Frustrated

Thanks for all of your encouragement about my Drunkard's Path quilt and helpful suggestions about thread and needles.

I must admit, quilting this quilt has been an extremely frustrating experience. I thought that I had solved the problem with a larger needle, but the thread continued to break literally every 30 seconds. After I realized that the needle wasn't the problem, I spent a long time on the phone with my machine dealer in Kamloops, and he patiently walked me through every potential problem. We quickly discovered that my bobbin tension was too tight (I didn't even know that it could be adjusted!), so I was hopeful that the issue was finally resolved. Not so! Even with a larger needle, and the correct tension on both the bobbin and the top thread, I realized that my Grand Quilter hates Mettler thread.



Results of my picking!

I decided to try quilting the quilt from the other side with my go-to Aurifil thread, and of course, it quilted like a dream. The only time I had to stop was when my bobbin ran out! Unfortunately, it meant a few days spent unpicking all of my stitches made with the other thread. I had only quilted 12 blocks, but it still took forever to unpick all of those stitches.



Beautiful thread....just not for my machine!

I am officially donating the almost full spool of Mettler thread to my quilt guild, hopefully someone has a machine that doesn't eat it. And from now on, I'm sticking to what I know works.



Aurifil Thread

 What about you? What thread do you use for machine quilting?

Drunkard's Path Quilt

I started a new quilt a few weeks ago. I am making it for someone who loves circles, and asked for bright colours with pink, green, orange and aqua.

Drunkards Path Quilt

I decided to dig out my drunkard's path templates that I've had forever (mine are Elisa's Backporch Design in both 3.5 and 7 inches), and use only fabrics from my stash. These templates are amazing. The cutting was so quick and easy as compared to paper templates.

 

The blocks were easier to piece than I expected (the templates came with great instructions for only using 1 pin per block). However, once I got all of the blocks made and placed out on my design wall, I hated this quilt. It just seemed much too bright. When I was picking fabrics, I really tried to mix my mostly medium tone prints with both light and dark prints, but it was difficult to do using only stash fabrics. I think now that I really needed more low volume, or even a light neutral background fabric to tone down the brightness of the quilt.

I must admit, however, that it is slowly growing on me. It helps to take a step back, and to take a look at it through the camera lens. Then it is possible to see the circles, and the quilt is a little less crazy.

Drunkard's Path on the Design Wall

I am now working on quilting it. But I'm having a terrible time. I bought new thread - a pretty variegated Mettler silk finish thread, and it keeps breaking. The tension doesn't seem to be the problem, so I think the needle is too small for the thicker thread. Of course, I can't buy needles for my machine locally (I need heavy duty needles for my Pfaff Grand Quilter) so I ordered some new ones today. I'll give them a try, and if that doesn't work, I'll have to change thread.

Free Motion Quilting

I'll leave you with a photo of me and my youngest. She loves having her photo taken, especially by her big sister.

A Fun Swap

In the last couple of years, I've become obsessed with Waldorf inspired dolls. Obsessed. I love that they are homemade. I love that they are all natural. I love that each one is a little piece of art. Kind of like quilts, don't you think?

I don't love that they are pricey (like quilts). So at first I tried to make one. Or I did make one. She's lovely, and my daughter actually plays with her. But I discovered that I really don't like making dolls. Actually, I discovered that I really don't like hand-sewing.

Waldorf Inspired Doll - Little Amigo Pattern from Growing Up Sew Liberated

So, recently, to get around both having to make a doll, and having to pay for one, I did a private swap with a mama. I made her some pillows. She sent me a gorgeous Bamboletta Little Buddy.

Bamboletta Little Buddy

My swap partner was the best 'customer.' She asked for bright and modern. She told me she wasn't afraid of colour. That was it. I was free to make whatever I wanted. Here's what I came up with.

The first was a simple string pillow. I used Ashley's tutorial.

The second was a simple bright and low volume hst pillow. It feels so good to actually use some of my hoarded Denyse Schmidt fabric.

Finally, I used a pattern from Amanda Jean Norberg for my last pillow. The pattern in Math Facts and it is in the Winter 2012 issue of quilty magazine.

Math Facts by Amanda Jean Norberg

Isn't the barter system wonderful? 

Easter Dresses Wrap-Up

I really can't believe that I am posting photos of my girls' Easter Dresses in May. May! Yikes. I am so sorry. I really don't know where the time goes. Or I do. It goes to ballet and highland dance lessons. Soccer.  Teaching Kindergarten two afternoons a week. Making dinner. Avoiding cleaning the house. Hugging three beautiful kids. Life is wonderful and busy. I just can't seem to blog about it. But I want to.

Nicey Jane Party Dress

Even though I was sewing buttons on Sunday morning before Mass, I managed to finish both girls' dresses just in time. For my youngest, I used the Party Dress free pattern and tutorial from the Cottage Home. I made this dress once before (the Easter Dress from last year that my daughter refused to wear and we now can't talk about), and it really is a fun pattern. This time I used 5 different fabrics for a less matchy, matchy look.

The Party Dress by Cottage Home

Overall, I think the dress turned out beautifully. I had to make the sash from two different fabrics (I wanted the two dresses to coordinate, but I only had a teeny bit left of the pink stripe). Next time, I won't make the bodice the way in the tutorial...I like the construction method of the Geranium Dress better. And I think I would make the skirt a wee bit less full. It is a heavy dress for a 2-year old.

Dress Stats:

Pattern: The Party Dress (Free Pattern/Tutorial) by the Cottage Home

Size: 2

Bodice Fabric: Unknown dot from a swap (I only had a FQ).

Sash Fabrics: Running Stitch, Lush by Patty Young, Love U by Deb Strain

Skirt Fabric: Picnic Bouquet, Nicey Jane by Heather Bailey

For Picky Pants' (she might have a new blog name), I made the ever popular Geranium Dress from Made by Rae. I've made this pattern a few times, so it went together nice and easy. Picky Pants wanted a red sash, but no bow, so I sewed some grosgrain ribbon where the two fabrics meet.

Nicey Jane Geranium Dress

And, this year, she actually wore her dress to church. She just didn't take her jacket off. And proceeded to take the dress off as soon as we got home. But she proudly announce, "I WORE it Mom." I really need to rethink sewing anything for her. Her little sister was much more agreeable. In fact, she wore it all day long and dripped chocolate all over it. All over it. Thank goodness for the washing machine.

Dress Stats:

Pattern: Geranium Dress by Made by Rae

Size: 5 (added a few inches to length)

Bodice Fabric: Running Stitch, Lush by Patty Young

Skirt Fabric:  Picnic Bouquet, Nicey Jane by Heather Bailey

And no, I don't have any pictures of them together. I haven't been able to bribe Picky Pants into wearing her dress again. And I really couldn't wait another month to blog about them.

Easter Dresses

With less than a week to go before Easter, I finally settled on fabric and patterns for my girls' Easter Dresses. My oldest (almost 7) is extremly picky about her clothes. I have made more than a few dresses for her that she has never worn. In fact, last year I made the girls beautiful co-ordinating Easter dresses, and Miss C refused to wear hers. I was so mad, I told her that if she didn't wear it, I would give it away. I was hoping she wouldn't call my bluff, but she did. She told me that she wanted to give it away. So I did. Now when she is really tired or hungy, she starts crying and asking for her dress back. Oops. Sometimes I really deserve a 'bad mommy' award.

But I'm still an optomist (sounds better than a fool), so I let her pick out some fabric for this year's dress. I've got my fingers crossed that she'll actually wear it. But even if she doesn't I won't give it away this year. My youngest daughter (almost 2) is much easier to please. Hopefully I'll actually get to take photos of them wearing them together.

Nicey Jane Easter Dresses

How about a quick give-away? I made an impulse buy at the grocery store the other day, the lastest issue of quilty magazine. As a full disclaimer - I've already read it - but I thought somebody else might like to read it too. It's in very good shape, I promise. And if you leave a comment, and tell me your favourite colour, I'll include a fat quarter or two with the magazine. I'll leave the give-away open until Wednesday, March 27, around lunch time. Thanks to everyone that entered, the give-away is now closed.

Leave a comment and I'll send you this magazine.

How about you? Are you sewing Easter Dresses this year?

Finally Finished!

Just in time to meet my February goal for the Lovely Year of Finishes, I finally finished my Maple Leaf Rag Quilt top.

Maple Leaf Rag, pattern by Sarah Fielke in Material Obsession 2

I am so thankful that it is done. Each and every ring has 6 different prints. That's 240 different prints! And that's not including the crazy pieced kites. And to make my day, Sarah Fielke, the mastermind behind this gorgeous pattern even commented on one of my instagram photos. What a way to make my day!

I found the perfect backing fabric on sale a while ago, Flea Market Fancy brown posies.  It seems fitting to put one of my all time favourite prints on the back on one of my favourite quilts.

Maple Leaf Rag and Backing all ready for the the long-armer

Now I have an empty design wall. (Please ignore my ironing cover...clearly I need a new one). I have so many UFO's to finish...perhaps it is time to pull out one of those?

Blank Design Wall. What next?

Or maybe I could start just one new project?

Thanks for enduring all of the posts about this quilt. I dropped it off to a local long-armer on Tuesday, so I should have some finished pictures to share soon.

Linking up with a Lovely Year of Finishes.

Join Us!

Okay, the TEXT Me a Charm Swap: Canadian Edition is officially open. We are now full!

Come and Join Us!