I am going through a slow process of organizing myself and my work area. It was looking like a hurricane hit it. Little by little I am (with my husband’s help) picking up everything. One of the things that I have to do is complete the multitude of unfinished projects (UFOs) that I have. Some are from when I was going to teach and I was in the process of making samples for that class. Others were me trying to learn art quilting and just gave up on it and moved onto another project. Kind of a “Shinny object” disease (new things always catching my eye and interest).
The first one that I am working on completing is this table runner. I designed it and it was suppose to be a class until Covid hit and my plans were altered. So once it is finished I’ll add it to my Etsy list or in one of the shops (haven’t decided that yet).
After I designed the table runner, I print a piece of paper for each square I need. In this case 12.Then I sew on the pieces of fabric on. Actually, each piece of fabric is sewn on the paper side for accuracy. I’ll have to do a video another date showing you that process.This is one of the squares with the paper still on the back and all of the fabric sewn.Now the fun part comes!!! All of the squares are sewn together and I get to pull off every little piece of paper!!!!It’s all ready to layer, quilt, and add a binding! WooHoo!
My pocket hugs can be tucked into your pocket since they measure 2-1/2″ x 2-1/2″. You can use it to send to someone who needs hugs from you because of this difficult time. Whenever they pull it out of their pocket or just hold it in their hands, they will know that you care for them and sending them hugs.
They are a mini quilt that I used ink to hand draw the design on them. They are able to be washed and dried on a normal cycle of your machines. I am selling them locally at THE GREENHOUSE at 700 E. Robinson Road, Ton. 14120 and on my Etsy site very soon. I’ll update this blog when I post them on Etsy.
Contact me if you are interested in one or more of these.
It has been brought to my attention that some people may not know how to adjust the elastic on their mask for a custom fit. Below is a link to the CDC Guidelines of how to wear a mask. It has some great information.
The masks that have the elastic can be adjusted easily by tying the elastic for a custom fit. Here’s a video I did to show you how to do that:
Wow! My hands look awfully dry and old!!!!
I make the double fabric masks with flannel on the inside and elastic to go around your ears. There are three sizes that you can choose from to help fit your face perfectly. Please click on the link below to see the sizes available.
We are all in the same boat with this novel virus. Today, my emotions are getting the best of me. I want to share with you how I handle emotional days. (Not that I’m an expert)
To date I have made about 600 masks. Some are donated and some are sold. Some of you have donated extra money which I have contributed to Buffalo Resilience ($380).
As I work on the masks, I am praying for the health of the people who will be wearing them, all of the essential employees, first responders, and any people who have contracted the virus. These are heavy days for all of us.
So, I find my happiness comes from my art quilting. I am making little art pieces (which are for sale). Today I’m going to continue on a piece to help me get focused again.
Elephant
I have to find about one hour per day to do my art which will bring me peace. Some days it may be half of the day or all day just to give myself some peace and happiness.❤️
If you find that you are struggling emotionally in these times, do something that makes you happy for a portion of the day! Please share with me what makes you happy!
DogFlowers
Above are a couple of art pieces I have done. Please contact me if you would like to purchase them.
Just starting a new project from my list. I designed a table runner and I’m working on it so I can teach it. I guess I need multiple projects to keep my mind engaged!
The beginning!
Just started it within the past 5 minutes!! Not much to see right now.
I’m still working on masks at about 20 per day. The art that I have been doing will be periodically and/or when I get another idea to thread sketch.
Keep safe and healthy, and as always, thank you for reading my blog!!
I am sew embarrassed that I have two wedding gifts from 2 years ago that I have not completed. Sew, for the next few weeks, I am going to complete these gifts and give them! This is going to give me a good focus on the work I have to do now. I just started painting the fabric. I am planning on finishing this by the end of this week, and I can give it to the happy couple (my cousin). The photo in the middle is the quilt at the end of the painting stage. The original photo is on the far right. Next step is to quilt it and frame it.
The other part of this is that my work area is totally messy. I am focusing on re-organizing this space to get ready for a litany of projects I have to complete by the end of the year.
Since my teaching experience at AQS in April, I have decided to focus on teaching and competition quilts; andI will of course take any commissioned quilt work that comes along. This allows me to have a very specific focus that I could market and expand on!
Thank you for reading this post! I would love to read your comments!
All the alterations are done! WooHoo!!! Had one bridesmaid gown, groomsmen pant suit, and the bridal gown alter. Pictures will be shown after the wedding on July 4th. I don’t want my son, Joe to see the gown.
Joe and Sarah’s wedding quilt
Today, Mike and I tested out hanging the quilt on our family room wall. On the table in front will have a strip of fabric on it for the guests can write a little note to the couple. After the wedding, I will incorporate that strip in the backing of the quilt. My goal is to have the quilt totally quilted and complete for Christmas.
Now that all the sewing is done, it’s time me to clean the house.😳😝
Thank you for reading my blog! Have a wonderful day!❤️
A year ago today, my Dad passed from this world to heaven. So, as you can imagine, this is a very emotional time for me and my family as we reminisce about his life and just miss him terribly.
My first competition art quilt named FACE TO FACE. It captures a moment in time of my Dad and our dog Sable. They are both enjoying each other’s company now.
My Dad was an amazing man with his creativeness, ingenuity, and humbleness. He had his own upholstery business for many years. He taught me how to work hard when you have your own business. Even though I did not like it, I had the pleasure of working in his shop as a teenager, going to customers homes to deliver their furniture, experienced how Dad would talk to the customers about how he was going to recover their fabric, and got my hands dirty with ripping fabric off the furniture (not an easy job). Later on, he moved me to sewing the welt that would go on the furniture. This was my first experience with using his industrial sewing machine that had a very thick needle (size 21) and sews extremely fast. I did have domestic sewing machine experience, but this was a different animal (machine actually). He was a tough teacher… I remember thinking he was disappointed in my with my crooked stitching lines and nothing was even. At this point I was in my 20s and was helping him for experience and to help him with some jobs.
Later, when I had my own alteration business, he would help me with sewing some heavy items like replacing a zipper in a leather coat. My domestic sewing machine would not go through it. I got use to using his machine. Now, I have his machine and use it still when I have heavy sewing work to do.
Many years ago, my parents gave my husband and I two of those anti-gravity chairs that have cushions on them. Over the years of use, the fabric deteriorated, tore, faded, and went unused. Probably about 4 years ago, my dad said that he would help me re-upholster them and had fabric for them that reminded me of a bubble bee. Of course, time when by and I never made the time to do that with him.
About two weeks ago, I decided that I wanted to make the time this year to re-cover our chairs. I figured I would use the next few Sundays to accomplish this task. Dad said that it is not hard to do, so I was confident to do this. Plus, I had my husband to do some of the disassembling parts of the frame to take the cushions out. Last week I started with ripping the fabric to create the patterns, cutting the fabric, and starting to sew the pieces together.
Me using my Dad’s machine to recover my chair.
This past Sunday, I finished one chair. Through this time, I was talking to him as if he was standing over my shoulder. I was having difficulty with his machine and after about one hour discovered that it was the way the bobbin was wound. This was after I oiled the hook of the machine, brushed out the feed dogs, cursed at it a million times. My go to was saying to Dad, “How did you do this?” or “You said this was easy!!”
As I was finishing one of the chairs today, I was realizing that I was using not only all of the knowledge that he taught me as well as his sewing machine and tools. I knew he was with me still teaching me how to get through the tricky parts of doing this like shoving the fabric covered foam to stitch a securing or fold stitch. It was not easy. Mike had to hold my rolling chair so I could force the foam through the arm of the sewing machine and reach the foot pedal at the same time to make the machine sew. Dad recovered his same chair all by himself. When I finished, I had a real emotional moment.
The chair all finished!! Next week the second chair!!
Dad, I am sew blessed that you were able to be in my life and that you took the time to teach me life skills as well as your trade. Love you very much and miss you a ton.
pamelapandolfi.wordpress.com 