zigzag thread

Improvisational Piecing, with Structure

2011-08-15T11:34:00.000-07:00

On the Sew Mama Sew blog today, Alissa Haight Carlton provides instructions on creating improvisational quilt blocks.

This is on my list of things to try. I like that she combines some measuring with the improv, so you end up with blocks you can piece together traditionally if you like. It's like training wheels for the traditional quilter who depends on their ruler.

"zigzagthread" barcode

2009-10-06T23:17:00.001-07:00

I couldn't resist.

Vintage Potions and Notions

2009-10-03T17:56:00.000-07:00

How much fun it is to go to a rummage sale and find vintage sewing notions! The great thing about notions is that even if they are old (and sometimes *especially* if they are old) they are still useful, and so much about their design is delightful.

My first find was this "Imbitrox" box.

You can see the pencil writing on it saying "Snaps, Hooks, Belts", and that is exactly what was in the box. (Note the important moustache.)

Seam bindings are always useful. Wouldn't it be nice if they still cost 10 cents (like the pink one from Sears Roebuck.)

These wooden needle containers are the best. They're not plastic for one thing. I can't walk 3 feet without coming into contact with something or other made of plastic; so having a small, useful container that is a natural material is a breath of fresh air. And the container gives advice too: if your machine start skipping stitches, it's time to change the needle!

This little container I found along with the wooden ones of the same size, but this isn't exactly a notion -- it is dental floss! And what an absolutely cute container. It is a glass vial with a screw-on metal lid that has a small hole for the floss to come through, and a notch in the metal used to cut the floss. (I wonder what the environmental impact would be, and the costs both long and short term, if more modern packaging was made from renewable resources such as these instead of plastic?)

The hunter-gatherer in me is quite pleased with these fine finds!

Home-made cloth napkins

2009-09-27T00:18:00.000-07:00

Here's my first project with my recently acquired serger -- dinner napkins. I used three white fabrics that I had left over from other projects, and did a simple rolled edge using the serger, with a blue woolly nylon thread. Making 20 napkins took about 2 or 3 hours.

Here's a checklist for making your own napkins:

* Decide on the size: dinner napkins are typically 16-20 inches square. You can get four 17" or 18" square napkins from one yard of fabric 44" wide.

* If you're using a serger, you will want some Fray Block to secure the serged threads. Be sure to let it dry. (I hung them on a clothes rack and they dried quickly, within about 15 minutes)

* If you don't have a serger, there are other ways to finish the edges. A satin stitch edge is one option, or press the edges under at 1/4" twice, and sew.

Reuse - Organizer for Needles

2009-09-26T23:25:00.000-07:00

With multiple projects going on at the same time, I often have to change the needle in my sewing machine, and wanted an easy way to keep track of them when I took them out temporarily. I found a CD case laying around unused, and it's little book-like structure with pockets is perfect for organizing needle cases and holding individual needles that still have life in them.
I slip a piece of paper in the CD pocket along with a needle to indicate it's size and how long it had been used.

And the CD case is easy to pack up and carry along, if need be.

Sweet Simple & Special

2009-08-30T22:48:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it's nice just to finish a project in no time flat. What can be simpler than two rectangles sewn together to make a little baby blanket? Now that sounds dull -- but it's not when you get a couple awesome fabrics that speak for themselves!

This little blanket I made for my youngest neice today. The red roses on a bed of light blue are backed by a darker blue cotton chenille fabric. The print is a Liberty of London fabric, a silky smooth fine cotton. The chenille has a good weight to it, giving the blanket just enough heft to feel substantial, but still gentle enough for a little one.

I made one just like it for my youngest nephew too. The two haven't met yet, but when they do someday, they will already have one thing in common (other than the same aunt!)

Fibonacci Quilt

2009-08-02T20:18:00.000-07:00

Walking through a quilt shop I saw a Fibonacci pattern for sale. What a great idea - using the Fibonacci sequence to decide the fabric widths. Knowing that the sequence is 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 (and so on, adding the last two numbers to get the next), I didn't need to buy the pattern.

I used the Fibonacci sequence literally, cutting the fabric into 1, 2, 3, 5 and 8-inch strips. Because of the 1/4 inch seam allowance on each side of a strip, the finished size of each strip ends up a 1/2 inch narrower. The narrowest white or black stripe you see is a 1/2 inch wide.

The sequence is used in both directions -- horizontally and vertically, and alternates between black and white. I cut long strips of each color in the Fibonacci sequence widths, and pieced them together in order, alternating colors. I then cut the pieced strips using the sequence, and combined those strips so the colors alternate correctly.

The back of the quilt uses a purple fabric that happens to have a Fibonacci pattern on it too. You can see the quilting lines on the back. I just stitched in the ditch.

The Fibonacci quilt gives a three-dimensional illusion when seen from a distance, which makes it extra hunky-dory and geeky. This quilt is a wedding gift for a wonderfully geeky friend who'll be getting it soon!

Corners, oh tiny Corners

2009-08-02T19:46:00.001-07:00

After succeeding with a relatively simple quilt with only 90-degree angles, I jumped right in to try out this kaleidoscope quilt. The design is from an old copy of Quilter's Newsletter Magazine.

Although there are no rounded cuts, a well executed kaleidoscope can give the illusion of round shapes -and that tickles my fancy. In my humble rendition, the biggest flaw (excluding the stitching) is my choice of the first gray fabric color -- it isn't dark enough and reads too white. This design hinges on having the right transition between white and black. I could probably use the second gray as my first gray, and find a darker gray to blend between that gray and the black.

I will someday do another copy of this pattern. It would be a good test to see if my quilting skills are improving -- getting six tiny corners to fit together smoothly and evenly is the biggest challenge of piecing this pattern.

Goose in the Pond

2009-08-02T19:29:00.000-07:00

My first post is about the first quilt I made, and here is a photo of the complete thing. You can see a green version of the same quilt (which Amy made at the same class) on amyalamode here.

The fabric on the back has orange dots, which appear as an element on the front as well. (Click the photo to see it enlarged.)

Someone else's design

2009-07-19T00:50:00.000-07:00

I've been doing the "Moda U" year long quilting project called Selvages. I have mixed feelings about it. On the plus side, it's not too much work, and you finish one block design per month (making two blocks of the same design, and one of the double nine patch.) We're nearing the end, so I have a stack of the finished blocks, which is a nice reminder of just how much you can get done by working a little bit at a time.

On the other hand, the fabrics are just not ones I would ever choose. They are too traditional for my tastes, with lots of small flowers in greens and reds. On the plus side, I am often impressed how a block can transcend its individual fabrics (there's hope for the homely fabrics in my stash.) And the Moda fabric is a very nice quality -- silky smooth and robust.

The toughest thing for me however is the color scheme. The green/red/brown colors are not a combination I naturally tend toward, so figuring out how to finish this quilt is a challenge -- I tend to want to choose fabrics I like, and they inevitably don't "go". Luckily, the quilt shop has chosen fabrics for us, and I'll likely go with their choices, problem solved.

The best thing about this project has been learning to make all the different blocks. Working with someone else's design, color choices, and fabric choices is a good way to learn some new techniques, if not exercise your own creativity.

Lily's Doll Quilt

2009-07-06T22:22:00.000-07:00

I was pouring through a box full of old quilting magazines when I came across this design. The photo showed a little girl delightfully playing with the little dolls, and that's when I knew I had to make this for my niece, Lily.

Seeing the miniature quilts on the bed gave me the impression this would be easy and fast, but that wasn't entirely the case. I was progressing steadily, until it came to the doll's hair, which gave me the most trouble. I ended up crocheting little hats, which I found easier than trying to sew in hair.

An artist friend told me about doll hair you can buy at craft stores, which I did, but didn't end up using it. I also skipped putting faces on the dolls. My sister said that was a good move, since it lets Lily imagine the doll's expression.

I enjoyed doing the free motion quilting. I had just finished a class on free motion quilting, and had fun filling the borders with cacti, Fleur-de-Lis, hearts, and Lily's name.

Making the miniature quilts for the beds was fun too. The tiny size gives you the opportunity to use those cute little scraps which just wouldn't work on a full size quilt.

New Doggy, New Quilt

2009-07-05T17:02:00.000-07:00

A few months ago we adopted Cody, a sweet rescue dog. He has a natural tendency to seek out a blanket or rug on the floor to sit on, so it seemed only fitting to make him his very own quilt. I wanted to make something simple and quick, and flipped through some magazines for ideas. I based the design on a simple Amish quilt, decided on the finished size, and chose the fabric from my stash.

I used a large scrap of a heavy weight cotton on the bottom - a Laura Ashley floral which is completely different theme than the geometric top, which is either charming and surprising, or out-of-place, depending on who you ask! The client (Cody) likes them both, so everyone's happy.

My first quilt, and my first post

2009-03-21T00:30:00.000-07:00

Who would have thought it was possible: sewing a quilt from start to finish in one weekend. Sure, some people do it all the time, but me? I barely knew how to use my sewing machine!

Our teacher was great. A veritable stitching drill sergeant, she instructed us to choose fabric, slice it, press it, stitch it, sandwich it, and ultimately quilt it. Even my sig. other, who could care less about fabric crafts, was duly impressed by the result.

I learned so much in that class, and since then. In this blog I hope to share my current projects, classwork, and generally crafty musings.

About my first quilt: it's a lap-size quilt that uses a Heather Bailey fabric as the main print. I chose two colors directly from the print, orange and brown, for binding, borders, and background. The design is a modified 9-patch block. It's great for beginners because it's all straight lines, uses only two main fabrics for the front (plus a small amount of the accent color binding), has no tricky triangle corners, and yet looks like you know what you're doing!

One of the first things I learned about quilting was how traditional quilters think about the design elements on a quilt. Borders, background, binding, contrasting colors and values -- all these elements and more are considered in a design.

The second thing I learned is how overwhelming it is to choose two fabrics from a store filled with HUNDREDS of choices! Good thing my soon-to-be new friend was in the class and knew what to look for. Amy chose the Heather Bailey fabric, and I knew it was "it" as soon as I saw it. She definitely picked the cutest thing in the store and I shamelessly copied. Until then, I had no idea that fabrics had designers, not to mention seasons!

I hope to post more soon, as I've done so much more since this first quilt!