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!

Design Wall Monday

I have decided against my better judgement---which at times can be very iffy! to join in with Judy Laquidara's group of bloggers/quilters and participate in "Design Wall Monday" in 2010---see how poorly I'm doing already. It's Tuesday!

I don't feel like it implies I have a deadline to finish anything on my design wall (I hope it doesn't)---it just means I'm showing you any progress I have made from Monday to Monday--right? It could be a lot, a little or zero progress.

I have a fairly large design wall considering my sewing room is about the size of a large shoe box!

If I could, the design wall would be the largest surface in the Itsy-Bitsy sewing room. It pretty much is now, but I mean even bigger would be better!

I don't think you can ever have too much design wall. Mine is approx. 8 feet wide x about 6.5 feet tall. It's some type of core board. (not foam) my husband got at Home Depot. All I know is you can stick straight pins into it fairly easily, and it's rigid and sort of a grey beige stuff. (if you go shopping for design wall board. Take a straight pin with you to test it out). You should be able to poke in whatever it is easily. You will use straight pins to hold some things onto a design wall. Just clingy felt or batting will not do it all the time. Especially if you pin your whole quilt top to the design wall. That's heavy and will fall to the floor sooner or later---

The design wall is covered with Warm n' Natural batting that has been rolled over the edges of the core board and stapled to the back edges, and with strategically placed screws (with washers behind the screw heads so they don't sink into the core board stuff), attached to the wall. It's been in place for at least 7 yrs. now. I occasionally vacuum it off or use a lint roller on it. I think it's one of the best things since sliced bread! Every quilter should have a design wall of some type if you can manage it. Laying out quilts on floors, tables, counters and beds is O.K., but if you have some type of design wall that is eye level, horizontally and vertically--- it's great!

This is what is on the design wall today:

These are some string quilt blocks Amanda and I started, but never finished. Now, that I've seen the beautiful String Quilts on Mary's blog---I want to finish these blocks for a donation quilt.

















A paper piecing project.





















And this wall hanging I finished several years ago that is my "Quilt Whisperer 101" class project. I am going to learn what to quilt on it hopefully by the time I finish the class. Carla Barrett's class I just started at MQResouces.

Over on the side edge of the design wall you can see some machine embroidery blocks I've never finished.



So, there you have it for Design Wall Monday! Thanks Judy for inspiring us!

Donation Quilting

I finished the quilting on these two beautiful donation quilt tops this past week. A lot of great Star blocks were made by this group of quilters!






I used some more of that 80/20 new Legacy batting (nice batting!)--- and Superior So-Fine thread in the bobbin with Superior LAVA on the top and a light blue Perma Core cotton on one of the quilt tops.



This is a new pantograph I wanted to try. I think I'm going to use it a lot! It's a larger motif than what I expected. A Traditional Baptist Fan by Kathie James. 13" double rows. I moved the back handles on "Polly" and angled them all the way down to the base of the carriage. Now I can rest my hands on the top of the handles and it seems much easier ergonomically to move the laser and carriage in this position than having my hands and arms slanted 'up'. The frame handles just move with exerted pressure so I can set them at any angle. Nice feature!



I did swirly-curly on this quilt top and wavy stitch in the ditch down the connecting seam lines. I tried to do stitch in the ditch around the main motif, but the sashing strips varied from 1-2/2" inches at one end of the strip on some blocks to 2" or more inches at the other end so it was frequently difficult to "hit the ditch" all the way along the seam. I should have "wiggled" all the seams instead.



I'm just finishing up the binding.

Happy 2010!

Just for the memories---This is one of my vintage post cards. It's dated Healdsburg, CA Dec. 27 canceled at 8:00 am with a one cent stamp. 1909.




I just got home from town with these. Fresh crab!


Upcoming event: Crab Louis salad for New Year's Eve dinner. Sparkling white wine and some whole grain french bread. Fresh crab on crisp greens with slice hard boiled eggs and Thousand Island dressing. I waited in the crowd with few hundred other people for 45 mins. at our local G & G grocery which is totally famous for the best fresh crab in town. It will be worth it! Guaranteed! Yummy!

Happy New Year!

Christmas Memories

Christmas memories pressed between the pages of my mind. Our kids back in the 60's.

List and Deadlines

Here with my morning coffee, and a nasty cold germ. Tis' the season I hear.

I was browsing reading some of my favorite blogs on this overcast Friday. The topic for most is about deadlines, and future quilting or sewing goals for 2010.

I used to be very goal oriented with my quilting up until the last year or so. I had a very detailed list of everything that needed to be done. I had a pencil attached to the list so that I could cross items off. However, I really felt stressed by this list, rather than free to enjoy the time I spent sewing and quilting and finishing those list projects. The "list" was stifling my imagination. Sucking it right out of my thoughts and dreams. How dare I think of anything "new and creative" when the "list" was there to be finished. No new patterns or fabric or anything for you ---Missy! (I would scold myself)-- You get busy and finish those projects, or else. I always wondered what "or else" would happen. I didn't notice anyone else complaining---

It all eventually started feeling like a chore, or a job. What was that about? I started weening myself from the "list". It's very difficult to not be "accomplished" with the "list" starring at you. No more joining stash busting lists, or challenges, groups, or forums that have to do with how much I can get accomplished in x amount of time. No more sewing & quilting resolutions or reminder notes on the wall of making this or that each week or month.

I've also re-evaluated why I sew and quilt. Why or how did I come to love and enjoy this hobby. I seemed to recalled it was to relax, and have fun. I spent a great deal of time setting up my sewing room so that I had a designated place to come into and sit and sew at my leisure, turn up the music, enjoy! Create ---and not because I had a made myself a deadline or expectation of sorts that I was committed to.

Now I just sew and quilt when I feel like it. I have found I accomplish much more than I did with the "list" starring back at me! It was like I was defeated by the "list" before I even started.

Now I just pull out a container with a project in it, or start a new project--- and just do what I do---when I do it.

I have way more fun doing this! Some time I spend a huge chunk of time sewing or quilting, other times not a all. For weeks at a time I don't sew or quilt. Then suddenly like the recharged energizer bunny I feel very creative and crank out some pretty neat stuff, and have the best time doing it.

Whoo-eeh! Don't look for quilting or sewing goals or lists or commitments here on this blog for 2010. There are none. I haven't a clue what I will sew or quilt in 2010. But, it's going to be so much fun!

Chenille Potholder Tutorial

My friend Barbara just called.
Barbara: So, your sewing on the chenille potholders---where is the tutorial?
Me: How do you know I'm doing that?
Barbara: I see all the fabric for making them on your blog picture. So, where is the tutorial?

For Barbara, and for everyone who would like to make the "Chenille Potholders".

Ingredients Needed: Good quality cotton fabric for the back of the potholder: It can be whatever you want. Kitchen themed---or not. Have fun picking out the backing fabric!

Batting: Regular cotton batting like Warm & Natural or "Insul-Bright" which is a heat resistant type batting used for this type of project. When I first started making these potholder several years ago I used regular cotton batting. I have since switched to Insul-Bright as I like how it adds insulation to the potholder, and a nicer firmer feel to the potholder after washing and drying.

Top Layers of the Potholder: A variety of homespun plaid fabrics. You will want at least 3 or 4 different plaids, or I have done them as solids with only one homespun fabric. Thread: Neutral thread for stitching the chenille lines, and thread to match the Wright bias binding, or your own binding. Binding: I used to make my own bias binding, and you can if you wish. But I now buy Wrights Bias Tape Binding. 7/8" Wide Single Fold in 3 yd. packages. You can bind 3 chenille potholders with one package of 3 yds. of binding and have a bit left over. Matching thread for the binding. A good Chenille cutter. I like the small Square Olfa Chenille cutter. The blade can be rotated with a built in dial so you get a lot of use from one cutter blade. Small sharp scissors for making the initial cuts on the homespun fabrics to start the chenille cutter across the fabric.

Your sewing machine Walking Foot to stitch the lines to create the chenille, and your regular sewing foot for sewing on the bias binding. Rotary cutter, cutting mat and square ruler.

You can buy all the supplies needed at JoAnn fabrics.

Your washer and dryer with a load of jeans or towels to fluff your finished Chenille Potholders!

Instructions:


Step #1 The Layers:
Cut your potholder backing 9" square. the back of the potholder can be any type of fabric. It is the first layer or back of the of the potholder. This fabric is placed right side down. Cutting batting or Insulbright batting 9" square. The first layer of Homespun fabric is cut at 9". The remaining 3 layers of homespun fabric that creates the chenille top of the potholders is cut to 8.5". Use your machine walking foot to create channels of stitching approx. one half inch wide diagonally across all the layers of fabric and the batting. Start at one corner and stitch to the next. Then continue stitching rows until the entire surface a series of channels.
Step #2 Sewing the Chenille Channels:
Attach your machines walking foot and a neutral thread top and bobbin. Sew 1/2" channels diagonally back and forth across the potholder layers. You can also use the edge of your walking foot as a guide. It is approx. 1/2" between each channel.




#3 & 4 Snipping the Edges:
Make small approx. 1/8" cuts with your scissors along the edges of the channels you have created in the first 3 layers of the homespun cotton fabric. This makes it easier to use your chenille cutter. Be careful to not cut the 4th layer of Homespun which is your inner layer of the potholder and the layer of fabric you will see inside the potholder after it is chenille.











Step #5 Squaring the Potholder:
After you have snipped and used your Olfa Chenille cutter on the first three layers of fabric square the potholder to measure 8" square








Step # 6 Starting to Sew on the Bias Binding:
You can make your own custom bias binding, but I prefer to use Wrights Bias Tape. Wide Single Fold 7/8" wide. It comes in many solid colors. Turn the potholder so that the back is facing you. Unfold your bias binding and find the first crease on the left of the edge of your potholder and the edge of the bias binding. Adjust your needle sew in this crease. Start sewing at one of the back corners of the potholder. Pay attention to the channels you have sewn. Where you start sewing will determine the diagonal direction of the chenille and how it appears when it's washed and completed. I like the channels to go diagonally with the corner loop.





Step #7 Sewing the Bias:
Start sewing near the crease of unfolded bias binding at the corner. I place the edge of my foot right on the bias and potholder edge and move the needle just over the crease to sew. Sew to just within 1/4" inch of the first corner of the potholder.






Step #8 Mitering the Corner of the Bias:
With your bias binding unfolded start your miter just like on a regular mitered quilt corner. Flip up, finger press, and fold down. Start sewing right at the edge where you folded the biase down. (white thread is so you can see the stitching)




Step #9 Mitered corner:
This picture shows the completed bias binding mitered at the back of the potholder. Continue doing this to all the corners until you get to the last corner. This last corner is where you will form the bias hanging loop. Read on.

Step #10 Back of Last Corner:
This is where you started sewing and this is where you will end. BUT, just before you stitch right up to the corner, stop and roll over and refold the original bias binding fold so that it is now folded neatly to the front of the potholder. Secure with pin or finger press to keep the binding turned to the front if needed.





Step #11 Bias Folded Under:
This picture shows the starting point of the bias on the back neatly folded over to the front of the potholder. Now lay the remaining unfolded bias flat against the neatly folded bias at the corner. Stitch right off the corner edge. Clip your threads.

Step #12 The Binding Tail: You can now flip over the potholder and measure 4" from the completed corner. This 4" inches of bias binding tail hanging there will become your loop to hang the pothlder. Finger press the very tip of this 4" inches of bias e to the inside fold so that it will not fray. Refold the bias binding using the original creases as a guide.

Step # 13 Unfolded Bias Stitched to Corner:
After you have stitched the bias binding all around the back of the potholder stopping at the corner. Measure 4 inches of unfolded bias binding starting at the corner. Cut, this 4 inches of binding. This will form the hanging loop eventually.

Step #14 Stitching down the Bias Tail:
Starting at the finger pressed edge of the bias binding sew towards the corner of the front of the potholder. Stay just on the left edge of the bias and sew onto the corner and continue stitching. Pulling the bias around to the front of the potholder as you stitch holding it in place as you sew. Mitering all your corners as you go just like you did on the back.


Step #15 Completing Bias Hanging Loop:
After you have taken the bias binding loop and formed your hanging loop stitch it down to the front of the binding. Reinforce stitch this a few times. Now you have completed your potholder hanging loop






Completed Potholder with Hanging Loop:
Once completed wash and dry the potholder(s) to form the chenille. Reaching into the dryer and pulling out a potholder! You never know what the different homespun fabrics will look like once they chenille! Have fun!