The Sewing Bee

[Ombud]

This is just 2 pieces of material sewn together in back and finished off on the edges. Now what makes them think I can't do this for way less than $169? Plus if I do it I can get it as long as I want and not have it clear down to my knees I just wanted midthigh

m.macys.com/shop/product/charter-club-cashmere-oversized-scarf-wrap-only-at-macys?ID=2882560&swatchColor=Crantini

Next project:

Found an online pattern. Joann's calls for 2 yds. It might be right

[Sam_2.0]

Finished! Finally

[sealy]

I wish I could take a picture of my 6 year quilt.

[Apple]

My latest projects...

Had a Weird Al flag, needed to do something with it, so I decided to make a "concert blanket" (since I usually buy the cheap tickets and sit in the lawn).  I am hoping to finish it this weekend, I have it put together and basted, but because the batting is really thick, I'll need to try to machine quilt it.  Hopefully it works!




This next one is on hold until I get grey quilting thread.  I just adore this panel, and ended up buying a few more (I wish my son was younger, I'd make him curtains with it, lol).  The front is just the panel with a border made from a coordinating stone fabric (hand pieced).  I have the sandwich pinned together and will start to quilt it when I get the thread.  I'm guessing it will have at least 100 hours in by the time I get to the binding, but I enjoy it.




First though, I need to mend my son's work pants...

[Apple]

Got the pants mended and finished the Weird Al quilt.  It goes so much faster quilting with a machine!!  It was almost too thick, but it fit.

I quilted around the head, the red circles, and around the flag, in addition to the lines you can easily see in the photo.

[Sharon]

I just finished this baby quilt for a niece.  The shower is this Sunday.  This was the pattern from h*ll, hands down the worst directions of any pattern I have ever worked with.  It was then compounded by the fact that I was working with directional fabric.  I ended up taking out 5 of the stop sign shapes and rotating them one side and resewing them.  I should have known this was going to be trouble when her color picture shows 5 different fabrics yet her cutting directions are for 4 different fabrics.  Hopefully my niece likes it.  She is super particular about what comes into her house and her nursery is being done in cars and the colors blue, yellow and brown (baby boy).  The main problem with this one is they live in Michigan and her husband works for an auto manufacturer and it isn't Ford.   I don't think she understands that you just can't walk into the fabric store and buy any color combination of a particular theme you might be looking for that day.  Oh well.  The danged thing is done.  I am amazed it even held together with the amount of ripping out that I had to do.

[Blonde Granny]

It looks terrific!!!! Great job with a difficult pattern, and don't you just hate it when the directions are wrong?

[Apple]

What do you all do for quick projects?

I am liking having a mix of projects going, for different times.  I do a lot of stuff on the down time at work, but different shifts mean different access.  During the day, if the crews are working, I can't really set stuff up.  I can iron (but with just a pad, not a board), I can cut out patterns (but if I wanted to cut fabric, I'd have to do it on the floor), and I can quilt or crochet.  If I'm working in one location, waiting on something, I can quilt or crochet.  On days when the crews are there, or at night (my favorite), I can move everything to a separate room and really spread out.  This is when the sewing machine can come out, along with lots of table space for cutting fabric.

Some night I am still really busy with random jobs, so little hobby time.  Other nights, I want to be able to do a project from start to finish (or close).

 I have an apron all cut out and ready to be sewn (did not want to pull out the sewing machine).  This is a semi-quick project where I've done it in different shifts--cut out pattern, iron fabric, cut fabric, and next step is to pin it and sew it.

For some really quick projects, I'm going to try some tote bags out of different items I found at a thrift store.  One is a heavy duty table runner with four chickens/roosters.  I have a few people in my life who really like chickens/roosters.  I'm going to cut the runner into four pieces, and found fabric placemats/napkins that are the perfect size, so that I can hem everything together, add a webbing strap, and be done in a very short time.

During the same shopping trip, I found some cloth placemats and will be able to use those to make some other bags.  Hopefully they all turn out nice enough to give as gifts (or a bag to hold the gift, with the bag being a bonus gift).  

I've made pj pants that went pretty fast, especially if I can cut two at once.

My Weird Al concert blanket went pretty fast, I think the longest part was the basting.

Any other ideas for quick stuff?

[Apple]

My $8 haul...

There is enough of the table runner for four roosters, three of the harvest mat, and three of the cats.  The shiny red fabric is much darker IRL (burgundy/maroon color).  There are four of it and the green napkins, and two of the other dark red fabric.  Enough here to make 10 bags, unless I decide to add pockets or something.

[Ombud]

Have you tried making grocery bags out of clothes that the kids have grown out of?

[Apple]

Sept 16, 2016 19:57:03 GMT -5 Ombud said:

Have you tried making grocery bags out of clothes that the kids have grown out of?

I haven't, but I should.

My dad told me yesterday he's thinking about getting rid of a ton of shirts he used to wear, and asked if I could use them for quilting.  I told him I'm sure I could use some (and, it would be cool to make quilts for his grandkids using that material).  I also want to make an apron from any button-down he gets rid of.  These could work for bags pretty well too.

I could probably make them one for hauling produce from the garden back to the house, think they might like that.

[Ombud]

DDIL also uses the fabric to remake clothes for the 3 yo & baby. Not really hand me downs, just hand me down fabric

[sealy]

Today I finished a quilt for my neighbors babies.

[Apple]

I just finished my canning apron

I decided to skip the bow (it was supposed to be at the top in the middle), but now I'm thinking I might add it at the bottom of one of the straps, at an angle...

[Blonde Granny]

Apple, how cute is that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's probably going to be another month before it's cool enough to be in the sunroom doing some quilting projects.  Those blocks I have on the wall out there are looking rather lonely.

[sealy]

How can I post a picture?  I've tried numerous ways and have been unsuccessful.

I was able to upload one of my pictures as an avatar. I'm working on Patchwork of the Crosses a Lucy Boston creation. I can't wait to finish it. I've been slowly piecing since 2010.  I'm calling it my 10 year quilt.  I'll more than likely hand quilt it even though I've never hand quilted a quilt before.

[Apple]

Sept 25, 2016 13:31:45 GMT -5 sealy said:

How can I post a picture?  I've tried numerous ways and have been unsuccessful.

I was able to upload one of my pictures as an avatar. I'm working on Patchwork of the Crosses a Lucy Boston creation. I can't wait to finish it. I've been slowly piecing since 2010.  I'm calling it my 10 year quilt.  I'll more than likely hand quilt it even though I've never hand quilted a quilt before.

I always used photobucket, and put the direct link for the photo in the box that comes up when you click on the icon that looks like a landscape (above the reply box).  Now photobucket has added moving ads that completely bog down my computer (even when I use an adblocker, it can't stop those ads)

I post on another board that lets me post photos from my computer, so I often do that first, and then just grab the link from that forum.  This site won't let you post directly from the computer, so you need photobucket, or another online photo site (that will give you a direct link) to post them.

[countrygirl]

I hope to do some sewing this winter. It's been almost 3 years since we moved

and I have been working so much on everything else I have little time. The fabric

was all laundered, its in cabinets with doors in the basement which keeps light

off. I have looked at it and it all looks like new, but how much longer can it be

stored without deteriorating.

I used to make a lot of my clothes, I have enough fabric to sew for many years,

plus everything else from patterns to notions.

[Deleted]

You guys are making me want to sew!  I used to make all my daughter's clothes when she was a toddler, but she's 38 so that was a few years ago.  Then I would make her Sunday dresses.  But she quit liking anything I made almost 30 years ago.

So now I mostly make stuff for the house like valances, etc.  But the truth is that you can buy those cheaper than the fabric.  I wanted some yellow ones for my classroom, and I found 5 for $10 on FB.  I only needed 3, but I bought them all.  I found Waverly valances for $20 for four.  Again, I only needed two.

But now I am redoing my bedroom.  I found a Pottery Barn duvet set on FB for $20 with coordinating pillows.  I am going to look for a solid that will work and make the valances.  

I just feel creative when I make things.  

[Blonde Granny]

I was finally out in the sun room yesterday.  I needed to move some buttons on a winter coat, so I went out there.  It was so nice, sun shining and no more running out there to grab some scissors or pins and needles.  Still supposed to be in the upper 70s and low 80s for the next 10 days or so, but at least it's nice enough to actually work on little projects out there.

[Lizard Queen]

Dear people who know how to sew, 
What do you suggest the best way to attach patches to my son's cub scout uniform?  I hand-stiched 2 patches to the upper chest area the other day.  It took me about an hour and a half.  It actually went pretty well, I thought, but I didn't do nearly as many stitches as I had intended, and it took way longer than expected.  I have 6 more patches to do that go on his upper sleeve.   I don't know how to use a sewing machine, but will learn if you think that it won't be too hard for me.  What do you think?

[Sharon]

Oct 13, 2016 12:03:19 GMT -5 Lizard Queen said:

Dear people who know how to sew, 
What do you suggest the best way to attach patches to my son's cub scout uniform?  I hand-stiched 2 patches to the upper chest area the other day.  It took me about an hour and a half.  It actually went pretty well, I thought, but I didn't do nearly as many stitches as I had intended, and it took way longer than expected.  I have 6 more patches to do that go on his upper sleeve.   I don't know how to use a sewing machine, but will learn if you think that it won't be too hard for me.  What do you think?

I could see where sewing patches onto a sleeve with a sewing machine could be tricky, especially a child sized sleeve.  I would probably get some fusible web bonding fabric and attach them that way and then hand stitch them to hold them on good.  You can get the fusible web at any fabric store, Joann's etc.  Some of the craft stores may also have it.  It looks like paper.  You cut out the size you need and then iron it on the patch.  Once it is on the patch you peel off the paper and it will leave a sticky residue.  Place the patch where you want it on the shirt and iron the patch on and let it cool.  It will be stuck on their pretty good but since this is something that is laundered frequently and probably rough housed in I would then stitch it down.  You shouldn't need as many stitches so it shouldn't take you as long.

[Lizard Queen]

Oct 13, 2016 12:37:30 GMT -5 Sharon said:

Oct 13, 2016 12:03:19 GMT -5 Lizard Queen said:

Dear people who know how to sew, 
What do you suggest the best way to attach patches to my son's cub scout uniform?  I hand-stiched 2 patches to the upper chest area the other day.  It took me about an hour and a half.  It actually went pretty well, I thought, but I didn't do nearly as many stitches as I had intended, and it took way longer than expected.  I have 6 more patches to do that go on his upper sleeve.   I don't know how to use a sewing machine, but will learn if you think that it won't be too hard for me.  What do you think?

I could see where sewing patches onto a sleeve with a sewing machine could be tricky, especially a child sized sleeve.  I would probably get some fusible web bonding fabric and attach them that way and then hand stitch them to hold them on good.  You can get the fusible web at any fabric store, Joann's etc.  Some of the craft stores may also have it.  It looks like paper.  You cut out the size you need and then iron it on the patch.  Once it is on the patch you peel off the paper and it will leave a sticky residue.  Place the patch where you want it on the shirt and iron the patch on and let it cool.  It will be stuck on their pretty good but since this is something that is laundered frequently and probably rough housed in I would then stitch it down.  You shouldn't need as many stitches so it shouldn't take you as long.

Great idea--thanks!

[Sharon]

As an added note.  It is usually sold by the yard so if you google it don't freak out at the prices, you don't need the whole bolt.  A half yard will probably be a lifetime supply.

[Apple]

I just bought some of the fusible interfacing at Joanne Fabrics, it was $1/yard (and, since I wasn't buying anything else that day, I used a 50% off coupon).  Just don't iron the wrong side :/  Fortunately, it scrapes off the iron well with a credit/ID card!    

[Sharon]

BTDT.   Iron cleaner is well worth the price.  It comes in a tube like toothpaste.  Squeeze some on a scrap piece of flannel and rub on the bottom of a hot iron.  Stinks like crazy but cleans the iron well.

[Apple]

Latest projects...

A mini quilt (all hand pieced and quilted, took about a week...)




It's my first actual block, definitely learned a few things to do better next time.

And a fabric postcard I did for a swap:

[Sharon]

This is the beginning of a quilt.  The sheep are appliqued with fusible web then I am doing a blanket stitch by hand around all of the pieces.  The little hearts between the rows are paper pieced.  They look kind of funny right now because the papers are still attached and the corners are flipping up.   I have completed the blanket stitch on 4 1/2 of the sheep blocks.

After this inner part is done I will then create a border of 1" finished squares 2 squares wide all the way around.  Then it will have fence blocks all the way around.  On the fence blocks will be appliqued vine and ivy leaves.  Again I will use the fusible web and blanket stitch.

[countrygirl]

I'm getting ready to get back on making drapes for the front windshield of the motorhome.

Each panel is 15 foot wide before pleating, the insulated liner the same. I just pinned the

stiffener in to for them to form the pleats. I bought a mechanical Necchi to sew them with,

quite inexpensive and new and they raised the presser foot even more to accommodate, it also

has a walking foot.

I'm also going to reupholster the kitchen chairs in it. The machines I have are mostly electronic

and just not tough enough to accommodate fabric that thick, I wanted a Juki or something but

could not justify a $1000 for something I will use only a few times.  The Necchi can be used for

sewing awnings, canvas, denim, and heavy items such as coats.

I've already recovered the valances and legs down from them and had custom blinds made to replace

the old ones.

The day/night ones were $450 each, hell no!  I had read you could wash some of them so I tried, I

used oxi clean and they came out beautifully, they are 59 inches wide so hard to do.  They were 25

years old so absolutely filthy, now they are a beautiful light grey again. So for a couple hours work

I saved a fortune, I doubt newer ones could be washed.

Decided since I had everything down inside to rewallpaper too, the motorhome is 25 years old with

most everything redone in it.  We are having the engine overhauled as it started using to much oil.

It should last me the rest of my driving life since I'm 70, hoping to drive it 5 more years.  DD and I

love traveling in it, its 38 ft plus my toad.

[3catslady]

I am hoping to use up all or most of my cotton yarn before the end of the year.  I have about 40 skeins yet to use.  Most of them will take me about 3 hours to use up and there are a couple that will take me at least 16 hours.  I am pushing myself to get them done because I want to start my embroidering the first of the year.  I have over a tub, 18 gal. Rubbermaid tub, with the embroidering in.  I'll be doing dishcloths and lap covers with most of them.  I made one scarf and maybe make another one when I figure out how much I have to use.