Monday, March 28, 2016

Making Do - Day Three

You know how it is ...

...when you are in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar resources ....

Well, Day 3 of Making Do went really well.

Makeshift Cutting Table
I found some pins on DIL's sewing table. And I finally figured out how to make the iron steam --
1) pop the button, and 2) add more water! DUH


My makeshift ironing station consisted of a clean dish towel laid over a dish drying mat on the granite counter top. (Yes, there is an ironing board, but I wanted something I could run to quickly without disrupting public space.) It actually worked so well I'm thinking about getting a mat to carry with my travel supplies.

Aside from needing to fill a new bobbin, the Featherweight, now named E.G. (or Egie) for my mother, behaved beautifully. It wasn't Egie's fault; I forgot to loosen the knob on the wheel. Again, muscle memory kicked in -- after all, this is the machine I learned to sew on -- and a new bobbin was filled ... with thread I bummed from DIL's stash because I didn't want to unthread the machine after my misadventures threading it in the first place...

The result to this point:

Temporary Star Gazing on the makeshift design table
All twelve 15" blocks are done. Sashing needs to be added in between and all around, then one border and it will be done. I'm really surprised how well it has gone together considering it was cut in stages with different rulers and an undetermined number of glasses of wine ... Using my makeshift seam guide the finished sizes may be a hair off, but I can accommodate that with the sashing.

So Egie has been packed for the trip home.

E.G./Egie on the makeshift sewing table
My friend Nancy made the sweet quilted protector for the extension so that it doesn't hit the decorated plate on this 1939 model.


Isn't she gorgeous?

Since we're heading home early this morning, I'll be linking up with Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday when I get home. I want to show what will be sharing time with Star Gazing this week. This is Summer Heat as of last week.

Summer Heat
(Go back a couple of blog posts to read about the hardships I had with this paper-pieced design by Nancy Mahoney.) Nevertheless, I soldiered on and am quite pleased with the result. The third/largest border is cut and ready to sew on. And since this is my OMG (One Monthly Goal) for March, I need to finish it this week.

With no social obligations this week I should be able to:
  1. Finish Summer Heat (flimsy) and maybe pull together a back for it.
  2. Catch up on February's OMG by adding the borders to Smith Mountain Morning.
  3. Do something with March RSC color - purple. Probably some string blocks.
Manageable, right?

ADDEMDUM: Left the Star Gazing blocks and the fabric for the two borders by the door.  Arrgh!

Have a great week
and
Quilt on!

8 comments:

  1. It seams you are very good at making do. Your stars are cute especially if they were cut while you were under the influence of wine. Your extension protector is a great idea. I will have to steal it and make one for myself and DD#1.

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  2. What a nifty star block! The dotted background adds interest. I know what a chore Summer Heat was -- but the result is definitely worth it!

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  3. Congratulations on all your progress. I remember seeing the stars on an early post. They are going to make a great quilt.
    Marlene
    marlene@coveredinstitches.com

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  4. what a sweet machine! I love that little extension cover
    LeeAnna

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  5. It's imaging how innovative we can be, isn't it? Where there's a will, there's a way! Your paper pieced top is beautiful. Well worth the effort!

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  6. Sounds a little like camping. If you forget to pack a mixing bowl, you whip up a salad in an ugly pan instead. I enjoyed reading your post and love the quilts. I may make that star some day.

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  7. I've been avidly watching your making-do, since I'm about to head into a making-do situation myself! I'm going to visit my daughter and family for a couple of weeks, and I can't bring my *whole* studio with me. (She does have a sewing machine that I'm welcome to use, so there's that!)
    Summer Heat looks gorgeous! It would have been such a heartbreaker if you hadn't liked it!
    And I've filed those stars away in the back of my brain. You know how I like a good star...

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  8. You did a great job of making do. Summer Heat is looking great. Hopefully your daughter can mail you the stuff that got left.

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