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The Perils of Fusible Web

9/18/2013

5 Comments

 

You know those times when you just know you did something not right, if not downright foolish? Yeah, me too. So... Teaching a fusible appliqué class the steam-a-seam would not stay adhered to its paper backing enough to get the images traced on. I of course said I will just press it back on knowing I needed a pressing sheet or parchment under the fusible but instead I carefully laid it out on the ironing board and applied the heat. Now I have a 12x14 patch of fusible web quite firmly adhered to the cover. Oh well, I wanted to try making an ironing board cover anyhow.

I was pleased with how easy it actually is to make a custom cover. After removing the old, now fused, cover I laid the board face down on a length of pretty new fabric from the clearance table. If I was at home it might be a good place to use a couple yards of an old piece from my stash. I traced around the board adding 2 1/2 inches. When (note "when" not "if") I have to do it again I think I will make that 4" instead.

Cut out the cover on the traced lines and take it to your sewing machine or serger. My serger is at home waiting for service and to be relooped so I used my regular machine. Finish the edge with either a wide zig zag stitch or an edge stitch. Maybe someday I can get my edge stitch to not just roll up the edge. Anyhow I zig zagged all the way around.

Next you need to make a casing for elastic (or a piece of cord if you would rather). Fold over the finished edge enough for your elastic and stitch (straight stitch, don't forget to turn off the zig zag). Leave an opening to insert the elastic. I used 3/8" elastic because I had it laying around. I think 1/4" or 3/8" is probably a good size.

I used a safety pin to pull the elastic through the casing. I probably used about 2 yards of elastic, it will vary depending on the size of board you are covering. You need enough to hold it tight but long enough to be able to get it stretched around the board. I just pinned the 2 ends of the elastic together so I can reuse it the next time I have to make a new cover. I also put a layer of Warm Tater batting underneath. Next time I might do 2 layers.

Picture
5 Comments

New Beginnings

9/15/2011

11 Comments

 
    After the first week of being open we are looking forward to the next steps for the store.  Suggestions are certainly welcome.  We will be starting with Saturday Specials - each week a different item will be on sale for one day only, starting with needles of all sorts and all threads on September 17. 
    Our next project will be something different, we have lots of ideas and are figuring out what to do first.  How about a sew and chat - coffee, baked treats and sewing time with friends sharing ideas and expertise?  Maybe a Wash Tub Club following the adventures of the fictitious 1930's  Wash Tub Club meetings in the home of Ethel May?
    Soon we will start planning classes to start in January.  To get ready John is working on the classroom, new paint, new tables and work spaces.  Look for more information about classes, demonstrations and other events in the next couple of months. 
    New quilts are hanging on the walls, with many thanks to Lynne and Sue.  The shelves are almost full, with little room to spared.  Come see the new exciting fabric showing up on our doorstep with amazing regularity, I can't wait to see what pretty pieces everyone makes with all this fabric.

Ann
11 Comments

The Journey

9/5/2011

8 Comments

 
    We are here - and we are open.  It has been quite a journey starting more than a year ago when I visited Mom in Hartwell and looked around to see that there was no local fabric shop, and lots of quilters.  Opening a quilt shop had been a thought building in the back of my head for a while and it seemed like this might be an goal to work toward.  As things turned out many things came together over the last year to create just the right opportunity for us to pack up our house in Vermont, sell it and move south.
    We got to Hartwell on July 13, 2011 - the temperature was over 100 and we wondered what we had gotten ourselves into.  Maya, the chocolate lab, had no desire to hang outside - the yard was too hot.  Maya has some labrador challenges, including no desire to swim in the lake, silly dog.  The weather stayed hot through the rest of the summer, and we moved from the house, where we have been working on unpacking and re-arranging to the store, where we have been unpacking and re-arranging, with periodic jaunts to the lake to let Maya play in the shallows. 
    The house is still in need of major unpacking, but the store has no (or almost no) packed boxes left, the furniture is all arranged, the fabric put away and the notions hung everywhere.  I have been shopping and having a wonderful time buying fabric, looking for something for everyone. 
    The store opened September 1, right on time.  The fabric is so bright and clean it is a joy to walk into each morning.   Now that the set up is done I have started to have time to work on some quilts.  John is learning (probably more than he ever wanted to know) about fabric and quilting and has been busy cutting fat quarters, kits and helping to wait on customers.
    Two crib quilts were completed in the last week.  The Windham Chelsea collection makes up into a cute scrappy quilt using a bundle of fat eighth's and the Clothworks Critters collection project is a very cute whirligig quilt in blues or pinks.  We have the complete collection and have kits for the projects.  Next I start on a large quilt using the Henry Glass Black White and Currant collection.  Come check out the progress, I think this one will take me a little longer.
    More fabric is coming almost every day, so keep coming in to see what is new.  Let us know what you want to see, we will do our best to find it for you.
    Stitching all my pretty pieces,
Annie

8 Comments

    Ann Dunn

    I have  left the world of technology and moved back to the basics of quilting, dragging John and the pets with me.  We have retired from corporate politics and are enjoying working together to build our own future.

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