Screeching Halt..........

I would like to say that I LOVE my Janome. I've had Precious for just about two years now; and she's been an absolute dream.

The more I learn the craft of sewing, the more I discover what she and I can do together.

Each discovery of 'foot' and 'plate' is super exciting to me.

Here she is. I love this machine.

Is it weird that I consider my machine (Precious) more than just a tool; more like a co-worker?

Well, sometimes co-workers get sick or just have an off day.

Precious is going to the doctor today - the tension has gone completely wonky. And now, the thread is catching on something and burrs up, and ...snaps.

I did all I could do. Cleaned, oiled, adjusted bobbin, thread, and needle.

Then last night I had a revelation....what has recently changed. What's the variable in the equation that is different....

A few weeks ago I had wrecked my 1/4 inch foot.

 (Don't ask.)

SO I went to my local sewing shop, where my Precious came from - to replace the foot. I was given what I thought was the same....but oh no. No it wasn't. The place where the needle goes in was NARROWER than the one I was using.  You can see how technical I am here.

The problem was; when sewing over seam intersections; the needle would sometimes 'move' to the right slightly and then BAM!! All sorts of sounds and sirens would go off - and my machine would freeze. The needle was hitting the foot. And jarring the whole system back up through the tension disks....le sigh. You can see where this is going.

So all day yesterday I was fighting with the tension on my machine. An entire

quilt top has had to be re-sewn together. I had to pick out half of the FMQ design on a custom order for Christmas.

The silverlining is: I went back to the Singer store, and the guy was like, NO problem. Bring your machine, bring the foot, we'll switch it out, tune up your machine, make it right. (There is a cost involved, but I figured, two years, I'm due for a tuneup.)

So .....no sewing today. Working on some scarves instead.

Gah. Tis the season!!!

On a happier note; I decorated the house for Christmas this week!

The annual "Which Damn Bulb is the Burnt Out One" game

All done! Pretty lights.

Night time shot.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

One Day Wonderwoman Quilt

A very good friend of mine recently turned 40, and so of course, I knew exactly what to get her. 

Wonder Woman is a shared hero of ours, and when I found this Wonder Woman fabric in Lens Mills, (despite the crazy high price) I decided WHAT THE HECK you only turn 40 once!!!

I already had the perfect navy blue with white stars fabric kicking around, and added some bright red & gold cotton solids from my stash.

So here is the trick for making A Quilt in a Day.

1. Start early.

2. No one else around (cats don't count).  A luxury, I know.

3. Have a solid plan/pattern in mind, draw it out & have the math done.

4. Have your batting & backing ready to go.

5. Free Motion Quilt to finish it up and use purchased binding strips.

So I had the pattern already sketched out; a basic "Strip Quilt" design with varying widths of fabric.

I knew I was making a larger sized lap quilt,  and the width of the fabric 45" was perfect for this.

I cut strips using my handy dandy Olfa rotary cutter. I had just put on a new blade...let me tell ya. Ain't nuffin' like using a new blade to slice through fabric. Like buttah.

The strips measured out cut easily and I just draped the strips in the order I wanted them across my cutting table. I sewed them together in order and folded the quilt in my lap as I went.

Once sewed together iron the seams down.

All laid out in the familiar sandwich. I use spray baste 505 to baste layers.

Heading downstairs to put on the batting & backing. I recently have been going through all the blankets and flannel sheeting I have and whittling it down by using it for batting. Why not? 

It washes well and as we know already, it's cozy and warm. So I used a cozy fleece blanket for batting.

The backing is this amazing fabric I blogged about before; it is African Wax Print fabric and wow. Stunning colour (yes, I know it's B&W) and patterns; and the perfect neutral to even out any crazy front pattern.

I use painters' tape to tape down the backing layer on the floor. Then I add the batting, smooth out all wrinkles and baste them together with Spray Baste 505. I love this stuff. It works like a dream and even if you have to leave a project and come back days weeks later; it's still adhering.

 I digress.

Add the top layer by repeating process of laying, smoothing & spraying baste.

 I also use some pins on the edges, just in case. A few more in the middle and I'm all set to go back up and Quilt!

The Finish.

I love the scrunched up look.

I love to Free Motion Quilt (FMQ). Adjust your stitch length to a longer stitch, slow down your speed and put on your FMW foot.

Closed toe; I use the Janome cuz that's what machine I have.

Technically the Darning Foot; but well, it's my FMQ foot. I actually prefer the closed toe rather than the open toe; I found the open would sometimes catch on the thread pattern if you weren't careful. Learning, always learning!

I chose to do a "WW" loose pattern, big sweeping "W's". I used an off white thread and it nearly disappeared on the backing side.

A bright blue premade bias tape binding finished this one off, and a wash on the gentle cycle and air dry had this quilt all set, in less than 10 hours!

................. and of course, it's Muffin approved.

So there you have it. I started around 8am and finished snipping the threads around 8pm.

And it was given with lots of love, and I know it is appreciated & will be cherished for years to come....

Sphinx reclining gracefully on the Wonder Woman Quilt in its new home.
XOXOXO Kelly!! Happy Birfday!!!

By the way... NEW Machine!

For Christmas, I received the most wonderful gift ever.....

My new beautiful Janome QDC4030!!!!

I had my old Brother machine for 12 years; the same machine sewed every curtain, every quilt, every costume for every show I've been in or costumed for the last 12 years. And that's a lot. And never a problem, it was a midlevel machine and did everything I asked it to....but alas, the quiltmaking was starting to prove too much. Tension was never right, no matter what, thread breaking, rough edges on the bobbin case, you name it. Wobbly seams, the works.

The End came when I was frantically sewing the final touches on Adult size Onesie Superhero Jammies (yep, Christmas gift, from the KWIK Sew pattern and they're supercute) and my Brother ATE the elastic fabric. Yep. Ate it. Right down thru the feed dogs past the point of no return. And....yep, you guessed it...the Tantrum commenced. With the yelling and the screaming and the throwing of the thread....and of COURSE that was the moment J decided to arrive home...aaaaand witnessed the Horrible Tantrum In Progress.

And that was that. Tears were dried, boots were put on, and off we went to the local mall. I thought, to distract me from the events. Nope. Went to the Singer store.....and ... there She was.

I absolutely LOVE her....she's not named yet...but My Precious keeps coming to mind...(not in a creepy way)!

I love her though, did I mention that??? Great stitch functions, ALL the feet I will ever need ( oh yeah...1/4 inch, walking, open toe, you name it) auto needle up/down, the COOLEST thing where i can UNPLUG the electric pedal and go foot free with the easy start/stop button, that's so neat. I love it.  Best of all, it sews a straight line. LAUGH.

I've got a few projects in progress, more later. I teach tonite, this semester we're taking on some SHAKESPEARE and gulp, SWORDFIGHTING!!!! Aiee. Fun though!