look, mum, no pins

Just a short post today – I’ve finally managed to get into my sewing room this week!

Piecing curves is apparently one of those things that quilters avoid.

I have a very good teacher but she likes pins – lots of them. She also clips the concave curves.

Today, I found two videos on YouTube about piecing curves without the use of pins.

 

I tried the first way but the second way works better for me – except I press towards the quarter circle.

Have to go – I have more curves to piece! See you next Tuesday.

Thank Goodness It’s Finished Friday

Today I’m hosting the linky party for TGIFF and, yes, I have a finish.

It’s not the one I hoped to have – although that came close.

This is an previously unpublished project.

A few weeks ago, my quilting teacher was talking to us about making a quilt each for the Gift of Hope project. Basically, the quilts are made and donated to families whose babies are still-born or die soon after death. My teacher says “born asleep”.

It’s a sad project but I wanted to help.

Here is a picture of the backing taped down ready for basting and the flimsy lying on top.

I tried hard to buy some suitable green fabric for the binding.

I had plenty of the pink but felt it would overwhelm the whole thing. I didn't have enough of the white-on-white print to make binding and thought a slightly darker blue-green would be perfect. Of course, the colour in my head was not available.

At Caring Hearts Community Quilting group yesterday, someone found a white fabric with a tiny gold print on it that I could use.

So last night, I made binding and hand-stitched it down. But, of course, I had to wait for daylight to take photos!

First the backing – a hand dyed fabric donated to the quilting group (I also used this on the front).

I quilting diagonally through the floral squares. This photo also gives the most accurate colour of the fabrics.

Finished size - 24" x 24".


Thank goodness I had a finish to show!

I'm also linking this project with Barbara's New FO party. Pop over to Cat Patches and see the projects that were started by other bloggers in March.

What about you? Do you have a finish to show this week?

getting to know your machine

It's been a little over three weeks since Jan came to live with me.

Last night, I had the first of my two "getting to know your machine" classes.

First, we were told about needles and threads. Ball point needles separate the threads and go between them, sharp needles just piece the threads. Did you know that it is the sharp needle pushing through your fabric, splitting the warp and weft threads that causes all that lint inside your machine?

Did you know quilters use cotton thread because it has no give? Quilts don't need to give at the seams like clothes do, which is why garments are generally sewn with polyester thread. And rayon thread is used for decorative stitches.

We were shown how to wind a bobbin and insert a bobbin correctly. All nine participants had top loading bobbins, so that made it easier for the teacher. In fact, seven of the nine participants had Janome machines (the other two were Husqvarna).

We were shown how to thread a machine and then we had to wind our own bobbins and thread our own machines. We were then encouraged to try out the stitches on our machines while the teacher came around and explained the various features of each individual machine to its owner!

After some time spent playing with stitches, the various types of foot and their purposes were explained. We were then shown how to sew a buttonhole which we had to follow up with a button hole of our own. How easy they are these days; a far cry from the four step process of my old machine!



Finally we were shown how to blind hem. Since there is little call for blind hemming on my quilts, I asked the teacher if she would show me how to attach the free motion foot correctly. I have broken one needle in three weeks (actually it was in the first forty-eight hours) by incorrectly attaching this foot.

So, while the other participants sewed blind hems - should that be blindly sewed hems? (LOL) - let's try:

So while the other participants practised sewing hems using a blind hemming stitch, I practised sewing free motion circles (not as easy as it sounds) and attempted to free motion quilt my name.


I think more practice is needed!!

Next "getting to know your machine" class - 21st September, in which I learn to use the "memory" on my machine.

I'll have more time

When our head teacher asked us to state our preferences for work this coming semester (July-December), I wrote something along the lines of "more work or no work" (not in those words, of course).

Working two and a half hours a week meant being away from home for five hours , not to mention preparation, marking and administration (all unpaid). To be perfectly honest, working for that amount of time was really not working - it was just an unwelcome interruption to my "real" life!

Now don't get me wrong, I love teaching - ask any student who has been in my classes or workshops - but I was getting quite fed up with the half-a-day-week thing!

So, I asked for work on two (preferably consecutive) days - or no work at all (give my hours to someone who really needs the work).

And my answer came back last Friday (the last day of the last semester):

... we are not able to offer you a teaching program in Semester Two 2011.

You know, first my heart sank and I felt like crying; the feelings of rejection threatened to overwhelm me!

I went straight out and told WM; he smiled and said, "well, that's what you wanted, isn't it?"

And that was that: I'm unofficially 'retired' - at least for the rest of this year!

WM doesn't expect me to look for other work. And DD just might need help with two boys sixteen months apart!

God is good!!

I felt honoured

Last week I received a phone call from the member of the Knitters' Guild of NSW who is organising the biannual camp. She had heard that I was a good teacher and had recently done a couple of workshop on entrelac. She wanted to know if I would teach a session or two at the camp.

I was flattered. I wondered who had said something - but I think I have that figured out (three of the Guild's current executive are members of the same group to which I belong). Part of me wanted to say "yes" but part of me resisted.

You see, the camp is always held on the Long Weekend in October. WM has a rostered day off every fourth Friday and for the past couple of years, that Friday has been at the start of the October Long Weekend - as it is this year. Because he has four days off, we often go away.

So, we talked it over and guess what - I'm teaching two sessions of entrelac at the camp in October.

Is anyone else going to camp?

Sunday Ramble

Still here, still knitting. Monogamously and slowly. I've made it to seven repeats of the Myrtle Leaf stole. The lifelines, which are inserted every six rows, have only been needed once; which is a sign I'm improving! Only 33 repeats and the border to do in less than eleven weeks! Some days I don't knit at all so that doesn't help.

I've not been well - not sick - just not feeling 'well'. Extremely tired, down but not out - I'm sure you know what I mean. It's the end of the academic year and assessments are underway, which means marking and making decisions re grades - not the most glamorous part of my usually interesting job. And then there's the paperwork! I thought computers were supposed to make life easier?!

But, look on the bright side: there are only three weeks left of TAFE, and four weeks at the community college. Then I have an eight week break, or eight weeks without pay, whichever you prefer. I prefer the former because I need the break. WM has a regular income and we're used to my 'seasonal' wages.

Then there's Christmas for which I am nowhere near ready, and the wedding, which is almost completely organised; you see, I have my priorities straight! LOL

It's an easy Christmas for us in many ways; WM's family gathers the Sunday before Christmas. We hosted last year so this year we just pack some meat for the barbecue, drinks, some coleslaw and a cheesecake [so 70s] and travel to another sibling's home. Easy-peasy [as my students used to say in the 70s]. Then my family's Christmas will be at my sister's house - 500km away; the travel is the worst part. WM has Christmas Eve off as part of his normal roster, so that makes life easier. We'll drive up on Wednesday, stay in a 2-bedroom cabin at the local caravan park, spend Christmas Day and the morning of Boxing Day with the family and drive home in the afternoon; WM has to work on the Saturday.

As for the wedding: nearly everything is done; of course, there are still some little things - the seating plan [can't do that till we know who's coming], the order of service [when DD and SIL2B make up their minds] and the mother-of-the-bride's dress: yeah, that's me. I hate clothes shopping and am trying to lose weight by watching what I eat [sort of - really, I'm too tired to care] and vigilantly walking 10,000+ steps a day every day. The walking is supposed to help cure the tiredness too; the theory is "energy creates energy"! Hmmm!

Enough rambling; I'm off to work on Myrtle.

An interview

Last November, I applied for a part-time position as an ESOL teacher at TAFE. Just before Christmas, I got a letter to say that the decision process would be postponed until Term 1 due to the [summer] holidays.

Three weeks ago, I received a phone call telling me that I had an interview on 25th March. Why didn't I mention it, you ask? I guess I just don't want people to know that I'm trying for something then have to say what the result was!

Anyway...I attended the interview as prepared as I could be; I had all the documents I was supposed to have, I had samples of work one of my classes had just produced [the week before]; I even had a new pair of shoes [did I say I don't like shopping for clothes or shoes? Sorry RoseRed!] and the blisters to go with them!

Let me side-track for a moment, WM had an interview for a promotional position with a NSW government department in January, and we still haven't heard the result. We have been [im]patiently waiting to hear because it could mean major changes to our situation.

And now, back to my story....On Wednesday afternoon, yes, that's right, the very next day, I had a phone call from one of the head teachers at TAFE asking if I could [and would like] to work Friday. Now, I had a knit-n-natter planned for the morning and lunch with a very dear friend afterwards, so what did I do? I said 'yes', of course.

And so it came to pass, that I am now a part-time English teacher at TAFE! I even taught again today! It's no big deal, right? Yes it is!! [to me anyway].