My FIRST QUILT - The rest of the story....

So it's been several months since I updated this blog - a LOT has happened since March! I finished my first quilt. It turned out beautifully! But the story doesn't just end there. The following Sunday (3/27, I think), there was a church-wide announcement in the bulletin that they were accepting blanket donations for children and babies that are victims of trauma. I immediately knew where my quilt had to go... but it was such a revelation to me that God had His hand in the entire process!

What were the chances that my dear quilting friend would have her entire weekend free up so we could get together and sew - and who knew she would suggest that I finish "that baby quilt you started a few years ago"??? SERIOUSLY!!?!!? So as I read the announcement in the bulletin, my emotions got the best of me and tears filled my eyes - I knew that I had sewn that quilt... not just to complete the project, but because God had greater plans for the quilt. Somewhere in this world, a small child or baby now has this quilt as their cover-their security blanket. Just when you think you can't figure out why something happens the way it does, just remember that God has a greater purpose - He knows why!

My FIRST QUILT!!!!

I am SO excited! This weekend, I pulled out some really cute baby prints that I had purchased about three years ago. My initial intent was to make a quilt for my then-upcoming-newborn nephew, but as time tightened down on me, and with all the other things going on in life, I never got it done. I had cut some of the pieces out, but sewing it together was a mere afterthought! This weekend, I finished cutting the fabric and sewed my quilt top. What an exhiliarating feeling! Huge sense of accomplishment! AND, I have an AWESOME friend who happens to own a Gammill longarm sewing machine running on the computerized Statler Stitcher software who so willingly offered to machine-quilt it for me at NO CHARGE!!! All I have to do now is prepare and sew the binding on, and then I will be able to share the beautiful pictures with you... can't wait!

Sewmor 202 - Vintage find

I am excited! I found a vintage 1952 Sewmore sewing machine complete with cabinet, and was able to pick it up today all for $40.00! It appears to be in good working order, though I haven't threaded it or sewn a single stitch with it. I have to set it up and learn a little more about it before I use it. Threading it is going to be an interesting journey all on its own - it doesn't thread like today's machines do. From a distance, it reminds me of a Singer "Century" machine or a Singer Featherweight... I will post pictures once I get it set up and figure it out - it is a black machine with gold details. I can't wait to start using it! :)

Getting Started...

So I bought my Brother CS6000i sewing machine two or three years ago - in the Spring of 2007 or 2008 (time flies so fast, I've forgotten which year already!) - with the full intentions of becoming an avid quilter. Here I am in the middle of summer 2010 and I haven't put the first stitch into fabric for a single quilt! I have, however, made curtains for my mom's bedroom, made her a poodle skirt to wear to school for the 50th day of school complete with a homemade-from-scratch poodle (it's a '50s-themed' day where the teachers and para-educators dress in the 1950's attire), made her a wig to wear with her Raggedy Ann costume for Halloween, and sewn various patches on Courtney's (my daughter) Girl Scout uniform. I've repaired a few articles of clothing, and ruined a really cute pair of my dad's Mickey Mouse pajama bottoms - I was attempting to hem them, cut too much fabric, and used the wrong stitch to hem them with - ended up stretching the fabric to oblivia and they shrunk after Mom washed them, so he had "high-water" pajamas - he wore them once and I haven't seen them since! Anyway, I'm supposed to be in a local craft show in November with some of the items I am currently working on, but I feel as though I don't have enough things to put out there to sell yet, and I feel I'm quickly running out of time! Initially my offerings were going to be primarily Christmas ornaments and patterns to learn how to make them - something that will also be up in my Etsy store soon (see link to the right). But the time it takes to make the patterns (and the ornaments for that matter) is not making my efforts worthwhile right now. I need to be making things that can be completed more quickly than the ornaments. However, I have shown my ornaments to two people that have simply RAVED over them, so I am really torn between taking the time to make up a couple hundred ornaments to sell, or sewing more items that take less time and reap larger rewards... I'm simply undecided on which way to go right now!

What fun!

Wow, I actually have a blog! EXCITING! Now I can spend time writing about all the fun I'm having in my craft adventures, and I actually get to take you with me through the journey! It is an exhiliarating feeling to know I am going to be able to share ideas with you... maybe do some product reviews, and offer my own product line (currently in development)...