Music Quilt Wall Hanging

I worked on the wall hanging for my daughter's birthday. She lives in Nashville and love music. She plays the keyboard, piano, drums and guitar. In her new condo she has a music corner. She needed something to cover the electrical panel. She likes very modern style and her acsent wall is purple. So I tried to find something that might work. This pattern is from Kay Buffington, called Anicent Board Games #38. I embroideried my musical instruments in the center of each white block and then when I quilted I echoed the instrument to make them really stand out. It didn't turn out too bad for my third attemp at quilting. Lots more to learn, but practice makes perfect. Though I highly doubt I will ever master perfection, no matter how hard I tried or how many tutorials I watch.

Well it has been a very long time since I posted anything. I guess I am just a stocker on other blogs and not real good at my own. I have been sewing. I made several knit dress for work over the summer. I also made a few tops. Nothing worth showing pictures of to anyone. I am still working on fitting my body. I purchased a few classes on fitting on Craftsy, one with Barbara Deckett and I loved her way of showing fitting. She is plus size and understands the need to adjust patterns differently for different body types I purchased two more classes - Sewing the Perfect Fit by Lynda Maynard and The couture Dress by Susan Khalje. I can't comment on these classes as I haven't even viewed them in full yet or tried out the method. That is on my list to do soon. I have been sewing for a while now. I have made purses, clothing and crafts, but never a quilt. I started cutting out and piecing a log cabin years ago. I decided I needed to get back out and finish. It is my first every attempt to cut, piece and quilt. I must say it isn't perfect. I have lots of errors thru out the quilt, and many different size of square because I guess I need to be more precise with my cutting, sewing the 1/4" seam allowance and pressing. However, I figured, I worked hard at cutting, spent tons of time sewing my squares and also spent too much money on my fabric to let it just sit. So I finished the quilt and decided I would take it to someone to have it quilted by a long arm quilter. I found a newly opened quilt store in may area called "The Quilt Tree, LLC" and spoke with the owner about quilting. It cost me a little more than I wanted to spend on a quilt that wasn't perfect, but I went ahead with it anyway. Last night I picked it up. I must say from far away it is very pretty, but when you look closely you see all my mistakes. The quilter was quick to point out my mistakes and tell me she had a hard time quilting because of my seam allowances and my pressing. I felt so bad, and actually felt a little stupid from what she said about my quilt. My first reaction was put the quilt away and not show anyone, and never step foot in the shop again. Maybe I am not a quilter. But then after thinking about it for a while, I decided, yes it wasn't perfect, yes I have lots to learn and maybe it was a waste of money, but I can only get better. So I am going to focus on my cutting, sewing of 1/4" seam and my pressing and hopefully my next quilt will be better. I did attend a beginners quilting class at this new little quilt shop, and I did learn some, but not much more than I read in books. I tried not to let the teacher/owner make me feel stupid about all the more that I know about quilting, but that was hard. She really focused on a certain few in the class that she new and me and some of the others was just there filling up a chair. I really want to find a group of sewers to join and feel comfortable attending and feel welcome. Maybe there is no such thing. Maybe it is just me, and how I perceive how I am being treated. But I can't say I had a great time during my class. I just wonder if any other beginner quilter has encountered people that make them feel inadequate and not able to sew. I am just curious.

Bella's Sleepover Party

My daughter recruited me to make something for the sleepover party for favors. After much thought and lots of searching I came up with embroidery applique pillowcases. I have to make 8-10 different pillowcases. I have a Brother PE770 so I started to search the web for designs. The theme of the party is Hello Kitty. I found a wonderful pillowcase on etsy at So I began to look for the Hello Kitty Design, alphabet, flowers, and butterfly designs. I found them on etsy. The Hello Kitty came from , the alphabet from http://www.etsy.com/shop/RivermillEmbroidery?ref=seller_info the butterfly and flowers was from http://www.etsy.com/people/SewChaCha I went to Walmart and purchased pink pillowcases and started. Well the test one was my grandaughter's and it turned out great, failed to take picture though before I gave to her mother to approve. Last night I made the second pillowcase. It took about 4 hours to figure out placing and stitch out and move hoop to new place and stitch. I do not have any software for editing, so I had to do each letter one at a time, and move the hoop. I didn't get the placing exact, so hopefully I will get better in time. I really think the girls will like them though. Last year for the birthday party I really went all out and made: It took me forever in a day and I decided they really didn't appreciate all the hard work, so I didn't want to go to such extreme this year. I haven't posted much, but still sewing. I made several tops not quite finished yet. I sew while I embroidery so I don't feel like I am wasting time. My grandson had surgery on his thumb. They had to remove the thumb that was not connected and move his index finger to be his thumb. Bless his litte heart, he is only one year old and has had so much happen in his life. But he is so cute and so pleasant. I just love him to death.

I haven't posted in a while. I really havent been sewing much. I did sign up for a class on Craftsy - Sewing for Plus Sizes with Barbara Deckert. So far I really am enjoying the class on-line, but I really am not that far into the class. Today I talked my husband into helping me make a tape dress form. It took us 4 hours, and it turned out alright. But OMG, when I seen what I looked

like, I could have puked. I really have left myself go. I think I need to seriously try to take off weight, both for my appearance and for my health. My sugar has been out of controll, and if I took off weight, it might help it go down without medicine. Anyway, here is what I actually look like, and boy am I ashamed to even share, but I am who I am..... Don't I like a bumble bee...I have the same shape as my grandmother did.

Lazy Sunday

Not much sewing going today. I am babysitting my grandson that is 1 year old. He keeps me stepping, currently taking nap so I am playing on the computer so I can make sure he doesn't fall off the couch. Yesterday Bella and I had our second sewing lesson. I had went to JoAnn Fabrics and purchased 5 Learn to Sew Patterns for little girl's and some valentines material. Of course she wasn't fond of what I picked, but we used it anyway. Note to self, take her with me when buying patterns and fabric. Even at 9 years old they are extremely pickie. We finally agreed on which pattern to use that wouldn't be too hard. I made her cut the pattern out, which she did a great job. Then we proceeded to layout pattern on material. I showed her how to pin the fabric to the fabric. I haven't yet given up pins for weights, maybe something I might do in the future. She cut out the fabric all by herself. I read the instructions to her and tried to explain each step. Of course I had to guide her every step. But she learned to pin material, sew straight lines and also learned how to gather material and sew. She made a mistake so she also used the seam ripper. She thought that was cool, wait a little while and I am sure she will hate it, like everyone else. She had a hard time inserting the elastic, I had to help her, but the skirt turned out cute. Her only complaint was it was too long. So next time, we will shorten.

I worked on my pattern again for the last shirt I made. The ladies on Pattern Review made a view suggestions. So I decided to re-trace the front again and start all over. I cut the self facing off as suggested. Then I made a Full Bust Adjustment and added a dart, to fit a little better in the front and reattached the self facing of the cowlneck. I then did a rounded back adjustment. So now I have done a full back adjustment and a round back adjustment. Hopefully these changes will add length to the back, make the front fit nicer and the cowlneck not to be so low. I did cut out material again that I got a JoAnn's 50% of red tag so I only paid $10 for the material, so if it doesn't turn out I won't be out alot. Though I probably will end up wearing even if it doesn't fit perfect. Went to Doctor yesterday about my diebectic and they put me on more medicine and said I must exercise for at least 45 mintues a day. So I am really going to try to listen. I hate taking so much medicine. I need to lose weight and that would help my sugar count.

I actually went to my sewing room tonight and sewed. My husband had to work over at work and didn't get home until 9:00 pm so I was home alone. I had already cut a top using McCall's 6612 which was the pattern used on the last top. For my first top I added 1" above the waist line to bring it down to my waist. I also added 1/2" to the front and back seams at the sides, and 1/2 to each side of the sleeve seams, tapering down to nothing at the elbow, they are 3/4 length sleeves. I originally did the side seams as view A with the fabic at sides to create a rouching up on the sides but just didn't like the look on me, so I took out the elastic and shortened it alittle more. But I found the top was a little tighter than I liked and it felt uncomfort on me. Looks great on the dress form, just not on me. So I made the following changes. I decided to do view B because I didn't like the rouching. Ishortened it to be tunic length about 19" from arm whole. The last top I made was a little tighter than I like my tops, also the shoulder was not wide enough for my shoulders. The pattern pieces for the top front is different and I am not sure how to add to the shoulders, do a FBA that I really think I could use. This is the front pattern piece:

The top portion of the pattern folds down so that the cowl neck is lined in the same fabric. The shoulder meet when completed. Because I didn't know how to make a FBA I decided I would try to cut the seam allownce and move out 1/2" on the complete side. I thought this might work....did not. Made my cowl neck really big, but did not increase the shoulder with. I also added 1" again above the waistline so the waist would hit where it was suppose too. However with this pattern it really wouldn't matter, there is no waist. But I needed the length. I proable should have just left waist alone and added to the bottom, but not sure about that thought. On the back piece I needed some more room, so I cut pattern and added 1/2". See picture..

I also left the 1/2" on both side seams of the front and back. I raised the back of the neckline about 1/2" because I didn't like how low it fit on my back neck. This is the second finished top...

As I look at the pictures, I need to go back to re-think all my alterations. Adding to the front didn't do much but make my cowl neck hang really low. I must where a cami under or I would be showing the girls all day. The back is shorter than the front. Off me, it is good, on me it is bad. So I have to figure out how to add to the back but keep it the same as the front on the sides...Not sure. Purchased fabric from Fabric.com 2.5 yards @ $3.99 only used about 2 hards because of the long front piece. Material is a ITY and very slinky and a little harder to work with

Bella's First Sewing Lesson

This Christmas I purchase my grandaughter her first real machine. She is nine years old and really just wanted a toy Hello Kitty sewing machine. I felt if I was going to try to teacher her to sew, we needed a real machine. However, she wanted something cute. I started my search on machines, and I fell in love with the Hello Kitty sewing machine. It ran $250 and I just couldn't justify paying this kind of money for a 9 year old. I recieved an e-mail from my Babylock dealer that I could purchase the BL9 for less than $100. That was doable. But how can I make it cute? A lady on Pattern Review suggested Hello Kitty stickers. I found some vinyl stickers at Walmart that are removed, that would do the trick. This is what I came up with....

We started our sewing lesson. I worked with her before on making doll pjs, but this time I purchase a book "My First Machine Sewing book" by Winky Cherry. We looked at the book, I showed parts on her machine and what they are called and what they do. The book has different line drawaling, that you sew without thread and try to stay on lines. That shows them how to move fabric and sew straight. She got bored after about 20 minutes so we started to sew with material and will pick up the lessons again. She made pants for her 18" doll from pattern Simplicity 5733 which was very easy and a quick sew. We had a good day, with only one fatality. She let the pressure foot come down on the outside of her finger, leaving a blood blister

I did cut out another top and it is awaiting me to finish. I tried added a little to the back and sides so it will not be quite as tight. We shall see.....