Sunday, April 29, 2018

Fun Colors, Cool Product!

Update:  The B'Seal bag clips are a great product for sealing bags but they have become more flexible with use at the quilting machine and I won't be recommending them for that use since they popped off the end of my backing and I had to resort to pinning to finish a quilt.  Additionally, the new heavy leaders on my machine won't allow me to use the light tracks mentioned in the paragraph below either.  They only worked with the pillow ticking leaders I had made for the HandiQuilter that I no longer own.  Joey, a blogger is using Mondo bag clips and they have worked well for 3 years according to an entry on Facebook.

In a recent effort to try another quilter's tip, I bought some 1/4 inch PEX tubes and light tracks at Home Depot as a thrifty alternative to Leader Grips, an expensive system that is a faster method than pinning a quilt back to leaders.  While faster than pinning, the light tracks have not become more flexible with use and the next size up in diameter is not available at local stores.   Also, I haven't succeeded in getting a clean cut for shorter segments of the lighting track.

Red Snappers are a similar and slightly less expensive notion that work similarly to Leader Grips.  The local company that makes them also makes a chip bag sealing product that inspired the quilters' product.  I thought I might try the bag sealing product and have found that it is compatible with the PEX tubes.  The gripping section of the product fits easily but securely over fabric and the PEX tube in the leader casing.  I now have a fast and easy solution to pinning quilt backs to leaders and I love the yummy colors.  I am getting more so I can use them at the quilting machine and in the kitchen.
A package of 24 will be all I need with a couple of 6 foot PEX tubes in each casing for long quilts: B'Seal Bag Sealing Product

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Elm Street Quilts OMG April Link-up: Three Yards to the Finish Line

While I was not fond of the fabrics in the 3 yard quilt kit I purchased from my local quilt shop, the top is done and will be quilted soon.  Here is my completed Elm Street Quilts April OMG, now known as Whirligigs in a Flower Garden:
My original plan was to put the flower border second but there was so little fabric for the narrow border, it had to be the first one, making the whirligigs or windmills appear to be surrounded by the flowers.  Also, I disregarded the measurements for the borders and just used up the fabric that remained.  I have the backing and binding fabric purchased.
Currently, I am without a longarm as I am upgrading to a new system and all quilting is on hold until the new machine is installed and I have completed a practice run.

Another finish for the month was a quilt top kit I picked up at our local quilt show.  The top has been dropped off and will be completed by another quilter since I am between machines.  This top was made for Quilts Beyond Borders.  The kit contained 42 scrappy strips, several were repeated a number of times.  I didn't like the suggested pattern with the frequent repetitions but a simple rail fence style quilt with a piano key border worked well with the fabrics.
Another quilt is in the works, a design called Stained Glass by Cozy Quilts.  I am having so much fun sewing quilt tops, it is difficult to switch to gardening now that spring has finally decided to show off its colors and offer us some warm sunny weather.

Thursday, April 5, 2018

Elm Street Quilts April Link-up: Three Yards

I purchased 3 yards of coordinating fabric and then decided I didn't like it.  What do I do?  Use it up and get it out of the house!  But, I am running short of fabric for the design I thought might work.  Nevertheless, I am determined to finish this top for my Elm Street Quilts April OMG.  It will then become a charity quilt for the county chaplains who are called out to assist with death notifications and other emergencies when a chaplain is requested.

This is the design that I started with:
Whirligig
Unfortunately, the block dimensions I came up with are too big for 3 one yard cuts.  I will have enough for the blocks but not for the borders as pictured.  I will have to come up with another plan.  That will be a mystery until the next Elm Street Quilts Link-up.

One row of completed blocks: