Spin-Off and more FABRIC

Spin-Off

Here I go again, experimenting with scraps and dies.

I started with four 2½” x 6½” cuts of three different scrap fabrics, sewing them together. Then I cut that square with the X-Quisite die to make the signature shape. White on white dotted triangle corners were added, then the four blocks stitched together to make the spinner.

Rockette, my trusty Singer 500A needed a little exercise and she handled all the piecing with ease. I separated the blocks with 2” sashing and added 4” borders around the perimeter to make Spin-Off 48” square. I used a utility stitch to quilt in rows using off-white thread.

It's a perfect little quilt to add to my ever growing donation stack. That doesn't mean my scrap collection is shrinking, because I believe they are multiplying like bunnies while I'm not looking. Or maybe I'm collecting more material than I'm using. Did I mention I was gifted 14 tubs of fabric the other day? We're either gonna need a bigger house or I have to find a way to sew more!

It's National Sewing Month, so I challenge you all to sew or do something creative in your sewing space every day...have fun!

Dies used:

Blue Wren
6047 Rectangles 2½” x 6½” and 2½” x 3½”
6656 X-Quisite 6” finished

Accuquilt
55017 Strip 2½”
55054 Strip 4½”

 

Hearth & Home

I've been sewing up a storm the past few weeks. Annie is running smoothly and stitching perfectly. This quilt is the first that I've pieced on her and I don't know why I didn't get a Featherweight before now.

The vintage look of chimney sweep blocks in these rich colors says autumn is near. Green, coral, wine and teal prints are lovely with tan and black accents. 

Hearth & Home is 42” x 52” size. I added the strip border and quilted a 2” straight stitch grid in light gold thread. I did the quilting with my Janome since she has a larger sewing area.

I'm happy to have choices of several machines to do my sewing. Annie (Singer 221) is my new favorite for piecing, with Rockette (Singer 500A) close behind. Janelle (Janome MC9450) has the electronics and wide bed for quilting, with automatic threading and cutting a huge bonus. I try to use them often enough so that they stay in good shape. After all, I sew nearly every day.

Accuquilt dies used:
55222 Chimney Sweep BOB 10” finished
55017 Strip 2½”

Camper Sewing and Fabric Bliss

Sorry to miss last week's blog post. We had poor internet connectivity at the campground. We were able to check email and a few favorite online sites, so we got by. It was actually a very nice, relaxing two weeks, including my birthday. We ate inside a restaurant for the first time in over a year!

We filled our time with leisurely walks, reading, movies, people watching, and enjoying each other's company. I was able to sort some of the hundreds of quilt design idea pics that I've saved on my laptop. I moved them into folders organized by the block name or die design.

Both quilt kits that I took along are nearly done, just a few finishing touches left. I set up Rockette on the dining table and stitched away on those cool rainy days. Here's a sneak peek at the tops. I'll post details later when they're quilted.

I saved the best news for last: This past weekend, I saw a yard sale listing that included a room full of fabric! Yep, it was only 40 miles away from the campsite, so my darling husband had keys in hand and was ready to drive me. A sweet lady was downsizing into a condo. Wonderful antique quilts, unfinished tops, books, notions, and hundreds of yards of fabric, sorted by color. Needless to say, I wanted it all but I practiced some restraint. I did buy a lot of it. I haven't measured yet, but I estimate over 160 yards of quilting cotton.

One of the coolest finds was her huge collection of vintage flour and sugar sacks, all sizes and such colorful and retro prints. Of course, I bought all 169 of those! I also got a set of gorgeous hand stitched blocks that I plan to finish into a quilt. Thanks Mrs. Mary, I absolutely love every single piece.

I'm an extremely lucky woman to have such a supportive husband who indulges and encourages my fabric addiction. He always says “Go for it” when I tell him about a fabric sale, new die or handy sewing gadget. Of course, I do the same when he finds electronic gear, radios, or tools.  I love that man to pieces!

Spring Cleaning

I didn't do much sewing last week. Between spring cleaning and stormy days when my machine was unplugged, my stitching time was limited.

When I'm really in the mood to clean, I go all out. Our camper needed the full treatment since it hasn't been used for almost 18 months. Because of COVID, we canceled all our 2020 trips. Oh, we aired it out and unloaded some gear during that time, but it was still a little dusty and stale.

We spent all week. EVERYTHING came out: pots, pans, dishes, linens, all the stuff that normally stays in there. Lots of laundry and several dishwasher loads made it all fresh and clean. I wiped down walls and cabinets, replaced shelf liner, vacuumed, mopped and dusted.

I find it very satisfying to clean and organize once I get started. I culled out duplicate, expired or unused items before moving it all neatly back in. Rockette, my sturdy Singer 500-A, is stashed snugly in a cabinet with her sewing supplies and a couple of quilt kits. I've loaded basic clothing and canned goods. 

Now the camper is ready for our next trip--a few weeks after we get our 2^nd vaccine. All I'll need to add is fresh food.

Spring cleaning will now carry over into the house, but not until we rest and rejuvenate. I logged several miles just toting things back and forth. Thank goodness I had the help of my favorite guy. He finished indoor and outdoor trailer maintenance as well.  We're a great team.

Spring time

is the perfect time

to clean!

Effie's Challenge

A few weeks ago I received a surprise package from my cousin Lola. I opened it and found a quilt top and a few blocks made by our grandmother, Effie Evitts Hill.

The top was partially hand stitched with some seams sewn on machine using several different colors of thread. We don't know when she made it; it's a mixture of cotton and poly-cotton fabric in red, white, and blue. If I had to guess, I'd say mid to late 1980's or early 90's.

It had been washed at some point, which caused quite a few seams to unravel, as you can see in the photo below. I wanted to keep as much of her work intact as possible, even though many of the blocks were not square and corners didn't all line up. It's a big 84” x 90”quilt, and quite a project to tackle.

I mended all those torn seams and straightened the blocks as much as I could without taking the whole thing apart. The inner border is puckered some because that fabric didn't shrink as much as the cotton next to it. I had to trim off about 2” around the outer border.

I added flannel batting and plain muslin backing. Fittingly, I used Rockette, my trusty 1960's Singer Rocketeer, for all the stitching. White thread in a triple zig-zag stitch for quilting helped camouflage the uneven seams.

I only owned one of her quilts, so it's nice to complete another that she started. It's not perfect, but I don't think she intended it to be. It was likely a simple bed quilt for personal use, not one to enter at the county fair.

I was sewing clothes but not quilting at all when she died in 1992. I wonder, what would Granny Hill think about me finishing this one? Thanks Lola, for sharing...it was definitely a challenge!

Sometimes,

good enough

is

good enough

Sweet Tradition

This little quilt is similar to some made by Granny Hill and Granny Rose. In keeping with their tradition, I sewed it all on Rockette, my 1960's era Singer 500-A Rocketeer machine. She's a beauty and still sews like a dream. I do have to get used to trimming my own thread and manually raising/lowering the presser foot, but that doesn't take long. I may be a little spoiled by modern conveniences.

Pretty vintage style prints emphasize the old fashioned feel of time-honored kaleidoscope or kite blocks. I combined sections of two Accuquilt dies to give me fewer seams. These didn't take long at all to cut and stitch. I alternated pastel and medium toned blocks to balance the colors.

Sweet Tradition is 40” square, perfect baby or child size. I quilted with cream thread in a straight stitch alongside each block seam and across the triangles.

Recreating old patterns is one of my passions.  Seeing antique blocks made by the grannies inspires me. I love making them come to life in retro style or modern quilts. I have a list a mile long that of ideas I want to try. There just aren't enough hours in the day!

Accuquilt dies used:
55409 Triangle in square 4” finished (triangle)
55254 Kite 4” finished (kite)
55017 2 ½” strip (binding)

At the heart of every

family tradition

is a meaningful

experience

To see blog posts about my Rocketeer or other vintage quilts from Granny Rose and Granny Hill, click on their label below:

Spring Sewing Ideas

I love spring sunshine, and despite this crazy pandemic, I am enjoying myself at home. With windows open and a glass of sweet tea at hand, sewing is right at the top of my daily to do list.

I've finished up several small projects. The first is a dust cover for Rockette, my Singer 500 Rocketeer machine. I found an embroidery sample of sewing notions that I had set aside several years ago. With it as a focal point, I pulled out coordinating fabrics in grape and white, and whipped up a quickie tie-on cover. No pattern, I just used what I had to make it fit the machine.

The flower block on the back is a test block for a quilt currently under construction. I played with several decorative stitches to quilt in purple thread. After adding binding and ties, Rockette is now dust free.

Another day I stitched this wildly colorful Boho style bag called Feelin' Sassy. It's made from a test piece that I used to practice free motion quilting with the Squiggy ruler. 

No pattern, just fold in half, seam up the sides, add a band at the top, and a strap. The hot pink tab is the same fabric as the lining. I can't go anywhere yet to use it; maybe by summer it will be safe to go out! 

Now you see why I named my blog Useful Remnants. I love fabric so much I just can't let any of it go to waste unless it is too tiny to sew.

Dreamtime

Dreamtime

As many quilts as I make, fabric scraps multiply quickly. Every few weeks I have a cutting session to keep the remnant baskets from overflowing. 

Using Accuquilt dies, I cut my most used sizes of squares, triangles, strips, and tumblers.  I sort them into inexpensive kitchen storage boxes, then label and stack in my cabinets. With all these pieces organized, my sewing room is neater and I'm able to sew a quick quilt anytime.

Today's project is made up of 4 ½” hourglass blocks in bright, cheerful colors and cool white/cream/gray neutrals pulled from my stash. It's an adorable 40” square baby quilt called Dreamtime. After piecing the blocks, I arranged them on my design wall to balance the colors before sewing them together.

I quilted it on Rockette, my latest Singer machine (see last week's post for that story). I used white thread in a straight stitch 3/8” from each horizontal and vertical seam line.  Perfect, neat and simple.  Love that Slant-O-Matic!

Accuquilt dies used:

55398  4 ½” finished Quarter Square Triangles

55017 2 ½” Strips

Come with me,

where dreams are born,

and time is never planned.

~ Peter Pan

Singer Slant-O-Matic 500 Rocketeer

Singer Slant-O-Matic 500
Rocketeer

Do you know what sometimes happens when you're just browsing around, not intending to buy anything? Yep, that item catches your eye and you are hooked.

I've been bad. I certainly didn't need another sewing machine, especially a vintage one from the early 1960's. But this Singer Slant-O-Matic 500 is so cool looking, so space age and interesting that it is commonly known as the Rocketeer. Price was only $49, including the original manual and accessory box, so I figured why not.

My sweet husband and I cleaned, degunked lint and grease out of the gears, replaced a worn bobbin winder tire, broken spring, and a few other parts. We polished this well built gem to a shine. I love working on projects with my guy.

She sewed beautifully, even before we cleaned her up. But now, what lovely stitches! I had attachments from my Athena 2000 that fit, but ordered some cams and bobbins. My investment is around $100 so far; I call that a bargain!

Rockette won't be my primary machine, but I will use her often enough to keep everything running smoothly. I tested her out by quilting and binding a small project and she sewed a dream.

Rockette at work

I've got to stay away from antique malls, thrift stores, yard sales, and online marketplaces. I'm too easily tempted! I don't have space or funds to go crazy collecting sewing machines. But, if I win the lottery...