Online Learning

I just finished my first online quilting class. It was such fun! I may never take a "real class" again! I didn't even have to get dressed! PJ's are so comfortable for studying.

I could do the class drawing assignments when ever I wanted. I didn't have to be anyplace at a certain time! This class was about drawing quilting designs on your quilt. Morning, noon or night I could draw for a few minutes, or for hours. I didn't have to load my supplies or my machine or whatever I may need into the car and drive anyplace! You might say "well you missed being with other quilters"----are you kidding! They were everywhere. From around the world literally! All chatting online and sharing pictures, and talking one on one with the quilt instructor and with each other. It was great! I've already signed up for another class.
Another wonderful online learning resource is QNN TV. You can join for a very reasonable price similar to the price of an annual magazine subscription. They also have many free videos. I'm learning about continuos curve quilting on a long arm with Linda Taylor on QNN. The neat thing about learning online is if you "don't get it" the first time, you can back up the video and watch it again. I plan to watch all of LInda's video series. Awesome!

There are hundreds of free tutorial on You Tube about quilting, and on some of the long arm and quilting websites, the teachers are showing how they do some of their techniques . Don't over look the generous Bloggers that are now sharing and teaching quilting online. It's a new way of learning. Roll call---I'll be there!

First Signs of Spring

I went walking around the property today and found the first signs that Spring is on the way.

Snowflake flowers. These are one of the first bulbs to bloom near the wall at the end of the house.



Flowering Quince bush outside the bedroom window.



Single petal Pink Camellia bush. It is loaded with beautiful flowers this season.



The first Daffodils!



These apricot Mini-Carnations. I think they are a bit confused. They don't usually bloom until much later.



This beautiful double petal rose colored Camellia blossom.

Quilt of Valor Finished

This is the latest Quilt of Valor #8 that I have completed on the long arm. This beautiful quilt top was made by a Shirley and her group of Snow Birds in Florida.



I used Carol Olson's 8" inch "Fine Line" Quilters Ruler to do the border and stitch around the stars. Love this ruler! Clear acrylic with etched marking guides and two velcro strips give it grip on the fabric. The two peg handles on the top make it easy to hold in place.

Batting Scissors & Scissors

I've tried several types of scissors for cutting quilt batting. Once upon a time I had the rechargeable battery operated type. I liked them a lot, while they lasted. The built in battery wouldn't hold a charge after about a year, and that was that. No inexpensive way to revive them. The rechargeable sealed battery pack cost about as much as the scissors, which were not inexpensive.

So, it was back to the Fiskers spring loaded type scissors for cutting batting. They work very well, but your hands do get tired when you are cutting long lengths of batting.

And then I saw these "Handi Batting" scissors while browsing around on the net---and Whoa! Now those are big scissors! and they are specifically for cutting batting and no batteries!

I'm a sucker for scissors I gotta tell you. So, these were calling my name!



They run about $29.00 and with those super long sharp cutting blades and roomy angled finger grips---you can cut layers of batting with ease!

Here they are with all my other scissors. Each scissor has a purpose, and place to hang out. I can't explain why I have collected all these scissors! but I think it has something to do with my compulsive behavior of collecting fabric and thread! These are just a glimpse of the "sewing scissors". There are others around the house in desk drawers. Kitchen drawers and bathrooms too.

There are also the pretty scissors. See the last picture for the "pretty scissors"! Here is what I found just looking around the sewing room.


First in the circle are the Batting scissors, and down below is the very inexpensive red handled "Scotch" brand scissors. Since I love Scotch brand tape, I had to try their scissors. They are surprisingly good cutting scissors considering they cost a few dollars at the local hardware store. I found them hanging at one of those tempting cash register displays. I couldn't resist!

Below the Scotch are the two spring loaded Fiskers. (grey and blue). Still sharp after cutting yards of batting.

Next are my two favorite "cut everything" type scissors. I'm not sure "Mundial" make these nice comfortable padded grip scissors anymore. These are about 12 yrs. old and I've had them professionally sharpened once in all that time. They have stayed sharp after cutting for years. Never fail.

Next is a smaller green handled "Clover EX-135" scissor that I keep at the cutting table for clipping loose threads & such. The point on these pair of scissors is like a needle and great for getting around machine embroidery applique, or clipping seams.

The dark blue handled scissors with the lanyard are kept at the long arm. They have slight curved blade, and are good for clipping threads at the needle and not accidentally cutting the quilt top fabric. No brand.

Next, the orange large grip handle scissors with the short blade are Fiskers "chenille fringing scissors", except I don't think I've ever used them for that purpose, the blade depth seams short. So, they just hang out in a drawer in the sewing room. Not used much.

Then there is the beloved little "Stork Scissors". What good hand embroiderer would be without a pair of these in their scissor arsenol? Next to the Stork scissor is a small pair of "Mundial" embroidery type scissors that are more practical than the Stork scissors and get a lot more use when I'm doing hand work.

The next pair is a regular medium weight shiny silver metal dressmaker type "Mundial" scissor. They open and close so smooth. I've found that is an important feature when testing out scissors; that they not only cut well, but open and close with ease.

The next pair of scissors are a close favorite. Dark blue soft coated handle grips, with a shorter 2-1/4" sharp pointy blade. "Famore S-732". They are just a good pair of all around general purpose scissors.

Next are the pretty scissors. I found them at an estate sale. They must be the predecessor to the cute Stork scissors. They appear to be for handwork and embroidery thread clipping. Small short cutting blades with bakelite handles inlaid with yellow gem stones.



I'm sure at one time they were the envy of the ladies sewing bee. I like to think about who may have owned them, and how treasured they must have been.

Design Wall Monday

Design Wall Monday, only it's Tuesday---better late than never, right! This is what is totally on the wall this past week. More String Quilt blocks. I'm auditioning a border for the string quilt. I've finished 8 more paper pieced log cabin diamonds. It's been slow as I've been "stringing' more than paper piecing on the logs. Like I said, the string quilt blocks are very addictive.



I like this border fabric I found in my civil war print fabric stash! This may be the one!



It may not be very noticeable, but the log cabin diamond is expanding, slowly.



And--- Itsy-Bitsy sewing room is overflowing with fabric-strings!



This beautiful quilt top arrived in the mail a few days ago from a group of Quilt of Valor "toppers" in Florida. I'm hoping my Quilt Whispering 101 class experience will help me decide what to quilt on all those stars!



(click on pics. for a larger view)

Design Wall Monday

I didn't get much exercise this week as spent more time in my sewing room than I usually do getting ready for "Design Wall Monday". I did want to show I was sincere about participating and make some progress.

I'm one of "Jenny's Girls", and my counselor was not as impressed with my sewing as an excuse for inactivity as I was, considering I didn't lose even one ounce this week! I've been hitting the sewing room bright and early and then somehow never getting back to to my exercise routine. Excuses, excuses.( I know!)--- Normally I exercise before I do anything else. Not this past week! I can see that this part of my daily routine and Design Wall Monday has got to change already---no more sitting and sewing for hours, drinking coffee, listening to my favorite tunes and generally sludging-out before I break a sweat with those stretchy bands!

I have joined the Heartstrings, and considering how many strips of fabric I have cut and stored over the past year, this should work out perfectly. I have cut and collected bins of 1.5", 2", 2.5- stripes & strings since I became enamored with Bonnie Hunter's scrap storage system. But, honestly, I haven't made much using all these strips and strings I've been cutting up until now. I'm finally going to make use of it all! It's going to be fun seeing how many String Quilts I can make from all these strips! (These are just a few of the strip bins.)



This is what's on the design wall today:

24 String quilt blocks.



And more progress on the Lil Bits~ "Diamond Log Cabin" wallhanging.



I have both of my sewing machines set up. When I get tired of paper piecing on the wallhanging with my Babylock. I have the open toe foot installed on it----Then I switch over to the other side of the sewing table and sew string quilt blocks with the Janome 6600. I keep the Accufeed foot attached on it just for sewing on the strips of fabric to the muslin base fabric. Loving that Janome Accufeed system for this type of piecing. Normally this machine does not get such a work out. It is this week!