Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Desperate Quilter

Episode #8 is out. I hope the sound quality is better. Thanks to all who are sticking with me!

As I mentioned in a previous podcast, I went out of town during the Thanksgiving holiday to assist my sister after her surgery. I want to thank the listeners that sent out well wishes to her. You know who you are. Just to update you, she is doing well, using her cane vs her walker and getting up and down the stairs without any assistance.

While I was on my mini vay-cay, is that a word, I planned to focus on my knitting. It was portable and took up less space in my suitcase and my vehicle. Well, all I took with me was knitting, no quilting items. I was at my sister's all of 1 1/2 days, I wanted to quilt. I was told by my sister that she had a sewing machine. Excitement, you can't imagine how excited I was. My sister doesn't sew!! So, she told me she wanted me to fix a seam in 2 pairs of her pants. I said,ok. I went to get the machine out of hiding and to my surprise, this is what I found.

Sewing Machine
Dressmaker Sewing Machine

I sooooo wanted to quilt. I took the machine, no foot pedal, however there was a "start/stop" button. At my finger tips, I had the ability to sew a straight stitch only. So, I decided to go to a big box store to buy some inexpensive fabric, small cutting mat and rotary cutter to play with. A coupon was involved of course. I figured crumb blocks of sorts would be best. I could make my seam 1/4" using the rotary cutter! Here's what I did. Not to bad for a desperate quilter.

Crumbs

Well, you are not in you local area, you must visit LQS's and LYS's. I did just that. I went to Fabric Hut, also an online shop I order from, in Norfolk, VA. Purchased the Accuquilt Go-Snowman and Batiks there. Also, I visited Nancy's Calico Patch in Newport News, VA and purchased more Batiks and Aurifil thread for piecing. Her shop is an authorized Bernina Dealer. I toyed with the idea of purchasing a Bernett 46, however, I talked myself out of that. This would be a perfect machine for a very young person that has interest in sewing.

Progressing nicely on my Weekend Shawl. I am now on the Sunday pattern repeat! Ten rows to go. Completed a couple of knitting projects while there! I stared another cowl for my sister, at her request. I just love how people say, "can you make me one?" Her color choice is a "neutral/beige".

Nikki's Thermis Jazzy Scarf

On my 2+ hour drive home, I caught up on "Quilting for the Rest of Us" podcast, episodes 67-69 and a portion of 70. Listening made the drive home a lot easier.

This is what I started since I got home:

Christmas N Batiks

BTW, haven't started my BOM project yet...there was a little bump in the road in my plans!!! Stay tuned!

Until next time.



3 comments:

  1. Hi AJ. The volume was perfect on this edition. That is one tiny sewing machine. You really HAD to be desperate to spend much time on that.

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  2. I agree with Colleen - the volume was perfect all throughout. She got that "toy" for $14.99? I was cracking up while you talked about what the "toy" would not do. Very impressed with what you did get it to do. :) Love your podcast!

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  3. That Dressmaker sewing machine is so cute! It looks like one of those little one-cup coffee pots, LOL.

    Glad I could keep you company in the car--you've done the same for me on many an occasion. I wonder if we should all start tracking how many miles we all put in listening to one another's podcasts and see when we circumnavigate the globe!

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