I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving week and a safe Black Friday :)
I had a very very productive week!!!
-- MOP: The Xmas presents list --
1. Boxes of Rainbow (UO) - label attached to the quilt! off the list!!
2. Topolino quilt (MPB) - quilting started! see below for a "cheap" technique to baste it :)
3. the Z quilt (CO) - quilted the last section! (Couldn't finish the quilt for Nov, but I will finish it for Dec :) this is my project for Lovely Year of Finishes (Dec))
4. pillow (VP) - last week wasn't started, and now is doooone! off the list!!
5. convertible bag (IG) - printed pattern, and picked fabric
6.coasters & table runner (MO) - finished last week! off the list!!
7. something (SZ) - 2 potholders and half a pouch done, missing other 2 potholders and the other half of the pouch
Extras (because if I have tons of projects to finish I need to add some extras anyway O_o):5. convertible bag (IG) - printed pattern, and picked fabric
6.
7. something (SZ) - 2 potholders and half a pouch done, missing other 2 potholders and the other half of the pouch
1. the SK project - printed next pattern
2. small project for magazine - block completed, but I cannot share (secret projects are fun ;) )
3. block swap Nov & Dec - printed patterns
4. food for Thanksgiving!!
(Linking up at Let's Bee Social)
-- MOP: This week updates--
First let me start with some updates from my Thanksgiving dinner:
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And since I had few days off from work I had the chance to spend time finishing up some Xmas presents!!
This is a fun & quick project perfect for a man who likes ties!!
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The Z quilt is all quilted! Now the final step is to join the sections and bind it, for sure it will be done in a week or so!! I will share pictures once it's all done :)
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I have completed 2 potholders and half a zip pouch for a special person, but since I don't know if she is reading my blog, I don't want to share too much about them until she receives them ;)
But this is the back (fun fabric that a Block Swap partner sent me... isn't it perfect for a pot holder??)
And finally, let me share this cheap way of basting my quilt! Pin-basting with a Foam Can Holder! :)
Ok, this is the story.
I didn't like pin basting for two reasons: 1) on a big quilt, I can never make the back smooth enough and then I spend hours trying to make it good and I just get frustrated; 2) I keep getting stabbed!! I don't like safety pins (they are too hard to put on and to move while quilting).
Now I found the solution for both problems!! 1) I quilt smaller pieces and join them later, so now having a smooth back is easier to achieve!! 2) I watched some videos where Leah Day suggests using straight pins but using some silicone "caps" to hold them in place and avoid stabbing! I checked them online and while they look cool, honestly they looked too expensive for me to buy not even knowing if this method would be good for me. So I looked around my craft shop and I found those Foam Can Holders (like these ones) for about 50 cents each... they are pretty thick so I cut them into 1 inches "squares" or weird shapes, and that's it!! here I have a ton of pin caps, super cheap and they work just great!!
They are big enough for a pin to go inside and be pretty stable, but they are easy to remove and reposition while you are quilting! Probably they are not as nice and durable as the official silicone ones, but I don't think anything can beat a 50 cents piece of think foam ;)
Now I am looking forward to baste more pieces of my quilt! :)
Here a picture before I started basting... my helper was really helpful in smoothing the three layers ;)
--
Ok, this is the story.
I didn't like pin basting for two reasons: 1) on a big quilt, I can never make the back smooth enough and then I spend hours trying to make it good and I just get frustrated; 2) I keep getting stabbed!! I don't like safety pins (they are too hard to put on and to move while quilting).
Now I found the solution for both problems!! 1) I quilt smaller pieces and join them later, so now having a smooth back is easier to achieve!! 2) I watched some videos where Leah Day suggests using straight pins but using some silicone "caps" to hold them in place and avoid stabbing! I checked them online and while they look cool, honestly they looked too expensive for me to buy not even knowing if this method would be good for me. So I looked around my craft shop and I found those Foam Can Holders (like these ones) for about 50 cents each... they are pretty thick so I cut them into 1 inches "squares" or weird shapes, and that's it!! here I have a ton of pin caps, super cheap and they work just great!!
They are big enough for a pin to go inside and be pretty stable, but they are easy to remove and reposition while you are quilting! Probably they are not as nice and durable as the official silicone ones, but I don't think anything can beat a 50 cents piece of think foam ;)
Now I am looking forward to baste more pieces of my quilt! :)
Here a picture before I started basting... my helper was really helpful in smoothing the three layers ;)
"Hey, I didn't do that, I found it that way!" :)
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I'm trying to decide whether to put loops on my pot holders, although it might be a little late for the current set. May I ask how you did yours? You have a very cute little helper!
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