Perfect 1/4” seam

The secret to getting a “perfect” block is a “perfect” 1/4” seam – or so they say. Well, I found out it’s true!

The above block is the first time I ever made a block with rotary cut patches (other than a square) and templates and it turned out to be the perfect size! I have always shied away from rotary cut blocks and templates cuz when I sewed the patches together, the completed block was always a little bit off. This one measures 12-1/2” square – as it is supposed to.

It has 29 patches and a whole bunch of points. Lots of places to make a teensy error that multiplies into a big error as more seams are sewn.

I usually make my blocks divided into Paper Piecing parts, which I then sew together. The only time I use rotary cut is for squares. HSTs - I make by sewing 2 oversized squares together on the diagonal. Odd sized patches are usually in the Paper Piecing parts.

My secret for the perfect block -- I used a new foot on my Janome 6600 - http://tinyurl.com/ykvasw2
It’s a “Clear View Quilting Foot and Guide Set”, $16. It gives the most accurate 1/4” seam I’ve ever done on this machine or any other machine.

The block is one I saw in Quilters Newsletter Magazine, July/August 2005. Starry Star was designed by Judy Martin. The article had lots of “blocks within blocks” that Judy designed.

I belong to the Sunshine State Quilters Association, Inc. and also am the webmaster of their website. SSQA is a statewide guild for the state of Florida. SSQA was collecting blocks for Quilts of Valor and then distributed the blocks to member guilds who will be making them into quilts for Quilts of Valor to give to wounded servicemen and servicewomen.

Whenever I make donation blocks, I like to make unusual blocks, such as this one. It’s good for a personal challenge and gets the block out of my system. Cuz, when I finish one of these unusual blocks, I usually find out I don’t want to make more than one!

Clover Needle Threader

Something that really works the way it’s supposed to!

As eyes get older, they require all kinds help.  Like eyeglasses, good lighting, magnifying glasses and needle threaders!  While doing some handsewing the other day, I realized how I’ve come to really appreciate the Clover Needle Threader.  It is such a simple, magical tool that works every time.

Insert needle eye down.  Lay thread in the slot.  Push button.  Needle threaded!  Works every time.

When my 9 year old grandson was over one day, the Needle Threader was out and he asked what it was.  Told him it was a needle threader and told him what to do and he threaded a needle and got that wonderful look on his face that meant he was impressed.  And he wanted to do it again.  And he wanted his mom to do it!  Takes a lot to impress these 9 year old tech-savvy kids these days … yahoo for the Clover Needle Threader!

Knee lifts & noodles

Ever think the knee lift on your sewing machine felt uncomfortable against your leg?  I mentioned to my husband that while the knee lift was wonderful, it hurt the side of my leg as I wear shorts most of the time and that plastic handle was not comfortable against my skin.

He came up with a solution – pad the handle!

He cut a section from one of those noodles that you use in the pool and poked a knife down the middle, then slipped the purple noodle onto the handle.

I made it even more comfy by slipping a cotton footie (short sock) over the noodle.

It doesn’t look all that attractive, but boy oh boy, does it make a world of difference when I use that knee lift.

Isn’t it always the little things that make life easier?

Sit or Squat

I heard about www.sitorsquat.com on Today Show segment with Kathie Lee & Hoda. At first I thought it was amusing. But, then, I thought it to be a most useful thing. You type in a city - anywhere in the world and its map comes up with icons for available public toilets or restrooms. You can add a toilet if you happen to know about one that’s not on the map. See the legend down in the bottom right corner about the colors of the icons.

The iphone/ipodTouch has an app for sitorsquat. So, if you’re going to Paducah for the big quilt show week after next, you might want to remember that website – you might find it useful. You might find a new toilet to stick on the map.

Here’s a link to the segment with Kathie Lee & Hoda. http://tinyurl.com/demaht Skip to 4:17 for the item about SOS.

The website is sponsored by Charmin toilet paper. Isn’t that a hoot!

Burying a short thread

I don’t like to backstitch when machine quilting, unless it’s at the edges, within the seamline, where it won’t be seen.  After knotting my threads, I like to bury the thread ends before cutting them off and make the knot disappear by tugging on it.  Sometimes, my thread ends are not long enuf to thread through a needle very easily.

I either saw or read a hint about self-threading needles.  I got a package at Joann’s.  They were called “Easy Threading Needles” by Dritz.

No matter how short those threads are, they slip right in the slot in the needle!  I put the empty needle in position in the fabric --

then slip the threads in the slot --

And pull the needle through, pull needle off --

Trim the excess thread ends close to the fabric, thread tail disappears in the batting --

Look, ma, no knot, no backstitching showing!  Clean & neat!
And I didn’t have to contort around the needle and short thread to get the job done …  

Back as promised!

The turkey at the top of the page is from a panel print I bought at Joann's in 2004. It was a gift to my DD at Thanksgiving to thank her for hosting the big dinner. I still felt I had to stuff a turkey! LOL I had done a kabillion turkey dinners over the years and was so happy to pass the torch to someone else. I found out it was really nice to be a guest at Thanksgiving. Another thing to be thankful for.

I've had a website for a long time at America Online. AOL decided to stop hosting member websites and gave us a few weeks to get outa Dodge. I decided I still wanted a web presence. So, I bit the bullet and bought my own domain -- http://anotherpat.com/ Get it? My 2nd patch of the internet is this blog! I thought that to be very clever ..

My website is hosted by http://bluehost.com/ and I have been very happy with their service. They actually have tech help that answers phones in the USA, not outsourced! I think they're based in Utah. They have been so polite and so very helpful with all of my dumb questions. I'd recommend them to anyone. Got any questions about BlueHost? Ask me -- I'll let you know what I know.

Now, since I've had a website and this blog is a new thingy to me, I don't know how I'm gonna make it flow between the two. So, I am on another adventure. I'm beginning to think that the journeys in life are far more fun than the destinations. I've always loved planning the trip -- sometimes the trip turns out wonderful, sometimes not. But, the planning is always exciting. So begins my journey into blogdom.

This is the oddest sensation -- writing in a blog is not like writing to someone. It's like throwing your thoughts out there in hopes that someone will catch them.

For my first leg of the journey, if you'd like to accept it, I am doing a review. I got the Bendable Bright Light and attached it to my sewing machine. Let me tell you, I am very pleased with the pin-point of light that comes from that little light. It really lights up the needle area when doing thread painting -- which is my newest joy of quilting. I have sewn clothing for many years and loved to make Halloween costumes for the grands when they were young. So, believe me, I have lots of thread to use up. Thread is like beads -- the more you have, the more you want! LOL Yes, I embellish my wallhangings with beads. Let the journey begin ...

Here's a link to my webpage review on the Bendable Bright Light -- http://anotherpat.com/reviews.htm