The Strange are Quilting

I did it! I actually did it! I finally posted another free paper piecing pattern on my site! It took my whole vacation to find the time, but I did it. Behold, the majestic beauty that is the Tighty Whitie ! Yeah, it's not much of an update, but I got something done. I feel good!

This week at work has been pretty dead, so I let my creativity lead me. Growing up, as if you couldn't tell, I LOVED everything a little bit strange and macabre. I watched a ton of Saturday morning type cartoon shows. Most people would probably remember: Animaniacs , Tiny Toons , Histeria , Batman the Animated Series , Reboot ... but one that not a lot of people remember is Beetlejuice . It had a HUGE influence on me. I absolutely LOVE it. It is extremely pun heavy. It had the first ever character that was completely computer generated in a syndicated children's cartoon. The opening credit song still sends chills down my spine umpteen years later. It breaks my heart that it took until 2013 for the complete DVD collection to be released (the show ended in 1991), but you bet your bottom dollar I have it (and my kids love watching it). It is a great show with a lot of heart in it. Seriously, take a look some time. Some day I hope to make myself a poncho based on Lydia...

I have some great news to share with everyone. This past Friday, I snagged a huge win from the local Freecycle . I saw a posting about a free sewing machine. According to the ad "Machine still works,but having problems with bobbin constantly jamming." I figured I would give it a shot and put my hat in the ring. The poster said I got it and I made arrangements to go pick it up after work that day. They said that they bought it used (5 years old) from a local quilting shop 5 years ago, which makes it about 10-12 years old. They could never get the bobbin to stop jamming up, but I was welcome to it. Well, upon getting it home, I could see there was a HUGE snarl in the bobbin mechanism. I also see that, specifically, it is a Pfaff Expressions 2036... and according to the sticker that is still on top of the machine, the previous owner paid just under $1800.00 used 5-ish years ago. OMG! WOW! I worked on it for a few nights using pins, baby bottle brushes and tweezers to eventual...

Just a quick Monday post. I am so excited to announce two things. First: My Maggot pattern is up on Fandom in Stitches . It is my first pattern up there and I so incredibly humbled and proud (can that actually happen?). The community of crafters has been so open and helpful, I don't think I could thank them enough. I can't wait to get more up there! Second: I got around to posting my first Thong this weekend. That makes a total of 4 blocks up for my Dirty Laundry Quilt. I need to work on more "tops" because everything (even my WIPs) are bottoms. Happy Monday everyone!

I have some exciting news for all you crazy quilters reading. As of like 5 minutes ago, there are two new patterns up on my site. There is Black Widow Spider for my Tim Burton quilt and a pair of Panties for my Dirty Laundry quilt. I can't promise that I can keep this speed up indefinitely, but I am trying to publish some of the stuff that has been waiting in the wings for a while now. Maggot is on the docket to get published on Fandom in Stitches, though he has already been tested and is up on my website right now (if you want him). Black Widow is being tested. As soon as that is done, and any tweaking completed, she will be submitted to Fandom as well. I think she is pretty good as is, that is why I put her up now.     As for future stuff, I have a few more undies to finish up. I am also working on a Butterfly for the Tim Burton quilt, but I just went back to it today... and I am not happy with it. I may end up doing a complete redo and start over. I just thin...

Okay, I finally put the first pattern up! It is the Boxers pattern on the pattern page or the direct links to the instructions and pattern.. Please feel free to download it and have fun! I hope to find the time to get the rest up some time this week. It takes me more time to create the PDFs because I have to be on my home computer to convert things, and with two small children and working full time, it is really hard to find time to hole myself up in our computer room to do so. I hope if you find the time to create this block, you will share your block when you are done!

I haven't posted in a while, but that doesn't mean I am not working! I wanted to give a quick preview of what I am coming up with for my " Dirty Laundry " quilt. First off, it will have it's own page, so the patterns will be easy to find. I want to give them all their own blog post (once they are tested etc), but that is in the future. I am really close to opening up the first six pattern for testing. I am super excited! I have been learning a lot about construction and how to try and make the patterns easier for people to put together. Unfortunately, right now, I cannot physically quilt them (life is happening and I have 0 free time outside of what I can sneak at work). Nothing all that naughty yet, but I am not done yet! Please let me know what you think! Is there any article of clothing that should be hanging out with my dirty laundry?

I have some good news! As with a lot of things in my life, my sewing machine drama ended like this: I trucked my machine in my car to work to take it into the shop after since we live 45 minutes out of "town". I get to the shop, lug it inside (the thing weighs probably about 20 lbs? I dunno, it is all metal), plug it in and... and... it purrs like a mother f$%^ing kitten. I turn to the employee and I was just dumb founded. It was literally screeching with this -metal-on-metal- sound that had me soooo worried I was destroying the insides. Our best guess is that, when I oiled it while trying to fix it myself, the oil had to take some time to work itself down into all the parts. So I just look like an idiot in front of the employees. Oh well. A second good thing is that I ended up giving the sew machine place some business of a different kind. I found on Craigs List an old (I am guessing 1940's or 50's????) White Rotary sewing machine 77 series and ended up buying...