Craft Room DIY - Ruler Storage

In my previous post, I talked about my quilting history.  Although I haven't quilted in the past twenty years, I have quilting supplies -- rulers, rotary cutters, mat, etc.  Because.... a few years ago, I had intended on doing a quilt.  I was given a book and some rulers to do said quilt.  You know how it goes.  Never enough time.  I guess, I also was having subconscious flashbacks to the queen-size quilt. LoL  Anywho, I digress...

Most of my rulers are hung on the side of my filing cabinet with Command hooks.  The hooks work great, btw!

Note above, I said "most" of my rulers are hung.  The square ones are too big to hang there plus now I have too many to fit on the hook.  I researched various ways people stored their rulers (Thank you, Google!), but really couldn't find anything I liked.  I turned to my second best option and looked on Amazon.  Did you know you can find almost everything on Amazon?!

I found something I really liked, but was concerned when the "ad" said "used".  Lo and behold in this case "used" meant damaged box.  I didn't know this until the product arrived on my doorstep late one evening.  Of course, it was the only one available and I couldn't find anything similar with a reasonable price.

Veesun File Sorter

It can be mounted on the wall.  It is big enough to hold a 20" square ruler easily and it has several sections to hold other smaller rulers.  The mesh will allow me to add a hook to the bottom in order to hang longer supplies/rulers.  There is only one problem with the sorter.  What is it, you ask?

The color!  I want it to match my craft room.  What's a girl to do?  (I'm sure you know, if you're a long time reader.)  Drum roll please.... a DIY project.... paint it!

I set to work and primered it white before painting it the color I really wanted it.

After several coats of white from all angles, out came the Lagoon spray paint.  You may remember it from my DIY Filing Cabinet makeover (which is my highest viewed post) and the Pegboard I made.

Doesn't it look great?  I really like that it's only a little over 4" deep.  It sure is nice to get my rulers off my dining room table, that's for sure.

Until next time....

My History With Quilting

I made my first ever quilt in the early 80's for my doll baby. I had to have been 10 or 11 years old. Not bad for a kiddo who taught herself to sew. For the top, I used cut up clothing from my family. The back is from a blanket that became tattered over the years. It originally came from my great aunt Edna. Hand tied with yarn. Some of the seams have come loose and the backing has torn areas. It was a well played with quilt, not only by me but my now grown nieces too. 

Years later as a young adult, for Christmas I made my parents a queen-size quilt on my Kenmore 385 -- the first sewing machine I bought new.  

Sorry about the photo quality, this is the only photo I have of the quilt.

I bought the Kenmore 385 because it was the same one my Mom used and that I learned on.  I've had this machine for 30+ years and it's been an awesome workhorse.

Doing the queen-size quilting on the Kenmore was very, very challenging.  It put me off on doing another quilt for decades, LoL.  I still did sewing, but not quilting.

Fast forward to November of 2018, I saw a cute quilt online and t sent me on a quest to buy a sewing machine that I could do quilting with.  More on that in another post.

Needless to say, I started what would be the third quilt in my lifetime.  I've had this quilt kit for quite a while... bought it at a thrift store a few years ago for $2.99.  The kit came in a cute felt froggy basket!

 It came with the pattern and the fabric to make the quilt top.  I added turquoise borders to make it throw size instead of baby size.  For the backing, I chose a green fabric with a light hashtag pattern.  The piecing was done on my Kenmore.

I've been working on the quilting with my new Janome machine.  Stitching in the Ditch around the larger squares and the borders.  Diagonals through the smaller patchwork squares.  And finally, diamond shapes in the larger white and blue squares.

A couple of weeks ago, I started a Beginner Quilting class at the sewing center where I got my new machine.  There are six of us in the class.  I think I'm more of an advanced beginner compared to the other students.  So far, it's been a lot of fun and I've picked up some tips on quilting.

Before class started, we were sent a list of supplies, book, and material that would be needed for the class.  I bought my book used on Amazon.  It was half the price of what it was being sold for at the store.

In week one, the instructor gave us handouts about everything she talked about so we had reference materials. We learned how to rotary cut, strip piecing, and sewing together a nine patch block. We have homework every week!  I want my quilt to be larger than 30x30" (which is what the class is making) so I have to make twice as much each week.  Once put together, the blocks are (supposed to be) 6" square.

In week two, the instructor taught us how to press seams as well as chain piecing.

 

The two blocks below are what will make up the quilt design.  Can't wait to see how it turns out!

Seventeen nine-patch variation blocks done, 15 more to go...

Funny story:  As we were sewing our blocks together, the instructor said that the shop owner wanted her to push seam rippers (like the one in my photo above).  Instead of ordering six seam rippers for the students, the instructor ordered six BOXES of seam rippers.  LoL, whoops!  I don't know how much the shop is selling them for, but mine came from Hobby Lobby for less than $1.  JoAnn Fabrics has larger ones for around $6 if you don't use a coupon.  I originally got it because the little white nubby end is great for "erasing" froggy threads when cross stitching.  What do you know?  It works great for "erasing" ripped seam threads, too!

Stay tuned for progress on my two quilts.

Until next time....

It's a FFO!

In between shoveling and snowblowing this weekend, I created this FFO (fully finished object).  I stitched it back in 2012 and had been meaning to try the "book" finish tutorial on the Little House Needleworks blog.

 

Summer Mystery Sampler SAL 

Stitched 7/7/12 

Designer: Donna Bayliss of By The Bay Needleart
Fabric: 28ct Sky Blue Hand-dyed Linen
Fibers: DMC
Decoupaged onto a paper mache "book".
 

Birthday Mailart Exchange 2018

The mailart group I belong to hosted a birthday mailart exchange last year.  My birthday was in January.  I received a beautiful mailart and goodies from Connie.

The birthday of the person I stitched for is in December so hers was the last to be received.  It was my last stitchy finish for 2018.  The design came from the limited edition kit called Flowers by Lizzie Kate.  I adapted colors to the favorites of the recipient.

 

Fabric: 28ct Pink Linen

Fibers: DMC floss

Embellishments: Buttons

Sent to Shelley in CA

If you'd like to try your hand at mailart, there's a tutorial on my left sidebar.  Or, click HERE.

Until next time....

RAK's!

BLOG LAYOUT
It's been years since I've changed my blog layout.  I'm looking for a new three-column layout template.  Does anyone have suggestions?

RAK's
I've said this before and I'm going to say it again:  Stitchers are the most thoughtful people ever.  Last year, I was RAK'd three times!  (Yes, i'm just now getting around to posting about it... bad me.)

Vickie from Reading and Stitching was going through her magazines and asked me if I was interested in various Asian-themed charts.  A nice package arrived in the mail that made my mind whirl as to which one I want to do first!

Fantasy Cards by Joan Elliott

Land of the Rising Sun by Maria Diaz

Graceful Geishas by Joan Elliott

Oriental Elegance by Lesley Teare

Oriental Sampler by Susan Bates

Sacred Serenity by Joan Elliott

Winters Beauty by Lesley Teare

Aren't they wonderful?!

Thank you, Vickie!

I've been a long time reader of the Stitching Dreams blog.  Carol does such a wonderful job finishing her ornaments.  She is always sharing stitching eye candy.  Recently, she hosted a giveaway for a patriotic chart called Uncle Sam by Bent Creek.  After Asian-themed designs, Patriotic designs are my favorite.  I'm also a fan of Bent Creek.  She pulled my name from the hat!

 Thank you, Carol!

This is the cutest thing ever!  I want to stitch it up now, but I'm finishing up a mailart exchange.

On Facebook, Glenna in KS had posted a July 4th photo of a towel she stitched a while ago.  I had admired it in a comment.  Much to my surprise, she sent me the chart.  

Coincidentally, I have towels I can stitch the designs on.  I'm so excited to start the July 4th one!

 Thank you, Glenna!

Until next time...