Sunday, October 22, 2006

A quilty sunday

I woke up early this morning and after eating breakfast I went into my sewingroom. I was in mood for a lot of sewing today. My quilting spirit is back. I started to wash some of my newest fabrics. A question for you all. Do you wash your fabric before using them? And how do you do it? I soak my fabric in hot wather with some washingpowder in. Then in cold water. If the fabric bleed I repet it again and again until it stops. Today I was in a hurry and wanted some of the fabrics to dry quick, and I put them into my tumble dryer. And this is what came out.
A complete mess!!!!!

I just had to find my ironing table and start ironing them all. Luckily none of the fabrics were destroyed. I placed my ironing table in the livingroom, in front of the tv. A good combination. Ironing and watching tv. This sunday was a bit special in Norway. The was a big charity collection for "Doctors without borders"going on, and on tv there was a lot of programs showing what they are doing. Of course I gave some money when the collectors rang my doorbell. Back to my ironing. It was a huge pile of fabric that came twisted out of the tumble dryer. But after ironing a while I came up with this....

One of the light fabrics I wanted to use for the background of my new project. I know.......I already have soooooooo many ufo's in my sewingroom......but I wanted so badly to start this daisy quilt. I received the pattern from Cynthia and today I prepared two blocks ready for applique. Another question for you: Shall I use the same fabric for the background in all my blocks or shall I use different light ones????

Do you remember the block I was doing on friday. Now I have finished it and another one also. I love doing needleturn applique and combining it with stitchery. The blocks are 6 1/2 inches big. So far I have made 11 blocks. How many I intend to do I do not know yet.

On my last poste before this one I got a comment I have reflected a bit on. Llillibeth said... using anonymous so I could not reply her :"Why use English when you neither can spell nor the language!!!" Is my english really so bad? I think she refers to my translation of the poem a few days ago. I know it was not the best translation, but I felt that the meaning of the poem was more important than getting the proper english. Perhaps she should reflect about what was written in the poem........

I have had a good day today. Done a lot of quilting, visited a good friend (which got very expensive to me. We went on the net and ordered 22 pieces of bali fabric LOL), even had time to blog.

Almost midnight now. Time to go to bed. Good night. Sleep well.

31 comments:

Julia said...

Great stack of fabrics..
I always wash mine before I make a quilt and I wash them the same way you do...
Nice to see you back to your old self and feeling creative again..

Anonymous said...

I don't think your english is bad and I think you know the language really well! May, I think that post was from someone who isn't english speaking in the first place and was just being nasty. Like a prank caller. Either that or she is just, jealous. I don't think that it was anything against you. I thought the translation of the poem was fine! I understood the meaning and I loved it, you did a great job getting the meaning across. I enjoy reading your blog and reading the comments you leave on mine! Just ignore whoever that person was.

Susan said...

To wash or not to wash - a huge question in all quilters' lives! I don't pre-wash unless:

it's muslin; it's a color I think might bleed (and then I check a 6" square in hot water which I shake up in a canning jar); I'm participating in something with other people who requested pre-washing.

Before washing a bunch of stuff, cut a triangle of fabric off the corners of you pieces. This helps to keep them from shredding and tangling so much.

You do have a lot of projects, but you also finish a lot, so what difference does it make how many are going at once? The daisies are adorable! They will be wonderful, whether you make the backgrounds scrappy, or keep them all the same.

I love the 11 you've done, especially the last one pictured before the whole layout of the 11. That's just so cute and well-balanced.

I think your English is excellent. I don't know how well you translated the poem, but I do know that the meaning came through wonderfully well, and that was the point. Just don't waste another thought on that comment.

Susan said...

22 pieces of Bali???? I missed that in my first reading! You slipped that in right at the end! What fun, and I bet you'll be sitting on the curb, waiting for the postman to bring it.

Angie said...

May Britt, PLEASE do not pay any attention to such a rude comment!! Your English is great; as a matter of fact you have a better grasp of it than some of the Americans! Don't waste another minute of your precious time on such a rude person.

I love those blocks that you've appliqued!! I have that book also, so I'm just going to have to pull it out and start another new project along with you! LOL I bet I have nearly as many UFOs as you do, girlfriend! I enjoy your blog immensely.

Oh, that stack of new fabrics....yum!! I usually do not pre-wash -- for the very reason that your picture from the dryer shows. LOL When I first started quilting, I washed everything and ended up with hideous messes ROFL so I decided I would only pre-wash things like reds and purples. And sometimes I don't even prewash them! :) On occasion I do check them like Susan set out in her comment to you.

22 Balis....I want to come play at your house!!! LOL

ForestJane said...

I wash mine too... I figure if I'm going to give the quilt to someone, I'd better wash the fabric the same way the average person would wash the quilt, especially if it were a baby quilt. Warm water wash, tumble dry. Red fabric I may wash twice, or dark solids.

I always separate and shake out each piece when I move it from washer to dryer... trim any strings off and give it a good 'snap' before it gets dried. Seems to help the wrinkles and twisties!

Dianne said...

Your fabrics are gorgeous, May Britt. I'm a non-washer, but on occasion I've been nervous that something might run and have pre-washed. I read a tip somewhere that if you set your sewing machine to the longest stitch and just baste the fabric together at the cut ends, that cuts down a lot on the twisting and loose threads. I tried it, and it did seem to help quite a lot.

As for the rude poster attacking your command of English, it sounds suspiciously like a mischief-maker looking for someone to hassle. Your English is wonderful and the translation was completely understandable...and the poem was beautiful. Best to forget about antisocial creeps who search about the Internet for someone to insult! I hope you won't let it deter you from future poems you think we'd like!

Hugs,
Dianne

Libby said...

I have no care about whether your English is properly translated or spelled. As a native speaker of the language - neither is mine. I wish I had the ability to communicate in more than one language and I am grateful that others do. I take no time for nastiness. So .....
I never pre-wash my fabrics. I like to fly by the seat of my pants, I guess. And I don't worry too much about bleeding if the fabric is of good quality. That said, if I buy from a source that I am unsure of then I will pre-wash. But that is seldom.
I love your applique flowers so far. This is going to be a fun quilt to see progress. Your quilts are always so cheerful to me.

His Office, My Studio said...

I wash and dry all my fabrics. Yes I always have the same mess when it comes out of the dryer. I use hot water and Tide detergent. I always wash like colors. When I have colors with reds I use synthrapol. I have been lucky I have not had any fabric bleed. I do not always iron when I get the fabric out of the dryer.

Anonymous said...

Hi I loved your poem....dont worry about your english...and if spelling counts I should be kicked off blogland...about washing..first of all my quilt store uses a rotary cutter that is like pinking sheers and this makes it so the fabric doesnt ravel or tangle in the dryer...I wash all my fabrics with like colors on gentle cycle with warm water and dry them all in the dryer until almost dry and then press them...Your blocks are so nice...I really like them...what book are they from? Glad to hear you are back to your sewing..we all get those days when we cant get into it but it always comes back...I like reading your blog...thanks for posting..Toni

Darlene said...

I don't prewash my fabric either. I did when I first started quilting but sometimes I want to start sewing right now and don't want to take the time to prewash and then press everything. UGH!

I saw the rude comment about your English and I was a shocked that someone would leave such a comment. I think that you're English is great and I applaud you for the ability to speak more than one language! Don't dwell on the comment - it really doesn't matter! :-)

bettsylyn (Lynda) said...

Do not worry about your English. We want to read about your days and spelling and grammar don't matter. The important thing is communicating and you do that beautifully. Thank you for sharing your experiences.

QuiltingFitzy said...

If we were bothered by your English, we wouldn't keep visiting!

Leave people's problems be their own, keep creating your artwork May, you do fabulous work.

Nancy in MT said...

May, your blocks are wonderful, I think your choices so far have been perfect, I also love needle turn and stitchery, this will be a beautiful quilt.

Rude, rude person, I would love to reply to her in words she would understand, Nancy

Fiona said...

I don't wash my fabrics at all, except for shirts that I buy in charity shops. And I think your English is fantastic. I wish that I knew another language well enough to be able to write a blog in it!

Anonymous said...

I teach English to non-native speakers and I wish my students had English as good as yours.I'd like to see your anonymous commenter post in a language that was not her own. If the person isn't brave enough to put her name on her comment then her comment shouldn't be listened to.

This isn't the first time it's happenesd. One of my students refuses to blog in English because she got a similiar comment...

Your English is fine and I really like visiting your blog and seeing what you are doing.

Cynthia said...

May Britt, i have enjoyed reading your blog since the first day i found it. Please continue showing and writing about your projects. There is NOTHING wrong with your English.

I have begun washing my fabric as i buy it just to wash dust,etc from it. If it's a dark color that i think may bleed i put it in hot water with a bit of detergent. I do this until it's no longer bleeds.

I'm so happy to see two of the Daisy blocks. I even showed my two DDs the photo. They look great. I used the same fabric for all my blocks but i think they would look nice with different backgrounds also.

Those appliqued blocks are just lovely. I like the colors you have used.

Anonymous said...

UGH - I made that mistake once....
I think is was the hardest chore to iron that fabric after tumble drying it!

Don't worry about your English, it is fine.

Anonymous said...

Hei
Jeg vasker all bomull på 60 grader og tørker deretter hengende (ikke i trommel).
Vasker du på 60 grader blir du kvitt overskuddsfargen fort. Det er sjelden at det farger over på andre, selv med overskuddsfarge - men jeg sørger jo normalt for å vaske fargesterkt med fargesterkt og fargesvakt med fargesvakt. Har av og til i en såkalt "color catcher" hvi jeg tror det er mye overskuddsfarge.

Anonymous said...

She sounds like someone who never bothered to learn a second language and ought to be ashamed of herself. You just ignore her, because you're writing for the nice people who come to you for inspiration. Here's a hug.

Anonymous said...

May Britt - Så kommentaren din til den anonyme kommentaren. Håper det er ok at jeg satt inn forrige kommenar uten e-mail adresse. Da jeg ikke har hjemmeside er eneste mulighet å legge ut e-mail adressen åpen adresse og det synes jeg er litt "skummelt".

hjertelig hilsen
Ma

SheMeows said...

Your English isn't bad at all! Don't worry at all about that person and continue blogging the way you have, so we can continue visiting and enjoying seeing your work.
I do pre-wash my fabric, all of it. Small cuts, I just wash in the sink with warm water and a wee bit of laundry soap, the larger ones in the washing machine. And if it needs body after it is washed, I use fabric sizing to iron it with.

Patti said...

The fabrics are beautiful May. I always put mine in the dryer and they always come out that way. I take them out when they are damp and iron them dry. I wash mine in warm water - that's what the fabric manufacturers recommend, with Orvus paste. Orvus is a mild soap for washing horses that I get at the feed store.

I am VERY glad you post in English because I wouldn't be able to read your posts otherwise. Don't worry about making mistakes - people who have spoken English all their lives make mistakes all the time.

I love reading your posts. I can always tell what you mean.

Katjaquilt said...

I wash my fabric with hot water from the tube without washing powder. Some of my group only iron the fabric with steem, but I think only for the shrinking thing.
May Britt pls don't worry about such a nasty comment of a coward that need to comment anonymous. Many of the bloggers out in the blogger's world don't have english as their mother tongue but we have the courage to blog in that foreign language to meet and make friends with people from other countries and cultures. And I think everybody will understand what we are talking about.

Anonymous said...

May, your English is great - ignore those nasty comments!

I give my fabric to my husband to wash since I figure if it isn't ruined whn he does it, it can survive anything. He let's me take care of the tangles that ome out of the dryer!

Love you applique blocks and eveything about your blog. You are an inspiration!

Judith said...

I like you blog very much as you had been on my blog I also had to go to yours and wow what a nice applique.
About the english, I had such a e-mail a few years ago and I was so sad about it that I didn't post on any of my groups for some time. When a friend of mine saw that she asked what was wrong and I told her. She got deleted from the group immediately.

Susan said...

May, your Sunday efforts are rewarding. I liked the blocks so much that I tracked the book Hanne mentioned so that I could have one also.

Hedgehog said...

Hei May Britt - I've been offline all week - so much to catch up on!! I love your red flanel quilt. These applique blocks are spectacular. I wish I could spend an afternoon learning from you - I'm ready to try needle turn applique!

I know a million people have commented on your unpleasant commenter already. I'm so impressed by all the speakers of other languages who blog in English and love them for it - making it possible for more of us to meet each other online!! I have a friend who is an English teacher (and speaks it as her mother tongue) and she has someone who corrects her English on her blog - apparently there are more like this one out there!

One last comment... In the US, I wash and dry my fabric - in cold with a little big of detergent. I try to take it out of the drier still damp and iron immediately, but that doesn't always happen and I've seen plenty of messes like that one!! Here in Finland I don't have a drier, so I just wash and hang - again trying to iron before totally dry, but not always succeeding. :)

Caron Mosey said...

You do beautiful applique! Don't you just love having a little block to work on at a moment's notice? I find it so relaxing.

Beautiful work - beautiful quilts!

Unknown said...

Hello Abiquilt ! I found very pretty your aplique blocks , can I have a copy of it´s ? I read your blogg many times before writing to you , and cut read whithout problems . I´m from southamerika and I speak spanish .Please try to understand me . Have a Happy Day , saludos from Chile . A hug !!Vero

Mary Johnson said...

The applique blocks look great - I like using different backgrounds on my scrappy quilts so I vote for different ones.

Also, I don't wash my fabrics - I wash the quilt once the final stitch is in the binding.

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