Easy Peasy? Not Really!

This quilt started out as an easy project, a quickly constructed baby top with good opportunities to practice my very rusty skills in ribbon candy, wishbones, and back and forth lines but the quilting became a challenge. I chose fusible Hobbs 80/20 but it seemed thin. 

When I quilt baby quilts on the standard longarm, I use Pellon Quilters Choice in the thinnest loft but I prefer to have some help basting for the sit-down machine and the fusible battings do save time even though I still pin sparingly. I have never experienced any challenges with the lightest Pellon Quilter's Choice and it makes a nice light quilt with some loft for stitch definition.

 

The 6 inch ruler quilted blocks went well with no tension issues but the rest was FMQ and a nightmare. The quilt was nearly finished when I decided to rip out half of it and thought about doing all of the FMQ but there is an advantage to batting with cotton content. When cotton batting shrinks, it may pull in on the stitches and bury tiny eyelashes. So being hopeful, I only took out the worst half of the FMQ. 

I knew the problem was the thread. The tension would just not balance in the batting. I had chosen smooth and silky Glide so it wouldn't create instant pills by pulling up balls of cotton batting. The batting has a very rough appearance that indicated it might beard with less than a very smooth thread. After pulling out the worst of the FMQ, I switched to 60 wt. Glide for bobbin thread and that was the solution to getting the tension to balance in the batting. 

Between the crinkles and the shrinkage in the cotton batting, a multitude of tension issues and some wobbles in the not so good ribbon candy and wishbones were absorbed or disguised and I am happy to be done with the quilt. Now, hopefully, Project Linus accepts quilts with a patriotic theme because it's not large enough for Quilts of Valor.

Looking Back, Moving Forward or the Tale of Two Pink Ballerina Quilts

This has been a year filled with stress and disappointments and a few bright spots that will be cherished for the joy, smiles, and laughter.  This is not about the delightful moments but of a difficult lesson learned by a quilter who clearly set herself up for a hard hit when all did not go as planned.  

I don't make bed quilts because a bed covering is intended for use as room decoration and warmth.  In today's modern world, some don't make a bed up except when the sheets are changed.  In a moment of boredom or change of mind or age, the room may get a facelift and the bed topper gets sent to the thrift store or at best, stuffed in the closet to be forgotten.  Instead, I prefer to make baby quilts and lap or throw quilts.  Multiples are acceptable, even required for celebrations and if the house is drafty and curling up to read or watch videos on a rainy afternoon or evening is a family affair.  These quilts act as a warm hug and a reminder that someone cares enough to make a special gift of beauty and usefulness that can go anywhere.

The two quilts in this story came about because my niece moved to the Midwest and at the end of October she announced that because space in their rental was limited, their Christmas tree would be small.  To please the girls, she had decided the theme would be pink ballerinas.  

Immediately my mind was in high gear.  There is a tradition in my niece's family to get new pajamas to wear on Christmas Eve.  My imagination was envisioning two little girls in pink pajamas filled with excitement and expectation for the day to come snuggled in new pink quilts in their drafty living room on a cold winter's night   

A couple of days later, I was in Craft Warehouse on Tuesday where customers get 25% off all full price purchases on the last Tuesday of the month.  To my delight and surprise, I found some darling bunny ballerina fabric that was perfect for the 3 year old.  I purchased enough to enlarge a Fabric Cafe 3 Yard Quilt pattern and make a coordinating pillowcase.  On Bug Fabric, where novelty prints rule, I was able to order the last of two coordinating ballerina fabrics that would also make a similar size, color, and themed quilt but with the appeal for an older child who dearly loves her ballet classes.  

My goal was to finish the quilts and pillowcases by the end of November and have the pillowcases as the birthday party gifts and favors to share with little sister for the older niece's December birthday.  Not all went as planned due to some virus that went through our family but when my energy returned, I spent the later half of November sewing up a storm so the pillowcases could go in the mail for the birthday and will little time to spare, a box could follow and hopefully arrive by Christmas. 

The backing fabric was found online and arrived in the mail from a quilt shop just a half an hour from us.  There was no time to make a trip out to visit the "new to me" store.  However, the colors were perfect!  With all I needed to complete my projects, I forged on.  After two long December afternoons on my feet, the tops were quilted on the Incredible Hulk and bound on the Janome 9400 because there was no time to curl up and finish the binding by hand.  Handwork is a pleasurable and meditative activity that is often the cherished reward of finishing a quilt but no matter, the girls are too young to notice the difference.  My traditional machine embroidered labels that are hand stitched on the back also had to be eliminated due to the time crunch but the quilts went in the mail with a small margin of time to spare along with some darling pink ballerina tree decorations.  Whew!  What a whirlwind of activity that left me just enough time to focus on Christmas for my immediate family.

Sounds like everything is in place for the picturesque scene in that was floating in my dreams, right?  Wrong!  First thing to go awry, my niece peeks inside the box when it arrives, clearly ignoring the label that says to open on Christmas Eve.  She briefly comments in a text that the girls will be pleased.  And that is where I become a bit deflated.  I never expected an adult to peek at Christmas gifts when there were instructions on the box when it was to be opened.  Well, I didn't have time for concern.  Our family celebrates Christmas a few days early.  Preparations were in full swing.  I would look forward to some photos Christmas Eve when all was quiet and peaceful and I had time to enjoy them.  

The night before Christmas arrived and so did a half dozen photos of girls in pink pajamas but no quilts to be seen.  By Christmas morning my disappointment was overwhelming.  DH and a couple of fellow quilters in my Facebook group said I ought to mention to my niece it was rather impolite to ignore the box instructions and have special handmade gifts out with all the store bought and manufactured presents on Christmas day.  So I did in a brief text that revealed I had not seen the quilts in the photos from the night before and all I got was a very short and hurried phone call that was barely an apology for not having read the label she clearly had to cut through it to open the box.  I was shattered to the core.  

While the pain of disappointment and hurt is still raw, I realize I set myself up for the fall and I have to live with my part in the drama.  There were warning signs I had ignored in the multitude of photos of girls sent in text messages.  I never saw pictures of my youngest niece in the first birthday outfit I made her, there were no pictures of the older niece who loves hair clips wearing the darling pink with daisies clips I sent for her birthday, and the pillowcases were briefly featured to make a point that the younger niece wanted to sleep in big sister's bed when she got a new duvet and sheets for her birthday. 

First Birthday Outfit

I don't expect an honest heart felt apology or any signs of appreciation.  Maybe only staged photos of girls with my gifts to appease me.  What's done is done and I have learned why quilters say their efforts are saved for the "quilt worthy."  The joy is in the journey and when a quilt is sent, there has to be a full release, no strings attached.  If a quilt deserves a special time and space to be celebrated and appreciated, the presentation has to be a moment set aside that can be planned and executed with care.

Take heed my quilty readers and remember this story or you too will be a victim of dashed expectations. 

Happy Summer everyone!  4-H quilt camp is coming up soon.  Stay tuned and maybe a photo of the happy participants with their quilts will appear next month.

Recently I have been working on a recipe for a fabric stiffener that is less stiff than commercial spray starches and one that doesn't flake or make a mess on the plate of iron.  Below is what I have developed.  I tested citric acid as a preservative instead of isopropyl alcohol but the spray flaked when pressed and made a mess on my iron.  I have only used cornstarch but in recipes, potato starch is a possible substitute at a one to one ratio so that might be tested in future batches.  I don't buy unbleached flour so I won't be trying it in future batches.   I know there is a recipe for ME's Best Press using potato based vodka and water but it's not allowed in 4-H so this is my solution and so far I am really liking better than non-aerosol starches I have purchased.  They are getting more and more expensive and usually flake if preventative measures are ignored.  

Just a side note, ME's Best Press is 6-7% unmodified cornstarch and the rest is water with an undisclosed additive.  I am supposing a preservative that has been approved as safe and requires no documentation.  Here is the sds:  https://www.wardrobesupplies.com/media/pdf/Mary_Ellens_best_press_sds.pdf

Fabric Stiffener

(softer finish than commercial spray starches & no flaking or messy iron)

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups boiling distilled water in a quart pan

1 T. cornstarch

2 T. distilled water (distilled to prevent discoloration from iron & minerals in water from rusty city pipes)

70% isopropyl alcohol (that is medical grade for first aide, prevents mold & flaking starch)

2 smaller spray bottles from the dollar store (1.5 -2 cups)

Bring a cup and a half water to boil (maybe two if less stiffness is desired).  In a small bowl or 1 cup measure, stir 2 T. distilled water into 1 T. cornstarch until smooth.  Stir cornstarch liquid into boiling water.  Reduce heat to a simmer and stir until cornstarch is well incorporated and the mixture is slightly thickened.  Cool to room temperature.  Put scant 1 T. alcohol in a spray bottle.  Add 1 cup of starch mixture.  Top off with ½ cup water.  Shake well and test.  More water can be added for less stiffness (may need a larger spray bottle) or add no water when filling the spray bottle for more stiffness.  Store remaining starch solution in a glass jar.  (Alcohol can be added for storage or store in fridge or freezer to retard mold until more is needed.) 

Mitered Corner Square

 The foundation paper pieced block is for two of the 4 blocks in the block below.  

Click HERE for the Mitered Corner Square foundation paper piecing pattern.  Print at 100% (NO Scaling).  The Mitered Corner Square should finish at 4 inches (4.5 with seam allowances).

An alternative for constructing the mintered squares would be to piece four 1.5 inch WOF strips and fold the sewn strips in half and cut half triangles, two at a time, right sides facing, with a template like Wrights EZ Quilting Half Square Triangle.  

Revisiting Play Dough

I have been making play dough ever since my children were toddlers.  Their children have enjoyed the Kool-Aid version with cream of tartar that smells wonderful but stores best in the refrigerator because it seems to dry out in times of low humidity and becomes sticky in damp cool weather.  I recommend zip bags or plastic wrap for storage because a frost-free fridge will dry the surface if the dough is stored in a plastic container, at least that has been my experience.

Recently, my niece wanted to make some play dough for a preschool activity box she is assembling for her daughter.  She wanted a recipe that would store well without refrigeration.  I researched dough recipes and found an article that claims that citric acid is a better antimicrobial for play dough and also improves the texture.  Additionally, my niece was concerned if the dough smelled too appealing, Valentine might eat it.  She is still at the age where taste-testing is a learning experience.  

Last week we tried my favorite play dough recipe from April, 2011:

Kool-Aid® Playdough

1 cup flour
1 package unsweetened Kool-Aid®
1/4 cup salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
1 cup hot water

Mix flour, salt, cream of tartar, and Kool-Aid® together well with a fork in a medium pan. Add hot water and oil. Stir over medium-low heat 3 to 5 minutes. When mixture forms a ball in the pan, remove. Knead until smooth. Put in a plastic bag and refrigerate. Dough is smooth, non-sticky, and smells nice.

We omitted the drink mix and cream of tartar and replace them with 2 tablespoons of citric acid and food coloring.

The dough does seem more springy and softer than the original version. I might make more and try scenting it with essential oils like lavender and the citric oils like lemon, orange, and lime. They are inexpensive and also have antimicrobial properties. Also, I will be observing how well the dough stores in a plastic container (the article recommends zip bags).

Note: The link to the article on citric acid links to another blog entry that reviews 3 gluten-free dough recipes.

Another Year

So, 2020 came and went and now nearly half of another year.  To be honest, this new normal is not all fun and games.  I don't like it but as I child I learned to cope with change because we moved frequently from one state to another as my father was an administrative engineer and changing locations was an opportunity to receive a pay increase and gain expertise.   That being said, my method of coping is to keep busy with tasks and hobbies I enjoy.  Knitting has taken a back seat as I have focused on free motion quilting.  

Free motion quilting is meditative and hypnotic or like a runner's high or a zen moment or maybe an obsessive compulsive disorder.  The steady hum of the machine is so soothing that the addiction of filling fabric with thread patterns is my drug of choice for easing tension and relaxing when the options for travelling and quilt shop hopping have been reduced.  

Here are a few of my recent projects to learn the idiosyncrasies of new stationary longarm machine.  

From a quilted fat quarter came 3 little baskets.  The instructions for the 3 little baskets from a fat quarter are from a discontinued pattern by Christina Cameli.  She has been offering an updated version for blog followers, 3 nesting baskets from a quilted half yard.  The smallest basket in the current pdf is the same size as the one below:

Christina's classes on Craftsy/Bluprint and Course Craft were the first of several that have influenced my work and motivated me to keep working on my skills.  Others include challenges and classes by Angela Walters, Lori Kennedy, Helen Godden, and Rachelle Denneny.  I am extremely grateful that these artists are dedicated to teaching and sharing their love of quilting. 

 

A trip to the beach was inspiration for this piece.  I haven't used it in a project yet but it may become a decorator pillow:

A small sampler was inspired by a pre-printed practice panel by Jane Hauprich.  She featured her panels on Instagram and I didn't want to wait for an order so I drew sections on a fat quarter and filled them free-hand from her photo.  Her panel is 20 inches square but my version is 16 inches.  My goal was to work between free motion quilting and ruler work without breaking thread and switching feet.  I hope to take Jane's feathers class in the near future.  Her quilting is exquisite.  Mine is coming along but not as consistent as I would like but seeing progress is encouraging:

A recent birthday gift for one of the DiL's.  This pillow cover started as a challenge to try Jen Eskridge's Free-Motion Framework technique.  I designed my own framework for free motion fills in EQ8:

This is the video introducing Jen's technique and book, Free-Motion Framework.  If anyone is interested in the pattern for the fills, I will upload it to the side bar of links for free patterns.  I will be trying more designs like this in the future, hopefully on original tie dye fabric from our annual tie dye event with the grands.  

These are just a few of the projects that have taken my focus away from the dreariness of daily news and the passing of my mother and 2 aunts since October.  Spring and warm weather means the garden and yard work will be distracting me from sewing and quilting.  The promise of flowers and garden produce is always a lure to enjoy the sunshine and dig in the dirt.  

Bluprint Blues

I took a year off from blogging to focus on acquiring a new skill.  Since Bluprint began as Craftsy, I have been purchasing online classes but I hadn't really joined the forum as a member.  In March of 2019, I bought a year's membership with the goal of learning to free motion quilt on a domestic machine and eventually my longarm.  My membership came with free forever classes and almost all the classes I enrolled in for the last year have been on free motion quilting.  Bluprint has been my favorite online class delivery system and educational community.  

Now Bluprint is closing and I am exploring ways to save my content, almost 10 years of classes and the accompanying resources.  I have managed to collect all of the patterns I had in my library but now the task of downloading the class videos.  This program looks promising, Allavsoft.  For the price of a Bluprint class on sale, one can use Allavsoft for a month.  Stay posted.  I will be busy.