Stitch Adventures

Ventura County Fair

A big part of my summer each year anticipating and volunteering at the Ventura County Fair.  It's in full swing now, - you can smell the fair food as you drive by on Hwy 101, and you also get a pretty good view of the bungee jumping.

Here's a great picture of the mascot at the "Ride a Sheep" contest:

 

Last week,  I spent two days exploring the fair, and working at the quilt demo for my local "Quilters Anonymous" group in the Home Arts building.  It's fun to watch the people who have entered something in the various competition come to look for their entries - and look to see if they received an award! 

In year's past I've been the judge for weaving, spinning, knitting, rug making, and fine crochet.  This year, I was the judge for crocheted afghans. 

A judge is looking for technique - (was it difficult to make, or easy and well executed?); appropriate use of materials (i.e. using chunky yarn to make a baby afghan which will weigh a lot isn't a great idea); and design (colors and combinations that go with the pattern chosen). 

It's not easy being a Fair judge - you've got to hold back on your opinions (like colors and fibers you might prefer), and be careful to look at all the characteristics of the finished items - even if it's something you wouldn't make or own yourself.  I know very well how much time and effort goes into making something, and how scary it is to actually enter something to be judged.

There were quite a few entries in the crocheted afghan categories this year.  I tried to write comments on every afghan that I judged.  I always compliment the good, and sometimes offer suggestions for improvement. This is for the contestant eyes only - once the items are displayed, the public doesn't get to see any negative comments. 

My biggest complaint - contestants who bring in hand made items that are dirty, stained, covered in pet hair, or so obviously much used that the yarn is worn out.  How can a judge overlook such lack of pride?  A few years back, I remember looking at an exquisite and very finely crocheted table runner that appeared to be tea-dyed.  But once I touched it, I discovered it was actually greasy and dirty  - brown from dirt.  Argh!  What a shame. 

And yes, this year was no different.  There were some afghans that should not have been entered because they were dirty or too well worn.  But there were also some very well made, and very modern design afghans. 

Here is one of my favorites -

 

Looks like I'll have to start making granny squares again to try this one out!  I just love the way the afghan looked like a grass field with flowers in it.  I would love to get a pattern for this, but haven't been able to find one online, so let me know if you know where it is available.

 

 

 

 

Hawaiian applique quilt blocks

In July, it was my turn to choose a block design and fabrics for others in my local quilt guild to make for me. I was driving a quilt friend to LAX airport - and since she was on her way to a 2-week vacation to Hawaii, I was inspired to honor her by having everyone in my group make a Hawaiian needle turn applique block.

I was already in Los Angeles. Since I don't take driving trips there too often - I wanted to do something besides a tuck and roll at the airport.  (That's my husbands term, kind of picturesque, isn't it?)  So, I decided to go to the LA Fabric Mart, and find some interesting fabrics for the quilt-to-be.   I went to a store I've been hearing about for years - Michael Levine's. 

Ever been to Michael Levine's?  I don't know what to compare this fabric shop with.  Maybe right up there with the Fabric Depot in Portland.  I go to Portland just for that fabric store.  But if you don't want to make the trip, their online stores are great too!

Traditional Hawaiian applique quilts are done in solid colored fabric.  But I wanted to try something a little more modern, so I chose red and green prints and a white background for the blocks for my group.

I have a book, Hawaiian Quilt Masterpieces, that serves as inspiration, because it explains the meaning of each design.  For my project, I chose 12 designs, and cut out all the "snowflakes".

Cutting out designs is kind of fun - just like when you were a kid, and cut out snowflake patterns from a folded paper. Only now you fold fabric and cut out the design. 

 There are lots of places online that show and tell how to do needle turn applique. But in short form, you center the cut design on your background fabric and baste it down 1/4" from all edges.  This picture is from a different project, but you can see the basting. 

Very time consuming, because the designs are very intricate.  This is a completed block that I did several years ago.

 

Once the block is basted down, then you hand applique the edges down, turning the edges under about 1/8" - up to the basting. 

I tried several different kind of needles, and finally found one that actually helped me get the edges turned under as I stitched - a size 9 applique needle. It even helped in the corners, where I had to take several stitches to keep the fabric from raveling. 

I also ended up sewing a machine zig zag stitch around the edges of the background fabric, because it was starting to fray from all the handling and turning.

This is a great handwork project for in front of the tv.  Not quick though, because of the intricacy. 

Here's a picture of the finished block that I made as a sample to show my quilt group members, who will all be working on different designs, but similar fabric and colors that I chose.

And here's a picture of the backside - you can see how close together the stitches need to be to make sure the design edges are all caught underneath.

Looks like a lot of work, but just like the crazy quilt block that I did last month, it will help my friends try out a technique they haven't done in awhile. 

And once I get the blocks back, I hope to make a full size quilt, with the addition of a few more.  I can always hope!

 

 

Quilt block exchange

Each month, since March, eight members of my local handquilting group have been making quilt blocks for each other.  The members who wanted to participate each chose a month, a project block, and their own colors.  When it's your month, you bring in enough materials and the directions, so that each member can make a block for you.  My month is July - there will be pictures and details in the next post.

So far, for other members, I've made some interesting blocks.  Interesting in that I learned a new piecing technique or tried different colors.  And great because I only have to make one per month!  Now that I can accomplish.

Last month I made a crazy quilt block, and I was able to play with the fancy stitches on my Bernina.  But I now know I don't want to make a whole crazy quilt myself.  Maybe it's named that way for a reason.

My favorite month so far, was in May.  The quilter brought in a pattern called Girls Favorite, which looked simple enough. 

 

She asked each of us to pick our own blue and yellow fabric, as that would add lots of different fabrics to the final quilt, when she put all the different blocks together.  The quilt was for her boy scout troop, so we were requested to not add too many flowery patterns.

I love the end result, and loved the color combinations that I chose.

However, I should have watched the direction of the striped blue pattern - and that way the stripes would have all been going in the same direction! 

All the people who made the block had difficulty with the way the pattern was written.  The person who wrote the directions for the block (the designer) didn't have the right dimensions of some squares and triangles, and didn't have the correct number of fabric squares to cut.  Something to keep in mind when downloading patterns from the internet.

Next: My quilt block of the month - Hawaiian needle turn applique.

 

 

 

Online Sewing Classes

I've been working hard, trying to finalize my online sewing classes for beginners.  Right before we went on a one-week roadtrip two weeks ago, I finished the first five week course, which I'm offering for free on my website.  Free online sewing classes for beginners.

Now I'm working on the 2nd project for beginners, and a workbook so that new sewers can make samples of techniques they will use in future projects.  Then I'll do a third, fourth and fifth module.  That's going to keep me busy for quite awhile!

I'm surprised at how difficult it is to write directions.  I've been sewing since elementary school, and don't usually follow directions because I can just make things.  (Sort of like driving a car - once you know how, you just drive, you don't think of how you're going to drive).  So now, writing simple directions for someone who is just learning to sew is a real challenge for me. 

I want to make sure new sewers will love sewing as much as I do - I don't want people to get frustrated and give up on learning how to sew.  So I need to break things down and try to show, write and tell how to do every step. 

I'm learning how to take clear pictures, make videos, do audio overlay's, and pull it all together so other people can look at what I've done, and then do it themselves.  I know my videos are not perfect, and I'm certainly not an expert at making things look professional. 

But I do like to share my passion - sewing - with whomever wants to learn. Time to get the info out, then work on the perfection later. 

How to waste a day

Jury Duty.  The dreaded post card in the mail.  The searches on the internet "How to get out of". 

Except for me.  I would really like to be on a jury.  I believe what the judge says when she talks about how important it is for regular people to help make decisions about civil and criminal decisions.  It is important. So I showed up on Tuesday at the jury room in Ventura.

Trapped at the government center, I jostle for a space where I can plug in my pc and actually get some work done.  Way too noisy in here.  So I wait. They won't give the password for the internet until after we've watched the same movie I've watched every year. It shows "average citizens" who rave about how important it is that I do my civic duty.  I know this, just send me up to a courtroom so I can do it!

Wait. Finally, 25 people are called upstairs to a courtroom.  Not me.  After 30 minutes, all but two of them are back in the waiting room - they only needed two alternates for a jury that was already picked.

I wait some more.  Finally, it's lunch time.  I eat pale watery pea soup at the cafeteria.  Go for a walk to burn off energy.  Go wait some more.  Only 4 more hours to go!

Well, you get the picture.  I  never did get picked to go to a courtroom, much less get on a jury.  And there were 198 people who didn't get picked either.  198 people, including me, who wasted a day sitting and waiting on the whim of a judge. 

Why is this repeated, day after day, yearly???  Inconvenience 200 people a day in every county courthouse in the state? Why do we allow the government to run this way?  That's a lot of interrupted work, life and wasted time.

Does someone have a solution?  I've tried the calling in every evening route - my number always gets called in, and it's worse because then I can't pick which specific day - it's all up to the judges in the courtroom.  So I end up trying to get work done all week, being distracted by the impending "you need to show up tomorrow" phone message. I know some people totally ignore the postcard in the mail - if the county can't prove you received it, how can they penalize you?

But I want to do what is right.  So why does it have to be a total waste of my mind and time? Do I have a solution?  No.  Does someone else?  How can the system be changed to serve needs, but not drive 200 people a day to total frustration?

If you've got a solution, I'll gladly rally for a  change.

Fashion Institute's Oscar Nominated Costume 19th Annual Exhibit

You've got to go, you just have to.  The Oscar nominated costumes are once again being shown at the museum at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles.  I make sure and go almost every year - because the chance to see the materials and innovative use of materials by  the nominated costume designers will just take your breath away.

And if you're taking others, there is a movie poster exhibit on the walls of the museum that will keep your non-sewing companions enthralled while you do your self-guided tour.

I'm not able to post pictures (no cameras allowed), but I did find a great website that will let you look at pictures taken by the press allowed to do so: Costume Exhibit.

The most captivating costume, in my opinion, was the "Volcano coat" designed by Sandy Powell (which is picture #3 on the link above).  Made from wire and plastic pieces, it was pure sculpture, made to look like pieces of lava and rock.  She also designed the men's jacket costumes and a dress from the same movie, "The Tempest".  They were made using zippers - many zippers, which added a unique decorative element: zipper men jackets.  Sure, you might see a zipper showing on a dress in a mall, or a pin-on flower made from a zipper, but these garments were made almost entirely from zippers!

Another designer, Michael Kaplan, did the costumes for "Burlesque".  The dancers costumes on display were, surprisingly, all decorated from a base of undergarments - bras, girdles, tights, etc., which were easily visible close up.  But the undergarments had tons of pearls, beads, chains, crystals, painting and other adornments.  From far away they would look quite nude - because the designer dyed the undergarments the same flesh color as the actresses wearing the costume.

Another interesting thing is the size of the costumes.  The costumes you are looking at in the exhibit were actually worn by the actors; so the Mad Hatter costume was worn by Johnny Depp, Chistina Aguillera wore the burlesque costume, etc.  That's one tiny woman!  It was amazing to see how small many of the costumes were.  Perhaps I expect them to be bigger because the actors are famous, (bigger in the viewers eyes).

The exhibit lasts thru April 30, 2011 and is free!  Believe me, it is worth the drive if you live in California.  Here's more info: FIDM Museum

My quilt is on the frame!

Whew!  What an endless task - to mark a quilt.  I "stewed" for weeks about what designs to mark on my to-be-hand-quilted New York Beauty quilt, and how to get the design on the quilt.  Finally, today, I took the marked quilt to the hand quilting group I belong to, and we put it on the frame to be hand quilted.  I could write a whole book on the inner trauma of bringing a quilt top to let other's examine, but maybe later.  I'm just glad it's on a frame, and already being worked on!

I'm still not pleased about the whole marking procedure.  You'd think quilters, who have been around for centuries, would have figured out a way to mark a design on a quilt without all the trauma. 

One person in the group told me to mark with a pencil, but I am so worried about the pencil marks never coming out - especially on light colored fabrics.  The pencil won't come off with an eraser (I tried), so I just have to hope that washing will do the trick. 

Since I was so displeased with using a pencil, I finally decided to use chalk on the darker fabrics.  There's this wonderful miniature tracing wheel/chalk pencil that I've used on other things.  It works so effortlessly.  The wheel comes in three colors, and you can either refill with your own pounce powder, or buy a refill for about $2.50.  The chalk does come off easily, so I know some of the quilt will have to be remarked as we quilt.  But at least it will come off!

So, here's a picture of how we put it on the frame today -

There are long boards that have fabric strips stapled to them.  We lay the quilt on the floor, matched the center of the quilt and the board, and used straight pins to attach the quilt to the fabric strips.

Next, using four people, we rolled the quilt onto each board.  One side of the quilt got rolled under the board, the other side got rolled over.  When the quilt had enough quilting area showing, we used clamps to attach the ends of the quilt to shorter boards.  Then the quilt ends were pinned to the shorter boards, and the quilt was put in the stand.  Ready to be worked on!

It was so exciting to have people working on a quilt I made!  I'm still squeemish about people looking at my stitching close-up.  But it is what it is.  That's how I'll get better!

A different traditional quilt

A few weeks ago I was working frantically on cutting out a traditional quilt to be hand quilted by my friends in my local quilt guild.  It took me a week of full time cutting to get all the pieces done.
Here's a picture of some of the squares for month 1 of the block of the month.

and another picture of the colored squares needed for paper pieceing, for month 1, and the set squares for month 1 too (the white ones). 

So the cutting is done for all 12 months.  Then I got organized, and put all the pieces and directions for each month in it's own plastic bag. 

Then I got realistic.  If it took me a week to cut all the pieces, I knew I wouldn't be done quickly with the piecing, then the marking, then the basting.  Certainly not fast enough to put the quilt on the clubs frame in a week or two. No matter how hard I worked (and it wouldn't be much fun either!)

Then I remembered a small wall quilt I had pieced a few years ago - it was pinned and ready to be machine quilted, and I was using it to cover my bolts of fabric.

 
The quilt was a kit from Connecting Threads and was fun to put together.  But I never finished it because it was a 54x54 wall quilt, and I don't have many empty walls to put quilts on! 

Although this picture I downloaded from their website doesn't do it justice, I was pleased with the quality of fabrics and directions, designed for beginners, like me.  If you go there, you can download the pattern for free, and use your own fabrics. (The kit's no longer available)

So, I've decided to add borders to make the quilt larger and longer, then add some more batting and a different backing.  That I should be able to get done quickly, and since it's a traditional pattern (New York beauty), is worthy of being quilted by hand.

I'm not giving up on my block of the month quilt, just need to put it off for a few weeks so I can take my time piecing it!

 

Dreams - deferred

When I left my full time job a few years back, I had a business plan in hand.  I was taking a big step – to start working for myself.  My dream and written plan was to have a retail store selling fabric, with sewing classes taught by me.

I promised myself I would only have to teach for a little while, since that wasn’t really part of my dream – and when I could, I would hire other teachers. 

I got my studio, filled it with bolts of fabrics and notions, and was pleased when the sewing students starting showing up.  It was fun to teach beginners, and get them enthusiastic about sewing.  Like this picture my daughter made for my Christmas present - she's passionate about her art!

But the business part of me was disappointed – because I wasn’t selling any fabric.  I soon came to the conclusion that the studio just didn’t look like a retail establishment where you came to buy fabric.  It looked like a studio where you came to learn to sew.  I was in a beautiful location, among artists and art activities, but I didn’t look like a store.  And the more I thought about it, the more I realized – most of my profits were going right to the building owner for my monthly lease, not to buying new supplies.

So I began teaching out of my home studio instead, and shifted my focus to selling products online, which was definitely not my dream.  Kind of lonely and hands off.  I still  think it would be wonderful to have a retail store.  But I also know that sinking all my savings into retail is not a smart thing to do. 

Last weekend I met a wonderful woman who owned a fabric store several decades ago in my community.  She made a comment about how she loved it, but lost a lot of money, even though the store was quite successful until a big chain store with fabric and yarn  moved in next door to hers.

Now that she has retired from her current job, she has decided to teach sewing and quilting– her favorite part of owning a fabric store.  And she’s passionate about it!  She’s doing all the things that I thought of doing (but didn’t) – setting up classes at a nearby sewing machine dealer, at a quilt store, and sewing camps in her home studio.  She’s living her dream, and I know she will be successful!

Now, I have to get back to mine. What would really be fun is trying to set up a place where people could take classes – of all kinds.  Stitch Adventures is the name of the new dream.  A wonderful place in town where people can relax and eat and learn to sew, knit, crochet, quilt, and maybe even do printing, dyeing, spinning and weaving.  I can set up the classes, hire the teachers, do the advertising, and coordinate all aspects of this wonderful new “school”.  Just putting this in writing will get me going.  Let me know what you think – suggestions would be most welcome!

The naivete of a beginning quilter

I consider myself to be a beginning or almost intermediate quilter.  I really love quilting - both hand and machine quilting are fascinating to me. 

I joined the Ojai Quilters group about two years ago - because I was getting lonely sitting at home typing on the computer all day.  Most Tuesday mornings I get up early enough to exercise, have coffee, and get to the meeting place by 9a.m.  I'm mentioning that because I am not normally a morning person!  The group is small (5-10 people most times), and does all hand quilting and pieceing too. 

There are usually 2-3 quilts in frames set up to hand-quilt.  Or, in my case, practice quilting on.  We keep track of the hours spent working on quilts, and then whomever has the most hours gets to put on the next quilt.  I had no idea I had built up enough hours, but two weeks ago I was apalled to hear that I was next up to put a quilt on a frame!

Dismayed because I don't have a bunch of quilt tops laying around which apparently most avid quilters have.  I've prided myself on completing one quilt at a time, before going on to the next.  But the biggest challenge - I have never really made a "traditional" quilt.  Of the 7 quilts I've made, all have been very simple blocks, applique, and wall quilts. 

I feel a need to make a quilt that deserves to be hand quilted by these wonderful quilting ladies.  They work on traditional quilts, so I need to make a traditional quilt. 

I finally settled on a pattern I downloaded from The Quilt Show.  Last year I was a member, and was able to access the block of the month for both applique and piecing. (You can sign up for their newsletter and videos, which are excellent - even if you can't afford a membership).

So the quilt I began working on is the pieced block of the month (BOM) designed by Sue Garman.  It is a star and irish chain quilt.  Here's what it will look like, design-wise, when I get done.

 
Now that I'm looking at the completed picture, and have spent countless days just cutting, I'm wondering at the naivete of a beginner quilter.  How in the world can I have expected to get this done quickly so I have a quilt to put on the frame?

One step at a time.