Bendable Bright Light...plus...

Back in May my DH bought me 2 wonderful goodies. One was a Bendable Bright Light that I have found very useful.

Kathie, from Inspired By Antique Quilts, noticed it in a photo on my last post and asked me about placing it on my machine, as she has one but hasn't placed it yet. Thus, I thought I would show you all in case you get yourself one...

???????????? Well that's a first! Blogger wouldn't let me load photos on this post earlier this afternoon...? But we are good now... ah, still being difficult, but my photos are all on now!!! 8-)

Left photo: check where your light would be anchored best. If there are any dials/knobs around there, make sure there will be room to slide the light out off the base if need be.

Right photo: trace a mark of where you want the light to sit WITH A PENCIL, not with a pen as I have demonstrated with...
Can't recall if I had to stick a sticky on it that came in the package, or if it was already attached? At any rate, we will assume the sticky is stuck to the anchor piece.

Left photo: to stick the base onto your machine, remove the paper to reveal the sticky surface and line it up with your trace line (easier handling with the light section on the base). Making sure that the little tab that sticks out is sticking upwards.

Right photo: base and light are now in position.

Left photo: the flex arm lets you move the light to where it suits you best, and can be moved up an out of the way if you don't need it.

Right & next left photos: shows you where I placed/stuck the little hooks on my machine to anchor the cord on so that it doesn't get in the way while sewing...

I hope this was helpful to you and others Kathie! 8-)

EDIT: Diah, in my comments, said that she has been looking for one of these kind of lights.
* Sometimes if you look at a quilt shop or sewing supply store and they don't have what you are looking for, if you ask, they may order some in. You never know if others have asked ahead of you. The more that ask, I am sure any retailer would be happy to bring them in! Good luck!
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Most of you have probably heard of/seen the blog "365 days of free motion quilting" by Leah Day, with her excellent daily video examples. Well, I just came across a blog called "365 Paper Pieced Quilt Blocks" being done by Kim Noblin, owner & editor of Block Central. She has challenged herself to create a new paper-pieced block pattern every day, for 365 days, which started on October 5th, 2009. This should be interesting! 8-)

Going back to enjoy the beautiful, sunny day we have today! 8-)
Happy stitchings everyone!
Myra

Tutorial - "Picket Fences" blocks...

First of all, I'd like to point out where this Picket Fences pattern is from, for some of you may have it, and not know it! 8-)

You know all those lovely quilt magazines that we collect, and then have trouble, sometimes, parting with them? Well, a similar pattern is in the QUILTMAKERS - Nov/Dec '94 magazine... Get looking, if you care to... 8-)

CLICK ON ANY PHOTO FOR A BETTER LOOK...


I will also show you how I use "The Angler 2" (A2) in this tutorial...

ALWAYS, always read through all instructions before proceeding with a pattern or tutorial. Saves you time and frustration... 8-)

This is how the A2 comes in the package. The instructions that come in the package are pretty good. Now, don't mind my green painters tape there...

Your first step is to cut the "key" out as accurately as possible on the dotted line provided. DO NOT dispose of this key as it is very important to the use of the A2! 8-)

There is a little circle that you need to poke a hole through. Hole needs to be big enough so that 1/8" to 1/4" of your machine needle can poke into it.

I removed my pressure foot so that you could see better here... Now, lay your "key", facing the right way up, on your needle plate as shown in the photo. Lower your needle just a tad into the marked hole. Now you line up your key to be even with your measuring lines on your plate. Leave the needle in...

Take the remaining part of your A2, making sure it is facing the right way up, and fit it back onto your key from where they were cut apart. Look to make sure it is all lining up with your key, and the measurements on your machine... The center line extending down the A2 towards you must be in line with the needle... Once you are satisfied you can tape the A2 down onto your machine. Do not use masking tape. (I did and it is all yucky) Do use painters tape. 8-)

Raise the needle, remove the "key", and snap the pressure foot back on. You are now ready to sew using the A2!

Picket Fences

Each block "unit" uses:
* 2 light fabrics - cut 2+1/2" by 4+1/2"
* 4 medium to dark fabrics - cut at the same measurement as the lights.
I had to use this measurement because I was using a jelly roll, but I have the original measurement typed in at the bottom of the tutorial if you want to make the bigger blocks. (I simply used a few scraps for the tute.) You can use scraps, jelly rolls, or use a color way of your choice.

Take one of your light pieces (bottom), and one of your medium or dark pieces (top), and lay them out as in photo. You will be sewing in the direction of the line indicated in the photo, but you do not have to draw lines on any of your fabric cuts.

Line up your one corner with the needle, and the other corner with the center line on your A2. The top fabric in the photo is slightly raised for you to see.









Take a few stitches, and double check where your bottom corner is. This corner rides the line all the way under the needle.







I use a stylus to guide it along...


Sew another light and med/dark piece together in the same manner, and then sew your remaining 2 med/dark pieces together as such also...

Remember, can click on any photo to enlarge for a better look...

Here you have your 3 sections sewn together...



Trim seams to 1/4 inch, and iron seams to the dark fabric.





Your "pickets" should all be leaning in the same direction at this point. Your lights should be positioned in opposite corners of each other as in photo. Stitch together, scant 1/4", as laid out....

Press seams to the center section of this unit... Your block should measure 6+1/2". Trim if necessary.

*Take care to make sure your "light points" are leaning into the center section of the unit. I have them circled for you in the photo...

This is what your block will look like once you have 4 units sewn together into a block. There are points to watch while sewing the block together.



In this photo you see 4 blocks put together. If you click on my WIP, you will see all my Picket Fence blocks put together, waiting for boarders...

The first Picket Fences quilt that I took part in putting together was a scrap donation quilt to be raffled off. It can be seen at this link. Our city group made it. The measurement for this quilt had us using 4" by 7+1/2" pieces. We each made 8 "units" at home from our scraps, and at our gathering night we mixed them up on the display wall for putting them together. Gotta love scrappy! 8-)

Click on image below for a better look at my sample drawing for the larger blocks, as you will also get 3+1/4" half-square-triangles that you can use in the boarders if you wish...
Please notify me if any of my directions seem off, or incorrect... Thanx! 8-)

Traveling Thread Catcher/Pincushion Tutorial

I hope this works! I may fudge with this post a bit to get it right...excuse any and all spelling errors... And if something does not seem to make sense, please let me know... 8-)

We start with the supplies to make the Thread Catcher.

1 - fat quarter print for bag and anchor
cut 1 piece 7" x 16" (18cm x 41cm)
cut 2 pieces 5" x 7" (13cm x 18cm)

1 - coordinating fat quarter for lining & pincushion
cut 1 piece 7" x 16" (18cm x 41cm)
cut 1 circle 8" (20cm) in diameter

thin batting
cut 1 piece 7" x 16" (18cm x 41cm)
cut 1 piece 5" x 7" (13cm x 18cm)
and scrap polly batting to stuff pincushion

1 - ceramic tile approximately 4" (10cm) square

1 - 5" x 5" (13cm x 13cm) piece of kitchen slip-proof shelf liner

hot glue gun optional

I used an appropriate sized plate as my circle template for the pincushion.

Once you have all your pieces cut out and ready, it is time to head on over to your sewing machine...






On top of your 5" x 7" piece of batting, place 1 same sized cut piece of printed fabric good side up, then the slip-proof material, and finally your second same size piece of printed fabric good side down.




Line all these 4 pieces up at one short end.






1/4 inch seams...
Starting at the long end where the slip-proof material is short from, backstitch and sew one long side, pivot and sew the short side that has the slip-proof material, pivot and back down the other long side finishing off with a backstitch.







Trim off corners just beyond the stitched corner, but not too close.






From the inside take hold of the printed fabric piece and batting, and turn the whole piece inside out.






Make sure the slip-proof/print section is on the opposite side of the batting/print side.






Use a pencil or something to push the two corners out nicely.
Notice the pocket that this section makes...





With slip-proof side up tuck the ceramic tile into the pocket, making sure that the batting is under the tile.






Check, make sure they fall into the proper order here...
Now tuck the tile all the way down to the bottom of the pocket.



You should use your zipper-foot for this part.
Take a piece of paper and lay it down on the bed of your sewing machine. Place slip-proof side of your pocket down on top of paper (the paper helps with the sticking) Feed paper and all under the needle. Backstitch, and sew the tile into the pocket. Sew with foot right up against the tile for a snug fit. Finish off with a backstitch.




Rip the paper away from your stitches and you will see the slip-proof material is nicely tacked down.






On the top side it shows that the tile is snuggly in place. From here on in this piece will be known as the anchor.






Take the 7" x 16" print fabric and lay it good side up on top of the 7" x 16" batting. Fold over the short side to the short side and stitch the layers together remembering to backstitch start and end. You now have a short tube.




Now take the 7" x 16" lining piece, good side up, fold short side to the short side and stitch as in last instruction. You should end up with another short tube. Turn your lining tube right side out.




Insert the lining tube into the printed tube with right sides facing, lining up the two seams, and keeping the batting to the outside.





Where the seams meet, insert the finished end of the anchor between the print and the lining, with the slip-proof material facing the print, and the printed side of the anchor facing the lining. (this is a tricky part...easily confusing)







Center the anchor between the seams (open the seams to avoid too much bulk) of the two layers and line up the raw edges. Pin anchor in place, and pin around that whole upper edge.



This is a good time to double check that you have the anchor positioned correctly. Turn your tube upside down. Lining, top of anchor, slip-proof side of anchor, printed side of tube... Am I confusing you yet? This tutorial stuff is not easy! 8-)




Starting at the seam, backstitch and sew around the whole top smoothing the layers together as you go...






All the way around, removing pins as you go of course, and ending with a backstitch.










Now, turn your printed side to the outside.







You should end up with a tube like this, with the anchor well attached.






Insert your hand through the tube, grab hold of the print and pull through.






Your batting is on the outside again, and your lining is well away from the bottom raw edge.







With the seam open and centered, line up the raw edges together, and stitch shut. Remembering to backstitch...





Now you have the bottom of the outer part of the thread catcher stitched closed.








Push the bag right side out.
















If you lay this out flat you will have the outer bag portion to one side, and the lining laid out to the other with raw edges.





This part is optional, but since this will be a giveaway I will finish it off nicely. 8-)
Fold the raw edges under a 1/4 inch and press.






Then take your nicely pressed edge to the machine and stitch closed.





Done the stitching, tuck the lining into the printed bag and smooth out the upper seam.






Wrap a piece of paper around your slip-proof anchor and pin in place. (This avoids sticking frustrations.) Starting at the center seam, top-stitch all around the upper edge of the bag approximately a 1/4 inch from the edge.






Now you have the thread catcher done. On to the pincushion.








Take your cut circle, and baste all the way around, anywhere between 1/4" (1/2cm) and 1/2" (1cm) from the raw edge. You can do this with thread and needle (I use double thread), or baste using your sewing machine.






This is what it should look like at this point.












Take both ends and start to pull to gather...







When at this point you are ready for the stuffing.







Take your piece of pantyhose and stuff your scrap polly batting into it. Using the pantyhose is of course optional. I feel it helps make the pincushion a bit firmer.





Snug it all in and tie it up to hold.








At this point, place it into the prepared circle of fabric.







Pull your basting threads tightly to snug up and close off. Tie threads to hold.







This is your pincushion. You can attach any form of pincushion you want of course, but this one is great for traveling.



At this point you put hot glue from your glue gun on the back of the pincushion and quickly center it onto the top of your anchor. You may need to tuck some glue under here and there. If you do not wish to use glue, you may stitch it down... not easy though...

And here you have it. Front view...





Side view, with a few pins, and now to show you how to travel with it.






Take your anchor part.









Fold it up.









Tuck it into the bag/pouch part.






And you have it ready to tuck into any of your project bags/boxes.

Very handy to set up right beside your sewing machine.