Labels, Hotpad, Bag, Pillow; No Quilts

Quilt-making has come to a halt, but that doesn't mean my hands have been idle.

Label-Making

It was past time to make labels for eight of the ten quilts I've made thus far in 2020. 

I design labels on my computer. Being on a MacBook means I design in Pages. The PC version would be Word. For me, creating a label isn't about making something pretty, but to provide information. I tend to add details, imagining that sometime in the distant future, someone will come across one of my quilts and be curious about it. 

My labels usually include:

• quilt name
• quilt dimensions
• "my original design" or pattern name
• piecing technique - example: English paper piecing; foundation paper piecing
• domestic machine quilting info - walking foot; ruler quilting; free motion quilting
• sewing machine brand and model number
• who it's been made for
• my full name including my maiden name
• my blog/Instagram name
• month/year started and/or month year finished
• city/state I live in
• special characters like a palm 🌴 and a Christian cross ✝
• optional: a photo pertinent to the quilt

When several labels are laid out, leaving about ¾" between labels, print on paper first, for proofreading. Inevitably, I find an error or two, so it's worth taking the time for a review before printing on fabric.

 

In the past, I've use Printed Treasures brand of paper-backed fabric for labels. However, after purchasing Printed Treasures that did not work as directed - the paper backing is impossible to peel off the back, and must be soaked in water and scraped to remove - I found another brand that's much better.

⇦ EQ Printables is also fabric, but backed with clear plastic for an inkjet printer. I purchased a 6-sheet package for $16.95. (I have no affiliation.) 

The negative about printing labels on a 8½" X 11" page is that, to make it economical, several labels should be printed at once. That means "saving up" labels to print four or five to a page. It's nearly impossible to lay leftover label fabric pieces in the printer tray, though I've been known to try by taping it onto a sheet of regular paper to send it through the printer. It doesn't always feed properly. So, play it safe and print multiple labels on one page,

After printing and cutting out each label, leaving ⅜” on each side, I piece narrow fabric strips to all four sides. It’s easier to hand-sew through fabric than the stiffer edges of the label fabric. 

Blank places are where personal information has been removed

The blue-edged label in front was printed on EQ Printables. The rest were printed on old Printed Treasures fabric (trying to use it up) that had to be soaked and scrubbed to remove paper. Also, the printer colors appear brighter and clearer on EQ Printables. 

Other makes...

Crocheted Hot Pad

My friend, Selina (the same friend who sold me her peg loom) posts her makes on her Selina Quilts blog. When I saw the crocheted hot pads she's been making, I asked for the pattern. This free Turn on Itself Hotpad is made with Sugar 'n Cream yarn, a size H hook, and a single crochet stitch. It took only an evening to make my 7¼" X 7¼" hot pad (without the hanging loop). Once it's been hubs-tested and approved for usability, I may/may not make more.

     L: starting side with 42 chain stitches   R: finish side with slip stitches

Peg Loom Bag

I made a bag for my peg loom! After seeing it, hubs commented that I obviously "don't have enough to do," but I thought I was being pretty creative. I used an already cut-up pair of old blue jean legs and pocket to fashion this bag. The pocket holds the loom's 24 pegs, and the package of floss threaders used to thread the pegs. My order of 4/4 cotton warp thread just arrived from The Woolery, so I'm all set to begin my next peg loom weaving project using fabric. 

Pillow-Making

The English paper pieced square in my previous blog post is now a 16" X 16" pillow.

I machine appliquéd the square onto a background square, sandwiched it with white Quilter's Dream Cotton Request batting and white muslin, and walking foot quilted with Mettler Transfil (invisible thread) with 50-weight Aurifil in the bobbin.

For the envelop back, I used Christina Cameli's Moongate fabric (purchased locally at Sew Together Quilting) and I was happy to discover the print had a diamond-shaped design that could be walking foot quilted to make a diamond grid! Without marking, it took no time at all to quilt! I used 50-weight silver-gray Aurifil. 

With an envelop backing a pillow form can be removed when the pillow needs to be washed.

It's easy to assemble a pillow with a binding. Just place the pillow parts wrong sides together, baste around the sides, add 2¼"-wide binding by machine, and finish with machine edge stitching. Love my Bernina edge stitch foot #10D for easily accomplishing that! Doesn't it look like cording?

I continue to have a love-affair with Dalgona. I find it's very filling, perhaps because it's on top of iced milk. This has to be good for me, right?

Book Recommendation

Another great read! American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins follows Lydia and her eight year-old son Luca, the only two people who survive a massacre of 16 family members. While fleeing Alcapulco, trying to second-guess how widespread may be the reach of the cartel tracking their escape, Lydia recalls meeting the charming Javier who is head of the cartel, and Lydia's journalist husband who writes about Javier.

The story is riveting - about middle class people escaping for their lives. How desperate la migra/immigrants leave Mexico on la bestia/trains to go el norte/North, and face the uncertainty of what they're running toward.

Narrator Yareli Arizmendi was excellent, speaking English, but also Spanish. In context, it wasn't difficult to understand. Linda's score: 4.5/5.0

My goodness. This is my 45th book finish in 2020! I read 43 books in all of 2019. That’s what a pandemic will do for your literary enlightenment! Linda