Prepping for the demo

Okay, I really hope the lady that asked for the demo is there on Saturday.  I think I’ll write her an email, just to be sure.

This morning, I finished the machine setup and cleaned and oiled the hook race.  (Eileen, with the double needle button selected, the stitch width I use is 3.0 and the length is .5.  The double needle button makes the sideways bite of the blind hem stitch narrower than the actual setting would indicate.  It should be about a 16th of an inch over and then back into the straight line.)

I made a bobbin of extra-fine poly and sought out the invisible thread and then I pulled out the scrap box.  I forgot how hard it is to pick fabrics for a sampler type quilt.  I’m going for non-repetitive variety.  (Okay, go to your scrap bin and find that for 12 themed blocks.  I dare you.  Go on.  I can wait.  It’ll make you crazy.)  It’s been much harder because I stopped on the quilt for a couple of years and I’m in a different mental place now.  It’s hard to get back to what I was thinking before.  My color theory is different.  And, so is my stash.

Anyway, this is what I picked.

This is the block, laying on the famous light box.  The pieces have been traced to freezer paper and cut out.  The narrow yellow stripe above will be for the cupcake papers and the bright colors for the frosting.  I’ll add buttons to the top of each cake like she did, but more like a jellybean than a heart.  And, instead of the ladybug, I have a couple of buttons in the shapes of bugs that I’ll use. 

Next is the work with the iron.  The part I enjoy the least.

That’s slower than picking the fabrics. 

And, then I have got to do some practice before I try to show others.  And, that means starting another block to actually work on at bee because there are so few pieces to this block that by the time I get it ready for any practice and then do the practice, I’ll be done with everything except the embroidery.

I looked back at this quilt and compared it to the photos from the designer.  Adding the month name is not all the individuating I did.  I really went hog wild with color in mine.  And, compared to the ones I”ve seen at shows (and there seems to be one of these at every show) mine is very bold and as masculine as I could make a quilt with bunnies and hearts be.

Have a good Wednesday. 

Hi-ho, hi-ho, again, here we go. 

I work, I work, and still my pay

Feels like it goes less far each day.

Lane