Thursday, July 24, 2014

Travel Case for TurboTeal

It had to be won to get this done....

 Can one ever have too much in sewing paraphernalia? Is is wrong to want to try out another product or even better WIN products, fabrics or patterns?  I think not. I am fortunate to have acquired the Turbo Teal New Home Janome Sewing Machine.
      
 

  It is a basic machine with 10 stitch capabilities and a reverse lever.  It's a lightweight 5lb machine. It arrived in an inspirational box.




I wouldn't consider myself an advanced "sew-est". I still have issues with placket pockets, my continuous free motion ability, color theory and most of all
 time management.




This was a test run on the stitches this machine can sew.
Later while I was straightening my studio, I found a "fabric test".  I had fused fabrics and batting onto black stabilizer to practice stitches and audition thread colors. It was for a landscape quilt which is part of this challenge.   


The first 57 quilts are a traveling quilt show during 2014 and 2015.


Omitting the white on grey stitching (landscape practice), I was able to maneuver the fabric piece. Then tried adding a binding technique and used the reverse lever to create this.

    


Here is the back. This tension is at factory setting.  Although it cannot make circles, I think many creative projects away from home could be created with this Turbo Teal.

Now it needed a carrying case.

 I found this travel case tutorial.
It's a good tutorial to refer for this style of a case.



Perfect for the 5lb-er.

I drafted a pattern similar to the directions but modified it for Turbo.  I also quilted the top portion.




I wanted to try Kraft-tex, having purchased it when it appeared on market.

(It is recommended to pre-wash in HOT)

This case would have an outside pocket. 

       I used this image
with 12 wt wool thread and a 70/10 universal needle. 


Wash-away stabilizer was not the best idea, next time I'll use a firm permanent type. I like the loft the 12 wt wool thread creates, but changed to a 40wt Rayon thread towards the "eyes" portion of the stitch-out due to machine jams.  The stitches tore the Kraft-tex in different areas possibly due to the 12wt thread and the wrong stabilizer.  It was noticeable to me, so I fused a pocket size fabric swatch on the back and touched it up with a black fabric marker on front. 


This is just a sample of the buttonhole stitches by my machine.  I was auditioning one for the outside pocket placement and to adjust tension.


I'm not a perfectionist, and with this product one should be. Whatever stitch holes are made - they stay permanently.  That's why I did not redo the outline box of skipped stitches.  Not sure why it skipped - it probably needed a new 70/10 needle.  I may go back and hand stitch it to perfection.



Another after thought, when using sentiment tape, make sure it faces down from both ends. 




There was enough left-over lining fabric to make two inside pockets. A 6.5" square ruler can fit in either pocket.

I also top-stitched the 4 upper "box" corners on the seam line.  It helps the lining from shifting. 




The sewing machine pad was once a bedside organizer, but now has an attached grip pad underneath.
 I created an equipment "ditty" bag for the plug ins.




 On a negative note, this Janome lacks a built-in light. So, I purchased in teal color, a flexible LED light and mounted it on the machine. I have also marked a 1/4" from the needle position on the bed with washi tape for hopefully accurate piecing.




It's raring to go.....Turbo Style! 



                                                                      (thank you again Sew4Home!)









Friday, November 29, 2013

Two By Two


 Two By Two

                                                            Long Distance Calling
Lovely To See  
     My Sister Joined This Challenge With Me

         http://www.missouriquiltco.com/content /ironquilter


I Cannot Be Iron Quilter 2
Without Her Also Sewing 

Not One Tote But Two


Charms On The Front




Charms On The Back




Inside and Out







Charms On The Straps


We Started With 4 Charm Packs
But Needed More

To Finish These Totes

  We Can Carry And Store

Through Phone Calls
Text and Messages On Line

It Really Was A Fun Sewing Time

We May Not Win This Challenge

For These Girls Out West

Mr. Random's Odds Are Usually The Best.



Challenge: Iron Quilter 2 Missouri Star Quilt  CO. http://www.missouriquiltco.com/content/ironquilter
Fabric: "Lovely" by Debbie Beaves 
http://www.missouriquiltco.com/shop/browse/2357 
Patterns: "Charm Party Tote" "Chubby Charmer"
Designed by Penny Sturges Quilts Illustrated
http://www.quiltsillustrated.com/shop/Quiltsillustrated-Patterns.htm
Machine Embroidery
Embroidery Library http://www.emblibrary.com/EL/Default.aspx 
Urban Threads http://www.urbanthreads.com/default.aspx  
Buttons: Laura Kelly Buttons Galore http://www.buttonsgaloreandmore.com/category-s/1922.htm 



If you like these totes and the rhyme behind it, go to  these two sites, you can vote twice!
lets do the double dance SIS!!
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.705136326172320.1073741831.174183745934250&type=1 
You will have to scroll and scroll and scroll to find these "lovely" totes on Facebook.

Keep dancing SIS....
 

https://plus.google.com/photos/+Missouriquiltcompany/albums/5952742715082642513 

Vote for # 76 & #82

Beginning December 2, 2013

Voting will only be a week long process  (December 2-7)  

      Vote for totes #76 and #82
and scroll and scroll
so Sis and I together can become  
"Iron Quilter 2"



 


Thursday, September 12, 2013

Solids in a Bag

Solids in a Bag
  I'm trying to thin out my fabrics and use up what I accumulated and kept all these years. I've gathered fabrics from my stash of solids.
I have kept my solids and other fabric prints in this type of storage totes for years.
 
I store mostly 1/4 yard and fat quarter pieces. Some of the zippers on these totes are tired. I have a paper clip as a pull tab on one tote.  But the containers are easy to stack, store AND still useable. They also are easy to pull out and look through.  My 2014 resolution will be to create a useful storage system in the closet.


For this project, I cut 28 colors into 2" strips then put them in the paper bag (recycled from a local quilt shop)
and began sewing together whatever color I pulled out.
(gee I hope this works) 

When I was sewing the strips, I kept 2 things in mind. First, the strips that were kinda shorter were sewn on one side.  Second, I sewed one strip top to bottom and then the next strip to sew beside it, bottom to top.  That way, these strips wouldn't pull at an angle.



I actually sewed 28 together but took out 2 to fit width of 1/2 yard of backing and batting.
 I created enough fabric to make 2 new fabric pieces.  But on one, I took away a couple of shorties then re-sewed the unit. The strips were just too short to make a second unit. That's why there's a different color pattern on one.


 

Sandwiched and pinned, I then used the many built-in fancy stitches on my Janome 6600.



I used variegated Coats and Clark cotton thread.



  The binding was 1 1/2" wide that I already had on hand.  My goal is to use what I have in my "studio". Since the binding was narrow in width, I adjusted my needle position and it gave me enough fabric to turn over to front. I then used a wide zig-zag stitch to sew it down and sewed slowly.  I then went around the binding a second time with a straight stitch, trying to touch the point of each zig-zag for extra reinforcement.


Solids in the Bag became a colorful table runner. 

Do you see the small bonded block that is holding the clips? It's my test sample, finished to use as a mat for my tiny scissors and seam ripper or as a mug rug.
Now to make the other!
   

Monday, September 2, 2013

My favorite "Recycled" Sewing Tool

My favorite "Recycled" Sewing Tool

National Sewing Month is Here Again and I must tell of my favorite tool I use while doing my
 Machine Embroidery.

It happened by chance, I took into my "studio" when emptied to use the paper roll.  Ditched the roll and kept the box.
(I pulled off the metal cutting strip)



 The box is very sturdy, I've used it for almost 5 years.

  It's a sticker board for spool stickers that "fall off"
 

Plus it holds depending on my project,  10+ different sizes of thread.
It fits right in front of my machine and doesn't take up much room when in use.
Stores nicely behind my machine when done.
 
Can't beat free!

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Pieces Of Summer Sweets

Pieces Of Summer Sweets


"Sew Along" have you ever done one? Did you like it?

This Mini Sew-Along was the first quilt project I participated with via the internet, as well as the second Sew Along for myself.  Offered by Ellison Lane Quilts during the month of May, Ellison Lane's sample of the paper pieced "Popsicle"caught my eye as I was scrolling down my Facebook's Newsfeed.   


I had not  paper pieced in a while, except for the workshop where I was to reconstruct the same block 5 times to make a wall/table topper.

I only completed 3, as the repetition was killing me. I soon became distracted by snacks, the yummy salads for lunch, and the friends within the room.  I have this feeling that it will always be a W.I.P or it's other name: UFO.    


Ellison Lane's Sew-Along is full of delicious treats for the eye.  I wanted to start along with the rest of the participants, but this California gal was leaving for the East Coast and I had gifts to sew and other items to prepare to make my journey pleasant and enjoyable.  


 My first Sew Along:
 photo 16f02887-3f3a-456e-b484-4e7c1eca2fdf_zps28a19713.jpg




 The Easiest Sew Along Ever
 helped to make these coin purses possible.



 Then 3 of these came about from Patury's Designs

 http://paturydesign.com/tipspatterns.php



This lightweight knit hoodie was a  patterned after one of my ready made sweaters. 
It was my own personal challenge, and looks and fits like it was off the rack, if I do say so myself.





I was told to pack slippers, so I made the Sock Monkey kind....

http://prudentbaby.com/2010/10/baby-kid/how-to-make-fabric-slippers-with-free-pattern-2/



I found this purse pattern years ago on the
 Burda Style site. 


Good luck printing & finding the directions for this 
"envelope clutch bag"  
Back when I printed out it, it was humongous
and the pattern did not align. 
 The pattern was blocked by the designer.
Frustrated and determined, I made my own pattern following the diagrams shown on the instructions. 



The Earth Tree Machine Embroidery is from Urban Threads
http://www.urbanthreads.com/products.aspx?productid=UT6213


The "wristlet" purse pattern was challenging, and I created the card cases.  See that card from Wish Upon A Quilt?  I was chosen as their 8,000 likes on Facebook and won a fat quarter bundle! Yeah ME!   (cheer! cheer!)
http://rhondabuss.blogspot.com/2013/02/fabulous-free-pattern-friday_15.html



The wrapped earbuds are 2 skeins of embroidery floss using the Chinese Staircase knots,  This technique is posted on several sites.
http://www.kissmeawake.com/2012/01/how-to-prevent-earbud-tangles-with-old.html


I made the Ipod Case to keep it in my larger handbag.  
I need to change out the snap, it secured poorly. 


Last of all, I sewed this for my lips.





All the while,  I wanted to do the Summer Sampler.
When I finally completed those projects, THEN I could focus on paper piecing these "Sweet" blocks.  
I put together 6 before I flew away....








(These had not had the paper removed or squared.)

When I returned from my journey
( which I have to say was MARVELOUS), 
 I began the last 3 blocks



 Now that the blocks were completed I wanted a window sill look, so I searched the web again and found this "Attic Window" concept  by Sulky of America. 



http://www.sulky.com/project/millennium/ 
  


 It worked just fine.
Didn't add the borders because I needed to keep it under 24"x24".

 I want to enter it in Ellison Lane's next challenge.
 

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkCmBDX2gcFEpBnv0QhCuT5GCfmX9OQdJdPCZAtio6JrcljjAXsJVZSDW-HcjGOUmprAX-XyNwszmkZK0H7QLU1DGlkwxGv4M81g1fsQley_TWNiQN7HlXJYicCQp8fS9nL0YuH2qF_DQD/s1600/modern+mini+quilt+2013+button+125.jpg 


 
That meant it would not have a border like what is pictured in the Millennium quilt, but I like my wall art small. 


This was one plan on the display wall....

Notice the pie floating?  I changed the bottom color to white because I felt the plate was too big, but looking at them on my design wall,  I realized I needed to resew the pie and shortcake so they would stop floating.

 I think it looks much better.  The cherry pie should have been left alone!


 
Here it is pretty much completed.  I may add additional quilting in each block,  I only used the "stitched in the ditch" method and outlined the "treats".  I also will be blocking it to get the wibble wobbles out.  Which is definitely noticeable.


 The finished size of my "Pieces of Summer Sweets" is 23"x23".  


I'm happy with the end results, 
it's calorie free!