Hot Water and Heat are Good Things

For the past week my life was hijacked by a boiler heating system and hot water heater that weren't doing their jobs keeping our house warm. I tried to push through the distraction and attend the quilting retreat with my Material Girls quilting group but  I gave up after the third morning of waking up to no heat and changed the quilt retreat into a stay-at-home intense Bucilla kit work session. I could sit at my dining room table which was next to the fireplace...pretty cozy.

I finished this adorable stocking, Candy Express.

I finished the first companion ornament to the stocking...tiny pieces which were a challenge not to lose before they were all attached.

We got our first official snowfall for the season on Saturday. Most of it has melted be we had it for a few days and the dogs loved playing in it.

Eli...he really wanted to sit on the dining room table while I was working on the stocking but that is not allowed. Here is his reaction to my reprimand...Ha!

I have been pecking away at my Bloom quilt. 

It is so much easier stitching through the soluble glue edges versus fusible web. 

This quilt is from Fourth & Sixth Designs. They have a YouTube video for each block, specifically for construction using a domestic sewing machine and one video for doing all the top stitching on a longarm.  

I am obviously doing the longarm version.

I will wash this quilt to get rid of the glue so that will be the final test to see how I like this technique but so far a major thumbs up from me.

A Clothing Finish!

I'm pretty happy with the finished product!

Most importantly...it fits. A little roomy through the hips but I am not planning to alter it. It is extremely comfortable and was super easy. No buttons or zippers. It slips on and off very easily.

Here's another look at the pattern. I made the pink version with long sleeves. I used a silky, rayon print. 

I pulled out a specialty foot I have ignored for 20 years, a rolled hem foot. It took me a couple of tries to perfect my technique of running the edge of the fabric through the foot but it was worth the extra practice to get it so perfectly stitched in the end.

Two more blouse patterns to try...am I on a roll? I hope so!