Playing With My Feet

Once again, I've been playing with achieving a scant quarter inch seam with various presser feet that I have for my machine (Brother QC 1000). The J foot works okay with seam guide that is original to my Singer treadle machine, but it's a pain because the guide blocks the drop in bobbin cover.

I had purchased a quarter inch foot with a guide/blade, but I was not ever happy sewing with that foot. Somewhere on the web I read that you should try and bump your needle to the right and see if you had enough clearance between the needle and the hole in the foot (of course, I did have my 7mm sole plate on) to achieve a scant quarter inch seam. On this foot I didn't. But I did notice something that may explain some of my dissatisfaction with this foot...the foot didn't cover the feed dogs completely. The right hand most row of teeth were completely exposed. My machine has a tendency to pull to the left and this probably made it worse.

This foot was purchased on Amazon for under $4.00 and covers the feed dogs nicely. There wasn't quite enough clearance to bump the needle over safely, so I asked Sweetie if he could make the hole just a bit bigger.

Here it is on the drill press. It was a success.

First Attempt At Jewelry Making

I actually put this together a couple of years ago and hadn't done anything else since. That is, until I went to Jo-Ann's last week and picked up some lobster claws and chain for a jewelry alteration project. It was a success and I'll post about it another time.

All the components to the necklace were purchased at Jo-Ann's.

Visit Sew Many Ways and see what crafty things others are posting about.

New Project On The Design Wall

 

 

I'm working on an I Spy quilt for my grandson...most of the hexies are cut out...boy do you waste a lot of fabric with and I Spy quilt. After that I'll cut out the solid 60 degree triangles from solids or marbles.

 

These hexies are 4.5" and I think I will make an adult (no, not risque fabric) out of 6.5" hexies.  Batiks will be the fabric of choice for that project.

 

Some of the prints used in the I Spy were nice enough to get a few 2.5" strips for my scrappy pineapple quilt that I am slowly working on.  Tuesday I was able to get another baggy of scraps to process to the quilt.



Changing The Seasons

 

When the Christmas decorations were put away, I needed something for the frames. 

 

 The Pineapple block is an experiment in making a 12.5" block versus 9.5" (like in the book) or my really big 16.5" version that will go into my extra big king size quilt.

 

The heart block was made especially for the frame and the only quilty valentine thing that I have so far.

 

The hexie-ish block was also an experiment of sorts. At first I was just sewing various size strips around a hexagon. Then I decided to square it off and use it for a pillow...and there it sat...until I needed something springy for the frame.

 

The hexie-ish block and the heart block were both quilted through just the batting...maybe I should get some muslin and add it just in case I want to join some of these blocks into something down the road.

 

I'm not sure what I will do with the Pineapple one...maybe I'll do an all over quilting just to see how I like the effect on the block.



DGD Natalie and McKenna in their matching jammies.  I have some photos taken at American Girl, which I will post about later. They were taken on my iPhone and not sure what the quality will be on those. 

The pictures of Natalie's quilting experience were less than stellar.  I have a new case on my phone and I think the cover (it's a waterproof case) is reducing the picture quality. It's less bulky than the Otterbox and it's (Lifeproof) also suppose to be indestructible. Every thing is a trade off.

Male Bonding

 

DS Brett and Sweetie having some Guy Time on the back porch....didn't Sweetie do a great job on the fireplace!

Late Christmas Table Runner

Since our Christmas was late this year (this excuse really does work for me), I wasn't in a rush to have it done before the kids got here.  Actually, it's not totally done....I have to stitch one side of the binding.  It's all glued down per Sharon Shamber's method and looks done.

I was going to machine sew the binding, but I got a little stingy with the fold over and didn't have enough for the needle to bite into. So...I had to had sew...and again my binding is really full.