A New Technique in the Quilt World

I spent part of the afternoon yesterday spray starching fabric for a couple projects I'm working on.   I don't know about other quilters, but I like to try new techniques that will make my cutting and sewing more accurate.  I first read about this here on Nicole's blog of Sister's Choice fame.  She's an awesome quilter and I always learn so much from her.  Go on over and read about it.  She heard about it from everyones favorite Moda quilter, Carrie Nelson on her post here. Go ahead on over and read what she has to say as well.  There's not much more for me to add to what they wrote except to say it really works.  I had tried it on one fat quarter the day before.  After the fabric dried and was ironed I cut it out.  Wow!  The pieces were nice and crisp and cut like a dream.

I laid the fat quarters across our patio chairs and clipped them together with those awesome little wonder clips so they wouldn't fly away in the wind.

Then I sprayed the berjabbers out of them.  Yes, that's a word!

I'm trying to use up some of my pre-cuts and I'm working on a jelly roll race quilt.  I had purchased this drying rack at a garage sale ($2 - score!) so I draped and clipped the strip sets I had on it and sprayed away.

Nice and neat and organized.  It was sunny and breezy and took no time for them to dry.

Notice the long grass in the background?  We have a 1/3 acre lot and most of the back is lawn.  We have had a tremendous amount of rain this year and has rained most every day in May.  I fertilized the lawn which made it grow and grow but it rains so you can't mow.  We're just about caught up cutting it though and, hopefully, with a few dry days we can get it all mowed and looking nice again.  I did threaten to borrow my friend's llamas so they could graze it down for me but I don't think our HOA would appreciate it.....

I have two pieces of advise.  First, buy cheap inexpensive spray starch at the dollar store.  You're going to use a lot!  I know, we all love Best Press and it's my go to spray sizing.  However, this is not the time to use it.  Secondly, purchase one of these gizmos that fit on the top of spray paint cans.  They really help your hand and fingers from getting so fatigued.

Some gals at one of my quilting groups were talking about this technique the other day and, on the most part, they thought it was a waste of time.  Of course, they hadn't tried it!  To me, quilting is a growth process.  You need to challenge yourself to try new things.  Anything that makes us a better quilter can't be all bad.  Right?

Let me know how you do.  What have you learned lately that has knocked your socks off?

Lest we forget....

Flowers

No, I didn't grow these flowers.  I bought them yesterday at Trader Joe's.  $10 for a vase full of beauty. They make me happy just looking at them.

I am so glad Trader Joe's came to our little corner of the world!!!

Would You Like To Be My Neighbor?

We have a new furry member of the family here in our little court.  So I thought I would introduce you to her as well as a little lady who has been here a while.

This is sweet little Ginger.  She lives across the street and has been here about two years or so.  She's a rescue dog (good going mommy and daddy) and is totally spoiled.  She thinks that the court is hers and can't understand why there are other dogs in the neighborhood.  We have such a great court and most nice evenings after work everyone stands outside and chats.  I always know when they are out because Maggie and Mollie start barking because Ginger is out.  Ginger is always styling with her clothes.  She's a love!!!

Meet Duffy, the newest member of the neighborhood.  She lives next door and has been here about a week.  She is a year old auburn colored King Charles Cavalier Spaniel.  The neighbors were going to get a puppy and had one all picked out.  However, it didn't thrive and it passed away which was sad.  They were going to wait for another little when they got the call that Duffy was available.  Housebroken, crate trained, what could be better.  She's a petit little sweety.

The only problem we have now is that our two Scotties and the pugs go crazy when she is out in her yard.  It's just like having children.  The neighbors have the well mannered children while we have the obnoxious and noisy ones.  I'm hoping to introduce them to Duffy at some point so they'll stop barking (screaming is the better term) but since she is new and still a little shy I'll wait.  In the meantime, the neighbors have assured me each time I apologize for my noisy hounds that it's alright.

I tell you, we have a great neighborhood!!!