Jump to content

Little Accomplishments


Recommended Posts

I just used up a cone of thread, put a new cone of the same color on the machine, and took aim for the wastebasket to throw in the plastic spool. Sounds mundane, but throwing away thread-less spools gives me a little sense of accomplishment -- makes me feel like I'm making progress in my business of quilting customer quilts! :D

Anybody else want to share some of the little things that keep you going?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Linda S

Not really an accomplishment indicator, except maybe a life accomplishment -- when I'm in my studio with the music turned up and dancing around the quilts, I sometimes start to cry because I'm so happy! This is where I've always wanted to be, instead of in a boring office at the University. I made it!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm also amazed and happy when I'm able to finish a cone of thread, Joan.

Another gratifying moment is when I unload a quilt to hang for presentation. I never look at it while I hang it up, but wait until I'm across the room so I can turn around and take it all in. I hope to enjoy the same excitement they might have when they come to get it.

Perhaps my favorite day is one without outside obligations--no day job, no place to be but in the studio, groceries in the fridge and dinner planned--a whole day just to quilt. What a pleasure!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I made a little iron caddy for me and four microwave bowl holders for my daughter for Christmas this weekend and it's the first thing I've sewn since last July. Yay!

I love your bowls Oma. Glad to see your sewing again. :)

I get a great sense of accomplishment when the quilting I do, actually resembles the 'idea' I originally had in my head.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm reorganizing the Quilt Cave this weekend. My wonderful husband installed lots of shelves in the closet for my fabric, etc. I'm taking all the fabric out of the ikea baskets and refolding it as I put it on the shelves. The ikea basket units were just too heavy full of fabric and they didn't fit the closet space very well. It is quite a project, but so worth it to be organized! I hope to finish today, then play a bit next week since I'm on vacation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Joan, I'm with you, too bad there was no one there to see if you made it in the basket! Oma I too like those bowl holders...glad you are feeling better! When my children were small, I always said mowing the grass was something I enjoyed because it was something that no one could mess up for several days...ahh accomplishments! Now I had better go finish a quilt....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with what others have said so far except mine is when I can go to the list of waiting customers and cross off the one I just finished their quilt. I, too, love to hang up the quilted quilt and admire it from across the room. Seeing the look on my customer's face when she walks through the studio door and immediately sees it hanging, too, gives me the warm fuzzy feeling and sometimes I cry with them. So far (knock on wood) they've been happy tears and not the other kind.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Joan, thanks for posting this. it seems there are more things to get excited, or the feeling of accomplishment..

Oma the bowl holders really look neat.

On feeling like I've done something, LOL, I don't think of spools, guess I need to now. I have emptied

several spools, cones that were less than full... I usually feel good when I empty a bobbin.

Rita

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, alrighty then, I shall tell all of you about my bowls and the iron caddy.

I didn't use regular batting...I purchased "Warm Tater" because it contains no glue or resins which supposedly can cause a fire in the microwave. I don't know if it would catch fire, but then why take a chance. I purchased it online from Fabric Depot in Portland, OR, but I have seen it just about every where. I also don't use fabric with metallic in it. Probably would be fine because it's probably not real metal, but again I just don't and I have plenty of fabric without it so it's not a problem. These little bowl holders are absolutely wonderful and so easy to make. They are a wonderful little gift for someone.

I bought the bowl pattern from HandmadeBits4U on Etsy: www.etsy.com/shop/HandmadeBits4u

I also found a tutorial showing how to make it on the Quiltingboard forum and it works very well also. www.quiltingboard.com/tutorials

The iron caddy is so cute and comes in several sizes. I made the small one for my travel iron and my friends made large ones for their regular irons.

It's a purchased pattern: www.sisterscommonthread.com You can order the pattern from a lot of different sites.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Heidi, I tried the one from Eleanor Burn's site and she says to cut your fabric 10" and your batting 9" and it doesn't work well. Otherwise the instructions work. That site shows to quilt the fabric first and I never do that, although it would be cute. I sew a seam from corner to corner and edge to edge. They also add a little circle for added support and I sometimes do that. I didn't on some and it doesn't seem to make a lot of difference.

Some instructions say to cut the fabric 10" and the batting 9½" and that will work well. The intent is to not have a bulky seam when you turn it inside out, but again, that doesn't seem to make a lot of difference either except that I preferred to catch the batting in the seam.

Others cut them the exact same size. I like mine the same size. Why? Because I use my Studio Cutter and my 10" layer cake die and cut a bunch all at once. And they turn out the nicest.

It's sort of like the story form Goldielocks and the three bears...one will be too hot, one will be too cold and one will be just right.

The instructions from http://syzygyofme.blogspot.com/2012/06/microwave-bowl-potholder-and-tutorial.html would be the "just right" one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kathy, I saw your tutorial the other night and knew I had to make some of these as DH & I love soup in the winter. Thank you for sharing!

And thank you to Oma, too! I haven't looked at the links you provided as I already had Kathy's bookmarked, but I will check them out, too. I love your little iron caddy. How cute and functional!

Joan, I love using up little things like spools of thread! It is such an accomplishment and means I can buy MORE! LOL

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...