Tip Tuesday: Week #10

Before I get into the tip this week, I want to share with you a picture of a quilt I’ve been lugging around for almost twenty years.  I started this quilt the summer after my sophomore year of high school.  This was back during my days working at House of Fabrics. 

 

 

 

The store I worked at was closing, and there were some great deals on fabric.  It was a great time for me to take up quilting.  If I made a mistake, I wouldn’t be out a lot of cash.  It is important to say that aside from an outfit for school, I didn’t actually make any money during my days cutting fabric and back-folding the calico wall.  My poor mother lost money on the deal, as well.  She drove me to work on rainy days, and picked me up at night so I wouldn’t have to walk home in the dark.  Unfortunately, she would end up shopping.  I remember on more than one occasion, she shopped for my entire evening shift. 

As most of you quilters know, there are stages of quilting.  I don’t mean prewashing, cutting, stitching, ironing, and actually quilting.  I mean the emotional stages:  Excitement, confusion, despair, resolve, perseverance and success.  Some of you know exactly what I mean.  Every “new” quilt starts with that excitement stage, when I can not wait to get my hands on the new fabric.  I cut away, cheerful and singing, stitching and ironing, clipping and sorting.  Eventually, I run into an issue.  It’s important to mention this issue is usually encountered late at night, when my eyes are having trouble staying open, and I’ve misunderstood something.  I should know that it is time to get some rest, and try again in the morning, but sometimes the excitement hasn’t waned completely and I want to push ahead.  Then despair sets in, when I’ve realized I have made a mistake, and should have stopped when the confusion set in.  I call it a night, possibly avoiding the project the next morning, and eventually move to the resolve stage, in which I’ve found a resolution to my issue.  I drudge through whatever seam ripping or re-cutting that needs to occur, and then it happens.  Sweet Success.  There is nothing sweeter than that moment I finish that last stitch.  I run my hands over the designs.  I run my fingers along the binding.  Each new pattern brings a new skill.  I am working on a few new patterns here that I am hoping to try out in all this free time I have with the kids in school.  Those of you that know me KNOW I would have used a sarcastic font for that last line.  I’ve had less free time since they’ve started school than I did when they were home with me all summer. 

 

Where is the tip in all of this?  Have you ever sat down with a Veteran from any war?  I mean really sat down and talked to someone who has served their country or fought for something they love?  I run into Veterans from time to time, and I try to make the time to hear their story.  I see something lost in their eyes when we say our hellos, and somehow they come alive when they start reminiscing about what it was like to be a young soldier.  They talk about their first love, or their first deployment.  They say they don’t want to bore me, as I’m sure their kids and grandkids are tired of hearing the memories.  I listen.  I hear.  I wonder how these men and women survived some of the situations they endured.  I hear the pride in their voices, and see the sparkles in their eyes, and the glow that gleams of their face as they tell their tale.  Good or bad, their experience shaped them, and made them the people they are today.  I’m happy they want to share their story with me, and so happy to listen. 

Talk to a quilter, and they spin a similar yarn.  I’m not trying to be disrespectful, please don’t take it that way.  But imagine a conversation I had with a fellow quilter about putting together a Lone Star quilt.  I had shared a picture of a “Starburst” quilt that I had made in 1994.  She insisted it was not a Lone Star quilt because of the color placement, and I agree, to a certain extent.  She asked me why I chose such a difficult pattern for my first quilt.  I explained that I knew I would be spending a lot of time with the quilt, and wanted something I would like for a long time.  I bought the fabric for twenty-five cents a yard.  That’s right.  Twenty-five cents a yard.  I was new to quilting, and was learning a technique that was new to the industry called “Strip Quilting”.  Armed with a rotary cutter, mat and pattern, I set out to assemble the quilt.  The woman and I talked and talked about color choices.  She spent months gathering her fabric for hers, I spent ten minutes.  She cut diamond after diamond, carefully piecing each one.  I cut strips, sewed strips, cut more strips, sewing more strips, and so on.  She shared her tips of the trade for quilting her masterpiece, and laughed at my batting choice for that first quilt.  It was nice to talk to this quilting veteran.  Where was she when I was working on this quilt?  It would have been nice to have some input.

Every project gives us a new experience.  Every stitch we rip out and re-stitch is a new lesson.  I encourage you to take classes, talk to people you know, join a quilting guild, and enjoy your time creating.  What’s my tip this week?  Jump into the deep end and start the project that you adore but are afraid of.  Buy that fabric you love when you see it, and tuck it away for later.  You know what you like; you’ll find the right pattern for it some day.  Don’t be afraid to admit you don’t know what you are doing, and don’t lie about what you can do.

 That concludes my Ten Week Tip Tuesday! 

Tip Tuesday: Week #9

Purge your projects from time to time.  We all have UFO's (unfinished projects) from time to time, and sometimes letting go of them is the best thing we can do.  I come from a long line of pack-rats and clutter-bugs.  I'd like to think that I could be the one to break this cycle, but the fact that I have a fabric stash that could overflow a standard sized closet, I'm guessing I won't.  When is it time to let go and move on?

I had a friend give me her yarn stash a few months ago.  I like to knit and crochet, and found it really tough to turn down the yarn, although I was given the option of donating it.  I know of a few knitting circles that participate in some wonderful charity events, like making hats and blankets for preemies and newborns or for the homeless.  I thought of all of the things I could make with the skeins of yarn.  There were about forty of them, all labeled efficiently with little sticky dots to mark dye lots.  What a great idea, Leslie!!  Anyhow, I looked through pattern books, printed out online patterns, toyed with some of my own ideas, and still, the collection of yarn sits.

If you live in Sonoma County, you may know of a wonderful craft thrift store called The Legacy.   It is out in Sebastopol, CA.  Call ahead to make arrangements to drop off fabric, yarn, notions, books, magazines, patterns, and yes, even UFO's.  The store has a regular staff of volunteers who process the donations and set up the store like, well, a store.  Patterns are priced at fifty cents - except for vintage patterns - that's right, VINTAGE.  There are binders full of vintage patterns, all priced pretty reasonably if you ask me.  The fabric is sold by the pound.  It's something reasonable, like, $2/lb for fabric.  I've met teachers there that pick out scraps for their students.  I've met wonderful volunteers that come in to sit and knit/crochet items to donate to sell.  All of the proceeds from this great shop go to fund the Sebastopol Senior Center.  How cool is that?  I will admit, it's sad when I've witnessed a large delivery, and it hits me that someone has passed, and this is their sewing room, piled into box after box.  Right about the time I tear up, I'll see a young mom with her children in tow come in the front door, and they head to the button bucket to pick out buttons while their mom shops.  I smile, remembering that The Legacy is carried on, whether we pass it to our children, or strangers who find our stuff in the store.

I have dropped off items there from time to time.  I had volunteered a couple times while my son was at preschool.  I sorted patterns for a couple hours, while my daughter looked at buttons, or helped me put patterns in the correct boxes.  The staff is caring and pleasant, and while they prefer an appointment for larger donations, I've never had them turn down a bag or two of my purging.  What a wonderful way to achieve a guilt-free purge of my craft room!  I've acquired patterns and scraps of this and that for making dolls, or piecing holiday decorations.  I've found beloved out of print books that I have loaned out, only to have them never return.  I've scored amazing vintage buttons in excellent shape, and some uplifting conversations from fellow shoppers and volunteers. 

So when is it time to give up that UFO?  Have you lost interest?  Does it keep you from starting something new?  Are you feeling guilty?  Answering yes to any of those questions means it's time to move on.  Don't think of it as abandoning it, or giving up on something.  Think of it as giving the project new life by handing it on.  I assure you, a feeling of relief will pass over you.  I am on the verge of donating two totes of fabric that I've lugged to four different homes, each time intending to make something from the fabric, and each time putting the tote on the very bottom of the to-do list.  I'm not sure what my attachment is to these items, but I am starting to feel like letting go would be very liberating. 

Find a local charity, Senior Center, or classroom that could wrap up that project for you.  You're doing a better service to give it up and let it go than you are to weigh yourself down with it!!

Next week will conclude my Ten Weeks of Tip Tuesday!  What would you like to see on the blog in the upcoming weeks?  Tutorials?  Giveaways?  Contests?  Leave a comment below to let me know what you're looking for!!

Tip Tuesday: Week #8

I'm sure you've read my rant on threads, and if you haven't, *ahem, get to it.  Anyhow, I know I was pretty harsh about brands.  Maybe I had a few bad runs of luck when it came to manufacturers.  Maybe I bought thread that had been on the shelf awhile, or was just faulty.  I don't know.  What I do know, is that it is easier to label my thread with the date when I buy it, so I can avoid it snapping on me later because it is old.  This was an easy task in the beginning, because I always bought my thread at once, when it was on sale.  I realized later this wasn't always the best way to buy thread.  Having worked in retail, I'm skeptical about sales and expiration dates.  Sales are a great way to move product that could be at the end of its lifespan.  I'm not saying this is true for thread, but what if it is?  What if all that thread that gave me a headache was simply just... old?  If there is a way to see the "born on date" like a popular beer brand boasts on their product, I want to see it.  For now, I'm content with buying thread when I need it, rather than buying it because the price is right.  I also buy just what I need for a project, and try to keep no more than one extra black or white thread on hand to avoid thread becoming "expired". 

 

How about the question of, "is that a black bobbin or a navy blue bobbin?"  Well, I love sharpies.  I'm pretty sure the stationary supply store loves me when I come in.  I adore sheet protectors, sharpies, shipping supplies, and I'm a sucker for binder clips (more on that next week).  You've read some of my uses for sheet protectors - like storing machine notes and patterns - but did you know that I have three recipe binders stuffed with sheet protectors?  I loved one of my holiday cookie magazines so much, that when I wore it out preparing for Christmas one year, I bought a second one, and carefully cut the pages, sliding each one into a sheet protector, compiling them all in a binder for future use.  The stationary store loves me, magazine makers label me Public Enemy #1.  Anyhow, back to the sharpies.... What a bird walk!!

I use sharpies to label my bobbins.  I label one side, and always put that side up when I thread the bobbin.  This makes it easier for me to remember the direction of the thread when the bobbin is placed into the machine for sewing.  My Kenmore Machine has "K" written on the bobbins, and I wrote "BL" on my Babylock bobbins.  What does this have to do with Navy and Black?  Well, I don't know about you, but sometimes late at night, I can't see the difference.  So I mark one with sharpie so I can see the difference.  It doesn't matter how you mark it -write NAVY or BLACK on it, who cares?  I personally label my black bobbin with Orange Sharpie.  Why?  I'm a San Francisco Giants Fan, and when I think Black, I think Orange and Black, so orange sharpie it is.  That being said, if I were a Detroit Tigers fan, I'd probably label my navy bobbin with orange.  But I'm not, so I don't.  Where was I?  Go GIANTS!!  And Label your bobbins to avoid confusion. 

Did you know that I post to the blog at other times during the week?  Not just on Tip Tuesday?  You might want to check in for updates on what is coming to the Etsy store, or craft fair dates...  Or maybe there might be a contest you can enter for free stuff?!?!  Who knows?  Check back, and even sign up on the right hand side of the screen to follow this blog by email. 

Tip Tuesday: Week #7

Making or modifying patterns is essential to what I do.  One of the advantages and reasons for sewing is to make a custom item.  Think of all the possibilities that can become reality when you make a pattern.  I started adjusting patterns for my own clothing over a decade ago, and I continue to make my own patterns for accessories like bags and wallets.  My daughter is very tall, and very slender, so I rarely have an opportunity to make her something straight out of the envelope.  A lot of her dresses are "Trim here, add several inches there," which is one of the reasons I sew so much for her.  When I finally modify a pattern, sometimes beyond recognition of its original format, I find myself frustrated at how fast the pattern deteriorates.  I get that patterns probably aren't made for multiple use, but I'm a tight-wad.  I typically don't spend more that $2 on a pattern, and I certainly don't throw it away when I am done.  I have learned over the years that it is easier to trim a pattern down, than it is to fold it over, keeping the sizes intact for future use.  Buying multiple patterns for the same pattern, but for different sizes is a much simpler option. 

But what about that pattern that fits just right?  The pattern that you use over and over again?  The pattern you made from tracing your favorite jeans or shirt?  The design that you worked up on a scrap of paper and trimmed using taped sheets of paper? 

Paper patterns are great, don't get me wrong, but I like to use muslin to make my patterns.   Draping the fabric over the person I am making the item for saves me a bunch of time.  It's an easy way to take something three-dimensional and turn it into two-dimensional.  I can see exactly where something should have seams, where it should be taken in and let out.  Using my Baby Lock Melody, I can embroider information on the muslin including what the pattern is for, the size, if it runs long or short, what the actual measurments are...stuff like that.  My favorite part about my obsessive compulsiveness in this pattern making matter is that I happen to know two little girls that are younger than my daughter that are facing the same fashion challenges she does, so all of my late nights of drafting and altering patterns, then transfering the alterations to muslin was far from a waste of time.  I found one brand of leggings that fit my daughter well everywhere but in the length, so I cut them open, and traced them on muslin to make a pattern adding length, of course. 

When I was in high school, my mother made me a half a dozen dresses from the same pattern.  Each one looked very different because of minor changes like length or material.  I'm sure she still has that pattern tucked away in her sewing room, and I can only imagine how dilapitated it is from all of those dresses. Think of how many times she pinned it down to fabric, and how many times it was folded and unfolded.

My tip?  Buy muslin by the bolt when it is on sale, and use this wonderfully affordable fabric to make and/or alter patterns.  You never know when all of that muslin will come in handy.  It's great for making patterns, making dust covers for just about anything, or even for making re-useable shopping bags.  I know a lot of women who put together a muslin outfit before cutting into expensive fabric.  There is nothing worse than cutting into Liberty of London fabrics only to find something doesn't fit.  Why not have a test run instead of potentially ruining pricey fabric?

Well, I hope you got a few tips from all of that mumbo-jumbo.  Three more tips coming your way!

Here comes Fall!

We were off to a late start this summer, as I posted before.  This was the last summer before my kids join the ranks with all of the other school-aged children.  I felt a rush to do the usual summer trips I heard other parents planning.  The Summer Bucket Lists I've seen are pretty intriguing, and include anything from simple stuff like "Take the kids for ice cream" to "Go on a great vacation to somewhere warm, sunny and somewhat educational,".  Watching the other moms rush around to cross stuff off of their lists made my head spin a little, I admit.  I wanted to enjoy just one more summer of relaxation before the kids realize the pressure they might fall under during the school year.  One more summer to just be kids and not worry about schedules and time lines.  We skipped the commercial theme park passes this year, and they were not missed. 

Here's what was crossed off of the standard Summer To-Do List:
Play at the beach
Go Camping
Make s'mores at a campfire (not the cheater microwave kind)
Play with cousins
Plant a garden
Play in the water
Build forts
Paint-paint-paint
Spend time with Grandparents
Attend an MLB game
See Pixar's new blockbuster
Have ice cream/frozen yogurt
Ride bikes/power-wheels/go-karts
Play with more cousins
Get new stuff for school

I'm sure I left something out, and I am positive that I will take full advantage of our 2013 Summer Vacation, once the reality of being locked in to a school schedule sets in. 

The coming of Fall is exciting for everyone in our home.  For one thing, my in-laws have an apple orchard that we can raid for things like healthy snacks or delicious pies.  Our fruit trees are a bit young still, and we lost our peach tree during a frost last year, so we are fortunate we have someone to share homegrown fruit with us.  Aside from the delicious pies, it is the part of the year that I feel I get a second wind and start regaining some momentum.  I start wrapping up projects that missed the New Year/Spring Cleaning lists.  I dream up new ways to decorate for the up coming holidays.  The pumpkin spice lattes start appearing, giving me the official nudge to start having my hair colored a shade or two darker.  The kids and I start talking about costumes for Halloween, and I start sketching new patterns.  With Christmas around the corner I start making some serious progress to my collection of stocking stuffers and gifts.  The leaves start turning to beautiful shades of golden yellows and bright oranges that make even my husband smile. 

I am particularly excited and nervous about this Fall.  With both of my children attending school, I will have two new opportunities this year.  The most important of those two is taking on the role of Unofficial Teacher's Aide, filling a role that all parents should.  With overcrowded schools and strict teaching guidelines, Teachers are under a tremendous amount of pressure.  I've heard stories about parents being bombarded with homework - that's right.  THE PARENTS are saying THEY have homework.  I asked around to see what this was all about, and found that parents were simply being asked to reiterate the day's instruction.  I am aware that all of us are a bit short on time.  We work hard every day, so coming home to more work isn't exactly what most parents have in mind.  Am I looking forward to sight-words and sounding out words?  Honestly?  Not so much.  Am I excited that my kids will be learning new things that will help them become better readers, opening the door to a whole new world of discovery and learning?  YOU BET.  If I moan and groan about the homework, wouldn't that give my kids a full license to whine about it, too?  If homework is seen as "unnecessary work" or "busy work", or even to quote another parent I spoke with, "a waste of time", doesn't that set my child up for an entire school career of dread and possible failure?  I can groan every time I see a math worksheet come into this house, or I can smile, encourage, and assist my kids with their "work", and hope that they have a positive experience with their school work.  After all, they will be attending school for the next 17+ years, why not have some fun with it?

Speaking of fun, my second opportunity will be to work uninterrupted for blocks at a time on all of these sewing projects I have stacking up around here.  I am very thankful for all of the special orders I have received.  From stitching buttons on to sewing custom men's shirts, from quilts to quilted totes, from skirts to Gnomes, I am enjoying the steady stream of projects that have been heading my way.  Thank you to those of you who have placed your custom orders, and thank you to those of you who browse the Etsy Store!