The Class Quilt - A Little More Progress

Remember the class quilt I told you about?  I'm helping my daughter's second grade class sew a quilt for the upcoming auction.  We're using Moda's Double Chocolat fabric.  I'm in love with the colors!  Apparently, the kids' teacher feels the same way about the pretty fabric.  She told me that she's been having nightmares about someone else finishing up the quilt and using horrid fabrics that don't go with our pretty Double Chocolat.


The kids finished sewing their stars during our first sewing session.

This week we started work on the sashing, sewing all of the stars together.  I had help this week.  Yes, I called in the reinforcements.  Thanks for coming to help the kids sew, Jenny!  As the kids were sewing, we kept giggling to ourselves. (giggles with a slight bit of a panic) You see, when kids take over the sewing, perfection is not the name of the game.  There were blocks that finished up at a half of an inch larger than other blocks.  We did a lot of scooching as we tried to line the blocks up. In the end, they'll never notice the small imperfections.  They'll just have good memories of sewing their friendship quilt.

One more sewing day and I'll be able to show you the finished quilt.  I can't wait to take pictures of the kids cuddling in the finished quilt!

Happy quilting!

Vintage Rectangle Quilt

In my opinion, there are several different types of quilters.  There are people who like to find a pattern, pick their fabric, and then follow the instructions.  Some people like to fly by the seat of their pants and buy pretty fabric and then just start sewing.  There are also quilters with an eye for design.  They find beautiful fabrics, get inspired, and draft out their own pattern.  I tend to be a follow-the-instructions type of quilter.  Flying by the seat of my pants is just way too uncomfortable for me.  I've tried it, and I just don't like it.  I tend to freeze and then my quilting project ends up looking really pathetic.

I've always admired people who can design their own patterns, figuring the yardage they need, keeping seam allowance in mind, and always creating with an artists' eye.  Over the past few months, I've been trying my hand at designing quilt patterns.  Although I don't think I will EVER have an artists' eye, I've certainly been having a lot of fun creating.  I've been buying fabric, or using fabric I already own, and then designing from there.

Last week I showed this quilt top to you.

I had purchased this Honeybun from the Moda line and really didn't know how I wanted to use it.

It sat on my shelf for a really long time, because as much as I loved the fabric, I just didn't know what I wanted to do and I didn't want to waste it or start something and make a mistake.  Well, I finally got inspired.  I found a Jellyroll pattern that I liked.  I knew it would be slightly different, by using a Honeybun, so I needed to plan it out. (Remember, a Honeybun is a smaller version of a Jellyroll.)

Here's the picture I created to help me wrap my head around the way I wanted it to turn out.


To make this quilt, you need one Honeybun and 1 5/8 of a yard of light fabric.

I started by sewing the Honeybun strips together, in pairs.
Then, I cut the strips into 2 1/2 inch blocks.
By sewing the 2 1/2 inch block to another 2 1/2 inch block, I got the little "block of four".
Finally, it was time to sew the blocks to white rectangles (2 x 4 1/2 inch rectangles).
It always makes me happy to sew the strips together because the quilt finishes up so quickly. A little 2 1/2 inch border on the edge and the quilt top was complete.

It looks like a lot of work, but because I used the strip piecing method, it actually came together very quickly.

Happy quilting!

The Class Quilt

Most of you know I'm a teacher and most of you know I work in a job-share.  I feel so lucky to be able to have a great career and also have one extra day off each week.
(So thankful for great teaching partners too!)

Today I spent the day in my daughter's second grade classroom.  I taught second grade for many years, before moving to kindergarten, and I really do miss the independence and confidence that second graders bring to the classroom.  Well, it's auction time at my kids' school and I'm helping out with our class auction project.  We're making a Friendship Quilt, with Moda's Double Chocolate fabric line.  Oh, how I love those colors!


I pulled out a few of my favorite fabrics from the bundle and precut the squares that we needed for the project.

After a quick introduction in the classroom, I started pulling kids out to the hallway to start sewing with me.  They LOVED sewing!  I've gotten pretty good at sewing sideways.  I let the kids sit right in front of the machine and they really do the sewing.  I just make sure to sit right next to them, looking sideways at the machine, and help guide them when they need support.  No one will  be sewing their fingers into the quilt on my watch!!!

Once we had the triangles pieced, the kids started arranging the squares into the Friendship Star.  

It always amazes me the way some kids just "see" how shapes fit together and others really have to work at it.  I'm one of those that really needs to work at it, so I think I'm a bit envious of those people who can quickly make beautiful arrangements with shapes.  I love the conversations the kids have as they are arranging their shapes too.  Working with these little guys just makes me happy!

Once they figured out how to arrange their pieces, we were ready to sew the small blocks into a larger block.

I'm kind of in love with the colors in this quilt!

Some kids talked about how their moms or grandmas sew, and others had never even seen a real sewing machine before.  Some kids talked about the old fashioned foot pedal machines that they had seen in cartoons, and others talked about family members who own multiple machines.  Regardless of kids' experience sewing, they all had a great time!  There were happy giggles, lots of questions about how the machine works, and lots of kids who were eager to convince their parents to let them sew at home.  One little boy even said, "I'm totally going to ask for one of these for Christmas!"  How cute is that?

Twelve little Friendship blocks are ready to be sewn together.  I'll be spending my next day off finishing the blocks with kids who were absent, and working with kids to sew the blocks together.

The quilt will be auctioned off at the school auction, in March.  I can't wait to hear which lucky child will get to take home a quilt made by all of his or her friends!  I think it's turning out pretty enough that the parents will be excited to have this in their home too!

Happy quilting!

My Two Favorite Sewing Books - Right Now

I stopped by the library the other day to pick up a little inspiration.  As I've mentioned a time or two, I really love Moda Fabrics.  Camille Roskelley is one of their designers.  I was introduced to her blog by my friend whose house looks SO much like Camille's.  Anyway, I love the light and bright colors she uses in her quilts.  Suddenly, my own quilts felt very dark.  She inspired me and I want to try something new.

(And is that polka dot chair the cutest thing EVER?)

I own the first Moda Bake Shop book and use the quilt patterns all the time. When Sweet Celebrations came out I was dying to get my hands on it.  I was not disappointed.  The projects are so pretty and I was excited to see a few of the fabrics that I already have in my stash. 

Quilts, runners, bags, and gifts.  Oh, where do I begin?

Happy sewing!

Moda Fabrics

Dear Moda,

I really, really, really love your fabrics.  You have a jellyroll to fit every season and mood I'm in.  Right now I'm loving Double Chocolat.  French General is always right up there with my favorites too.  Tans, browns, and reds just make me happy.  Throw in a little icy blue and those little stacks of  loveliness are just about perfection.

I don't know what I'm going to sew yet, but I'm sure your designers will have some new patterns to inspire me.  Jellyrolls, Layer Cakes, and Charm Packs make me so sew happy.

Your Friend,
Becca

Cleaning Your Sewing Machine

I've spent a lot of time at my sewing machine over the past few days, but I started having a problem.  I was using my ruffler foot (the strange looking contraption below) and the needle kept breaking.  I broke 4 needles in about 20 minutes.

Side story:  One of the needles actually flew up and hit me right in the eye!  Have you ever had that happen before?  Crazy!  I never would have thought that I needed protective eyewear for sewing.  It hurt, but it just so happened that my daughter had her eye doctor appointment the next day, and he looked at my eye and said it would heal just fine.



Anyway, I decided to take my machine to my local Quality Sewing and Vacuum center, where I bought it.  The ladies there are always very helpful.  When you use a ruffler foot, you need to align it to your specific machine and needle.  I assumed I was doing something wrong.  Well, the nice lady who helped me took a look at it and said I had done everything right.  It turns out I was just using a fabric that was too heavy for the ruffler.  But, she said that we should probably take a look to see if there was any damage when the needle hit the machine in the wrong place.  She took out the bobbin, took off the plates, and looked inside.

"Um, honey, do you ever clean out your machine?" she asked.

I think she knew the answer when she started pulling dust bunnies out of it.  I've been sewing for years.  YEARS.  I've never cleaned out my machine.  I didn't even know that the little brush that came with the machine was used to brush lint out of the interior workings of the machine.  I suppose I should have known, but I didn't.  I asked the nice lady how often I was supposed to clean out the inside.  She said she cleans her machine every time she uses it.

I laughed out loud and I'm not even kidding!

Lesson learned.  I'll be cleaning my machine more frequently. I found several videos on You Tube, describing how to take your machine apart, clean it, and put it back together.  Please tell me I'm not the only person out there who does not take their machine apart and clean it every time they use it  ever.

Happy cleaning.

Sewing Camp Pajama Pants

Over the summer, my daughter and niece learned to sew.  We called it Sewing Camp.  I had them go through all of my sewing books and pick out a few projects they wanted to work on.  We made pillows and a stuffed animal.







Over the long weekend, they completed a more complex project.



They made their own jammies! Oh my gosh, I can't even begin to tell you how pleased they were with themselves!  (And, I have to say, that I was very impressed too!)

Not to be outdone by his sister and cousin, my son made our dinner!

I told my Facebook friends that I'm going to sit back and let my kids raise themselves now.  They can make their own clothes AND their own food.  They're set for life!

Happy sewing!  (and cooking)