Keep it Simple, Silly Woman

My daughter asked me to make her some curtains.  Pretty simple, right?  But, if there is a hard way to do something apparently I'll find it....

I decided rather than making straight forward curtains with a simple casing at the top I'd use curtain grommets.
Elegant, No?

They looked so nice.... I lined 'em and added weights to the bottom hem so they'd hang nice.  The whole 9 yards!

But, It was All A Bust!!!

I bought grommet tape and the grommets.  I watched several YouTube videos... it all looked so easy!!

The grommets just won't snap together!!!!!  They work just fine on the grommet tape alone (after removing the metal ring) but, NOT after the tape is sewn to the curtain header.

I removed the medal ring.... re-trimmed the opening.... and re-trimmed again... and again...
The grommets just won't snap together!!!!!  I even tried pliers!  (I considered a hammer but they are just plastic rings.  I decided that would be a mistake.)


I GIVE UP!!!  I HATE TO FAIL!!!  I HATE TO GIVE UP!!!!

So, today, I'm off to the fabric store to buy more fabric and start over.  Ho, Hum.

I did end the weekend on a positive note, however.  My daughter also wanted some pillows made with some fabric she sent me.  I did accomplish that.  I kept it simple.

New Adventures

Sometime back my Daughter-In-Law (D-I-L) casually mentioned she wanted a sewing machine and she'd like to learn to sew.  I have been pondering that statement since then.  Her birthday is coming up in a month or so.

Good Lookin Family, No?

Yesterday I was out-and-about with a friend.  Our destination?  Mel's Sewing Center in Anaheim to pick up fabric for the backing of the Piggies and to pick up Mel's Row-By-Row block.

Visit Their Website

Nice, small-ish shop.  They are a Bernina dealer.

And, a very cute Row-By-Row block.

While my adventure partner was paying for her purchases, I was browsing the Berninas. I wasn't really interested in buying a new Bernina ... I'm a Janome girl, myself.

I casually asked if they had any pre-owned machines for sale.

"Mel" said "Yes, we do." (At least I think it was Mel.)

I picked up this little beauty for $100.

Bernette Seville 4.

I threaded it up today to do a bit of sewing and give her a test drive.
Very nice.

My main concern was whether the bobbin thread would tangle up easily as I have seen with some other inexpensive machines.

Nope.... hummed right along.  (Truth be told, I'm a bit tempted to keep it.)

Now, to get Vanessa to LOVE sewing!  I decided I'll help her sew some warm baby wraps for her sister who is expecting a baby in August and moving from tropical Guam to C-O-L-D North Dakota in December.  (The husband is in the military.)

Cute baby....but no one I know.

Isn't it cute?  And, it will be easy for a beginner.

The moral of the story:  If you want to make points with your D-I-L, buy her a sewing machine (if she wants one) AND teach her how to use it.  And, before buying any machine from a big-box store, visit your local dealer.  You just might find a beauty.


UPDATE:  I've been sewing on this cutie for a couple of days now and the bobbin does seem to have an issue.  Every so-many inches it seems to tangle.  So, now I need to experiment and see if it REALLY has an issue, or if it could possibly be the bobbin....the thread.... the fabric ???? Oy vey...

Reaching Goals

Do you keep a "to do" list? 

I find marking items off a list to be very satisfying.  Sometimes after I complete a chore NOT on my list, I will put it on the list just so I can mark it off!  Feels really good at the end of the day to see a lot of items marked off.

Last Tuesday I had two sewing projects on my list that I desperately wanted completed by the end of the weekend. 
Read it HERE.

1.  Get the Piggie memorial wall hanging "done" and
2.  Work with my grandson to finish his quilt.

I'm so happy! As of today, they are both near enough to completion that I have marked them off my list!!!

The Piggies are ready for the quilter.  (The sub-goal on this one is to have it quilted, bound and the label on before my mom's birthday next month.)  Click HERE.

My grandson's quilt needs some borders and then it, too, is ready for the quilter!!!  We really could skip the borders, but he wants it for his bed and I thought it needed some "hang."  Also, it's pretty "scrappy" and borders may calm it down a bit.

                    Here it is, Mostly done.

Even little brother got in the act....

All in all, a pretty productive weekend, I'd say.

HALLELUJAH!!

Ever have one of those projects that when it was done (or at least ready for the quilter)
you wanted to break out in a chorus of  HALLELUJAH ?

Yeah, Baby!

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

The Piggies are ready for "market" (aka, the quilter.)

In memory of my mom, Dona, because she liked pigs. And in honor of mom's sister,  my quilting-buddy-auntie, Nyla.

This should have been a fun project, but I thought it was hard. (I griped about it a lot on this blog.) However, now that I've completed it... and learned a lot of lessons along the way... I would do another collage quilt.  I will post a final picture when the quilting is finished, the borders are on and the label is on.

For now, I can cross this one off my list.

Celebrate, Celebrate, Dance to the Music

Back in the Saddle Again

 Click Here

Finally getting over whatever sickness I picked up in my travels (that cough hangs on FOREVER!).
I'm home for a month or so before I fly off to Kelowna later in August so I'm ready to get some serious sewing done!

I have two goals for the next month:

First I want to work with my grandson to get his quilt finished.  It was started A YEAR AGO!
Goodness.... I think it is officially a UFO.  Let's get 'er done!






He likes sewing on my 1951 Singer Featherweight, Miss Ellie.

This is what we have so far. A simple five inch squares. He picked out the fabrics himself from my "library."

It think it's about half finished.

My second goal is to get "The Piggies" done.

I have the Mezzanine room all set up and ready...

Too bad I still have to put in my 8-to-5 for the company..... I'd love to just sew, sew, sew.

There's No Place Like Home

It has been a fun, fun two weeks:  first in Kentucky with my dad and family (see the previous post) and then off to Washington to spend 5 days with my quilting buddy auntie, Nyla. And, man-o-man did we pack a lot of quilting fun into those 5 days!!!

First on the agenda; pick up a friend and shop hop to pick up Row-By-Row patterns and kits.

Bear Paw in Cour 'd Alene Idaho

Hatties in Spokane Washington

Quilting Bee in Spokane Washington

Sew EZ Too in Spokane... this one is now my favorite.

As you can see, we stimulated the quilt economy in the Spokane area just a wee bit.

I caught the bug and even though I SWORE I would not get any patterns or kits to make a Row-By-Row they were just so darn cute I could not help myself.  If you have not considered participating in this fun quilt along, you still have time. You cannot order the patterns or the kits via phone or on line.  The whole purpose of Row-By-Row is to visit the shops. Click HERE to get started.

Of course we celebrated the birthday of our Nation (and Auntie's B-day as well) with family and friends.

Another vacation project; I cleaned out a couple of my auntie's stash drawers and organized the fabric by color.  In the process I found enough scraps to make two kitty beds for Cat Adoption Team.

Lastly, no vacation would be complete without actually sitting down at a sewing machine and/or handling some quilts!!!

I finished this BOM started a couple of years ago (it needed borders.)  I took it to my auntie's quilter in Spokane,
Heartbeat Quilting, and I should have it back in about a month.  I will keep this one.

And, look what auntie made me for my birthday (a couple year ago)!!!

 It took her a couple years to get the binding on.....oy, vey....

I'm her favorite! Ahhhhh

It was a fun vacation...I'm pooped.... I need a vacation from my vacation!

Mixing Pleasure with Pleasure

I've been on vacation in the Paducah, Kentucky (Quilt City) area for the past week visiting family.

I have been lucky enough in the past to go visit my mom (thus staying out of the dog house) and attend the
Paducah Quilt Show at the same time!

Paducah Quilt Show, 2015
Left to Right:  My mom, My sister, My Aunt (My Quilting buddy) and me.

All that changed late last year when my mother passed into Glory quite suddenly.  So, this trip has been a bit emotional as it is my first trip "home" since my mom's passing.  However, it has also been a wonderful, sweet time visiting with my dad and other family.  AND I have even managed to sneak in a few fabric store visits.

I  decided to visit a few stores participating in the Row-By-Row Experience for 2017.  Do you know about this quilt-along?  Visit this web site CLICK HERE. This years theme is "On The Go."

I went to Hancocks in Paducah, of course:

A WONDERFUL place to browse away the afternoon.  I was a bit disappointed in their block, however. It just doesn't look like they put much effort into the design.

Must Stitch Emporium: This adorable store is located in downtown Paducah, an area known as "Quilter's Alley."
Small, but very nice store with a nice selection of fabrics.

A cute, fresh, simple block, also.

Quilt in a Day: OK, now we're talking.  Very cute block.

Fun fact:  Eleanor Burns shares a birthday with my quilting-buddy, Auntie!

Murray Sewing Center: This one is my favorite, so far.

The Row-By-Row worked on me... while I was visiting Kentucky, I visited (and stimulated the economy of) a number of fabric stores in the area.

Now I'm off to the Pacific Northwest to finish up my vacation and visit with my quilting-buddy Auntie.
Stay tuned for more quilting fun.