Make a list Monday

Hope to get these six things done by next week:

1- Quilt 4 different colored blocks of the 40 diamond quilt
2- Quilt the doll quilt from the Wee Wander scraps I just threw together/
3- Stitch all the white on the bottom left corner of the  CXS Lizzie Kate Winter Alphabet
4- Cut some pink scraps for the RBSC and make some HST units.
5- Make pincushions, another idea
6- Finish reading The Round House by Louise Erdrich (am midpoint right now).




Remember how I said that one wool was shedding terribly several weeks ago while working on the candle mat?  While visiting with my friend Carole, she gave me a different piece of the same wool to use and just to be sure, I pulled out my needle punch foot with the coordinating stitch plate and felted the heck out of it just to be sure.  Worked like a charm.  It really changed the clarity of the houndstooth print  Since that foot combination was out, I photographed them and pulled the other Bernina accessories I own out and share how I store them.





This bead box purchased at Michaels is perfect for the majority of feet and makes it a quick access since they set on a shelf right behind my sewing chair.  The Bernina Feetures Books, the 1-3 set on the bottom shelf just below the feet for quick access.  It's amazing how many times I'll pull out these books for a reference.

Some of the feet came with each of my two Berninas and most of the rest were purchased at Quilt Shows with a 25% off and then some others when the Bernina LQS offered a 30% discount including Bernina Accessories.   A win - win for sure!
Of course I've been collecting them since my first Bernina 170 back in the 1990s and when I upgraded I made sure the feet would transition to the newer Bernina 440.   The most expensive of these was the binding foot combo which was close to $160 when purchased, that is if my memory serves me correctly.  That one was a "Non-smoking Gift to myself" to justify the expense.

I have been enjoying a quiet day home alone today.  That doesn't happen too often.   Seems nice to have the house stay picked up and clean without more effort needed.  Typically I am picking up discarded papers left on the counter, closing doors, cabinets and drawers left open, wiping up coffee spills, etc.... and that is just DH's doing not the grandchildren!  They'll all be here tomorrow so I'm getting off this thing and going to read in the silence and enjoy it immensely.  TTFN.

Several finishes

The white board I purchased a week and a half ago is just the ticket needed IMHO! Since then I have accomplished 2 weeks worth of wishes (items written down)  completed in just a week's time.  Seems like it's the nudge I needed.  Who knew?  Of course Mom mentioned something about the fact that I may not have enough written in each day.   But I say, " Phooey",  as long as it's working and the promoter in this manner, it will stay as is!  lol

All four of those baby quilts are Done - Done!

Because  I wasn't overwhelmed or felt like I was is attributed to the fact that they were listed on that board.  Each section was listed in a manner like one day quilt a baby quilt #1, 2,3 or 4, then  the following day bind baby quilt #1,2,3 or 4, another day embroider 18" of thread onto another project I've had going for a bit then the following day quilt another baby quilt their number, etc.... breaking the tedium with other bits of projects that need the next step besides a small enough item that if I did get waylaid, (which seems to be a very common occurance around here) I had a chance of catching up in the next couple of days.   

Lil' man picked out this one for his nap time.

Whoop whoop!    I let PGS#3 select whichever one he liked and this is the one he preferred.  Excellent choice! 

Besides those four items there was another  finish that has been on my want to do someday list for a very long time.  The tutorial given by CJ  has been printed out since she first posted the directions, yes, it's been that long!    I've been trying to find her websight to link it and despite googling and trying different search engines for the past 20 minutes without success so I need to get to a football game this am.  I'll keep my eyes out for it and link it when I can reach it again.   Too many  other sights are infringing on her domain and I don't have time to filter through all those layers.   

It's a sewing machine cover that had a bit more to it than a cloth covering the machine with the piecing, piping,  quilting,  decorative stitches and trims added.  Of course since my Bernina 440 is very different dimensions than her Bernina 830 there were adaptions made with not too many areas of fudging needed due to the size differences and the machine embroidery being eliminated.  (I just couldn't drag out my enbroidery unit for the 170 to attempt this YET. )  As spoiled as I am, DH is even saying that my sewing room isn't large enough, but I am determined to make due.  I have enough.
So without further adieu ....


Check it out.

Cover for Bernina 44
Notice how it complements that pincushion/ort/tool bag from a week ago?

The top panel which was machine quilted.



The backside, oops sorry to show you a pic with my fleece dusting square in the underside of my sewing insert.
Seems like it gets so dusty in there! AND just over the top of the cover towards the left you can see where that white board lives in the room.

During it's construction, I used my Zipper foot #4 to place the piping on initially. Then when constructing the parts together, I used my #12 piping foot sewing just a hair's breath on the inside of my first stitching line.

Ahhh, Success! I do Love my Bernina feet!

What next's on the list you might ask......   here's a peak.

 

 

Namaste and joy be with you,

 

Jane

 

Finish #2 for 2010!

Recently PGD#1 and I made some pom pom art. A magnet for her art work to display proudly on the refridgerator. It's cute and in her favorite color.



SO what does this have to do with my finish #2......Here's the pattern:



And here is a photo of my finsh #2:



Notice the difference? It's the coat tree and the hat with a pom pom. This photo shows more of the detail:



When I first saw this pattern, I thought the coat tree could have been a knitting needle with a knitted scarf coming off it. So I changed the pattern to have some coat hooks near it's top as well as looping the scarf around one of the pegs. Then I had a eureka moment. A hat with a pompom to compliment the colors of the scarf. Viola! It worked. The package of pompoms I had in for preschool art was too bright, so I tea dyed the red pom pom to shade it. I added the ribbing on the hat by playing with stitches on my Bernina 170 QE.
Something I also discovered while playing with my stitches was that my stitch #21 is a gathering stitch and only catches every third stitch. Wish I could have had that machine when I made the colonial muslin curtains for the master bedroom. I used a whole bolt of premium muslin and I think over 100 yards of cluny lace within the double ruffle which also had the corded insert of a tea rose cotton. It took me quite awhile and alot of hand stitching to gather all that fabric and lace especially since at the time, I only owned a Montgomery Ward- White sewing machine that cost $129.00 and I used, I mean really used hard for 25 years. What a work horse that machine was until it was used too much and then my grumbling started. Thank goodness my DH is so understanding, because at the time he said, if you need a new machine, get one. Thus my "baby Bernina" aka "Janina" came to live with me. VBG here.
He knows not to say that anymore. If I grumble now about trying to quilt on the 170 QE he stays quiet just knowing that if he said Go get a machine, my butt would be in the car lickety split! I would love a long arm but with the space limitations of our home, it's just not realistic to purchase one yet.

Happy Stitching,
Jane