A Little DIY Project

Saw this clever tutorial for a portable ironing board  over at Oh, Fransson!, and decided that I needed one, too.  It's a great little pressing table that can sit next to you and your sewing machine so that you don't have to move very much when piecing and pressing a quilt top.

I made mine even more portable by using a piece of MDF, instead of the T.V tray table. 

I also added a piece of non-slip underpadding used for area rugs:

The whole thing fits perfectly on an adjustable height chair that I can slide under my sewing table when not in use!

And I can take it with me the next time i am teaching or taking a class!

Extra notes: the whole thing cost me under $10 to make!

-piece of MDF (found in scrap section of local reno store): $2

-quilt batting (used remnants of inexpensive cotton batting): free

-pink fabric: $6

-non-slip carpet pad (left over from old area rug (can be bought a any carpet store or Ikea): free

Total cost: $8!

OOPS!

Forgot to mention...I discovereed the tutorial for the unique 'binding' of my hexie quilt here.

Be sure to check out Amy's quilt.  It's so beautiful!

Elation!...and withdrawal.

After three years in the making...

after hundreds of meters of thread,

5 quilting needles,
several trips to the quilt shop to buy more fabric,
Some chocolate, tomato sauce, (and some unknown) stains,
Countless joyful hours of handstitching,
and 768 hand cut hexagons,

 My hexie quilt is done!

 Finished in time for the Finish it up! deadline!

After finishing it up early Saturday morning,  we all spent the day at the beach to celebrate my niece's birthday. As all the adults sat by the water to watch the kids play...withdrawal set in.  I have been so accustomed to keeping my hands busy on such occasions that I suddenly felt so anxious.  So when we got back home, I pulled out another project that's been sitting in my basket since May of 2010.  I'll post more about it in the days to come.

In the meantime, here's what i learned from the experience of making this quilt:
1)Plan better next time!I didn't have a clear idea of how big this quilt was going to be from the start. The shop where I had initially bought the fabric had shut down and I had to scramble around town to find what I needed.  I also had to make do without one of the colored fabrics for the border hexies on the back.
2)I work well under pressure! As soon as I heard about the Finish It Up! challenge deadline, I was more focussed than ever to get it done.
3)I LOVE doing handwork!  As much as I enjoy the fast paced work I do on my machine, handstitching provides me  a certain palatable sense of calm.  It is how I like to relax at the end of a long day.

More Teaching!

I excited to say that I will be teaching several classes at The Quilt Chalet this fall.
"Sewing 101" is a series of classes designed especially for teens.  The projects made during the 6-week session are: a pillow, a tote, a zippered pouch, and a backpack:

Also being offered is a series of "à la carte" classes  called "Sewing for the Home" in which we will make a book wrap, an apron, a pillow with zippered closure, a tote, and a sewing machine cover.  More information to come on that soon.
If live in area, feel free to visit The Quilt Chalet for more information. Or you can always contact me with any questions!

Progress Made

We just got back from a 2-week holiday at the cottage where I had ample time to sit by the water and work diligently on my hexie quilt. 

I was able to piece the top as well as quilt the whole thing!  Every spare minute was spent working on it.  It had been so long since I'd done some hand quilting.  I forgot how much I enjoyed it!

I have a few more hexies to make that will be used as a border for the back. It's a unique hexie binding method I discovered here.

All I'll be carrying with me to the pool this week is this little basket as I finish off the last 100 hexies! 

 Check back soon to see more progress.