Star Barn

I was invited to a quilting retreat at the Star Barn the first weekend in October. Never before had I been to a retreat. So, this would be a new adventure. Fortunately, I was going with Carol, an experienced quilt retreater. My trolley was still packed from the Ohio trip. All that needed to be done was the laundry, and I would be ready to go & sew.

We arrived Friday afternoon. Anne helped us unload, as quilters never travel lightly. Then we were introduced to Ginie Robie, the proprietor and hostess of the Star Barn. This is the two story entryway. Notice the "wood" stove right next to the door. It is gas fired and provides a nice warmth as you enter the barn. 

As we climbed the stairs to our room, we saw this delightful arrangement. There were photos and ribbons on display. And the tapestry chair reminded me of my grandmother's house.

To the right, as we went up the stairs, was a little gift "shop". There was a variety of items made in Maine for sale. See those chairs, we had two just like them that DH's grandfather made. Unfortunately, after much use, they did not survive the move to Maine.

Left of the stairs was our room. Each room at the Star Barn has a theme, ours was Blueberries. There were books and pictures about blueberries. The quilts covering the beds were blue and white log cabins. And look, a "wood" stove in our room. 

Actually, every bedroom has a private bath and gas fired "wood" stove. This was another very nice touch, a water carafe and glasses on a cake stand and more books with a blueberry theme. 

 As part of our retreat, Ginie provided our meals. The menu was mainly vegetarian which I like. On Friday, we had a potato & kale soup which was yummy. This is the dining room. At each meal the table would be set differently.

 On Sunday morning, we woke to find snow on the ground. This was October 14th! Visions of things to come. After a delicious breakfast, Carol and I packed up to head home. 

Because the best bed and breakfast of all is HOME.

Til next time,

Mary

Birdie Pincushions

Look what came to visit me! 

A flock of birdie pincushions that are just adorable.  I made them as "little gifts" for each person taking the class I taught on Saturday.  They are from the pattern "Petite Alouette" from The Teacher's Pet with two modifications: eyes and a "nest." I sewed beads on for eyes(not shown here). The "nest" is  a 1/2" washer that I found in the tool box.  I covered it with a gathered circle of fabric. Then, I used Fabric Fusion fabric glue to adhere the washer to the bird. Now, they are all well behaved and not falling down.

Then today, Lynda and I made this "flock" to be door prizes at our quilt meeting tomorrow.  After filling them with crushed walnut shells, we glued on some googly eyes. They are sooo cute, I wish I could keep them all!

This little girl is happily sitting on top of my sewing machine, watching over my fabric treasures. At least until tomorrow!

Til next time,

Mary

Autumn In Maine

When I was a little girl, I dreamed of living in Maine. I am not sure why. As I had never been there, or even seen pictures. I just new it was as far north as I could go and still be in the United States (Alaska didn't count). And, Maine had snow. I loved snow. Forty some odd years later, my dream came true. DH, the boys, and I moved to a log cabin in the foothills of the western Maine mountains. During our first winter here, we had over 10 feet of snow. It was beautiful. I tried snow shoeing for the first time, and what fun we had. It was also when I joined my first quilt group, kindred spirits who shared a passion for fabric and all things that could be made with it.
Then, spring came. The trees leafed out with fresh new shades of green, the flowers bloomed, and the birds sang. The hummingbirds would zoom in so close, it was amazing. Before moving here, I had never heard the sound of a hummingbird. I continued quilting, meeting new friends, improving my skills, and being thankful each day for family, friends and dreams that come true.




Now, five years later, it is autumn in Maine. Leaves of red, yellow, and orange mix with greens that are reflected by the still waters of Crowell Pond. There is a crispness in the air that brings a smile to my face. It is time to bring out the quilts.

Til next time,
Mary 

Travel Accessories

"What do you bring when you travel?" I have been asked that question several times. So, I thought I'd share my travel accessories. 

A sewing machine. If I am planning only to piece, I bring Charlotte. She sews a beautiful stitch and doesn't weigh much. If I will need anything other than a straight stitch, I take Francie, my Husqvarna/Viking 400.

A light source. I have a pink folding Ott light, but prefer this Jansjo LED Lamp from Ikea. It is very bright and flexible. I can direct the light exactly where I need it without the lamp getting in the way. Important when in hotel rooms without adequate task lighting.

A thread catcher. This has become my favorite as it folds down when not in use. Check here for where to find the pattern and my alterations. 

A sewing machine mat. I use a microfiber dish drying mat. They reduce noise & vibration from the machine, protect the tabletop from scratches, and they attract loose threads. You can find them in the kitchen supplies department at Walmart, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Target, etc. I think I will add a pocket section to the front to hold my scissors, stiletto, etc.

A cutting mat and pressing surface. I use an Omnigrid Cutting & Pressing Station. It is compact and fits inside my trolley.                                                                           

Cutting tools. A small cutting mat (cut from an old mat),  a rotary cutter, a pair of 8" shears, and a small pair of scissors. Don't forget an extra new blade for the rotary cutter.

An iron and spray bottle. I found this cute little Sunbeam Hot to Trot Travel iron. It is lightweight, doesn't automatically turn off, and has a very comfortable handle. The spray bottle can be filled with plain water or a starch. I prefer Mary Ellen's Best Press as I am a presser, starcher, presser. I seal the bottle in a gallon size Ziploc bag when it is in the trolley.

Thread. I bring several spools of neutral threads. I like Aurifil thread and Alex Anderson's Masterpiece Threads from Superior Threads for piecing. Aurifil is 50/2 and Masterpiece is 50/3. Originally, Masterpiece was a 2-ply but now comes as a 3-ply. When I sew with 2-ply thread, I shorten my stitch length to 14-16 stitches per inch(2.0 on newer machines). This provides a stronger seam. Similar to many light coats of paint rather than one thick coat. 

Bobbins and a holder. Have you ever traveled to a workshop only to realize you had only one bobbin? These flexible bobbin donuts are terrific! Load them with pre-wound bobbins in the neutral colors, along with some empty ones and, you're all set.

 Needles and machine accessories. I pack two sizes of machine needles, 70/10 and 80/12, any extra machine feet I have, a screw driver, and a needle threader. I have a mini ratchet set that usually travels with me, but I used it for something and failed to return it. They are available online priced between $2 and $15 dollars, excluding shipping. I found mine, which only has screwdriver bits, in a computer store. The needle threader is essential for me to thread Charlotte, as she threads from right to left and I cannot see the eye to thread it.

Pins and pincushion. I use extra fine glass head pins 1-3/8 inches long which, I keep in a small plastic tub with a lid. Glass head pins won't melt if you accidentally go over them with an iron. I also keep an emery strawberry snuggled into a glass candle votive holder. 

Marking tools. I pack two ceramic lead pencils, one white and one black, to mark lines on the back of my patchwork pieces. I made a 5-inch square patchwork board by gluing a 5"x 5" square of 200 grit sandpaper to a square of paperboard(the stuff that comes on the back of notepads). The patchwork board is essential to keep squares from becoming distorted when drawing lines on the diagonal.

Rulers. I keep 4 rulers in my trolley; a 12.5 inch square; a 6.5 inch square; a 2.5 inch square; and a 6 inch by 12 inch rectangle. I will also bring any special rulers needed for a specific project. I have recently switched over to Creative Grids brand in my studio, so these Olfa rulers have become the travelers. 

An Eyebrow trimmer to safely un-sew seams. A Stiletto, the tool you never knew you needed, but once you have it, you don't know how you quilted without it. Tweezers necessary to remove threads from the rotary hook of the bobbin assembly. Eye shadow make-up brush, an excellent tool for removing lint from the bobbin area. A seam ripper- okay, I usually don't use it, but its there just in case.

 Sometimes, I have to replace my seam guide and I will need extra Scotch Magic Tape and Re-Stickable Strips. The Magic tape is also necessary if I want to sew over vinyl. By adhering some to the bottom of my presser foot, making an opening for the needle and thread, there is no sticking to the vinyl.

Bed risers (a new addition) for those times when  one must sew on a coffee table. An extension cord and a power strip as some hotels may not have enough outlets or they may be located in the wrong spot.

The last thing that I pack, which changes often, is my project. I try to kit it up as best I can and transport it in plastic scrap booking boxes with snap close lids. I include the pattern, fabric, any special rulers, several Ziploc bags, and hand sewing supplies. The Ziploc bags store not only my starting pieces, but the units once they are made.

 I realize this seam like a lot of stuff. However, all fits in my trolley, except the project box, ready to sew whenever and wherever I go. 

Til next time,

Mary                                                                                                   

Eyebrow Trimmer Seam Ripper

 Have you ever tried to un-sew a seam with a conventional seam ripper only to cut a hole in your fabric? Or the stitches were so small, the seam ripper wouldn't fit under the stitches? Never fear, Nancy, our quilt group's vice-president, had  a solution.

Eyebrow trimmers! They are available in the cosmetics department of most stores, usually three to a pack. They have micro blades recessed, so they cut only the threads not fabric.

 Gently, pull the seam open and begin cutting.

Continue pulling the seam open as you cut the threads. I tend to use the top part of the blade, and after some use, it becomes dull. Not to worry, use the middle, then bottom portion of the blade. These do not totally replace conventional seam rippers, but they take the scary part out of un-sewing a seam. Thanks Nancy!

Til next time, 

Mary

The Featherweight Room

I travel with DH about four times a year for his work as a consultant. I consider each of these trips as mini retreats. No cooking(ok, anyone who knows me knows I don't cook), no housework, and all day to sew. I always have my trolley packed with Charlotte (my featherweight), a travel iron, Best Press, a project, and my box of accessories. Notice, the Scotch Re-stickable Strip ready to guide my fabric.

So, when I saw our room number I had to laugh. I told DH that this was a Featherweight room. 222 was right across the hall. For those who may not know, the model numbers for Featherweights are 221 and 222.

The only place for me to work was the coffee table, as DH was using the desk for work. If you have ever tried to sew on a coffee table, you know that it causes pain in the lower back. I thought of buying a table, but I already have two at home. Then the idea hit me, bed risers! Off to Walmart.

The risers raised the coffee table 7 inches, enough to take the strain off my lower back. I will add them to my list of items to bring when I travel. Now, I was ready to get to work. 

I am continuing to work on my Oklahoma Backroads quilt that I took to Oregon with me. There are 1600 pieces in the 100 blocks of this quilt. I drew lines on 180 neutral 2 1/2 inch squares. 

Then, those squares were pinned to 180- 2.5"x 4.5" bricks making sure that half went left and half went right.

Now, I had to sew those 180 units. Notice my seam guide, I don't have to remove it because the fabric glides right over it. Once, the units were sewn, I pressed, flipped, pressed, trimmed, and pressed the units. 

Tomorrow,  I will begin to match up the units to create the additional 70 blocks to go with these 30. This is going to be a Happy quilt.

Til next time,
Mary

My Favorite Seam Guide

I try to be as accurate as possible when piecing my quilt blocks. The less trimming I have to do, the better. This is especially important with blocks and sub-units that have points. To accomplish this, I use a seam guide placed at the position that takes up 1/4" of fabric when sewing the seam. Bonnie Hunter has a very good tutorial on locating your machine's 1/4 inch.

My favorite seam guide is Scotch Restickable Mounting Strips. There are 6 strips per package with each strip measuring 1"x3". They leave no residue, can be adjusted many times, provide a consistent fence, are economical (use a coupon from Joann's), and do not need to be removed when sewing non-1/4 inch seams. 

I begin by cutting one strip in half lengthwise.

Peel the printed cover from the right strip. 

This places the uncut straight edge to the right.

Pull a little of the cover from the left strip and line it up on top of the right strip, keeping the uncut straight edges of both strips on the same side. If everything lines up, gently remove the remaining cover strip and finger press to secure.

This provides a 1/8" thick fence against which your fabric can ride.

Peel off the clear cover on one side and replace it with a piece of Scotch Magic Tape( I didn't use the magic tape in this photo). Trim the Magic Tape if necessary. This prevents bits of thread from becoming stuck under the edge and provides a slick surface so that fabric glides over the top when necessary. 

Once you have your 1/4" location, remove the last cover strip and press your seam guide in place. Test drive some 1.5"x3" strips to check that you are achieving the desired result. Now, you are ready to sew those flying geese!

Til next time,

Mary