Category Archives: Sewing

For Today ~ 4 March 2013 ~ Simple Woman’s Daybook

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FOR TODAY … 04 March 2013

Outside My Window… Blue sky…not a cloud up there (at least facing north). Sparrows and finches on the bird feeder. People going to work.

I am thinking… Why can’t it be nice and sunny for the weekends?

I am thankful for… For not being sick this winter…hopefully I didn’t jinx myself for spring.

From the kitchen… I made a Buffalo Chicken pizza last night (chicken, Frank’s Buffalo Wing Sauce, gorgonzola cheese, celery and green onions). Tonight I’ll probably bbq some chicken and have a salad with it.

I am wearing… Jeans, tennies, grey long-sleeve blouse.

I am creating… I have three quilts I’m working on. I’ve been hand-sewing hexies for a week, but had to take a break for a few days as my wrists are killing me. I have 31 flowers finished now.

Batik Grandma's Flower Garden

Batik Grandma’s Flower Garden

Yesterday while it was raining I was working on a quilt with my Denyse Schmidt fabrics. I have 12 finished blocks and 8 more blocks 3/4 way finished.

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((Had a question on that mug…we bought it when we stayed at the Featherbed Railroad Bed & Breakfast that I blogged about HERE.))

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I am going… resize some pictures I took on Saturday down in Genoa area for tomorrow’s post.

I am reading… All Roads Lead to Austen: A Year-long Journey with Jane by Amy Smith.

I am hoping… That the coming snow stays up in the mountains…and that we’ll have a nice weekend.

I am hearing… Someone walking really really loudly out in the hallway.

Around the house… The condo is cleaned. Kitchen was cleaned, floors vacuumed, laundry washed and put away, clean sheets on the bed…CLEAN!

One of my favorite things… Hearing it rain while falling asleep.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week… Keep on quilting. Hopefully pick out a movie that my husband and I both want to see…we still have movie passes.

Here is a picture thought I’d share with you…

Mule deer in Genoa front yard.

Mule deer in Genoa front yard.

Tree blossoming out at the Mormon Station State Park in Genoa.

Tree blossoming out at the Mormon Station State Park in Genoa.

Kitty pin cushion that I bought for $3.75 at a Minden/Gardnerville antique shop.

Kitty pin cushion that I bought for $3.75 at a Minden/Gardnerville antique shop.

I put a sewing machine on layaway ~

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After a lot of brain-storming with my friend APRIL, I visited three local quilt/sewing stores, in Reno, over the last few days. My last two machines have been Janomes and I really loved them…but thought about a Baby Lock and a Necchi.

The first quilt shop I stopped off at sort of pissed me off. I went in asking to see her line of Baby Locks, specifically the Melody.

Baby Lock Melody - Quilting Sewing Machine

Baby Lock Melody – Quilting Sewing Machine

When I asked how much, and received an $1,800 answer, I about spewed. I paled and may have let slipped that I can buy a Janome 6500 for that price and have enough left-over for another sewing machine. Or as April stated…LOTS OF FABRIC. I don’t think she was impressed that I wanted to stay under $1,000. Told me to go look at the other machines on my list and come back to her afterwards. Wouldn’t even let me test drive the machine.

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The next day I went to the second quilt/sewing center and had a very pleasant hour or so test driving four machines. She spent time asking what level I was at, what I wanted to do with my machine, and how much I was comfortable to spend.

I really was impressed with the Baby lock Melody…nice stitches, easy to use, very very quiet motor. It was $300 cheaper than the first shop and she would knock off even $200 more on top of that.

Next we moved onto the Pfaff Ambition 1.0.

Pfaff Ambition 1.0

Pfaff Ambition 1.0

All I can say is WOW…those Germans sure are great engineers! Just WOW! LOL! $999 was the price she would give me on that machine. No auto thread cutter, and it scared the crap out of me on the first stitch (growled)…I thought I broke it, but very very very nice handling. Loved the stitches on that one too. It has a built-in walking foot that is to die for!

Scooted down a few machines to the Pfaff Expression 3.0 after I told her my goal is to be pretty dang good at FMQ’ing. The asking price was $2079 but would come down to $1,699, with 25% down and 4 months to pay it off.

Pfaff Expression 3.0

Pfaff Expression 3.0

I sighed when sewing with it. I actually FMQ’ed…AND IT LOOKED GREAT! But I knew full well I couldn’t afford that fine piece of German machinery, even with the discount and layaway plan. I would need more time than 4 months. I still asked for the quote and told her I’d get back to her by the 2/29 deadline. If I had the money, I would buy that machine in a heart beat…should I ever fall into money, after paying off all debt…that baby is coming home with me. :)

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Onto my last stop where I wanted to test drive the Janome 3160 QDC, Necchi EX30, and the Brother NX-800. I was eyeing the Janome 3160 as it’s a popular quilting machine.

Janome 3160-QDC

Janome 3160-QDC

The Janome had a $1000 price tag on it, but with new pricing I think it was $200 off. I wanted to try the Necchi EX30 as it’s the same machine as the Janome 3160 (built by Janome with a Necchi body and name) and at $700 it’s less money. And let’s face it…I love the buttons. LOL!

Necchi EX30

Necchi EX30

April suggested looking at the Laura Ashley Brother machine…so I googled and came up with the NX-800, but she meant the NX-2000 (another machine that I can’t afford). When I saw the Brother NX-800 I did a double take as it was the EXACT SAME MACHINE as the Baby Lock Melody! EXACTLY! I was told at the shop that Brother makes the Baby Lock, just as Janome makes Elna and now Necchi.

Brother Laura Ashley Innov-is NX-800

Brother Laura Ashley Innov-is NX-800

The Necchi was a great machine. Easy to use, good basic 30 stitches, light weight…would make a great machine to haul to classes (12 pounds), and stayed put when sewing.

Ultimately I picked the Brother NX-800. While I love everything about Janome…I enjoyed sewing with the NX-800. Nice stitches, quiet, you can do lateral stitching, auto-thread cutter, ease of bobbin winding, great accessories.

Screen Shot 2013-02-21 at 7.01.01 AM

Can’t wait to pay off my layaway bill and bring her home.

Quilting Work-in-Progress WIP Projects ~ 4 February 2013

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After moving to the east side of Sparks (from west side of Reno) to a smaller but sunnier condo, I’ve finally unpacked most of my quilting supplies and fabrics. Set up a small part of the second bedroom with my table and an old bookcase in the closet to house fabric. On one wall I put up the design wall…thank goodness for 3M Adhesive strip hooks!

My small work space...that Princess Feather block was pieced by my GGGrandma in Nebraska.

My small work space…that Princess Feather block was pieced by my GGGrandma in Nebraska.

One half of my fabric stash.

One half of my fabric stash.

I left a big box of civil war reproduction fabrics in the box and tucked it in the back of my closet…another box is loaded with prints of various colors.

My $1 chair I bought over the weekend from a garage sale.

My $1 chair I bought over the weekend from a garage sale.

Now onto the Work-in-Progess quilts ~ (minus a quilt top I made with Kate Spain fabric that I forgot to pull out).

Left: Triangle rows out of Frolic. Need to add a few onto each row and make it longer. Right: English paper pieced Grandma's Flower Garden out of batiks.

Left: Triangle rows out of Frolic. Need to add a few onto each row and make it longer. Right: English paper pieced Grandma’s Flower Garden out of batiks.

Cut Frolic triangles.

Cut Frolic triangles.

Hexie wall-hanging made with Lauren & Jessi Jung Flora charm pack.

Hexie wall-hanging made with Lauren & Jessi Jung Flora charm pack.

Farmer's Wife quilt blocks that I'm hand-piecing with Denyse Schmidt's Hope Valley.

Farmer’s Wife quilt blocks that I’m hand-piecing with Denyse Schmidt’s Hope Valley.

Farmer's Wife 'Cut Glass Dish' block that I have with me now to stitch together at lunch.

Farmer’s Wife ‘Cut Glass Dish’ block that I have with me now to stitch together at lunch.

Farmer’s Wife Quilt Update ~ two more blocks finished

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Finally getting back to hand-piecing a few blocks of my Farmer’s Wife quilt after setting it aside to make the Nevada quilt and to move.

With the new place unpacked, and most of my fabrics back on the book-case, I pulled out the ziplock baggies that I had 3 blocks all cut out waiting to be pieced.

Contrary Wife ~ Block 21

Hill & Valley ~ Block 46

Am working on Cut Glass Dish, Block 26, right now…lots and lots and lots of tiny triangles, a bugger to hand-stitch, especially when you have cts in your right hand. I was going to save it for last, but am going to just get it over with! :)

I’m using Denyse Schmidt’s Hope Valley fabric line, Kona solids, and Moda Bella solids to make the quilt

Eight and 1/3 blocks down…102-2/3 blocks to go!

Finished Nevada Quilt and Leather Bead Wrap Bracelets

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Well…I finally finished the quilt I designed for someone my sister knows. I’m pleased at how it turned out, even if it was a bugger to put together. :)

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Am taking a break from quilting now…dug out my leather cords, beads, buttons, thread and needles!

And making a bunch of these:

Still working on the Nevada quilt ~

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A while ago someone my sister knows asked if I’d make a quilt for her, not being of sound mind, I said yes. :) I lost my mojo on it, but have jumped back into the swing of things.

This is as far as I got when my quilting mojo ran far far far away ~

Parts of the Nevada Quilt…back in April 2012

Let me tell you! It’s been a bugger of a quilt. I threw the pieces up onto the design wall and sat back just staring at it…then sitting on the couch, with Lucy and Luna, pondering how the hell am I going to attach all those together?! All I can say is Thank God quilting and a wash will hide some of my mistakes. :)

Piecing the bugger together.

After bouncing off some ideas on my friend’s head, I decided it did indeed need something else up north of the State of Nevada. So I started making wee stars. Will make two grey and one blue. Still need to add some strips here, stars over there…that sort of thing…but am hoping to get the top finished and ready to sandwich by the weekend.

ALMOST THERE!

On the search for the perfect E-reader cover case

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I have a Nook Simple Touch and have been on the lookout for the perfect cover case/cozy to make for it.

Last night I finished sewing (well, I still have to add a button snap) a pattern by Java House Quilts, and while I’m happy with how it made up…it’s just not “perfect” for my Nook. Big sigh. It’s sort of lop-sided in weight. I like the pocket for the eye glasses, but, as I said, the weight distribution is off.

For this attempt I used Westminster, Free Spirit House Designer’s CAIMAN fabric that I bought at Hawthorne Threads. Beautiful fabric!

My next pattern to try is Whistlepig Creek Production’s #1203 E-Cozy E-reader Cover and Carrying Case. I may have to try their E-Cozy Palooza too.

Have you made anything for your e-reader or iPad that you truly LOVE? If so, let me know as I’m whiling to get it a whirl!

Thanks!

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Denyse Schmidt Charm Swap ~ hosted by Made with Moxie

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I just joined a Charm Swap that is opened up to 55 people (plus the host)…and it’s using fabric from one of my favorite designers, Denyse Schmidt! :)

A few Denyse Schmidt fabrics that I added to my stash not too long ago.

1. We are swapping 5″ charm squares. You will purchase 1 yard of fabric and cut it into 5″ charm squares. 1 yard = 56 charms. (I recommend buying 1.25 yards- never hurts to have a little extra in case you make a cutting mistake.)

2. Choose a fabric that has a small print suitable for an 5″ charms. Scale of the print is very important as smaller works better in this case.

3. Fabric must be Denyse Schmidt designer label, 100% cotton, quilt shop quality fabric. Older DS patterns are acceptable too!

4. Fabric must be new and unwashed and must come from a smoke free environment.

5. Before sending your fabric to me, cut your fabric into 5″ x 5″ charm squares. Press your fabric before cutting. You may want to purchase a slight overage in case you make mistakes cutting your charms.

6. Put your fabric in a ziplock bag and include a 3×5 index card with your name and email address.

7. In your envelope please include:
* the charms in ziplock
* the index card
* a PREPAID SELF ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE for me to mail your charms back to you! This is very important! If you do not send a SASE with your charms, I won’t be able to mail them back to you. To figure the postage cost, have the postmaster weigh your SASE along with the charms and purchase enough postage to cover the cost. Then put that postage on the SASE and place it inside your package along with your charms.

8. Finally, upload a picture of your chosen fabric ASAP to the Made with Moxie: Denyse Schmidt Charm Swap Round TWO Flickr group. This is really important so we don’t have any duplicates! Also, include all pertinent info about your fabric (designer, name, color, shop) so everyone can have access to order more if they want.
If you want to you may sign up for two spots in the swap, but remember you must sent two different yards of DS fabric.

Deadline to mail the charms to our host is 15 June 2012.

Cabin Fever Quilt Show 2012, Portola, Ca ~ Part II

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More quilts, wall hangings and a very cute pillow. I’ll post more later…this one is picture heavy.

This is my friend, April, and myself in the near future…underneath our stash, giving the thumbs up, and kitties wondering who’s going to feed them now.

20th Annual Cabin Fever Quilt Show ~ Stars Over the Cabin

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Today we drove up to Portola, CA so I could go to the Cabin Fever Quilters’ Quilt Show. After dropping my husband off at the river east of town so he could walk to the park where we eat lunch, I drove to the Fr. Burns Social Hall.

This year they moved the show over to the south side of the river on 100 South Pine St. Sunday’s show is from 10-4. $6 to get in at the door. These ladies are awesome quilters…I never go away disappointed.

I took lots of pics, so will break these up into a few different posts. :)

First off…here is my one FQ that I bought. I picked out a wild batik to add to my Grandma’s Flower Garden quilt.

LOVE THIS QUILT! Love the quilts on the houses.

Is this not the cutest quilt?! Absolutely love it! Kitty ballerinas!