Susie Homemaker

Taking some garden things....

and making some DRY things.

Taking some old t-shirts...

and Making a memory quilt for a client.

'

The little name block here on back

was a little bag

that came with the t-shirts.

It makes the PERFECT label!!!!

 

I've been juggling over here.

Drying, sewing, drying, jellying,

sewing some more!!!

Raisins.

banana chips.

Jars and Jars.....

Of something!!!

 

Hopefully my grape juice will be JELLY

when I unscrew those lids....

and not SYRUP!

 

???

 

Ah well....

If it's syrup...

We'll be eating LOTS of pancakes!!!

 

Not a BAD thought.

;)

 

Wednesday

It's been a BUSY one.

My friend came over to try out WEAVING!

I THINK I may have an enthusiastic new WEAVER!

YEah!

While she was learning...

I was making t-shirt yarn.

Using up all the leftovers from the QUILT I'm working on.

I'm piecing PRECIOUS memories together.

I needed to run out and buy some more interfacing!

I always RUN out when

making these t-shirt quilts.

THIS time I bought the WHOLE BOLT!

1/2 price today.

That was an unexpected treat.

;)

These GUYS hang RIGHT outside my kitchen window.

TONS and TONS of grapes.

My husband's TWO vines are OUTDOING themselves this year!

 

I pondered WHAT to do with them all!!!

Finally decided to buy ......

a food DEHYDRATOR.

 

A BRAND new adventure!!!

 

It arrived today.

We'll see if these little grapes turn into

YUMMY raisins by tomorrow!!!

 

You can see I've been BUSY today.....

and I'm NOT done!!!

 

Still need to cook DINNER!

Ugh!

What to make??

Deciding THAT is the hardest PART....

don't you think????

Do you make tshirt quilts?

At least once a year I'm asked to make a tshirt quilt for someone.

I don't LOVE making them...

but I always say YES!!

;)

Maybe it's the pocket change I earn...

Maybe it's because I KNOW how much they mean to people!

 

I went away on vacation last week

KNOWING

this quilt was waiting for me.

Waiting for a WRESTLING match!!!

 

Waiting for me to BASTE....

Mark....

and QUILT!!!

(quilting these babies

is the hardest part for ME!)

 

It WAS a wrestling match....

AND  I WON AGAIN!!!!

 

The secrets to WINNING for me are:

1. spray basting

(I spray basted today while at church

where there are tables BIG enough

to spread the quilt out!)

2. using TAPE to mark.

3. quilting VERY sparingly (lines 4"-5" apart)

4. WAVY lines with a free motion foot.

 

Can you guess what kind of music

this young adult likes???

I'll let you GUESS!

Hint: Look at the colors in the border.

I had some fabric that worked for the backing too!!!

Woo Hoo!!!

 

This 74"x84" memory quilt

is now BEHIND me!

 

How about YOU???

Are YOU ever asked to make a tshirt quilt??

What do you say?

 

 

Memories

I'm piecing memories together today.

Memories of a happy childhood.

ONE t-shirt at a time.

I'm using pellon fusible interfacing.

cutting each piece 15" wide.

Then cutting it lengthwise to fit EACH t-shirt block.

The t-shirts were cut 15" wide as well.

All I have to do is trim the bottom off.

 

The t-shirts are ALL the same width....

but...

not the same height!

Using my fancy-schmancy pressing cloth

A few squirts of water.

I press the interfacing to each block.

 

Pretty soon,

I'll have them READY to go

and I can begin SEWING!!!

 

 

I'm also making HISTORY today....

 

By Mopping the floor.

;)

In my defense....

It's a BIG floor.

LOL!

I'm also enjoying some warm weather.

 

The doors are open as the floor dries.

I'm cutting and pressing t-shirts.

It's a GOOD day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sad quilt

This quilt was a sad one to make.

It's going to my young nephew's girlfriend.

He lost his life suddenly last month

and she's grieving.

 

Quilting gets you closer than you want

to sadness sometimes.

But...

you know what??

It was also GOOD

having something I could DO!!!

Frequently..

when sad things happen....

You want to DO something...

And....

there's NOT much that will really help.

IT was very hard getting this CLOSE

to the loss of my nephew by making this quilt.

But I'm glad I had the opportunity

to GIVE

a small bit of comfort....

Because I know how

to MAKE a quilt!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday

I finished another t-shirt quilt today.

I've made a few of these now and

this one was BY far the most challenging.

Why???

Because the new owner wanted a FUZZY blanket included.

:0

Really???

I said yes...and then realized later I had agreed

to the IMPOSSIBLE.

IF....

Someone asks you to use a blanket in their quilt.

SMILE.

And just say...

NO.

I did have a battle with this quilt...

and I've decided that I DIDN'T WIN!

 :(

It was a TIE!

:)

Ta DAh!

It's done!!

woo Hoo!

I wanted to quilt some straight lines...

but knew that my walking foot would NOT like the t-shirts

so I used tape, feed dogs down, free motion foot

and WAVY lines.

I marked the quilt one line at a time with tape at 4" intervals.

easy.

I just love the border

and am so happy I had some fabric in my stash for this one!

Chalk up another quilt that didn't require a shopping trip!!!

;)

Isn't the back fun???

I had some leftover half square triangles that just HAD to be included.

Don't you think?

Thanks for listening to me gab about this one

ALL week long!!!

It's fun to BRING YOU along on all my sewing adventures!!!

It sure makes the sewing more fun!!!

Have a great weekend!

I'm off to wash dishes at my big kid's formal dinner party!

I've been washing dishes for this party for the last few years.

I get to sample the gourmet food as I wash.

Not a BAD deal at all!!!!

Home Stretch

It's almost a QUILT!

The t-shirts have been cut and sewn.

The half square triangles have been added.

Up next....

Batting.

Quilting.

Binding.

Then the VERY best part....

Giving!!!!!

T-shirt quilt

Cutting up T-shirts is NOT for the FAINT hearted!

You hold your breath......and zip across with your rotary blade!!!

One of the reasons is probably

the SENTIMENTAL value of these ordinary things!!!

It gets easier as you go....

but.....

It's a bit unnerving!!!

Cutting up PERFECTLY good shirts...

Well.....these are QUITE worn loved..

but still....

These shirts were LOVED to death

by a little boy...

now a grown man with a wife!!!!

Quilting is going to give

NEW LIFE

 to these treasures from childhood!!!

Woo Hoo!!!

I'm so glad I have that tutorial to follow on MY blog!! --->

LOL!!! :0

It's nice to have a reminder Handy

 on HOW to do something!!!