Monday, September 25, 2006

Pincushion

Well, no, I haven't fallen off the quilt blog, just got busy! Got some new bifocals, and am trying to get used to the different 'wavery' look on the bottom. But they were WONDERFUL for hand sewing the label on my plaid quilt. :)



Here on the left is what I really use for my pins, I found that my little magnetic holder exactly fits inside my catproof bobbin holder. There's both metal and plastic bobbins in there because, yes, my Janome does fit the bobbins from my old Kenmore. (And of course, I found that out AFTER I bought a pack of twelve bobbins at something ungodly like 50 cents each.)

The gray-headed pincushion doll I made at a retreat two years ago, but she looks so much like me that it felt ... almost like voodoo to stick pins in me. Her. Ow! I have bangs, curly gray hair, silver wireframe glasses, and wear shoes like that with no socks for absolutely as long as I can, Spring, Summer, Fall. The round tubbiness is me also. *embarassed grin* I often wear jewel tones too, plum, rose, turquoise, forest green, etc. All she needs is a little siamese cat or two.

The book, Stack a New Deck, is my one quilt book for the year. I'm taking a class at our retreat this November, and have to have the book for that. I'm not one to precisely follow a pattern someone else has made, so I don't often buy books. This one's got some interesting ideas though. My main complaint so far, from just reading her instructions, is that she's a little wasteful of fabric, especially those expensive batiks! For instance, for one quilt, she has you cutting 64 squares 9½ inches in size, using 56 of them, then she says TRIM an inch and ½ off two sides of the remaining eight squares, to make them 8 inches square. Uggh. Not ME. :)

17 comments:

Melanie said...

You've been missed!!!! Hope the bifocals settle in for you. I still can't walk down stairs in mine...Sounds like you've been busy.
Melanie

Joyce said...

I have that book and have made one quilt from it. I forget what it's called and the book is out in the studio but it was boxes with one inch borders. Anyway, it turned out very nice and on that one she didn't have you trim much off the edges.I also reallly like the one on the cover.

Silverthimble said...

I think you get the award for the most unusual pincushion! Isn't it cute that she resembles you! I agree with you, putting pins into her would seem a little voodo-like.

Anonymous said...

Well, witht he inch and a half that you trim off, you could have the start of a piano key border....

Hedgehog said...

I love her! I have that bobbin holder, too!

Quilts And Pieces said...

I love how your magnetic pin thing fits inside your bobbin holder. I don't think mine does. Now I have to go home and try it!

Yup, I wouldn't trim down that many squares either!

Shelina said...

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the description of you and your pincushion.
a lot of the newer techniques - liberated piecemaking - Gwen Marston, Ami Simms, has you sew first and then trim, and you are right it does seem very wasteful. I guess you could try to piece together those little trims and make something else.
I made Ami Simms Starz and used the trimming for the border, and decided I'd better stick to more frugal piecemaking.

Judy said...

Sometimes when you have strips like that I just chock it up to more scraps in the string bin for later string quilts!! But I get your point!

Bonnie said...

Your pincushion lady is adorable, and if you look that way too then you must be adorable!

Laura said...

I can't imagine only buying one quilt book a year, I would never have the willpower! I don't seem to do many quilts from books, but I love to look at the pictures and get inspiration for color, etc.

Samantha said...

that is a lot of waste of batiks! yikes! I know you will find inspiration in the book in spite of it:-)

Lily Mulholland said...

Forestjane I'm sure you don't look exactly like your pincushion, but she is fabulous!

I love the detail you used on her feet!

Enjoy the inspiration the pictures in the book may bring!

Pam said...

voodoo...you crack me up!

Cher said...

love the pin cushion that reminds you of yourself-very unique!

Granny said...

Good luck with the bifocals. Still not sure I'm used to mine.

That does seem kinda strange to have to trim so much off those squares. Sounds like a big waste. Can you determine why she has you doing it that way?

Judy L.

Tonya Ricucci said...

An inch and a half is huge - you can still do lots with that. if not, save 'em up and give them to a worthy recipient who likes to quilt with small pieces.

Finn said...

Hi Jane, good to see you again! I can't complain, cause I've been missing more also...life just keeps rolling on. Some times busier, sometimes less.
The pin cushion doll is adorable! If that's how you look, you're adorable too! Hugs, Finn

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