Cutting Table

For a long time I just used my dining room table for a cutting table – the ping pong table worked pretty well too. Then my husband was on a job and he found a discarded, solid wood door leaning against a wall – the guy in charge gave it to my husband for
me…..yippee!!

I went and bought four cabinets at Target for around $25 a piece – some assembly required.  We put those together and put the 4 X 7 door on top.  My husband bolted it to the cabinets and also to the wall to give it good stability.

It’s wonderful – I can manage pretty large pieces of fabric and there’s a nice surface to work on for laying out fabric and piecing.

If you have the room – look around for a solid door that isn’t being used.  It is a find!  Otherwise you can buy a sanded piece of plywood or laminate-topped plywood at a hardware store. 

Most of you already have your rooms set up – but if you are just realizing that quilting will be a long-term commitment or that you need to change things up a bit, hopefully these ideas will get you started.

More next week….

The sewing machine joins what the scissors have cut asunder, plus whatever else comes in its path.  ~Mason Cooley

Sewing Tables

My brother gave me this wonderful desk when I was about 13.  I’ve had it since then and it has served many functions:  student desk, changing table, sewing table, school teacher’s desk, and computer desk.  When I acquired my new sewing machine a couple of years ago, I moved onto a laminate table, it was wider and longer and gave me more table space to work with quilts.  I moved the desk so that it was close by, and I longingly wished it could be my sewing table – mostly because of the four awesome drawers it possessed!

Then one lazy afternoon, my husband came up with a great idea – how about combine the two.  Granted, it would change my desk forever, but it was worth it.  He removed the metal legs from the laminate table top and then centered the top on the desk and bolted it down. 

I now have access to the wonderful drawers and the large table top to work with projects that require a bit more room.  So if you’re looking for a table for your sewing machine, believe me, I know what that’s like – sometimes the kitchen or dining room table is the best choice out there, but you might consider a desk and laminate top (easily found at most thrift stores) and put something together that will be functional in many ways!

Tomorrow we’ll look at cutting tables, cabinets, and shelving.

I love sewing and have plenty of material witnesses.

Organizing Your Sewing Room

When I moved to California about 6 years ago, I left behind several boxes of fabric – I had no idea that I would be sewing so much – quilting, needing scraps of fabric, etc.  I didn’t even know what a “stash” was….now that is funny!  So, when I started taking classes in 2006, I had to start from scratch. 

I went and bought all the fabric for my sampler quilt and then more for the next one, etc.  It was a whole new world for me.  When we made the flower basket pillows, I remember telling people at class that I didn’t have any green fabrics suitable for the leaves.  (I made four of these pillows for Mother’s Day that year – 2008).  Thankfully, Lorraine Ryan came to the rescue and brought me a sandwich bag full of an assortment of green scraps – perfect for all the leaves I appliquéd that year!  It was a start.

Now that I have been sewing quilts and wall hangings and table runners for awhile, I have quite a few scraps – odds and ends – all different colors and shapes.  I went to Wal-Mart and purchased plastic shoe boxes – they were about $1 a piece.  I sorted all my scraps into these boxes – by color.  These boxes stack nicely above my color-coded stash on my bookshelf.  It works beautifully and looks nice too.  Be sure you get the clear shoe boxes so you can see the colors inside.  The next step would be to cut these scraps into strips and/or blocks of varying sizes – next time I’m sitting around with nothing to do – I think I’ll do that!  (Ha Ha)

Since we’re gearing back up for classes soon – take a little time and get things organized.  Scraps sorted or tossed, colors organized.  The wall-hanging project we’ll start with this next term will be well-suited to scraps or fat quarters, so your efforts will be worth it!

Tomorrow we’ll talk about table tops/sewing tables/cutting tables/drawers and cupboards and bookshelves.

I am a material girl. 
Wanna see my fabric collection?

Happy Tuesday!

Today, I wanted to give you a website that will show how to make half-square triangles.  Many of you already know how – this is the basic method and at the end she gives you another method – making them a bit larger and then trimming them down.  I love the way they look on my quilts and we’ll be doing a project this winter with half-square triangles, so I  wanted to get you warmed up.

http://quilting.about.com/od/quickpiecingtechniques/ss/halfsquaretria.htm

Here is a link to a really cute pattern for an apron for your soap dispenser.  I know, maybe it sounds a little cutesy – but I liked the way they looked and I’m going to make one from some of my favorite coffee fabric to match my kitchen décor.

http://sewing.about.com/od/aprons/ss/soapapron.htm

We’ll stay in the kitchen with this next link….this one is for a cover for a Kitchenaid Mixer.  I love my mixer, but it doesn’t have a cover and I think I’ll use more of that coffee fabric to make it warm and cozy…..and keep it clean!

http://www.juliasneedledesigns.com/MIXER%20COVER.htm

Tomorrow, we’ll start a series on organizing your sewing room…..get ready – January is organization month!

Blessed are the piecemakers.

Hi Everyone!

Hi Everyone!

I’ve gathered a few websites for you to check out.  I will try to keep this blog better updated…..hmmm – is that a great idea for the new year or what???   J

Here is a great website – they have fabric, patterns and free shipping with a $35 purchase – without a coupon! 

http://www.fabric.com/

Here’s a free pattern link for an oven mitt.  I know we’ve shown how to make pot holders, but some have asked for an oven mitt pattern.  This one comes with instructions, pattern, and pictures.

http://www.craftandfabriclinks.com/oven_mitt/oven_mitt_pattern.html

And one more for you….this is a link to a blog with a free pattern for a casserole carrier.  It looks pretty cute and is easy to put together!

http://elisabeth-dixiedoodles.blogspot.com/2008/04/cozy-toter-casserole-dish-carrier.html

Hope you enjoy these websites…also, don’t forget – the New Year’s Day mystery quilt site:

http://quilting.about.com/od/quiltpatternsprojects/ss/2011-New-Years-Day-Mystery-Quilt-Pattern.htm

See you all soon!

Who's Who in Pieced Together Quilters - Maggie Clanton

Although Maggie has been sewing since she was two years old, she began quilting with Kathy Honeycutt in 2004, with Diana Johnson, Sheryl (Diana’s sister ) and Cheryl (Maggie’s sister).  Her sister encouraged her to join but she had no idea what she was doing.  After finishing the Baby Beginner class, Maggie and company stayed in the Thursday night class.

The girls found about about Pieced Together Quilters from Diana and Alice Vesterfield and her sister Diana. Maggie joined the evening class when Joy finally found a place and time for that earlier this year.

She likes to garden but is not hot on cooking.  Diana and Cheryl call Maggie the cat whisperer. She has four kitties in the house and four outside. One of her outdoor kitties had 24 kittens before Maggie could get her spayed. She trapped and fostered and found homes for all those kitties.

Maggie and her sister and brother grew up in Alameda and she now lives in San Leandro. She has one son and no grandchildren. Fortunately she has lots of nieces and nephews and a great niece and two great nephews.

She sews on BART and entertains all the other passengers. A little known fact: she keeps her friends laughing and that’s the only reason they keep her around.

Maggie loves the ladies in the quilt group and loves the creativity she shares with her friends.

Who's Who in Pieced Together Quilters - Ann Seals

Ann began quilting in 1999 after her “soul-mate” was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Sadly, Tony passed away several years ago before Ann finished a quilt for him.

She had seen a notice for the quilt class at San Lorenzo Adult School and enrolled.  Her first class was Baby Beginners with Kathy.  Because she was a sewer before, Ann only needed to take the class once.  (I took it three times and I was a sewer too – way to go Ann.)

Debbie, Maggie, Cheryl and Diana took Ann to dinner and told her about our Pieced Together Quilters group. She joined the evening group earlier this year as soon as it was offered.

Not married and without children, Ann has one spoiled little black Toy Poodle named Simba. He is 12 years old and he is Mama’s little BABY! (I can relate – I have a little 12 year-old Chihuahua who is Mama’s little girl.)  Barbara Baxter inserts that the reason she is so gorgeous is due to the lack of stress a spouse and children would bring.

Ann’s a baker and was President of the African-American Quilt Guild for four years.  The group knew she had a special talent for seeing what needs to be done and could find the right person to help out.

A little know fact about Ann is a computer junkie! She plays games, surfs, even repairs her own computer. She loves to work out a problem with her computer – but doesn’t want to do it for anyone else. And!!! She HATES pink. One evening she was late to class and as a joke, everyone wore pink. 

She calls herself a shy person and covers it up by being outgoing.  She is a very inventive quilter – calling herself a REBEL. Kathy never knew what Ann would come up with next.

Ann is employed by Wells Fargo Bank as a data analyst and was previously a system/database administrator.  She was born in Houston Texas and moved to San Francisco when she was eight years old. Now she calls San Lorenzo home. 

Who's Who in Pieced Together Quilters - Cathy Robrahn

Cathy started quilting maybe ten years ago – with Kathy Honeycutt. She worked with Marie Bettencourt and Wanda Daly who invited her to San Lorenzo Adult School.  She has always sewed and thought quilting would be lots of fun – but mainly the camaraderie – making new friends.

Dawn Luber told Cathy about Pieced Together Quilters so she joined this term. Yeah Cathy! This is a great group of ladies who welcome one and all.

Some of her other hobbies are mixed media such as fabric, paper and paint  - gardening, reading (mysteries) and baking.  One of her favorite magazines is Cloth, Paper, Scissors.

Sadly she lost her husband in May last year and two months later she lost Kathy.  Cathy has two step-sons and no grandchildren. They are still in college so thank goodness they don’t have kids yet. She has some great nieces and nephews who get her quilts. The youngest will be one in January.

Born and raised in Monterey she moved to the Bay Area in 1989 when her husband, who worked for the FAA, transferred to Oakland International Airport.

A little know fact is Cathy is a perfectionist! It drives her nuts when her points don’t meet – and when she hears “Just wing it” she has a meltdown.

Cathy is a delightful lady who has an infectious smile that draws you into her happy place. She also has a rascal of a doggie named Micky. Thanks Cathy, it was great getting to know you.