September 7: Sewing and Organizing

I have been trying to think through the floor plan for my studio and have decided that I needed to relocate the Bernina because I will not be able to fit the HQ anywhere in the room besides near the windows.  This probably is more sensible anyway since the views have been distracting me.  Of course, tonight we will test my thinking because we are planning to set up or at least check whether the machine fits or not after supper.  I am crossing my fingers and hoping it works out as planned.  If not I will have to go to Plan B and just have the short table version for the year. 

I thought I would share my makeshift version of a studio minus the HQ until tomorrow.  As I have already said, I brought more fabric than I will need this year, but I am determined to whittle away at the quilt kits and plans that I have been holding on to for several years.  I have shelves and hooks in the closet that I am using to store books, software, threads, batting and several bags of quilt kit fabric

Today after working for a good part of the morning simply putting things away, I sewed and sewed.  I simply had the need to put fabrics together.  Over the years I have made a few t-shirt quilts and cut the remaining shirt fabric that had the iron-on backing into squares.  The first leftover quilt was at least a queen-size. I  passed it on to Jamie and Wayne while she decided what kind of quilt she was going to make for their bed.  Their dog, Kirby and the grandchildren wore that one out.  I think that a good part of that was that the single 1/4' seams did not hold up well to all the pulling and tugging.  So, with the squares that I have remaining, I am playing.  I am sewing the 1/4" seam and then pressing the seam to one side and doing a narrow topstitch.  I am making four squares into a larger block using this method.  This is not going to be a big quilt but rather 40x48.  It will be one of those quilts we can throw in the car and use to sit on grass and have a backpack picnic.  I have learned that the interfacing that is on the back does not sew as well when it a very rainy day, but the feel of fabric going under the needle and coming out pieced on the other side is enjoyable.  When the top is all together I plan to pin it and then simply sew diagonally through each square.  Obviously it will be a utilitarian quilt with only the hope of helping us enjoy some fun picnicking memories, but I AM SEWING.  =0)

Felt really proud of myself because I went on line and ordered a special tape measure for Kevin.  I had intended to surprise him, but I let it slip.  Guess what he bought at the school today?  Same thing.  They did not have them before, so we had been searching.  Now he will have two.  I am sure mine is better, right?