Sunday, September 4, 2011

The six hour skirt

So I've been wanting to make a skirt for myself out of some rayon I have had for a while and I finally remembered to pick up a pattern at JoAnns the other day. Yay! Anyway, little did I know that the 2 hour Simplicity pattern was going to take me 6 hours.

First, you have to iron the pattern pieces. Wait, no, FIRST you have to read all the instructions, then figure out which view you are going to make, then circle all the instructions throughout the pattern so you don't make something else, which could very easily happen to me, even with a skirt that only had 2 seams. Ok, now you cut out the ONE pattern piece you need for your 2 hour skirt and iron the creases out of it. One hour down.

Then, having a perfectly cut pattern piece I realized that my elastic was 1 inch wide instead of 1/2 inch. I thought I could add a 1/2 inch to the bottom of the skirt and spent a whole bunch of time taping pattern paper to it, measuring out 1/2 inch, drawing little lines, connecting them.....when I realized the elastic goes at the waist (duh) and had to do it all over again at the waistline. Two hours down.

I cut the exact amount called for on my size pattern out of my bolt of rayon, took everything downstairs to my big cutting table and commenced pinning. Mind you, the piece cut was going to be enough for both sides of the skirt pattern. Cut out first salf of skirt. Was it going to fit one more time? Nope. Back to the bolt, another 3/4 yard or so cut, (and ironed...I forgot to mention that) Hour three in the can.

Sewing the side seams together was a challenge because I never sew 5/8 inch seams and actually had to read my sewing machine manual to find out where the measurement is because it is NOT the 5/8" marked on the needle plate. How do I know this? By experience. Hour 4 down.

Seams sewn, now it's time for the elastic. Not quite as challenging this time, but fiddly. Hour 5...is it lunch time yet?

Finally get to the end and ready for the hem. A quick glance at the instructions tells me to let it hang overnight. What?! I think not because I wanted to wear it to church. Onward with the hem. Hour 6 here and I can't believe it but it FITS!!!! Yay for me!





Friday, September 2, 2011

For  the past 9 months, the first Friday of  every month has been my favorite day of the month. I teach the Applique Club at Quilt in a Day and today was the 9th month in a 9 month class.

Our pattern was "Jardin de Roses" by Verna Mosquera of The Vintage Spool. (www.thevintagespool.com) Out of 13 students, about half of them have made it this far and one has actually finished her quilt. I was lucky enough to be chosen as the person to quilt it on my longarm machine for her and I'm sad to say I don't have a picture. Hopefully I can talk her into letting me take one soon so I can share it.

Todays class found me desperately trying to learn to operate a new little machine that makes folded bias strips. I use very small strips on intricate applique and was hoping this machine would take all the work out of making them, but alas it was not to be. After many trials and errors, we decided that it just doesn't work well for narrow strips so I gave up. Luckily I had my reciept and was able to return it. I kinda hate to mention here the actual name of the product. Don't want to get in any trouble.  I will just stick with my tried and true manual method using the Clover products that work very well.

Oh, but the most interesting thing I did today was to tape a promotional spot for the next class I am teaching called "Calendar Cuties". Orion taped me and the first run through I did really well, very smooth and didn't forget anything and he didn't have the camera on!! ACK. So, of course we had to do more takes and it went downhill (in my opinion) from there. Still and all it turned out pretty good. I just liked the first one best...Oh well. He is going to post it online soon. Again, I don't have a copy but as soon as he posts the video, I'll grab it.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Blog title

I didn't realize that the title "Joining the blogworld" would be the ACTUAL NAME of my blog. Yuk. I may have to create another one with a much prettier name...

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

The sewing bug.

Quilting is therapy. All my friends say so and I agree. When I walk into my sewing room I feel a sense of calm just being in there. It's knowing that I get to spend time just doing something other than work and chores and making something sometimes beautiful, sometimes not so much.
I don't know what happened when, in early 1999 (I was 30 ish) I told my husband, Don, that I wanted a sewing machine. I don't know why I did that except I had this strange desire to sew. Mind you, this had never been a problem before. In fact I had actively avoided the very idea. My mother sewed my clothes and had always tried to interest me in it and I would have none of it. I wanted to read. Period. Nothing else. Nothing in the world seemed so boring as sewing. It looked hard and I knew I didn't have the patience for it. But now I wanted a sewing machine and it had to be a Bernina, like my mom had. She swore by hers and still has her 1979 model today.
On the Monday after Mother's Day that year I came home from work to find a brand new Bernina 140 sitting on a table set up in the living room. My dear, sweet hubby had gone out and got me one! It was beautiful. Sleek and white and new, just waiting for me to thread it and start sewing the daylights out of it. I got bit by the bug.
But then, I didn't even know what a quilt was...