Virtual Retreat July 2015 - Join Anytime

[Lois B.]

Thanks for the compliments. Lotti, your packing tips are great. They come from one who has had traveling experience. Marianne, All I can say about the top stitching on the laminate is "just don't try it without a teflon foot". I don't have one for my machine that handles the heavy stuff. Need to put that on my shopping list. And just wait until you see the quilt Rosemary is working. When you do you will understand why its easier on the hand crank. She posted a picture in progress, but darned if I can find it now.

The make up bag pdf is on Craftsy. It's "The Sew Together Bag" by Sewdemented.

[ANNE E.]

Lois I love all your bags........I like making bags and a "girl" can never have too many.
I'm just about to start tidying my work room and sorting all my scraps....and I mean scraps ...I save everything,.
I have a friend coming over from Spain for a week and she needs office space so she uses my "studio". She can spread her work out and leave it as it is.
She comes over about 4 times a year and we love having her here.
Have a good week everyone, happy sewing.
Anne

[ANNE E.]

All I can say about the top stitching on the laminate is "just don't try it without a teflon foot". I don't have one for my machine that handles the heavy stuff. Need to put that on my shopping list. .

When I needed to sew up some thickish vinyl tote straps I dropped my feed dogs, released some of the pressure from the presser foot, and pretty much did free motion stitching down the straps. Didn't go very fast as I wanted even stitches. It worked well for me. I have also heard of using thin tissue over and under. And a walking foot might help. I have also used the iron-on vinyl, sounds impossible, but it works really well. And that stuff doesn't irritate my machine.

It's fun to use some of the innovative products that are out there. It's just the learning curve that can bog a person down.

May God bless you all
Luann

[Nancy R.]

As Luann says, I've used my walking foot with vinyl and laminates and that has worked really well. You sometimes need the tissue on the bottom so it doesn't stick to the bed of the machine, but often you can just keep the fabric lifted a little off of the bed.

[Coni P.]

Lois,
Your bags are beautiful as well as practical. After making "The Gadget Bag" one time, I don't know if I would do it again. Are the directions better for the"Sew Together"?

[Coni P.]

Beautiful collection of bags Lois - by the way your parcel arrived today.
Marianne, I cheated a bit and used spray baste - ideal for small things like this, and since the quilt sandwich is only about 14" square, it is easy to steer one handed and I love the stitch count control of a hand crank for this size work especially as I am only doing straight lines so far
Wendy - hand sewing and curtains! awesome....

[Lois B.]

Lois,
Your bags are beautiful as well as practical. After making "The Gadget Bag" one time, I don't know if I would do it again. Are the directions better for the"Sew Together"?

Yes, the directions are much better for "The SewTogether Bag". I wish I had made them first. The "Bionic Gear Bag" is practically the same but larger. I am wondering if the 2 of them, the designers, don't have some copyright issues there. So much alike. Anyway, they are great bags.

[Geneva C.]

Lois your bags are so cute! I like how you used different colored zippers to match. Quite clever. If anyone doesn't like theirs... I'll send you my address!

Rosemary I'm eager to see your little amazing piece.

Well, I am done with the niece's wedding quilt. Whew! I enjoyed it, but as usual near the end, I got bored with it. Does that happen to anyone else? In any case, I will take it to the wedding August 1st over on the Washington coast. The cooler temps will be nice, not to mention getting to see all the family. I named the quilt "Hallways" as their last name is Hall. Here are some pictures of the quilt.



Here are some close ups. As I stared at the quilt I felt it needed some sort of extra binding treatment to contain it all. I wanted to put a small 1/8" flange on the binding but since Sybil decided to go up and live with Mr. Fix it, I don't have a walking foot to use for Constance. I knew I would just be frustrated trying to sew through 6 layers of fabric and cotton batting without the walking foot. So I used a decorative stitch Constance had and I like it better.








And, I hope you won't kick me off this forum and retreat, but I must admit.... I'm seeing someone else. Yes, I have found a small modern quilt group and they have asked me to join them! You are all still my favorite quilters, I do hope you all understand. :kiss: It is nice to have some new friends locally.

Now it's onto the baby quilt for Victorina Rose, my newest grandbaby due October 18th. I call her Rosey. I bought eight 1/4 yard cuts of Kaffe Fassett while on Vashon Island this past weekend. They are just lovely. It will be a simple quilt. Half square triangles in a chevron pattern. I may have to write her name on the quilt using Microsoft Word, wonder under and tiny machine applique. Constance doesn't embroider.

I'm sending good wishes to all of you!

geneva

[Geneva C.]

Geneva,
That quilt is fabulous!
And as far as having another area of interest,, hmm, I just hope that you'll show us some of the projects that they inspire in you!
Luann

[Lois B.]

Geneva, You crack me up!

[Nancy R.]

Wow, Geneva! That quilt is stunning! I love everything about it, especially the little extras like the fringe and the binding treatment! Enjoy your new friends and show us what you make with them.

[Lotti D.]

Beautiful quilt, Geneva. She'll Love it. And I very much look forward to seeing Rosey' quilt too - a kaffe feast - that is certainly something to wait for!
Enjoy your other friends, also looking forward to what they will inspire you to do - a new chapter in the Geneva-life - enjoy!

[wendy w.]

Excellent Geneva the quilt and local group. I bet they don't have M & Ms like we do :silly:

[wendy w.]

Excellent Geneva the quilt and local group. I bet they don't have M & Ms like we do :silly:

And ours are calorie free unless you're the one with the bowl!

[wendy w.]

You have all been so busy!! It's only halfway through July yet!

I have got some stuff done, finally!! I finished binding the spoon/fork table runner, in purple, for my sister. Then found little buttons I bought at Houston last year, which I meant to put in the corners, so will do that before sending it to her.





I made my first ever continuous bias binding, to bind the round place mats, and got that sewn onto the fronts of half of the placemats, and need to make another bit of binding to do the rest (I knew I would have to do it in 2 batches, and the fabric is marked and ready to go, just need to do it). I will work on sewing the bindings around to the back as I watch TV and stuff; these are a no-rush project, just for me, to work on between other stuff.





Then I cleaned up all that mess which had been all over the place, and the mess from the corset top as well, and pulled out one of my 2 UFOs sitting there -- a pattern I bought a few years ago, and I had bought fat quarters & fabric for it back then, but have since used that fabric for other stuff, so bought new fat quarters for it on July 4th weekend, when a shop near me had buy 10 fat quarters, get 5 free. So, pulled all that out and cut the pieces, all of them, and started sewing! It's curved piecing, and my first time doing that, but it's nice and gentle and not too bad at all.

this is 4 of them so far, there are actually 8 that I have started -- this is when it was 2 curves together, and I was pinning the 3rd curve on. I've since sewn the 3rd curve to these 8 in this color-way, and will do the 4th curve and then the 5th/final curve, then move on to the next color way. This is the Radiant Suns pattern, though I'm subbing in some other blocks to add an oversized star block and a compass block, and then doing the "starry night" coloring, but using some suns as moons, and some as suns, and so some daytime blues (these) and some nighttime blues (next up), and some that will be mixed.



Also did blocks for a Halloween themed table runner; I need to return to buy fabric to make setting triangles, but will go this weekend for that, as my husband picked out the fat quarters I used (I made him come with me to the sale last week), and so he wants to pick out the fabric for the rest, too. So while I wait on that, that's when I started the UFO, which I'm happy about.

The blocks will be on point all in a row, but for the photo I put them closer together so they'd all show.




But the most exciting thing I've done is register for Houston IQF!! Well, submitted my class registration, and hopefully the class I want won't be full. My best friend is coming down, we'll stay in a hotel one night so we can go to Preview Night and then the class the next day, then we'll drive over the other days since I live near enough. Now it just needs to be October already!!

This will be my first ever class, assuming I get in. An all day, free-motion quilting class, with Helen Godden (sp??) from Australia. I looked over all the FMQ classes, which I desperately need to learn, and looked at all the teachers' websites alongside to figure out who would be the best fit for me.....this is who won I hope I registered early enough to make the class (surely 7:30 the morning registration opens is good, right???), and I cannot wait to go!