Big Boss Little Boss

Big Boss

I always name the quilts I am working on. It is always the first thing that comes into my head.  Big Boss and Little Boss are quilts for Auntie Api and Reagan (my niece in utero), respectively.  Big Boss's squares are all sewn and done, I just have to put them together.  The squares are 10" and I think it is going to be amazing when I'm done.  I think I am going to quilt it on a diagonal and then do some free motion circles  in the circles.

Little Boss is the same idea, I just used two charm packs instead, so the finished block size will be 4", which is perfect for a little baby quilt.  Sorry Sissa, no pix.  You have to wait till you shoot that baby outta you.

Sewing Class

I am taking a garment construction class over at Bigsby's.  I have taken lots of garment construction classes over the years but I thought I would do it again to sharpen my skills a bit.  I am making the Amy Butler Liverpool dress.  It's not too bad... you have to do 10 darts, two plackets, a collar, 12 buttons/holes, sleeves, cuffs and a hem.  I have done all that schtuff before but I don't really remember the collar.  Anyhow, I picked this fabric by Denyse Schmidt.  I am finding that it frays a bit and is not very rigid so I have had to put in extra interfacing.  It is really turning out sweet and I shall add some pix when it doesn't look like a 9th grade home ec project!

Free Motion Attempt

Let's just call it a FAIL motion attempt.  I mean, the final product didn't turn out too bad, given that it was just practice and it took me all of 3 minutes.  Let me back up.

I am really interested in free motion quilting with my machine.  I have been using a grid quilting system on the four quilts I have finished, which has worked beautifully.  Now I am ready to move on.  I really just want to be Alex Anderson and just be awesome and be able to free-motion in my sleep.  Naturally, I bought her book on free motion quilting and started at the beginning.  Here is what I learnt.
1.  Make sure your stitch is on a straight stitch...not a zig zag.  It makes a difference.
2.  Read your machine's manual before you try to put down the feed dogs.
3.  If you decide to take apart your machine to put down said feed dogs, take a pic of how it should all go together. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND NOT DOING THIS.  And don't drop the screw in the bottom of the machine.
4.  If you do not heed my warning, first try to take off the bottom of the machine, rather than taking the whole machine apart.  Or you can try magnets.  That was a good idea.
5.  Make good friends with the local sewing machine shop guy.  Ken's my guy's name.  He runs Jiffy Sewing. He can barely walk.

6.  Keep at it!  It can't get any worse:)
If you look closely, I did write my name, which is pretty sweet, so it was not a complete failure!!  I have free motioned a few more things.  I am starting with small projects so I am getting some good practice!  Gotta start somewhere, right?

HFD!

This year Brian got some home made craps for FD.  I made aforementioned tie (which I failed at then pwned) and a really cool pic.  I totally copied the idea from lots of blogs, so I am certainly not claming originality on this one, however, it turned out pretty awesome.  The tie?  IDK.  I won't be using any more brocade, that I do know.

On another note, my sewing machine (I have named her "Lovely") is put back together.  I had the genius idea to take off my feed dogs to do some free-motion quilting.  I promptly dropped the screws into the bottom of the machine and could not get them out.  So, of course I started pulling Lovely apart.  The thought did enter my mind that I should at least take a picture so that I could get it back together, but did I heed the thought?  No way.  So I have spent the last three days trying to figure it out.  But tonight, I got it.  YOu know how I fixed it?  I took the bottom of the machine off.  Yup, that easy.

Failure to the Nth Degree

Back in college I took a sewing class each semester.  You know what I did?  I made ties.  I made ties for everybody I knew.  Hey, they were easy and I needed a good grade.  I always had grand intentions of making something big and awesome, but hey, I was 18.  I ended up not finishing the big item I'd started so I'd whip up a tie for the final.  What I am trying to say is that I was pretty pro at making ties.

Fast forward to two days ago.  I am not pro at making ties.  I am also not pro at picking good fabric.  Note to self and to anyone smart enough to be reading this in the first place: DO NOT TRY AND SEW A TIE WITH BROCADE.  It would look pretty and it could probably be done pretty easily with a serger, but ties are supposed to be easy.  I will let you have a look at my failed attempt at making a tie (for the milllionth time).

I will say that I went back and did another tie with said brocade and got it!  That's right, I pwned that brocade.  It looks pretty awesome.  I will post pix after I give it to Brian for Father's Day.  I just wanted to show you my FAIL for the week/month/year/life.

The Sad Tale of Soffie (not sophie).

Konrad has had a little blue blanket that we called Soffie (kinda like Softy, but with no "t").  He called it Da.  He started calling it Da when he was like 8 months old.  Who knows why.  Not a question.  Well, we lost it.  probably in Arizona somewheres.

Anyhowzit, I took him to the fabric store and let him pick out what ever fabric he wanted.  Strangely, it consisted of helicopters, fire trucks, carz, diggers, back hoe's, dump trucks, boats and space ships.  So I sat down one afternoon and came up with this little number.  I think the ribbons are the cutest!  On his old soffie, he would play with the tag as he fell asleep so not only did I add one tag, I added 400 (or so).  The fabric is just from JoAnn (like she's my best friend), and it is flannel on the 9-patch and helicopter fleece on the back.  Super easy, super cute!  I am gonna make one for my cuzzin's new baby, Desmond!

I was not 100% sure Rad was gonna take to his new soffie, but I have to tell you (whoever you is), that he woke up that night, came into my room and asked me to get soffie for him.  WIN.

Etsy Stuff

I have had a coupla people that want my Mesa Temple prints and to make life easier (and to maybe cash in on my genius) I have added the prints to my esty site.  As you will see, I don't have much to sell.  Here's my thing: I don't want to have a job.  I work my butt off taking care of Yahoo # 1 and 2 so the time I have to create and make schtuff is limited.  I don't want to have deadlines and customers.  That being said, I am willing to sell my genius on etsy on a limited basis (please, please please note my sarcasm).

Here is what you can buy!  Or you can go to my esty shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/eckleinman

I am selling the print for $30.00 plus shipping, which is about $6.00  I will also do custom words, but you will have to pay me $5.00 extra.  Come on, you can afford it! If you want to order one you can message me at my esty shop.  All the details are there, so I won't repeat myself here.  Okay, yes I will.  There are to color-ways as seen above.  There are also two layouts: verticle and horizontal, both 16x20".  You can pick which color-way and which layout. 

Happy Shopping!