Sewing: "Pattern for Smartness" 1948 Simplicity

I don't have much to share yet this week. I started to do some of the quilting on my quilt, but I didn't get very far. My daughter is in dance camp this week and I've been busy with the usual. I hope to get some laundry done, so that I can quilt this weekend without feeling like I'm neglecting my Mom Duties. In the meantime, I found this great video on YouTube! I wish I could travel back in a time machine.

More Quilt Work

I got up this morning and had my coffee, and then I got right down to work.  Here's my first helpful hint:  If you're going to make a nice applique label for a quilt, do the applique before you attach it to the quilt.  Also, don't listen to some random person on an online quilt board that says you can just put the label on first and then quilt right over it.  After all that work, I don't want to quilt over it!!

 (The embroidered & appliqued label)

 (The back)

Then I brought out the pins, and pinned all afternoon.

(the top)

I only took a break to run some quick errands.  Which did include going to Bernina for some clearance fabric, that I plan on using for some upcoming small projects. 

Now I have to do the quilting, but I'm not sure what to do.  :(  I bought some Invisafil thread to perhaps stitch in the ditch around the squares (sewing in the "cracks" where the quilt pieces come together, and the stitches can't be seen.)  Then I would probably do some free motioning with my BSR (Bernina Stitch Regulator" in the triangles, even though that causes problems with the label on the back.  I've thought of just doing strait lines, or perhaps squiggly lines in a crosshatch.  I don't know, I'm really stuck!  The family wants the dining room back and I'm ready to move on to other projects!

Does anyone have suggestions? 

The Quilt is on Hold Again.

I was all set to go last time I posted.  XD  Monday, two of my kids had doctor appointments on opposite ends of Las Cruces (thank goodness for Paul, who took the oldest to his appt.)  In the evening the older two had Boy Scouts.  Tuesday I was running around town, and by the time I got home it was time to make dinner.  Yesterday I worked, and then ended up spending a lot of time on the computer "working" but not officially.  I did get the back of my quilt pieced together, but that's as far as I got.  However, piecing a quilt back is a BIG deal for me!  I have never done it before, and always chose to just buy enough of 1 fabric to make a back out of.  I bought two colors this time, thinking I would test the creative waters.  Then on Saturday night, as I was cutting strips, I realized I didn't have enough fabric.  Bernina is closed on Sunday & Monday, so I chose to dig into my stash.  I ended up piecing a lot more than I had expected, but it looks great!  This quilt is going to just be my throw around quilt, and the patchy back gives it the perfect character.  It needs ironing before I can take a picture.
I also have pieces for a girl’s outfit that I cut out last week, but that's on hold until I can finish my quilt. 
Busy, busy, busy!

301 Quilt

 
This weekend I hope to work toward FINALLY finishing my Quilting 301 quilt. I took the class months ago, and really got burnt out. Then life just got in the way. I'll update you on the progress as I go. After work today I bought my backing, batting, binding, & thread. As usual, I left work ready to tackle this baby. Then I left the Bernina store and was blasted 100*ish heat with humidity, and came home to unfinished chores. My husband, Paul, has homework to do this evening so I may get something done once the kids go to bed.
Here are some pictures from while the quilt was still in the beginning stages.

Introduction

Let me introduce myself, my name is Jennifer. I have four children and have home schooled since 2007. I work for the sweetest couple, Izzy & Marsha Cowan, who own Bernina Sewing & Design in Las Cruces, NM. Aside from the Lord and my family, any type of sewing & quilting are my passion. It’s important to know though, that I didn’t know how to sew until I was 28 and already had 3 kids running around. I had a huge desire to learn how to sew. As a mom with very young kids, I couldn’t even mend a torn seam or patch a hole on the knees of their jeans. Torn clothes just meant it was time to throw them away. We didn’t have a whole lot of money and I wished so bad that I could make what we had last longer. When I had my daughter, I wanted to learn how to sew more than EVER! What would be better than making my darling little princess some gorgeous little dresses? Finally, someone heard my heart’s desire. A very kind friend, Sharon, let me borrow a machine, the manual that went with it, a selection of fabric, and some patterns. I fumbled my way through it on my own, but faster than anyone could imagine I was making clothes and bags! I have to say, thank goodness for YouTube and Google! Sharon was also just a phone call away if I ever had a question. I started working for Marsha & Izzy in January 2013. They have been wonderful to me as has the rest of the Bernina family. I have learned so much about Bernina Machines and different sewing techniques that would’ve taken forever to figure out on my own. Everyone I have come across & those that I work with have been such an enormous blessing!
Here’s the thing. I know how hard it is to be a busy mom and try to find time to even brush your teeth, let alone learn to sew or find the time to actually sit down and make something. That’s what this blog is going to be about. You will see how I make it happen… or sometimes don’t. Here and there, you may find a useful tip or tutorial that you can put to use on your own projects! Feel free to comment, share anything on Facebook, or Pinterest. Questions are always welcomed too! I'll never claim to know everything, I still have so much to learn, but I have a lot of fun creating!