Quilty Life Update

Ok, I have to admit I wanted to name this post: “Overwhelmed!” or “Over my head”. Or just simply “Help!” But maybe then you never would have opened it.

But yes my dear readers, this is how I feel right now and after messing up another block of my latest project, I have had to come and vent. I am hoping that someone will have that essential piece of advice or sympathy, that will kick me back into action and over this very small hurdle.

Now I know many of you would think ” What is she complaining about?” but I guess I just feel really busy lately and am feeling the pressure when it comes to my quilting.

First of all the Quilt Show, I have now been 3 times with different friends to show them around, and expect to do this one more time at least. It is a lot for a small show like ours but it is great for me, because I am new to the group and have seen so few of the quilts before the show. Now I get to take the time to inspect each quilt individually.   I have to say though, aside from my quilting, I feel pretty inferior to some of these woman, and only have their age and quilting experience to offer some consolation.

But boy when I get to see quilts like this, it just blows me away!! The fantasy behind them and the ideas.

See the sea fan, that is made of lace which is appliqued on the starfish and fish too, if I remember correctly. There are more ingenuine additions appliquéd at the top too. Unfortunately such poor lighting, but I hate flash.

Similar little surprises await the viewer in this creation.

For more utilitarian style quilts I especially loved these two:

 

 

If you are able to visit and would like more information about the quilt show, please see my post here for further information.

Now back to my own quilting.

WIP

This Sunday, I will be helping out at the Textile Museum in St. Gallen where the 6th European Quilt Trinnieale is being held, you can read more about that here. To accompany this quilt exhibit, the museum has organized volunteers from my quilt guild to show visitors how to quilt, by showing them how to make different quilt blocks. (” You mean teach”, my mother would but in here.) Yes I guess it is teaching, even if I had never done the block before and am just learning. (Yikes!!)

Basically I have a week, which sounds like plenty of time. Although I have done the half-square triangles and flying geese units before, with the geese I managed to not follow the directions, and so used one of the wrong fabrics (despite all my organization). So I  had to redo them all from the beginning!

 

And then, piecing the half-square triangles together by machine, the machine ate the corner. How frustrating.

My first thought was that it could very well be the needle. The machine I am using is a friend’s and I don’t know what needle is inserted. Not knowing anything about needles I decided to reach for my Essential Sewing Reference Tool book which is a lovely spiral bound book published by Stash Books and written by Carla Hegeman Crim.

I love this book and thought you might want a peak. It is just so practical to look up anything.

I love all of it’s clear tables, photos and diagrams.

 

So this afternoon I went to Bernina and they showed me a trick, which I had started using a while ago but then for one reason or the other decided it was probably the wrong way to fix the issue: lowering the needle into the corner manually.  The lady also told me, aside from changing the needle to a more appropriate one, I could get a special switch plate, just for straight stitching, that is supposed to prevent that issue of the needle eating the fabric. So I have ordered it.

Meanwhile I will have to make do with simply the  right needles, especially for quilting and piecing .

So if you have any smart ideas for easing my piecing woes, please let me know. Hopefully, I will survive my first quilt demonstration experience!

Wishing you all a creative and crafty weekend!

Jodie