Modern Quilting Joy

I can't believe I posted last January my goal of posting one time per month, but I actually have posted NOTHING since.  My new modern quilting exploration turned into a full-blown obsession that occupies my every non-working moment, in addition to exploding into every room in my house, including errant threads, pins, fabric bolts, books, magazines, and UFOs (now I know it stands for Unfinished Objects).  So that's my lame excuse, so I'll try to do better.

So, highlights of the year - or the tale of my addiction.

Craftsy class introduction to Jaquie Gering became my gateway drug to the world of modern quilting so I started stalking the blogs of modern quilters.

Some of what I made last year, and some pictures from our meeting.  I'll give details later, but now I'm off to the meeting tonigh!

 Queen Size quilt

 Fireworks for the Veenkers

 Falling Upward for Beth

 Baby quilt for teacher based on books by Roal Dahl

 Loving Lyla

 Journeys baby quilt on design wall

Bird on a wire (made 3 in different colors)

 Ruby's Walk (my dogs sitting blanket)

Joyful Path (baby blanket)

Quilt Emporium, local quilt shop owner, gave me a flyer for a trunk show by Alissa Haight Carlton, the founder of the Modern Quilt Guild.  "You should come. You would love her work."  So I bought her book, made a modern quilt, went to the show, took pages of notes on the movement that is still so new.  On fire, I began experimenting (most of it bad), making and making and making.

Now when you have a desk job, and quilting becomes your obsession, it isn't great for the cardivascular system, so I will need to add that to my do-better this year list too.

Then the QE owner invited me to a secret meeting over the summer to discuss founding a Valley Modern Quilt Guild, and we did. Somehow I heard myself volunteer to be the Vice-President alongside the other much more experienced and inspirational people in the room.  We planned all summer, then in September had our first meeting with over 40 people in attendance.  In one meeting we outgrew the QE store back room, so my dear friend who is a principal of High-Tech High Los Angeles offered to host the meetings in her beautiful school. Our October meeting burst into color with 50+ attendees and new members, a quilt challenge, showcase, and basket give-away.

I've attended two Sew-Ins (I didn't even know what that meant three months ago), and now I want a Featherweight Sewing Machine. How cool is this protable machine?!

Tonight is our November meeting, and I'm still in awe of the women and men that create and make for those they love. I can't wait to see what they have created.  I can't wait to learn some of what they know.  I can't wait. I can't wait. I can't wait.

Resolution Embroidery Tutorial

I haven't posted for a while because I've been learning a new CRAFT!  Oh such fun and joy with learning something new, and get my craft on.  Machine Embroidery now obsesses me.  A couple of bags I made this weekend, and one tutorial on a bag made last week.  Enjoy!

I've learned much from cyber-world, and so here's my contribution:  Resolution Tote Bag

Step 1:  Purchase blank canvas tote.  I use Online Discount Clothing: The Deal Rack website to purchase a variety of weights and styles.  This bagis BAGedge 12 oz with contrasting handles BE010, on sale for $3.31 each.  I've also embroidered on the 10 oz bag (great value), and the heavy 16 0z boat tote (similar to Land's End big bag).

Made of 100 percent cotton canvas, the natural body comes in contrasting nylon webbing handles in 7 great colors. The bag measures 11.25"W x 14.5"H x 3"D.
Manufacturer Product ID: BAGedge BE010
Step 2:  Create Design
My go-to favorite site is Urban Threads
Their contemporary designs inspire, motivate, and obsess me!  Purchasing their designs is quick and easy (too easy).  My machine only stitches 4" x 4" designs in PES format, so I am limited to the smallest designs.  Cost: $3.00.

This design called Resolutions is perfect for a New Year's bag, reminding me to do the following:

Step 3:  Choose threads.  I line them up in front of the machine so I can see them together, and they are ready to go when I need them.  Designs will Download design into design software. I use Essentials Embrilliance.

This inexpensive (compared to others) software, $139, allows you to use your Mac or Windows PC to merge embroidery designs, resize, colorize, add lettering, group/ungroup, and save in your machine's format.  It took a while to figure out, but was worth the time spent. More on this program in future tutorial.

Step 4:  Save on flash drive and upload to machine and transfer to machine.  BTW, I'm using a Brother Innovis 950 D Embroidery and Sewing Machine (entry level machine). I will upgrade to a machine with larger hoops as soon as possible!  Perhaps another resolution!

Step 5:  Hoop Garment
I use 505 adhesive spray to attach a tear away stabilizer sheet that will also be hooped.

 Hoop stabilizer and fabric as tightly as you can. Tighten with screw on end of the hoop.

Step 6:  Attach hoop to machine. Lock in place.  If you need to change bobbins while embroidering, no problem. You unhoop from machine, but the embroidery unit stays in place so after changing the bobbin, you can easily rehoop the garmet to the unit and you're still in the exact same place!

Step 7:  Choose design.

Ready.  Stitch. Change colors as indicted when machine stops.  Don't walk away from the machine. You need to be watching for a variety of issues.   Tutorial to follow, but stuff happens, and you need to be there to trouble shoot. I've had the needle break, fall out, catch the garmet, thread break and the bobbin jam up.  Sometimes the machine will tell you what to do and sometimes, you have to figure it out on your own.  I've learned a lot.

Cut threads as you sew/embroider because the threads are harder to cut later after they have been stitched over while completing the design.

 Step 8:  Finished stitching!  Unhoop from embroidery unit.

Step 9:  Tear Away Stabalizer (or cut away).

Step 10:  Trim threads from front and back.

Step 11:  Iron. A good steam iron is essential to remove the hoop marks and to give a professional finish to the project.

And that's it.  This project took apx. 1.5 hours to complete.  It follows one of the resolutions, "Be Creative Every Day."

Some of the other bags I made for gifts this year:

I'm posting on Metamorphosis Monday!  Join me and check out all the innovative DIY's!

Happy Monday to all.

~CJ