Tuesday, January 2, 2024

A Christmas Gift for the Bull Pen

November 19, 2023
Ever wonder what "fabrics" a Benina hates?
What "fabrics" your scissors also hate-
and we won't even discuss arthritic discomfort.
By the time I finished this years
 Holiday gift for my husband- 
I would know exactly how far 
I could push my Bernina 880.
I would have had it in the shop twice!
And I knew-
NEVER again- 
would I applique 
pleather- 
cork- 
and other mixed fabrics 
on a mixed media quilt of this size...
but hopefully- 
he will love it 
and it will have all been worth it.
First,
I hate to create a pattern.
Since his dream garage 
was under construction 
he started collecting things
 and acquired a car shop light up... 
it gave me the whole traceable pattern- 
and I was on my way!
Next, I figured out a way 
to make Lieberman look as similar
 to Lambourgini as I could 
by tracing all similar letters...
Finally I felt I had my pattern and was ready to cut!
I lined it with 2 sided stabilizer so it would be "sticky" and hold in place until fused and stitched.

Alas...
ALL OF IT-
would be cut backwards
And I would need more stabilizer,
textures, and a reboot.

A few days letter, I was back on track.
And then it was time to stitch!
And the battle round was on.
multiple thread breaks until I finally
 came up with a heavy duty enough 
thread to make it through the layers...
Multiple heavy duty Needle breaks.
Machine jams and warnings.
Alerts I have never seen before!
And one crash and burn demanding shop time.
But eventually, I got there!
Then came the shiny logo fabric... 
with totally new issues- 
now my foot was slipping off the applique
 and I am reaching a pure love/hate 
with this gift and 
I just wanted it over!!!
But eventually- I got there!
I decided it weighed too much for batting- 
or any true quilting... 
so I simply added a backing, 
tabs to hang it from
and sewed it closed pillow style 
(instead of adding a binding.)


Once completed... 
And the initial relief passed- 
then came the newest dilemma...
how to actually wrap it.
Box I planned was too small.
I decided I really did not want to risk rolling it.
Sew... eventually,
I glued olds boards from boxes together...
wrapped the "thick cardboard"...
wedged it together to keep flat...
and just tied it with a ribbon.
And now it is slid under my bed.
Hopefully he won't spot it. 
And if he does... 
hopefully he will opt to "ignore it"...

Happy Holidays my Hubby!

***
Merry Christmas!!!

 

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