Sometimes you have to take time to reflect. One of my favorite ways to do this is with my journal, a good writing pen and my favorite beverage. I generally head to a spot at Lake Acworth or Red Top Mountain. Water has a calming effect on me. I often get there early, so I have the immediate area to myself. Occasionally, I have to share with the fishermen.
Today’s reflection was a little different. I wanted to spend time in my studio experimenting with some tools I’d purchased but never got around to using. I’d seen a particular ruler demonstrated at the sewing show back in March. Here was my chance to give it a whirl. I was also trying to decide if I really needed to buy that $150 binding foot for Jewel. My much loved vintage potholders were about to disintegrate, so I decided to make copies. I played around with free motion quilting on two fat quarter sandwiches. I still can’t follow the lines on intricate quilt motifs very well, but my free motion loops, circles, hearts and stars look much better than they did at Christmas. I made templates from my vintage potholders and cut out as many potholders as possible from the quilted fat quarter sandwiches. I used the ruler to cut strips, which worked surprisingly well (helps to follow directions!). Then, I unearthed by Clover bias tape maker. It took 3 tries, but the finished bias binding looks awesome once I got the hang of it. I used a serpentine stitch to sew down the binding. Remember to turn under the raw edges where you start. I simply looped the binding back on itself and stitched it in place to finish off the loop. There are other options to add a loop, as well. Look at the potholders in your drawer or spend some time surfing the web.
My time spent in my studio today was sometimes frustrating and at other times exhilarating as I learned a new technique. I have some handy dandy new potholders to boot. AND, I can hold off on buying that binding foot for Jewel for now. However, a new 1/2″ bias tape maker is necessary to replace the existing bent one.
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