Dear Jane and some knitting

I bought a house this week - after over a year of searching. I'm very pleased with it and it closes in three weeks so I have a lot to do.
So, I didn't sew much this week.

My Dear Jane progress is one block:

F1

And I finished a scarf for a friend. It's knit on huge needles with huge yarn so it didn't take too long. She picked out the yarn at the Creative Festival and says it feels like teddy bear skin - which grosses me out a little to be honest. It's shades of black and grey, which didn't show up so well in the photo.

Dear Jane

A mostly wordless post...

A4

C12, 49 pieces

C12 back with nicely twirled seams

Long Arm Quilting Class

Today I went to the house of my teacher for the Dear Jane class for a chance to learn how to try her long arm machine (and learn how to use it). After today, I have a whole new appreciation for the beautiful work done on those machines.

The class was 3 hours. First we learned how to load the machine, then practiced pantographs and then free motion/front of the machine work. It looks a lot harder than it is! The machine is not too heavy, but requires a certain kind of momentum to get the curves looking good. It's kind of awkward in terms of where to stand. And I found it really hard to use both hands evenly on the machine - I can see one shoulder getting more sore than the other for sure.

Here's my pantograph work:

It's a little squared when it should be more rounded - it's like learning to machine quilt all over again!
The free motion went a little smoother and looks more rounded.  I kept reminding myself that this was also a plain muslin top with high contrast thread, so everything showed (good and not so good).

All in all, I enjoyed the class. Now, I can rent the machine for a day and do my own quilting on it.  I need to start with something small and easy - and not the red and white hunter's star.  I think I'll pay to have that one done.

Happy Hallowe'en

On the back of the t-shirt it says: If the broom fits, ride it.

Happy Hallowe'en!

Hallowe'en Sewing

Hallowe'en is just around the corner and I needed to get my costume ready. I've had this in mind since I saw this picture on pinterest:

see: http://www.etsy.com/listing/82405814/spellbound-sadie-witch-includes-tutu

So, today I got busy. I started with this:

which is some black broadcloth, and 5 different colours of tulle (yellow, purple, black, orange, lime green). The light is horrible in this photo so the purple looks more like pink.

And 2 packages of elastic - 1 package 2" non-roll elastic and 1 package of 3/4" regular elastic.

Then I sewed. I'll reveal on Wednesday.

Dear Jane

I finished my Dear Jane homework for this round. I can't go to the class on Saturday - I'm convening a volleyball tournament instead. Total pieces to date, sewing the blocks my way: 1585

M9

T3

TTT - Twirling Seams

I've had a busy week and weekend and didn't think I'd have anything to post this week (much like last week). Then I decided I'd sew a little tonight to finish my Dear Jane homework and realized I could TTT about twirling seams. Here goes...

Twirling seams flattens out some of your seams and so reduces bulk in a four square patch. Here's what I did on a Dear Jane triangle block.

1. Press your seams all toward the dark - in this case, the green.

right side of fabric (please excuse the bad lighting)

wrong side of fabric with seams pressed towards the dark (green)

2. Then, sew another piece to the first one. If you always press the fabric the same way (in this case, towards the dark), then your seams will nest together nicely and you get better points.

3. You need to pick out the 2-3 stitches on your vertical seam that are in the seam allowance of your horizontal seam (blue arrow). The pink arrow is the vertical seam. You will pick out stitches directly above (north) of the intersection of the arrows. Pick them out on both sides of the fabric.

4. This is where I used to get messed up. Open up your fabric. The seams will fall open in the way they will want to lay (sometimes you have to help them a little).

Starting to fall open

I helped them fall open

You can fingernail press along the seam to help

If you look where they fall open, they  make a sort of square out of the two colours of the fabric - in a checkerboard pattern.

5. Press. I press this seam from both sides because I think it lays flatter.
Here's my finished Dear Jane triangle

back side of the triangle

back side of another twirled seam square

When I first learned this technique it took me a while to figure it out. Practice on some scraps. Once you get it, you'll love it!