Saturday, February 22, 2014

Story Dice bags done

The bags for the Story dice are done:



 One is will stay at Grammy and Oompah's house, anf the other will go home for the story dice that Santa bought to here house.

I usually make these dice bags for Warhammer 40K and other gamers...but when the collection of story dice grew from the original set, it seemed only logical that it would hold that collection of dice.

I still used paracord for the drawstring--i don't think you can have too much paracord around. But since my granddaughter is just going to turn 5, I thought that tying the paracord might be a bit frustrating so I oput toggles on.



I do not want to be hunting dice because a know comes loose. Anyone who has ever dropped a bunch of dice--knows how long you keep finding them...

Yes, I keep a couple of lighters in the sewing room, paracord is not the only use for them while sewing.

I also keep a supply of bodkins--they like purple things, seem to grow legs (I also have a sneaking suspicion  they have some feline help)





Don't know what a bodkin is for??

You use it to thread paracord, elastic, etc., through a casing-First step load the cord:

insert in casing:

I almost always make a button hole-even in the waist band of skirts/pants (on the inside.) It makes replacement or adjustment much easier,

Push/pull through:


Navigates seams much easier than safety pins!

And I am really loving these new dudes( thermal thimbles):


And I finally have the blocks I messed up the cutting on ready to assemble:


Hoping they make the finish tomorrow..but we shall see...there are a few Olympic curling matches we haven't watched yet :-)

Happy sewing!






Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Some weekends are slow..

Especially when the cats drag out an entire cubicle of fat quarters that has to be refolded... they are mad because I am not spending enough time in the sewing room with them...they will get over it.

So after I tidied up I made this neat Birthday frog for my Grandson..he's two--and yes the tongue works-elastic is my friend :-)





















I did get the dice bags cut for the story dice (and I cut some other dice bags while I was at it), and the buttonholes in. They will finish fast this weekend.

I finished a few stress relief dolls, and got a few more ready for stuffing.I did some hand quilting...

So now, back to some hand quilting before bed :-)

Happy sewing


Monday, February 10, 2014

Sometimes--the mending needs done...

Even if it is a throw rug... and why is this important? Because we have become too much a throw away society. Why bother with fixing it--buy a new one.

Manufacturers who plan obsolescence as a way to get you to buy more goods. They make inferior products, don't stand behind their products, or their distributors. And so it rolls down the line to stores who don't really care if what you buy lasts; you are just a chance at a percentage of the population who won't care and will just become an income stream-if its broke-toss it and buy new.

Simplistic, short explanation of a much deeper problem. But we can all do a little if we fix what we can. One person can make a difference. One act of kindness can make a difference. One less throw away can make a difference..


And now I will get off my soap box and go do some hand quilting..and yes, this post was inspired by comments as to why anyone would "waste " the time to do either (mending the rug or hand quilting). And for the record, I consider neither a waste of my time.


Sunday, February 9, 2014

A little bit of this and a little bit of that...

I spent most of the weekend quilting on my Grammy's quilt. She was born in 1903. She saw a lot in her life of 93 years, I still miss her, and the quilt was just calling. Its about 2/3 done...maybe a bit more.


Of course the much needed rain lends itself to hand quilting for me.

I fixed the BOM blocks I cut badly, the HST and flying geese fit this time. I ready to sew them together after ironing, and made some more stress relief dolls as my supply is running low...



I made another block on the quilt that is on the 1471 in the back corner (I normally keep it threaded with black thread-and these stress relief dolls needed black thread. I always try to make a block when I use the machine...unless doing a quick mend before work :-)

And tomorrow is Monday--back to work. Next week is a three day weekend so a bit more time to play.

Happy sewing--I have a bit of time to go do a little more hand quilting before bed--its is satisfying and relaxing for me.


Sunday, February 2, 2014

4 More Blocks....

and I will be caught up with my blocks of the month until the 15th when I get 2 more. Here they are cut and ready to sew, but probably not until next weekend, will see what life has planned this week. Life's plan and mien have not been playing nicely the last few months. 2 of them are re-cuts of ones I cut so wrong I couldn't even figure oust for sure what I did--so I started over. it happens to the best of us :-)



Yesterday was the first girls play day I've been on for a few months--it was a welcome relief. We were introduced to these new goodies (thermal thimbles by Dritz)--used them today--I love them!




Some of the others I  finished since my last post (yeah, I know-long time ago)--

Yes I am working on 2 BOM quilt tops, each in 2 colorways 

My sewing machine has made it home from the shop. I went from needing a new mother board, to a logic board, to a step motor..and what in the end my bill said was a spring for the step motor and a new light bulb. The light bulb wasn't burnt our when it went in..but they can be finicky..got the burnt out one back. I did not get the broken spring back (i specifically asked for the broken parts for any parts that they replaced...it is sewing OK; but when free motioning or embroidering it sound like it is hitting too hard.


So I will take it to another repair shop to make sure. It should not be this difficult to get good service and I am still sorely disappointed in Pfaff and probably will not buy another of their machines. I certainly can not in good faith recommend them right now :-(