31 May 2011

Quilt Board

So, do you remember when I was using power tools to cut Styrofoam  insulation for National History Day? Well, that insulation is making a resurgence! I had extra and realized that it is especially good for sticking pins in, and together with my mom, we came up with an idea. We had already made Kelli and I bulletin boards out of ceiling tiles a couple years ago, and we knew were quite experienced with spray adhesive, so we decided to copy what we did for NHD, and cover a piece of insulation with fabric and make a bulletin board! We came up with the idea to create a quilt out of fabric and attach that to the board.
This is the second quilt I've made, but the first one was just big T-shirt squares, and that was about 3 years ago. This one's a little bit more complicated. It's called Bricks and Cobblestones. One I cut everything out (haven't sewn anything yet) it looks like this:

Now, sewing can be (heck, it is) the toughest part of any sewing project I do. (I like to sew stuff.) The sewing machine is a 1970's model (maybe 60's) that my Grandma had (dad's mom). Over the years I have learned most of its quirks, but it's still really touchy. Making bobbins is pretty simple usually, but on this machine it took me four trys. It also has a nasty habit of looking like everything's fine on the top of the fabric, while underneath it's a rat's nest. BUT, don't get me wrong, I love it, and I'm glad to have a sewing machine. The quirks make it special.


 I started sewing the pieces together, and it's been going fine. I wanted to start the next step, and I encountered a small hitch in my giddyyap.
Those two pieces are supposed to go together.
I can't figure out what to do next! I am following the directions to a T. Hmmmm.

Well, I will keep you posted. And, if you read all the way thru that rambling, I think you are pretty stellar!

3 comments:

  1. Karen has two words for you: Seam Allowances. Either you or the pattern didn't account for them. Not good...

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  2. I am pretty sure that the pattern is at fault in this situation. You can check it out here:
    http://quilting.about.com/od/quiltpatternsprojects/ss/cobblestones.htm
    We're trying to figure out what to do next. We're trimming off the excess, but that still doesn't make 'em fit. We might try borders or something.

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  3. Hmmm... The directions on the cobblestone block look correct to me (if you take three 2 1/2" blocks together using a 1/4" seam allowance, you'll get 6 1/2 inches, which is what the top and bottom pieces of that block should be cut to). What am I talking about? I don't sew!

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