May 2008 Archives
If you love the idea of Tsukineko Inks but you're not quite sure where to begin, check out Trish Stuart's YouTube video (below). Need a GREAT source for Tsukineko Inks & Totally Stable? Click here for Tsukineko Inks. Click here for Totally Stable.
Sew Thankful also stocks Trish's books: QuiltArt: Color Your Quilts, QuiltArt: More Quilts To Color, and QuiltArt: Curves Made Easy
Check out this quick video clip on Sally Collin's "Precision Piecing" DVD from C & T Publishing, available and ON SALE at Sew Thankful:
Katie Pasquini Masopust teaches you about her methods to create dynamic
art quilts in her DVD from C&T Publishing.
Click here for more information about Katie's fabulous DVD available at SewThankful.com and SAVE!
Well, it's always interesting and unusual around here; but last night was more unusual than usual.
Jeff went to take the dogs out last night for their last potty and there were OUT OF NOWHERE two immature ducks in our front yard. Grabbed the camera...snap, snap, snap...and...here they are:
H-E-L-L-O...we live in the desert. There are no ponds near us. City Zoning does not permit folks in our area to keep ducks as pets. The HOA certainly would not approve.
So...WHY do we have two baby ducks in our yard? Where did they come from? Where is their mama? A true mystery.
Well, they stayed all night. I was shocked to see them still there in the morning. I thought for sure the coyotes would have dined on ducky...but nope...there they were in the front yard.
Yes, there really are wild coyotes roaming around these parts...you don't leave small pets outside overnight if you want to keep them very long. Oh yeah...and all the piles of presents these pretty babies left on our front "welcome" mat!!!
So about 8 o'clock this morning a landscaper (working on a job across the street) knocks on our door. He asks if these are our ducks..."uh no"...and asks if he can have them because he has a place in the country not too far from us. "Uh...yeah...sure, sounds good."
LOL...never a dull moment.
Jeff went to take the dogs out last night for their last potty and there were OUT OF NOWHERE two immature ducks in our front yard. Grabbed the camera...snap, snap, snap...and...here they are:
H-E-L-L-O...we live in the desert. There are no ponds near us. City Zoning does not permit folks in our area to keep ducks as pets. The HOA certainly would not approve.
So...WHY do we have two baby ducks in our yard? Where did they come from? Where is their mama? A true mystery.
Well, they stayed all night. I was shocked to see them still there in the morning. I thought for sure the coyotes would have dined on ducky...but nope...there they were in the front yard.
Yes, there really are wild coyotes roaming around these parts...you don't leave small pets outside overnight if you want to keep them very long. Oh yeah...and all the piles of presents these pretty babies left on our front "welcome" mat!!!
So about 8 o'clock this morning a landscaper (working on a job across the street) knocks on our door. He asks if these are our ducks..."uh no"...and asks if he can have them because he has a place in the country not too far from us. "Uh...yeah...sure, sounds good."
LOL...never a dull moment.
As I mentioned in my last post on Panto Progress, I had to spend some time frog stitching (rip it, rip it) because I learned lesson #1 the hard way (NEVER take your eyes off the panto design line...and when you do, make sure your needle is DOWN).
So, learning how to rip the stitching out was a good (notice I didn't say FUN) experience for me. I have a new favorite tool...my Superior Snippers. They are PERFECT for handling this job. The very sharp, fine point is fantastic for getting under those tiny stitches and popping them out (always use care when using a seam ripper or sharp instrument on your quilt top).
How do I frog stitch? I discovered that "for me" if I just pop about every 5th - 6th stitch and then reach underneath and PULL that bobbin thread out it goes the fastes. For any straggling top thread bits, I use a lint roller (or a piece of packing tape works great too)...swipe across and they're gone. Quick spritz...let it dry and I'm ready to quilt again.
I finished the panto...but changed to a different top thread, a Superior LAVA thread; I used Magna-Glide bobbins on the whole thing...they are AWESOME! Then I decided to "use" the quilted panto design (my rendition wasn't that great) and "shadow quilt" over it again from the front (freehand style). When I ran out of the blue LAVA thread, I decided to test a new thread (it's the yellow one) which I really like.
Doing freehand quilting over the previously quilted panto design was a great way to practice the controls and movement on both sides of the machine...a sort of 2fer. Oh yeah...I didn't like how my points turned out inside the flowers on the panto quilting...so I filled them in with thread. YAY!
This practice piece is small and very simple (I just used muslin)...but I'll put a simple binding on it and use it as a lap cover this fall/winter when the weather turns cool again. It will be fun to pull it out then and see how much I've learned over the summer.
So, learning how to rip the stitching out was a good (notice I didn't say FUN) experience for me. I have a new favorite tool...my Superior Snippers. They are PERFECT for handling this job. The very sharp, fine point is fantastic for getting under those tiny stitches and popping them out (always use care when using a seam ripper or sharp instrument on your quilt top).
How do I frog stitch? I discovered that "for me" if I just pop about every 5th - 6th stitch and then reach underneath and PULL that bobbin thread out it goes the fastes. For any straggling top thread bits, I use a lint roller (or a piece of packing tape works great too)...swipe across and they're gone. Quick spritz...let it dry and I'm ready to quilt again.I finished the panto...but changed to a different top thread, a Superior LAVA thread; I used Magna-Glide bobbins on the whole thing...they are AWESOME! Then I decided to "use" the quilted panto design (my rendition wasn't that great) and "shadow quilt" over it again from the front (freehand style). When I ran out of the blue LAVA thread, I decided to test a new thread (it's the yellow one) which I really like.
Doing freehand quilting over the previously quilted panto design was a great way to practice the controls and movement on both sides of the machine...a sort of 2fer. Oh yeah...I didn't like how my points turned out inside the flowers on the panto quilting...so I filled them in with thread. YAY!
This practice piece is small and very simple (I just used muslin)...but I'll put a simple binding on it and use it as a lap cover this fall/winter when the weather turns cool again. It will be fun to pull it out then and see how much I've learned over the summer.
Wanna see?
Happy Mothers' Day to all the Moms--whether by birth or by heart, Moms are a special treasure.
I found a couple fabulous Patsy Thompson YouTube Videos--and I thought you would enjoy these a LOT. Part 1 is on top, scroll down for Part 2. Patsy is a wonderful teacher.
Sew Thankful stocks Patsy's DVDs on machine quilting techniques...so these will give you a great sense of her style.
ENJOY!
If you want to try these methods and you're looking for great new threads, Sew Thankful offers a fantastic selection and great prices too! http://www.sewthankful.com/ThreadsAndFibers.html
I found a couple fabulous Patsy Thompson YouTube Videos--and I thought you would enjoy these a LOT. Part 1 is on top, scroll down for Part 2. Patsy is a wonderful teacher.
Sew Thankful stocks Patsy's DVDs on machine quilting techniques...so these will give you a great sense of her style.
ENJOY!
If you want to try these methods and you're looking for great new threads, Sew Thankful offers a fantastic selection and great prices too! http://www.sewthankful.com/ThreadsAndFibers.html
|
Like this
blog? You'll love Sew Thankful's FREE eNews. SewThankful eNews Subscribers receive eCoupons, notice of special sales, new arrivals, sewing & quilting industry news and more |
SPECIAL NOTE: After you sign up, you will receive an email to confirm your subscription. Inside that email there will be a "confirmation link". You must click on that link to confirm your subscription. If you do not click the confirmation link you will NOT be added to the SewThankful eNews. Due to anti-spam legislation, we are unable to manually add anyone to our email list. Please be sure to set your email spam filters to accept mail from sewthankful.com
Already subscribed and just want to change your email address or settings? Enter your email address in the box below, click join and follow the instructions.
 |
 |
 |
|
||
 |
|
 |
|
||
Disclaimer: The SewThankful eNews is a FREE, privately owned, voluntary subscriber, double opt-in eNewsletter. Sew Thankful Inc. is not responsible for any eNews that may get hijacked by cyber gremlins, user browser incompatibility, subscriber spam filter issues or subscriber ISPs bouncing the eNews and/or any other event or circumstance that might prevent you from receiving the SewThankful eNews when they are sent out. Sew Thankful Inc. reserves the right to amend eNews schedules [as in which day(s) of the week or month, NOT your frequency] to better serve subscriber needs as a whole. Sew Thankful reserves the right to cancel or terminate any subscriber's eNews membership at any time at Sew Thankful's sole discretion.
LOL...I started my first panto today. Just a plain piece of muslin...and a blending (cream poly thread).
As in most things, leave it to me to choose something way out of my league to be my first panto. I could have chosen any panto but what did I choose?
HA...HA...HA...all those loops and points and close-set lines...sheesh! H-e-l-l-o...what was I thinking!!!???!!!
I made it through a single repeat before I learned a VERY important lesson: DO NOT under ANY circumstances look up at the needle. No matter how steady you think you are, if you look away from your panto design line, you will end up at least 6 inches off the path.
That's right...I'm practicing my frog stitching tonight...RIP IT...RIP IT. LOL...some people just gotta learn the hard way. Hey...I resemble that remark!
Oh yeah...talk about the hard way...ripping out cream colored thread off of natural colored muslin is NOT easy on the eyes. That's lesson number two--use at least a slightly contrasting thread when practicing so it's easier to pick out.
Lessons learned.
As in most things, leave it to me to choose something way out of my league to be my first panto. I could have chosen any panto but what did I choose?
HA...HA...HA...all those loops and points and close-set lines...sheesh! H-e-l-l-o...what was I thinking!!!???!!!I made it through a single repeat before I learned a VERY important lesson: DO NOT under ANY circumstances look up at the needle. No matter how steady you think you are, if you look away from your panto design line, you will end up at least 6 inches off the path.
That's right...I'm practicing my frog stitching tonight...RIP IT...RIP IT. LOL...some people just gotta learn the hard way. Hey...I resemble that remark!
Oh yeah...talk about the hard way...ripping out cream colored thread off of natural colored muslin is NOT easy on the eyes. That's lesson number two--use at least a slightly contrasting thread when practicing so it's easier to pick out.
Lessons learned.
I recently received an email requesting more information about my experience with pantos--which ones I've tried and which ones I liked. This is a GREAT QUESTION. Thank you so much for asking...but please try not to be too disappointed in my answer.
Truthfully, in the last 3 weeks or so since I've gotten my longarm (aka Max), I have not had a lot of "extra" time to practice. With the little time that I have had, I've been focusing on the freehand side of the machine. Perhaps my reason for this is because it is seems less intimidating and I feel more in control . I can see what is happening and I can get a feel for the machine while trying out the (new to me) features like the stitch regulator, channel locks and thread cutter. Also, when I work from the front there just seems to be less fussing with getting ready. Once I've got my sandwich loaded I can just go...kinda like jumping into the sandbox with bare feet. I don't have to figure out how to line up the panto and space it and coordinate everything (...oops...sounds like I'm s-c-a-r-e-d!).
Well...maybe I am...was...am...a little. But, I'm not one to let my fears control me for very long. So it's now time to start working on building panto experience. Honestly, I do LOVE panto designs and the "quilting" design (thread on fabric) is my favorite part of the quilt. So, no more procrastinating! Starting this week I'm going to start working from the back (panto side). So stay tuned for more on my adventures in pantos. Successes, failures...I'll let it all hang out...it is what it is during the learning process.
One more thing... There's not a lot of readily available free information on specifically *how* to use a panto floating around on the internet. I understand the concept, but when you go to put in practice a LOT of issues come up. Following is a You Tube video I found for one woman's (Penny Bubar) method of stitching a panto. She is very clear that her method is only her method -- not necessarily the *best or the right for you method*. But, if you've been putting off trying pantos on your longarm because you're not sure where to begin, take a look and see if she offers any insights that help you. I know she's given me a couple of ideas. THANKS Penny!
As always, comments are welcome. Simply click the purple "Comments" text link under the "Pantos, pantos, pantos!" article title above. After you click the link, there will be a way for you to leave anonymous comments (without setting up an account) if you wish.
Truthfully, in the last 3 weeks or so since I've gotten my longarm (aka Max), I have not had a lot of "extra" time to practice. With the little time that I have had, I've been focusing on the freehand side of the machine. Perhaps my reason for this is because it is seems less intimidating and I feel more in control . I can see what is happening and I can get a feel for the machine while trying out the (new to me) features like the stitch regulator, channel locks and thread cutter. Also, when I work from the front there just seems to be less fussing with getting ready. Once I've got my sandwich loaded I can just go...kinda like jumping into the sandbox with bare feet. I don't have to figure out how to line up the panto and space it and coordinate everything (...oops...sounds like I'm s-c-a-r-e-d!).
Well...maybe I am...was...am...a little. But, I'm not one to let my fears control me for very long. So it's now time to start working on building panto experience. Honestly, I do LOVE panto designs and the "quilting" design (thread on fabric) is my favorite part of the quilt. So, no more procrastinating! Starting this week I'm going to start working from the back (panto side). So stay tuned for more on my adventures in pantos. Successes, failures...I'll let it all hang out...it is what it is during the learning process.
One more thing... There's not a lot of readily available free information on specifically *how* to use a panto floating around on the internet. I understand the concept, but when you go to put in practice a LOT of issues come up. Following is a You Tube video I found for one woman's (Penny Bubar) method of stitching a panto. She is very clear that her method is only her method -- not necessarily the *best or the right for you method*. But, if you've been putting off trying pantos on your longarm because you're not sure where to begin, take a look and see if she offers any insights that help you. I know she's given me a couple of ideas. THANKS Penny!
As always, comments are welcome. Simply click the purple "Comments" text link under the "Pantos, pantos, pantos!" article title above. After you click the link, there will be a way for you to leave anonymous comments (without setting up an account) if you wish.
I've promised my boys that Saturday (5/3/08) is going to be Peanut Butter Finger Day.
Jared & Jacob are somewhat ambivalent about this proclamation because they don't know exactly what Peanut Butter Fingers are. They've never had the pleasure. Ohhhhh....but just you wait!
Peanut Butter Fingers were one of my favorite "bar" cookies growing up. Grams' recipe was the absolute BEST and she almost always had a batch for the family 4th of July picnic or family reunions or camp outs. I have lots of great memories of Grams, summer and her wonderful Peanut Butter Fingers.
I think it's been a good 8 - 10 years since I last made them. Jared & Jacob have never tasted them.
In case you want to try some and need a recipe, here's mine...it's adapted from watching Grams (she never wrote hers down).
Ingredients for the cookie base:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
1/4 cup white sugar
1 unbeaten egg
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 - 3/4 cup chocolate chips (set aside to sprinkle on hot cookie)
Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and brown sugar (hint: add brown sugar gradually and cream until smooth); add white sugar, beat well. Add/beat in egg, peanut butter and vanilla, mix well.
In a separate bowl combine all dry ingredients and mix well until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing well in to creamed mixture.
Press dough mixture firmly and evenly into a prepared (greased and lightly flowered) 9 x 13 pan. Bake in preheated 350 oven for approx. 20 - 25 minutes. Remove from oven, place pan on cooling rack .
Topping:
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 - 4 Tablespoons Milk
In a small mixing bowl cream powdered sugar and peanut butter. Add milk 1 Tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
After sprinkling hot cookie with chocolate chips (allow chips to sit for 5 - 7 minutes on hot cookie base), drizzle the creamy peanut butter topping over top. Gently use a frosting knife to swirl the peanut butter topping and melted chocolate chips across the cookie. Do NOT over mix it...you want to see swirls of chocolate and swirls of peanut butter. Allow to cool completely...they taste (and cut) better when cool.
Cut into 1" x 2" bar sections and enjoy. Betcha can't eat just one!
Store any leftovers in a tightly sealed container.
Jared & Jacob are somewhat ambivalent about this proclamation because they don't know exactly what Peanut Butter Fingers are. They've never had the pleasure. Ohhhhh....but just you wait!
Peanut Butter Fingers were one of my favorite "bar" cookies growing up. Grams' recipe was the absolute BEST and she almost always had a batch for the family 4th of July picnic or family reunions or camp outs. I have lots of great memories of Grams, summer and her wonderful Peanut Butter Fingers.
I think it's been a good 8 - 10 years since I last made them. Jared & Jacob have never tasted them.
In case you want to try some and need a recipe, here's mine...it's adapted from watching Grams (she never wrote hers down).
Ingredients for the cookie base:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
1/4 cup white sugar
1 unbeaten egg
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 - 3/4 cup chocolate chips (set aside to sprinkle on hot cookie)
Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and brown sugar (hint: add brown sugar gradually and cream until smooth); add white sugar, beat well. Add/beat in egg, peanut butter and vanilla, mix well.
In a separate bowl combine all dry ingredients and mix well until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing well in to creamed mixture.
Press dough mixture firmly and evenly into a prepared (greased and lightly flowered) 9 x 13 pan. Bake in preheated 350 oven for approx. 20 - 25 minutes. Remove from oven, place pan on cooling rack .
Topping:
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 - 4 Tablespoons Milk
In a small mixing bowl cream powdered sugar and peanut butter. Add milk 1 Tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
After sprinkling hot cookie with chocolate chips (allow chips to sit for 5 - 7 minutes on hot cookie base), drizzle the creamy peanut butter topping over top. Gently use a frosting knife to swirl the peanut butter topping and melted chocolate chips across the cookie. Do NOT over mix it...you want to see swirls of chocolate and swirls of peanut butter. Allow to cool completely...they taste (and cut) better when cool.
Cut into 1" x 2" bar sections and enjoy. Betcha can't eat just one!
Store any leftovers in a tightly sealed container.
