Mending

This is something of a joke at my house. Because I will absolutely fix things, and hem things.

The belt loops on my partners pats had worn through. I sliced up a some denim from another pair of pants and pulled out the belt loop attachments for my Baby Lock. After about thirty minutes of looking for the directions and setting up the machine (it doesn't take long unless you don't use all the features very often. I ended up using the 3/4" attachment.  

This attachment makes quick work of making the belt loop pieces.

In a few minutes I made about four yards of belt loop. 

Then I ripped off the old belt loops, cut the new belt loops, and marked the fold with my Frixion pen, and got sewing.

There you have it. A brand new belt loop. Maybe next time I will use matching thread. Although, then how will you know there was mending?

My favorite tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Creative Grids 4.5" x 12.5" Rectangle Quilting Ruler

Fiskars Rotary Cutter replacement blades

Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
Fiskars 8-inch scissors

Juki TL-2010Q

Dritz Deluxe Seam Ripper

Pilot Frixion Colors Erasable Marker - 12 Colors

Utility Quilts

In 2002 I made this quilt for my husband. It was made with fabrics from one of the big box stores. The calicos were fat quarters of blue fabric. The background was a solid black, and the backing was bleached muslin. This is what I call a utility quilt. A quilt that was made to be used. A quilt to use until it can't be used any longer.  

This quilt has been in use for twenty years. It was starting to show its age and had a few tears, mostly in the muslin backing at the top edge. That loss of structure resulted in tearing of the top. 

I decided the best way to get this quilt back to work was to cut off the bits that had worn. I cut 12 inches off the top of this quilt. 

I ripped back the binding along the edges so I could join it to new binding. 

I pulled a blue print from my stash and cut enough strips to make new binding. I did question why I had cut 3" wide strips for that binding but it doesn't really matter. 

I patched a solitary hole in one of the stars using a scrap of blue fabric. 

Then the repaired quilt was put back onto the bed and will likely live a good life keeping humans and dogs warm for at least another ten years. 

Part of why I wanted to tell this story is to show that you should never feel shame at buying the fabric you can afford and using it to make things. If you take good care of the quilt, it will last many years. If you have to make your quilts out of old sheets and scraps cut from shirts, that's fine, too. I also wanted to show how a quilt can be repaired and continue its life. Just because something has a few rips doesn't mean you have to throw it away. Mending is easy. Giving my partner back his mended quilt is priceless. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle Fiskars Rotary Cutter

Creative Grids 4.5" x 12.5" Rectangle Quilting Ruler

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

Make Do and Mend

I bought a simple tote at one of the big box stores several years ago. One of the handles decided it was giving up. Of course, it did this while it was full of charity quilts. 

That failed strap became this tangled mess. That's okay, I have all the tools needed to fix this bag so it can get several more years of use carrying charity quilts around. 

Step one: measure the width of the strap. We will multiply this by four to determine how wide to cut our fabric strap. 

Step two: use this amazing tool from Bucklebee Bags. This is their Razor Seam Ripper and is a great tool for ripping. I am so glad I came across Bucklebee Bags at a local quilt show a couple years ago. 

Step three: find some suitable fabric. I grabbed some fabric leftover from a quilt backing and cut it to 4" wide by about 44" long. This great video by Daisy Lane Design shows you how to make this style handle. Then I trimmed my handles to the correct length. 

Step four: clip those straps to the bag. 

Step five: stitch the handles to the bag.

Step six: fill the repaired bag with quilts to drop off at Annapolis Quilts for Kids. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle 
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

Package of 100 craft clips

Knitting, Embroidery, Mending, and Games

I don't have a focused post for today. So, we'll go over a bunch of things I've been working on or doing over the last week. 

I've been working on this knitting project this year. I started with the Dotted Rays pattern by Stephen West, but I'm seriously considering making it into a poncho, or infinity scarf. That idea is very nebulous, though. I'll share how it turns out if I figure out how to do it. 

I embroidered a pair of hand towels for friends. The dragons might look a little funny because the water soluble top stabilizer is still showing. After washing they will look much better. Dragon machine embroidery design from Urban Threads Embroidery. 

I did some mending. I picked up this great, heavy, wool coat at the thrift store a couple years ago. The buttons were hanging dangerously loose this winter, so I cut the threads and re-sewed all the buttons back on. Good timing, too, since the weather shifted and the daytime temp was around 20 degrees Fahrenheit earlier this week.

We had some friends over to try out their copy of Thunderstone Quest. After a slow start, we got moving and it seemed to run pretty smoothly. I'm sure our second go-round won't be as bumpy. I got to use my Component Collector by Dog Might Games to keep all the little bits corralled. We also played Pandemic: the Cure and failed to stop the epidemic.

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

Mending Isn't for Fun

I don't mend. I consider my sewing a hobby, a way to unwind, to be creative, not something I do because someone asks me to and I happen to have the skills. This means I don't mend, hem pants, or make things with the "friends and family" discount (meaning free). I will mend, but only for three people. Me. Darling Husband. Our one-and-only offspring (this doesn't happen much after they grow up and move away).

When DH brought up a pair of pants with the button holding on by only a few strands I figured I would have to do some mending after all. Pants have to be worn. (Pants are often considered a silly social convention that we rebel against at home. Ask any toddler and they will let you know how sensible pants are.)

Sewing on a button is quick job and it doesn't take much skill. I was surprised to learn a few years ago that there are grown people that have never learned how to sew on a button. I did offer to teach them, though. Often I would rather teach someone how to do a thing than to do it myself. I won't always be here, after all.

Because he likes to challenge me, DH brought me this one. The button had gotten caught on something and been torn away and lost. (You know all those buttons at the end of the shirt front, the extras? Yeah, DH usually needs those.)

Some scrap fabric, some fusible web (not unlike my quilt fix from last week), and some stay-stitching for the edges, and it was serviceable again. This is one of DH's comfy shirts, so what it looks like isn't as important as the button being there. The dark blue, striped, work shirt was a simple fix with nothing more important than sewing one of those extra buttons on. DH was pleased and I think I'm done mending for the year.

Day 26 of the 31 Day Blog Writing Challenge.