Art, Craft and Needlework, January, 2010

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Nancy
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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, January, 2010

Postby Nancy » Wed Jan 27, 2010 2:54 pm

I am beyond the half way point with the granny squares,
I am hoping the yarn holds out until I have them done!

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Harmony
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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, January, 2010

Postby Harmony » Wed Jan 27, 2010 7:36 pm

Oh, no, Nancy, I hope you don't run out too.

So I'm happily, slowly, cutting out squares and DH comes in and watches for a minute. He wants to help by bringing in sheet of plywood, setting it up as template and zipping off long strips for me in an instant...this was after his question, why can't I just cut it off in the paper cutter? :shock:

I told him he was in charge of building houses and I am in charge of sewing. He's convinced I'm doing everything the hard slow way. Maybe.....

:lol:

Anyway, I mentioned the quilt frame I thought I got rid of when we moved, and he took me out to his shop and showed me where he put it! Yay, we still have it, I thought it was long gone. So now I can't wait to get to that part.

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Harmony
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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, January, 2010

Postby Harmony » Fri Jan 29, 2010 12:53 am

I'm bleary eyed from so much sewing, but the top is all pieced now except for the two stripes I'm putting all the way around. Going to leave the very end corners for a fussy-cut square of teddy bears that I've put in the center.

Not all the squares are joined 100% correctly. I'd say 98% of them are right on. A couple little errors. And one row of squares is 1/4" narrower than all the others. Made a mistake and had to follow it all the way down. Doesn't show to anyone but me!

I learned a lot doing this. I got better and quicker as I went along.

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Harmony
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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, January, 2010

Postby Harmony » Fri Jan 29, 2010 9:24 pm

Well, the material arrived and I'm not sure if I can use it or not. It's beautiful and soft but a little stiffer than I'm sure I can quilt through. I washed it to see if it would change the texture, but it's the same. It sure would make a beautiful valence or cushion or curtain. Gonna talk with DD & see if there's anything she needs for her new nursery - there's a window in there.

Bought a substitute fabric while I was out. Disappointed at the selection both in the internet and in our stores.

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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, January, 2010

Postby Harriet » Sat Jan 30, 2010 12:52 am

Oh, Harmony, that is a shame (although they get points for fast shipping). The backing of a baby quilt ought to feel the way you want it to. Yes, get some use out of it as curtains, or, you could make a simple pillow to give along with the quilt. Probably good you just went ahead and bought a substitute. The only other thought I had was ebay.

The "Festival Star" quilt block pattern that I enlarged for the outer part of the center medallion had a flaw in the original pattern. It would have caused only a small problem in the regular size block, but in the 20-inch block it was going to cause a big one. My first clue was that dd11, in looking at the template, said one side of the top of the diamond shape was longer than the other. I brushed her off, and said whatever it was I could deal with it. But as I started piecing I saw it was a big deal after all. Thankfully, I can see how to shave one-eighth inch off of one lower side of the diamond and make it right. Yikes. Could have been something hair-pulling, though.

We've lost our camera (that happens regularly- it'll turn up) or I would have posted a photo of the "strata" (3 fabric strips sewn together) and how the template shapes are cut out of it. It's neat. I have most of the outer medallion cut out.

Thank goodness for the flannel design wall because it keeps all these pieces secure for me when I just slap them up there.

I'll try out some of the shapes at the triangle/edges for a border idea, too. I don't want to get carried away, though, because I want the quilt done, not perfectionist.

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Harmony
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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, January, 2010

Postby Harmony » Sat Jan 30, 2010 12:11 pm

I have a quilt book by Marsha McCloskey and in it she says if you do an otherwise different or imperfect square to put it in anyway for added individuality/interest. Wise words!

My 16" x 16" middle square was out of square 1/4" so I just took an extra large seam on that side, not considering what that did to the quilt all the way down. I did take apart and redo two others, but not redoing everything that turned out 1/16" off. There's only a few spots.

Harriet, your DD has a good eye to see that. I am spacially (or whatever word fits) challenged and cannot tell 1/4" from 1/2" by eye, so that makes things hard.

Back of my quilt will have to be pieced 2/3 of the way down the length seamed across the width. New back is cream with dark blue dots and maroon tiny squares spaced about 1" all over. Not what I wanted but certainly more interesting than plain muslin.

What depth batting do you recommend?

Nancy, how are you coming with your project?

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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, January, 2010

Postby Harriet » Sat Jan 30, 2010 2:33 pm

I'd just make sure it is "drapable". Don't get one of the ones that is so thick and dense it doesn't let the quilt drape softly over the edge of a bed (or child). That's the mistake I made on dd11's kindergarten quilt - I think it was 100% cotton. Also don't get anything that says "high loft" or "cloud loft" - it will make quilting more difficult because it is really meant for tied quilts. A lot of people would say polyester for a child's quilt because it might be washed many times and need to keep its shape; also it's easy to quilt through. But there are some good cotton/poly blend battings available now and they combine the best of both worlds - warm but drapable, easy to quilt and still holds the shape. Quilter's Dream is a common brand name, 70 percent cotton, 30 percent poly, and it does fine, with their crib size at 46 inches wide.

I can't believe you are already to the quilting stage!
If you don't believe in miracles, you're not being realistic.

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Harmony
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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, January, 2010

Postby Harmony » Sat Jan 30, 2010 3:42 pm

Oh, not that far along yet. But sometimes I don't have a car here and I want to be prepared. So you think high loft is too much bulk? Package says 1/2". I still have the 2 stripes to do all the way around and piece backing.

Find your camera yet? I've just done a whole house search for my camera case. I have the camera, owners' instruction booklet, last roll of film that I took out, but first roll and case is missing. I've looked everywhere.

Maybe I left it in Sunny's house?

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Nancy
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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, January, 2010

Postby Nancy » Sat Jan 30, 2010 5:57 pm

I have less than a dozen granny squares to finish up;
I'm to the last of the yarn good news however is that it's not dye lot
red heart so I should be okay and be able to get more so I can finish this up.
Will wait to do a store run until we are on the mend however.

I have some dish clothes to crochet together for a project to work on
in the mean time.


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