Linky issue with sew & tell + an epiphany

So the linky service uses a service and that service's server crashed.  Did you follow that? It's okay, me neither!  So that's why the linky wasn't working for a good part of the day yesterday.  It is now fixed and I've reopened the linky so you can post through Sunday late night!

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In other news...

I've found that if you finish up your half finished projects, your sewing space magically starts to get decluttered.


For instance today I pulled out a hooded towel that I've been meaning to make for a year.  It took 20 minutes.  Why do I put things off??

I finally stitched down these appliques on these onsies that I've had in my to-do pile for TWO years.  Another 20 minutes.  I have got to work on that.  It really does help that my machine has a designated spot and it doesn't move any more.  I just sit down and turn it on!! Love my new table.

 

And just for fun, I think she likes her new towel.

 

Awesome hooded towel tutorial here.

sew & tell 3.24 - a lunchbox placemat

 **The Linky is NOW working!  I've opened it up through late late Sunday night.  :) **

Hi friends!  Are you working on your spring cleaning projects?  I don't want you to be overwhelmed thinking you need an overhaul of your sewing space. Or a complete remodel.

The more I'm working on mine, I'm realizing it's more a matter of putting things away, purging (even big things like desks) and find a system of organizing that works. And making most of the space I have.  Notice I keep saying space, not studio or room. I know most of us sew at our kitchen tables or share our space with a home office! 

So set a goal, take a before picture, and keep working.  I'm planning a better all inclusive post soon.  But the sew & tell link up and prizes won't be up until after the 2nd week in April.  So you have a few weeks to work on it!

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I had a fun sewing date yesterday with my local friends.  I was able to cut and prep some bindings and some placemats for my kids.  Sisterlouwho had a great idea and asked me to make a smaller placemat for her lunch box! And this makes her excited to take her lunch! bonus!  I had her pick out some fabric from my scraps and I whipped this up last night in about 20 minutes.

I'm not going to lie.  I think it's adorable and want to make my own! I can see why mug rugs are all the rage!

That's Sandi Henderson's Ginger Blossom fabric.  She picked out some flannel for the back (that didn't photograph well) and I used some strips of scrap cotton batting inside.  I just sprayed strips of batting leftover from trimming quilts and then trimmed it down where it overlapped so it wouldn't be bumpy.

I finished it off with a serged edge (like my dish drying mats) for a quick finish.  Maybe when my mom comes (yes, she's coming for a month to keep me company! woo hoo! Sew fest 2012!) I'll have her help me learn how to use bias tape, because I know it would look a little more finished.

Here it is folded up in her lunch box!  Mrlouwho joked that people were going to make fun of her.  I said they'll all be jealous! :)

This finished up at just about 11x14.  Totally portable.

What have you been up to this week?


Your turn to share ~ Show us what you've got finished!
Linky Rules.  Please follow along for a fun party!

1. Please write the post for sew & tell - or add a blurb mentioning sew & tell to a post written since the last sew & tell.  If you are linking to a post with your own tutorial, please make sure it was a finish from this week and that the completed project is shown first.

2. One linky per person. (please put multiple projects in one post.)

3. Link to your specific post.  (See here for permalink instructions - or email me.)

4. Link back here with a link or a button (HTML on my sidebar).

5. Be sure to visit and leave comments on other's posts!

Please put your (blog)name instead of your project name, it helps us get to know each other better!

In the spirit of full disclosure...

This is what the other side of the room looks like. The shame. :(

Do it! Go take a picture! And you don't even have to post it until you have a pretty after.

sewing space spring cleaning! ready for a challenge?

I struggle with keeping my sewing space neat and orderly. Raise your hand if you know what I'm talking about.

Okay, now that we all know we're not alone... (right?)  I'll share an embarrassing picture, again.  I've done this before...

This is my former computer desk that was converted into my sewing desk.  It's too big, too open and too easily cluttered.  Plus it took up TOO much room in my sewing space and blocked the only wall in the room (it's the attached sunroom).  I decided after getting my new (to me) sewing cabinet that I needed to get rid of this desk.  I finally figured out that I need a small sewing desk and a big work table (i.e. my dining room table).

I had a friend who had expressed interest in buying my desk if I ever wanted to sell.  She's far more organized than me and I was happy to let her have it.  Open shelving and my "organizing style", or lack thereof, do not mix!

When I texted her she said she could pick it up the next day!  I had to get busy.  This desk is so alluring when it's all cleaned off!!

And now I have all this free space and room to move!  And a bunch of stuff to figure out where it goes. 

Go take a picture of your sewing space RIGHT now.  In it's current state.  Let's clean up together!  I am working out the details, but we will have a before and after sewing space spring cleaning sew & tell in a few weeks!  And I'm working on prizes, and a button, like I said.  The details. 

Stay tuned!  And really get a good before photo - you'll love seeing the difference a little cleaning up can do!

sew & tell v3.23 a bee block and another {not a tutorial}

Hey friends!  I had a lot of fun feeling like a normal blogger this week and got some great feedback from my last two posts.  Thanks so much! It's so fun to read your comments and get new ideas.  I really do plan on emailing you back.  I'll get to it.  :)

I just have a quick finish for this week.  This lovely bee block for Leigh.  I am in love with every single fabric she sent.  Especially the pearl bracelets!

{not a tutorial} photo tip - how I take pictures, sometimes.
I don't pretend to be an excellent photographer, but I am trying to get better.  And learn how to use the little bit of light I do have to my advantage.  I wanted to show you something I learned about taking pictures during Vanessa's class at the Sewing Summit.

White foam board and poster board can really reflect your natural light well so that you can get a nice bright picture before you process it. So here's a zoom out of that picture up there.

The block is clothes pinned to the foam board, poster board on the table and light coming from the window to the left.  I took this picture in the late afternoon yesterday.  Zoom out again...

The room was actually kind of dark, but with that light reflecting on the white and getting up close and personal I was able to get a relatively bright picture. I didn't edit these at all post photo-taking. And didn't use a flash.  In retrospect, I probably would have lightened them up a bit more, but I wanted to just show you how a some cheap white poster board can help you take advantage of some natural light. I haven't gotten around to making an actual light box yet...


Your turn to share ~ Show us what you've got finished!
Linky Rules.  Please follow along for a fun party!

1. Please write the post for sew & tell - or add a blurb mentioning sew & tell to a post written since the last sew & tell.  If you are linking to a post with your own tutorial, please make sure it was a finish from this week and that the completed project is shown first.

2. One linky per person. (please put multiple projects in one post.)

3. Link to your specific post.  (See here for permalink instructions - or email me.)

4. Link back here with a link or a button (HTML on my sidebar).

5. Be sure to visit and leave comments on other's posts!

Please put your (blog)name instead of your project name, it helps us get to know each other better!

{not a tutorial} spray basting or i don't know what a safety pin is

I've decided to start sharing some methods or tips here on my blog. I hesitate to call them tutorials, because that makes me nervous.

So I thought I'd call them {not a tutorial}s, just {the way I do it}.

There are so many talented sewers out there and tons of tutorials, so I don't profess to be the authority on anything, but wanted to share my process.

I've talked to a lot of quilters who have never used a basting spray. When I was getting ready to quilt my bird quilt - the first thing I ever quilted on my little machine - I bought a bunch of safety pins to baste it with.

But I'm going to be honest. The thought of pinning that whole thing and then trying to quilt around the pins~well, UGH!! It just seemed a little daunting. I mean, I'm horrible about taking out straight pins!! So I decided to just use a basting spray. And I have to say I LOVE IT!!

I can't give you an honest comparison vs. pin basting but it works for me and gives me a nice clean surface to quilt on without having to worry about running into a pin every 3" or so. So here you go.

Quilt Basting {the way I do it}.

Supplies:
1 Quilt Sandwich
Packing tape
Basting Spray
* a note on basting spray.  I just bought a can at Joann's (or Hancock's) using my 40% coupon.  I know there are different brands but this is just what was easily available to me.
edited to add:  I've gotten some great feedback already!  I do usually open my windows when I spray. And I also don't use a ton of the spray because a little goes a long way and the fumes ARE stinky!

Step 1. Tape the quilt back wrong side up to the floor.

Depending on the size of the quilt I use several large pieces of packing tape to secure each corner and several spots on each side.  Work from one side and smooth the fabric out as you tape.

Step 2. Lay and smooth out a similar sized piece of batting on top of the back.
Step 3. Center quilt top to complete the quilt sandwich.

Make sure everything is smoothed out. And that you have backing and batting under every part of your quilt top.

Step 4a.  Fold back one side of the quilt top only.  Lightly spray the wrong side of the quilt top and exposed batting with the spray in a back and forth motion.
4b. Unfold that section back over the batting, smoothing it as you go.
4c. Repeat as necessary to baste the whole quilt top to the batting.

You may get some overspray on the floor but it clean ups easily.

Step 5. Fold back the batting AND the top and lightly spray batting and backing.

Keep folding back batting and quilt top together until everything is sticking together.

Repeat.

6. Smooth everything out.

7. Get quilting!!

 Have you tried spray basting before? Do you pin? Which do you prefer? Let me know if you try this!

(I'll be blogging more about this quilt soon!)

a sewing table find (and the one in which I utilize a LOT of parentheses)

I'm too embarrassed at the moment to show you the state of my sewing space.  It's currently (and mostly always) a disaster.   We have this awesome sunroom in this house and I slowly took it over when we moved in putting in my treadmill (it's like running outside, right?), my oversized-open-shelved-eyesore of a computer desk (that turned into a makeshift sewing table), and my little blue table (that I typically use my serger on but really love to have it clear for taking photos).

The computer desk is my biggest nemesis (it's sort of like this one).  The lovely display at IKEA with matching boxes and crates and doodads for keeping that open shelving looking pretty is lost on my messy mind.  It needs to go. I bought a much smaller desk, made for just a computer (which is all I need) and moved my computer to the living room (which is considerably warmer in the winter).

Over Christmas break I spent a lot of time organizing my big cabinets that hold a lot of my sewing supplies.  Things that I haven't figured out where to put yet got shoved in the sunroom.  My dining room table is always cluttered with my machine and cutting supplies - which makes eating together as a family in the dining room difficult at best.

So I decided I needed an old fashioned sewing machine table.  Something small that I could move around the house if I wanted to sew somewhere else.  Something that I could put the machine flush with the table for easier movement of fabric while quilting.  Something that was small enough that it couldn't collect clutter, because the only thing that will fit on it IS THE MACHINE.

I was checking out our local yard sale web site and found an ad for a Danish Modern Pecan sewing table.  I emailed.  They replied. I called. I picked it up this morning.

It is in nice condition and I don't even plan on painting it (shocking I know!!)  I didn't even take my machine to see if it would fit.  I figured between me and my aspiring woodworker (aka mrlouwho) we could make it work.

When you flip open the top to extend the table, you see the little hinged parts which hold the machine it was built for (or at least one of the hinged flaps, the back one was gone).  And there isn't a shelf or anything underneath.  But, BUT! The opening is big enough for my machine!

 

My secret plan is to have aforementioned woodworker (or the guys at Home Depot) cut me a piece of plywood (or something) and attach a shelf with some L-brackets to the underside where my machine will sit.  Good plan, no?

Until then, with the extension flap folded up it fits my machine and acrylic table on the top perfectly.

 

And brotherlouwho and I tried it out today and made some more progress on his quilt.  Here's what we've gotten so far.  It's shaping up quite nicely!

 

Where do you use your sewing machine? Inquiring minds want to know!!

sew & tell v3.22 - a first for summer

Hello Friday and Welcome to Sew & Tell!  I haven't finished anything particularly new or exciting this week but my friend Summer has!!  She completed her first 2 quilts and did such an awesome job I asked her to come share them today!

Summer is one of those bubbly, fun, genuine people that you want to be friends with.  And she's super talented to boot.  She paints, and draws, and quilts and works with paper - she's amazing!  You'll have a lot of fun discovering her blog!

I'm going to start closing comments on guest sew & tell posts so you can head straight over to the guest's blog to leave some comment love! 

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Hey there! I'm Summer of Artfulife. Amy was sweet enough to ask me to share my first quilts I've ever made on her blog for sew & tell.

Amy & I have been bloggy friends for a few years now & I'm so happy I finally had the chance to meet her this past year at the Sewing Summit. She is as awesome in "real life" as she is on her blog. Amy is actually on my list of people that inspired me to start quilting in the first place.

I come from a background of art. I attended Ringling School of Art & Design where I majored in Fine Art Painting with a minor in Printmaking. I always loved sewing & fabric but never really felt that quilting was something I could do. Amy was one of people that made me feel I could do it. Thanks Amy for paving the way! I'm now totally hooked!

image via Artfulife

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Thanks Summer!  One of the things she failed to mention was that not only were these her first quilts, but she designed them herself!  If I remember correctly she got the scottie dog blocks from a friend and was asked to turn them into quilts.  She did a remarkable job!  You want to go see them now don't you?!

I purposely only showed a teaser shot so you can head over and see the rest of the pictures! And leave her your comments there!

Here's a few more posts to see some of her awesome work:
Granny Squares
Christmas Table Runners
Tooth Fairy Pillow Tutorial (you may remember these from a previous sew & tell)
Owl Mini Quilt (YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS!! CUTE OVERLOAD!)




Your turn to share ~ Show us what you've got finished!
Linky Rules.  Please follow along for a fun party!

1. Please write the post for sew & tell - or add a blurb mentioning sew & tell to a post written since the last sew & tell.  If you are linking to a post with your own tutorial, please make sure it was a finish from this week and that the completed project is shown first.

2. One linky per person. (please put multiple projects in one post.)

3. Link to your specific post.  (See here for permalink instructions - or email me.)

4. Link back here with a link or a button (HTML on my sidebar).

5. Be sure to visit and leave comments on other's posts!

Please put your (blog)name instead of your project name, it helps us get to know each other better!

modern mini challenge!

 

It's no secret that I love minis ever since I attended the Sewing Summit. I was really excited when I saw Jennifer's Modern Mini Challenge!

 I had 3 minis in progress and knew I needed to finish one of them to enter. The prizes are pretty awesome!

I was out of town all weekend and neglected to bring some hand sewing (ie: binding) with me so I just finished sewing this binding down on the machine. It's a rushed job and I should probably go back and fix it. We'll see.

This mini was conceived before Christmas when I was making the large star quilt for a gift. I didn't know how I wanted to place my fabrics so I cut out a bunch of little 3.5" squares to play around with.

This was one of the layouts I came up with. And now it's breathes life as a cute little mini! Finished size: 12.5" x 12.5"

I love free motion quilting mini quilts. They move around so easily and it takes all of 5 minutes. I just did some loop-de-loops on this one.

Thanks Jennifer for a fun party/challenge. Can't wait to check out the other entries!

sew & tell v3.21: Amy can't come to the blog right now please leave a message...BEEP!

Hi Amy, it's Kim! You know...Kim from My Go-Go Life...anywho...or should I say amylouwho, I know I just talked to you yesterday but yesterday I had not finished more blocks... you know... the ones I have been driving you crazy with lately, I cannot wait to have the sewing party at my house and we can make some MORE of these babies together!!!!! I hope you are having a FABULOUS day and well...call me girlie...luvs ya!!!!! Ta ta for now :o)

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Your turn to share ~ Show us what you've got finished!
Linky Rules.  Please follow along for a fun party!

1. Please write the post for sew & tell - or add a blurb mentioning sew & tell to a post written since the last sew & tell.  If you are linking to a post with your own tutorial, please make sure it was a finish from this week and that the completed project is shown first.

2. One linky per person. (please put multiple projects in one post.)

3. Link to your specific post.  (See here for permalink instructions - or email me.)

4. Link back here with a link or a button (HTML on my sidebar).

5. Be sure to visit and leave comments on other's posts!

Please put your (blog)name instead of your project name, it helps us get to know each other better!

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