Third Infinity

I think I finally found my niche in the quilting/sewing world-- Free Motion Embroidery. If you've never seen it, or tried it, and you love needlework, you might like this. http://usaapp.husqvarnaviking.com/education/pdf/2912.pdf   I feel like I've come home. I can't embroider or cross stitch anymore. My hands won't take it. However, with my sewing machine doing most of the work, I'm churning out stuff like crazy, and playing like a kid again. My present work is a modern take on Broiderie Perse ( http://www.womenfolk.com/quilting_history/broderieperse.htm ) I've taken a lovely rose chintz pattern and cut the rose bouquet carefully away from its original background. Now I'm stitching it to an emerald green tee shirt. To open up the tee shirt so you can get at the front easily, you remove the side seams and underarm seams on the sleeves. I've basted the rose bouquet down, and now I'm using free motion to enhance the design and highlight what I ...

Quilting 101-- Cutting Commentary: There's a certain amount of repetition in all of this as far as preparing to cut. There's a reason. Get into the habit now of taking your new fabric out of your shopping bag and throwing it directly into the apprpriate laundry hamper. Yeah, take a moment to gloat over your loot, but wash the fabric now. When it's dry again, iron it. Fold selvage to selvage. Put it and all the other stuff (pattern, thread, notions, etc) into one project bag. (Remember I mentioned those 2 gallon Ziploc bags?) The first few patterns in the Super Quilter and Reader's Digest books await us, and cutting is very simple. We're talking straight lines, okay? What few special stuff is cut with scissors, like a paper heart pattern. So just read the next few lessons and just learn. Easy! However, I would like some feedback. This stuff is work, and I'd rather know someone is actually interested and learning.

Never ask an advanced quilter how to do applique. You'll get a non-answer of, "Oh, there's hundreds of ways. I really can't begin to tell you all the various techniques." Then you get a discourse of on the various kinds of appliques most favored by that quilter that may or may not be for the beginning quilter, except you don't even understand the terms. After beating my head against a wall, I gave up. Today I just watched the second in a three-part series about applique from the tv show, Sewing With Nancy ( http://www.nancysnotions.com/product/sewing+with+nancy/books/applique+know+how+workbook.do?search=basic&keyword=BK2314&sortby=newArrivals&page=1 ) and I was really impressed. Finally, I got to see a demonstration I not only understood, but was equipped to do. Amazing! Between that show (I want the book and DVD set) and some very patient instruction from Ruth Brittain and Sandy Hamilton of my guild, I get it at long last. I more than get it. I wa...

Quilting 101- General Marking and Cutting Instructions (Chapter One of Super Quilter referenced) Boy-oh-boy! I'm changing a lot of this chapter. Some of the basic info is good, but much has changed since the early 1980's. Squares are the fundamental basis of piecework. This is like learning your ABC's for all the stuff you learn later, so don't think you can skip this. If you like, you can do a tooth fairy pillow to practice. It's easy, and a nice gift for your kids. (Yeah, Susan. Make it now and put it away for later.) An alternate might be a hot pad for placing your hot pans on the counter. You won't need special heat resistant fabric for this. It's just a trivet-like barrier, but by the same token don't use it to take hot stuff out of the oven. You don't want to burn your hand. General Instructions Wash all fabric immediately upon purchase. Get into this habit now. It's highly important to get all the harsh chemicals and sizing out as well...

Supplies and Demands Part Two Okay, back to the supplies. I remind you that I’m drawing info from the Super Quilter book. However, I hope to have the "Patchwork, quilting, & appliqué (Reader's Digest)" by Jenni Dobson. Believe it or not, I just bought it from Amazon.com for a mere fifty cents. No, that’s not a typo; a hard cover book that gives excellent lessons and projects for a mere fifty cents. The shipping costs more. I may pull projects and lessons from both books. I’m really impressed with both, and I think both have value. A. THREAD 1. For piecing and appliqué, common sewing thread is fine. She does recommend acquiring the basic colors: black, white, natural, red, yellow, blue, and green. 2. Quilting thread had also become readily available. Threads are designated by weight, so 12 weight is what you want. There are almost as many colors in quilting thread as the more common all-purposed threads. 3. You may wish to acquire 40-weight rayon for “...

Supplies and Demands for Quilting As I read this chapter of Super Quilter by Carla J Hassel, I’m struck by how much has changed in the past 20+ years since she sat down to write it. My amusement has faded to awe. I’m now wondering how my grandmothers managed with a cigar box as a sewing box, a set of hand-sewing needles, pins, scissors, thread, beeswax, chalk, a ruler, tape measure, pin cushion, thimble, seam ripper, and fabric. They made do or did without. Now I admire my lovely computerized sewing machine, my collection of rulers and templates, stabilizers, Heat-n-Bond, glues, and myriad of gadgets available. Am I the one deprived because I’m not sitting around a frame with other women, learning from those who came before me? Maybe I am. They fearlessly attacked their ignorance and knew they had a lifetime to perfect their skills. So I use a plastic tote and a photo box instead of a cigar box. It’s not a crime. I made my own pincushions from my early experiments with different...

I'll start by inserting the scanned page from the book. You'll need to save it to your computer and print it out or look at it with the Zoom feature. After that, we'll discuss it via Comments. Okay, now for the discussion. I'll post the list of supplies ASAP. I'll post the page with a template or pattern when it's needed. Once again, I remind you to save the plastic lids to margarine tubs, coffee cans, sour cream containers, and similar plastic lids. You'll need many. Also, save as many of the plastic inserts in bacon packages as you can. These will come in especially handy for some of the larger templates. I've looked at them, and they are some of the most common templates available. You'll want permanent copies.  I suggest you think very seriously about color schemes. You may have already noticed a theme or color scheme you particularly favor. For instance, I'm well known for loving hot tropical colors like Caribbean blue, hot pink, and ...

I've already spoken with TJ about this by phone, since her internet will be out for another few days. She's in, so I'm including her in these emails. (Susan, you may include Elf in this if she wishes.) I'll also be posting this on my Third Infinity blog. I found among some of the books Karen DeAngelo gave me a book called, "You can be a Super Quilter!" by Carla J. Hassel. (ISBN 0-87069-294-1) I've hyperlinked it to the Amazon.com listing, where it's on sale for cheap if you want your own copy. What a great book! It's like a workbook, taking you step by step through the process. The plan is for me to scan the pages and discuss them with you, page by page and lesson by lesson. Eventually, we'll all be learning together and doing the "homework" together via the internet. Upon occasion, we can learn about alternative methods using more modern conveniences or options, since the book was written thirty years ago. However, this book w...

Use Wall Space for Storage!    Empty wall space can become a useful storage area, and it's a great way to keep scissors and other scrapbook tools out of little hands. Go to the thrift store to save big bucks and dig through the wall art for a frame whose shape or texture you like. Don't worry about color, or even if it has glass. You can change the color, and you don't need the glass anyway. Now go to the hardware store and cut a piece of pegboard to size, and secure the pegboard inside the frame. Give the wall hanging a coat of paint for a uniform look. Paint the frame in a contrasting color if desired, and decorate to suit your personal tastes. My mother, a veteran of both oil painting and stained glass art, changes frames the way we change clothes. one frame of a seascape is covered with an old thick rope she salvaged from the beach. For another, she recycled a few silk flowers to match the painting in the frame. Use your imagination and indulge your senses in...

Wow, it's really amazing where you can find a fellow Flybaby. This past weekend, I went to Quiltfest 2010, and I eagerly ran to hear the featured speaker, Bonnie Hunter. While I'm not much on trunk shows, she was famous for her organizational techniques for scrap management and stash control. While my stash isn't out of hand yet, I didn't want to get that way. We arrived for the trunk show in plenty of time and happily took our seats. How shocked and pleased I was when Bonnie opened up her show by asking how many of us in the room were Flybabies! My hand shot up eagerly, and she picked me to ask if my sink was shiny! I nodded, grinning. Yes, I'd shined my sink and done all my morning routine including hanging out a load of laundry. I was a proud Flybaby! Women all around me asked "What's FlyLady?" and I gave out lots of little scraps of paper with www.FlyLady.net written on it. (grin) OMG! Bonnie's whole scrap management system w...

I just have to show off this new block pattern for Randy's birthday quilt.

Just a quick little brag on release day for Man vs. Wild I just had to share my new quilt. It was paper-pieced, and the pattern came from AllPeopleQuilt.com. It was the 2009 Calendar Quilt Free Pattern. Lena Austin "Stop fighting the Wild," said the coyote. Coming Soon: Man vs. Wild http://www.LenaAustin.com

Karen DeAngelo and I were talking this morning and we wondered just how many scrappy gifts we could come up with. This is our list. Can you come up with more? Definition of Scrappy for my blog friends: Scraps leftover from projects. Scrappy Gifts to Give Bookmarks Hackysacks/beanie balls for children Grocery bags Plastic Grocery Bag tubes for recycling Lunch bags Ipod/Cell/Messenger bags Eyeglasses case Puppets, Teddy bears, and stuffed beanies Tooth Fairy Pillows Ring Bearer Pillows Neck pillows and U-shaped Travel Pillows Spa sets (slippers, tote, do-rag and scrubbie) Potpourri balls and bowls Journal covers, photo albums, guest registers Book and Bible cover totes Poppets and pet toys (catnip mice and chase balls) Pillowcases Scrunchies and hair accessories Gift/Wine bags Small Appliance covers Casserole/Crock Pot totes Tea Cozies Aprons Placemats, runners, napkins, table cloths, napkin rings Holiday themed plate chargers Silverware set holders Picnic sets Pouches Coasters Ta...

I've discovered a certain peace lately in quilting. Yes, I'm sure most of us have read Dorothy Morrison's book on Magical Needlework.