12 September 2007

WIP Wednesday - September 12

Wow! I can't believe I haven't posted in 8 days. So, Hidy Ho Neighbor-rinos! What have I been up to? A lot.

For starters, I DID NOT go to the fabric auction; I didn't trust myself. I know that 15,000 yards sounds like a lot, but do the math: 15,000 yards divided by 24 yards (in a bolt) = 625 bolts. Yes, that is still a lot of fabric, but a quilt shop has a lot more than that. I did not go because, after all, I am trying to bust my stash not add to it. And I'm out of room.

I met, instead, with my Quilty Friend. We get together once a month alternating homes. This month I hosted. I worked on odds and ends of things: I put some blanket binding on a crochet baby afghan for a pregnant coworker, I did a test on the machine for something on the challenge quilt to see if it will work (which I will end up stitching by hand), I gathered supplies for the class I took yesterday, wrote a letter to Don Henley of the Eagles asking permission to use a certain line from one of his songs for the challenge quilt (better late than never, eh?) and I pulled a project box down to work on this week.

Over the weekend, I also worked on the Autumn Leaves quilt (formerly known as Banana-fana). Let me give you a recap. The quilt was quilted and bound. After washing, some hand dyed fabric scraps bled. Wah! I tried everything: Synthropol, Retayne, Oxyclean and color catchers. The Shout Color Catchers, when basted over the spots, took out some of the lighter ones, but not all of the spots. So I went out early in the morning and pruned a maple tree, washed the leaves, painted the backs of the leaves and pressed them carefully onto the quilt over the stained spots. Then I went back and outlined with a black Micron pen. I now have leaves blowing across the quilt. The beauty of doing it this way is that if the fabrics continue to bleed, I can just add more leaves. Ha!

Hmm. Let's see. O. Yesterday's class. It was an incredible Invisible Machine Appliqué class by Kelly Galagher-Abbott. Her website is www.jukeboxquilt.com. I wish I had know about this technique before I did the challenge quilt. What is so different about it, you ask? Well, the supplies included a washaway stabilizer, glue sticks and manicure orange sticks. What was really scary at first was the thought of doing a zigzag using the straight stitch 1/4" foot. Yes, you read that right. My 1/4" foot was on the machine using a teeny, tiny zigzag. The photo to the left is the class sample I made. You can not see those stitches. Trust me on this one. So here is another block for the Orphan box(es).

CarGuy is at the drag races in Topeka Kansas. I told him to keep his eyes open for the Tinman and the Cowardly Lion. A friend of his races and CarGuy went along for moral support. So while he is gone I have some alone time. I like alone time as long as it doesn't stretch out too long. So tonight I decided to talk to you all and when I'm finished here I'm going to mosey over to The Quilt Show and catch up on a few episodes. I have my knitting right here so I can multitask. I've got my evenings all planned to keep myself busy and to get some things done that I have not been able to get around to doing.

O and the photo at the beginning of the post? I'm a barefoot stitcher just like Bonnie at Quiltville. What is funny is that I looked around the class and there were three more women sewing barefooted or stocking footed.

9 comments:

  1. How many needles broke in that invisible applique class? I cannot even begin to think about the straight stitch foot on while ZZing. But now that you've mentioned it, of course I am going to have to try this! The stamped leaves are ingenious, as quiltmakers we're always problem solving something... this was an inspired solution. Watch those pins when your shoes are off!

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  2. Welcome back to blogworld. I think the point of going to the auction would be the prices, not the amount of fabric, but I definitely can see why you resisted.
    Beth Ferrier has a book out - Hand applique by machine. It seems like the same technique. I can't imagine using a zig zag on a quarter inch foot though - I've already broken many a needle because I forget to change back to a straight stitch when I change feet. Good technique to know though - I hadn't thought about using that tiny a zig zag. I'm thinking of trying this too.
    The leaves look great - did you just put them in that one spot, or did you have a few more in nonstained spots just to balance things out?

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  3. That applique looks like a really goo d method to try. I can't imagine using my 1/4" foot to zig zag, I'm sure the needle will break. Your's looks excellent. What type of thread did you use?

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  4. Wait! You mean there are people out there that can sew with their shoes on?
    Glad to see you back with us again . . . I do hope old Mr. Henley grants permissions. The Eagles and Don Henley as a solo artist are surely among my very favorites.

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  5. Hi Paula, glad to see you are still alive and well...*VBS* Me too!
    Wow..what a deal that auction was! But like you, I'm working to decrease the yds, not increase them, no matter how good the price. Of course I still wouldn't turn down 'free'..*VBG*
    Love, love, love the final solution to the bleeding problem!
    I can't think of anything nearly as good, unless it just hadn't bled at all. This quilt definitely has a story, and then some.
    Hope the needed permission comes through for you. Hugs, Finn

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  6. Your leaf solution is fantastic! Love the way those turned out and if there is any more bleeding -- you're right, more leaves! Great save!

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  7. I usually go bare foot too... Shouldn't your bare foot have a hand knit sock?

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  8. Using those leaves was a great idea. Good thought!

    I don't like to sew with my shoes on, either. In fact, when I take a class or sew at the local quilt stores they make fun of me because I'm usually walking around with one shoe on and one shoe off. :-)

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  9. Anonymous3:42 PM

    I'm a little late with this post ... but I've been busy, right? I think the barefoot thing might be more common to Bernina users. Not sure. I posted about it in April.

    Love your photo!

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