Thanks so much for all the kind comments on
my studio! It was fun to read through them. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and thanks for being gentle.
I thought I'd cover a few questions that came up....
Someone asked to see the pillow that was on the wall. Here it is in all it's scrappiness! This project came about when a friend that was visiting me asked about my
Go! baby. I pulled out the little machine (which I don't use very often at all) and we played with it for a bit. Before I knew it, I had a new WIP. That seems to happen a lot in my house! Ha! The silver lining is that I used a bag of scraps from
my washtub.
That felt great!
I finished the pillow with an envelope closure using this lovely floral fabric. It's so crisp and pretty and springy!!!
I think I am becoming a pillow-er. (I believe
Tara coined that phrase and I love it!) It's fun to play with patchwork on a small scale, it's nice to have a quick finish, and it's super nice to have a new pillow to brighten up my couch! The patchwork squares are 2" finished. BIG shock there, I know! The pillow finishes at about 20" square.
I had a few questions on fabric folding. I've been using this method off and on (mostly on) for years. I love it because it's easy, tidy and no special gear is required.
Take a 6" x 24" ruler and fold the fabric around the ruler. In this photo the selvages are at the top and the fold of the fabric is at the bottom. Gently slide the ruler out of the fabric. (Make sure that the raw edges end up somewhere in the middle of the piece, not on an edge, so they will become fully enclosed in the next step.)
Fold each end toward the middle.
Fold in half again. All the raw edges are tucked inside so the pile will be super neat and tidy. Isn't that slick? Fat quarters can be folded in the same manner. So can smaller pieces, but if the fabric doesn't wrap all the way around the ruler, I throw it in the scrap bin. That's the rule.
Just a few more things on the studio space...yes, I will miss the space when we move. How could I not? It's been a wonderful, albeit temporary, location to sew in. I am so very thankful for a dedicated sewing space. I know that I am very blessed! And of course it's
not always that clean. Sewing is messy work! We all know that. :)
Glad to hear that there is interest in the sewing machine post. I'll try to write up the pros and cons of my machines. Soon.
One more thing! I am planning on updating my FAQ page. It is so out of date. If you would like to ask a question, I'll try to work it in, so ask away! It will help me out. Thanks!
21 comments:
That is a great way to fold fabric. I have been trying to figure out how I want to fold mine for a while now.
I love that pillow! I finally ended up making a whole pinterest board of cushions. It's an addiction.
I am so random with my fabric folding. I really should get disciplined and use the ruler method. Thanks for demonstrating.
Amanda Jean!!! I love you. One sentence in this post totally hit me and hit me hard." if the fabric doesn't wrap all the way around the ruler, I throw it in the scrap bin". THANK YOU! I now have a new guideline I fully intend to implicate, within the hour!
Oh my! Your FAQ posts and follow up posts are so awesome. Wouldn't it be nice if you had assistant to help manage your blog so you could spend more time sewing those WIPs down? I'm currently sorting through scraps into small plastic food containers so I can play with fabric. Your projects inspire me so!
I read your tip on folding fabric and had a DUH moment!! What a great idea and more importantly, how come I didn't think of that before! Tee-hee! Thank you for sharing.
Amanda Jean, I love your blog, your Sunday Morning quilt book and of course all of your happy, scrappy quilts! I too am interested in your sewing machine comparisons. I sew on the Janome 7700 and the Viking Mega Quilter which is heavy duty straight stitch only-similar I think to your other Janome. It will be interesting to compare notes!
perhaps an already asked question:
do you keep a schedule....so your daily "domestic duties" get done?
xo
eva
Thanks for the fabric folding tutorial. I was just getting ready to refold mine but wasn't sure how.
Thanks for sharing your fabric folding technique!
Why didn't I think of that?
Great pillow! I like that term, I just bought the 'Pillow Pop' book and they're ALL for me, I've decided! And they're like a mini-quilt!
Thanks Amanda for the tip on folding. I will try it. I love your Studio. PS when you buy your new home make sure you have a room for your self - Your "STUDIO" That is a good way to keep a space for your sewing and blogging. I do love the pillow too. And your scrap organization is awesome as is your fabric Stash.
Thank you for the folding idea. I don't know why I make it so hard. I like the idea of deciding what is a scrap and what is big enough to be folded. WHY do I complicate things so much? lol
Love your pillows:) Do you have a tutorial on your favorite way to make the envelope closure for them? Thank you!!!
I know exactly how you feel about your sewing space. We will be moving to another state in 6 weeks. I have been so blessed with my sewing space in this house, and I know I am going to really miss it. Space in our new house (we are downsizing) will be much smaller. But we will figure out how to make the new house work for me:) Nancy: rangerer@sbcglobal.net
your scrappy pillow is awfully sweet and so very, very Amanda.
Love the studio, Love the pillow, Love the washtub, Love the folding, Love the shelves, Love the artist!:)
First time I've seen a wall pillow! Thanks for taking the time to share.
Looking forward to the comparisons. Will sit tight til you do that.
And I've been using similar fabric folding I just fold them around the ruler and in half, works especially well for yardage in excess of one yard. And the if it won't go around the ruler tip, GENIUS!
Enjoy!
Great ruler tip! Going to borrow that one for my guild if you don't mind!
Question for your page~do you do quilts for charity (not for fundraising, but to benefit a specific person)and if so how do you decide which charities.
that scrappy pillow shows the summer.
beautiful. and your studio... great. thank you for sharing. lovely greetings, petra
Oh I feel like it's Christmas! I got my questioned answered... I have another I'm really curious about! Starch, I want lots of scraps to make love scrap projects, I'm concerned about using starch before I cut fabrics and getting moths in my scrapsi, like you I don't pre wash! So do you starch or use best press after cutting only or is it a problem?
My question for your FAQ page would be about cross-hatching or any other time that your machine quilting will cross over each other. I'm having "bunching issues" any ideas on what I'm doing wrong or tips to avoid bunching? I am using a Janome QC machine and my walking foot. Thanks for a great blog! I love looking at all your projects!
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