A New Gadget:

It's a Fiskars Rotating Cutting Mat. I've been thinking that this might help alleviate some of the shoulder pain that I've been experiencing in my right shoulder. Not quite sure what the problem is, I've been to the doctor's twice--once for a steroid shot, which I do not want have again.

However, shoulder pain is not alleviated when all you do is rotate the mat instead of the fabric. The shoulder works pretty much the same amount. The mat itself "is neither here nor there" (as my mom would say) when it comes to easing pain. So that's a scratch. When I consider the cost of the mat, there's another twitch, but nothing like a steroid shot, so I can deal with it. In the end, I like the mat.


Finally, we get to my habits, which are difficult to change. Really difficult. I probably need a shot for that, but I don't know where the doc would put it, and I'm not taking any chances. The habit of which I speak is that I'm used to making a cut, turning the fabric and arranging it and the ruler just so, then making the next cut. Until all four sides are nice and square and pretty close to the best I can do. 

The mat is a revelation in that it--the mat--revolves! No moving the fabric: lay fabric on mat, center ruler, make a cut, turn the mat, make a cut, and so on until all the sides are cut! The fabric doesn't move! So it doesn't get all wonky because you've moved it. 

And the ruler doesn't slide around. No, it all works beautifully. 

There's one caveat, however. The person has to remember to leave everything alone and turn the mat! 

Turn the mat. Turn the mat. That's been my mantra for three days now. Turn the mat. I'm still turning the fabric. Yes. I know. 

Frustrating. Annoying. Stupid. Dumbass. All those ugly words that I did not allow my children to call each other. I've said them all and a few more and, still, I forget.  And accidentally, the mantra became Turn the damn mat. This despite having just gone to confession on Sunday. (We Catholics try to stay in good graces for a while after confession.) 

I've said those ugly words only a time or two, but they are too ugly to allow any more. Thank goodness I was alone. I have a thing about using ugly language and another about setting examples. I've apologized to God and the Angels and the Saints and my poor Mama and Daddy in heaven. 

Eventually I figured a way to avoid some frustration. I sew up several--okay many, many--blocks, press them all, then take them to the mat to cut. Once I'm in the turn the mat zone, I tend to remember. 

It turns out that this way of doing things is more efficient, though I don't like the feeling that I'm working in a factory, trying to make production so my babies can eat. 

Otherwise, it's not so bad. I was able to make and trim two pretty stacks of blocks in a short time. I keep telling myself that if I do things this way for a while, I'll shift my habit to doing it this way all the time. 

Of course, when I'm designing and working out what it is that a particular quilt wants, I'm moving back and forth between sewing, pressing, and cutting. That's really when I forget the turn the mat mantra. But I'm trying to be patient with myself and remember that I'm relearning a habit that will (apparently) take some time.

Otherwise, I like my rotating mat. It is a nifty little gadget and makes short work of cutting and trimming. I definitely recommend it to anyone who fussy cuts or often trims down blocks. Just remember:  Turn the mat. 

A First!

My first doll quilt.  Having raised boys (not the girls I wanted), I had little need for doll quilts.  When I began making quilts eons ago, those quilts were utilitarian....they did not need to be pretty or decorative, or anything but warm.  After all, I was making quilts meant to keep those boys warm during our cold, damp winters.

After the boys grew up and there were enough quilts to go around, the little sewing I did was mostly for myself.  I'd become a working mom and needed professional clothes.  I made a few quilts but the bug had not really hit.  Then one day I woke up with a beautiful quilt in my head.



I chatted with my mom about the quilt in my mind and with her encouragement, made a pretty quilt for my sister's Christmas gift.  That quilt was a fussy cut Dresden Plate which I called Sid's Dresden.  It was supposed to match the tableware she had purchased while stationed in Europe.  Turns out the colors I remembered seeing a year earlier were a bit off.  But the quilt was beautiful nonetheless.

Since then, I've made so many quilts I've lost count.  Most of those quilts have been big, queen sized quilts still meant to be put on a bed, but some were made for aesthetic reasons, others have been baby quilts.

But now I've made a different quilt altogether--I've made a doll quilt that is just meant to be pretty.

There isn't a doll to snuggle under it, but I have a feeling that with six grand-daughters, I should be able to find one baby doll.
Of course, there's a reason for the doll quilt.  I'm presenting fussy cut Dresden plates at our next guild meeting.  I do have one or two quilts that will serve to show how fussy cutting the wedges can make an interesting pattern in the plate.


Still, I want to show other ways to use the wedges.  I also want to show that although fussy cutting fabric can waste quite a bit of fabric, it's possible to use the waste to make something else.  To make this little quilt, I pinned the castoffs before cutting out the wedges to keep the stack together.  After cutting enough wedges for a large quilt, I cut small wedges from the waste fabric and made this quilt.  I've got additional wedges to use as flower petal appliques on a little dress for one of the granddaughters.  I'm hopeful that I'll be able to work on that dress tomorrow.

On a different note, I received my Connecting Threads order today.  I received their catalog last week and found that they were having a great sale on some of the solids that I like.  I wanted the stacks and jelly rolls, but they were completely sold out!  So, I settled for 1/2 yard cuts instead.  Poor me!   Don't you feel sorry for me that I HAD to purchase such large pieces to be able to take advantage of the sale?

Here are some photos of the fabrics I purchased.  I want them for applique purposes.  I really prefer solids for applique most of the time.

 Check these out!  I could not resist even though I was interested in solids.  The top one (I think) is called "Bayou."  Now you know a Louisiana girl can't resist that!

Yummy purples, oranges, and yellows.  One is called sunshine.....it's stunning.


















Blues for flowers and birds.  I have got to start using birds.  I see them in other quilts and they are always so cheerful.  That's a goal for this summer.  Remind me later if you haven't seen a bird in one of my quilts.





 These greens are for leaves and vines.  The greens are really much more saturated than they appear here, but I can't fix everything in my pictures.  I'm a horrible photographer, but you've seen my photos before, so it's not a surprise, I'm sure.

Of course, some of these are in two photos so that you can really see the contrasts.  There are 36 pieces in all, each one a half yard.  I really don't plan to use them for piecing, so half yard cuts are perfect.

What do you think?  Added to the stash, they will blend beautifully, but I'm seriously considering separating the solids and prints.  It's driving me crazy that it takes me so long to find the perfect piece of fabric.  I'm thinking that if the solids are separated but close by, I can save time by looking at a smaller stack when I want a solid for applique.

I'm sure that a new system will also make me nutty, especially having to reorganize everything.  But I'm about to have to move everything anyway, so maybe I'll take advantage of  the work and find a better system for my stash.  What do you do to make finding the right fabric less work?  I've read that other quilters sort by color and value, but I'm not that ambitious.  And though I don't want to spend an hour searching for one fabric, I do want an opportunity to stroke and touch and play with my pretties!

Okay, you know what's next: your turn.  What's your system?  Does it work?  What is the best thing about your system?  Share time!  Get to typing.