My first wonky improv

Blocks for Quilting Barbie, originally uploaded by Shadrach Meshach & Abednego.

This weekend my husband and daughter have been in Montreal, so I figured it would be a good time to finish up my January commitment to the Maple Leaf Bee. Quilting Barbie asked for a wonky log cabin and an improv block, to make a quilt for her toddler son's big-boy bed. She sent us some beautiful fabric in oranges, blues and aquas. I've been putting off making them because I've never done wonky or improv before. But as you see, it's the last day of the month, so Time Has Run Out.

Here's a better look at the blocks. First, wonky log cabin.  This worked out okay, I guess.  It was fun to do, but I'm not sure I'm a complete fan.  The jury is still out.

Now the improv.  It was stressful in a fun kind of way.  How does one know when it's finished?  I just kept adding to it, and I felt like any minute it would get up and take over the world - at least The Block that Ate Ontario. Honestly, I think it's a bit of a hegdish, and I'm not sure I like it.  I hope Barb isn't too particular!  And of course it wouldn't be quilting if there weren't some boo-boos.  For example, the goldfish in the upper right section of the block are swimming upside down.  This is a life lesson that all children need to learn, but I'm not sure Barb wanted me to piece it into her son's quilt!  And I added some fabric from my stash, but I forgot that it was for a boy's bed, and there is a honking big chunk of lacy aqua paisley there, plus a strip of Amy Butler chrysanthemums at the bottom left (there's some in the log cabin, too).  I hope it isn't too girlish for Barb's taste - when I went back to look at the Flickr photos of the other blocks, none of the fabrics seemed to feature flowers or other feminine motifs - I'm hoping that it will all blend into the big picture.
On another note, I gave my friend her quilt last night.  She was very surprised and touched.  She cried, I cried, and her teenage daughter poked gentle fun at us.  My friend has put an offer in on a house across town and is in a fair way to making a new start.  Thank you all for your kind words.

Leave your worries on the doorstep

Grab your coat and get your hat,

Leave your worries on the doorstep.

Just direct your feet

To the sunny side of the street.

Sunny Side of the Street on the line, originally uploaded by Shadrach Meshach & Abednego.

This poor quilt top languished in the basement for over a decade, and is finally finished! I'm calling this quilt The Sunny Side of the Street. Not only are the lyrics of that song from 1930 appropriate for the bright colours, so welcome on a drab winter's day, but the sentiment they convey are fitting for my friend, who is divorcing and beginning a new life.

Can you hear the pitter pat?

You know that happy tune is your step.

Life can be so sweet

On the sunny side of the street.

I tried some fancy stitching on the quilting this time.  Not sure I'm 100% happy with the result, but it looks fine, I guess.  Also, I really wanted a red binding for this quilt, but on reflection, I'm afraid the one I used was too dark or too intense.  I would have liked one that was a bit more orangey, but I went ahead and used what was in my stash because I was in a hurry.  But it looks okay, I think.  Argh.  Aren't we all our own toughest critics?

If I never have a dime,

I'll be rich as Rockefeller.

Gold dust at my feet,

On the sunny side of the street.

I'm very, very happy to be able to give a friend a gift that will provide her a bit of comfort in her days of difficulty.  It's hard to see a friend hurting.  When you can't do anything else, give a quilt!

And now I can move another one off the list of WIPs.  I don't have very many on that list (see sidebar) - only three now, and one is already a flimsy.  Yay for me - at least in this area of my life, I appear to be a finisher!

I used to walk in the shade

With my blues on parade.

Now I'm not afraid,

This rover has crossed over.

Updated to link to Amy's Sew-N-Tell Friday!  Go look at all the goodies!

How-to: Fons & Porter binding tool tutorial

This is the reason I decided to start blogging.  When I started quilting again this summer, my first project was to quilt up a flimsy that my mother had left when she passed away suddenly in 2008.  I went to the LQS to pick up some backing and batting, and I was very interested in looking around to see what kind of innovations had been released in the quilting world over the past decade-plus.  I was especially interested in anything that made binding easier, since I harboured deep-seated anxiety about those dang mitred corners (which I've got licked now, huzzah).  The helpful LQS lady raved about the Fons & Porter binding tool as the best thing since the rotary cutter, so home with me it went.  I have no memory of using the F&P tool, although I did, since the whole experience of finishing my mother's quilt on the first anniversary of her passing was quite emotional.  It must have been charmed - everything went fine.

But shortly after that I made another quilt, and I ran head-on into a brick wall when I tried to make the F&P binding tool work for me.  Let me back up.  The binding tool is meant to help you determine exactly where to cut the binding so that you have a perfect fit, and also to show you where to mark and sew the ends together so that you have a perfect, continuous, mitred binding with no bunching.  When I was making Blue Meanies , I sat late at night trying to get that binding joined up, but each time it was twisted, and wouldn't lie flat.  Seriously, I tried for well over an hour, pinning and basting, re-pinning and re-basting, to no avail.  I moved to the internet, looking for a tutorial somewhere, and I did find one, but it was corrupted somehow, so that it stopped in the middle.  I felt sure it was just about to show me what I was doing wrong.  Imagine reading a murder mystery and when you get to the part where the detective says "And the murderer is...", the pages are missing!  Finally, at 2.30am,  I coughed up $20 to get access to the Fons and Porter site and watched their 2 minute video.  Lo and behold, there it was.  The answer.  The answer NOT printed on the instructions.  At that point I thought, I need to rant about this!  But no one in my household was remotely interested (plus being sound asleep) - thus, the decision to blog was born!
Last night I sewed the binding onto the Jacob's Ladder I'm working on, and I took photos to show how to use the Fons & Porter binding tool, which is really an excellent tool for perfectly fitting binding.  But there is a trick that isn't mentioned in the instructions.  Here are some photos of the process.

Step 1.  Leave about 8 inches unsewn at the beginning when attaching the binding, and stop sewing the binding when there is about a 12" opening.  I do not trim the extra batting/backing until the binding has been completely sewn on, but that's up to you - it makes no difference in the use of the tool.  Face the quilt so that the open spot is in front of you and the body of the quilt is on your table.  Trim the right edge of the loose binding so that it ends in the middle of the open edge.

Step 2.  Lay the binding tool on the edge of the strip, so that the words "Fons & Porter" are on the right and the left edge of the tool is on the very edge of the binding.

Step 3. Take the left binding strip and lay it over the binding tool.  You will fold it at the marking line that matches the width of your binding.  Mine was 2 1/2", so you can see the binding folded at the 2 1/2" mark.  Trim the binding at the fold.

Step 4.  MOST IMPORTANT STEP IN THE WHOLE PROCESS.  The binding wants to lie flat against the body of the quilt.  But you must take the right-hand binding and fold it down, away from the body of the quilt.   Pin it where the stitching ends so that it will stay folded down.

Step 5.  Write about Step 4 on the instructions that come with the tool so that you don't forget next time!

Step 6.  Open up each binding strip and lay them together, with right sides facing.  Align the raw edges and pin them together.  You will have to bunch the quilt up a bit in the open space - that's fine.

Step 7.  Lay the binding tool over the binding segments and align the diagonal line marked on the tool with the raw edges of the binding.

Step 8.  Use a sharp pencil to draw a line against the bottom of the tool, making a 45 degree stitching line.

Step 9.  Stitch.  If you are still skeptical and subscribe to the "measure twice, cut once" school of thought, baste it and test as shown in Step 10 below.  Then stitch it once you are sure it will join nicely.

Step 10.  Before you trim the seam allowance, check to make sure nothing is twisted and that the binding will lay flat.  (This is where I kept running my head into the wall before I found the $20 solution - it would just not lay flat and was twisted every which way.)

Step 11.  Trim.  Finger press the seam open and continue sewing the binding down along the open space.
Step 12.  Pour yourself a stiff drink and celebrate, admiring your perfect binding!
I hope this is a useful tutorial for you if you have bought this tool and had trouble making it live up to its promise.  I do find that it makes perfect bindings, now that I know to pin that piece down.  Good luck - I'm not a professional quilting maven, so cannot take any kind of responsibility if you chop your fingers off!  This is my first tutorial, so if you think it is confusing please let me know and I'll try to fix it up!
P.S.  The binding for that Jacob's Ladder is all basted and ready to be sewn on tonight - I'll do the big reveal tomorrow.

Lookit!

Can you believe my good fortune?  Look what I won from Thelma's giveaway!  Can you believe that generous stack of goodness?  And she had four of these bundles to give away!  All I had to do was leave a comment cheering for the Colts!  (Now if she had asked me to cheer for the Maple Leafs, I'm not sure I could have done it!)  Many oodles of thanks to the oh-so-awesome Thelma!

P.S. I finished quilting the Jacob's Ladder yesterday.  All it needs is the binding - with luck I can do that tonight!

Weekend minutes

Machine quilting, originally uploaded by Shadrach Meshach & Abednego.

This term I have a heavier teaching load than I did last term, and I'm really feeling the pinch when it comes to my quilting productivity. Last weekend I pinned this quilt but it was only last night that I got a chance to start the quilting. One of my courses is a new prep, so I'm devoting a lot of time to getting things read properly and seminar material organized. I'm not really complaining, since I do love my job - not to mention that the university writes my paycheques and therefore indirectly supplies my stash habit!

Progress in crochet-land continues apace. Perhaps I am being kind to myself by measuring progress in inches rather than miles. This granny square still looks pretty weedy and off-kilter, and I tell no word of a lie when I say this is probably granny square, take 200. Never mind, it does look better than the previous 199 efforts! I'm enjoying learning to crochet - and granny squares are nice interleaved with course prep. It's easier to ration, as well. I can tell myself I'll do one round on the granny square and then I'll read half of a journal article, and it actually works - trying to work that kind of a deal with quilting is a mug's game!

Generous Folks

Last week I posted about the awesome surprise package I received from Momloves2quilt in a pay-it-forward scheme.  As you probably know by now, this means that I am now charged with paying forward some amazing goodness to three people, who, in turn promise to do the same.  I just let the famous random number generator do its stuff, as shown below:

Therefore, according to the scientific method, the winners are Crafty Maine Mom, Tamera and Becky Gonce!  Three cheers for these generous folks, who are each going to be making three people very happy.  And with any luck, I will do the same for each of them.  Here's the game plan, ladies: send me your mailing address, and before January 20, 2011, you will receive a goody bag in the mail from me.  At that point, you will want to blog about it (or Flickr, FAcebook, etc.) and ask for volunteers, from which you will pick three.  And you will have a year from that date to deliver on your promise to make someone smile.

Attitude, Gratitude and Crazy, Crazy Dreams

I think I have to stop drinking coffee in the afternoon.  I used to think that caffeine didn't bother me.  I would blithely drink a cup for a treat instead of dessert, and then go off to bed and fall asleep quickly.  Caffeine never kept me from falling asleep.  But staying asleep was a different story.  I would have crazy anxiety dreams where I would obsess over things like the house developing dry rot or about how I was going to pay for my daughter's university tuition or what exactly was that mole on my neck.  I would wake up many times during the night, worn out, and say to myself, enough is enough!  Go to sleep already!  Finally I realized that I was being affected by the caffeine, and I stopped drinking coffee after 6pm.  But a late afternoon cup of java is a real necessity for me, so I always have one around 3pm.

Recently, though, I've been having those same obsessive, crazy dreams that just won't quit.  Only this time they're craft related.  For example, two nights ago, I dreamed I had received the shipment of Anna Maria Horner voile that I had ordered (see the image above, that I snagged from Sew Mama Sew).  And for some reason, with great urgency, I had to cut it all into 2 1/2" squares and send it to Haiti.  I was coordinating with the Red Cross on this, and the plane was waiting on the runway to take my voile packages to Port au Prince.  All night long I was cutting voile, and every time I would be almost finished, a new stack would be uncovered and require cutting.  It was all go, rush, rush, to save lives - because in dreams it makes sense that a shattered populace would need designer fabric, right?  And a blistered thumb from the rotary cutter is a small sacrifice to make.  Sheesh!

And last night, I was dreaming about applique, which is on my list of New Year's Quilting Resolutions.  In reality, I haven't yet set on my first applique project, but in the midnight hour of last night, I was determined to applique the iconic image from Woodstock.  You know, a guitar neck with a bird on it.  Or was it an entire guitar with a bird on it?  This became a consuming question - I wonder how many calories I burned up, tossing and turning, fretting over whether it was neck-only (applique-able) or whole-guitar (not applique-able, due to skill level).  Of course, I was not at Woodstock, being only nine at the time, and I'm not remotely interested in Woodstock, but the answer to this dilemma can be solved by a simple keystroke chez Google, which is what I did to find the image posted above.  Why on earth I couldn't say calmly to myself "I'll have to Google that in the morning" is beyond me.  P.S.  As you can see, it's neck-only.  I'll get right on that applique.  NOT!
And these are only the two latest stories - can you imagine the dark night of the soul and self-torture that went on over that foundation piecing?  It was brutal!  So, yes, with the deepest regret, I think the afternoon cup of joe has got to go.  What about you?  Can you drink coffee in the afternoon?  Do you have dreams that involve quilting?