Monday, July 20, 2015

Pre-Vacation Projects

With the banner done it was time to turn to a couple of projects on the Domestic Sewing Machine! First up, making a little case for my nifty portable charger. It is a Jackery and can recharge multiple devices at the same time and holds a charge itself for a very long time. Great tool for any time you are away from home.

Planning to take it on vacation with me it seemed appropriate to find a way to protect it, I'm a quilter so of course it's a quilted case. I measured the device including the charging cord and dug into my scraps to come up with some bright pieces and a cute button from my large collection!
Done, and it cost me nothing but an hour of my time!
Next onto a project that has languished long, a Work Hidden In My Mind! WHIMM.
These lovely vintage 30's/40's Dresden plates came from a long gone quilter's UFO collection, you can find blocks and partial blocks at estate sales and if you are really lucky at a yard sale.  I purchased these a few years back at an estate sale and I know the quilter is happy I am going to make all 26 of them into a quilt! They are nicely hand pieced, it's a sad thing when you see these in an incomplete state, some woman spent a lot of time cutting the fan blades individually with scissors and then sewing them painstakingly by hand. I need a hand work project to take on vacation and this will do nicely, I can applique all the circles in the centers but first I have to applique the fans onto the blocks - by machine though!
OK so this next step was a bit tedious to attach fusible to the outer edges of the fans only. It took a while but they all look nice, using the buttonhole stitch on the Activa they are secured to the blocks. I tried out half a dozen or more 30's/40's repro fabrics and came to the conclusion that the yellow looked best, had to use two different ones because they were only FQ's. I ended up rejecting the fabric on the left in the picture below.
Next up, how to attach the circles- if I used freezer paper I would have to cut the backs open to remove it so I chose to make two cardboard templates, one to cut the fabric circle and the other to shape it to the right size.
 I think this is how I did it last time, making a large running stitch around the outside  and pulling it in around the smaller template then hitting it hard with a very hot steam iron before removing the template!
 It worked and now they are ready for vacation sewing!
 I am using Superior's Master Piece thread a fine 3ply, 50wt. cotton perfect for applique and I actually have just the right color yellow.
Another project the last few days was this cute potholder and funky chicken pin cushion.
 They are for my friend Gale, I made her an apron a couple of months ago and had enough scraps left to make these, I just need to mail them off to her I think she will be surprised.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love the Dresden pattern. Made two queen size quilts for 25th anniversary gifts. One for my sister and thirty tears later the same pattern for her daughter's.

To find them hand done is a treasure. It was great that you rescued them, they will make a great quilt. Enjoy your vacation and your stitching time.

Dotti

joanne said...

love your nifty little charger holder! Every time I see unfinished quilt pieces at the thrift or a garage sale it makes me a little sad, wondering what happened to the person who put their heart into those beautiful pieces. Good to know that someone like you will rescue them and make a life inspiring quilt. I think you are ready to go...enjoy!