Tag: Quilt

Hoarding Fabric…What to do?

What does everyone do with all their Fabric? I have so much. I don’t ever envision that I will have enough. I guess you could call it an obsession. There is something about Fabric that just makes me happy. Maybe it’s the colors, or the feel, or the smell. I am not sure. Nothing stops me from wanting more. I have boxes and boxes stored in my storage area(s), because you know it will not all fit in my sewing room. When I open a box it is like Christmas all over again. It sounds so exciting, which it is, but, that does not solve the fact that I am running out of room for Fabric. Mine is currently occupying two storage rooms at my house, my sewing room, the top of my dresser, the kitchen counter…..I think I need my own warehouse. I am sure I am not the only fabric hoarder out there. What do you all do with yours?

The Actual Process of Quiltng

So, being someone that loves to make quilts it seems a bit odd that I do not look forward to the actual quilting part. It scares me. I think that after all the planning and piecing, now is my greatest opportunity to screw it all up. I actually took a quilt to be professionally quilted once. It cost me about $200 and was nothing spectacular. It was disappointing. So, I vowed to do them myself. Easier said than done, unless you are fortunate to have a long arm and fancy frame. Even then, I would still panic.

I have come a long way these days. I recently moved up from just meandering to putting some hearts in a quilt. Currently I am using the Flynn Quilt Frame
http://www.flynnquilt.com/ (Photo above)

It is not perfect, but it beats trying to do it without anything at all. It is fairly inexpensive and you use your own sewing machine. It is a great way to get started on the actual quilting process. It is a good way to determine if it is worthwhile to purchase something more expensive. I have to admit, I am totally envious of the quilting demoed on the site. I can do nothing like it and panic just thinking about it. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I can’t draw. Not sure.

I plan on one day getting an actual frame and long arm. I am sure I will obsessively research it when I am ready. Always looking for opinions and advice here. If you have some, please share.

Charm Squares for my Great Niece

I made this quilt for my Great Niece Addison. I used charm squares of reproduction fabrics. I love precuts, but often find them a bit expensive. I have found a couple of places that has very reasonable prices. I would suggest Missouri Start Quilt Co. https://www.missouriquiltco.com/. They offer a daily deal and very often it is on precuts. On April 1st, they sold a pack of precuts for 25 cents. I just bought the daily deal the other day for $1.95. Now, you do have to pay $5.00 for shipping, but I bought an extra pack of Daily deals at the regular price (8.95) and also received a free pattern for spending over $10.00. I belive my total was less than $16.00 for two charm packs and a pattern, delivered to my door in just a couple of days. Well worth the money.
My other favorite place to buy discount precuts, is http://www.craftsy.com/. They have a clearance section and have had up to 70% off. Shipping is also very reasonable. Craftsy is also a great place for ideas and patterns. More on that later.

I am not paid to say any of this stuff. Just want to pass along good information to fellow sewers/quilters.

A Quilt for my Grandchild…. Wait I don’t have one….

So, 4 weeks before my 40th birthday, my daughter Haley was born. I remember my sister telling me how awesome it will be when I go sign her up for kindergarten and I am old enough to be the other kid’s parents. Funny, but not funny. So, I am a 52 year old with a 12 year old daughter….. Oddly, I was told I could never have children and “surprise”. She is the love of my life, even when she tries me, which happens daily.

One of the many things I love to do is make quilts, especially baby quilts. I make them for friends that are having babies, nieces and nephews etc. I make others also, but for some reason, baby things are appealing to me.

So, if my daughter waits as long as I do to have children, I might not get to meet them. Sad. However, I want to make sure they have a quilt from their grandmother. I have made so many for others. Just sort of like my grandkid insurance. This is the first one I made for my future grandchild. My daughter (AKA future grandchilds parent) is holding the quilt.

I actually started the quilt when Haley was a baby. I love Red and it just appealed to me for some reason. I believe that the pattern was in a Better Homes and Garden quilt book. I should look it up. When I went back and looked at the quilt, I noted my signature mistake. By Signature mistake, I mean that there always is at least one in every quilt I make. There is a piece that is sideways. Maybe I should make that my signature. Make at least one thing sort of goofy.