Saturday, July 24, 2010

Friday Night Sew In Saturday morning pic


I now have 26 of these beauties! 34 to go

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Quilters Academy: Light makes a difference


I took this picture in sunlight, next to a sunny window in my kitchen. Look at yesterday's picture and compare the difference. The picture I took yesterday is under what I think is adequate lighting to sew by, overhead light with a floor lamp next to my machine for more focused light. The block is the same, but in yesterday's pic looks way more yellow than it actually is. Both pics were taken with my phone.


Another thing Harriet emphasizes in her book is the importance of pressing the right way. You can see that my pressing is not as good as it should be. I don't iron, as a rule. My husband irons all our clothes. I iron in more wrinkles instead of getting them out. Maybe I should ask hubby to iron my sewing as well?


I can remember my mom and two older sisters ironing, the smell of the starch and the steam. It was a good, clean smell. They ironed pillowcases and handkerchiefs, dresses and blouses. I don't miss those days, but it is a good memory. That reminds me, I need to buy some starch.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Quilters Academy


Before taking a break from my sewing, I got a few blocks done for my first rail fence mini quilt. Look at that, the middle strip is exactly one inch wide! The lighting is bad, but the dimensions I am pleased with. I have a consignment sale to get ready for, and some other things to do, then I will get back to my quilters academy studies.


Saturday, July 10, 2010

Giveaway alert

jillquilts.blogspot.com

Jill is having a giveaway! Click on the link above and good luck!

Friday, July 9, 2010

Friday night movie and sewing


So nice to be home. We're watching E.T. tonight, new to some of us, still a great movie, one of the best family ones. Later I'll be working on these strips and a guild BOM that have been accumulating next to my sewing machine. Have a great weekend!

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Lesson 120


I am so glad I purchased this book! The instructions and illustrations are very specific and make perfect sense put into practice. I need lots of practice, already my measuring skills are improving. It was frustrating to me, measuring and cutting and things not turning out exactly right. My results aren't perfect yet, but I am getting better. The book clears up a lot of things for me.


This first lesson was strip piecing one rail fence block, which sounds simple, but is the perfect way to tell if you are going wrong, easy to measure and tell if something is "not right" just by looking before you even get the ruler back out. The next lesson will be more strip piecing but a bigger sample. If I were to grade myself on this one, I would give myself a B minus. B because the colors look good, the strip blocks are all the same size, and finished size is exact, but minus because my corners don't quite fit together, and my seam allowances are wobbly. I have a good seam guide and can follow it, but I get distracted or nervous or something and they aren't as straight as they should be.