December 20: HSTs

I have been piecing half square triangles (HST) all day.  I am just about done using all the bias squares from my Twister quilt leftovers.  I added a cream with white stars to this batch, but actually had enough of the Christmas snow flakes to make a second table runner.   More table runners will be piecedfrom these  later today.  Quilting should begin tomorrow.  Love these quick projects.
 I love using HSTs.  Thought I would share the tool that makes them so easy to get right.  This my second Precision Trimmer 6" - someone else loved using my ruler, too, so I needed to replace the original that I gave away.  I do use Thangles at times, but this tool is so easy and less wasteful, so I generally opt of it.

December 19: The Plan

After making a queen-size and a lap size Twister quilt with my Christmas fabrics, I had many, many 4 1/2 inch bias cut squares.  I was not willing to put them into my stash because I was not certain I would remember the bias part.  I plan to quilt them and attach the binding, but I will leave the hand sewing for later in the winter.  However it is time to deal with these bias squares, so.......... Therefore, today marks the beginning of using them up.  I am making Christmas table runners for next year.  I love using HST in a variety of ways, so I imagine I will make a few more with them.  It should be noted that all the orange is really a nice red, but did not photograph that way.  (Someday, I plan to figure out how to make the colors be true to what I am actually seeing.)  The binding for each runner is laying with it.  I plan to quilt all of them at one time, or maybe do two runs with two different fabrics for the backs.

Does it bather you that the striped fabric is not going the
same direction?  I did not notice until it was all together,
so it is staying this way.

This is my favorite.  I love the cream fabric with the snowflakes. 
Wish I had more, but I am NOT buying more Christmas fabric.
Still have squares, though, so I might cut up some other fabric.

December 18: Out for a Drive

Kevin and I decided to drive up to Smugglers' Notch and see what it looked like with snow, etc.  Problem was that the road was closed.  We got close but had to turn back to Stowe  probably because of the snow.  Still, we were able to drive to Stowe and took some pictures to share.  Not not much snow in Fairfax, but the slopes are open.

November 17: Lost Thursday and Friday

Actually, I did not, but I was busy.  Decided that before we mailed the last two Christmas boxes I would whip up a quick texture/tactual quilt for my younger granddaughter, Anna.  Kevin and I had found the top fabric (yes, it was already pieced) at Joann's and thought it would do the trick.  Anna seems to love textures.  The binding is flannel backed satin.  I had never worked with it before, but it handled nicely and washed up fine.  This is not technically a Christmas gift, but she will get it Christmas day if her parents follow the directions on the mailing box.

In the next couple of days I will begin the quilt that will be made of all the fabrics she picked out plus the ones I added.  I liked working with the flannel back satin, so I bought some more for the binding on this upcoming quilt.

Thought you would like to see another shot of Rob's finished screens.  He got them finished just in time so no incomplete for him.  However, more to the point is that he did a good job and I heard some really positive feedback about his efforts from others at the school.

Kevin finished his last evaluations for the first semester on Thursday, which is good because the truck needed an emergency trip to see the dealer for service.  It was making some awful noises, but the power steering went out just as we turned into the dealer's lot.  Lucky for us.   Turns out we need two hoses.  One was in stock, but the other one won't be available until mid-week.  We were fortunate that the dealership had  loaner.  The price of this repair is about $250, so we were lucky with that, as well.

We left the dealership and dealt with a number of piddly errands, came home and did a little rearranging to fit the additional furniture built at school, quilted and attached binding to another small quilt, watched a movie, played cribbage(I won!), and worked on another binding.

I tried another quilting technique for today's small quilt.  I am not certain I love it, but after all the threads are tucked and the binding is stitched down I will share.  I used the circle groovy board and made different sizes of circles all over the top.  It was definitely a learning experience.  I will try something different with the board later, but I am going to have to think about what fits with my way of quilting.

December 14: Ta Da!

Thought I would share today's acomplishments.  I still have a few envelopes to address tonight, but we  need a little more ink to finish the printing of our annual Christmas newsletter.  Won't have a chance to get that ink until Friday, but should be able to get them printed and mailed the same day.

Since my friend is busy, Kevin is packing all the boxes for mailing and I am doing the envelopes.

Pillowcases for wrapping gifts

Twister Quilt made with the Twister template

December 14: Specific Plan for Today

#1 - Finish last side of binding for Twister quilt
#2 - Put clean sheets on the bed
#3 - Add the quilt
#4 - Photograph the quilt
#5 - Serge 7 pillowcases
#6 - Press pillowcases
#7 - Photograph pillowcases
#8 - Wrap gifts in pillowcases
#9 - Box all gifts for mailing tomorrow
#10 - Finish addressing Christmas letter envelopes
#11 - Proofread Christmas letter
#12 - Start printing the 70 copies
#13 - Spend the evening with a friend

I can do it!  I can do it!  I think I can!  I think I can!

December 13: Sewing 101, with an Advanced Student

Today I am helping Rob, a student at the wood school. I showed him how to use the serger to do a rounded over seam, and then he did a lot of practicing.  Once he felt confident, we worked out all the measurements, and he cut the pieces to size.  Considering how proud I was on his ironing skills, I am certain his mother will be prouder still.  Then he serged the 3 panels.  I taught him how to sew a straight seam on the Bernina.  We followed it up with measuring a rod pocket of his bamboo.  He then folded. pressed and sewed the three tops on the panels.  He learned about the seam ripper, too.  After a little lunch, we did a little more work before he left to run an errand.  On his return we did more measuring to add rod pockets to the bottoms of the panels.  He came out of the studio so excited that he was finished sewing.  We put the bamboo rods in the first panel and discovered that he needed to rip out one seam so that the folds would be the same; otherwise, it looked incredible.  He is becoming an expert at seam ripping, so soon he could actually make a quilt or something.

This photo shows what one of the three panels will look like when it it all finished.  All he has left is to attach the little metal loops and hooks.  He should definitely be proud of his work!