Thursday, November 1, 2012

Quilting and Sewing

I'm away for a couple weeks visiting grandies. When their parents are away on business, I'll have my hands full for a few days. They're adorable children (if I do say so myself), but I'm making a serious adjustment to the realization that a two year-old boy and a three year-old boy can easily become loud, disruptive, demanding and difficult. Those infant angels can and do make changes. I'm also enjoying shopping for myself - snatching up great bargains on summer clothes - and catching up with friends: Carla of Lollyquiltz, and an Iowa friend who's visiting me next week.

Before leaving home, I managed to get a little machine quilting done on my Beach Cabanas Among Friends quilt - I guess I've just named it!

Taking cues from the fabric prints for the quilting designs, I first quilted the water, then the sand.



Each cabana is quilted differently, just like the friends they represent. I've changed thread color to match each cabana, choosing quilting designs that are similar to the prints. Small "snails" are quilted on the pink cabana, and organic lines on the gold cabana. By the way, I'm not using the BSR for this one. I'm pretty sure I won't be using it much, if at all.

Also before leaving I won Jennifer Paganelli's giveaway of fat quarters from her Happy Land collection. Here are those 23 fat quarters! What a great win! I see some yummy sewing ahead.

I'm as pleased as punch about that fabric, but even happier that Jennifer also generously emailed me a PDF of her new SisBoom "Rebecca" shift dress pattern! It's one I've wanted to make!

Though I was a sewist for many years before taking up quilting, I've never made anything using a PDF pattern. It's been an interesting experience. Just as with a commercial pattern, expect to go through prep work to make the pattern just the right size. I'm making the shift for myself, so I took my measurements first, printed 21 pages for the size 8 pattern, and then cut and taped together the pieces.

A quick check of the little 1" X 1" square on the print-out, ensured my printer sized it accurately.

The pattern called for 2-1/2 yards of fabric for the shift, and to make bias strips for the armhole finish. That was about a half-yard too much, so I'll buy less for the next dress.

All the parts are ready to sew, including pressing fusible interfacing to the back of the facing pieces. The pattern doesn't call for interfacing, but in my experience, it gives better stability to necklines and - in this case - a waistline band. 

The fabric I'm using is "Splurge" by Donna Wilder, a Joann's Fabric purchase. I thought it best to try out the pattern on a relatively inexpensive fabric and save the "good stuff" for a second dress. I hope to use my daughter's sewing machine to sew it while I'm here. Linda

8 comments:

  1. I love your cabana quilt and the quilting finises it perfectly. Well done! I've have also downloaded PDF patterns and find them really handy, although when you make clothes, you really have to make sure the printing is done accurately, while for bags (what I've used them for) it's not so important. Have fun with your grand kids. I'm sure they'll behave very well for their grand ma!

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  2. It sounds like you are keeping very busy. I love your cabana quilt. It's just a perfect way to use the fabric from your friends.
    I had been looking for a used Bernina with a stitch regulator foot and can't find one anywhere I've been. The new model with a BSR is a 550QE or 570QE. Not sure! I think they should give them names instead of numbers, easier for me to remember. Have fun with those 2 little boys!

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  3. Have fun with those grand kids, I know you will enjoy because it will end. Just take some deep breaths and things will continue.
    Love your Cabana quilt and what a lovely bundle of fabrics. I hope you find some time to sew, I never seem to when Jonah is here but you probably will. Blessings

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  4. I love you cabana quilt...and your quiltin is just perfect for that quilt..
    It's been a long time since I made myself a dress..etc..it's shift weather here now with summer coming.
    Have fun with the boys.
    Julia ♥

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  5. You've had a lot going on. The quilt is adorable, lucky you on some great fabric and have a ball with the grandies.

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  6. Your quilting is going well Linda - I know you're going to love this quilt! I just bought my first Sis Boom pattern and was a bit overwhelmed when I saw it had 285 pages! I've not had time to sit down and decide which pages to print but when I return from my sister's I hope to tackle that. blessings, marlene

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  7. Enjoy those grand kids their grown before we know it .Love you Cabana quilt ,your stitching is perfect.

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  8. You are loving every exhausting minute, I'm sure. Your sweet beach quilt is coming along so nice. And I do believe I've seen your smiling face another blog friend's spot, visiting a certain quilt show? How cool is that!
    :-}pokey

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