13 June 2012

Invention

I made a quilt for our new nephew, my brother's child, who arrived not too long ago with aplomb and no warning. The quilt was, therefore, hastily done, but I think it's nice. A vintage green and white striped pillowcase opened up to just the right size for the backing; the pieced front is a bunch of funky damask towels cut into 6" squares (so as to avoid the stains and holes) and pieced together. My daughter embroidered his name and the year on one of the squares, and I tied the whole thing together with a bit of blue embroidery thread.

Midway through, I realized that the iron was hot - not just temperature hot, but electrically hot. Yeah. I gingerly finished the necessary ironing, but that iron is toast. And then the sewing machine did that clunk clunk sputter thing and I finally dragged it off to a repair shop, where the old lady chastised me for using the wrong thread and the wrong kind of needle. Whatev. Just fix it, 'kay?

My head is full of projects like this. I have plastic storage boxes galore - this one full of old t-shirts, a complementary palate of darks and jewel tones, the next filled with scraps of felted wool, leftovers from a while ago project. I could make a patchwork quilt of the t-shirts, a patchwork blanket from the wool bits.

But that I had more time.

At least my sewing machine works again.

11 comments:

FreshHell said...

Do you have a photo of the quilt? I'd love to see it.

I have also been chastised by the sewing machine fixer lady because our problem was incorrect threading of needle. She wasn't buying my TRUTH that my then-ten-year-old was the owner of the machine and I am merely the ignorant by-stander. What evs.

De said...

Bwah-ha-ha. I have a guy that fixes sewing machines. He is always silent and almost never charges.

I, too, have bins, boxes, and bags stuffed with oddments. Must tackle them.

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

I'd love to see a picture, too. Your projects always sounds so fun.

Oonie said...

A word of encouragement: do the tshirt quilt. They are so rewarding.

mayberry said...

I love that M. embroidered the quilt. So perfect.

S said...

you are so talented in so many ways, m.

slow panic said...

i have so much fabric and yarn and ideas. now if i just had the time!!!

hope you can post a photo of the quilt. would love to see it.

Kyddryn said...

Oh, that sounds so sweet! Ditto on the pic request.

My sewing machine is... temperamental...it only likes cotton thread, only likes a certain needle, and prefers to sew cotton or rayon, thankyouverymuch. If the tensioner isn't set at just the right place, the thread snaps. The serger is just as picky, but in different ways. Oy.

I have boxes and boxes of cat nesting...umm...project fabric. It's all sorted and ready to be sewn as soon as I have time, which seems to be just shy of never. Sigh.

I wish you much luck and happy sewing time!

Shade and Sweetwater,
K

Rainbow Motel said...

Blogging again. You might recognize my "voice".

Liz Miller said...

Picture, please.

Jocelyn said...

In a moment of visual brain scramble, I read your opening sentence as "I made a quilt for our phone..."

and suddenly I was all, "WAIT A MINUTE. She's the kind of person who makes quilts for her phone? Like, does she also make those fake antebellum knitted skirt Kleenex box covers, too? If so, I'm not sure I can like this Magpie so much at all. This could be a deal breaker."

Then I reread the first sentence.

My affection for you is intact.

Whew.