Favorite Gadgets

Articles about the gadgets I like to use

Do You Use A Portable Pressing Board?

| Cindy Anderson

What's Your Style

This is the twelfth entry in my series What’s Your Style? In our everyday lives, we all have our own way of doing things; quilters are no exception to this trait. Even though there are standardized techniques to follow, when creating items with fabric, many of us choose to do our own thing. This series explores those individual habits. Let’s see what today’s question is.

One of my favorite quilting gadgets is the pressing board I made several years ago. I found the how-to instructions on Cristy’s blog. The board has been my preferred pressing surface ever since.

My board measures 27 1/2” x 30 1/2”. This size fits very nicely into my carrying case for my Sew Steady table. Being able to take it with me means I always have my own portable pressing surface.

Every now and then the cover needs to be replaced. Washing it would be my preferred option but the fabric becomes so stained it’s next to impossible to get clean. Unfortunately, changing the cover is not quite as easy as your regular ironing board. Instead of un-tieing a string or releasing a hook-and-loop fastener you must remove the staples securing the fabric to the back. This step is not incredibly time-consuming but it does require tools.

I tackled this project recently when my board started staining my fabrics. My cover had become scorched and stained from hours of use.

Stained Pressing Board & Fabric
Scorched Pressing Board and Stained Fabric

To change my cover I first had to gather tools. From my tool box I grabbed a screw driver and pliers. I also located a roll of duct tape, a staple gun and staples. I used the screw driver and pliers to remove the old staples. Once they were out and the old cover was removed I noticed the padding (layers of batting) were stained as well.

Stained Batting.jpgRather than adding a brand new cover over the obviously used batting I made the decision to replace the batting too.

Being a longarm quilter I have an abundance of batting scraps. Finding pieces to fit my board was very easy. After cutting batting and a new piece of duck cloth I reinstalled all four on my existing board. Using the staple gun to secure the layers was the best part. My newly covered pressing board was all ready for use. This is how my new cover looks.

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How lovely is that!

This is today’s question?

Do you have a portable pressing board?

Now it’s your turn to share your opinion by adding a comment.

  • Don’t be bashful!
  • Nobody will judge you!
  • The quilt police will not come knocking on your door. 🙂
  • Let’s have some FUN!

Thank YOU for participating in this fun survey!

P.S. Are there questions you would like to discuss in future editions of this series, if so, share them in a comment.

Cindy Anderson
Cindy Anderson

 

 

The Neighborhood

| Cindy Anderson

Finally Finished!

After three months of cutting, pressing and stitching, my last Mystery QAL art piece has finally been completed. The art piece I am about to reveal has been titled Neighbors, AP # 37. I chose this name because the overall appearance reminds me of the diversified neighborhoods often seen within the confines of a city. Contained with a metropolitan community you might find

  • single family dwellings,
  • multi-family units,
  • ranch style homes,
  • bungalows,
  • multi-story and
  • high-rise buildings.

I believe the collage created by the unique blocks sandwiched together in my piece are similar to that of a city. With no two blocks the same, each one has the opportunity to add its own flair to the neighborhood.

It All Started…

This art piece began on January 1, 2018. I shared its history via a series of posts; thirteen to be exact. You may find those posts listed under the category Mystery QAL. Neighbors measures 72” x 34”. This quilt, as with most others, was sandwiched with a layer of Warm & Natural batting along with a backing of a very pretty floral fabric. I purchased the floral print sometime ago from the discount table at a local fabric store. As soon as I saw it I just new it would make a wonderful quilt back someday. I’m so happy I decided to add it to my shopping bag.

The Quilting

To secure the sandwich together I used a variegated King Tut thread. The colors in the thread nicely complimented the fabrics used in my project. My piece is filled with straight and angular lines. Using those lines for inspiration I stitched a geometric quilting motif over the entire surface, with each block receiving individualized attention.

A Surprise

In the bottom right corner I personalized the quilting by adding one of my signature stitching designs. Early on in my longarm quilting career I had fun experimenting with the endless possibilities for quilting stitches. The stitch I grew to like the most was my very own version of a flower. Typically I don’t stitch it on quilts that are quilted with straight or angular lines. In this case I thought it would be fun because after all this art piece was titled Neighborhood and who wouldn’t want to have flowers planted in their neighborhood! To add even more bling I stitched  a handmade bead I purchased from jimenastreasures on Etsy. Parmila lives in Spain and creates the most unusual items. Shown below is a photo of one of my favorites.

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A Bead From Jimenastreasures

To cap off the really cool bead I added a small teal one to the very top. Take a look below.

Neighbors, AP # 37 Flair
Neighbors, AP # 37 Flower Embellishment

The Finishing Touches

Most quilts are finished with a binding surrounding all four edges. I could have done the same with this art piece but I really didn’t want to add another fabric. I also didn’t want the binding to take away from my design; I wanted to leave the edges unobstructed. To secure them I made facings from the same material I used for the backing. I also added a hanging sleeve and of course a label.

Let’s Take A Look

I think that pretty much covers everything I have to say about this piece; other than the fact that I am absolutely in love with the final outcome. With nothing more to say let me share photos of the art piece I call Neighbors, AP # 37.

Neighbors, AP #37
Neighbors, AP # 37

The next six photos are of my favorite blocks.

Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 1
Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 1
Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 2
Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 2 This one is my all-time favorite!
Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 3
Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 3
Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 4
Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 4
Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 5
Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 5
Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 6
Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 6
Neighbors, AP # 37 Label
Neighbors, AP # 37 Backing and Label

That’s All Folks!

This brings to a close my adventures in the Mystery QAL. I hope that you have enjoyed flowing along and witnessing the process I took to create my many pieces. Don’t forget to check out my Mystery QAL Category for a complete listing of the posts pertaining to this adventure. If you missed seeing the other three pieces here they are.

Munga Tusen Tak!

That’s Norwegian for Many Thanks! My husband is 50% Norwegian. Aspects of his heritage often filter into our daily lives so I thought it would be fun to honor him by sharing a Norwegian phrase. 🙂

Thank you so much for faithfully following this series. Your comments and likes have made it even more enjoyable.

Talk with you soon!

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AQ # 23: On The Fringe

| Cindy Anderson

15 Minutes of Play
I recently purchased a book written by Victoria Findlay Wolfe called 15 Minutes of Play. This book teaches how to turn leftover scraps into new fabric. The new fabric is used just like any other fabric.

How Did I Use It?

After working with patterns for days on end 15 Minutes of Play inspired me to shift gears and try my hand at improv once again. 15 minutes turned into hours and hours into days. The first piece of newly crafted fabric was sliced into multiple sections. Each of those segments are being transformed into individual works of art.

The First Section

The first section of new fabric along with an old curtain, denim from the leg of an old pair of jeans and hand-dyed burlap were merged together to make this quilt.

Art Quilt # 23: On The Fringe
Art Quilt # 23: On The Fringe

Fringe
If you look closely at the photo above you will notice the edges have been intentionally unraveled. The exposed threads add a rustic appearance. The idea to unravel the edges came from the old pair of jeans. The tattered jeans along with a childhood memory provided the inspiration for the art quilt’s name, Art Quilt # 23: On the Fringe.

Flashback

As a child I remember wanting a new pair of shorts. My family didn’t have a lot of money to purchase clothing so I decided to improvise and create my own pair by cutting off the legs on an old pair of jeans. The raw edge of the jeans, or should I say my new shorts, was left as is. Needless to say the fabric eventually began to fray. The fringe created from the fraying was therapeutic to play with. I also found the act of encouraging additional threads to unravel entertaining. The more threads I removed the longer the fringe became. The longer the fringe got the more I removed additional threads. Thankfully I stopped before they became too short.

More Details

In the center of my piece you will notice a denim section. This addition is currently just resting on top. I won’t stitch it down until after the quilting is finished. Waiting until then means I can sail right across the top without interruption.

Surrounding the art piece is a layer of black fabric. Rather than cutting and adding borders I used Misty Fuse to sandwich the two pieces together. I like using Misty Fuse because it doesn’t add a noticeable stiffness.

Time to Wait

My AQ # 23: On the Fringe is now ready for quilting. As soon as the quilt is finished I will post an update.

Thank you for your visit!

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