Just Sew It

I picked up a copy of Quilt Sampler magazine and they have featured a number of quilting shops in Canada and the United States. They are all very nice. I found a shop called “The Quilt Patch” in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and they have a quilt displayed high up on their wall. It has denim blues and golds and looks like a hodge podge of squares, rectangles. I like it! I’d like to make one for myself. Their shop looks very nice to visit. Maybe if I ever make it down that way I’ll stop in. I live next door in oil country.

I have to try not to get ahead of myself too much. But I would like to make a lap quilt for my hubby, my kids and myself THEN I’ll make one or two for next Christmas. You never know one of my brothers may just decide to bite the bullet and surprise us with baby news… ya right!

But first things first. I have to finish my sampler quilt. I need to wash my fabric for the sashing. I have to finish my squares for next week’s class. There is no class this week so we have extra time to finish.

From time to time, my dd will have growing pains in her legs. I had them growing up and they can be nasty. My mom used to give me an aspirin and a hot water bottle. Today, hot bottles and aspirin are obsolete. Instead of a hot bottle, a heating bag is wonderful. I have a “Magic bag” that I bought years ago. It’s getting old and you can’t wash the bag. I have seen these heating bags at craft shows but they run anywhere from $35 and up. Since I sew, I though I would make one. Then I thought how nice it would be to make a few for people in our life. This idea came up while trying to figure out what to give for my dd’s teacher for Christmas. I like simple ideas that dd can help make. I love these bags personally. I use them too for aches. I have included a link on how to make one of these bags. There are many sources for these bags and this one is just one of them. Here is a poem I found on another site. I tried to link it but it did not work.

This little pillow filled with rice
Is such a comforting device,
Microwave for 1 minute on HIGH
And kiss those aches and pains good-bye.
Apply it to a troubled spot
The heat will ease the pain a lot.
Or warm those little toes, so cold.
You’ll find this nice to have and to hold
Or freeze it for awhile,
And fix that boo-boo in style.
Instead of a compress made of ice,
Use this pillow filled with rice.

I hope the people who receive these will enjoy them.

This morning I went to Marshalls to find quilting fabric and I walked out of the store disappointed. I could find not three fabrics to coordinate nicely enough. Should I be surprised? No. You usually get what you pay for. I did find one that dazzled me. It was a black and silver plaid that was very sharp. It was dark and would not have worked for the “Flock of Dreams” pattern I am planning on doing. I like contemporary styled fabrics as opposed to flowers and such. So, I headed off to see what a quilting store down the street had. The minute I walked in I knew I would walk out empty handed. Not much for contemporary fabric at all. At that point, it was time to head home for lunch and then off to ballet for my dd. During ballet I headed down the street to the quilting store where I’m taking my class and found some delicious fabric. My instructor told us always pick one fabric that you are in love with and go from there. I only had to pick three fabrics. One dark, one medium and one light. My medium is the one I started with and is featured on the left in the photo. The dark is in the middle and the light on the right.

I don’t think I’m going to put a sheep on it because it will just cover up that fabric I love so much.

This quilt was supposed to be a green or plum coloured quilt but I ended up with blue. Why blue?? It is my all time favorite colour. I’m being selfish though since it is not going to be my quilt. I think it takes some experience to choose great colours for a quilt. I think maybe one has to decide beforehand on what type of colour scheme they will do. It is too stressful deciding standing there in the store with the sales assistant breathing down your neck. But I’m happy with my choice.

During my quilting class last night, I had to purchase some more fabric for my sashing on my sampler quilt. I’m taking this class at my dealer. They also have a quilting store and the fabric is absolutely beautiful. Sitting under the Pfaff sergers where some pretty serged placemats. They were kind of funky with strips of fabric that were not Grandmaish. They have a lot of runners hanging high on their walls. Sigh. I want to make a lot of things….. but…. time and money. Fabric is sooooo expensive. I have children to cloth. For my parents quilt, I’m am going to go to Marshalls to pick fabric out. This store is a warehouse like fabric store but they do have a good selection of quilting fabric. Not as nice as my dealer’s selection but it is lower in price. I hope I can find something I’m happy with. Otherwise I will try other quilting stores. I do have a rule about picking fabric. I have to be passionate about my fabric choice. Otherwise I’ll get bored making it.

I’d like to share a technique on how to make triangles. Being new to quilting I’m not sure if this method is popular? I know my two quilting books don’t show this method.

The instructor said that stitching triangles on the bias cut beforehand can be difficult because fabric tends to stretch easily on the bias. So, she instructed us to cut an 4 x 8″ rectangle out of two different fabrics. Pin both rectangles together with right sides together.

Then divide the rectangle in half by drawing a line. I used a mechanical pencil. Then I drew two diagonal lines on each side. Make sense? From there I stitched a 1/4″ seam on each side of the diagonal line. After I stitched my seams, I cut on the lines that I drew. Then pressed.

Wella! Triangles. I like this method.

We don’t have a class on the 25th as we need some extra time to finish all of our blocks. The last class entails the sashing and border.

I have about three or four blocks to finish up.

As for the quilting, that is another class. I asked as to why they didn’t just make it one whole class. The instructor said that some people could not make the whole class. So if I want to take the class to complete this quilt I have to fork out $42 plus fabric. Do I take the class? or do I cheap out and wing it myself?? I have two books. This is getting expensive BUT since I have spent so much on fabric I don’t want to flubber up the remaining part of the construction. What to do, what to do?

I wanted to recommend a book I found on colour. Very good book.

At the beginning of November, I am going to make this quilt for my parents. Other than the sampler quilt I’m making, it will be my first quilt made for a gift. The pattern comes from the quilting magazine: Quiltmaker’s issue of Springs All-time favorites 2006. I hope they like it: