The Fence Post: 2011-01-09

Saturday, 15 January 2011

Morning Madness--Its coming!

Psst . . . Pass it on. Picket Fence Fabrics is making room for lots of new fabrics in 2011! To accomplish this we are holding our Morning Madness Sale on Saturday, January 29 (last year it was in February). Sale starts at 8:00 a.m. Every fabric, book,pattern and notion will be on sale. Early Bird Specials include 40% on total purchase (some restrictions apply) and the best selection of the "Buy One getTwo free" bolts.

More details here and in the shop in the coming weeks.

Start making a list!

Monday, 10 January 2011

2011 My List of Lists

For me, a new year always begins with a day (or three) of sorting through my stash and planning a few quilts for gift-giving throughout the year. I do this to take stock of what I have and make a shopping list of fabrics and supplies I should be on the lookout for. This year was no exception.

This nesting/cleaning frenzy ends with lists of the quilts I want to finish last week, lists of fabrics and supplies I need, lists of quilts not finished last year that were supposed to be gifts. . . This year I organized the lists by month. I like lists—I could save my lists to make an art quilt! I usually lose the lists within hours of their creation! This year I made these lists on my new phone—there is an app for that you know! Still figuring that out. Heaven help me if I lose the phone!

So, from all the sorting and lists I plan to make, or at least start, a few scrap quilts. More on these quilts when I get through cutting but for now they are sorted and resting comfortably in their new stackable storage boxes. Scrap quilts aside, a few smaller things I wanted to finish got done .I did finish a few little things in the first week of this new year and thought it might provide some momentum to continue working through my lists. Wish me luck. I will post a list or two when I figure out how to get if from my phone.

So here are pics of a few projects completed! Only one was on a list.For now back to the machine on my day off!

Calendar Blocks from the new book Count on It from Art to Heart are a great small project. My numbers are a work in progress. For the Pumpkin I used a pattern by Happy Hollow Designs but instead of using men's neckties as they suggested I strip-pieced the fabrics.

Jennifer

52 Steps to better quilting. One a week.

Sew any leftover binding strips together as quilts are completed, and use this scrappy binding on a scrappy quilt.
Cut and prepare binding strips when cutting out your quilt and store in a zip lock bag with your project.
Tape your package of sewing machine needles to the side of the machine. Easy to find when a replacement is needed.
Keep a pair of inexpensive readers near your sewing machine for threading needles and ripping out seams.
Check how much thread is on the bobbin before you start a chain piecing task.
Have extra bobbins filled, ready for a quick change when the thread runs out.
Sew any fabric left over from a project into a backing. It will reduce the amount of fabric you have to purchase.
Clean your bobbin case before starting a new project. use a soft makeup brush to clean the lint. The bristles will grab the lint easily.
Use the correct needle in your machine for the task at hand. The right needle will carry the thread through the fabric so that you won't have issues with tension and thread breaking.
Use starch when pressing applique pieces for a crisp edge.
When using small acrylic templates or rulers, draw a few lines of a water soluble glue stick on the reverse side of the ruler. This prevents slipping when cutting. The adhesive is easily cleaned off with soap and water when you are finished cutting.
Keep fabric, thread, specialty rulers and pattern together in a one container. When you start the project you won't waste time looking for something you need for the project.
Measure twice, cut once. Become familiar with your rulers. Some have an added extra half inch which can make your cut too small or too large.
Use the right pin for the job. There is a pin for every task--short applique needles that don't get in the way of hand sewing, fork pins to pin nesting seams, quilting pins for pinning blocks, silk pins for fine work.Instead of a pin cushion,store them in a clear stacking container at your work table, available at quilt and craft shops.
Replace your rotary blade often to prevent fatigue. A dull blade requires more physical exertion to cut through fabric.