From Scraps to Door Snake

Most of my sewing time is spent quilting on the long arm. But sometimes I get to do custom sewing projects. My favorite thing about sewing for non-sewers is the huge variety of requests. Their ideas take a lot of imagination, a fair amount of research, and plenty of trial and error. Perfect brain exercise.

One of my repeat clients messaged me a few weeks before Christmas about making a door snake for her daughter’s drafty new apartment. She even had links to show me her vision.

This one for color:

This one for “personality”:

When I asked her how she would describe the personality, here’s the response I got back: "I think that snake is definitely friendly, almost flirtatious, but a little shy too, and also wise.  I think her name is something like Millicent. "

Here’s the snapshot of fabrics my client ended up approving:

With orders in hand, I set to work bringing to life a shy and wise snake from a stack of fabrics. As it turned out, Millicent let me play with the quilting on her back, but she was very particular about her eyes. They took a few tries but finally she was happy.

Meet Millicent.

 

I can't wait to see pictures of this sweet little snake in her new habitat.

Free Motion Couching

When Carole at work pulled Brother's Free-Motion Couching foot off the wall, I was excited to give it a try. I'd had so much fun with Bernina's version of the foot with Fat Quarter Quilting. (Do you remember the can cozy from our Superbowl Sunday Make & Take?)

If you've never tried Free-Motion Couching, it's a fun way to add texture to a quilt, and it's very forgiving with regard to stitch length. The foot is a clear quilting foot, with a tunnel on the side. You thread a yarn through the tunnel and down where the needle goes. Then you thread your machine like normal: thread in the bobbin, and thread in the needle. As you free-motion, the yarn gets sewn to the fabric, and the needle thread all but disappears.

Here's testing. The purple cords were a good idea, but they turned out to be either too stiff or too thin to work well. The yarn worked the best (probably because I followed the recommendation in the foot's instructions and used a 4-weight yarn).

Here's the little project I used it on. (Not bound yet, but that'll happen, eventually.)

Cravings

For some mysterious reason, the idea of potato chips with French Onion dip got stuck in my head. So when I locked up the shop at 9 PM I drove straight to the grocery store to indulge this craving. 

I even taught my two-year-old to dip. (In my opinion, his double-dipping technique of licking the dip off the chip is a little tacky.)

Why can’t my brain get fixated on carrots or broccoli? Or fabric for that matter! But sad to say, this is my Friday night. 

(Saturday night, too, it turns out.) 

How to Choose a Quilting Design

I put this list together a couple years ago in response to many clients seeming completely in the dark about what quilting design is best. It's pretty common that the vision for a quilt stops once the top is pieced. These are some of my most reliable pointers. Leave a comment to let me know how helpful these are. I'd love to hear any considerations that have helped you in the past.

How to Choose a Quilting Design

With hundreds of designs and just as many thread colors, choosing a quilting design is not always an easy task. Over the span of eight years, we’ve quilted over 1,200 quilts (give or take a few hundred). Each quilt has its own personality, and its own story. One size fits all does not apply.  So here are a few questions we’ve learned along the way to help our quilters choose which design is best for their quilt.

1.  Showstopper or Supporting Role?

Take a look at your quilt. Would you like the quilting to add significantly to your quilt, or do you want your piecing and fabric to be the focus? The quilting design you choose can either be a fly on the wall, or add a little drama. Which is best for your quilt? Thread color that either blends or contrasts is another consideration here.

2.  Motif or Not to Motif?

Are you making a Christmas quilt? Try a poinsettia design. A wildlife quilt? A design with feathers, leaves or trees are just right. Is your quilt for a young girl? She might like a paisley design. (You get the idea.) Or you may decide that a non-specific design like meanders or swirls are better for your quilt.

3.  A Little or a Lot?

Looser quilting is a more casual way to go. It allows the loft of the batting to remain full, making it the best choice for high-loft batting. It also gives a nice texture to the quilt. (Always keep in mind the limits of your batting. It’s never a good idea for your quilting to be further apart than your batting’s package recommends.)

On the other hand, dense quilting tends to look more modern and sophisticated. The tighter the quilting, the flatter the quilt. 

4.  Soft or Sharp? Graceful or Energetic?

Quilting designs have their own personality. Check out the curves and the points. Lots of points to add energy and excitement to a quilt. Great for a quilt with pinup girls or bright colors. A design with plenty of curves is soft and sweet for a receiving blanket or shabby chic couch throw.

5. Go with your Gut

Bottom line is, there’s no wrong choice. Never let uncertainty stop you from finishing a quilt. Trust yourself and pick what you love, and you can’t go wrong. Because after all, a finished quilt is worth more than a pieced top folded up in the closet.

New Year's Resolutions

I pride myself on being a person who doesn’t follow the crowd. But it’s January, and I find my mind focused lately on a few resolutions. 

My list is pretty standard:

• Start an exercise routine
• Save more
• Enjoy cooking at home more
• Take my career to the next level

Since I can’t seem to get these things out of my head, maybe I’ll give in to cultural pressure, and establish some new habits. My usual technique is to will myself to change, which goes just about as well as you can imagine. One thing I’ve discovered recently, though, when it comes to life changes, is the power of choice. 

I don’t like feeling obligated to do anything, even if I’m the one who decided I’ll do it. So I’ve been working on giving myself options, by asking myself questions that tie back to the values on my list.

Instead of “Do I really have to work out tonight?” I ask, “Do I feel more like lifting weights or practicing yoga?” 

Instead of “Should I make dinner after work or pick up a pizza?” I ask, “Should I try that new lasagna recipe or make our quick and easy favorite, Fiesta Chicken?”

Or I ask, “Should I spend my bonus on a fun night out this weekend, or save it toward a vacation this summer?”

Reminding myself that I have options helps me balance my long-term goals with my feelings in the moment. It’s a small thing, but sometimes changing your outlook makes all the difference.

So that’s my take on resolutions. What about you? What are your resolutions for 2014? What helps you stay motivated to accomplish big life changes? Leave a comment and tell me about it. I’d appreciate the help!

Handmade Christmas

This Holiday season has been a whirlwind. I know there are eleven other months in the year, but it always happens the same way. 

1. Collect wish lists from everyone.
2. Decide I don’t like being told what to buy.
3. Try to think of something better and come up with nothing.
4. Make the projects I’ve been wanting to make, and then give them away.

So that’s what I did this year. I end up with two weeks to make something for everyone. My favorites are below. It’s a little pressure to get everything done on time, but it beats fighting the crowds in stores. And giving handmade always feels better, doesn't it?