binding

I really enjoy making bias binding. I think of all of the parts of the processes in quilting this one is my absolute favorite. I've found that each part of the process is essential. Ironing and pressing well is so vital to making good bias binding. I use the linen (highest heat setting) on my iron and I use steam. "Why," you might ask yourself, "would she risk burning her fingers for bias binding?"

First, I like the facial aspect. What woman doesn't want a good steam facial? And it's free to boot! If there is any room for shrinkage, the fabric shrinks here and now. Not later when it's on the quilt.
Rulers, mats and a newish rotary blade are essential for getting those great cuts on the fabric. I start with anywhere from an 18" square to a 40" square. There are times when an 18" square will yield all the binding I need. Some times I need two 40" squares. Just depends on the size of the project.

And I'm of the mind that you can never have too much bias binding. Here I'm "squaring up" to make sure the square is just the right size.


Getting the 45 degree angle just right is so important. So is taking really good pictures. I'm seeing I need to do this on a day where the light is great and I don't need my flash. I fiddle, fiddle until I get this angle just right. Cutting accurately is essential for the next several steps (not showing photo's here today.)







Oh that quarter inch is so so necessary and I need to be so accurate with it while I'm stitching.








lining up the fabric to cut the strips or mark the back of the fabric with lines (if I need continuous binding) takes a few extra minutes, however in the end it's all worth it. I can get miles of binding in just a few minutes. This batch will be used for a couple of tote bags!

Happy almost new year!

My friend Fr. Bob is stationed at Our Lady of the Angels on Chicago's West side where on December 1, 1958 a horrific fire ripped through a full school building killing three sisters and 50+ children. On December 8th was the blessing and dedication of a memorial that Fr. Bob was able to have installed. Cardinal George attended and from Fr. Bob's description it was an incredible day. I'm linking to photos of the day here.

Going through the photo's and having visited the neighborhood, it's a beautiful thing. With the aid of so many generous people Fr. Bob is now able to reach out to so many people.


Not much in the area of sewing in the last few days. Oh, I've thought about sewing and quilting but the room is, well, the room needs help. That will be my focus right after the new year and the mattresses and bed frames are out of there and I can move the sewing space to the other wall with a dedicated outlet for the machine and a light.

I also have a second old singer I'm moving in there (from the hallway) and putting it in as well, hopefully to serve as a desk type of space.

Have a great quilting day!

Teri

In memory of dad

My dad was known in certain circles as "The Rotten Poet", though it was a name he gave to himself, it kind of fit. Christmas, April Fools Day and birthdays were guaranteed days to have "rotten poetry" in our email boxes.

So, in memory of dad, in Celebration of Christmas here's my "rotten poem":

It's well past dawn on Christmas day
Coffee's made and sipped
The cinnamon rolls are a'rising
The gifts still need to be wrapped
One is still on the way!

I got up early from my slumber
kneaded dough
and cleansed the dishes
Gotta get out the tree
Oh won't that be a number

That is if I can get to it...
The ironing board is in the way
not to mention the this and that
And off I go
Thinkin' the cinnamon rolls will be a Christmas morning hit

Ham and Pineapple dressing
veggies, roasted mashed sweet potatoes
will be on our Christmas table!
Candles and a table cloth too
And I'm bringing out the good dishes

I just wanted to wish each and every one
Merry Christmas
And a peaceful New Year
(In memory of the Rotten Poet!)

Teri
The Rotten Poet's
Eldlest daughter




I did find the pin cushion about 2 minutes after I finished posting on the blog. Way at the back of my 26" deep table. Go figure! It was right there in plain sight!!

I didn't think we'd get caught

So here I am in the sewing room getting ready to finish my dmil's purse. I'm pinning and pinning and I'm hearing plink, clunk. Now I know it's not me and it's not my sewing machine. Pinning doesn't make that much noise. Apart from the occasional, oh bugger of sticking myself with the, pin.

So I leave my little hobbit hole of a sewing room, head into the office (Ok, so it's only 8 feet, however when you're working. . .) and look outside. I see the neighbors boy and his friends throwing snow & rocks onto the metal garages and over neighbors fences. There are all kinds of Christmas decorations, cars, windows and the like between where the boys are and what they're aiming for.

I thought at first I'd yell outside. Then I'm thinking I'll go outside. I know the neighbor well enough to know that her kid throwing stuff is not "how she raised him". So I call over to the house. Dad answers the phone, I mention to dad what's going on, dad goes outside, calls boys over, has a chat with them, they stop throwing rocks (they really don't want to go home after all they're having fun!).

Dad goes in. I'm back in the sewing room by now, continuing pinning. Did I mention that I can't find my pin cushion? Thats a story for another time.
Anyway, I'm at the sewing machine and I hear one of the boys say, "I didn't think we'd get caught!" I started laughing! That just tickled me to no end!

Happy Quilting!

Teri


On the pin cushion front, this thing is about 6 inches around (3 1/2 across) 3 or 4 inches high and I lose it, pins and all, quite frequently. Oh dear. I'll go in to the hobbit hole in a few minutes and find the thing!

A Quilty Birthday Card

My friend Major's birthday is coming up on December 24th. We've been friends for nearly 20 years which is nearly half my life and a bit more than half of hers. This year I'm doing something a little different for her birthday this year - a quilted and embellished birthday card. Thank you Ricky Tims for demonstrating this on The Quilt Show This is the first quilted birthday card I've made and I enjoyed the process - a little quilting, a little clipping a little sewing and a little embellishing and voila a card! and I will do this again.

Now off to the sewing room to finish my dmils Christmas gift and a few other things.

Happy Quilting!
Teri

Quilts and more quilts

Baby Crackers

Here's a photo of Baby Crackers being quilted. While I was in Lancaster last year I learned how to use typing or freezer paper to draw out the design I want on the paper, pin it to the quilt and then like paper piecing tear the paper away. It's a bit more work, but the design then is a lot more consistent. Tearing the paper away can be a pain you know where.


Veterans Quilts


These are some of quilts from the Veterans Quilt Project. As a guild we donated 62 quilts. I quilted four of them. In the photo on the left I quilted the quilt on the left. Thankfully someone else took it home to bind it.


The room was just full of quilts everywhere. I have a ton more photos I'll share more another day.

This is one of the quilts I quilted. My co-chair and I decided to make one together. She pieced the top and I quilted it. Four of the purple blocks have writing on it, thanking the vets for their service to our country. I have a feeling from conversations with the two ladies who came to receive the quilts that this will end up on the wall. That's fine with me.

would ya believe what's in my garden

The little bunny belongs to dmil. Our neighbor who lives just to the right duded him out for Christmas. Isn't he sweet? For Easter he'll get a new bow and through the year there are costume changes. The only time of year he spends indoors is halloween.

Sitting in front of the bunny is the gazinnia flowers. My husband gets these for me every year. They are almost as cool as pansies. Gazinnias are like sunflowers in that they are heliotropes, they follow the sun through out the day. Bright and fun too.
Then my pansies are still blooming even though we've had a couple of good freezes in the last few weeks. Can you imagine my surprise when I went out side and saw this little guy peeking out? I had to get the camera out!!!



We've had rain on & off today and I like how the rain plays on the rose bush and the dogwood. It's not quite as clear as I would like, however I think you can see the drips on the stems.

You might be able to tell I'm enjoying my new camera. Learning how to use it is half the fun. I do have some pictures of basting the "Baby Crackers" Quilt. I'll post those tomorrow.

Happy Quilting!
Teri



Whoops! I forgot that the begonia is here as well. My dh has taken care of this begonia for over 15 years. There are cuttings all over the place. The plant has to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 years old, maybe more, we're not quite sure. The original stem was woody when we inherited it. Dh put something around the spot near where it starts curving to try and prevent it from snapping. We actually thought it did until dh looked at it closely and realized the plant started growing this way, adapting to the changes! It loves this window and the light it gets.

fabric contest

Pat Sloan is having a contest. When there are 1000 comments on her blog post today :http://patsloan.typepad.com/
she will draw a name and someone will win (me!me!) fat quarters from her new Nicki line (yet to be released!)


Happy quilting!
Teri

Ps I used to live just to the left of the towers below. This is Elizabethport where many of our Singer Sewing Machines were made..


coming soon - a photo of the singer factory - when I am able to get back to E-port and take it!

Whimsical Baby Crackers

Done, four borders on. Now for the quilting. Keep it simple and enjoy the process.
Happy quilting!
Teri

One more border to go

Whew! The top is actually done. I finished it after downloading the images from the camera. I'm going to call my friend & show co-chair to get the quilt basted, later this week (bonus is we can have a quilty meeting after or before basting the quilt).




I never knew that having a digital camera could be so much fun. Snap this, snap that. No more wasted film. If I don't like the image I can delete it (or better yet save it to play with on the soft ware.) Oh what fun we can have!

Happy Quilting!
Teri

On the Design Wall

Here's a photo of Baby Crackers on the design wall.
Happy Quilting!
Teri