Machine drama!!!

My Juki just got back from the shop about 2 weeks ago, I think. On Thursday night, I sat down to stipple my sister's throw pillow when my machine went NUTS..the timing was almost immediately knocked out of sync. Apparently the stippling was just too much for it. Mark, the owner/technician of Alvin Sewing and Vacuum, fixed the machine while I waited and told me it would be best if I never stippled again. GASP!!! The boys and I had lunch at the super fun tree house themed McDonald's in Alvin and on the way back I got on the horn with the company from whom I had purchased my Juki. They told me to stipple and if knocked my machine out of time again to box it up and send it to them...they were going to make me a happy customer. I'm sure they think this is good ol' USER ERROR, but I've stippled about 30 quilts and table runners + potholders, too. I know what I'm doing, and I know what I am doing on THIS machine specifically. I stippled and the machine was back to normal. I finished the pillow and I did about a fourth of the the matching quilt.

I really wish I had bought the machine from Mark at the local place, anyway. He guarantees his work for 1 year, so he retimed that machine for FREE. He also gave me a FREE belt for the vintage machine I am trying to fix up as a backup. I will definitely buy any future things from him. I was put off from buying locally by a place in the area whose noses are as high as their prices. I won't make that mistake again. Next time I know where to go.

Today my son's team won his tee ball game and he actually played 2nd base today. His usual position is deep...like, in-the-parking-lot-deep. I was proud of him for paying attention and keeping his head in the game today. For me, that's more important than winning. Tonight we are going to watch my Astros (and my fave Lance Berkman) playing the Pirates. I am going to remember all this baseball I am enduring when the Quilt Market comes to Houston!!! I have a sleeper sofa and I live just 11 miles away from downtown Houston...WHO'S IN!?

What the hex going on?

Excuse the corny title...I stole it from scooby doo. This little flower is going to find a home in a donation quilt for Quilts for Kids. They are a wonderful organization that provides handmade, machine quilted quilts to children receiving long term medical treatment. They aren't allowed to have stuffed animals because of all the germs, but they can have machine made quilts which are able to stand up to being washed in an industrial washing machine. It's a bit of comfort to a child who really needs it.

Quilts for Kids offers free quilt kits to anyone who would like to make a quilt for their program. Just request it! All you supply is the batting, thread, and time. You also pay for whatever postage to send in the completed quilt. It's a worthy cause that keeps unwanted fabric out of landfills and provides a bit of sunshine to a sick child. I generally make a quilt out of stash to send in with the kit quilt. Here's a link if you'd like to consider making a donation quilt!

Seestur Love

Recently my two wonderful sisters visited. One decided she needed to redo her bedroom AND herself all at the same time. I can do nothing about hair or makeup, but I can help with the bedroom. Here's what's coming...

Art Show!

Well, The juki is finally back home. I hope she won't go into the shop for a looooong time now, but since she was doused with water by the twins yesterday, that may not happen. They decided to fill their potties (which were clean, thankfully) with water and flood my kitchen. The told me it was an Art Show. Eight towels later, my kitchen was sparkling clean and my sewing machine was doused. I have threatened the emptying of piggy banks if my machine is messed up!

Anyway, on to MOM'S Art Show!

My first post-repair project is for me. I wanted a quilt for my couch which would remind me of my mother. I chose a 70's Lantern Light type design and tried to just collect cheap (which is the essence of my mother!) but good fabrics that struck my eye. The quilt design was inspired by this blog. I didn't go through the trouble of making actual lantern light blocks, so I just did tumblers and placed the fat ends together. It yielded the same results with less work. I just made sure to starch the hank out of those bias edges. PS: I got two of those rockers for free last week on the curb. They have been so nice for sitting outside and watching the boys play.




This is the backing. I used mostly some Flea Market Fancy fabric I got for $2/yard. It is soooo soft. There is also a Prints Charming Print and a Mother Goose print thrown in there. The binding is a tiny chocolate and white polka dot which I found at a thrift store that is a stone's throw from our local thrift shop. I have seen one of the employees of the quilt shop volunteering and the thrift store and I think she's donating, as well. It's nice to be able to spot good fabrics when they are cheap! They usually charge $1/yard. I am always on the lookout for vintage fabrics there, but I will take cheap new fabrics, too!




I stitched in the ditch on this. I really would have preferred the look of stippling, but I didn't want to take away from the softness of that backing fabric. I think this quilt holds warmth a little better than a heavily quilted quilt...bigger air pockets, maybe? It's wonderful for snuggling.