And also because painting is a pain in the behind.) To be honest, I'd already heard that grey was on the way out, when we selected our "new" wall colors... And that's probably been four years ago or more, already! Then there's this trend of using warm-tone metal for doorknobs, etc. We just (well, 2 or 3 years ago?) changed our doorknobs from shiny brass to ORB handles. Let me guess-- ORB will be considered tacky in the next few years? (Okay, maybe not...) I don't care. I never really liked the shiny brass, even when it was new, and I do love the ORB!<br /></div><p style="text-align: left;">The same thing happens with clothes. Now that I'm finally wearing skinny jeans and leggings, I think I've heard that straight-leg and even boot-cut jeans are back-- which is a tiny bit sad, because I probably prefer boot-cut, but now I have mostly skinny jeans, and they're too new for me to want to replace them. 😖 Ah, whatever. Skinny's okay. The tiny ankle holes bring back memories from my youth, when anything that wasn't tight around the ankles looked utterly ridiculous. I was never big into fashion, but now I <i>really </i>don't care if I'm dressed stylishly, as long as I'm comfortable, clean, and decently covered-- but it does still strike me as funny. Being a recluse and a late adopter of fashion go hand-in-hand! At least I managed to completely bypass the "cold shoulder" tops craze and didn't stock up on them right before they were deemed unfashionable. 😆 (I'm probably wrong, and they're actually still solidly "in".)<br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;">* * *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Back to the diamond painting! There's never much to say about these, really. I already did a smaller diamond painting of a similar picture. That one has a bird or two along with the jars of wildflowers in front of the shabby chic (or just shabby?) peeling-paint wall. If I ever get around to mounting them or framing them, I could hang them together. </div><p></p><p>The next diamond painting is already underway. It's a pretty picture of moths. I think the dark background will be striking. Not much progress to show, but here is is, anyway:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=889&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="534" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=889&dt=3&g=2" width="534" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Otherwise, the main crafty progress I've made since last time is piecing enough crumb strips to reach my goal for that project. I <i>think</i> I've calculated correctly to get the quilt size I want, but if not, I'll just sew some more. Here's the stack of crumb strips: </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=890&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=890&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The next step is choosing a fabric for the background. If I have enough denim that isn't too heavy, I might use that, but I'm not sure... Most of them have phone book pages on the backs. I might go ahead and tear those off, now, before settling on the background fabric. </div><p style="text-align: center;">- - - - - - -</p><div style="text-align: left;">This last bit is another product review. I thought I might have written about this before, since I've been using it since 2019, but I guess I never did. </div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;">I had started having problems with wrist pain. I don't remember exactly when/how I noticed the pain, if it was worse at certain times of the day or after specific activities-- but I do distinctly remember waking with tingling and painful wrists/arms/hands, which was very unpleasant! </p><p></p><div style="text-align: left;">Around the same time, I saw a knitter on Twitter mention using a wrist brace to combat pain, so I thought I'd give it a try. Again, I don't recall how long it took before I noticed a difference-- whether it was overnight or if it took a few days, but I don't think it took long, because according to my purchase history, I bought one for my right wrist on November 17th, then ordered one for the left wrist on November 29th-- and I'm sure I wouldn't have ordered the second one until I was convinced it made a difference. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">These wrist braces have made a major improvement in my wrists. I put them on right before going to sleep and take them off in the morning. I no longer wake up with wrist pain, and I don't remember the last time I had significant wrist discomfort during the day, either. Now, if I spend hours doing heavy weeding, I'll probably have some pain, but in my day-to-day life, wrist pain is a thing of the past. I spend a lot of time typing/using a mouse and doing other repetitive motions with my wrists as part of crafts, and (knock on wood) the wrist braces have been enough to eliminate pain from these activities. If I do ever have sore wrists during the day, I can wear these then, too, for a little extra help. They do restrict your range of motion, but they're not uncomfortable to wear. <br /><br />I'm not sure why I settled on the ones I bought, but it was probably based on ratings/reviews and price. I think there are more options available, now, so these might not be the best deal out there, but I'm happy with them. They're "Mueller Sports Medicine Green Fitted Wrist Brace" and they're currently sold separately for under $14 each on Amazon. (I guess it's good that they're sold individually, for people who may only have problems with one or the other of their wrists-- just make sure you're ordering the correct one. Wouldn't want to end up with two left hands. 😅) They're unisex and come in two sizes-- small/medium and large/extra large. I don't have particularly small hands, but the small/medium fits me fine. (There's a sizing chart to help you decide which will be the better fit.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Here's an affiliate link, if anyone's curious:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br /><script type="text/javascript">
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<script src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US"></script><br /><br />I've been using the same pair nightly since late 2019, and they're still working well. The velcro has needed to be cleaned/de-furred (thanks, Eskies!) a couple of times to keep them working their best, and earlier this year, I purchased a replacement pair for when the velcro finally gives out. (That's how much they've helped; I really don't want to be without them again!) However, I'm sure it would be possible to replace the velcro or attach snaps or something, if you wanted to extend their usefulness even longer. <br /><br />If you have mild-to-moderate wrist pain, I'd definitely try some wrist braces. They may not work for everyone, but they're worth a try to see if they lessen your discomfort in an easy, completely drug-free way! </div><p></p>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-70913188859121082242022-08-13T13:44:00.005-05:002022-08-13T13:50:11.316-05:00Sea Glass, String HSTs, and Magnifier<p>I'm back, and it hasn't even been a month since the last entry! 😁</p><p>Nothing new is finished, but I have a few photos to share.</p><p>First up, here are the string blocks waiting to become HSTs. I've made sure to use a wide strip in the center, since that's where they'll be cut in half. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=886&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=886&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p>I'm not sure how many I need, because I'm not sure how big the quilt should be. I'll probably keep making at least a few more blocks, then sit down and do a little math to decide how many more are needed. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=885&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=885&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">- - - - - - -</p><p>Speaking of doing a little math, earlier this week I calculated how many more crumb strips I need to make a decent-sized throw quilt. (This is the project with the 3"x10" strips of crumbs pieced onto phonebook foundation papers.) </p><p>At that point, the project still needed nineteen strips, but I've been making more since then and probably need only about a dozen more. However, I'm very low on crumbs now, so that's temporarily on hold. I usually get some crumbs when I trim down/square-up my string blocks, or if not, it will wait a bit longer. Definitely no shortage of other things to work on in the meantime! (No photos of this project, for this blog entry.)</p><p style="text-align: center;">- - - - - - -</p><div style="text-align: left;">Well over a year ago (probably longer), while scrolling through Instagram, I saw an abstract wall-hanging someone had made using small scraps of fabric trimmed into organic, rounded shapes and appliqued onto a solid background. They had then quilted over these shapes, and the whole thing had the look of pieces of sea glass scattered over sand-- or maybe more "carefully arranged" than "scattered". </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I took note (and a screenshot) and started collecting neutral and cool-colored crumbs large enough to use for my own sea glass mini quilt, but other things took precedence, so the sea glass crumbs just sat in a bag, waiting. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Then, more recently, I came across a pattern in a quilting magazine using the same basic idea. The main difference was that whereas the other person had used fusible stuff on the applique fabric before they cut out their sea glass shapes, this pattern designer just used applique glue (Elmer's washable school glue will do just as well) to temporarily affix the "sea glass" before quilting. <br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The glue method seems easier to me (not to mention cheaper)-- and is in fact what I was already thinking of trying-- but it's good to have proof that it works. There is a difference in the finished look, of course. The fusible applique quilts have a neater, tidier edge, while the glued applique looks a little more raw and ragged. I probably wouldn't use it for a real quilt that will be used and washed a lot, but for a wall-hanging, it's fine. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Inspired anew, I promptly took out my scraps and started trimming them down into "sea glass". It was a lot more fun than I'd expected! This is the perfect task to do while you listen to a podcast or audiobook. The only problem is that I probably have enough now and should stop creating pleasingly rounded scraps of fabric... 😉 I probably won't use them all, if only because some of them won't have enough contrast with whatever background I select. (I might make another one with a different background, if the first one's a success.) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=887&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=887&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I used a small pair of very sharp scissors that Donald gave me years ago. This is a project where the quality of the scissors makes a big difference. This wouldn't be as pleasant of a project with larger or duller scissors. The ones we have are Cutter Bee Precision Scissors from EK Success-- though based on some reviews I've read, it sounds like the manufacturing location has changed from Taiwan to China, and the new version isn't as good... There are still positive recent reviews, so maybe some people are just pickier than others. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The next step is deciding on the size and fabric for the background and the arrangement of the "sea glass". It'll probably be a while before I'm ready to move to that step. I'd like to get a few other things done, first. </div><p style="text-align: center;">- - - - - - -</p><p>The last tidbit for this blog post is a product review. </p><p>My eyes are getting older (along with the rest of me!) and I sometimes find it difficult to see as well as I used to, even with glasses. At some point, I got fed up and decided to order an optivisor / headband magnifier. </p><p>I was familiar with these products because Donald sometimes uses an optivisor for his figure-painting. (He paints miniature figures. Some people do this for gaming purposes; he mainly prefers more artistic figures. He even prints some figures himself, using a 3-D printer and files. There's a booming business for people who do 3-D sculpts and sell the files for others to print at home.) </p><p>Anyway! He uses a magnifier for his painting hobby, and I've borrowed it a few times, but it seemed like time to get one of my own. There are many, many options available today on Amazon (and elsewhere, but Amazon is so convenient...). I chose one that had plenty of good reviews and was within my budget-- $15 to $20. (Didn't want to spend too much on something I may not use <i>that</i> often.) </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=881&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="800" height="490" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=881&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p>Mine came with two ways to wear it-- "arms" (like a pair of glasses) and an elastic headband (which is what I'm using-- partly because I already wear glasses and partly because it feels more secure this way). It has a set of five easily interchangeable lenses in different magnifications. It also has a built-in LED light that can be recharged via USB. (Please excuse how dusty the lens is in the photo above. I left it sitting out for a while. I should find a drawer for it, rather than leaving it out when it's not being used.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=882&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=882&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p>The verdict? I did find it useful! I'm not sure how long you can comfortably wear it, and maybe the more expensive ones would be better for people who need to use a magnifier for hours at a time, but this type has been sufficient for my needs, so far. I've used it with thread crochet when I felt I needed a little extra help, and I've also used it for everyday problems where things have been difficult to see-- such as when pulling out a splinter or trying to read the micro-text on my phone's wall charger. (My fast-charging adapter got struck by lightning and I wanted a replacement, but needed to know what the specifications were.) </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=883&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=883&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p>People also use this type of product for hand-stitching and other hobbies that require you to focus on tiny things. It's essentially just a magnifying glass, but you can use it hands-free and choose among a range of magnification strengths, and if you have one with built-in lights, that comes in handy, too. I would recommend having one of these in your home, if you find yourself struggling to read things and need more help than simple reading glasses can provide. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=884&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="534" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=884&dt=3&g=2" width="534" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Well, that does it for today! <br /><br />I think it's time to do some treadling and string-piecing!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-23810004063790510952022-08-03T21:37:00.010-05:002022-08-03T21:52:22.594-05:00Quilt-Related Odds and Ends<p>Still in the "catching up" phase of blogging! At this point, I'm down to the "odds and ends" section. The bottom of the barrel, if you will. 😁</p><p>First up, the last quilty-ish "finish" since I went AWOL. It's not a full quilt or even a wall quilt, which is why it didn't deserve a blog entry of its own. Instead, it's a quilted pillow sham I made for Kimberly's birthday. (That's my youngest sister, if there's anyone out there reading who doesn't already know. 😅) </p><p>One of the things Kimberly likes/collects is raccoons, so I thought I'd try my hand at a paper-pieced raccoon quilt block. The pattern that ended up catching my eye, however, was not foundation paper pieced, but traditionally pieced. The pattern is from Sew Fresh Quilts, if anyone is interested. </p><p>My version doesn't really do it justice. It's not bad, but it's not perfect, either! I did slightly alter the eyes from the original pattern. I wanted the eyes to be just white dots, so I centered them instead of making my raccoon "shifty-eyed". I then used black for the "mask" and the nose, solid grey and white for the rest of the face, a lighter grey print for the background, and so on. <br /><br />Again, I think it turned out ok-- especially when casually viewed from a distance-- but my points are mismatched in a place or two, and it probably would've looked better if I had just not quilted certain areas as I did. (I did straight line quilting on the domestic sewing machine.) Still, I know we're our own harshest critics. It's fine! <br /><br />Here it is without the pillow insert, and then in a chair with the pillow inside:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=874&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="583" data-original-width="800" height="583" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=874&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=875&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="599" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=875&dt=3&g=2" width="599" /></a></div><br /><p>It's a cute pattern, if someone's looking for a raccoon block and doesn't like foundation paper piecing. </p><p style="text-align: center;">- - - - - - -</p><p style="text-align: left;">Next up, the design wall... (Just because I took this photo, apparently... I'm not sure what my intention was for it...)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=871&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=871&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">I don't know if you remember what it looked like the last time I posted, but the writing is still on the wall. 😂 The words are still staring at me every time I go in there, silently demanding what is taking so long. One day I'll actually work on it again and probably have that whole quilt top finished in a few hours. It shouldn't take long. (Why do I drag my feet this way?!)<br /><br />I don't think those string blocks were there last time I shared my design wall. If they were, I'm positive I didn't explain what they were. I'm not sure what I'll do with them, now. The original plan was a quilt top with a cascade of vertically-hung "paper lanterns" (in different sizes and shapes) on a black background. I made a rainbow of string-pieced paper lanterns, but then I just... stopped. The next step would be messy-- figuring out how to transform them into something that looked at least a little like paper lanterns. I had ideas of how I might do this, but nothing concrete. I'd begun to doubt it would look like much or be worth the effort. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Now I just don't know! I could still carry through with the original plan, or I could just sew them together into rainbowy bands of string-pieced color on a black background. That might be just as pretty, and it would definitely be a whole lot less trouble than my paper lantern idea. We'll see! I think the word quilt will go first, and then I'll decide what direction to take. </p><p style="text-align: left;">There's another string project also still waiting for some attention-- the pink and aqua string blocks, if you recall them. I have a plan for them and have even pulled the fabric for the next phase, but after stalling out, it takes an extra push to get any momentum going again.</p><p style="text-align: center;">- - - - - - -</p><p style="text-align: left;">As if there weren't enough works in progress, I've started a couple more since February. One new project is crumb strips. I think I first saw this idea on YouTube, in a video from "Just Get It Done Quilts". She uses adding machine tape, but since I didn't have any of that, I cut strips from an old phone book. I believe I got two strips per page. Your strips can be any size, but mine are 3" x 10". You use the strips of paper as a foundation or guideline for where/how much to sew, similarly to how you can use paper as a foundation for string-piecing. The paper can also help keep the small pieces of fabric from distorting before you sew the crumb strips into a quilt top.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I've been making a few at a time, and my stack is getting taller. My plan is to alternate the crumb strips with a solid fabric. I've made a <a href="https://sewisee.blogspot.com/2020/05/bars-and-crumbs-quilt.html" target="_blank">similar quilt</a> in the past, using denim as the "background" strip. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=872&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="534" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=872&dt=3&g=2" width="534" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=873&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=873&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=876&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=876&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=877&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=877&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=878&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=878&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=879&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=879&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=880&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=880&dt=2&g=2" width="600" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">The newest WIP is another string project that I started while Donald was visiting his family in Sweden, last month. I wanted something easy that I could work on at the treadle in the living room (more on that another time), so more strings it was! It's going to be a HST string project, when I get that far. I've made sure to use wide strings down the center of each block, since I'll be cutting them in half along that string. No photos to share for that project, this time. </p><p style="text-align: left;">That covers the quilty projects for now. I hope I'll have more to share soon, because that should mean progress on one of the works already in progress. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-76634937418911914822022-08-03T20:25:00.003-05:002022-08-03T20:26:50.775-05:00Finished! Second "Tall Tales" Quilt<p>Did I write about this one already? I probably mentioned that I had finally bound this quilt, but I don't know if I posted photos or not. </p><p>To be honest, photos are almost pointless, because this quilt is so similar to the <a href="https://sewisee.blogspot.com/2021/01/fo-first-tall-tales.html" target="_blank">other version</a> as to be nearly interchangeable. Some of the "book covers" are different, and they're arranged differently, but to the casual observer, they look the same. <br /><br />To briefly recap this quilt, it started when I began making a "Tall Tales" foundation paper pieced quilt for my niece. I enjoyed making the sample "book" block so much that I thought I'd make a second quilt for myself. All the books were pieced at the same time, but while I finished Clarabel's in time to give it for Christmas 2020 (it's been a while!), mine took longer to complete. ...Because I stopped wanting to work on it. 😆<br /><br />Anyway, this quilt is very similar to the first one in just about every way. Many of the book covers are the same. Same type of backing-- flannel. Same batting-- 100% cotton. Same type of quilting-- SITD around the book components and meandering across the background. The binding is different, I think... I believe I used pink for hers, while for mine I used some leftover binding in navy blue. </p><p>I finally put on the finishing touches a long while back, but I don't believe I ever posted photos. I didn't take many photos, either. ...If I've already posted these and have somehow managed to forget about it... Well, sorry for the boring post! 😅 </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=868&dt=2&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=868&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=870&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=870&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=869&dt=3&g=2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="534" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=869&dt=3&g=2" width="534" /></a></div><br /><p>These are not the best photos, as you can tell... I was having some issues with the camera not focusing, back when I shot these-- it tuned out that the lens had developed a problem-- and I'm too lazy to bother with another photoshoot. I'll try to do better next time I take photos of a finished quilt. I do like having a photo record of what I've made, but sometimes it's hard to feel like making that extra effort. I'm just getting lazy, I guess! </p><p>At least these give an idea of what the quilt looks like. Very much like the other one, right? 😁 Yeah, I shouldn't have made two of the same quilt. That was kind of... well, mildly stupid. I think the only way I'll ever do this again is if I'm making matching quilts for twins. 😉 And even then, I might just make two similar quilts instead of two quilts in the very same pattern. You just lose interest after the first one's done! (Or at least I did!) <br /></p><p>I do love this quilt pattern, though, and I enjoyed piecing the books. It's not too tricky, even if you're not experienced with foundation paper piecing. Choosing the covers was a lot of fun, and it would be easy to personalize it to a recipient by finding novelty fabrics that correlate with their interests. You could even base them on actual books and embroider titles on the spines-- especially if you made them at a larger scale. </p><p>The pattern is "Tall Tales" by Kate Basti, if anyone's interested. Recommended! </p><p><br /></p>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-28480174320081788852022-08-01T17:03:00.002-05:002022-08-01T17:03:29.286-05:00FO: "Amelia" Doily<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=839&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=839&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I crocheted another doily earlier in the year-- probably in the month or so before Mother's Day in May. (I remember giving it to Mom, but without looking it up, I'm not positive if it was for her birthday or Mother's Day.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The pattern is "Amelia", a design by Grace Fearon. The thread is Alize Miss Batik (not sure of the color number). </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />I don't think I have much more to say about this project. (Just a ton of photos to share in a moment...) I still have that other doily-- the huge one-- to block, but I just can't make myself want to deal with it, yet! Eventually I'll work up the enthusiasm. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In the meantime, I've taken a break from thread crochet. Instead, I dug out a bag of scrap yarn and made some granny squares, then joined them into 9-patch blocks. (I need to get a photo of that stack, some time!) When I ran out of sufficient scrap yarn, I stopped. Now it's gone back into hibernation, but it's one giant step closer to being a completed afghan. <br /><br />I also dug out a bunch of yarn from the stash, as well as some stashed patterns. The plan is to make a sampler afghan, but I've yet to put hook to yarn. It's just waiting for the right mood to strike. It's been such a long time since I made a sampler afghan! I used to love the process of choosing yarn for sampler blocks, though. It just takes that first push to get back into the groove. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Okay, that's the crochet/yarn-craft report! 😜 Time for more photos of the finished "Amelia"!</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=838&dt=2&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=838&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=837&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=837&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=836&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=836&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=840&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=840&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=841&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=841&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=842&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=842&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=843&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=843&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=844&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=844&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=846&dt=2&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=846&dt=2&g=2" width="533" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=845&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=845&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7798539924959300010.post-53912198162250562812022-07-31T21:48:00.002-05:002022-07-31T21:48:13.316-05:00Finished! "Retro-Cali Ribbon Stars" Quilt<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=855&dt=2&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=855&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This "ta-da" has been a long time coming, so I don't really have much to say about it... <br /><br />I started by making string blocks on the treadle. (Wanting to sew strings on the Minnesota treadle was the whole reason for starting this project.) I then transformed these string blocks into HSTs (two HST blocks per original string block) with a plain white background. A stitch-and-flip HST to the other corner of sixteen of these blocks is what makes the scrappy on-point squares in the center of each star. The layout is easy enough to see. I added some sashing and borders of background fabric, then topped it off with a simple string-pieced border on just the top and bottom of the quilt. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I pieced a backing from a couple of flannel prints, then free-motion quilted the whole thing with easy swirls. The final touch was a scrappy binding. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">That about covers it. It's just an easy string-star quilt. The "exploded" element (huge stars on a white background) feels very modern, but I think it might be prettier with a more restrained color palette. If I were to do this again, I'd use a smaller scale. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Anyway, it was an interesting experience, and I'm happy to have it done. <br /><br />Now for a bunch of photos!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=857&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=857&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=859&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="534" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=859&dt=3&g=2" width="534" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=858&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=858&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=856&dt=2&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="800" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=856&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=860&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=860&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=861&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=861&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=862&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=862&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=863&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=863&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=864&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=864&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=865&dt=2&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=865&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=866&dt=2&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="533" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=866&dt=2&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=867&dt=3&g=2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="http://mossyowls.com/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=867&dt=3&g=2" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I'm still working through a backlog of photos and topics, so there should be at least a few more blog posts in relatively short order before I get back up to date. More to come!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10228081099716179894noreply@blogger.com