Month: August 2008

pictures

On By alwaysquiltsIn Hobbies, Home and Garden, machine quilting, quilts, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I finally got around to putting more pictures on my webshots page. I hadn’t updated it since the MQS pictures I put on there back in May. Before that I think it was April and those pictures were of the Lock in. I was looking at some of the quilts and a couple of them, I don’t remember quilting, but I know I did! I see so many different quilts that it’s hard to remember. I try to take pictures of all of them after I quilt them, but I don’t always get that done. I have a lot more to upload, hopefully I can get those done soon. You can check them out at

http://www.webshots.com/user/alwaysquilts

I’m trying to get things ready for next week. Pam and I are sooooo excited about going to Italy!! I can’t believe it’s almost time to go!!

I still have a few more quilts to quilt before I leave so I better get to work.

Have a great day!
Theresa

I dyed again

On By alwaysquiltsIn Blogroll, Hobbies, Home and Garden, machine quilting, quilts, Uncategorized1 Comment

Well, I tried dyeing again. I’m not as excited about this batch. I figured I would try using some muslin this time and cut it into FQ’s. I don’t know why some of them came out looking textured and  some came out almost solid. I was trying to put them all in the containers the same way. See the difference? The first picture shows how some look almost a solid color and the next one shows how some look more textured (which is what I was trying for). I don’t like the muslin.  It doesn’t have a high thread count so it’s not as nice feeling as the Kona I used last week. I’m not sure if that had anything to do with how the colors came out or not, but I know I won’t use it again.

I measured out the dye for 12 colors this time and just poured the left over dye solution in the other containers that I had ready. I put a little of this and a little of that, so some of the colors are real similar. I dripped some in one (on purpose) just to see what would happen to it. Sure enough, I can tell where the color landed on the fabric. It’s the 3rd one from the left.These all came out kind of greenish except the turquoise one.

These are yellow/orange.

And here are the pinkish ones. They almost all look alike!

I didn’t get the variety of colors like I did last time. I’ve been using the 3 colors and mixing them but I think now I want to just order the colors that I want to have instead of mixing the yellow and red or the blue and red etc. I’d like to have certain colors. I guess I’ll keep working at this dyeing stuff. It is fun!!

Well, that’s it for now.  Have a great day!

Theresa

Oh….. on the last post I saw an animals face ( dog was my first thought)  and a tin man character!!

my first dyeing experience

On By alwaysquiltsIn Hobbies, Home and Garden, machine quilting, quilts, Uncategorized8 Comments

Well, I did it!!! I dyed some fabric. I jumped in with both feet and learned a lot! Most of what I learned was what NOT to do.

I wasn’t sure what colors I was going to get, so I decided to do the 24 shades.  I had all the containers marked by number and I started putting all the red dye in first. I went down the list and put the correct amount into each one. Except the last cup because I ran out of red dye. so it just got a few drops. Then I  put in the yellow. No problem,  except on cups 8 & 9 I think I mixed them up. Anyway, had lots of yellow left over so it went in to the last cup with the red drops. Then I went to blue and filled each one with the blue, putting the left over in the last cup. So I didn’t actually get color 24 which I believe now should have been a shade of purple. Anyway, after that I took and put in the fabric. Well, I didn’t do that right because some of the pieces came out looking like tye dyed. Here’s all the colors I got.

I didn’t think about the fact that I was doing the dyeing using directions for fat quarters and I was putting in half yard cuts. I think I should have used more dye. That would have helped, I’m sure. I did get some pretty  fabric anyway.

I was ironing the fabric and I see something on these 2 pieces. I took closeups,  do you see anything?

Well, that’s it for now. I will file this experience as a learning one. Next time maybe the fabric will come out looking more like I want it to look. LOL!!  although, I do like this. Maybe I should make a turning twenty or some other quilt that uses large squares.  hhhhhmmmmm.

Oh well, have  great day!

Theresa

not much new, just staying busy

On By alwaysquiltsIn Hobbies, Home and Garden, machine quilting, quilts, Uncategorized2 Comments

Sadly, today is my last day of summer vacation. BOO HOO!!! We went and picked up buses Monday so the big yellow fellow is back in the driveway.  I am ready to see all my kids, just not ready to go back to getting up at 5:30 in the morning. UUUGGHH!! I get my schedule turned around during the summer and stay up till 2:00 or so. No more of that!!!!

I finished quilting the next Patchwork party quilt for my LQS yesterday. I love the fabrics they used this time.  I don’t remember when it starts but it will be soon. Now I need to get a couple of customer quilts done for our quilt show in Sept. I’m running out of time!

On another note……do you know what it’s like to wash (2) 10 yard pieces of fabric in the washing machine? I’ve never seen such a tangled up mess in my life! LOL!!!! I bought a bolt of fabric to dye and I didn’t want to cut it up so I just cut it in half and washed it in synthropol. Hopefully I will have time to dye it soon. I’m anxouis to try it. I’m not sure what the best size is for dyeing fabric the first time. FQ’s, 1/2 yards or full yards?  Any suggestions from you that dye?????

I think I better go get something done. Something productive anyway!!

Have a great day!

Theresa

Misc stuff

On By alwaysquiltsIn Hobbies, Home and Garden, machine quilting, quilts, Uncategorized2 Comments

I see I haven’t written anything for a week. I’ve been busy quilting customer quilts. I have several that I need to get finished before I leave for Italy. My trip is fast approaching!! Today, after church by husband decided that I needed new luggage so we went shopping. Here’s what he bought me.

I told him that our old luggage was fine, but he insisted that I have new ones. He said the old ones are fine for when we travel in the car on vacation, but going through airports he wanted me to have nice ones that have the handles to pull them instead of carrying them.  Isn’t he sweet?

I recovered my kitchen barstools today, too. I picked up fabric to do them a month or so ago, and finally decided to get it done today. This is the 2nd time I’ve recovered them. I love the stools as they are very comfortable,  and we never sit at the kitchen table anymore, we’re always at the bar so the chairs get a lot of use. The fabric wasn’t exactly what I wanted but it will do until I recover them again. LOL!!

Here’s a shot of what they did look like (blue) and the new fabric (floral).

I’ve also decided that I want to try to dye some fabric. I ordered dye and all kinds of other stuff that I’ll need. You know, the chemicals……. anyway, my package is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. I’ve been reading the book I have on fabric dyeing and I’m anxious to try it. I have both sateen and Kona cotton fabrics that I’m going to use. If you have any tips on dyeing that you’d like to share please feel free to leave a comment. I’m not sure what I’m getting into!! The book I have is called “fabric dyeing for beginners” by Vimala McClure.  Hopefully, it works!!!

Well, I guess that’s it for now. I’ve been watching the Olympics tonight. Now that they’re over for awhile, I think I’ll go quilt a little before going to bed. Have a great one!!

Theresa

Sudoku quilt is finished

On By alwaysquiltsIn Hobbies, Home and Garden, machine quilting, quilts, Uncategorized5 Comments

Yesterday I decided to put the mini sudoku wall hanging I made, on the machine and quilt it. I used a variegated thread on it and I’m thinking that was a mistake. I think it would have been better to have used a matching thread. But it’s too late now. Here’s how it came out. After quilting it, I discovered that I must have used all the blue fabric on the sashing and borders, so then I couldn’t decide what color to make the binding so………..I cut strips of different colors, sewed them together and made a colorful binding. I’ve never done a binding like that before. I pressed the seams open on each piece, since the strips were cut 1 1/4″ they ended up to be 3/4″ wide. I didn’t want to end up with a lot of bulk in the binding. I did find that one corner had a seam right where the fabric was folded but it laid down well enough to look all right. I cut the binding 2 1/2″ which I could have cut it smaller and not had the double thickness, but……as they say, hindsight is 20/20. I made more binding than I needed so I had a lot left over. The picture shows the full binding and above it, the binding after I pressed it in half and then the edge of the wall hanging with the binding attached.  I don’t think I’ll be doing that kind of binding on anything large, but it was fun to play around with on this little piece. Hopefully someone will buy it at the sale.

Well, I guess that’s it for now. Have a great day!

Theresa