Coraopolis

We are on the road again. This time to Coraopolis, PA just south of Pittsburgh. I brought The Queen and Her Court to work on as my main project and 1-1/2 inch squares as leaders & enders. I am working on Four Patch Revisited from Bonnie Hunter's Leaders & Enders book. It requires hundreds of 4-patches. I think if I had to sew them all at once, I'd pull my hair out. But sewing them in between other projects makes it less tedious. See the empty box? I bought another Janso light from Ikea. At only 2 miles from the hotel, how could I not go there. I also bought 4 Ribba shelves to hold my threads for the longarm.  


These are the four blocks I completed this week: 7,8,9 & 10.

They finish at 12 inches with tons of seams so, I resorted to pressing the seams open to reduce the lumps. 

 Til next time,
Mary

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

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                                                                                                   

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

Friends, Family, and Wool

Remember the delicious wool felt I bought at Stony Brook? Well, I made these adorable mug rugs. See the tiny leaves, those were scraps that VGF Carol put in my Tabletop Thread Catcher during the PTQG meeting in early September. I just couldn't let them be thrown away. No, I had to return them to her. She now has two mug rugs for when we sew together. 

My trip to New Jersey to see my Mom went fast. We celebrated her 88th birthday early: shopping, dining out, talking, and just visiting. She was a working mom at a time when most moms did not work outside the home. So, I cherish just being able to spend time with her. She has a very dear friend, Angelo. He will be 101 years old on October 21st. Don't they look cute together? She visits him most days at the nursing home. 

I said my good-byes to Mom on Tuesday morning and headed north for a visit with my college roommate and her family. We've kept in touch for 30 years, but don't often see each other. So, this was a real treat. 
 One day to visit, and I was on the road again. 
Tomorrow was a work day.

This is Cheri of Pins & Needles wearing the hat I made for her from the book Pumpkins and Spice by Terri Degenkolb. 

   While I was away, they displayed it on a vintage wire hat stand next to the book. 

She hand dyes felted wool to get some totally awesome colors.
Just look at these! The first hat I made was a bright orange with brown. It was gorgeous. Unfortunately, it didn't fit my head. So, VGF Wes is now the proud owner of an orange wool hat. I did enlarge the pattern and made another one that fits. Next, a hat for Mom to match her jacket.

Til next time,
Mary

Trip to New Jersey

 This was the view from the top of Cape Cod Hill when I left on Friday. You can barely see the mountain peeking out from the fog. The sun didn’t appear until I reached Freeport, but it stayed with me all the way to New Jersey. Traffic was light, so it was a very pleasant trip.

After a good night’s sleep, Mom and I headed out for a Saturday of shopping and eating. We began at Panera’s with a breakfast of baked egg `soufflé and coffee. I also introduced Mom to Cinnamon Crunch bagels sliced in the bread slicer. She raved about them to everyone. Thanks Wes for introducing me to them.

Michael’s was across the parking lot, so we ventured there. I was looking for wool felt, real wool. None to be found, so on we went.

Next stop, Stony Brook Sew & Vac, my number one place to hang out when I lived in New Jersey.  In its old location, it was only 2 miles from my house so, I could ride my bike there if I wanted. Actually, I was there so much, they decided to let me teach a few classes on making pillow covers. They’ve moved to a new location, bigger and better than ever, about 5 miles south. 

Guess what they had, wool felt, lots of wool felt. I bought a half yard each. Don’t these look delicious? Mug rugs, Penny rugs, and pin cushions here I come!

As I was checking out, my eye caught a table runner hanging from the end of the counter. This was a runner I had made when I first began quilting. I was so excited that they had it displayed.

 After so much shopping, we were hungry again. Mom and I headed over to my favorite Mexican Restaurant, Chapala’s in Hamilton. She’s wearing one of the bibs I made her. Very stylish. It was a good day.

Til next time,
Mary