Sister's Choice Quilts

New Pressing Tool

I wanted to share a new pressing tool that I got recently that has revolutionized my open-seam pressing game. This is called the 12" Wooly Pressing Bar, and so far, to me, it is worth the $30 price tag. 


This is the inside anatomy of the pressing bar. It is a curved piece of wood covered in wool that has been attached to a wooden base. The curved shape of it is perfect for pressing seams open. Honestly, it works so much better than pressing on a flat surface. 


12" is about the largest size block I typically make, and this pressing bar easily accommodates that size. Here I am pressing the 12" Designer Mystery 2012 Block 5. These longer seams have always been a challenge for me to press nicely, and this pressing bar makes it easy. My blocks turn out so flat.


Here I am pressing a 7 1/2" block. Something about the curve of the bar makes the seam cooperate and open up and press nice and flat. 


I like to flip it over and press the right side as well. See how flat and nice the seam lies?


I love how my blocks are turning out. 

I've been working on my little Vampire ghost for the Spooky and Sweet Halloween wall hanging. I've had some challenges trying to adapt the block the way I want it to look, but I'm getting there. Hope to show you my completed project in my next post. My plan is to use it as a center medallion for a larger quilt I am making. Hopefully I can make that work. 




Thanks for your encouraging words yesterday regarding my medical issues. I am having some vision problems and hope to get some answers soon.

Have a great weekend everyone. To those of you in the US, it's Labor Day weekend, so may your barbeques be fabulous!

 

Two Notions I Am Loving Lately

Good news. Today I will not be talking about making cushions. Woo hoo, they are finished, and that's all I am going to say.

What I did want to share are two sewing notions/tools I am loving lately. The first is the "needle minder" I mentioned a few posts back. It is a magnetic device used often by cross stitch and hand sewers who don't want to lose track of their needle while they change threads. You all know how annoying that is to have your needle disappear into the cushion of the chair you are sitting on. Ouch.

I use mine as more of a "pin catcher". You know when you are sewing along a seam and you really don't want to sew over a pin? I have broken more needles that way and really don't want that situation in my life anymore. I attached this little magnet to the throat plate of my sewing machine and as I approach those pesky pins I can slow down and swoop them off to the side onto the little pin catcher. Much faster than fiddling with a bulky pin cushion. This is the only one I have so far, but I am definitely going to start collecting some seasonal ones.

The second thing I am loving lately is a tool/method of making half-square triangles that is completely new to me. I have mentioned these little "Cute Cuts" square-up rulers before and how much I Iike them. They have crisscrossing diagonal lines and a clearly marked center which help you square up blocks such as an hourglass unit. I have them in several common sizes (2 1/2", 3 1/2", 4 1/2", and 6 1/2").

Lori Holt demonstrates another way to use them, of which I was at first sceptical, but now think is brilliant. Notice how the diagonal line is positioned right on the seam line of my oversized half-square triangle unit in the photos above and below. Using the trim tool for the unfinished block size you want to make, line up the diagonal line with the sewn seam line and trim. Your block will measure exactly the unfinished size you want, plus you only have to cut around the trim tool twice instead of four times as you do with the BlocLoc trim tool.

How clever is that? I have to make quite a lot of half square triangles in a rather unusual size:  2 1/4". I bought the 2 1/4" Cute Cuts trim tool because it wasn't very expensive  ($5.48) and I wanted to try it out. Using Lori's method of just trimming two sides was so much faster than trimming all four sides of the unit after it has been pressed open, which is what I usually do. 

And check it out. Right on the money. After I had done a few, I got smarter about trimming off the dog ears while the ruler was in position to cut the two sides. 


So there you go. It's always good to have an open mind about new ways to do something, right?

 

Iron Update

Well, my Chi iron didn't last as long as I would have liked, but then, I am awfully hard on irons apparently. I bought the one on the left in May 2022 and the one on the right arrived this week. 

The "older" one is still working, and not leaking unless I try to use it before it has heated up all the way. What it is doing is shutting off unexpectedly, which is annoying. I thought this sign was a heads-up that it wasn't long for this world. I ordered the new one to have on hand for the day when the older one goes belly up. I should try cleaning the old one to see if that corrects the issue.

The new model is essentially the same, the only difference being the method of filling it. The little red pop-open door is an improvement from the more fussy method of having to turn the cover to the side to expose the fill hole. Other than that, every other feature seems to be the same.

What I like about this iron, and which caused me to repurchase it, are the 400+ steam holes, fast heat-up time, and a 30-minute shut-off time. Most other irons shut off within a few minutes, and I like to keep my iron on while I sew. This is probably why they don't last me very long. 

My original Chi iron cost $99 in 2022 and the new model cost $82 in 2024. I am not quite ready to toss the older one, and will give it a good cleaning and see how long I can limp along with it before switching over to the new one. Up until a couple of weeks ago the first one has never leaked (unless I jumped the gun and used it before it was ready) or caused me any issues.

In my last post I mentioned that the dance Eva had been looking forward to had been canceled. Well, the evening was salvaged after all. The thoughtful mom of one of her friends suggested having the girls dress up in their party dresses and she would take them to a local restaurant for dinner. The sushi place near us has a private dining area that was available for the girls to use. As you can see by their joyful expressions, they are having an amazing time.

She spent the weekend selling her Girl Scout cookies. She set up her booth in front of the historic hotel in the little town of Murphys, down the street from where her family has its wine-tasting shop. Evidently, sales were good as tourists passed by on their wine-tasting excursions. I have always known that shopping comes easy to those who have consumed a glass or two of chardonnay. 

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Moda Blockheads 5 Catch Up

Yesterday I got caught up on the Moda Blockheads blocks. We are up to the fifth block in this second session of block offerings. 

Last week's block, Morning Star by Barbara Groves is on the left, and Glimmer by Janet Clare is on the right. These are both in the 6 inch size. I know some designers are planning settings that include both 12" and 6" sized blocks, so I am trying to remember that I need to make some in both sizes. Joanne Figueroa of Fig Tree & Co. hinted that for her setting she will use 9 12" blocks and 20 6" blocks. I may do that, or I may do something else.

That is the only down side to a sew along like this. You don't see many setting options until the end, which makes it harder to plan. What I do know is that I want to end up with a bed-sized quilt, so no 54" x 62" finished quilts for me. 

There were 9 block patterns released for the first session of this sew along, 5 so far for the second session, and at least 25 more to come. I've got plenty of fabric, so I will just keep making blocks every week and see where I end up. With 40 blocks to play with I should end up with a good sized quilt.

This is an extra block I made on a whim. I was watching a Shabby Fabrics post on their YouTube channel, where Tammy was making a Tennessee Waltz quilt out of this one block. She was promoting a new complicated looking ruler by Creative Grids that is used to make the triangle units. 

As I was watching the video, I thought, "What a minute, those block units are Peaky and Spike!" Do you remember Peaky and Spike, the 1990s brainchild of Doreen Speckmann?  Marti Michell had Peaky and Spike templates and several companies sold what they called "Tri Recs" rulers. There are seveal brands to choose from that are on the market. I had the Tri Recs rulers in a drawer and pulled them out and made this cute block in the 6 inch size. 

I tell you, nothing is new in this world. That has been my theme so far this year. I am going to try to use what I have on hand. I almost got tricked into buying a new gadget this week though. I saw a YouTube video where someone was promoting this amazing seam guide called Guidelines 4 Quilting. It looked brilliant so I went right to Amazon to buy it for $14.95. Well, thank goodness Amazon is smarter than I am, and reminded me "You last purchased this product on Oct. 27, 2022". Oh. Ok then. 

After a rummage in the bureau where I keep various notions I found it. The reason I didn't like it was because the guide sticks up for you to sew against, which gets in the way if you are sewing diagonal seams which I do all the time. But still. It is dumb to buy things twice especially if you don't really need them. 

Here's to a smarter February!

 

 

Foundation Paper Tip

While working on my Designer Mystery 2015/Snowman Gatherings project over the weekend, I ran into a problem. I needed to make some square in a square units in a size for which I did not have foundation paper.

When making this fussy unit, I have found that the only way I can get good results is to use foundation paper. I have been purchasing the little pads of foundation paper sold on Fat Quarter Shop's website. The typical sizes that I have used are 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch unfinished units. But this project was calling for something that I definitely did not have on hand.

I needed to make 2-inch and 3-inch unfinished square in a square units. I was stymied for a bit because I wanted to get those blocks done and not have to wait a week for an online order to FQS to go through. Plus, I wasn't even sure if they made foundation paper in those unusual sizes.

So, I went to Etsy.com and started searching for foundation papers in those odd sizes.

The Quilted Story is an Etsy shop that sells pdf files of foundation paper patterns in multiple sizes. You can make your purchase, download it, and print your foundation paper patterns within minutes. The price is great as well. For $6 you get the download which you can use multiple times to make hundreds of blocks. Also (and this is a BIG deal), in your download are included 5 different sizes of square in a square units!  In comparison, the foundation paper pads sold by FQS cost nearly $10 and you get 40 papers in one size. 

I need to say that the FQS foundation paper pads are of excellent quality and have never steered me wrong. And if you are not sure that your printer will print out to the correct scale, this do-it-at-home process may not work for you. My printer works great and prints things right to the correct scale, so this worked brilliantly for me. 

You also need to have the right type of paper to print on. I had a package of blank Carol Doak foundation paper on hand, which is crucial for sewing. It is lightweight and tears off easily. 

Next up were 40 3-inch unfinished square in a square units. Easy peasy. I printed out the number of sheets that I needed, made my block units and trimmed them to size.

Finding this online source of accurate pdf files for square in a square units was a real time and money saver for me. I wanted to pass the tip along in case you ever need it!

 

 

A Brilliant New Tool You Are Sure to Want

One of my biggest sewing peeves are those little threads that are left behind when you have to rip out your sewing. Sometimes I find myself with the tweezers and a magnifying glass to pick up all the pesky little strays. You all know what I am talking about, right? This is a universal pain in the you-know-what. 

I can't remember where I first heard about this little Seam Fix gadget, but I did buy one from Fatquarter Shop. It is a seam ripper with a special cap that removes those threads. 

How does that work?

Simply rub the rubbery tip over the threads and it somehow picks them up out of the just ripped seam.

The silicone tip is kind of sticky and works great to slough off all those threads. I felt like I was using it in much the same way as I would an eraser. I had to wipe the thread bits off the bulb once or twice but found it very effective. It certainly was way faster than picking threads out with my fingers or tweezers.

Here is a YouTube "tutorial" on how to use it. The seam ripper part is obvious, but the thread removal aspect is brilliant.

Have you tried the Seam Fix? What did you think? If not, do you think you might like it?

Economy Block

Was Sunday not the longest day ever? I swear it felt like that day was 34 hours long instead of 24. When we turn the clocks back, it is always so hard for me to adjust to the time change. In addition, I have come down with a slight cold. Scratchy throat, irritating cough, lots of throat clearing. Hopeful that it will pass quickly.

I did make the next nine foundation pieced blocks for the Petit Four sew-along. This block is called Economy, and to make it I used the 4" sized foundation papers by Fat Quarter Shop. Economy is a variation of the simple square in a square block, which you may recall gave me fits last week because I didn't have papers or a tool to make it in a one-and-a-half-inch finished size. 

In 2020 I made an entire quilt using the Economy block. For these blocks I did not use foundation paper, but rather the Creative Grids Square on a Square ruler, which worked great. It comes in a four, six, or eight-inch size. You use oversized pieces of fabric and trim down to the perfect size. I used brown and red fabrics from my stash for this one. This simple block really does make a spectacular quilt.

Apparently, I really love the Economy block. This next colorful quilt is called Penny Pincher and is made with Primitive Gatherings fabric. This one I think is particularly beautiful. I love how the gold blocks make your eyes travel over the quilt top. I need to get it quilted. I must have used the Creative Grids trim tool for these blocks as well.

What are you working on this week? Hope it's a good one!

More Sampler Spree Blocks and Trick Rulers

Sorry for the spotty posting this week. For once, it wasn't me being lazy, it was Typepad that was down. For two days I couldn't even log in to my account. Seems ok now, but fingers crossed.

I spent my time making more Sampler Spree blocks, and am working my way through the book of over 100 blocks. Two of the blocks required either templates or special rulers. Imagine my happiness when I "shopped at home" and found the exact rulers I needed tucked away in a drawer. 

The block on the left in the middle row (looks kind of like a spool) required a ruler by Darlene Zimmerman called the "Companion Ruler".  Shaped like a triangle, you use it to trim a strip set you have sewn in two contrasting fabrics. My strip sets measured 2.5 inches, so you line up the bottom of the strip set at the 2.5 mark and trim.

The second block that needed a specialty tool is the orange spikey star in the middle of the bottom row. That called for the "Tri Recs" rulers. And I had not just one set, but an extra one still in its package, yellowed with age. 

My plan is to sew through the weekend and spend some time out in the fresh air. We have been remarking on how cool and lovely our weather has been for this time of year. No heat waves, no fires...

Hope you have a great weekend doing exactly as you please!

Triangle Paper

Do you use triangle papers to make your half-square triangles? I think they are great, particularly when you need to make a lot of hsts. This latest project I have embarked upon requires a slew of half-square triangles, and triangle papers have been recommended. They are a wonderful way to ensure accuracy and produce a large number of half-square triangles with a minimum of effort.

I have four varieties of half-square triangle papers that I have used over the years. All of them have umpteen size options for every size hst you could think of. The first to come to my attention, years ago, were "Thangles". These papers come in a strip that produces six half-square triangles. I like to use them when I have narrow strips of fabric because they fit nicely and use up bits that might otherwise not get used.

Kimberly Jolly of Fat Quarter Shop has her own brand of triangle paper called "Triangles On A Roll". I'm not crazy about having to cut out the amount I need from a large roll, but the quality of the paper is very good. It is thinner than other brands and tears off super easily.

Lisa Bonejean of Primitive Gatherings has her own brand of triangle paper, which comes in super tiny sizes. There is even be a 1/2" size half-square triangle paper, which is ridiculously tiny. Lisa is known for her very small blocks and these papers that produce accurate teeny tiny hsts are a real boon. These are what I reach for when the size of the hsts is less than 1 1/2 inch.

I think my favorite brand of triangle paper is the Star Singles papers by Spinning Star Designs. I've bought them for years from Shabby Fabrics. I was introduced to them by Paula Barnes of Red Crinoline Quilts. I took a class from her at a quilting retreat and she used them. I like the fact that the papers are square in shape and make good use of fabric scraps. You get 8 hsts from a square of paper. The paper is a bit thicker than Kimberly's Triangles On A Roll, but still tears off fairly well, especially if you use a small stitch length when sewing. 

In between writing assignments, I ran upstairs and sewed my triangle papers for the first three blocks of the Summer Memories sew-along. Now I just need to tear off those papers and press the units. Oh, and sew the twelve basket blocks together!

This week I have spent mostly sitting at my desk writing, with the space heater aimed at my legs. Glad I didn't pack away my cashmere sweaters yet. Our weather has turned very chilly and it has been grey and drizzly. Next week promises to be the same, so I don't know what happened to spring. I may be going back to my dad's house this coming weekend, so if you don't hear from me on Monday, that could be why.

What is your favorite method to make a lot of half-square triangles?

Have a great weekend and I hope it is Spring wherever you are! Or Fall for you gals Down Under.

 

Vintage Kite Block and Is It Time to Replace Your Sharps?

How cute is this block? It is called the Vintage Kite block and is made by foundation piecing. Fat Quarter Shop has been coming out with a series of foundation papers that are truly wonderful. They have Square in a Square block papers in several common sizes, which I love to use for that block because it is a tricky one. They also have all kinds of size options for half-square triangle blocks. Paper piecing is great for HSTs when you need to make a lot of them. But I digress.

This block was fairly time-consuming, as you must do it in four sections and then sew the quadrants together to make the block. I love how it turned out though and I will definitely make more of them. This block finishes at 6 inches.

The paper sheets come in a pad of 42. You would need at least two or three pads to make a quilt. Just try one pad and make a table runner and see how you like it!


Is it time to replace some of your "sharp" tools? We all know we need to replace our rotary cutter blades fairly often. You know it's time when your blade skips and won't cut through all your layers of fabric.

But did you know other sharp tools need to be replaced as well? Pins get dull or bent and should be replaced. I toss mine and replace with new ones once a year.

This may come as a shock, but you should be replacing your seam ripper fairly often as well. The business part of a seam ripper is a razor, and it dulls over time. I bet some of you have never replaced your seam ripper. Am I right? I have a drawer full of them that I have acquired over the past 10-15 years and have no idea which are the old ones and which are the new ones. I just dumped them all and bought three new Clover seam rippers. I have one on my cutting table, one next to my sewing machine, and a backup. If I ever went on quilting retreats or took classes anymore, I'd put one in my travel sewing kit for sure. 

I had to rip something last time I sewed and wow, the new seam ripper cut through the threads like nobody's business.

Thank you again for your kind words of comfort over losing our Ozzie. It really meant so much that he touched so many of you over the years! That dog was something else. Gosh, our house feels empty without him. My husband hardly knows what to do with himself early in the morning when he used to walk him around the neighborhood. Ozzie had an inner alarm clock I swear. He always knew when it was 5:30 and time for dinner, and he sure had us trained. Come 5:30 my husband and I are ready to go into the kitchen and fill the food bowls. I know it gets better over time, but whew, it is a sad adjustment for us.