~Piping Making~

I have always loved piping! 

When our DD was small and I made a lot of her clothes, I would add it to collars, pockets, waist bands, just for that extra pop of color. Back then I always purchased piping.  As the years went by I started making it more often than not. And now I try to always make it because, well~ have you seen the quality of prepackaged piping lately? Can it get any skinnier? :-o

Lately I have been using it for a little border pop on a mini quilt, and for bag making. Fun!

I suppose it is safe to say the "traditional" way of making piping was by using your zipper foot to baste it into a bias strip of fabric.  BUT with new products, things do get easier!

You can now get a piping foot for your sewing machine with a groove in it for the cording.

I always dreaded having to rip out any basting stitches that I didn't quite cover.

 And now I don't even baste! I use Wonder Tape by Dritz, or Wonder Web by Pellon.  :-) It comes in a roll and my roll is getting used up as you can see in the photo. It is 1/4 inch wide.

(Just FYI~ Wonder Tape washes out, Wonder Web does not.)

There are so many uses for this wonderful product, but just in case you haven't used it to make piping yet~

it couldn't get any easier. ;-)

In the photo I cut my bias strips 1.5 inches and pressed them wrong sides together to find the middle.  This makes a 3/4 inch 'tape'.  I opened it and pressed one side of the Wonder Tape right in the center of one side~ there should be 1/4 inch between the tape and the fold, and another 1/4 inch up from the raw edge... or pretty close! :-)  Let it cool completely.  If you don't, the paper is much harder to remove. Trust me on this! I am sometimes just a teeny bit impatient. :-) (and then I regret it!)

I used 3/16th's inch cord this time because I want an nice big piping, but you can use smaller for more delicate applications.  Once you have removed that paper, then it is just a matter of inserting the cord against the fold, meeting raw edges and pressing.  The piping stays right up against the fold~ and you didn't have to baste anything!! Easy! Right?  Give it a try sometime, you will be happy you did!

Until next time~

Happy stitchin'!

I'm Here!!

I know its bad when I have to go read my own blog to remember the last time I posted!

(boy is my face red!) :-o

Retreat was a lot of fun and I got a lot done!

First I want to give you a glimpse into our set-up.  We had 119 quilters with 119 sewing machines humming. :-)  Fun!  I took quite a few projects to work on, plus I took a couple classes that were offered, so I really kept my machine humming.  

We set up in a large gym.  The campground has a kitchen/dining building and full time staff that lives on the grounds. We didn't even have any KP to do! ;-)  The dormitories are set up on a hill, single story with a community room with a fireplace in the front and behind that the building is divided in half with the bathrooms, showers etc running the length of the middle. On either side of them are dorm rooms filled with bunk beds (this camp is mainly for kids summer programs, but various groups rent it during the school year).  No one sleeps in top bunks... that's where we store our suitcases etc.  There are 4 dorms with a fifth in the works. Plus a few other cabins scattered on the grounds.

This is the gym~

The ironing station is set up in the center. You can't see it, but they put in a power box in the center just for us. ;-)

Half of gym

As the weekend progresses, more lovely projects get hung on the walls.  It really is quite inspiring!

We also have a local shop that sets up a 'store' for us in one of the rooms off the gym~

How cool is that?

In my next post I'll show some of my projects.  In all I made 7 totes, 1.5 purses (I need to finish one yet), 1 diaper bag, 1 quilt top, and 1 set of blocks (that I now have into a top).  Plus I made some little projects with a friend that I forgot to get pics of.  Yup, I love retreats!!

Until next time~

Happy stitchin'!

Keeping My Machines Busy!

Although I can't show pix, I have completed the quilting on the third of my Mom's quilt tops~ yay!  I was almost reduced to tears at one point when my machine started making a horrible noise and  messing up, but after troubleshooting all afternoon, I got it going again. Whew!

I also got caught up with the Temecula Quilts mini blocks for the Circa 2016 sew along.

If you happened to print the last 2 sets of instructions off right after they posted, please go check them.

There were errors in each, but they have now been corrected. I do wish they would tell us when they correct an error rather than having the correction mysteriously appear. :-/

Anyway~

..my blocks. 

I also got my block made for a BOM I'm doing with the ladies from the former HGTV message board.

Pat is choosing all the blocks from Quilters Cache. This one is called Leap Frog.  I'm using my CW prints for this one. ;-)

And I am off to retreat later this week so I have been cutting, pressing, fusing, packing and generally getting ready.  Three days of sewing bliss!  I hope to accomplish a lot!  One of the retreat activities is to make a block with a fabric square that is sent to each attendee.  Well, to be honest, the fabric did not inspire me.  It is saddles, cowboy hats, and very shaggy chaps.  The only thing I could fussy cut was the saddle. So I made a Hole in the Barn Door block.  Hopefully whoever wins the blocks won't be too disappointed. :-/

What is keeping you busy? I hope you find time to get your machines working too!

Until next time~

Happy Stitchin'!

Busy! Busy!

I have not been slacking off~ just really busy trying to get ready for my

local retreat next week.  I am cutting, pressing, shopping :-o

and getting there!

I am also quilting!  The binding fix I showed a couple posts ago worked like a charm!

Here is the quilt I finished and sent off to a friend going through a rough time.  

The blocks were made by a group of us, friends of the recipient, and I put the top together, quilted, bound and sent it on its way.  It has been received, so I can show you now.  We each made blocks that would make her think of us.  One likes pink, another is a blue/tan fan, we have a Peanuts lover and a chicken lover. LOL It makes quite a conversation quilt. ;-)

 

 

I've also been working on some of my Mom's quilt tops so I can return them to her this summer.

This is just a peek, until she sees it in person. ;-)

And I've been cutting out bags to take along to sew at retreat. Here is one~

~all cut out, interfacings attached, handles pressed and ready for some serious sewing!

It is going to be a diaper bag for my DS's newest addition, due in August.

They love Marvel comics, so how could I not use that fabric?! LOL

The pattern is the Nappy Bag from Mrs H.

 

So, see? Busy! I am off to work on quilting another top for my Mom, and cutting out a couple more

things for retreat.   

Until next time~

Happy Stitchin'!