Odds & Ends

I haven't been sewing as much in the last week or two. I have done some art, like this collection of heart-shaped balloons. 

I painted the background on this rock that I painted a heart on more than a year ago. 

I took a walk by the pond and saw these turtles stacked up in the sunshine.

And I bought a box of So Fine thread from Superior threads to replace colors I had used up. What have you been up to?

Pieces of Love: Quilting (again)

For my second try at quilting this quilt, I decided to use Echoed Curves from Longarm League. 

I admit I'm a sucker for an edge-to-edge that filles the space and doesn't hint at where one row starts and the next starts. Echoed Curves is one of those. 

It quilted out beautifully and I think it added great texture to the quilt.

Here it is, trimmed and ready for binding. 

I grabbed this fabric from my collection for binding. Binding is cut, sewn, and pressed. I just need to get it attached. My new favorite ruler for cutting binding is the Stripology XL. It makes cutting binding super fast and accurate. I don't think I'll ever cut binding with another ruler. 

Pattern: Pieces of Love

My favorite tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle 

Creative Grids 4.5" x 12.5" Rectangle Quilting Ruler

Creative Grids Quilt Ruler 6-1/2" Square

Fiskars Rotary Cutter

Fiskars Rotary Cutter replacement blades
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Fiskars 8-inch scissors

Juki TL-2010Q

Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion

Dritz Craft Pins, 1-3/4-Inch (250-Count)

Electric Quilt

Project box: IRIS 12" x 12" Portable Plastic Storage Cases with Built-in Handle, Clear (storage)

Letter Openers

Fiskars Rotating Cutting Mat 14 inch x 14 inch

Creative Grids Stripology XL Ruler

Pieces of Love: (Un-)Quilting

I picked this beautiful color thread to quilt my Pieces of Love quilt.

I loaded it up and ready to quilt.

I quilted two rows of this delightful all-over feather. And hated every stitch. It was too dense. It didn't come close to what I imagined this would look like stitched out on this quilt. 

Then, over the course of the week, I spent over four hours ripping out those two rows of quilting. It was back breaking, exhausting, and sad. 

It made quite a mess. And I ripped more than a couple holes in the backing fabric. Thank goodness I bought the wide backing. 

After all that ripping, I spent more time cleaning up the threads and pressing the quilt top, with starch, to get it smoothed out enough to quilt again. My Pieces of Love quilt will get quilted. Just not with these fancy feathers.

My favorite tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle 

Creative Grids 4.5" x 12.5" Rectangle Quilting Ruler

Creative Grids Quilt Ruler 6-1/2" Square

Fiskars Rotary Cutter

Fiskars Rotary Cutter replacement blades
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Fiskars 8-inch scissors

Juki TL-2010Q

Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion

Dritz Craft Pins, 1-3/4-Inch (250-Count)

Electric Quilt

Project box: IRIS 12" x 12" Portable Plastic Storage Cases with Built-in Handle, Clear (storage)

Letter Openers

Fiskars Rotating Cutting Mat 14 inch x 14 inch

Creative Grids Stripology XL Ruler

Getting Hexie with It

Sometimes I have a few minutes to work on a hexie flower. That's it, that's the entire post. Someday I will finish this project. Someday. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars Rotary Cutter

Fiskars Rotary Cutter replacement blades
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion

Fiskars Micro-Tip Scissors, 5 Inch

Fiskars X-Large Squeeze Punch, Hexagon - this thing turns junk mail into hexie papers!

Flexible Rubber Thimbles

Sewline Water-Soluble Fabric Glue Pen with Refill

Getting Hexie with It

I'm still working on my hexie flowers. 

Each week I finish a few more. 

Some weeks are more productive than others. I never thought this would be a quick project. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars Rotary Cutter

Fiskars Rotary Cutter replacement blades
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion

Fiskars Micro-Tip Scissors, 5 Inch

Fiskars X-Large Squeeze Punch, Hexagon - this thing turns junk mail into hexie papers!

Flexible Rubber Thimbles

Sewline Water-Soluble Fabric Glue Pen with Refill

Getting Hexie with It

I finished up the basting of the rest of my little hexies a couple weeks ago. 

Yesterday I stacked them up into planned flower sets. 

Then I filled my hexie project bag with all those sets. Now I can easily grab a single flower and get stitching. Someday, I will have a quilt top. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars Rotary Cutter

Fiskars Rotary Cutter replacement blades
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion

Fiskars Micro-Tip Scissors, 5 Inch

Fiskars X-Large Squeeze Punch, Hexagon - this thing turns junk mail into hexie papers!

Flexible Rubber Thimbles

Sewline Water-Soluble Fabric Glue Pen with Refill

Getting Hexie with It

Week number two of using the Sewline Water-Soluble Fabric Glue Pen I'm back to show you my progress. This time I managed to baste nearly 100 hexies with a single stick of glue. The stack of fabric that still needs to be basted is so much smaller. I ordered my refills from Amazon and they should be here this week.  

A note about affiliate links: Even if you don't buy the products I link to, using my link to get to Amazon counts. If something I share inspires you, and you were going to buy something anyway, click through and shop. If you complete your purchase after following one of my links I will receive a small commission. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars Rotary Cutter

Fiskars Rotary Cutter replacement blades
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion

Fiskars Micro-Tip Scissors, 5 Inch

Fiskars X-Large Squeeze Punch, Hexagon - this thing turns junk mail into hexie papers!

Flexible Rubber Thimbles

Sewline Water-Soluble Fabric Glue Pen with Refill

Getting Hexie with It

After a week of using the Sewline Water-Soluble Fabric Glue Pen I'm back to show you my progress. I would make a few of these most evenings. At the end of the week I had consumed the glue and basted 75 hexies. I think that's pretty good. I've changed the glue and am back at it. I wonder if I will get as many next week. Hopefully I will be close. That stack of fabric still needs to be basted. I already have more refills in my Amazon cart. Once I finish the basted I will be back to sewing flowers. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars Rotary Cutter

Fiskars Rotary Cutter replacement blades
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion

Fiskars Micro-Tip Scissors, 5 Inch

Fiskars X-Large Squeeze Punch, Hexagon

Flexible Rubber Thimbles

Sewline Water-Soluble Fabric Glue Pen with Refill

Getting Hexie With It

I've been thread basting my hexies. By the way, these are my absolute favorites scissiors for snipping thread. I have a pair near my long arm and this pair in my hexie kit. Linked at the bottom of the post. 

I decided to give the Sewline Fabric Glue Pen a try. 

This kit (linked at the bottom of the post) comes with the glue pen and one refill. 

One is basted with thread, the other with glue. I don't sew through the papers when basting. I only stitch through the fabric on the back side. This means the papers are easier to remove when it comes time to do so. 

I'm pleased enough with the results that I plan to keep using the glue basting; at least until I run out. It is quicker that thread basting, though not by much. That will give me enough time to decide if I really like it better. Have you tried both thread and glue basting for English paper piecing? 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars Rotary Cutter

Fiskars Rotary Cutter replacement blades
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion

Fiskars Micro-Tip Scissors, 5 Inch

Fiskars X-Large Squeeze Punch, Hexagon

Flexible Rubber Thimbles

Sewline Water-Soluble Fabric Glue Pen with Refill

Getting Hexie With It

As I was working on my hexie flowers I realized I didn't know where the rest of the flowers were hiding. This later afternoon sun is not helping me take good photographs. 

I poked around in my sewing room until I found what I was looking for: a box labeled "Hexies". Sometimes I get it right. So many great things in that box. A big stack of finished flowers, two more 5" charm packs, a bunch of hexie papers, and some larger pieces of coordinating fabric. 

I cut those last 5" charms into 2.5" charms and put them with the hexie papers. I'll be basting for a while. I may splurge and buy some basting glue. I'm not sure, though. Thread basting is great for using up that questionable poly thread I've had for years. The thread only has to last long enough to get the quilt top pieced. However long that will take. Have you been working on any long-term projects? 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars Rotary Cutter

Fiskars Rotary Cutter replacement blades
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion

Fiskars Micro-Tip Scissors, 5 Inch

Fiskars X-Large Squeeze Punch, Hexagon

Flexible Rubber Thimbles

Not all Sewing is Glamorous

I know many a maker that will deny they mend or hem pants. I won't say that. What I will say is that I only mend for two people. The two people who live in my house. If you don't live here, don't even ask.

I'm sharing this project more to give you a quick review of the Juki TL-2010Q which I used for this project. Anyone that has tried to hem jeans on a cheap, plastic, domestic machine can tell you it is no simple task.

I only needed to shorten my jeans by about 1.5". First, I trimmed off the existing hem with my Fiskars 8-inch scissors. These are the titanium coated scissors and they are great. 

I didn't want to muck about with fraying of the bottom edge, so I took a couple minutes to clean up the edge with the serger. 

I pressed a double hem and threaded the machine with some blue thread. I used Superior Threads Omni for the top thread. 

Here is a close-up of the top stitching. The Juki TL-2010Q didn't even hesitate going over the bulky side seams. With any cheap, plastic, domestic sewing machine you might have to slow down over those areas to make sure you didn't break a needle, or bog down the motor. The Juki didn't miss a beat. Great job!

Start to finish: 30 minutes. Worth my time to keep from walking on the hem of my pants.

Tools (affiliate links):
BLACK+DECKER Vitessa Advanced Steam Iron
Fiskars 8-inch scissors
Juki TL-2010Q

The Random Update

It seems I haven't managed to finish much in the last few weeks, so this post is just a mash up of a bunch of stuff I have been working on.

I received my order of goodies from Strapworks.com. I made a small error when placing my order, so now I have 1/2" strapping and 3/4" hardware. It won't slow me down one bit, but it did teach me something about checking the cart twice before checking out.

My Rise of Tribes (Amazon affiliate link) game from Breaking Games came in. It is a fun little game. It is a quick play, too.

I caked up some yarn I dyed. I think this is going to become a crescent shawl. I have to settle on a pattern. But I am eyeing up Stephen West's Knit and Slide. Maybe with a different knit border. I'm still thinking about it.

I started another Dotted Rays shawl by Stephen West. This time I'm using a trick I learned making the Marled Magic Shawl to blend some fingering weight together into fun new shades. We'll have to see how that works out. The best part is I'm finally using this yarn for something I like knitting.

New thread came from Superior Threads. Thread colors are like Pokemon, gotta catch 'em all!

I finished a Tensfield hat designed by Martina Behm. This is a great one-skein project.

I listened to an episode of The Moth Radio Hour and remembered how good it is.

I continued working on my pink crochet shawl.

I guess I have done many things in the last week or so. I just haven't finished a thing. What have you been up to?

All the Thread

A couple weeks ago I told you about my thread problem. I've been working on getting my upgraded thread rack built and installed in my thread closet (yes, I need a closet to hold it all, I'm not even sure all of it is in there).

Here is a look at what my thread storage looked like before I started.

This woodworking project took two people and more hours than I cared to count. We cut a bucket-full of pegs. Mostly because my planning was more than a little off. Not that that work will be wasted.

We drilled hundreds of holes. I was overly proud of this jig to help me evenly space the holes.

We constructed the frame. The staple gun paid its rent on that day.

And I glued hundreds of pegs into those holes. 

In the end, I had a new thread rack, with the capacity to hold about 280 spools of thread.

I grabbed my bin full of thread and started sorting. 

I don't know that this is the final layout, but it is a start. I didn't realize how many cones of tan-to-brown thread I had compared to the other colors. Not nearly enough blue and purple in my opinion. Good selection of grays, though. All the cones on the far right are King Tut and Fantastico, for those times you need a variegated thread. The others are my very favorite long arm quilting thread So Fine#50 from Superior Threads.

This doesn't include the threads I still have on small spools. I'll need to build another rack for those. Thank goodness I still have some materials left over.

Tools (affiliate links)

• Hitachi staple gun, air hose, and air compressor
• Black & Decker Jigsaw, and cordless drill
• Titebond Premium Wood Glue
• Simple hand tools one might need (such as needle-nose pliers to pull out poorly aimed staples, a hammer to pound in pegs that don't want to fit, a Sharpie for marking, a carpenter's square for marking and cutting straight).