FNSI Recap...

So, last night was Friday Night Sew-In...and I was able to participate :)

I was able to get started just after 6 pm... I was going to start sooner in the afternoon, but it was such a beautiful day that the girls and I went for a walk instead!

I was planning to start quilting on my Scallop Peel Quilt and had hopes of getting it done... however, I remembered I had some garment repair projects that needed done for some relatives, so I proceeded to get those done first!

I also added a small improvement in my sewing area... I hung up a thread rack that has been in the storage area for years. Still not sure why it took me so long to get it out :)

So during the first couple of hours, I did that and the garment repairs...then took a break to help get the girls ready for bed [or in Amber case, put her back to bed...she took her nap very late :) I really thought she'd just sleep all night the first time I put her to bed... ]

I was back to sewing around 9:45 and did some quilting around the Orange Peel section of the quilt.

I didn't get much farther than that, but I hope to finish up this quilt today!

How was your Friday evening?

O praise the LORD, all ye nations:

praise Him, asll ye people.

For His merciful kindness is great toward us:

and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever.

Praise ye the LORD.

Psalm 117

Amanda

The Sewing Machine Review...

I've been busy...just not taken the time yet to write up posts.

But today I'll give you a quick review...
-- a sewing machine review...
letting you know what I think of my now 2 month old Singer Quantum Stylist 9960.

I quilted Liz's quilt...which is a generous lap/small single bed quilt...and it went very well.
It doesn't have a huge throat space, but I noticed a difference between it and my old machine....it's bigger to me :)

The selection of stitches is amazing and fun to play with... I used some on bibs made not long after I got the machine.

I still have tension issues...but I'm thinking that its the user :) I need to learn the best settings per stitch -- like when using elastic thread in the bobbin and silky material...use 18!

I'm still loving the thread cutter...so much less thread waste!
It does better with thick sections.
Love the stitch-in-the-ditch foot that came with the quilting package I got with the machine! [PS...this is on sale for even less than I got it for :)]
The bias tape binding foot is pretty neat too!

Over all I like the machine...a good machine at a good value!

A more expensive machine may still be better, but when money still hasn't begun to grow on trees...we all have to make the money we do have count :)

It is the LORD:

let Him do what seemeth Him good.

1 Samuel 3:18b

Amanda

So Much To Show You...

But there never seems to be time to sit down and post everything...

This week I am busy trying to finish Amber's quilt so it can be added to the long list over at the Quilt Blogger's Festival at Amy's Creative Side...and I think I might make it!

But before I started quilting it, I wanted to rearrange my sewing corner...

Before...

and even since this picture, a few things had changed...

but now even more...

You see, with the sewing machine out in the middle of the floor, I was afraid that one of the girls would go by and pull on the quilt while I was quilting it...so I needed to move. Also, I wanted to bring the computer into this area too.

This wasn't how I originally had things mapped out for the move, but I LOVE the way it turned out! (Thanks Chad!)

After...

The girls still have their play area just beside me...but I now have a higher hurtle to cross...my new exercise program :) since I don't have to run to the living room to use the computer. (The girls do get to 'invade' my space sometimes...but I try to keep them from getting under foot so they don't get into the sewing/craft stuff.) The way the room had been set up, Amber was reaching in and pulling fabric off the shelf of my table...I think she's going to be a crafty one...Liz maybe more on the artsy side.

This seems to be working great for quilting...and when I'm working at the table I can see out the window. Liz can sit at the end of the table and color...or play tea party :)...Amber will probably join her at the table when she gets a little bigger. For now she's content taking all the toys and books off the bookshelf and play kitchen.

So, I hope you've enjoyed this tour of one of my favorite places...time to go finishing quilting so I can bind and FINALLY post about Amber's Quilt!

Hopefully I'll be able to get back to connecting with the great linky parties list on my right side bar...it seems to have been a little hit-and-miss lately. But you can always check them out for great inspiration for another craft project.



Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him:

for the marriage of the Lamb is come,

and his wife hath made herself ready.

Revelation 19:7

So, I was actually looking for a different verse, when I opened to this one...it made me think about needing to keep myself ready (spiritual) for the return of the Lord to take us to Heaven to be with Him. Just like we prepare for weddings here, we have a great wedding we need to be preparing for...the best wedding ever!

Also, made me contemplate being prepared for my husband...to make things ready for when he gets home from work on a daily basis...this should be our preparation for the when we are again a bride that needs to be prepared. (However, this is definitely no guarantee it will happen on a daily basis...but I can try :)

Sewing seeds daily...

Amanda

The Sewing Corner...

How quickly time moves along!

This was a practice piece for my FMQing Challenge. I did this on my day 12 (Tuesday). I had watched a FMQ video earlier on Tuesday, so as I was practicing, I think I had a better idea of what I was suppose to be doing!

On Wednesday and Thursday, my day 13 and 14, I was quilting a mother's day gift...So I'll show just part of it! (I'll post a full view on Monday.)

I also did a small practice piece, but the pictures would not turn out...so the stitching didn't show up. (Sorry there's no picture.)

So, I've finished the FMQing Challenge...and have improved!

However, I may continue to challenge myself for the last week of the challenge as well because now I have a new tool... an extention table for my sewing machine!

My wonderful husband went to the sewing store yesterday to get me my Mother's day gift...an extention table. But sticker shock had him leaving the store designing one in his head. He is so talented! He made it for me last night. I still have yet to try it out and I plan to cover it with contact paper so the material slides around smoothly. It is calling me...but I have to go to school...so maybe tonight!

I also added another element to my sewing corner...a 'design wall'. I read on a blog that all you really need for a wall is a piece of batting pinned to the wall. I didn't want to part with my batting...so I'm using the back of a crib quilt (store bought) that was hanging half way behind our bed. The front is nice...a lighthouse/sailboat motif...but I'm thinking it will be more useful this way!

I waiting on shelves for better storage...but the sewing corner is coming to gether nicely!

I also finished the binding of the Log Cabin pot holders yesterday.

Yesterday was a beautiful day...so I took a bunch of outside pictures...I'll post some more later.

To everything there is a season,

and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Amanda

   ~ the Mad Fabrictist