Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Jason Quilts Day 9

Monday Dec 29
Jason sewed on the side borders of Border 1. He had cut them out last week. Today he cut strips for Border 2. Since this is the final border, strips were cut the lengthwise of fabric. It is always a good idea to cut the final border from lengthwise fabric, as it doesn’t stretch. Cuts across the width of the fabric always have a stretch to them.

He had to buy more fabric than if he were to cut strips across the width of fabric. Jason will not be starting a stash, so I told him that if I liked the fabric he bought for Border 2, I’d buy half of it from him. Now, since I ain’t met too much fabric I don’t like, that was a fair deal! After all, I do have a stash that needs constant feeding.

I gave him the pleasure of ripping that fabric right down the middle. It is the best way I know to get a true line down the center. I told him about how they used to tear fabric when you bought it years ago. How many of you remember that little machine with the “clock” on it that they had in the fabric departments? The clerk would pass the fabric through the machine and the handles on the clock would whirr around and count the yardage being passed through. Then when she measured what you needed, she would press a lever and it would snip the fabric. She’d remove it from the machine and rippp your purchase off the bolt. No scissors involved.

Jason sewed on 3 sides of the final border.
One more side and the face of this quilt will be done.

1 comment:

Sunnie said...

Go, Jason, go!
Yes, I remember those yardage meters...wouldn't it be fun to have one for your sewing room now?
When I lived in Germany, the ladies selling fabric in the big department store would just hold the selvedge up along their meter-long wooden stick, then snip and tear! Right on top of a pile of bolts...no cutting tables at all.