Ruffles!

I finally finished this curtain for my bathroom.  It sure wasn't the most fun project, but I am happy with the final result.  I found this curtain fabric to be a challenge to work with as it is slippery and frays easily.  I can't wait to get back to my lovely quilt cotton fabrics! Here are a few pics.

This window is on a north facing wall and gets blazing sun in the afternoon.   I'm hoping the room won't get quite so hot now.   debbie

Washing the Pips

This is one of my all time favourite quilts. The charm squares are 5" Sherbet Pips by Aneela Hoey.

The white squares are bleached muslin that I cut myself from yardage. Today is a pretty day. The sun is out and there is a nice sea breeze, a  perfect day  for washing a quilt. Here are the Pips drying on my deck. This quilt measures a very generous lap size. I made this about a year ago and this is the first washing.

 

 

The red check border fabric is from the 80's. I remember my grandma made an applique apple  quilt for my second son and this red check was left over.  He was born in 1987.  It goes well with the Pips though.

 

 

The backing was a lucky vintage sheet find from my local Vinnie's Boutique. It is super soft cotton.
It looks "wrinkly and tucky" here, but there are actually no tucks.  My machine quilts beautifully!

I pieced this quilt on my basic model Janome. I machine quilted it on my other Janome 6600P.  I prefer NOT to prewash my fabric before quilting because I think texture after washing  is one of the best parts of quilting! I believe the more texture, the better!  I used a lightweight batting that is actually  made from recycled water bottles.  I have made 3 quilts and several table runners  so far using this batting and I am very happy with it. I use this quilt almost every day, no matter if it is winter or summer.   Pips just make me happy :)  debbie

Ruffles

I bought a ruffler attachment for one of  my sewing machines  a couple of  months ago. It works nicely  for a few inches, then jams the machine. It has given me plenty of grief and no instructions came with it so I have not had any idea of what settings I  needed.  Which one you buy has to do with if you have a high shank or a low shank.  I am lucky to have two machines here, one a high shank and one a low shank. I have been sewing since the early 70s, and have always wanted a ruffler attachment. In the past, I have always made my ruffles the old fashioned way, with gathering stitches.

Today, I had a friend available to help me transport the machine and accessories so we could get things checked out. 
 The very nice lady
Cathy, at Northside Sewing Centre, tried to get it to work too and it was not working for her either.  The final outcome was that she swapped that ruffler out for another one.   In her test trials, the new ruffler made much less noise than the first one I bought and she said it seems to be working better too. I am tired tonight so I won't be trying it out,  but I am hoping to get familiar with the new and hopefully working well ruffler sometime tomorrow.  Have you had a hard time with the ruffler attachment?  Any advice is welcome because I love ruffles!!! debbie