[Tamara]

Needlewoman, my dealer recommends rasant as being a very good thread in Janome machines. I would like to try isacord or Aurifil for another quilting project. At the moment I am using King Tut and bottom line and frankly I am not that impressed with it. The bottom line keeps snagging and doesn’t wind well onto the bobbin so hence you get funny stitches when the starting thread pokes up and interferes with the bobbin movement. It also splits easily when pulling it up to the top to tie off. Rasant is said to be a good “all rounder” but it is rather expensive. I guess you pay for the quality of the thread.

As for sending out quilt tops, I am seriously tempted to do that when it comes time for the king sized one to be done. It isn’t pieced yet, just sitting there waiting its turn but honestly, even though my machine has a large throat, I think I would be quite crazy to push that thing around. It is bad enough with this one and it isn’t quite 2m square – well it is pretty big and around that size. I have had to move to the dining table to accommodate it and no way am I setting up there permanently.

[Nicole]

Rasant in my brand, the colour range is amazing.

Fee, I get mine from All-Make Sewing Centre.

Say hi for me if you go there!

[meleliza]

I haven’t sewn a thing in about a week. I put together a half hearted muslin of a top for myself that I intend to make multiple versions of. But I can’t seem to commit to actually making it. I’ve made some flat pattern adjustments to a sundress pattern but now I’m a little unsure about the fabric I have picked out so thats stalled. I want to sew up some summer things for baby girl out of remnants but can’t bring myself to dig the stuff out. I also can’t quite bring myself to sew up the attaché dress I’ve already fitted and cut out! I suppose it’s this awful early summer weather: hot, sticky and way too soon! It makes me feel grumpy and lazy. I could really do with some better sewing mojo.

Though my problem with attaché is that I can’t decide how to finish all those seams.

[with love Heidi]

looking fowad to seeing that attache dress, I was just imaging lovely french seams but not sure how they would go on all thoes curves. I would just overlock or zigzag the seams but then that’s my defult setting. 🙂 I’m hoping to get back to sewing today, the first time since our move 3-4 weeks ago !

[Tamara]

Oh I feel like that at the change of the season too Meleliza. It gets to a point where you want to do something but the motivation to do it isnt a full bottle worth to actually get going. Plus it could be due to the fact that things home wise and family wise could be busier – well round here is has anyway.

I feel like escaping the dining room today and moving back into my hideyhole of a sewing nook – just to escape the coughing! Best to stay around though in order to limit frustration levels.

I have decided to never use King Tut and bottom line threads for quilting again – ridiculous stuff!

I have one and a bit corners to go plus the borders. Then binding and I cant wait to see this thing finished.

I think I might get started on the border design today to speed things along a bit.

[Lightning McStitch]

What am I sewing now?…..

… A movie screen!

[meleliza]

It’s just the humidity. It really gets to me. Hubby came home and switched on the air because he was sick of hearing me complain. I felt so much better when the temperature decreased! But thursdays are busy anyway, so still nothing done today. Tomorrow, oldest has the day off school and it’s a holiday weekend here, so wow, probably still nothing. And it’s my birthday Saturday. I wonder if I’m entitled to sewing time on my birthday or whether the kids will want to “help” make me a cake? 🙂

Heidi, I am not sure French seams will work here. Those are my default setting! Because the fabric is thin a d the seams stretch snugly over some prominent places. Also, there’s a lining, so double the bulk. The hairline seam thing seemed to work on samples I tried, so I’ll probably go that way. I just need to be in the mood for a big project.

[Maggie]

I’m sewing a weighted blanket. They are therapeutic for people with sensory processing problems. The weights are little plastic pellets which are like little beans, but washable.

Unfortunately, I’ve hit pellets with my needle a few times. I broken a needle, and now the machine seems a little grumbly and out of balance. I have about a third of the pellet sewing to go. I’ve gotten better at pinning the fabric so the pellets don’t get into the sewing area, but it is a frustrating project.

I hope I can get it finished before I bring my machine to be repaired. I hate being without my machine for days.

[Tamara]

Still trudging through the final quarter of this quilt!

[with love Heidi]

I got my field trip cargo’s cut out and i have started on the pockets. I will need a slightly different pink thread than l have in my stash. l also tried some fancy stitching, as the old new machine has cams but either I need more practice or stretch drill is not a good medium. plane a zip to fix on a dress and I need to cut 2″strips to do rag curls tonight.

Maggie, I’ve been curious about the weighted blankets and wife be interested to hear how it works

[with love Heidi]

I’ll Not Wife! Eventually I’ll get this tablet sorted:/

[Tamara]

Oh the adventures of tablet users = HILARIOUS!

Yes those weighted blankets do sound interesting. We have a child at out school who has difficulty sensory processing mainly speech sounds so hence she has issues with literacy. Sewing the blankets though sounds hefty with the weighted parts. Are you using just a domestic sewing machine? What you describe is probably similar to bean bag beans, am I right? Just made of a different material.

[Tamara]

Quilting efforts have come to an abrupt halt I’m afraid….. I ran out of thread! Here I was thinking oh yeah two reels would be plenty, WRONG! So tomorrow I can recharge the motivation levels by doing something else and then get back and have another go at completing this quilt. I only had a few blocks and the borders to do.

[Maggie]

The blanket is finished! I realized my machine was misbehaving because the needle was completely dull. Yes, the brand new needle was dulled by hitting a pellet.

In the end, I learned that the secret is pinning all the pellets well away from the sewing line.

Yes, I used my regular machine. The blanket is 40″ square and weighs 6 pounds. These start at $60-80 on line. I made mine for under $40 since I used mostly fabric from my stash. The pellets are $10 for a 2 pound bag. These are usually used to weigh down stuffed animals feet or dolls bottoms to help position them.

[needlewoman]

Thanks for confirmation about Rasant, ladies. That’s very encouraging. Interesting that it’s actually recommended for Janome. I buy my thread at Chappell Sewing Solutions (Unley) for $7 a spool, and as you say, N the colour range is amazing. Good to know there is another option, and yes I will certainly say Hi at All Make – lovely people, and so very kind.

Very nearly finished 18-24mth playsuit – only topstitching and buttonholes to go before washing it. It looks very cute with ruffles attached to legs. Photo soon. Some new patterns arrived from The Dizzy Daisy Shop, and the Rusty Zipper this week, and I’m having a nice time dreaming BUT I’m really pleased I didn’t buy any fabric because Clever Charlotte has introduced a new pattern for Spring (nth hemi) called Galena – very pretty. And a Spring Sale – 20% of older patterns – which I have been hoping for. C/o Nicole’s work, and others’ recommendations, I’m diving right in – in particular the Chickadee outfit. I love that asymetrical collar, and shaped skirt.

PS: to those lining Music box, it does look very nice with the skirt gathered, but I really appreciate Liesl’s idea about the lining swinging free at the side seams. Such a good idea for swirling, and cooler wearing for the Oz climate.

Have spent weekend starting to arrange quilt for young family – my first quilt for many months – my mojo (Quojo??) might just be returning but it’s certainly harder on the back than sewing kids’ clothes.