Fusing Batting strips

I received a free sample of this stuff in a bag from Pellon during the schoolhouse session Pellon hosted.

Here is what it looks like-

 It comes on this little roll--rough on one side (where the goo is- put this side down on your batting) and smooth on the other ( where you put your iron!) Don't mix these up!   :-)

You butt your two pieces of batting together and lay the tape down down the middle. Press with a WARM ( Medium heat-not super hot!) iron all the way down the pieces. I check it after a few minutes (once it is cooled down) to see if the glue attached well. 

Bingo! You have a useful piece of batting now!

The first time I tried this I had my iron on at full blast and I had a terrible time with this stuff. I only tried it again because several people I know swear by it and economically I would like to make use of these long pieces of batting I have leftover from quilts.  

Try number two with an iron only heated to its medium setting yielded  flawless performance for the fusible tape. 

Live and learn!

Hot off the longarm

 I quilted this BQ3 quilt for my mother with an allover flower and loops pattern from some fabric at the shop.

 I think it came out pretty cute. 

It is so happy on an otherwise gloomy day here in Houston. 

 Here is the backing fabric.

Now back to sewing that cute little dress..... 

16 Reasons I love my Featherweight

I am making this dress as a shop sample using the Daisy Cottage fabric line brought to us by Riley Blake. The dress pattern is by Izzy and Ivy Designs.

I like this pattern because it has only two "patterny" pieces and all of the rest of the dress is strip pieced and rotary cut.  To me this equals less waste, less time (only two pattern pieces to pin down and scissor around), so less of a back ache as I usually lay out fabric and garment pattern on the floor.

I get all cut out and ready to go. The first directions are for preparing the ruffles which they require you to do a rolled hem on.

A what?

A Rolled Hem like this:

Reading on, the pattern says you can do this with your serger or check a tutorial online to do it with your domestic machine.

Okay I admit it, I have a serger but he and I aren't really good friends. The thought of getting him out and set up and finding thread for the loopers etc... left me pretty hang dog and ready to stop sewing for the night. I checked the online tutorial for rolled hem. It said I needed a foot I didn't have for my Bernina. Probably the foot costs $30+ anyway.

Then looking at the picture I realize I do have one of those rolled hem feet! For my featherweight. Sweet!

I pulled it out with the manual and after a couple of practice runs I have a decent rolled hem going. Whoopee!

Yes, the above shows all 16 ruffles for this dress with rolled hems on each side!!! Hopefully now that I have jumped that hurdle I will have a dress to show you later! Any one know a seven year old to model it for me?????

And that is why I LOVE my featherweight.

Trip Part two!

After the dancing winded down we headed over to Universal Studios for some family time:

 Hands down my favorite areas were the Dr. Seuss stuff and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. In these areas there was so much detail to absorb and enjoy that it was a feast for my nerdy little eyes! I have read all the Seuss books many times-- especially Green Eggs and Ham as it was my son's favorite for a long time. Here are some Seussland pics:

 Horton hatches the egg is my favorite story and Horton was well represented!

 They had a Merry-Go-Round which was more my speed than many of the other rides in the park and my kiddos even agreed to ride it with me!

Many of you know I have read, listened to and watched the Harry Potter series many times as well.

So walking up and seeing this, well, it made my heart skip a beat I have to say! 

 

The Owl Post 

 It looked like Hermione's Dress was floating in the window and the kitty cat was made of a tape measure!

 Winged boars as you approach Hogwarts!

  Honeydukes:

Zonko's joke shop 

I saw these two Muggles in Zonko's shop!  

 loved this "mural"

 The butterbeer was sooo good. 

Though everyone needed a shave after drinking it.

I must figure out how to make it at home!

It was really neat to walk through Hogsmeade and I even made it through the ride through the castle though I did have to shut my eyes a few times due to dizziness! It was a great experience and it was brilliantly done. We really enjoyed it, if only it was real. Alas...

 

So home again now and back to quilting and getting ready for the holidays. More fun to come just in a more non magical setting!