Sunday, December 17, 2006

Need Some Quilting Help and Christmas Memories

Yesterday and today were the first days in over two weeks that I have felt well enough to spend time at the sewing machine. I finished a small tote bag that I was making for a nephew, but when I had it done I thought it was too girly for a little boy so I decided not to make any more bags for right now until I could check in with DH and what he thinks about the bag.

Since the tote bags were out I decided to work on a quilt I had cut last week when I had asked for advice on how to order the strips. I changed the order of the strips and I really like the order I choose. The quilt went together easily, but I'm totally confused on how the ends of the strips could come out so uneven. Any thoughts on how this could have happened or what I could do to fix it?




This little angel candle has been a part of my Christmas for as long as I can remember. I have no clue where my mom found it, but she has always been my angel. When I was about 4 or 5 I remember lining my Barbie dolls and this little angel on the table in front of the Nativity scene and asking my mom to turn on one the Christmas albums. I would proceed to choreograph an entire Christmas concert using the Barbie dolls and the angel. Most of the time the angel was the soloist and would gracefully move across the stage loudly singing the Christmas carols. I would spend hours and hours putting on the Christmas concert. I don't how many times over the holidays I would put on the concert, but I'm sure I did it many, many times.

12 comments:

Patti said...

Here are a couple reasons why the strips might come out uneven . . .

Did you pin each vertical row to the next one before stitching, matching the ends? If not then your feed dogs will pull the bottom one through faster unless you stitch them with an even feed foot.

How did you cut your original strips - lengthwise or crosswise across grain? Crosswise grain has much more stretch; lengthwise has next to none. Some crosswise grains stretch more than others - it varies a lot. You may be getting stretch due to crosswise grain as you stitch your vertical rows together.

No worries however - just cut it evenly across the bottom and no one will be the wiser.

Libby said...

Oh, I remember candles like yours. I bet you put on the best concerts ever -- the perfect solist *s*

Hedgehog said...

I think the top looks great - just even up the ends with your rotary cutter and pretend it was supposed to be that way!

Clare said...

I agree with Hedgehog. Just even up the ends and no one will know!

Linda C said...

I think that Patti is on the right track on this one, Paula. I have found on strippies and bargellos that you need to sew the strips in pairs but reverse the direction you are sewing when you join the sets of two's together. (if you are going top to bottom on the two strips, go bottom to top when you join the two's to make a set of four)

The feed dogs will help feed the middle ones evenly and prevent from bowing in the middle--this works on any strip set---nine patches, rail fences etc.

Linda C said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Linda C said...

I meant to say too that I can certainly identify with the feeling puny for two plus weeks. I still don't think I am completely over this creeping crud. AND I keep hearing that others have had it turn into strep throat and even pneumonia. NOT fun, is it?

Marla said...

IT must be the year for not feeling in the mood for a holiday but sometimes fake it till you make it is just the ticket to getting into the spirit. Hope things perk up.

Susan said...

Your little angel is darling. I had a Santa when I was little - played with him for years. He was lost when my mother died.

The quilt is lovely. Great colors. Once it's trimmed, no one will know.

Sue Seibert said...

What a wonderful Christmas memory...and to still have the angel.

Have a great day!

Cynthia said...

what a lovely story about your little angel. Thanks for sharing it.

YOur quilt looks great. Hope you get the problem sorted out.

dot said...

Great quilt and a wonderful Christmas memory. We should all have such great stories from our past. I like the quilt top, it is wonderful. Don't worry about the ends, just trim and move on.