Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Ok, BIG MISTAKE!

I really can't believe I thought I could make a quilt without a ROTARY CUTTER!!!


AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!


Yeah, I returned my mom's rotary cutter, still have the cutting mat and 12 1/2" square ruler thing, but cutter, NO! I know, I was knitting everything and thought I'd knit the rest of my life. I didn't think I'd make such a dumb mistake!! It would take me years to just cut out a quilt with scissors! I know, I did it before, but that was when hubby was at work for 9 hrs and I was the only one at home with no babies yet!!

Here's one tutorial I found after I was already done. I really like the embroidery!


Ok, here's the progress of my tea dyeing. I just put some water (didn't measure, maybe 2 or 3 cups?) to boil and added 4 bags of tea. Let steep until it looked like tea

just poured it over the fabric in a bowl.


It sat in the tea for two and a half hours.


I rinsed it next, then put it in the dryer and then I'll iron it. I'm hoping for lines and markings.


This is next to the refrigerator for comparison. It seems very even in color.


It's a very simple process and unless you are looking for an exact color, don't bother to swatch.
I guess you haveta use tons of tea (or coffee) to get a darker color. I don't know how much darker it would be. Black tea gives it a very light brown color, coffee gives a grayer color and camomile gives a golden color, or so I've read. Good rule of thumb: it will look just like you spilled the drink on your favorite white blouse, not like a traditional dye. I read that it will also come clean with regular detergents, but I guess I'll wait to see that as well! I was going to skip the rinse, but I realized it would probably do something to the rest of the quilt the first time I washed it.

So, I won't be cutting out my quilt tonight. *sigh* I guess I might put together the skirt and do some cutter-hunting online. I did like the Dritz reviews for the package of ruler, cutter and mat at Jo-Anns.

Well, gotta figure out what to do now. Ciao for now.

3 comments:

  1. Yes... as I sat on my bed during bed rest, I tried to cut out squares for a quilt... HAH!!! I know what you are talking about.

    Maybe someday I will have my rotary cutter and mat, too. I have never used one, but I am sure that it would be useful and I would probably make quilts if I had one.

    BTW, I really like the design of your new blog! Very cute!

    Hope you got the email I sent you! Talk soon!

    Blessings!
    Heather

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  2. Do not EVER try to cut fabric without a rotaty cutter!!! Well, as long as you're like me, it is highly unadviseable! :) My quilts would look absolutely horrible if I did. I wonder how women 100 years ago made such perfect quilts. Now that was some talent!
    Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and entering my giveaway!

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  3. Yup, they're a must. Unless you're doing a strip quilt, then you can nick the edge of the fabric, tear it along the grain, and iron (or not, depending on the fabric). I got my rotary cutter with a 50% off coupon at Joann's, ended up being around $6. The blades kill you though, those have to be replaced every quilt or so.

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