Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Well, it's June 25th and all is well!

I just ordered (6) - 1/2 gallons of liquid laundry starch from Amazon. Liquid starch you say? Well, my Craftsy class instructor showed us how she uses it for piecing quilts so I was game. Actually I ironed a couple more things with the spray can starch and loved the way it smells and feels! The liquid is so much cheaper! Way cheaper, so I ordered it by a case...... oh boy. Maybe over kill but it was only $23 delivered. How can you pass that up I ask? Will last for years I guess.

I'm attaching a photo of my current work space with another arrow block, my spray starch and my "new" 1960s iron, the "green machine". Isn't she pretty? It looks smaller that modern steam irons but actually the sole plate is bigger and boy, does it get hot!

Behind the starch can is a pile of blocks in progress. I try to do assembly line piecing!

The surface is an old drafting table I got for $1 at an auction. It's so great for sewing. It can be very tall and it can fold up. Very sturdy, too. The top is 2' x 4' and covered with quilted ironing board fabric and 2 layers of cotton duck fabric. It's big enough to iron and and have a cutting mat on. Oh boy! I win!





 Oh, you might also wonder about the paper plate. Our instructor showed how she keeps herself organized in a small work space by using paper plates to stack up with blocks in progress on them. Too fun!

And this is just the sunset last night over the house next door to us.
Bye troops !! Keep sewing and enjoy the sunsets!

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Today is Sunday, June 23, 2013. Tonight is the "supermoon"! Are you ready? Hope it's not cloudy.

I had forgotten how lovely is the smell of fabric being starched by a really hot iron! Well, I'll explain. I have just concluded another Craftsy course on quilting. This one is "Traditional Blocks Made Simple". Wow, who knew you could make an arrowhead block so easily!! The teacher is Anita Grossman Solomon. She shows her fabric prep which includes using bottled liquid starch and plenty of spray starch with really hot iron. Her techniques for block piecing are stupendous.
In her course she is shown using a vintage red electric iron. Toooo cute! It is a dry iron and gets really hot. She speaks so lovingly of it! Anyway, of course I had to find one. Seems that some other students who took her course had the same idea! The notes from others in the "class" speak about getting an iron from ebay. Seems a couple of them scored red ones.

 
Well, I found a gorgeous light olive green one on etsy!! It will be here tomorrow. It will match several of my vintage Kenmore sewing machines. How cool is that?

 
These are my first blocks. I have now cut out enough squares for a bed quilt. I think I will really make it and have someone quilt it for me. Bed size quilts always seem so daunting but this one has me excited as long as someone else quilts it for me Wish me luck!
 

 
You should check out the Craftsy courses. Some are even free. You can access them forever. The instructor answers questions and you can keep going back to see a point.
 
I've also been sewing up some doll quilts, What do you think?

 
And now for the most fun of all! How about this doll bed. It's a clementine crate and paint stir sticks! Love it! It has a "real" mattress, fitted sheet, removable dust ruffle, reversible quilt, pillow and pillow cases. Took me 2 days to make the darn thing but it was really fun.
 
 
I gave it to our niece Kaylee a few weeks back. Her grandma says she is still playing with it.
 
That's all folks!! Leave me a comment if you visit. Thanks!