Say it with me..you are a major DORK!!!

How to get rid of part and pieces of bobbins that are don't have a lot of thread left - I lined them up and as I ran out, just re-threaded the machine.

DORK...Why am I a DORK???
Well...sure enough, it has something to do with that despicable math..what else makes me a dork - ok, forget I asked that.


I called the company in Graham Tx that sold the Josephine's Knot quilt pattern I am making.  I explained to the lady that the pattern was all wrong and the instructions on cutting were way off because once I got it on my design wall, nothing was matching up.  She said oh my,  I have made many of these, what happened.  She asked if I cut it exactly as listed in the pattern.  I told her yes.  She started rattling off about seam allowances and this inch and that inch and started talking math speak and by then my brain was just a whirring.  Poor lady had to explain it three times  then....if y'all saw a flash in the sky today, it originated here as I came to the realization of what the problem was.   I got really quiet and she said - hello - hello - I was so embarassed and felt so stupid and told her as much.
HELLLLOOOO...the first row has two seams 1/4 each that = 1/2 inch worth of seams.
The second row has multiple seams that are 1/4 and so when sewn, the row will now match to the first row and so on.


We had a good laugh and I asked the lady if anyone else had called - she said they had but I think she was trying to make me feel better.


Now...I did insert the magnolia block and will attach the rows around it so it isn't the full blown knot pattern.  I chose this one because my mama's name is Josephine.  


I will need to lop off around 1 1/8 inch on the sides and about 2 inches on the ends to make the pieces join up properly.  Yea - yea - that is math too but I will measure several times before I make the final cut.  It will tone the brown down some - it pops out just a little too much.  Actually - I may take the brown off completely and put a soft blue.


This is the quilt will be raffled off at the Mississippi in the Park picnic in June.  Sure hope people like it.


Once it is finished, I am going to make another one -  hey - I have yet another - this is going to be my next quilt.. HA HA


I can just see me dragging my machine to the beach - which by the way is one month away and I still have 6 t-shirts to embroider.
I think I'm taking an extra day off in May.

Total DISASTER!!! Even chocolate won't fix this...

I am ready to start making the top for the Stained Glass Magnolia Quilt that will be raffled off in June at the Mississippi Society of Georgia Picnic.


I carefully folded all the colors around the Magnolia block to get the best color match.


I only have 5 yards of material and was very careful in making a list of what sizes to cut as shown in the instructions and doubly careful in cutting to get the most bang for the yardage.  


I got them all cut and stacked by size/color.  When I was placing the pieces onto the design wall, I thought I was seeing things because the pieces were not lining up with the pattern.  They were up to 3 inch gaps here and there.


I got out the instructions and could not believe my eyes!! See photos...


I stink at math but even I know that 5.5 x 3 is NOT 18 and I didn't even use my fingers and toes...The next row is even worse!!


Sad thing is, I caught the error on the 4th row, bottom photo, right before I started cutting.  Didn't think I had to pull the calculator out to add the block sizes in the rows together.


The company that the pattern came from is going to get an earful Monday morning.


I don't have enough material to recut AND this material came from Scarlet Thread - they are over an hour's drive away AND they are closed on Sunday.  Did I mention the material is BATIK!!  Expensive BATIK....


I am SO upset, but...I will fix it.  Just need to sleep on it.


Just damn..

One....Two...Stretcccchhhh..Threeeeeee..got it...

One..... see the ears...

I knew it was only a matter of time before she could not stand it and had to get the whatever she saw moving over the side of the ironing board.

Two - stretched so much, her toes are spread apart

Three....got it - claw ready to grab my bias binding that was dangling down - she got it too!!  This is a high ironing board - I tried to get her feet while they were dangling IN THE AIR but she let go too fast.

Now, some catching up...I have been remiss in postings lately - I have been embroidering towels, t-shirts - finishing up two quilts and working on the stained glass magnolia panel that will be THE one for THE quilt.   Frixion pens are awesome - draw the design on your square

Sew along the lines, then iron off!!  Pretty neat huh!! The pink thread worked out beautifully - I used different shades for the top and the bottom - I really like these two quilts.  Once I get them completely finished, I will put up photos of how they look.

I did both quilts at the same time because they were not really big - just lap size.  I was a little short on batting so when I finished quilting the first one, I unrolled it, cut off what I needed, roll it back up, butted the batting pieces together and wa-lah - problem solved!!  Note who is right in front of the machine... 

Also note who is right IN FRONT of the embroidery machine while I was trying to finish Gavin's towel - they are never far away.  Chewie has been napping a lot lately - he is tired from chasing chipmunks and birds and needs his beauty rest.

 My trusty thread catcher!!  

 Finally, got a towel finished without the drama of the machine jamming!!

 Got a t-shirt finished too!!

Got started on the girls' shirts

Making a stained glass Butterfly and Cone Flower wall hanging for my little sister and one for my big sister.  We lost our other sister to a sudden heart attack on Mother's Day '08 - she loved Butterflies and she loved purple - they will be in her memory.

I found another  use for my storm door - makes a great light box to trace the pattern onto the background fabric AND the fusible web - just go to the other side of the door - I learned an important lesson about mirror image when I drew out the first Magnolia panel...

First Butterfly panel in progress         

 Miss Nosey popped in to help - after she had a long drink of the distilled water I use in my iron (in the measuring cup)

The stained glass Magnolia Panel for the official quilt that will be raffled is finally finished.

The is the pin farm...I jokingly called it my pinterest - seriously -I really don't understand pinterest.

 Looking good!!

 Looking really good!!

 The last pin farm before I finally got finished

This is it - I think it looks pretty darn good for my first try!! This week, I will be cutting the surrounding pieces that will make up the rest of the quilt.  I do have to sew down the leading though - I think I am going to use clear thread.

Now - a few things you need to know about stained glass quilts.  They use small 1/8 to 1/4 size fusible bias binding which takes either a regular size iron - which is too big or a Clover Mini Iron II which is very handy and the perfect size.  Yes there is a BUT... when they tell you it gets hot - DO NOT TOUCH - they mean it.  And I mean if it falls - LET IT FALL - DO NOT TRY TO CATCH IT...that red plastic - it is for show - and I assure you, if you try to catch it, you WILL not grab the red plastic "cover".  My skin turned white and a week later, the blister popped and now I have yet another scar to tell great stories about!!   This was on MEDIUM!!

It's all better now though - I bought a nice stand to balance it on and so far so good but I do keep a safe distance from the tips.

In my next life, I am going to work for OSHA - if there is a way to get hurt - I'll find it!!

 I have so many things going on in my sewing room, I can barely move around!!  The two pink quilts are for my nieces - all I need to do is sew down the binding, put on the label and they are ready to go.  Still have 8 t-shirts to embroider though - time is quickly slipping away!!  152 days til Disney - 41 days til the beach AND 61 days to get the Magnolia quilt finished!!  Have to find time to work in between. 

Making time for my girl though - we gotta have our hour walk together each afternoon!!  It has turned cold this last couple of weeks though - can't wait for top down beach weather!!

If you want to find your kitten...

This is the quilt back rolled on - it took me less than 7 minutes!!  These clip and seal things are great!!  Holds nicely too.  I also noticed the quilt leaders roll easier with the rods!!  

 I had not seen BeeBee in a while - well...roll on a quilt and the batting seems to call her name - come play in me it whispers...

The Amazon Fairy came two days in a row!!

Having Ray add me to his Amazon Prime account is a dangerous thing - it can be addictive - no tax and free shipping...

The first thing I saw when I was rudely awakened at 6:30 AM or so Saturday morning...I swear, he did not blink the whole time - just stared at me.

Boy was he was H U N G R Y - and kinda scary - I fully expected him to turn into Betty White after I fed him because I immediately got an I love you headbutt.  His claws are sharp and if you don't hear him the first time, he WILL tap you on the nose.

Embroidery Machine....AAAGGGHHHH

$141 bucks later....still the same problem - hope they fix it - I have one day short of two months to finish embroidering ten t-shirts and 9 beach towels...  On the bright side - it did make a nice pom pom looking knot.  Took it back to the shop Monday morning - still waiting to hear back.

 

 What the Amazon Fairy brought me on Day One...

These are made by Clip and Seal - the quilting sites sell them as Red Snappers - for over $100 plus tax and shipping...well...when "they" said the manufacturer was Clip and Seal - off on a hunt I went...Seriously....mine are white (not red duh..) they are the same length and size AND only $40!!  I've already sewn a loop in the leaders on the machine and slid the tubes in. 

 This is what they do - NO MORE PINNING QUILTS!!!  WOOOO WHOOOOO!!!

NO MORE SLICING MY FINGERS ON PINS WHILE PINNING QUILTS - TRIPLE WOOOO WHOOO - notice the skin is ripped off the side of my finger - yes - it hurt like the dickens - still does.

 

What the Amazon Fairy brought me on Day Two...

Yes - you are reading it correctly - there are 100 yards of fusible bias tape on this gi-normus roll.  Hey - the quilt shops sell it for 1.40 a yard - it is already fused - no cutting fabric nor buying fabric to cut. Just heat the iron, fuse to project, sew, then quilt.  Done, done and done.

Found it on Amazon for 62 bucks for the whole she-bang - no tax - no shipping.  Good savings of not using gas to go out and buy it (not at Joann's so no coupon to save there), AND I didn't have to pay over $100 for a roll.  A 11 yard roll is 16 bucks - interestingly enough, the patterns I have call for 14 yards - kinda like what happened to the quart tubs of ice cream and the semi-sweet chocolate chips - upped the price and made the package smaller..

 What I am going to use some of the 100 yards of fusible bias binding on.   This is my test quilt - I bought some of the fusible web and had some scrap black fabric.  Believe me - it is a pain in the batooty to take that little less than 1/4 inch side strip and iron it to a 1/4 strip - my hands are too big.  Good excuse in my book.

I'm taking a class on April 21st on how to make a stained glass butterfly panel so I will be able to get some pointers on how to put the biased binding on the magnolia block.

Now, for the BIG NEWS.  This machine - the Janome Horizon7700QCP - THE momma of quilting sewing machines has had a price drop.  A nice price drop - was over 3000 when it came out a couple of years ago.  Well....the guy at the sewing store has made me a deal I may not be able to pass up.......drum roll please...

$2031 - INCLUDING tax.  I'm pretty sure it will fit in my sewing table.  If not,  I have mom's hammer and dad's saw handy.

But...next Monday, the air conditioning folks will be here to charge up my upstairs unit and I'm sure they will give the me bad news that after 36 years of faithful service, it has cooled it's last room.  Anyone that has been here, knows it gets hot up there with irons, machines, lights, not to mention Ray's hot air - ha ha 

Oh what is a girl to do.  This machine is the cat's meow to me - but these hot flashes are killing me - they are back - for the third time and just as awful.  I can get warm but I can't get cool enough...

Speaking of, I have a fever, my ear feels like I've been stabbed, it's crusty on the inside - my brains must be leaking, I just feel absolutely awful so I am going to bed - I even feel too bad to stare at my hunky NCIS guys.