TVCH FORUMS HOME . JOIN . FAN CLUBS . DONATE . CONTACT . CHAT  
 Wikia  Quick Links   TOPICS . TREE-VIEW . SEARCH . HELP! . NEWS . PROFILE
Quilting & Sewing Machines

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: 2006 Jun. ~ 2006 Dec.: Hobby Hall (ARCHIVES): Quilting & Sewing Machines users admin

Author Message
Coco
Member

07-13-2000

Monday, August 15, 2005 - 7:53 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Coco a private message Print Post    
I've been researching facts on making a quilt. It's been one of my lifetime goals and I thought I'd better get started since I'm into 2/3's of my life!

I've found a great beginner's quilting book from Eleanor Burns titled "Quilt in A Day - Log Cabin pattern" and I've also found lots of websites and groups that I can join.

Now I'm looking into sewing machines that provide a "quilting stitch". So far I've visited sites for Elna and Bernina, which offer these machines. However, they are pricy!

By chance, does anyone here at TVCH quilt or have some suggestions on sewing machine models. I'm so out of it, I see that there are mechanical models and computerized models now.

I hope some of you will join me in a little discussion about quilting, sewing and/or sewing machines.


Coco
Member

07-13-2000

Tuesday, August 16, 2005 - 8:06 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Coco a private message Print Post    
Mods, go ahead and delete this thread.

I got a fantastic deal on a dream sewing machine. It's so nice to have those contacts...yay!


Luvmyjrt
Member

09-18-2003

Wednesday, August 17, 2005 - 3:11 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Luvmyjrt a private message Print Post    
Coco, I quilt when time permits. Hasn't been a lot of that lately, but I use a regular old sewing machine. Congrats on your fantastic deal. Email me if you want some ideas.....

Coco
Member

07-13-2000

Wednesday, August 17, 2005 - 6:45 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Coco a private message Print Post    
Luvmyjrt, thank you for sharing that you use a regular sewing machine. I have been researching and researching. Lots were ooohhhing and aaahhhhing over this "quilt stitch" that comes with some newer sewing machines. I truly couldn't get a feel if this was really a necessity.

Anyhoo, I was talking to a friend and she had a friend who is selling a sewing machine with 50 stitches. Whoa! I'm not that advanced with sewing and I don't even know what I'd do with 50 stitches...LOL!!

However, the facts that got my attention were:
1. This machine was used approximately 50 times and is only 18 months old.
2. Original price was $900.00
3. Selling price is $300.00 as she just wants to "get rid of it" so her dh will let her buy a model with more than 50 stitches.
4. I get to bring it home and try it out for a week before I decide to buy it from her.

I am hoping this arrangement will work out!


Karen
Member

09-07-2004

Wednesday, December 07, 2005 - 7:52 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Karen a private message Print Post    
How'd it go, Coco?

I just finished making a huge (6 ft x 8 ft) "quilt" for my BF. Like Luv, I used a good ol' sewing machine... from 1978!!

I cut my fabric into the pieces / shapes I wanted, allowing for a 1/2" seam on all sides. Straight up stiched them together, some batting and a back, and voila. Quilt. Ok. Blanket. But it looks like a quilt. Kinda sorta.

Coco
Member

07-13-2000

Wednesday, December 07, 2005 - 9:16 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Coco a private message Print Post    
Hey Karen, it went fine...I bought the machine and it's a bit more than I'll ever use and I'll keep it around for many, many years.

So Karen, your quilt/blanket sounds nice. What colors did you use? 6'x8' sounds like a pretty big quilt...so I'm figuring your bf is tall.

I haven't started sewing my first quilt yet because I've been slowly cleaning out my dd's old bedroom so I can have my dh do an extreme makeover in there and turn it into a "sewing room".

I've been buying all my sewing supplies over these past few months and so I'm pretty much ready to tackle my first quilt. I love picking up new fabric colors and designs.


Karen
Member

09-07-2004

Wednesday, December 07, 2005 - 11:31 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Karen a private message Print Post    
LOL, yeah, he's six foot and insists on everything being extra, extra large -- he likes to be cozy.

These are some pics he snapped as I was making it, which almost don't do it justice, 'cause you can't see it all...

I used a couple of different fabrics -- there's a fake denim printed cotton, the brown shiny stuff is actually apholstery, the kind that has different patterns in it, almost velvety/velourish. The plaid is, believe it or not, an old pair of flannel pyjamas (top and pants), chopped up when we couldn't find the right plaid flannel at the fabric store. And the striped blue is actually ribbing, like the cuffs of a sweatshirt. A pain in the you-know-what to attach to unstretchy materials. (Did I mention I don't *really* sew? I have a machine and make it do neat stuff... but I'm by no means a "seamstress".) There's a couple other fabics in here too...






The majority of the squares are 4x4", the ones around the outer perimiter are 8x8. You can see in the top pic the centre piece and the 'border' of larger squares... between the two pieces there is a strip of greyish-blue corduroy, 4x4 squares sewn alternately between digaonal, horizontal and vertical grains.

The four outermost corners are 12x12" sqares of striped green and black funfur (LONGhair funfur, i might add! -- very hard to sew!!). The four big patches you see in the inside corners are a shorter silver-grey fun fur, feels almost like rabbit fur, but 100% fake. :-)

This bottom pic here, la piece de la resistance, a 12x8" pocket sewn into the 'belly' of the blanket (belly being the part that rests, well, on your belly as you lounge watching tv). The whole inside of the pocket is the same funfur as those silver rabbit fur corners, but the outside of the pocket is the same fabric and pattern as the rest of the quilt. Due to the weight of this monster, the way it sits, this pocket is a completely hidden pocket. Perfect for hand holding during scary movies.

The backside of the quilt, which i don't have pics of, unfortunately, is an 8x8 grid of tiger print and black polar fleece (it makes a perfect chess board!) Each of these squares are 10x10, and the outer border of the backside is straight up strips of the same black fleece, framing the whole thing.

Overall, it took about 3 1/2 months from concept (graph paper and pencil crayons) to completion. And about $200. To be fair, it's not completely done yet... I haven't sewn the final seam yet (after attaching front, back and batting on three sides, flipped it inside out but haven't sewn up the fourth seam) cause the whole thing is SO FREAKING HEAVY I can't line up the fabric quite right. I'm waiting for that one day that I feel like SuperWoman.

For what it's worth, this is the first quilt I made (5'x4') for myself, that started BF on wanting one of his own. (again, the pic shows it still in development phase.



Coco
Member

07-13-2000

Thursday, December 08, 2005 - 8:38 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Coco a private message Print Post    
Oh my goodness! Now THAT'S what I call a QUILT!! LOL!! I think it's a great looking quilt and I love that you created it from scratch..ala graph paper and crayons...that is so cool!

I find it fun that you put different types of materials into his quilt...stuff he likes and those old jammies and the cuffs from the sweatshirt really add that special touch to make it "his" quilt, ya know?

Okay, now for that 4th seam...I'd say go get yourself one of those heavy duty needles and use a strong thread and handsew it together! That or ask your bf to hold the quilt up for you as you sew the 4th seam. Of course, unless you have one of those red stretching suits under your clothes with a large capital "S" in yellow located upon your chest...lol.

So okay, after you're all finished sewing that 4th seam, you've just gotta load that super-duper quilt in your arms, stand on a weight scale and figure out how much it weighs.

Oh!..and I do like your first quilt project...very, very nice! Such great colors! I love blues!!