making rebecca lynne

Giant Shoo Fly Block Tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lynne) — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 00:41:00 +0000

This is a quick tutorial on how to make an 18" Shoo Fly Quilt Block.

I used a fat quarter for the patterned fabric and had a few strips leftover, so this is really a great block to use if you have a stack of fat quarters with a large scale pattern that you'd like to feature in a quilt. I chose Anna Maria Horner's Dowry Collection and paired it with Kona Charcoal.

For those of you who are visual learners the image immediately below is an overview of the pieces that make up this block...

Materials:

Four (4) 6.5" Patterned Squares

Two (2) 7" Patterned Squares

Two (2) 7" Solid Squares

One (1) 6.5" Square

Preparing the HSTs

I figured out how to calculate the size of my HST squares by adding a 1/2" to my unfinished square size as described here. There are a million tutorials online about how to make HSTs...so this is just a quick overview. If you'd like an in depth explanation you can visit here and see the three suggested methods. I almost always utilize "Method 2".

I prefer to use a Clover Hera Marker when marking straight lines, but you can use pen, pencil, fabric marker, or anything you'd like to mark your fabric with a guiding diagonal line from corner to corner.

Layout

I think I say this in every quilt block tutorial, before I sew I always lay out my squares. For me it helps me check my cutting job and map on how I am going to piece it all together. In this block I think it is key to map it in a certain way in order to tackle the ironing. All seams are 1/4"!

Please note which are Rows 1, 2, and 3 as this will come into play when we discuss ironing... When sewing look at the overall square and make your rows working from Left to Right. This will create horizontal rows as seen below.

IRONING

I am normally not someone who cares about ironing seams to one side or open, when it comes to which is better I shrug and simply stay out of the fray. However(!) in a block this large I found that lining up your seams is extremely important because with the size of the block and so few seam alignments it is really obvious when the seams do NOT line up. So, a bit of anal ironing can really help you line up your seams later...

Rows 1 and Rows 3 (or Top and Bottom Rows with the patterned fabric in the center and HSTs on each end) should have the seams ironed INTO THE CENTER. Row 2 (or the Middle Row with the solid square in the center and 6.5" patterned squares on the end) should have the seams ironed AWAY FROM THE CENTER.

Rows 1 and Row 3 Iron IN

Row 2 Iron OUT

Joining the Rows

Once you have your rows all sewn together, again, I would suggest laying them out and seeing whether your seams should meet once sewn. If things look really wonky at this stage then you might want to remeasure your squares and make sure everything is the right size before going down a frustrating path.

Then carefully line up your seams, using your ironing to guide your alignment.

Don't forget, with so few joining seams having an "off" alignment will be really obvious! So use your pins and your ironing to line that baby up to get perfect seams.

Sew together and...

One more overview for those visual peeps...

As always, let me know how this tutorial works for you. Feel free to post suggestions or comments below!

- rebecca lynne

Shoo Fly Start

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lynne) — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 01:17:00 +0000

Busy these days trying to catch up on Bee Blocks and other quilty obligations I have. One of which is to prep for my own Queen Bee month with WNYMQG in August. So here I am picking out my fabrics for the bee members to use...Anna Maria Horner's Dowry Collection...

- rebecca lynne

Moving This Way

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lynne) — Tue, 08 Jul 2014 23:45:00 +0000

Every spring I want to make something in soft pinks and peaches with a muted background like soft gray. Inevitably after picking my soft palette, within a mere week the weather turns and I find myself wishing for bright vibrant colors and setting aside those muted pinks and peaches. Looking back at the past May posts I have realized that I do this every year! So this year I've made a top that captures that feeling...the vibrant colors pushing out the soft feminine ones...

My life is in the throes of those bright saturated colors right now. Without going into the details, I'll just say that lots of life decisions were contemplated over the past two months. Unfortunately, as a result, my Juki hasn't seen much of me at all. I'm hoping to get past it and start quilting this beautiful top - I'm confident when I say that I've earned that much.

For the names/collections of some of the fabrics I've used in this quilt top check out my post here.

- rebecca lynne

A Word on FMQ

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lynne) — Wed, 14 May 2014 23:25:00 +0000

You may recall this post where I was trying to FMQ a quilt and having problems because of skipped stitches? Well, I unpicked all of that quilting and just recently decided to give it another go. Unfortunately, I am still experiencing skipped stitches on this quilt, and it was driving me mad. Was it ME or was it the spray basting I used?

See what I mean? What a mess! I tried and tried...and no matter what speed, what size, what stitch length, what needle, god forbid that it be my Tough Lady (!)...well no changes worked! It mostly happened on/near seams and some of the skips were so huge that I just started backstitching over them... I was going crazy and there is no way I am ripping everything out again. But, I still had doubts. Was this being caused by my inexperience with FMQ or by the spray basting?

So...I decided to stop my quilting the spray basted quilt and grabbed a fabric I've been saving to make a whole cloth pillow for my husband. I used a plain off white backing so that I could scrutinize the quilting. Lo and behold...no skipped stitches!

This was without pins or spray...just front, wadding, and backing smoothed out lain together. Obviously my FMQ can still use some improvement but I love these loops because their lack of uniformity is organic and forgiving.

I've decided to keep sewing the spray basted quilt and managing the skipped stitches as best as possible. Life's too short, I just don't have time to completely start over, unpick, wash etc. It'll always serve as a reminder of this experience!

Now back to my loops...

- rebecca lynne

Something Quiet

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lynne) — Sun, 04 May 2014 12:46:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, while my daughters were away visiting their grandparents and the weather was just starting to suggest spring, I had the desire to create something subtle and quiet. I thought this bundle of soft oranges, blues, and low volume fabrics would be perfect to do some flying geese - a block I've been wanting to try for some time.

I am not in love with the idea as I once was a few days ago and ended up having to push myself to finish this top. I don't know what happened exactly. I used this tutorial for the geese and wasn't thrilled with how they turned out, I know it was "faster" but they came out kind of sloppy and not uniform. There is something to be said for slow and steady I think. I will definitely make my geese differently next time. I know exactly which backing I will use in my stash and am looking forward to some straight line quilting and just having this quilt done. Maybe in the future I'll feel more affection towards it but right now I just want it out of the way.

My desire to get this done and over with is probably due in part to the return of my children and impending summer weather which makes me look forward to doing something with this bundle below...

Left to Right: Meadow Vale in Navy, Sweet As Honey Deer Cherished, Meadow Marina Geos Deep, Meadow Summer Grove Day, Kona Citrus, Meadow Valley Azure, Kona Peach, Sweet as Honey Morning Bee

Looking for design suggestions. Something large scale...I am leaning towards a Plus Quilt layout...I want to show off all those beautiful creatures and flowers and am thinking it will be my Welcome Summer quilt.

Have you ever had a quilt that you've worked through and were no longer excited about? What did you do about it...finish it out or abandoned altogether?

- rebecca lynne

It grows!

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lynne) — Thu, 01 May 2014 00:17:00 +0000

Remember this tutorial I recently posted? Well I thought you might be interested in how things were progressing... The Modern Stitching Bee members have been hard at work and I am so excited I started posting all of the blocks up on my design wall.

I am in absolute LUST over the random beauty that is coming together here!!! I know I could never achieve such a gorgeous variety of fabric and design choices from a group of blocks all on my own. I am thrilled I went with this block as my choice for the Bee. In fact, to be honest I'm more than a little afraid to create more blocks of my own to square it off/make the top bigger lest my style *mess* the random beauty up. Don't laugh, you know what I mean!

Moral of the story, go find a Bee to help you make these awesome blocks!

- rebecca lynne

Fabriholics Anonymous April Link Up!

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lynne) — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 13:47:00 +0000

I am following Jess's lead this month by posting the Fabriholics Anonymous Link with some delicious Low Volume Swap fabric...mmmm... (Jess...don't mean to make you jealous... Wink!)

Like Jess, I too must admit to having fallen off the wagon in the month of April. After using the Ludovika for backing in my last finished quilt Above All Pink I promised to pick up some for one of my bestie WNYMQG friends when I visited Ikea...given that the Ikea I visited was roughly 8 hours away and I was on vacation...well one thing led to another and I ended up picking up backing for her and two other Ikea fabrics as well... I couldn't help it! After all, some day Ikea's supply of Britten Nummer is going to run out!!! I also picked up some Julita fabric as it is simple and fun so I figure one of the girls would love it on a quilt (which I cannot find on the Ikea website...hmmm...good thing I grabbed some when I did...). Hope you guys can forgive my temporary lapse!!!

Speaking of the fast though - I am seriously considering continuing my fabric fast for the next 6 months. I haven't put as much of a dent in my stash as I previously hoped, and I have other upcoming expenses that I'd like to continue to keep saving for. For those of you who missed the first phase start considering whether you'd like to join on for the second half of the year...I'd love to have company!

Don't forget to visit Jess and link up below!

- rebecca lynne

Above All Pink: All Solids Rainbow Modern Quilt

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lynne) — Fri, 18 Apr 2014 17:42:00 +0000

Above All Pink

Size: 52"x52"

Fabric: Kona Cotton Solids Summer Jelly Roll, Ikea Ludovika (backing)

Quilting Thread: Connecting Threads Celebration Thread Set

Quilted by MRL on a Juki TL-2010Q

Binding: MRL by hand

Progress Photos: Here

Linking Up to TGIFF at Blossom Heart Quilts!!!

- rebecca lynne

Japanese x and + Block Tutorial for 12.5" blocks

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lynne) — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 14:00:00 +0000

I began my blocks using Brenda's sketch for a 12.5 Japanese x and + block which you can find here.
I decided to take her sketch and create a step by step tutorial (I'm a visual learner...you?)

Step 1. Choose and Prep your fabric
I like x and + blocks that are saturated and full of contrast like this beautiful example from a little gray. I love the fussy cutting in Gone Aussie Quilting's version (full quilt here). And there are a lot of other options out there such as doing an all low volume background. My choices and notes below are just suggestions based on a saturated layout, you are all artists so pick what works for you!
Once you've gotten your fabric picked (and good luck I found picking my fabric was one of the hardest parts of this block) you can start cutting.

For your + fabric:

Fabric flanking the +:

Background fabric to x:

Fabric that forms the x:

Step 2: Create the four blocks that form the X

Repeat for each of your 5.5" and 3.5" squares until you have 4 finished squares... If you prefer chain piecing as I do, I suggest prepping all four blocks at once and sitting and chain piecing one after the other.

Step 3: Sew your +
I wanted to make sure my block was going to look just right before I put all the pieces together so before sewing my + I laid it out to move around the pieces and fix the layout.

I then sewed the horizontal strip for the + first. REMEMBER: a scant 1/4" seam!

Next sew the top and bottom parts of the +

Step 4: Sew your rows
After completing your + you can complete the three rows for your block...

Step 5: Sew your rows together to complete your block!

Have any tips or tricks you use when making these blocks? Leave a comment below!

- rebecca lynne

Fabriholics Anonymous March Check-in

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lynne) — Fri, 28 Mar 2014 02:31:00 +0000

Whew! Just getting this in right under the wire! March is practically over...oh well that happens when busy gets busier...at least I can say that my time has been spent sewing...

So how has it been for you ladies and gents? I, for one, was able to buy fabric this month in order to help a swap member get her fabric picks for the Low Volume Swap. To be honest with you it made me feel a bit dirty!!! It felt quite decadent to be perusing fabric, putting it in the shopping cart, changing my mind, and then eventually finalizing my shopping card and pressing Buy Now. Agh! What a thrill... I still haven't spent my gift card yet and am debating how much longer I will be able to hold out.

Specifically, I am lusting over these right here...

Sarah Jane's Wee Wander Sea with Birds

Leah Duncan Meadow

I pretty much want this whole line...

What about you all? How are you coping? If you have any tips for your fellow fasters do share. I am compiling a list of tips and would love to hear your ideas!

You know the drill, leave a link and visit two links above you. Make sure to leave a comment when you visit!

- rebecca lynne

FMQ WIP

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lynne) — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 12:44:00 +0000

I am in a quilting mood after completing the quilting on Above All Pink so I decided I needed to keep that motivation going and try to tackle another quilt top I have had lying around for awhile... This time I decided to take on some free motion quilting. Instead of pinning I spray basted, something I am not overly experienced with, because I didn't want to have to navigate my beginning FMQ skills AND the pins at the same time! But, even after changing my needle, cleaning out my machine, rethreading, and doing all of those god things you need to do when something is funky with your sewing...I was still getting the occasional skipped stitch! I googled it, of course, and came across this helpful post from Kati at Swim, Bike, Quilt. I am thinking I should change my spray basting brand and also spray a little less heavy handedly...

Back to the drawing board! Unpicking and deciding whether I am going to make a new attempt or do something completely different. Hmmph.

Linking Up to Freshly Pieced

- rebecca lynne

Ribbon Quilt Label

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lynne) — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 12:02:00 +0000

For my faithful followers you may remember that I finished Joy, for the Queen last summer. I was so proud of this simple patchwork quilt made of Anna Maria Horner's Field Study collection and a Cereopsis voile backing. It was my first attempt at free motion quilting on a full quilt. For months I debated how to label this quilt and now that she is going included in a local quilt show held by the Amherst Quilters' Guild I realized it was now or never!

Luckily, I had an epiphany when I remembered the AMH ribbon I uncovered in my stash while cleaning my studio. At first it the idea seemed a bit excessive, I have been saving this ribbon for a long time...but then I decided this particular quilt is all about the Queen (i.e. Me insofar as my house is concerned) so why not! After all nothing succeeds like excess!

- rebecca lynne

Above All Pink: In Progress

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lynne) — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 02:23:00 +0000

It seems ages ago that I started this...I guess it really was only a few months. I had started the quilting soon after finishing the top but I kept getting puckering. I asked my Guild and they all agreed that my pinning was spaced too far. So I gave it a break, became good friends with my seam ripper, re-pinned the whole thing and started at square one...I am so happy I did because all the puckering is gone! Only have the top pink part to go...

- rebecca lynne

MODERN LOW VOLUME SWAP ROUND III CLOSED

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lynne) — Sat, 15 Mar 2014 12:35:00 +0000

CLOSED!

Final Swapper List Available Here.

If you are included in the swap you should have received an email from me.
If you did not receive an email but feel you should have please contact me here with questions.

- rebecca lynne

Modern Low Volume Swap Round III

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lynne) — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 00:57:00 +0000

STILL 10 SPOTS OPEN!
{March 12, 2014 at 17:24 EST}

CLICK HERE TO REVIEW INSTRUCTIONS AND JOIN.

All Swap Participants will be given a 15% Discount Code from Pink Castle Fabrics to purchase fabric for this swap!
Thank you Pink Castle!!!

Questions can be left in a comment below or emailed to me here.

- rebecca lynne

Weekend Doings

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lynne) — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 13:22:00 +0000

Would you believe that I cleaned my whole house (thoroughly), threw a very successful(!) Surprise Birthday Party, hung with the hubby and kids, finished some documents for work, coped with daylight savings stealing an hour, and STILL found time to sew this weekend?

Oh yes, Spring is on the way. I am getting my mojo back!

I prepped a tutorial for a 12.5" x and + quilt block in preparation for my month in the Modern Stitching Bee. The x and + blocks resulted in some leftover HSTs which I decided I needed to make something with now otherwise...they'll just hang and get shuffled around and never used. Thus, the two little heart blocks. I have no idea what I will use them for (pillows? placemats? zip pouch? incorporate into a quilt?) but I'm sure eventually I'll be inspired to give them a proper finish.

Tutorial for the x and + block will be posted at the end of the month.

The Low Volume Swap is still coming - however, fingers crossed, I have a potential sponsor and am waiting to see if that is going to work out. I will open Sign-Ups once I have heard back from them!

Hope you all had a productive weekend as well...

- rebecca lynne

Quilted Metallic Foldover Clutch [TGIFF]

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lynne) — Sat, 08 Mar 2014 14:42:00 +0000

I've wanted to make a foldover clutch for some time now...but wasn't sure how I wanted to do it. I was debating whether to place seams to create the fold and then decided that might be too bulky. Instead I decided to alternate the quilting and use that as the point for the fold.

I've been dying to use this metal zipper and fabric combination! I used Nani Iro by Naomi Ito Little Letter Brushed Twill metallic fabric. I love how those pink flowers sparkle. And to make the clutch even more over the top I sewed on some swarovski crystal beads to the foldover flap!

Now to figure out what to wear when I carry her during our next outing... Hmmm...

- rebecca lynne

Low Volume 101

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lynne) — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 05:00:00 +0000

This post was original part of the Colour Theory for Quilters series. If you haven't ever checked out the Colour Theory for Quilters series I highly recommend that you do! I asked Jess if I could repost this on my blog as I prepare for Modern Low Volume Swap Round III!

But, before we jump to Low Volume, we need to chat about Value. Ready? Let’s do it…

VALUE

In artsy terms, value is what we are talking about when we describe a color as "light" or "dark". When we classify color as light versus dark we are describing its "brightness". To be geeky uber-technical about it...warning: feel free to gloss over this if you are anti-geeky uber-technical by nature...value (or brightness) is based on the amount of light eminating from the color. The more white the HIGHER the value, the less white the LOWER the value. The easiest way to think of this is using a grayscale. And of course this gives me an opportunity to use some fabric examples!

Of course the same value scale applies when we talk about any color... Such as yellow for example.

Value Challenges for Quilters
To apply this information to what We Do as Quilters we need to recognize the challenges that we face in our medium...in other words fabric. Painters, illustrators, graphic designers...pssht they've got it easy! Quilters often use patterned fabrics that combine multiple colors and sometimes multiple values all in one swatch. Depending on the scale of the fabric pattern if that swatch is cut in half the new swatch creates a change in value range. For anyone who has ever tried organizing their stash in color order you know you've faced the question of "hunh, well where does this one fit in?" The pile of fabrics I've depicted below demonstrates my "hunh" or "multicolored" fabric pile in my own stash.

To get past this challenge, my advice is to use the monochromatic feature on your camera or computer to judge the value of a particularly challenging fabric. I've done that here with the yellow example from above. You can see through grayscale how the patterns still have an important role in value.

Creating Contrast using Value.

Right. Okay, you get it, light versus dark, but why does this matter anyway? Value is important because it allows us to create contrast. If colors are close in value they will flatten, if they are varied in value then they will contrast and thereby create depth. Too close in value = flat. Far in value = depth. Take the yellows up above, looking at them in grayscale you can see that the fabrics closer together in color blend together and fall flat. But, I've taken the darkest yellow (low value) and the lightest yellow (high value) and paired them together below and now you can see the pop - value creating contrast.

This is example is also good because the darker yellow fabric has a lighter value pattern which, as you can see, also creates value contrast within the same piece of fabric! Quilters, we have so many options!

However, if you've diligently read through these Colour Theory Posts then you don't need me to tell you Value is merely one way to create contrast. Contrast can also be created with color through context as we learned in the last post. In fact, to push this even further, as fabric enthusiasts we all know contrast can also be achieved by contrasting different textures or fabrics with different scaled patterns. Oh fabric...how I love thee! Quick Example? Sure...

Value Contrast: As we've already seen above in the yellow, value contrast is an important consideration when pairing fabric. See how it works with these blue solids I paired. The depth is created by the range in the value. The value pairing creates an impressive contrast in the grayscale. This is why monochromatic pairings can often be so compelling.

Color Contrast : But as you already know complementary colors create a wonderful contrast as well and do not require a difference in value. Complementary colors = Blue and Orange. I kept the same blue from above but chose an orange with a similar value. While things look rather flat in the grayscale in color the fabrics vibrate against each other. And it follows that using complementary colors with different values results in a greater contrast.

LOW VOLUME
So why did I march you through the preamble about value and contrast above? Well...low volume of course! The trick to low volume is to consider value and how contrast is created in the ways I mentioned above such as color, pattern, scale, and value. If I were to tell you that all the fabrics above are considered low volume you may scratch your head and say what? If you have done any research into the recent low volume craze then you know that what is considered to be low volume covers a vast range.

What is Low Volume?
To put it simply...low volume fabrics live in the high value range of the value scale. Nevertheless, one visit to the low volume swap flickr page demonstrates that there is a broad scope of what different quilters think of as low volume!

First and foremost, there is no "wrong way" to do low volume. Please, how ridiculous! However, after hosting two Low Volume swaps and fielding a multitude of questions on what qualifies as low volume I have found that low volume can be divided into two larger categories. Pop Low Volume and Muted Low Volume.

Pop Low Volume. Best described as graphic prints amidst a neutral background, usually white. This is the low volume style of Malka Dubrowsky who is credited with starting the concept of modern low volume in 2009 with an article she wrote for Quilting Arts magazine. This style is still very popular four years after that article was written. It is probably most commonly known in its implementation by Rita of Red Pepper Quilts. I describe it as "pop" because the design style utilizes the high value background of the fabric as a foundation to allow the graphic print to pop out. Place a number of these fabrics together in a quilt and voila you have a very cheerful, largely neutral quilt, with fun popping graphics playing against each other. TIP: If you gravitate towards this style of low volume look for fabrics with a large ratio of white, a single colored print or at the maximum a print composed of no more than two colors, and the simpler the pattern - the more graphic - the better.

Muted Low Volume. "If quiet had a color this would be it." - Sarah from Issabella the Cat's daughter when describing Sarah's low volume quilt. {Go check it out, Sarah's quilt features fabrics from the first Low Volume Fabric Swap hosted on my blog.} Muted low volume really is, well, muted! This style utilizes fabrics in soft colors found in the high value range such as light yellows, light purples, soft grays, tans. This style is not new to quilting as using muted low volume fabrics can be found in every period of American quilting. Today one source of its popularity amongst modern quilters can be attributed to the beautiful Sunday Morning Quilt featured in the pages of the book Sunday Morning Quilts. TIP: Thinking of putting together a muted low volume quilt? In addition to gathering fabrics in soft colors and muted tones also consider choosing fabrics with "soft patterns" such as florals, small dots, scripted text. Notice the bold chevron print above, in addition to the soft colors the pattern has a sketchy quality to it which softens the normally striking angles of the chevron. Smaller scale prints will work well in this low volume style but what works best is a combination of different prints paired together to add some interest to this type of low volume quilt.

No matter which style of Low Volume you prefer here is are some things to consider when picking your fabrics for your next low volume project...

Low Volume Fabric Considerations

fabric with a large ratio of white or neutral

consider the complexity of pattern

minimal color contrast, a pattern with too many colors will distract from the neutral background

color element, brighter/saturated color for pop low volume, soft colors for muted low volume

And there you have it! Low Volume thinky stuff. By the way, all of the fabrics in the photos above were from my previous low volume swaps. Cool stuff right? Stay tuned for the Modern Low Volume Swap sign ups coming soon...in the meantime do check out the rules here.

- rebecca lynne

Lipstick Like the Big Girls: Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lynne) — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 12:42:00 +0000

- rebecca lynne

Sewing Machine Adultery: Brother PC 420

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 03:47:00 +0000

I'd like to start for thanking Rebecca Lynne for giving me the opportunity to share my enthusiasm for what I think is one of the most awesome budget friendly machines on the market! My name is Bobby and I'm a 30 year old guy who lives in Orlando, Florida and loves to quilt. I have 3 sewing machines (a vintage metal Brother straight stitcher from the 50s, a Brother PC 420, and a Bernina Artista 200/730) and love them all for different reasons.

The machine I'm going to review here is the Brother PC 420. I think that Brother often gets overlooked in favor of more prestigious brands, so please allow me to introduce you to this wonderful gem.

So, what makes this specific Brother so special?

The Brother PC 420 is a 294 stitch electronic (computerized) sewing machine with a 7 millimeter stitch width. If you are looking at Brother, this is the least expensive model I recommend. There are two very important reasons for that.

The first of which is that this is one of the few lower end Brothers that allows the user to control the presser foot pressure. A lot of modern machines lack that feature (though old machines always had it), and I really think that is something the user needs to be in control of. Sometimes the pressure has to be reduced or increased to prevent puckering or to make the fabric feed properly.

The other reason is that this machine has a metal internal frame. Lower end Brothers are lighter weight, but they have plastic "veins" or fins inside for support instead of a metal frame. Over time, these veins can break and the internal workings of the machine virtually fall in on themselves. You really want a machine with a metal frame!

Features abound!

My two favorite features are the needle threader and the automatic thread cutter. Many machines, even lower end Brothers have needle threaders, so that feature alone isn't special. What is special, is that the needle threader on the PC 420 actually works! It is a one touch, one finger threader that works the first time, every time! Standard needle threaders require the user to hold the threader's lever down with one hand and carefully draw the thread across 2 or 3 guides and hope the hook catches it. These usually miss the first few times, the hook breaks over time, and they require two hands to operate. It's almost easier to thread the needle manually! The PC 420 threader is quite different! Just draw the thread through a slit and pull the lever straight down with one finger. It will actually put the thread through the needle with that one step, and it NEVER misses! Not ever! That is huge! My other favorite feature is the push button thread cutter. It is becoming a common feature of late, but it is seldom found on a machine in this price range. Just press the button with a scissor icon and top and bobbin threads are cut automatically. This saves time and thread! It also brings both threads to the bottom and raises the needle automatically so the fabric can be removed. If you've never sewn on a machine with an automatic thread cutter, you simply must. It is something you have to try to fully appreciate! Of course, the PC 420 also has a built in thread cutting razor on the side of the sewing head for manual cutting.

The PC 420 sports needle up/down, reverse stitch, push button start/stop with sliding speed control (which can also be set to be the stitch width control), drop feed, and a knee lifter for the presser foot (otherwise unheard of at this price). I’ll go into a bit of detail about each of those.

The needle up/down button is so handy that I don't think I've ever needed to use the hand wheel since I got the machine. The handwheel is still necessary to have if the machine ever jams or if you need to "walk" the machine over something especially heavy, but it's so nice to not have to constantly reach for it!

The reverse stitch button is pressed and held when the stitches need to be locked down. It will either sew backwards or sew in place. Some decorative stitches might be ruined if the machine where to reverse stitch, so it will automatically sew in place with those instead of back stitch.

The machine has a stop/start button so that it can be used without a foot pedal. Controlling the speed of the machine is done by using the speed control slider when the stop/start button is used. Many people love this feature, but I never use it for sewing because I don’t like giving up the control a foot pedal provides. The stop/start button lights up red when the presser foot is up, turns green when the foot is lowered, and is orange when the bobbin is winding.

The knee lifter is a bar that simply fits into a hole on the bottom right of the machine. When the user moves their knee to the right to press the knee lifer, the presser foot will be lifted automatically. When the knee lifter is released completely, the foot will automatically go down. This means that it isn’t necessary to remove your hands from the project to raise and lower the presser foot lever. It can be very handy, however I have one warning; be careful not to activate it accidentally when sewing! I did this once and anyone who’d seen my wonky line of stitches would have assumed that I’d consumed 3 bottles of wine before sitting down to sew!

The PC 420 provides the ability to drop the feed dogs for free motion work. They are also dropped when sewing on buttons. Dropping the feed dogs is like turning them off so they don’t grab and move the fabric anymore. One thing that I appreciate is that the switch to drop the feed dogs is in the back of the Brother PC 420. Many machines have that switch somewhere in the front between the flat bed and free arm and the flat bed storage compartment must be removed every time the feed dogs are raised or lowered; it is convenient not to have to do that each time.

The controls for stop start, needle up/down, reverse, thread cutter, and speed control slider are all on the left side of the machine close to the needle. These are the most frequently used buttons, so their placement makes them easy to access. The other controls for selecting and editing stitches are on the right side of the machine under the display.

Brother added some really thoughtful features to the PC 420. The buttons on the right side of the machine are covered with a clear coating so the graphic doesn't wear off over time. There is a ridge on the hand wheel that will be at the top when the needle is in the highest position.

That is really important to know (you typically have the needle in the highest position when starting to sew or when threading, the needle threader will not work if the needle is in any other position). On lots of machines, you can tell if the needle is in the highest position by looking at the thread take up lever, but the take up lever is hidden on the PC 420.

What about threading?

There are 9 steps to threading the PC 420. The steps are all logical and they are numbered in order on the machine. If you ever forget how to do it, the machine has a built in tutorial complete with graphics! Just press the question mark button by the screen and pictures of each step with come on the display to show you what to do! This tutorial will show how to thread the machine, how to wind the bobbin, how to load the bobbin, and how to change presser feet. Advance through the steps in the tutorial manually by pressing the arrow keys; it doesn’t go too fast for newbies!

What about the bobbin?

The bobbin is plastic and it is a top loading, drop in bobbin. No separate bobbin case to mess with and you always know how much thread is left because you can see it through the transparent cover (of all the features the PC 420 boasts, a bobbin level sensor is not one of them).

The PC 420 bobbin is not a standard class 15 or 66 bobbin, so it cannot be found readily at local retailers. It is a little larger than standard bobbins, so it requires less frequent changing. The machine comes with 4 to start, and more can be ordered online. I ordered 20 extra bobbins from Amazon, and they were reasonably priced, but took TWO MONTHS to arrive from Japan. One thing I especially appreciate about the PC 420 is that it does not require the user to draw the bobbin thread up before starting to stitch like a lot of older/cheaper machines do. There's a guide on the machine to show which direction the bobbin should be installed. Once the bobbin is dropped into place, the only step left is to draw it through the guide (which is basically slit in the machine bed) and replace the clear plastic cover. The thread will be cut by the built in razor when it is drawn through that guide.

The bobbin winder is on the top right of the machine, near the hand wheel. It is not an independent bobbin winder (meaning that a bobbin cannot be wound during sewing, you can only do one or the other at a time). It is a snap to set up and winds the bobbins evenly every time. It stops by itself when the bobbin is full and even the bobbin winder itself has built in thread cutting blade. The bobbin winder must simply be slid to the right to engage; there is no need to de-clutch the hand wheel on the PC 420. The LCD display will read “Winding bobbin thread” during the winding process. To start the machine for winding the bobbin, the foot pedal can be held down OR the stop/start button can be pressed.

Are the presser feet easy to change?

Most of the presser feet are very easy to change! There is a button on the back of the presser foot ankle, that when pressed, will allow the foot to just drop off. A new one is attached by putting it under the ankle and lowering the presser foot ankle right on top if it. The only times a screw driver is necessary to change feet are when the walking foot and free motion foot are used.

What accessories come with the machine?

The Brother PC 420 comes with a ton of wonderful accessories! The included feet are the regular zig zag foot (also used for straight stitching, but doesn't have a single hole like quarter inch feet do), blind hem foot, buttonhole foot, button attaching foot, zipper foot, free motion foot, quilting foot (but not a quarter inch foot), walking foot, teflon foot, overcasting foot, and monogramming foot.

All the feet fit neatly in the storage compartment of the flat bed part of the machine (the part you remove to make it a free arm machine). This nifty organized tray lifts out to expose more storage space underneath!

Also included are 3 spool pin caps, an auxiliary spool pin for twin needle sewing, a twin needle, an eyelet punch, 4 bobbins, a seam ripper, a lint brush, a slippery spool net, screwdrivers, a hard case cover, and the instruction book. Oh yeah, and the cord and foot pedal too. The only things I had to buy for the Brother PC 420 were a quarter inch foot with a single hole and guide and a guide bar for the walking foot... I got one from Amazon and the other from Ebay and didn't spend more than 10 dollars for both. Brother accessories are very reasonably priced. Many machines, especially in this price range do not include a walking foot, so that alone is wonderful. There is an extension table available for this machine as well to give extra surface area, and while I never bought it, it would be very handy when quilting. It is available on Amazon for around 56 dollars.

What about the measurements and stats on this baby?

This is Sewing Machine Adultery after all, right? Measurements and stats are a prerequisite for such an act! The Brother PC 420 weighs 17 pounds. Not feather light, but that is good because it will not go skittering across the table when sewing. It is still very manageable at that weight and easy to take to classes, sit and sews, and retreats (it does have a built in handle, flip down dust cover, and hard carrying case to further facilitate easy transporting).

This one shows the flip down dust cover.

The throat or harp space is rather generous on the PC 420 at 7.4 inches wide and 4.1 inches tall. The exterior measurements of the machine are 17.32" (width) x 7.87" (height) x 11" (depth). The PC 420 has a maximum sewing speed of 850 stitches per minute. I can't imagine ever sewing that fast and still having the project turn out, but it's great to know it has the ability.

What about the computer part and stitch controls?

The computerized portion of the PC 420 reminds me very much of a primitive cell phone. There is a small display screen that has simple graphics and is back lit (this is important because many low end machines do not have back lit screens and they are harder to read). The screen typically displays the current stitch selected, length and width of the stitch in millimeters, what presser foot to use, and whether or not any special settings are selected (like twin needle sewing, mirror imaging, single or infinity pattern, stitch elongation, or automatic tie off… yes, it does all of that too).

There are four arrow keys along with OK, clear, and previous screen buttons and these are used to navigate the menus. The up and down arrow keys also serve as the way to raise or lower the stitch length. The left and right arrow keys also serve to increase or decrease stitch width. Of course, as previously noted, the speed control slider can also be set to be the stitch width control. The default stitch lengths and widths can be overridden just by pressing the arrow keys. The default setting will remain highlighted in case you need to revert back to it at any time. The stitch length and width can be adjusted in half millimeter increments above the default setting and .2 millimeter increments below the default setting. The smallest width the machine will sew is 0.5 and the largest is 7.0. The smallest length stitch the PC 420 will sew is 0.1, the largest 5.0. There are 14 needle positions on the PC 420, which really serve to make it versatile (in contrast, my super expensive Bernina only as 11 needle positions). Within the computer, the language of the display can be changed, the beep the buttons make when pressed can be turned on or off, and even the contrast of the display screen can be altered. Selecting a stitch requires just pressing the stitch selector button and scrolling through with the arrow keys until you find the one you want. The menus are well organized into different categories like utility stitch, satin stitch, decorative stitch, and monogramming (yes, it does letters and numbers too! It has 3 fonts!). Identifying stitches is easy because there is a graphic on the display screen of each stitch. No stitch cards or books look through, no numbers to press or remember. It does come with a stitch card to further facilitate easy location of the 294 stitches the machine is capable of, but its use isn’t required. Any combination of stitches can be selected in any order! This machine also provides the ability to create your own stitch. It also has 4 memory pockets so that stitch combinations can be saved and recalled later (and those to not get erased when the machine is turned off!). As a matter of fact, even the needle end position you’ve selected isn’t lost when the machine is turned off and unplugged (something even my several thousand dollar Bernina isn’t capable of).

There are 6 buttons on the bottom of the control panel that are quick start buttons. They allow the user to select the most commonly used stitches without having to go through the menus in the computer. I don't know what all of them are, but the ones I use frequently are middle needle position straight stitch, zig zag, and blanket stitch.

This machine has many decorative stitches: several leaves and flowers, a heart, an alligator, scalloped edge, tapering stitches, and vines. It has a piecing stitch and a stippling stitch. It also does eyelets and 10 different button hole styles... and they are one step button holes! I've never made any for practical reasons because I sew quilts instead of garments, but I did play with them once and they were beautiful and very easy to execute. I absolutely love the button sew on stitch! I'm always popping buttons on my clothes (did I forget to mention that my other hobby was baking/eating!), and I do a terrible job with hand sewing buttons. This machine has come to the rescue more than a few times with that feature alone!

What about performance?

The motor in the Brother PC 420 is very smooth and quiet. I'll admit that I've never tried to go over multiple layers of denim or anything like that, but it handles everything I can throw at it (typically piecing quilting cotton, quilting quilt sandwiches, and mending my clothes). The machine never makes fabric pucker and it never gets a bird's nest. The tension has never been messed up, and I've had this machine for 4 years now. It feeds fabric evenly and smoothly. Stitch quality is very good for the most part (see the “Cons” section below for further details on that, we’re still in praise mode for now). The whole time I've had this machine, it has never broken thread or jammed! Also, it is not picky about threads. I typically use Gutermann cotton or polyester thread, and it does fine with that as most machines would. I've used clear monofilament thread and multi-colored variegated threads with no issues; those can often cause problems with many machines. I've also used vintage threads that my grandmothers gave me when I was a teenager wanting learn to sew (people often recommend not to do that because they can break and be more linty, but sometimes I just need a certain color and that's all I have). I've even used cheap Coats and Clark thread from a big box retailer when that was all I had in the color I needed (please don't tell my quilting teacher or she will smack my knuckles with an acrylic ruler!). The machine didn't balk or complain one bit (if I even get those threads in the general vicinity of my prissy Bernina, she throws a hissy fit!). The Brother really is a laid back, anything goes, easy going sort of fellow!

Is there any maintenance?

This machine does not need to be oiled. It comes with a lint brush, and the only maintenance that needs to be done outside of changing needles, is to brush lint that builds up from the hook and race (the area under the black bobbin holder case). Just be sure to put the bobbin holder case back in correctly. I didn't put it back together correctly one time and started stitching and the silly bobbin few up and got me in the eye with the first stitch! Of course the machine should be serviced by a proper technician once a year, just like any other sewing machine. I had mine done at the local Brother dealer (which is an hour away) after owning it for two years... they didn't have any issues at all with servicing the machine even though I didn't buy it from them. I didn't have it serviced because something broke, it was just to clean and service parts that I can't access and it cost less than 100 bucks.

Miscellaneous details

I wanted to say a little bit about the lighting on the machine. There are two LED bulbs on this machine to light the work area. One on each side of the needle in the sewing head. They stay cool (I burn myself on my vintage machine's bulb all the time) and do not create shadows like regular bulbs do. They also last longer than standard bulbs, but they must be replaced by a technician should they burn out. They cast a white light and while not blindingly bright, are definitely adequate. I've seen machines with lights in the middle of the harp area before, and this machine doesn't have those; I’ve never needed one there anyway. Another thing that I appreciate about this machine is a feature that makes it great for really detailed work like paper piecing where you have to stop at an exact point. If you just need to sew one full stitch and only one, just tap the foot pedal and release it immediately. It will sew one stitch and then stop on a dime. Truly awesome! Another great feature is that the thread spool pin is right in the front on this machine, so is easily accessed. On my Bernina and many other machines with the spool pin in the back, I practically have to sit on a phone book to reach the thread!

The Brother PC 420 has a safety feature built in. I learned this one time when I had a needle hit the presser foot I was using (see the “Cons” section for details about that). The machine locked up and the display read “Safety feature has been activated”. The stop/start button turned red even though the presser foot was down. I couldn’t have kept sewing if I wanted to… I had to fix the problem and then turn the machine off and back on before continuing. That is to protect the machine from serious damage, so it is a good feature.

Are there any tips and tricks?

I do have a couple of tips that have made using the machine easier for me. The machine has a button for needle up/needle down that when pressed, will simply move the needle to the opposite position; it basically makes a half stitch. The needle can also be set to always end down or up through the machine’s computer. I discovered that it is easier to always leave the needle set to always end down, because when I’m ready to remove the project, I use the automatic thread cutter; that raises the needle automatically anyway! Another tip is about how to remove the needle plate (the metal piece that surrounds the feed dogs). Sometimes, that may need to be removed to clean lint out or to clear a jammed threads, though the latter hasn’t happened to me yet. There are two screws on the needle plate that must be removed, and it looks like a flat head screwdriver would do the trick. However, I don’t have a flat head screwdriver that is small enough to fit under the sewing head; I even went to the hardware store to look for something that would work and didn’t find anything! What I learned was that those screws can be easily removed by using a nickel! I’m sure any coin would work, but nickels are the best because they are so thick. This isn’t quite as easy as some machines that only require a press on the corner to remove the needle plate (now that is something superior about the Bernina!), but still very doable by the average user.

Are there any cons?

Just a few, and not very serious ones at that. My major pet peeve with this machine is that the default needle position is a left justified straight stitch. I don't know anyone who sews with the needle all the way to the left, ever! I have to move to the middle every time I start sewing, which just requires pressing one button on the front of the machine. The problem is that when using a quarter inch foot with a single hole, if the needle is in the left position and you start sewing, the needle will crash into the foot and break. It wouldn’t isn’t a problem if I could always remember to center the needle every time before I start sewing, but I forget quite oftent. Another thing I don't like is that in order to use the stop/start button, the foot pedal must be unplugged. That just seems unnecessary to me! The PC 420 does not have a permanent reverse, so the reverse button must be held down to back stitch. That doesn’t bother me, but higher end machines often offer this feature. Also, the stitch quality with some of the decorative stitches is not good. Sometimes, the decorative stitches aren't formed completely, they are just distorted for reasons unknown. The letters for the monogramming function aren't very versatile either. Only capital letters, no lowercase at all, and there aren't many sizes available for the fonts. I have a love/hate relationship with the presser foot lifter lever. The thing I love is that it is on the right side of the needle instead of in the back, so I don’t have to reach very far for it. Not to mention that also it has an extra high lift feature for getting bulky things under the foot. However, it is plastic and quite small… I really prefer beefier metal presser foot lifters. Another thing that I don’t like is that the measurements on the needle plate are too far back to be easy to use. They are parallel to the presser foot instead of in front of it. The last thing that annoys me about this machine is that the spool pin cannot accommodate large thread cones. I have an auxiliary thread stand if I need to use cones, but I don't like being required to use it. All of these are relatively minor things that really boil down to personal preference.

Where can I get one?

This machine is not available in big box stores like some of the lower end Brothers are. It is also not one you will find at most dealers. I bought mine on Amazon, after watching a QVC demo and falling in love with the feature set. It is still available from those two vendors. When I bought mine in 2009, I paid 499 for it. That is also what it sells for on QVC and even Brother.com. Right now, the machine is on Amazon for 379.99! I think it is worth every penny of 499, so 379.99 is an absolute steal! It is also available on Ebay, but return policies and shipping practices can be sketchy there so I'd steer clear if possible. Many people are apprehensive about buying a machine online instead of from a dealer, because it isn’t possible try the machine first. While that is certainly understandable, please remember that places like Amazon have a liberal return policy, so if you get it home and decide you just aren’t compatible, you can send it back! I do believe in supporting local dealers when it is possible, but when I fell in love with this machine, none of the dealers in my area carried this model. Some of them were friendly, but simply didn’t care the brand/model I wanted. Others where a bit more uppity. When I called to ask, several local dealers actually laughed and told me to go to Wal-mart if that Brother was the brand I wanted. I put the phone down and went to the computer instead! I’ve been in love with the machine since it arrived. You can always support your dealers in other ways; buying fabric and notions, and having the machine serviced/maintained there annually.

Concluding thoughts.

So I've had this machine for 4 years and I've never had to touch the hand wheel, the tension dial, or a pair of scissors. It was reasonably priced, performs flawlessly, and is richly loaded with features. If you can't already tell, I adore virtually everything about it! In contrast, I've had my Bernina for 6 months, and paid two months rent for it; it is picky, sometimes all the features don't work right, and it's been in the shop 3 times The Bernina was my dream machine, and I still enjoy it, but I don't have the same passion for it as I do this humble and stellar Brother PC 420. I'm not against Bernina or any other brand for that matter, but the Brother PC 420 got some things right that even more expensive machines miss the mark on. For the most part, using any other machine makes me want to run back to my Brother PC 420. Even when I cheat on him with another machine, he is always ready and waiting for me to return, eager to put in a hard day's work and not require much in return. That makes the Brother PC 420 a winner in my book, and if you get your hands on one, I'm sure you'll feel the same way!

If you have any specific questions about the PC 420 not covered here, I'd be glad to answer them!

Fabriholics Anonymous February Check-in!

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lynne) — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 23:31:00 +0000

Well hello all...how are my fellow Fabric Fasters doing these days? I recently finished this and this all using things I have in my stash! I'm pretty proud of myself... I have also been sewing my bee blocks...my only problem is that I haven't been sewing as much lately. However, I attribute that less to the fast and more to my life at the moment. Have spent a few weeks with my visiting Mother who stayed to nurse our sick babe (who is 100% better btw) and getting caught up at work (a never-ending struggle but one tries).

In fact, I haven't had much of a struggle with sticking to the fast. So much so that I was completely caught off guard when the thoughtful Mr. MRL gave me a gift certificate to Fat Quarter Shop on Valentine's Day. Hahahhaa, I had begged him months ago to keep that gift idea in mind for February as I figured I'd be dying by now. Just because I am not dying makes me even more committed to saving my gift certificate until later on!

I want to a shout out to those of you who have been participating in the Fabriholics Anonymous Flickr Group. The small scrappy pouch below was inspired by the Multiplying Scraps? discussion going on via that group. When I decided I needed to make a hair tie holder for the girls (it seems we have an endless supply of ties, clips, bows of varying shapes and sizes that are never to be found when we really need them...surprise surprise...) I chose to go all scrappy!

Also - I wanted to do some straight line quilting again on my Juki and put it through its paces. I had a question from Hydeeann about whether I'd been having straight line quilting problems with my Juki. I haven't, except for my attempt to quilt the rainbow top I recently put together where I had puckering in the backing (luckily I didn't get very far before noticing). My Guild concluded that my pins were not close enough together and I have yet to go back to repin/reattempt. For this small project Hydeeann I did not have a problem, however, it was small, so I will let you know what happens with the larger quilt when I get there. Just so you know though, I did do this all straight lines, full speed, walking foot, pressure on midway point, didn't go back and forth much...I really went all out and my backside had no puckering...

Let us know how you are doing with the fast! If you have a recent update (um, such as a "confession of fabric lust" or "had to have" buy...) you can simply link that up as well. The point is for us to all visit and support! So please leave a link and visit the two links above you...

- rebecca lynne

Mail Sack Drumstick Bag [Happy Valentine's Day Mr. MRL]

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lynne) — Sat, 15 Feb 2014 15:35:00 +0000

You may remember when I made this mail sack pillow for our living room. My husband loved the industrial simplicity of the pillow. So much so that when he asked me to make him a bag to keep his drumsticks in when he goes to gigs with his band he asked if I had anything like the mail sack to make his drumstick bag.

Luckily...I did...

He wanted something industrial, worn, sturdy, and rugged looking that he could hang while he plays.

I think this nailed it. By the way my Juki (a.k.a. Tough Lady) really pulled through on this one...I broke one needle going through the multiple layers of canvas and invisible zipper and to be fair it was just a Universal as I didn't have anything more appropriate on hand...but we prevailed in the end!

Measurements are roughly 20"x3.5".

Linking up!

Fabriholics Anonymous linky coming this soon...
Hope your V-Day was a good one! - rebecca lynne

Box Pouch: Riley Blake Fabric Challenge Complete!

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lynne) — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 15:51:00 +0000

I was having a really hard time deciding what to do about the MQG's Riley Blake Fabric Challenge. As President of my Guild I was determined to take on the challenge...but what to make had become my biggest problem... Then I woke up yesterday morning and decided I've always wanted to make a Box Pouch so why not use this challenge to try it out? I know...you might be wondering why would I decide to do something I've never done before for a challenge...I'm crazy like that...basically I have to make the challenge even more challenging to get me motivated to do it...does that make sense? (Remember this triple zip pouch...when I decided to try sewing a herringbone design for the first time ever because doing a triple zip pouch wasn't challenging enough? Like I said, crazy...)

As promised Susan ;) - I used this tutorial to make a lined Box Pouch. However, I did not use interfacing and instead quilted the exterior panels. I prefer the texture of the straight line quilting and the squishy way the box feels as a result. Also, I changed the size of my tab and chose to only put one in.

I began by making the exterior panels first: I pieced the fabrics to the correct size, quilted, and made a last minute design choice to QAYG the selvage onto the panel <-- what a happy accident looking back as I think it adds a critical detail to an otherwise normal box pouch!

Embarrassing Full Disclosure: Having never made this pattern before I had envisioned my piecing design as vertical rather than horizontal...after attaching the zipper I realized it was going to be horizontal. Palm to forehead! I worried that the "Riley Blake" text and those cute little owls on the selvage would be lost when I made my box corners. But, at that point I had committed too much time to start over or abandon the project and decided to keep going and see what happened... (I even CUT my corners while the pouch was inside out without checking to see whether the selvage had been butchered, I was that committed to leaving it up to fate at that point in the process. That is the attitude one has with three babes under 5 yrs and therefore limited time to sew - sometimes you just have to go with it!) How ecstatic was I to turn out the pouch and discover the selvage perfectly seated at the edge of the box!!! Admitted Total Fluke!

I highly recommend that you make a box pouch if you haven't - it was very fun and simple to do. I completed it in a handful of hours with multiple Mommy interruptions. In fact I plan on making another one soon...but I know I will never recreate such a happy design accident as this one! I am so glad I did this challenge as it made me think outside the box (haha) and more importantly it caused me to laugh at myself during the process... Sometimes I need to remember to take my making a little less seriously and just have fun. Thanks Riley Blake and MQG - this turned out to be sewing time well spent!

- rebecca lynne

Finally...

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lynne) — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 16:34:00 +0000

- rebecca lynne

Miss V's Surgery

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca Lynne) — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 02:10:00 +0000

Miss V is doing amazingly well for someone who has undergone a tonsillectomy. The nurses all said she was quite a mature 3 year old! Probably the most treacherous part of the day aside from my nerves during the surgery was the drive back through the wretched snowstorm. Luckily we all arrived home fine if a little exhausted.

I was just happy to get her home and wrap her up in my favorite AMH quilts...she was just happy to be able to watch television to her heart's delight.

Thank you for all of your positive thoughts.

- rebecca lynne