You Go Girl!

No Snit Binding Tutorial

Drum roll, please.  I am preparing to write my first ever rootie-tootie tutorial...No Snit Binding!    I'm not certain I know anything new on the subject.  I will share what I know, though. Here it is...My thimble-ful of knowledge on how to bind an edge using your machine.

Before we start, here are some tidbits of truth:

• I am using a Bernina Activa 240.
• I use my walking foot whenever I put binding on with my machine.
• I eat at least one Snicker bar before I attempt this manuever.  Just kidding, I actually eat two!  Just kidding, again. 
• Heather Bailey's website has a most excellent tutorial on a continuous binding with mitered corners. You can find it here.  I did not include any information on how to do these two things in my tutorial. (Warning: Heather's tutorial is a different method of binding.  It is finished by hand. I direct you to this tutorial because the mitered corner and continuous binding instructions rock.)
• The machine settings I am using work with one layer of batting similar in weight to Warm and Natural cotton batting.
• This tutorial assumes you know how to cut binding strips and attach them together to make a strip long enough for your project.  Again, Heather's tutorial has this information if you need it.
• Finally,  this will not make you happy, but, as with all things, practice makes perfect (or almost perfect).  I think I had to make five or six sets of potholders before I was completely content with the results.  I know, I know, that's not what you want to hear.  The good new is that you don't have to figure out the settings on your machine.  Hopefully, I have  done that for you. Maybe you will only have to make a few projects to master snit-free binding.  My fingers are crossed for you!

Ok, girlfriends. Hold on tight. Here we go...

STEP 1:  Stitch around the unfinished edge of your project using a skinny 1/4" seam.

STEP 2:  Cut a two-inch binding strip long enough to go around your project. Iron the strip in half with wrong sides of fabric facing each other.  Open the strip and iron one side of the binding strip up to the crease you just created in the center of your binding (see photo below for a picture of a finished strip).

Step 3:  Adjust your machine's needle position 3 button pushes to the right. (I told you that my methods are wonky and not real technical. LOL!)  As best as I can tell, each button push moves the needle 1/32 of an inch.  I moved my needle 3/32", or a skinny 1/8".  I hope those measurements help those of you who are not sewing on a Bernina.

FYI---If your batting is a thicker weight, move your needle all the way over to the right.  If you are not using any batting, or the batting is really thin, move the needle only one or two punches to the right.

Step 4: On the BACK side of the project, line up the raw, unfolded edge of the binding strip with the unfinished edge of the project.  Leaving the needle three button pushes to the right, stitch the binding strip to  your project as if you were creating a 1/2" seam.  Here is where Heather's tutorial on mitered corners and continous binding comes in handy.

Step 5:  Bring the folded edge of the binding to the front of the project.  Pin the folded edge of the binding a teeny, tiny smidge over the seam line you just created so that you can no longer see the seam.  Pin, pin, and pin again.  I am not typically a pinning kind of girl.  In fact,  I hate to pin.  But in this case, you need to pin, pin, pin.  Was I clear?  Pin it up, girlfriend (or guyfriend)! 

Step 6: Put your project in your machine so the folded edge of the binding lines up with the inside of the left toe of your walking foot (see photo below).  Adjust your needle postition so that the needle is just inside the edge of the fold on the binding you just pinned down.  The position on my machine is two button pushes (1/16") left of center. This needle position is easy to figure out by sight. 

Step 8:  Stitch around your project. Keep the folded edge of the binding lined up with the inside edge of the left toe of your walking foot.  

Step 9:  Tada! You are done.  Machine binding.  No snit.  You gotta love it!

Good luck, friends.  I know there are other, and possibly easier, ways to do this. Hopefully, though, this tutorial will save at least one of you from the temptation to throw your scissors at your machine and say naughty words in your head or perhaps out loud (gasp!). If you have questions, I would be happy to answer them. 

Happy Binding,

Cassie

So Many Projects, So Little Time...

 

There are days when I am sure I need to be cloned.  This summer, each of the girls got to pick one camp to go to.  It just so happens that Libbie and Emily chose different camps that happened at the same time, but in different locations.  It's hard to drop two children off at the same time in different places.  With a little effort, we made it work. Look in the photo at last Thursday's pick-up/drop-off schedule!  My kids were going in all different directions. Seatbelt-up and hold on, girlfriends!  Most days aren't quite this crazy.  It does happen, though.  

In the busyness of it all, I try to find time to blog and create loveliness both through craft and relationships.  It is hard to find the right balance of everything.  That said, I want you to know that I have read each one of your comments on my last post.  I treasure them.  I wanted to get back to each of you. I started to write replies, but threw in the towel.   If I spend all my time at the computer, I run out of time to take care of my family and complete the projects I have heaped on my plate. (Lately, as the saying goes, my eyes have been bigger than my tummy! My projects are endless.)  What to do? What to do?  For now, know that I am reading and enjoying each one of your words.  Until the girls head back to school, I have very little time to respond to comments the way I would like to.   I will continue to do my best. My apologies, though,  if I don't get back to you. (Just so you know--I will always answer a question if you have one.)  Thanks for understanding.  Perhaps most of you struggle with balance now and again. No?

As I mentioned, I have a lot of projects on my plate.  In fact, I have schizophrenic crafting going on.  I'm creating a few bags, making a pattern, and writing out directions for the class I am teaching the first week of August.  I also have a little chair redo up my sleeve  because I don't want my chaise to be lonely or seem aloof up on the deck all alone.  I am playing with a button craft for a children's fibre arts workshop that is coming up next week.  And, last but not least,  I've been working on a project with some binding.  Thimbleanna and some other friends have requested a binding tutorial.  I'm going to give it a try, people.   Most of the time you can pour what I know in a thimble.  I hope you are not disappointed.  My techniques are always a bit wonky, but they work for me.  I will tell you everything I know about binding in my next post. 

For now, here's a peek at another reversible bag sample I have made for the class. 

 

I'm not sure what to call this bag. It is not really a purse, but it is the perfect size for carrying things that you might need when you are away from the house.  I am forever using a Walmart bag for library books, items I need to return, sunscreen and bathing suits, or stitching that I plan to do while I wait in the car.  This is a much spankier option than the plastic bag.  Any ideas for a name?

Toodles,

Cassie

Chicked-Out Chaise

You've heard of a tricked-out truck, right?  How about a chicked-out chaise?  Last year my husband's parents purchased new deck furniture.  I called dibbs on their old chaise.  Ok, I didn't have to call it.  Nobody wanted it but me.  Here it is.  Ubber comfortable, but a little...um...how shall I say it?  Ugly!  Sorry, sorry, sorry.  I don't want sound venomous.  I just call it like I see it.

But, have no fear. I had a plan.  A plan that I had hatched long before the chair came to live at my house.  I used to look longingly at this amazingly comfortable chair and think, "If only she was mine..."  Well, as fortune would have it, she is mine.  Last summer, I spent many hours sanding, painting, and stitching new clothes for her.  I finished the chair just in time to put her in storage for winter.  It was so much fun to get her out this spring.  She is now sitting smartly on my deck, all chicked-out, waiting for someone to sit on her. 

Since this picture was taken, I have added a shade umbrella and a planter of flowers.  Today I am treasure hunting for a side table. Once I have a table, I can languish in the sun with a tall lemonade to sip and a plate of shortbread cookies to nibble on.  I know, I know, it's far fetched, but a girl can dream...

Wishing you long sunny afternoons and tall glasses of lemonade,

Cassie

Meet Ruby...

The dog days of summer are certainly upon me (tee-hee!). Remember this little sock dog?  She has been sitting ever so patiently on my table waiting for arms and a skirt.

 

Tada! She is finally finished.  Woohoo!!  Let me introduce you.  Here she is...Miss Ruby!

Ruby was a hoot to make.  The best part, though, is that she is the fulfillment of a long-awaited I.O.U. She belongs to my little triplet girl, Libbie. 

When I gave Ruby to Libbie, she greeted the little sock canine with an enthusiastic hug and exclamations of love.

After the love fest, Libbie asked, "What should I name her?" 

I said, "If she belonged to me, I would call her Ruby."  I was thinking of her color.

"Ruby it is, then," Libbie said with a nod. Then she followed up by saying, "Hey, just like Ruby Redfort in Clarice Bean."

That was a connection I hadn't made, but it works for me.  I think I got extra "super-mom" points for that one since Libbie loves Clarice Bean books.

Just in case you are wondering, the pattern for Ruby came out of this book. 

 

 

Of course, I couldn't stick with the pattern.  I modified a few things, but it is very close to the dog in the book.  This was a super fun project. I think I will do it again.  With so many fun socks out in the stores, the creative possibilities are endless.  I have an orange sock with purple flowers on it. How cool would that be made into a dog? It probably won't be the next project I do, but it is certainly an idea in my head (along with about a billion others...).

 

That is all for now.

 

Wishing you happy dog days of summer,

 

Cassie

Red, White, and Blue (sort of...)

I hope every one had a safe and happy Fourth of July.  Before we left for the weekend, I finished this pencil roll. I must have been a little more Fourth-of-July festive than I thought, because the pencil roll is red, white, and blue (sort of??).  I used some bits and pieces of Amy Butler that I had in my stash.  I really like the french wallpaper print in Amy's Belle fabric.  At one time, I had it in three different colors!  I only have one piece of it left.

 

 

The pencil roll is a birthday gift for a friend of the triplets.  Emily, Becca, and Libbie  were sure that this little friend would love a pencil roll full of colored pencils since she likes to draw.  When they went to the party, I had to issue a gift certificate since the request for the pencil roll was made two nights before I left on my China adventure (That's a valid reason for an I.O.U, isn't it?).  I am pleased to report that I am making good on the gift certificate well within the bounds of reasonable time (applause appreciated, haha).  Some of my girls are still waiting for me to complete projects from Christmas gift certificates.  Oh, well...all in good time.

Thanks for stopping by.

Wishing you a happy day,

Cassie

Firecrackers Aren't For Sissies!

Happy 4th of July!  We will be spending the holiday and the rest of the weekend with family at the lake.  It is always a good time...lots of yummy food, lots of family fun, and lots of children with matches and small explosives!  Is this really a good idea?  Two years ago, I finally let the triplets participate in the madness. The day was such a  BLAST (pun intended) that it made the annual Christmas newsletter.  Here's the excerpt:

Suffice it to say, it is always lively and lovely at the lake, and never more so than on the 4^th of July. I love the 4^th of July. Family, friends, parades, swimming, boating, picnic food...what’s not to love? I’ll tell you what’s not to love! The fireworks. Not the big ones that are professionally manned, but the little ones that are put into the hands of mere amateurs. Since when is it a good idea to let children play with matches and experiment with explosives? I thought I was going to have a nervous break down this year! At one point, I counted 14 children, ranging in age from 3 to 13, dabbling in fire cracker wizardry. The kids seemed to set up in three different camps. One camp was trying to light 50 smoke bombs while simultaneously sending a chicken that shoots fire out its hind-end hopping through the smoke. One camp was lighting firecrackers and quickly stuffing them down a manhole in the road to see if there was any flammable sewer gas down there. And the third camp of kids was exploding a bee hive with a complicated set-up of firecrackers laced together with a long fuse. To add fuel to the fire, Uncle Chris Tucker, who should never be allowed to play with combustible material, was parting my hair with bottle rockets. Enough already!!! When Becca came up to me to complain about a punk burn, all I could say was, "Firecrackers aren’t for sissies!" I didn’t comfort her like I should have. I didn’t help her ice it like a good mommy would. I didn’t even pat her head and say, "Be tough, little girl." Firecrackers aren’t for sissies...this is "Mother of the Year" material.

Now you know my shame!  By the way, that is my favorite line from the movie NIGHT AT THE MUSUEM.  A close second is, "I'm gonna shoot you in the dang eye!"  Hey, I just realized that shooting someone in the 'dang eye' could happen on the 4th of July, too.  Yikes!!  I just might have another Calgon moment here!

Wishing you all a safe and happy Independence Day!

Cassie

By the way,  it's not all wild at our house on the 4th.  This was momentary madness.  Be assured that we are usually smoke bomb and paper popper people.  Really,  it's quite safe. Child Protective Services need not be called. LOL

 

 

 

We Really Must Do This Again!

A giveaway is a good time.  I read each one of your comments and clicked to your blog if you had one.  Fun, fun, fun!  The comments came from far and wide.  Ana lives in Spain. Cathi is from Ireland. Jenny wrote from Australia.  Karin, Angie, and Anna sent lots of friends to leave a comment.  In fact, Karin directed a gentleman to my sight.  I had my first ever comment from a guy.  You go, guy! 

I was going to do this drawing the old-fashioned way and pull a name from a hat.  I printed the comments and started to cut them apart...No, thank you.  I ended up using this random number generator instead. The random number generator chose (drum roll, please).......NUMBER 92. Christine from Auntie's Quaint Quilts left comment 92.  Anna from Thimbleanna sent her to my giveaway.  As soon as I get a mailing address, I will send the pincushion to Christine, and this little thank-you to Anna. Remember these?

   

It was a pleasure to "meet" you on my blog.

That's all for now.  Happy day!

Cassie

Oh!  One more thing. Jona is having a little fabric giveaway. Mary Engelbreit's Christmas Jolly fat quarters! Click over and leave a comment.