Stitching the pieces together

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited March 2013

    Just remembered! I have a ruler that has a lip that goes over the edge of the cutting mat to hold my ruler straight. See if you can find one out there.

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  • MostlySew
    MostlySew Member Posts: 1,418
    edited March 2013

    I'm making a baby blanket for a girl and I'm considering putting some cotton crochet lace around the edge. It would lie on the quilt at the binding edge and stick out from the binding by about 1/2". I'm concerned about baby fingers getting stick in it though. Anyone got any ideas on this? Thanks

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  • lvtwoqlt
    lvtwoqlt Member Posts: 6,162
    edited March 2013

    Mostly Sew, I have seen quite a few crochet edgings on baby blankets that are beautiful. My thoughts are, depending on the pattern, the holes could be small enough that little fingers wouldn't get stuck. I have done some baby afghans out of worsted weight yarn with open patterns and I haven't seen any problems with baby's fingers getting caught.

    Sheila

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  • Blessings2011
    Blessings2011 Member Posts: 4,276
    edited March 2013

    Melissa - I have that same problem with the rotary cutter and the ruler... sometimes it seems like my blade has a mind of its own!

    I have little no-slip feet on the bottoms of my rulers, so they pretty much stay in place... and I have almost my full weight on them when I cut, so I know it's my driving skills that need work! 

    That's when I learned that I needed to measure and square up each piece before it gets joined to another to make the block.

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  • MelissaDallas
    MelissaDallas Member Posts: 7,268
    edited March 2013

    Yes, it isn't the ruler slipping. It is my hand not pushing straight. I need to find a piece of scrap to practice on so I don't keep chopping up my good fabric. I need to cut a dozen 1 1/2" x 18" strips & right now I'm messing up bigger chunks. I have two blocks to finish this week so I have to get with it.



    Lord help me, I've spent the morning with my folks helping my Dad try to patch a squirrel hole in my roof. I so appreciate his help but he is getting old & things like this are getting hard for him. They just left. I think I need a drink....

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  • MostlySew
    MostlySew Member Posts: 1,418
    edited March 2013

    Sheila, thanks. I'm glad to know others have used the lace edging. I thought the picture I saw was so cute, so I think I'll give it a try.

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  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited March 2013

    Melissa, I have a couple of bolts of muslin (all you need is a couple of yards) to use as practice material.

    I went to a pattern making class today.  It is the first class I've been to for sewing since high school.  I really learned a lot about pattern adjustments.  Of course the company sponsoring the class was in it to sell their products but I didn't suck into it.  I took the freebies and the knowledge and left.  But I am very happy that I went.

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  • Gingerbrew
    Gingerbrew Member Posts: 2,859
    edited March 2013

    We just had a big sewing expo here in WA this past week.  I asked my DH for what I thought was a large amount of cash. I wasn't really serious, but I'll be darned if he didn't come back with all this money for me. I felt almost like a mob wife. LOL

    So, I bought a set of those turner tubes and a set of sallop rulers. Livin large here, I am! 

    You should know I usually go out with $40.00 max. 

    Ginger

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  • lvtwoqlt
    lvtwoqlt Member Posts: 6,162
    edited March 2013

    Meece, my sister went to one of those classes last year, we went together and bought one of the pattern books because she does a lot of clothing sewing. We made our Easter dresses last year from the book we bought. It was facinating making our own patterns from pictures.

    Ginger, when I am going to one of those shows I am always afraid of spending too much, but my DH says, you know how much is in the account and you know what bills need to be paid, if you really want something and you know there is money available, you have my permission to buy it.  Of course I fuss at him for spending money on cigarettes so he thinks that letting me buy what I want makes up for his cigarette spending. (I am trying to get him to quit)

    Sheila

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  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited March 2013

    DH quit 29 months ago, but uses the Nicorette lozenges.  That can be as expensive as cigarettes!

    I came home and bought the curves tools on Ebay, new, for the same "Class special" price, free shipping, and no sales tax, so I did better.  I want the expandable scale. Actually my mother bought me the curves for my upcoming birthday.

    Would love the pattern book but being unemployed isn't great for a $127 expense.

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited March 2013

    Mostly, worry more about how often the piece will be washed! Don't make it too dear or the mom won't use it.

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  • Wren44
    Wren44 Member Posts: 8,585
    edited March 2013

    I made baby quilts for a couple of co-workers. Washed the material on hot and dried on hot before sewing. I told them the highest compliment I could get would be for my quilt to become a "lovey".

    Really cool: My 20yo grandson called last night and asked me to teach him how to sew.

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  • Gingerbrew
    Gingerbrew Member Posts: 2,859
    edited March 2013

    Wren that is indeed cool. I wish my three Gkids who live far away were near. My one nearby Gd looks forward to learning to sew.    

    I had Gparents who were great sewers and Aunts too, but none lived closer than 450 miles away.  

    Enjoy enjoy

    Ginger

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  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited March 2013

    Well, here goes...

    DS called me this week to help jim come up with a unique and memorable way to ask his GF to marry him.  I told you it was coming.  So, after shooting around some ideas, I gave him the suggestion to ask her when they were getting group photos this weekend.  He wanted me to help him make a banner and (Me) go hang it in the orchard where the pictures were to be taken.  I was going to be busy at the time so I came up with another idea.  Tuesday morning I bought 5 t-shirts and my mom and I hastily made shirts for everyone.  

    The scheme was that DS told photographer he wasn't pictures of only  his GF and while she was turned around posing, DS put the shirts on everyone and posed, waiting for her to turn around.  We were pretty sure of the answer so there was a shirt ready for her.

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  • Blessings2011
    Blessings2011 Member Posts: 4,276
    edited March 2013

    Oh, my gosh....if that isn't the cutest darn idea!!!!

    And she said YES!!!!!

    Congratulations!!!!

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  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited March 2013

    Thank you!

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  • Gingerbrew
    Gingerbrew Member Posts: 2,859
    edited March 2013

    Your DS has the most talented MOM ever!!!!!


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  • Gingerbrew
    Gingerbrew Member Posts: 2,859
    edited March 2013

     I bought an old toy sewingmiachine. You turn the handle for the needle to go up and down and it makes a chain stitch. I got it for my DGD. She was so thrilled. Her first task was to just make a row of holes across the fabric.  I have a photo on my phone but don't know how to get it over here.  It makes me so happy. 

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  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited March 2013

    Thank you so much.  He definitely has a mom who loves him very much.

    When I take a picture on my phone, I email it to myself and save it to my computer.  I then post is it on my private website and take the URL from there.  You could do the same using FB or Photobucket etc.

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  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited March 2013

    FDIL is thinking of framing the shirts and using them as decor.

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited March 2013

    Meece, that was SO clever!! AND colourful!!!!!!! I notice you didn't have a "No" T-shirt....hehehehhehehehehe

    Ginger, that is a PERFECT machine for her to learn on!! Taking out mistakes is so much easier with those stitches.

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  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited March 2013

    When DS and I would have talks about their future, I would be devil's advocate and ask him "what about" type questions.  Most of the time he'd say they had talked about it and this is what they are thinking...  Well, if she wasn't open to saying yes, I don't think she'd ever talk about those things as part of "their" future!  That's why no "No" shirt. (Her 6 yr old told me a few weeks ago that 'when mommy marries Matt, I am going to be a flower girl and my dress is going to be green because Matt likes green and have pink roses because mommy and I love pink and roses and I'm going to have flowers in my hair....{all said without a breath between})

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  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited March 2013

    This is very similar to my first battery operated sewing machine.  I still have it somewhere in a box in the garage.  When I find it I should put it out in my sewing room.

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  • Blessings2011
    Blessings2011 Member Posts: 4,276
    edited March 2013

    When I was little, we had my Nana's old Singer treadle machine on our enclosed porch. I'd sit there for hours, with no thread in the needle, punching holes in a paper bag so it would be perforated and I could tear off strips! (I was easily amused...)

    But then my aunt came and got it...I have no idea if she still has it, but perhaps it's time to say if you or my cousin don't want it, I sure do!

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  • Wren44
    Wren44 Member Posts: 8,585
    edited March 2013

    I was raised by my Grandma, who made all my school clothes on her mother's treadle machine. Finally my Grandpa figured out how to put a motor on it and she used that. It was years before she got a modern machine. I hear the treadle machines are wanted by people living off the grid.

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  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited March 2013

    My mother has a tgreadle machine but I don't think she's ever really used it.  I think it would be fun to try.

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  • Gingerbrew
    Gingerbrew Member Posts: 2,859
    edited March 2013

    I learned on my G Grandma's treadle my Grabdma still had hers. I have it now.  I learned about tension on a treadle too.  I made a lot of thread knots on it and am not sure if I sewed anything worthwhile on it.  I did sew up the legs of a  pair of pants to tight that I could barely work my foot through the hems.   

    We had home mechanics in 7th and 8th grade. Electricity, woodworking, plumbing, metal working, cooking, sewing. I really like those classes. We had both treadle and electric sewing machines. We also had plaxtic aprons tghat melted if you leaned againt the oven.

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  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited March 2013

    Yep, we had those aprons as well.  We also hade Home economics in 7-8 grade.  Girls took cooking and sewing boys took metal shop and wood shop. No treadle machines though.  

    I took home ec in HS too.  Love to cook and love to sew.

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited March 2013

    I had two treadle machines I couldn't even GIVE away when we moved here 2 1/2 years ago!! Now I wish I'd kept at least the base and drawers!!!

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  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited March 2013

    My uncle made a heavy duty table out of the base the legs from one.  It is now the centerpiece of my greenhouse.  I have two bonsai trees and a plumeria tree setting on it.

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