So after sewing my last set of strips, cutting out all my triangles, setting it out, making the pattern how I liked, I sewed the triangles together to make squares. I pressed all the squares, sewed them together to make the full quilt. Now it's time to figure out how to cut off the salvage, sew the 2 large backing pieces together to make a huge backing and then make a quilt sandwich.
To me, this was gibberish about a week ago. But I went to trusty quiltfabric.com and asked some questions. I bought the fabric I needed (2 pieces that are 1 and 1/2 yards each). I need to sew those 2 pieces together across and that will make my large backing for the whole quilt. I also need to cut off one edge (the salvage), before I sew the pieces together...which edge? Not sure.
I bought the batting (the part that makes it a soft and cozy =) and a spray adhesive, along with a pair of gloves for free stitching (the part that makes it look quilty), they're basically gloves with fabric thimbles at the tips of the fingers.
Apparently the part I have done so far is called piecing, whereas the actual quilting is the free stitching, which THANKFULLY you can do with a machine now. (Otherwise, I'd be stitching loopy stitches all over the quilt.) So I'm good to go, except for the salvage part. I thought I could figure it out with Google, but I'm stumped so far. Will continue searching...
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
My first class
So, the back-story: I was in New Jersey, trying to find something to fill my time while I was hoping to find a job out there. As no interviews were coming in, I decided to look into sewing classes (since I'd wanted to learn, and wanted to find something to do with all my sentimental and concert t-shirts). I found a quilting class, and figured that would be a fun way to use the concert t-shirts. I wanted to sign up, but needed a sewing machine. Thankfully, the people I was staying with had one I could borrow. I was all set! I went in, and it was WAY beyond my expertise, I didn't even know where to start. The instructor was very welcoming, and helped me anyways! She gave me some scrap fabric and told me to practice straight lines. After my first straight line, I asked (stupidly) what to do with the "string." I was quickly corrected and told it was THREAD!
Then she told me to find 2 half yards of fabric, that I liked, in the store and bring them back up. She taught me how to cut the fabric and told me to go home and cut squares to make a small place mat or table runner. I went home, cut my squares, came back the week later and put together small squares to make half a small table runner.
That was back in July. Then I went home to Chicago, and didn't have a sewing machine any more. As I contemplated what to do, I was still looking for a job. That was in mid-August. I looked for jobs, continuously. I checked my email and phone constantly, hoping for ANY responses. Still no job. No interviews. Letter after letter, "we have received your resume, and will contact you when we have made a decision." Or even worse, "we have received your resume, and will contact you, if we decide to interview you, otherwise thank you for your interest." UGH!
Finally, last week, I decided I would invest in a refurbished machine online for just $55. Mainly I needed something productive that would stop me from going crazy after all the TV watching. I was already reading a book a day, but I could only read and watch TV so long. My brain was turning into mush. I went to trusty Google, and found a local quilt store, quiltfabric.com and signed up for their "Strip Club" class. I called and asked if it was for beginners, and they said that if I knew how to cut and straight stitch, I should be fine. I can do both (thanks Pat from NJ!) and so I was excited to try it out. This class was a demonstration class, and not a hands on class (like the NJ one), so it was more just chatting about the pattern and the instructor showed us step by step how to do it, and how to avoid some problems so we wouldn't waste fabric. I went home with my "strips" and was supposed to go to Denver the next day.
Ended up changing the trip to Denver to the next week, and did some touristy stuff all day after the class. I was exhausted! I took a nap, and thought I would shower, get dressed, re-energize and go out for a night on the town (it WAS Saturday night!). But after the nap, I was just tired, tired, tired, and hungry. So, ended up ordering a pizza and putting on pajamas. It was still early, and after the pizza, I had energy, but not enough to go all out. I saw the strips, and decided, heck, let's start!
Now, 3 days later, I have sewn all my strips together. I have cut the triangles out of all but one strip set. And I have put all the triangles I cut into larger triangles. Now it's time to make the squares, lay it out, sew it all together. I went and got the things for the quilting sandwich, so as soon as I put the squares together, I'll need some extra hands (probably my mother and sister) to help my spray the batting and backing and stick everything together. I'm excited!
First triangles (actually 2 smaller triangles together).
Then put 2 triangles together.
Put 4 large triangles together to make 2 large squares.
Then put squares together.
Then she told me to find 2 half yards of fabric, that I liked, in the store and bring them back up. She taught me how to cut the fabric and told me to go home and cut squares to make a small place mat or table runner. I went home, cut my squares, came back the week later and put together small squares to make half a small table runner.
That was back in July. Then I went home to Chicago, and didn't have a sewing machine any more. As I contemplated what to do, I was still looking for a job. That was in mid-August. I looked for jobs, continuously. I checked my email and phone constantly, hoping for ANY responses. Still no job. No interviews. Letter after letter, "we have received your resume, and will contact you when we have made a decision." Or even worse, "we have received your resume, and will contact you, if we decide to interview you, otherwise thank you for your interest." UGH!
Finally, last week, I decided I would invest in a refurbished machine online for just $55. Mainly I needed something productive that would stop me from going crazy after all the TV watching. I was already reading a book a day, but I could only read and watch TV so long. My brain was turning into mush. I went to trusty Google, and found a local quilt store, quiltfabric.com and signed up for their "Strip Club" class. I called and asked if it was for beginners, and they said that if I knew how to cut and straight stitch, I should be fine. I can do both (thanks Pat from NJ!) and so I was excited to try it out. This class was a demonstration class, and not a hands on class (like the NJ one), so it was more just chatting about the pattern and the instructor showed us step by step how to do it, and how to avoid some problems so we wouldn't waste fabric. I went home with my "strips" and was supposed to go to Denver the next day.
Ended up changing the trip to Denver to the next week, and did some touristy stuff all day after the class. I was exhausted! I took a nap, and thought I would shower, get dressed, re-energize and go out for a night on the town (it WAS Saturday night!). But after the nap, I was just tired, tired, tired, and hungry. So, ended up ordering a pizza and putting on pajamas. It was still early, and after the pizza, I had energy, but not enough to go all out. I saw the strips, and decided, heck, let's start!
Now, 3 days later, I have sewn all my strips together. I have cut the triangles out of all but one strip set. And I have put all the triangles I cut into larger triangles. Now it's time to make the squares, lay it out, sew it all together. I went and got the things for the quilting sandwich, so as soon as I put the squares together, I'll need some extra hands (probably my mother and sister) to help my spray the batting and backing and stick everything together. I'm excited!
First triangles (actually 2 smaller triangles together).
Then put 2 triangles together.
Put 4 large triangles together to make 2 large squares.
Then put squares together. 
Eek, a quilt! =)
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