Over the Kitchen Counter: Angie's Place for Cooking and Crafts

Jean-a-ma-jig Jean Set

Not that I've ever hemmed jeans or anything, but I am prepared if I need to!  I added the Jean-a-ma-jig & Demin set to my Nancy's Notions order (Recycling Jeans Notions Value Set).  It came with the Dritz tool that helps prevent skipped stitches and broken needles when you are sewing over bulky areas of fabric, some denim, topstitching, and metallic needles in various sizes, and a surgical seam ripper.  I also got some topstitching gold thread for that authentic jean look.

The Jean-a-ma-jig is like a little step-ladder for your presser foot.  When you come to the thick seam when hemming jeans, you keep the needle down, raise the presser foot, and slide the tool from the back under the foot.  Then you slowly stich across the seam and off; move the tool to the front and continue sewing until you are on the jean-a-ma-jig and clear of the seam bulk.

The Jean-a-ma-jig can be used with any sewing machine and it works on any thick fabric like jeans, jackets, towels and QUILTS!  It will be good to have in my sewing kit (it might be handy for piecing thick patchwork seams) and who knows, maybe I will hem some jeans one day!  You can get Six Tips for Working with Recycled Demin and read all about the set at Nancy's Notions HERE and watch the video to see how the Jean-a-ma-jig works (skip ahead to 3:22 if you just want to see it in action).

Laminated Fabric Folders

If you're looking for a quick, cute project, this could be it.  Laminated Fabric Folders are featured in the May/June 2014 issue of Quilty magazine (my favourite).  Ebony Love provides the instructions in the mag and you can also watch the FREE Quilty video HERE to learn how to make them.

This project gave me the chance to try out the Pellon Vinyl Fuse I bought on a whim a couple trips back when I visited the States.  It's pretty cool stuff - easy to use and leaves a smooth, water repellent surface on your fabric.  Even though the pattern is incredibly simple, I still managed to have some challenges.  First, my Wonder Under fusible web from a roll was too narrow for the dimensions of the fabric.  So then I pulled out a big sheet of bulk, off-the-bolt fusible I had and cut that to size.  It was awful!  It didn't transfer well, the backing paper ripped, and my two layers of fabric didn't fuse together.  It was very frustrating!  I tried to patch things up with pieces of Wonder Under as best I could.  Of course, in my distraction, I set the hot iron on the wrong side of the fusible web and gunked it all up!  Grrrrr!  It was late and I was tired (and done!) so I cleaned my iron up with some Dritz Hot Iron Cleaner, which works like a charm, and gave up for the night.

Applying the vinyl went much smoother than the fusible.  Once that was all done and I pressed up my pocket, I simply top-stitched around the edges.  I chose a pretty orange Marathon Threads polyester embroidery thread and a triple stitch (on the pocket) and used my stitch-in-the-ditch foot to keep things straighter.

The folder is pretty cute and I can use it to carry my magazines and patterns when I travel (I hate when they get all dog-eared!).  You can file this project under cute and functional!  What a fun way to make use of a couple of your favourite fat quarters and take your fabric with you!

Chaco Liner Pen Style

I've had the Clover Chaco Liner pen style marking tool for a while and have used it quite a bit lately.  It is the same powdered ink as in other dispensers but in an easy-to-hold and use shape.  It has a tapered point for 'easy markings', but as I wrote in my Baptist Fan post, it isn't fine enough to get in short stencil grooves.  It's excellent for straight lines and freehand curves and is easy to refill with the Refill Cartridge when the powder runs out.  As usual, you must test the product on scrap fabric to make sure the marks can be removed.  I thought it was simply chalk but it is called "powdered ink" (talc & pigment) on the packaging so maybe that's why it can be difficult (and sometimes impossible) to remove completely.  Also, ironing or dry-cleaning may make the marks permanent so I will be very careful when I use the Chaco Liner to make sure I won't be pressing seams - I can get caught up in the process and totally forget that the iron is Chaco's enemy!

I've used it with a ruler to mark the wrong side of my fabric for a cutting line and it was perfect to mark the stitching line on my Exposed Zipper Bag when I boxed out the corners.  I also used the Chaco Liner to mark my HST when I made the Swoon blocks.  It is comfortable to hold and the powdered line comes out quite finely.  I like it much better than a more square or stubby chalk dispenser - but I wouldn't mark the right side of fabric with it for fear the ink line couldn't be removed.

Exposed Zipper Bag

With all my duties done and my scrapbooking up to date, I was determined to do something in the sewing room today!  I left early for the fabric store to buy a zipper - the last thing I needed to make Amy Alan's Exposed Zipper Bag from her Beginner Serging Craftsy class.  I had already picked out two fat quarters from my stash and I had exactly the right sized piece of fusible fleece left over from the Leah Day wholecloth project.

It's pretty simple to assemble and serge the bag but since this was the first thing I ever sewed 'for real' on my serger, it took me a long time.  I only had a bit of trouble getting the stitches to lie on the fabric - the loops went off the edge and it felt like I couldn't get the zipper tape closer to the needles.  The pouch turned out really cute anyway and I managed to at least make the same mistake on both sides, leading to a very evenly stitched zipper, with maybe too much zipper tape exposed.

I wonder if I could use an extra layer of interfacing between the outer and lining fabric as I find the bag not very sturdy.  Perhaps that would make the layers too thick to go through the serger blade.  It does work perfectly to hold all my hand-binding supplies and I'm pretty happy with my first project from the class.  I will definitely try making another one - maybe with some corrections from Amy.  Still, I'm impressed that the zipper zips and the bag is actually a box shape!

 

Fabric Share (Lots of Pics!)

I thought I would share in one post all the fabric I've bought lately .  I don't have anything in particular to make with it, just purchased as: stash builders; because I liked it and felt obligated to buy from my LQS at a show; because I like pre-cuts and buy them when I see them; and because I wanted some of Camille Roskelley's chosen solids (not shown) and printed yardage.  All good reasons, right?  (And if you don't buy it when you see it, and get plenty, it will all be gone when you do need it!)

First, some solid fat quarters from Connecting Threads as well as a collection of blue prints:

Some Sweet Serenade pre-cuts & matching yardage - because it is by Moda and had music on it (my daughter is a music major):

The LOL pre-cuts because I wanted a jelly roll and that's what my LQS had:

and Camille's yardage...because I admire her and obviously need to copy that style (and it goes with the pre-cuts I already have from Bonnie & Camille!)

Oh, and I forgot!  Some Honey Sweet yardage to work with my Spools leftovers!

Now you understand why I've been feeling guilty lately! #fabriholic!

Serge it!

I finally was able to order this book, Serge it!, which was a pre-release when I first found it.  I've had it sitting in my 'shopping basket' waiting forever!  I have several 'learn to serge' books but this one goes beyond the "how to" with 24 cute projects.  Usually, sergers are used to finish edges, prepare garment seams, or perhaps create a home dec item like napkins.  Jenny Doh and Cynthia Shaffer share ideas for things you'll actually use, with stitches you'll actually see!

From fabric gift wrap to bags, scarves, pillows, and even shoes (!), a belt, and a clock, most of the items are made from start to finish on the serger.  Of course, I still haven't made anything functional with my serger but this book inspires me.  I have my serger supplies to help: a needle threader,
looper threader,
and scary surgical seam ripper.

I may not have made anything pretty yet but I have been using my serger.  I fixed my son's pants' pocket, seamed some fabric, and I tightened up the corners on my very worn out mop covers!  It worked like a charm and now they no longer fall off the mop base.  The blade chugged a bit to get through the very thick terry cloth (hopefully I didn't dull them too much!) but still managed to finish off the edges nicely.

In addition to the fun ideas in the book, I also still really want to make the exposed zipper bag from Amy Alan's Beginner Serging class so I can use it for my binding kit - the other one I made is a bit small for all those needle packages I bought!  I think I will start there and see how it goes.

Surprise Visitor

I had a wonderful day scrapbooking with my friends.  I got through my backlog of photos because I used one of the new Ahni & Zoe slide-in pocket albums.  They go so fast because you aren't embellishing every single page.  I slipped the photos into the sleeve and then added filler cards, some journaling, and a little bit of decorative paper and/or stickers here and there.  These horizontal and vertical pages make quick work of getting through a stack of pictures that might otherwise not even make it off the computer!  It was very fun to relax with the ladies and catch up on everyone's news and views - it's been too long since we all got together.  Afterwards, I felt so buoyed and happy to have that time for something I enjoy so much with such great women.

However, the day started out in a weird way.  I went to open the blinds on the door in our kitchen that goes to the deck.  I noticed the bar-b-que cover had blown off and as I started to unlock the door I was startled to see a big ball of fur sitting on the side shelf.  Obviously it was a raccoon and I could see it was breathing heavily and shivering.  After it finally lifted its head it looked like it had an injury and it was scratching at the wound.  I could also see that its nose was dripping.  After a few minutes, perhaps sensing my kids and I were watching, it moved up onto the roof.

Eventually, animal control arrived and the officer found it curled up in a protected area of the roof.  She tried to catch it with a net but it came scrambling back down and took off out into the yard.  The officer said that unfortunately, the animal had distemper and would not survive.  Poor thing.  I was instructed to clean the area as distemper is very contagious to other animals (like my dog), although not to humans.

It was a shame to see the raccoon in distress and I felt so badly.  I of course did a bit more reading about distemper and am relieved my dog's vaccines are up to date.  To be safe I won't let him out on the deck for a while, until we've had a good rain (and I did bleach everything as well as I could).  Please make sure your pets' shots are up to date.  Distemper is fatal as there is no cure - a horrible way for an animal to suffer.

Machine Quilting: Small Changes, Big Variety

Today I promised to tell you about Angela Walters' new Craftsy class, Machine Quilting: Small Changes, Big Variety.  It launched while I was away so I watched most of it in one evening on my ipad at the hotel.  Seeing Angela quilt away using her simple designs in so many variations made me want to get home ASAP and start stitching.  She makes it all look so easy and natural - with NO marking!  If you read my post about the Baptist Fan test you know I'm all about not marking.

This is Angela's 4th Craftsy class and once again she teaches how to take basic designs and then make small variations to create totally new ones.  She demonstrates on a domestic sewing machine which is awesome for non-longarmers.  She does offer tips for people using quilting machines and I love that I can make use of all the information regardless of method.  There are traceable designs in the course materials and Angela shows lots of examples of how they will look on actual quilts (and how to incorporate them).

After I watched the lessons I sat in bed and practiced the designs on my "crappy doodle" (I couldn't find a real Magna Doodle).  I am pretty comfortable with most of the basic designs and learning the variations will just take a bit of practice - especially with the feathers!  Angela uses pebbles, swirls, ribbon candy, feathers, squares, and clam shells and it's amazing how many designs you can make starting with these basic ones, altering them slightly and/or combining them.  I am stoked to get started!  I had such success with her Dot to Dot Quilting class designs on my Teal Quilt so I'm pretty confident these new design ideas will work great for me.

I'm switching gears this weekend and focusing on scrapbooking and catching up my albums.  My Swoon quilt is basted and ready to be quilted and I'm starting to think a clam shell design might be just the right one to use.  Not only is it a design that Camille Roskelley herself shares in her Playful Piecing Techniques class (she quilts them upside down and calls them scallops but it's the same shape), I know I would love the puffy texture it would yield - not too stiff.  I'll ponder that while I'm cropping my photos and creating layouts!

 

Refreshed & Swooning

Hubby and I are just back from a few days away.  We had a wonderful escape to our favourite Niagara Falls and Canada's answer to Napa, Niagara-on-the-Lake.  Three vineyard visits with wine tasting gave us the opportunity to stock our cellar (ok, cupboard shelf) and the "prettiest little town" offered up some quaint shops, a couple of bakeries, a beautiful hotel, a long scenic hike, and gorgeous flowers.  The view of falls during dinner wasn't bad either.  I also had a quick stop at a Coach outlet where I nabbed a cross-body purse that's a little dressier than my Vera Bradley.

I am feeling refreshed from a couple nights out of the sewing room and am ready to tackle my Swoon quilt.  I basted it in my mother's basement where I set up 4 folding tables (I had to buy another one).  This is one of my largest quilts and I couldn't use my garage to spray baste.  It went fairly well but took me a little longer than usual and I found the thin backing fabric very wrinkly!  I was able to get a shot of the whole quilt on her floor so now you can see how the Swoon blocks ended up together.  I'm going to check out the flickr Swoon-along group to get ideas and inspiration for quilting.

Once again, while I was out of town, Craftsy released a new class!  I was so excited to see Angela Walters back at the machine in Machine Quilting: Small Changes, Big Variety.  What an amazing class this is!  Luckily, hubby wanted to watch some baseball so I could watch Angela on my ipad.  I'll tell you all about it tomorrow!

Mini Raincheck

I have wanted to make this Mini Raincheck quilt ever since I saw it on Camille Roskelley's Simplify blog.  Camille makes minis of all her gorgeous quilt patterns and showcases them on her studio wall.  Now that my Swoon quilt is all put together I had a chance to use up even more of the scraps (in addition to what I used in the backing) to make my own mini.

The April Showers line is obviously a perfect match for the Raincheck quilt - all those fat raindrops and adorable umbrellas!  The mini uses raw-edge applique to fashion little umbrellas to adorn the background fabrics.  I only wanted to use my scraps so perhaps I would have chosen different colours than I did, but it's still pretty cute.  I do have extra fat quarters, a layer cake, and some yardage of April Showers but I couldn't bring myself to cut into any of them for this mini - because I'm sure I will be making a full-size quilt of some sort with it and didn't want to jeopardize my stash.

It only took me an afternoon to throw this together and it was fun to have such a quick project.  The 8"x10" size is really small and I knew it would also serve as the perfect hand-binding practice piece.  I traced out the umbrella tops onto WonderUnder fusible web and cut them out.  In my excitement, I ended up ironing most of them onto my scraps before I realized I forgot to piece several of the umbrella tops!  I ended up with fewer pieced tops and more solids, but that's ok.  My one hiccough came when I cut out the handles.  Those things are so teeny tiny and I cut them from scrap triangles.  I think that was a mistake because when I went to peel off the paper backing from the fusible web, the fabric kind of disintegrated between my fingers!  (Bias trouble???)  They are certainly really raggedy on my finished quilt!

Once all my blocks were joined and the sandwich made, I free-motion quilted the umbrellas.  I went over them a few times with a messy echo stitch and then I used my walking foot to do some straight-line quilting 1/8th of an inch from the ditch.  It was all really fun!

I practiced my ladder stitch on the binding and I agree with Heidi's comment that it does show less than a blind stitch.  I got a little bit faster with the sewing and I did stitch my mitered corners along the way - much easier than going back to them at the end!

I've pinned my mini on my workshop wall.  It sure looks small on there but is a playful tribute to Camille.  You can get the free pattern on her website and check out the other mini patterns in her shop.  I think I will now get on with a life-size quilt!