Making the Cut

I figured I might have better luck keeping up with with this blog if every post wasn't a long, extended-version, catch-up post! This one will be cut short, I promise. It's a product recommendation. A friend gave me these spring action Fiskars a few months ago. They are absolutely the BEST THING EVER for cutting batting. If you don't have a pair you need them. Apparently they carry them at Michael's. That's it, you'll thank me later.

                           

                                                            

                                                       You're welcome. 

                                                        Life is Good! 

Shining A Light

When I was a young girl I could do all sorts of things without switching on a light, or even thinking about doing so, and I remember both my Mom and Dad repeating the same warning:  "let's shed a little light on the subject, you don't want to strain your eyes." Today I am thankful for every. bit. of light I can get, the brighter the better! A few years ago a friend gave me this pair of lighted tweezers*. I kept them near the sewing machine, and the longarm, they've helped a LOT with removing a stray thread here, a glob of lint there, or even occasionally threading a needle. Yesterday I used them when I threaded the lower loopers of the serger; usually a difficult task it was made worlds easier with the addition of this super handy must-have tool with the built in LED light!

I've been using the serger more and more since I got it cleaned and tuned last year; that was the best money spent! I'm consistently edging my quilt tops before loading them onto the longarm now... 

...and finishing the edges of my cross-stitch linen. 

It's been worth every penny to have that little workhorse back up and running! 

Sometimes it's the little things that make the BIGGEST difference.

What's making your life easier these days?

Life is Good!

* If you're interested, I found that these are available on Amazon, marketed for cosmetic use, at the price of 3 for $8.99! Search "lighted tweezers", keep one and give two to your friends, they'll thank you!

Checking 'Em Off...

...one at a time, from the "projects to finish" list. "Winter Winds"* is now ready for hand finishing! ✔ I used the Swirly Snowflakes pantograph for this one, it might just be my new favorite panto; it's FUN to quilt, it was just perfect for this one too! I got the binding and the hanging sleeve made as soon as I removed it from the rails so that I would be motivated to complete it 100% without delay. I use the glue basting technique at the ironing board before I attach my binding by machine.  I've been doing this for years and have always been happy with the results. You can watch Sharon Shamber's video by clicking on the embedded link above. It's wonderful to have no pins whatsoever to contend with!

The only difficulty that I had with glue basting my binding was that someone was inconvenienced whenever I had to move his bed down below as I worked my way around! Sorry, Augie.

Quilted, bound, hanging sleeve and label all attached and ready for hand stitching. 

This is the hemmed edge of the hanging sleeve before it was attached. I turned the edges in 1/8", finger pressed, and turned it again, at less than 1/4" inch and stitched it down. Don't those edges look straight and crisp? I used a new tool, keep reading...

Clover's Fabric Folding Pen. When I was getting ready to make the sleeve I remembered this, it had been a Christmas gift that I put in my notions bin to try later. No time like the present, right? I read the instructions and gave it a try. I was amazed. As I drew the pen onto the fabric along a straight edge it made a moist line. I folded it along that line and, like magic, it behaved perfectly... straight, crisp fold! I did press it with the iron too, but I probably didn't need to. This is a great tool to have on hand! Clover NEVER disappoints! 

Another tip: if you have access to a serger, do yourself a huge favor and finish your quilt top's edges before loading your quilt for quilting. This is the second time that I've done this and I can't believe how it has improved my life! Edges are secured and stabilized as they're over-edged and your top will lie smooth and square on the quilt sandwich throughout the entire quilting, and advancing, process. Plus, it is so NEAT!

One more check ✔: working my way through last year's BOM, I knocked out block #7; this block is entitled "Hopeful". I am that, hopeful, that I'll get more of these stitched up on Saturday; it is National Quilting Day after all. Can you think of any better activity to commemorate the occasion?

Life is Good!

*The snowflake pattern shown above is called Stars and Snowflakes by Wendy Sheppard.

Something Fishy...

I've been creating a few small Chrismons for our home tree. This one, the Beaded Fish, is symbolic of the action used by the Persecuted Believers to secretly designate themselves as followers of Christ. The initials (IXOYC) for Jesus Christ is the Greek word for fish.  It's a precious little addition to our tree. 

Do you have a kitchen tool like this? It's a fish spatula. It's a fairly new addition to our implement drawer; I use it ALL THE TIME. It's thin, flexible yet sturdy, and extremely versatile; from removing cookies off a cookie sheet, flipping pork chops in the pan, to carefully lifting (and draining at the same time) a poached egg from simmering water for placement directly onto a piece of buttered toast. I can't believe I've ever done without one!

Life is Good!

Sitting Pretty

It's that time of year again; if you're like me you're deep into drafting up a list of  perfect gifts for family and friends. Well, if you need any suggestions I have one, it's just right for anyone who sits down! I posted about this a few years ago here, you can click on the hyperlink to read my testimonial. Not one word has changed in the almost three years since I composed that entry. If it's possible, I'm even more committed to the product now than I was then! What was SewPad is now Sit-Mate, it's the exact same product, just branded under a different name now to appeal to a larger audience. I move mine from place to place all the time! About a year ago I started to have some sciatic pain on the left side, if I've been sitting in the car too long (and we take long road trips!) my left leg will not only begin to ache but grow numb. We need to stop so that I can get out and walk, bringing the feeling back. On our last trip north Mr. G heard me ask, over and over, "why, oh, why did I leave my SewPad in the sewing room?" Believe me, I won't make that mistake again! Seriously, given a choice, I'd rather stand to do an otherwise "sit-down" task than sit anywhere without it! If you have someone who's hard to buy for, someone who spends any amount of time seated, consider this option: for bleacher sitting, driving, desk work, at church, watching TV; it's for so much more than sitting and sewing (the obvious choice here!), the comfort level is simply unparalleled. 

Someone asked me if I received compensation for these testimonials. The answer is "no"; when a product is this good, and I can truly vouch for its effectiveness, I feel compelled to do what I can share the information here. 

  Yep, SewPad is now Sit-Mate  👈*click*,

I can't recommend any one product more highly. 

Now you can cross one more thing off  your list!

You're welcome!

Life is Good!

They're MAGIC!

I received a box of new patchwork (new  to me) pins in a gift box from a friend a few weeks back. They're called "Magic Pins". 

I'm very particular about my pins (read: obsessed), each pin has a purpose and each type is assigned its own, designated, pin cushion-- they're NEVER to be intermingled (ask my grandchildren! 😉).  I have fine patchwork pins and fork pins for piecing, extra-fine pins for applique, flat-flower head pins for attaching quilts to the leaders on the longarm, and long, sturdy quilting pins for attaching blocks and units to the design wall. I've been happy for years to exist with these wonderful products and never considered even trying out anything else. Then, along came the Magic pins into my life! Hmmmm... I couldn't wait to put them to the test.

I'm happy to report that they're smooth, comfortable, and very easy to handle with those ribbed heads. I was extremely pleased with these! (Disclaimer: Despite what you see in this photo, I never, ever, recommend sewing OVER pins!) These heads are also heat resistant, making them a good choice when pressing and pinning are combined. They're available in Applique, Quilting and also in the "Silk" variety, which appears to be the same as the patchwork variety that I tested, as well as Fork and Longarm pins. (I tested the .04 Extra Fine, as shown above). I've used these pins exclusively this past week for all of my piecing and can report, enthusiastically, that I'm a convert! I won't ditch my former choices, they've all got a place in my sewing room but these Magic Pins have earned their own pin cushion! (I'm sure that my friend who sent these is laughing at me right now!)  If you see some at your local quilt shop you might want to give them a try for yourself.

Oh, and what was that under the needle above? It's a turquoise pineapple! This pattern is by Elizabeth Hartman, it's called "Pineapple Farm". I scrounged through all the leftover scraps from my granddaughter's recently completed quilt to make her a three-block pillow for her for Christmas. She loves all things with a pineapple motif and I believe she'll find this to be a happy surprise. 

Life is Good!

This and That

I'm keeping busy, there's always too much to do and not enough time to get it all accomplished. I don't know how I ever got anything done at all when I was allowed to leave the house! As fast as I finish one project I find three others to work on! I began setting these stitcheries together with low volume 25-patches.

These squares measure 5" finished; with the one inch framing border all around this becomes a 12 inch block. Right now I have a few ideas in my head as far as where these will go eventually, but I will set them aside for now and let the ideas simmer.

I found this new (to me) product that's too good not to share my rave review: if you've ever been confronted with an errant thread that gets caught between your quilt layers and shadows through the top, here's the solution! No matter how well you trim before loading and layering your quilt, threads happen. This is a super-fine tool with a micro hook on the end that slips easily through the weave of cotton fabric, grabs that thread and retrieves it without leaving a trace! Once again, Clover notions to the rescue, they make the best products! I'm really excited about this one. 

We got the sweetest homemade card in the mail from our oldest two grandchildren in the Capital City, they each wrote personal notes inside. They're (along with all the schoolchildren in our state) about to experience the longest summer vacation ever as the governor announced on Friday that schools won't open again this academic year. I feel so sorry for all the children, I can't even imagine. 

Life goes on: Mama Carolina Wren coaxed the babies out of their deep, secluded nest-- they're on their own. She's been so busy flitting in and out with bugs and other treats to feed them, we'll miss watching the activity through the window at our breakfast table. But, now, the brick column can be removed; Mr. G. had that on his "to do" list but was detoured, temporarily, by the babies. 

Adapting during our stay-at-home in an upside down🙃 world: Quiltkeemosabe gave me this wonderful panel; I'm going to load it up and quilt it, as is, to use as a table runner. Isn't it wonderful? It measures 43" X 19". Since it's where we are, and there's no place like it, it's the perfect time. I have found another mask pattern to try out. I have always been a huge Ami Simms fan; so, when this one hit the Internet, naturally I downloaded the pattern and am giving this style a try. This will be the third style that I've stitched up. I lost track a long time ago how many I've made, it's ongoing.

😷

Speaking of Quiltkeemosabe- her husband is coming home from his five week hospital/rehab stay (non-COVID!) tomorrow, at long last. Thanks one and all who continued to hold him in prayer for health and healing. Please continue to pray for him and his family as he acclimates to being back home again and gains his strength back. 

😷

Please indulge me in a soapbox moment: I am deeply saddened and highly aggravated to witness the public shaming, name-calling and finger-pointing that I see on social media aimed at those who may not be complying with the current "rules" for virus prevention or spread as the accuser deems appropriate. Let's all keep in mind here that everyone is doing the very best that they can based on the information that they have. If you see someone without a mask, and you're uncomfortable, avoid them. If you see someone who's not observing social distancing, then be careful to keep your own distance. If a business opens back up and you don't feel safe entering, then, by all means, don't. Wash your hands, keep yourself and your loved ones as safe as you can; but, please, please, be kind. We can't possibly know everyone's story or current circumstance. We're all tired of being isolated, worn out from concern and eager to put this behind us-- but, we're all in this together and a little kindness goes a long, long way.

"More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." - Romans 5:3-5

Life is Good!

Are You Sitting Down?

Are you sitting down? How comfortable are you? How would you like to know that there's a product out there, something that you can simply place into your chair before you sit down, that will ensure hours upon hours of comfy seating no matter how long you spend  at the sewing machine or in your computer chair? Yes, there is; it's Sew Pad! If you're sitting down right now and you're not sitting on a Sew Pad, you're missing out! It's a simple, yet brilliant, invention and it has the science behind it to back up the claims of sewing (or sitting) all day in comfort. You can read all about the product here.  Believe me, this has been well field-tested by quilters with fellow sewers and quilters in mind!

You can now confidently plan a marathon sewing day and not dread the associated ache-y back or hips at the end of it. Mine moves all around my sewing room, it's under me in my computer chair right now as I type. Check it out, read all about the product and its creators; believe me, your spine will thank you. And, if any further enticement is necessary-- there's free shipping too!

Life is Good!

...and more comfortable too...

Up next: Lessons Learned

Hello, Pouch!

I bought the pattern for the "Hello Pouches" (knot and thread design) and was eager to make some up, I thought that they were cute, functional and a nice alternative to the paper gift bag for small Christmas gifts. I made one up yesterday as a trial. I'm happy to report that it's a well-written pattern with easy to follow instructions and access to online video tutorials. I made the "large" size (7.5" X 6.75" X 4.25") only because that's how much clear vinyl I happened to have in the house. I learned a few things along the way, if you want to make some let me pass along these tips:
Use a "Jeans" needle. The one that I used was 100/16. There are lots of bulky bound seams to sew through and the heavier needle is most valuable here, sew slowly too! I love Wonder Tape and I used a good bit of it on this bag.

As you can see in this photograph there are narrow, turned, top-stitched bindings; the Wonder Tape, when applied along the folded edge before turning, ensures those narrow hems will remain straight and smooth. I have not had any problems with the product gumming up my needle, it delivers nice results. Every bit of this bag has finished, bound edges, even along the zipper tape; those straight, flat hems are pretty and I can't get results like that when I use pins and am stopping and starting to remove them. Since the bag is see-through (the beauty of the pouch to begin with!) you want your finished seams to look extra-nice.

The zipper is made from one half of a handbag zipper-- the two sides are separated, the pull removed, and then threaded back on both ends of the zipper tape which has been folded in half. One thirty inch, double slide, zipper will make two bags. There's a trick to finessing the pull back on, (and a video that I watched three times!) that takes a bit of practice, but I got it. I added a fabric tie and attached it to the zipper pull to make opening easier. All in all, this is a nice bag and I will make more;  I can see lots of practical uses for this one. One down; a bunch to go!! 

And just in case you thought that I was running out of projects(!), I made a quick trip with friends to the Pineapple Warehouse sale today; they were selling fabric by the POUND, it is a great deal!

Warehouse shopping going on-- fabric by the pound!

I ended up bringing home lots of pieces (pounds!!) for quilt backs as well as this fabric for these two quilts (below)-- a table topper for Christmas and a wall quilt for our youngest granddaughter for her birthday next January (backings on the bottom of the stacks). These will be projects to keep me busy at two upcoming retreats scheduled for next month--perfect timing! I hope your day is a pieceful one!

Life is Good!

Handy Tip and Tidying Up

In an effort to finish as many projects as I can this summer I have adopted the practice of binding for a few hours each and every evening while watching TV before bedtime. We don't watch television in the lightest and brightest of all rooms which makes needle threading a challenge. I have started pre-threading my hand needles during the day and have them ready to go now when I sit down to bind. I found this super-duper needle threader when cleaning out some of my Mom's sewing accessories and few months back. I have found it to be sturdy, as well as pretty and substantial; but, best of all, it threads even the finest of straw needles! I am now threading up five or six needles with whatever color thread I will be binding with and place them into the handy-dandy domed needle case to use later. Can you thread up needles ahead and place them into a square of flannel or felt? Sure. But this is a much more efficient and safe way to store them, read on.

This was also found in the recent clean-out. I have fallen heir to many valuable treasures from my Mom's sewing box. The way this works is this: the threaded needles are each inserted into a slot and wound into the case by spinning the center wheel. You can see a demo here. I love this; it really works and definitely earns its place in your chair-side sewing box besides being a fun little "toy" to have! Both of these notions are by Clover and I assure you that I receive no compensation from Clover, only my tried and true recommendation. Check them out. 

Placing the domed cover over your threaded needles, it locks into place, making this completely portable.

You can toss it into your to-go bag and your threaded needles will be tangle-free and ready to use!

Speaking of efficiency; I have been spinning my wheels in the sewing room lately; I have been busy as a bee but not showing much forward progress. A quick look around revealed why. I had piles of mess everywhere! Every pattern I had been thinking about, book that I had pulled off the shelf, piece of fabric that I had dragged out and half-finished project was either piled up or draped over something else. It was high time to clear the deck so that I could breathe think work again!

In less than an hour and a half I had everything cleaned up: sorted, stashed, filed and/or completed. Work surfaces were cleared, (except for what I am actually working on) and order was restored.

First thing: I got caught up with the latest BOM blocks from my LQS. Without all the piles surrounding me I worked quickly; it felt good to be unencumbered, I tidied right back up when I was done. I can now enter this space again with a lighter, free-er feeling and get right down to business. Am I alone in this or can you relate? That tidying that we put off can really drag us down to the point where we get nothing accomplished. The amazing thing (at least to me) is that it never takes long to restore order!

I placed an order for fabric the other day. Imagine my delight to learn, when I opened the package, that I had hit a jackpot! A full three quarter yards of jackpot, too; WOW, it was my lucky day! 😊

Life is Good!