Des Moines Star Clone Progress

Do you ever have Murphy's Law Days?  I sure do!

I was all set Wednesday to do a tutorial on binding after I got the other stuff done that I had to do.  Sometimes taking a day off work does not mean a relaxing day!  In fact, usually for me it means I have a bunch of "have to do's" on my list.  Finally about 2PM I got home and could start work on my plans.

The binding for the Des Moines Star clone quilt was all prepared.

The final quilting stitches had been taken.

It was time to square up the quilt and bind it.

With rotary cutter and square ruler plus long ruler, I squared the quilt so it was ready to bind.

It seemed like a great day to write a binding tutorial as I do a couple of things a bit different than most people I know.  I grabbed my DSLR camera ready to take some photos for the tutorial.  Oops, the battery was dead.

So, I grabbed my trusty little carry along digital camera.  Not as good, but I needed to get the machine part of the binding on that quilt!

First I took some photos of my Noah's Ark collection since I was on a step stool anyway.  Well, there are other Noah's Ark items in other places, so off I went to take photos of them too.  Hmm, shouldn't have gone off on that tangent of photo taking -- back to the task at hand.

So I started.

I always start the binding on the lower right corner of the quilt.  No particular reason, it's just the way I do it.

I start with a 10" + the width of the binding and pin in place stopping 1/4" from the bottom edge.  I only stitch about 6" of this leaving a tail at the top for joining later when I finish this side of the binding.

I measure, measure, measure!  Before I ever start I measure the quilt 3 times across the width and the length -- center and both edges.  If I've been accurate in my piecing and quilting, they are the same measurement.  I need to know the measurement so the binding will be exactly the right length on each of the 4 edges.  In this case all three of the width measurements were the same.  All of the length measurements were the same as well, so no worries!

It's time to sew.

I stop 1/4" from the bottom edge of the quilt and back stitch.  The binding is then folded at a right angle making sure the edge of the binding and the edge of the quilt are in a straight line. This is what makes that miter in the corner of the binding.

Pin the right angle in place at the edge and bringing the binding to the left with the raw edges even with the bottom of the quilt and pin the right angle on top of the binding.

Before I go any further on the binding, there are two things I do.

The first is in the next photo.  I roughly go from corner to corner all the way around the quilt with the binding to make sure I will not have any seams in the corners of the quilt.

It is NOT a good thing if you do. So before measuring and stitching the second side check this out.

The second is to measure the binding so that from the fold it is 1/4" shorter than the measurement of the quilt.

This is what the quilt looks like at this point.  The binding is not sewn except for the lower right side.  There were not problems with those joining seams on the binding being in corners nor too close to where the final joining would be so it was time to move on.

The binding for the bottom is measured from the edge just sewn and folded.  It needs to be 1/4" less than the measurement of the quilt since you will stop sewing 1/4" away from the edge.  I put a pin in the binding and then pin the binding 1/4" from the edge of the left side of the quilt where I will stop stitching. The binding is pinned in place about every 1-1/2" so it will stay in place while I stitch.  This step is repeated for the left side and the top.  The final side is measured 10-1/4" less than the measurement of the length of the quilt.

The plan was to show you how I finish the joining.  But, this is where Murphy;s Law comes in.  It was too dark to take a photo by that time.  So, a true binding tutorial will have to be written later.  I know it was a tease to tell you all the steps except the final one.  Actually I skipped a couple of other steps, too.  And, I forgot to take a photo of a couple of the steps. When I really do write a tutorial, I will start in the morning and make sure the good camera is charged and ready to go.  One of the Noah pieces I photographed (which is probably why I ran out of daylight) has a slogan on the bottom.  It reads, "Plan ahead, it wasn't raining when Noah built the ark."

If I'd planned ahead better, this would be a true tutorial.

So, I'll ask you again, do you ever have days like this?  At least I am now doing the hand stitching on the Des Moines Start Clone quilt.  Soon I'll be taking a photo of it completed before giving it to Mindy and Mike.  If you missed the post about the antique Des Moines Star, you can find it here.

Until Next Time,

Lois

Tucson Quilt Show 2012

A Friday "hello" friends!

What could be better than good friends, a road trip and a quilt show?

That is exactly what friends Diane, Joyce and I got to do last Saturday.  We had not even seen each other since last year!  I know that was only weeks ago, but still....... a girl needs her friends!

This photo was taken at the NQA 42nd Annual Quilt Show in Columbus OH last June.

The show this year will be June 14-16 -- be sure to come!

Back to the Tucson Quilter's Guild (an NQA Chapter) Show.

As usual, I didn't get a lot of photos of quilts taken.  I get so busy looking I forget!

Upon entering the show, we saw this wonderful mariner's compass variation made by Kathy Zimmer.

Note the ribbon -- it is a wonderful quilt!  Kathy was the show chairman.

This is an honorable mention ribbon, not Kathy's.  I just wanted you to see the wonderful AZ logo close up.

Many of the quilts were colorful and used a LOT of different fabrics like this one by Jean Troutwine.

I loved the spinning star effect.

One of my favorites was this one by Patsy Heacor.

The women are Arizona women of note.  The bottom left is Sandra Day O'Connor.  The faces are painted and thread painted.  Patsy did a great job!

Though I didn't take a photo of it, the best of show was stunning.  I spent some time speaking with the maker, but never got a photo.  There were a LOT of people wanting to get up close and personal with the quilt!

Though I took a few other photos, they turned out blurry and I didn't want you to go blind trying to see them.

Joyce, Diane and I had a great time.  We enjoyed a lunch outside though the selections were limited.  My theory is that it's not about the food, it's about the company, so the food choice isn't all that important.

We all visited the vendors as well -- of course we did, that's part of the whole show experience.

We visited with friends we had not seen in a while and met new ones.

All too soon we needed to get in Diane's van and head home.

Until next time,

Lois

Antique Des Moines Star Quilt

Hello friends!

I really am trying to be better at sharing before a week has past.  Today I'm sharing this antique quilt.  Actually, just the top is antique.  My dad found the quilt top or maybe even just the blocks at a farm auction.  My dad LOVED to go to auctions.  And you know what?  I loved it when I could go with him.

My mother quilted the top in the 80's and gave it to me.

It was used on our daughter's bed and she really loved it.  It did look wonderful on her four poster bed. 

Maybe she loved it a bit too much!

One day, I noticed that the blocks that were made with black fabrics looked like this.

The blue blocks did not disintegrate as badly.

I must have been hurrying too much as this photo is really blurry.

I would re take the photos except, this quilt was given to her for Christmas.

She was supposed to get this one and the duplicate that I am making for her.

I've been working on the "clone" of this quilt for many years   a while now.

The "clone" kept being put on the back burner so to speak.

My mother died the year I started it and I spent a lot of time in another state.  I was working on this quilt while my mother was in surgery to, hopefully, rid her of the cancer that was attacking her.  Even the "clone" has history.

Last night I finally took the last quilting stitch in the "clone"  It still has to be squared and the binding put on so there aren't any photos of it yet.  There will be another post on it.

It took some research to find out the name of the pattern used.  It's fitting that it is called Des Moines Star as our kids consider Iowa "home" as we lived there many of their growing up years. Another name I found was Lily, but Des Moines Star seems more fitting for an Iowa girl's quilt.

The block wasn't made quite right in the antique quilt, so I duplicated the error so the clone would actually look almost like the antique.

From a distance you don't see the flaws.

Do you mind the flaws in quilts?  I don't in antique ones -- the ones I make, well, that's a different story.

Hope you enjoyed seeing this quilt.  Soon I'll reveal the "clone" now that it is finally quilted.

Stay warm, my friends!

xoxoXOXOxoxo

Lois

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Kindle Cover

Whoa!  My intent was not to become a weekly blogger, but so far this year (2012) that is what has happened!  My plans are to post more often and, hopefully, the rest of 2012 won't be as crazy as the first half of January has been!

For Christmas I received a Kindle Fire and I am so thrilled!  Since it is back lit, I can read in the dark!  I love that one feature probably more than any other.  It seems I spend a lot of time riding in a dark car and have always felt like I was wasting time -- now I can read!  Yes, I've had book lights for regular books, but they never seem to focus where I need them to.

What I did not have was a cover for the Kindle so decided to make one.

This is what it looks like when it is closed.

It was simple to make.  This isn't exactly a tutorial, but it is an outline of what I did to make this cover -- the first of others since I learned a lot making it.  I also missed photographing several of the steps.  I was hurrying, as usual!

First I measured the Kindle and decided how much of it I wanted covered -- be sure to add the depth of the e-reader you have if you decide to do this.  I decided I wanted it to look like a clutch purse.

I made the inside first by cutting a layer of fabric (yellow with bees for mine) and a layer of batting both slightly larger than the size needed for the final cover to allow for shrinkage during the quilting process.  Then I quilted the two layers together with a meandering stitch.

This is what it looked like at this point.  I measured the corners of the Kindle for placement and attached 1/4" black elastic for all four corners to hold the Kindle in place.

Next I prepared the outside fabric -- cutting it the size I needed plus seam allowances.

I took a graphic from The Graphics Fairy which was the bee with the wreath.  I have also used this graphic on a lamp which I'll show you sometime.

I printed it on Avery T-Shirt Transfer paper to iron on the fabric -- in this case a cream colored canvas.

Follow the instructions on the package to make sure the graphic transfers well.  I think I should have ironed a bit longer as it wasn't quite as dark as I would have liked.

It looks fine here, but next I decided to add the word Paris and I did this using my computer, a light table and a Sharpie pen.

First I used a scrolly font to print out the word Paris in the size I wanted.  Then I placed it on the light table using drafting tape to hold it in place and put the fabric over the top centering Paris under the bee/wreath.

I traced the Paris using the Sharpie which came out a bit darker than the bee/wreath, which is why I think I should have iron a bit longer during the transfer process.

Next, I trimmed the inside and put the outside right sides together with it making sure the ends of the black elastic were pinned in place.  I stitched around the edges using a 1/2" seam allowance and leaving a 4" or so opening for turning.  After pressing, I top stitched close to the edge for a sharper edge.

Can you see what I did not do?

I really meant to add a Velcro closure which needed to be added when the elastic was put in place several steps back!  It does work this way, though.

The next one might have a zipper closing around the outside, but I do like the fact that it is easy to get to the power button and it is also open so the Kindle can be easily charged while the cover is closed.

So this ends up being a prototype for future Kindle covers that will be improved, I'm sure.

So that is it -- as my husband says, "It looks like it is just your style."  I agree.

What do you think?  Any suggestions for what you would want in a Kindle or Nook or other e-reader cover?

Oh, yes, I do still read traditional books, but they aren't back lit so only when it is light!

Until next time!

xoxoXOXOxoxo

Lois

I've liked up with The Graphics Fairy Brag Monday

Laundry Sign

How can it already be a week into 2012?  this week has gone fast and I've had no time to breathe much less post!

I thought I'd share another of the Christmas gifts that I made.

This one is for our daughter who has 4 kids and does laundry for 4 kids, herself and her hubby.  That's a LOT of laundry!  She says she always has a load in the washer, a load in the dryer and clothes waiting their turn.

And then there is the folding!  I remember those days, but at least there were only 3 kids to do laundry for.

The words for this sign were "stolen" from a blog that I read.  Unfortunately, I either did not make a note on the URL, so if you saw this and know the blogger, I will definitely give her credit for the words.

This photo was taken before it was wrapped.  The angel above it was not part of the gift.  She watches over our dining room.

The frame was a new one, but one I had for a long time in the "frame" box -- it has moved a few times!

It started out brown with green metallic accents.  It was no long my style, so it got a coat of white paint and some antique glaze to age it. Hmm, it is probably already 25 years old, anyway!

The words were made using an MS Word text box.  The background used an option to color fade from top to bottom diagonally.  This was then printed on card stock and sprayed with a matte finish by Krylon.

The words say:

For one day service, do it yourself.

Ironing requires 2 week notice.

Not responsible for lost socks.

Thank you mystery blogger for giving me the words to use!

Mindy laughed when she read the sign.

I hope you got a chuckle, too!

Hope your first week of 2012 has been excellent.

Next time I'll show you the Kindle cover I made for the Kindle Fire I received for Christmas.

Until then, keep smiling!

xoxoXOXOxoxo

Lois

Happy 2012

A new year!  Every January 1, we get a new year.  A blank year to write on.  What will your 2012 say?

In several circles, people are choosing a word instead of making resolutions that tend to always start, Lose weight, Get organized, etc., anyway.

I've tried to come up with a word for the year.  I came up with three:  Change, Adapt, Create.  There will be a lot of changes in 2012.  We will need to adapt to those changes and then go on a create what is necessary.

So my wish for you is that your changes will be minor, your adapting easy and your creations glorious!

"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11

Don't be apprehensive!

Blessings for the New Year!

Lois

Subway Art

One of the gifts I decided to make for Christmas was a subway art street sign for my husband. Subway art pieces have been all over blogland for a while and in all of the shops, as well.  I decided that I would do one for Gary with all the names of all the streets we have lived on.  Technically Gary didn't live on the first street listed, but if the highway had not turned but continued straight, instead, he would have lived on it.  He grew up in a house that was in a straight line from where I grew up about 5 miles away.

The streets are in 5 different states and several cities within those five states.  Okay so some were suburbs of the city, but still .....

Here is the result of my subway art experiment.

Making it was actually pretty simple, though I was totally frustrated with a couple of office store employees when I tried to get them to understand what I needed them to do with the file I brought to them.

Here is a Tutorial of how I did this.

1.  Open MS Word and create a text box. Mine was 6" x 8".  The canvas I would later attach it to was 18 x 24, so I needed the text box to be the same proportion for later enlargement before printing. You will need to figure out the correct ratio for your canvas/text box.

2.  Choose different fonts and different sizes for the different streets or other words you use.  Choose a color for the text.  I chose white and made the background black.  Play a bit with the fonts until you are pleased with the effect.

3. You will need to go into the format area to format the text box for size, color of font and fill. I used a gradient from top left to bottom right for the fill (background). You can choose the effect you want.

4.  Once you are happy with the look of your text box, you are ready to have it printed.  If you want it larger than 8 x 10-1/2 (you cannot print to the edge of the paper -- there will be 1/4" white all around)., you will need to have it printed by either a printer or in the copy section of Staples or another office supply store.  I chose a Staples at first.  The first young man to help me did not understand how to enlarge the text box proportionately and after some time got someone to help him.  The second young man understood how to do it, but, though I kept telling him that he would need to print on larger paper than 18 x 24, he still printed on that size.  Of course, there was a 1/4" white border which was totally not acceptable since I needed it dark to the edges.  I paid for my copy which was only a couple of dollars and change and left.  Make sure the person making your print understands how to do this!

Note:  You will either need to e-mail the file or take it to the store on a thumb drive as I did.

All was not lost for me.  I'm sure I could have taken it to a larger Staples where someone on staff would have really understood what it was I was doing.  However, since we work in the print industry, I happened to mention my problem getting this printed to one of our printer customers.  She volunteered to print it for me on their proof machine if I'd send her the file.  She delivered the fabulous copy the next day after sending me a file to approve.  How is that for great service?  They even made sure it had crop marks on it and had "bled" the edge.  That's printer talk for making the outside color go beyond where it will be trimmed so no white will show.

5.  After trimming, coat the back of the print with Mod Podge and position it on the canvas using a brayer.  You could use your hands to smooth it down.  When I do another one, I will also coat the canvas also.  You can learn from my experiment -- coat the canvas as well.  There are a couple of places where the print did not adhere as well as it should have.  Once the Mod Podge is dry, Brush more Mod Podge on the front of the print.

6.  The final step is to paint the edge of the canvas black or whatever color you chose as the background.  If you do this in advance, be sure to paint a bit of the front of the canvas as well.  Gallery wrap canvas will look the best.  Cheaper canvases have staples on the edge which is totally fine if you are framing the canvas.  I was not so wanted it to be staple free.  You can attach a sawtooth hanger to the wood frame of the canvas for hanging.

Here is another look.

I'm not sure why the wall looks gray in this picture, it is actually an off white.  It was difficult to get a photo without there being glare.  The printer used really good paper so it has a bit of gloss and the Mod Podge added to the gloss.

I hope you liked my little tutorial.  If you have any questions, feel free to ask.  As this is the only piece like this I've done, I'm not exactly an expert on it, but I did learn a lot in the process.  It was fun!  Try it!

 

Yikes it's almost the new year!  Are you ready?

Until next time,

Lois