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Showing posts with label Batting Seam Tape. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Batting Seam Tape. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Fudge Factoring - It Happens

I know I'm not alone when it comes to "fudging" when something doesn't quite go as well as planned. 
 Take for example the fraying on this tiny border I was working on over the weekend.  I wasn't going to risk further fraying when the 1/4in seam went into this tiny border.  Have you ever had that happen?  Finish a project only to notice that there was fraying and now the seam doesn't hold?  I have no more of this fabric either...so it was time for the ole "fudge factor."
I was pressing when I noticed the fraying and on my pressing board I had a roll of Batting Seam Tape so I thought...I'll just cut a thin strip and fuse it on the edge and that will hold the seam and prevent further fraying.  The Batting Seam Tape is soft and easy to stitch through and I have my fingers crossed that I don't have any further problems.  What would you have done?  Any great secrets floating around out there? 

Life has been a bit crazy lately with my co-workers going back to school last week. 
Where has the time gone?  Just yesterday Aaron was starting Kindergarten and I was driving behind the bus crying all the way to their school.  Are you wondering if I still cry?  Honestly...I just mist up a bit...I guess it is what a Mother does ay?

Warning...what is written below may be controversial....but to me it is plain common sense.

Speaking of "Fudge Factor"....something is smelly with this Fudge or so it seems.  
On another subject all together, we spent the weekend working out tails off and I had an entire van load of things to take to the Goodwill for donation.  I always feel good about donating to Goodwill because of their great programs. 

Then....
As I was driving away from Goodwill I saw a huge blue dumpster, the type that is used on construction sites.  It was overflowing and I could not believe my eyes.  I hopped out of my van and took these photos....any idea what you are looking at?

Some of us would call it "donations" made with the thought that the items will go to good use and the money being made would help someone in need.  Others may call it TRASH.  Yep....the dumpster was overflowing and the items I could see from the top were perfectly good...a great majority anyway.  I saw record albums, movies, tools, dishes, clothing, radios, baskets, decorations....I felt ill.  Literally ILL.  Yes, I will write to the Goodwill and let them know but I'm guessing they already know.  I went inside and asked a worker there why that was the case and he said that is what happens when they have too much.  What is too much I asked myself?  Too much for the building....to sort....for the shelves?  How about a huge lot sold by auction and any amount of money would be useful to the Goodwill....not paying a garbage company to haul away our donations. 
I don't write this to single out the Goodwill.  I see this type of thing weekly in my comings and goings.  People have no qualms about filling our landfills with perfectly good items because they don't want to take the time or energy to do what I think is, "the right thing."  I put quotation marks around that because these are my thoughts and I've not done much research into the entire process of re-purposing....I just know my conscious and I can't do it. 

I stopped and got out of my van one day by a grocery store.  I watched as the workers unloaded 5 or 6 entire grocery carts of food into a dumpster.  I began taking photos and they got very upset and approached me.  I told them I just could not believe my eyes....and YES, I know the food is expired.  I then told them that since they are aware it is expired then they know perfectly well when the food will expire and they can either donate it or reduce the price 3 or 4 days in advance to save the enormous waste.  I was told they were just doing their jobs.

OK...I'm getting off my soap box for the moment....please forgive me....sometimes I just have to "say something" and today was one of those days.

Know I appreciate other people's opinions, experiences and the people themselves.  I also am very glad the Goodwill does what they do...most of it anyway.

Smiling at the relief that I've said something!

Kelly

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Product Review: Katahdin Premium Batting and Batting Seam Tape

Have you ever used Bosal's Katahdin Batting (Made in the USA).  I remember the first time I saw the name I figured it must mean something but I didn't know...nor did I know how to pronounce Katahdin. It is pronounced, "kuh-TAH-din."  Now we can all act ed-u-ma-cated :)

This is what the packaging says,
"At the Northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail stands Mount Katahdin, the highest peak in the State of Main.  IN the native Penobscot Indian language "katahdin" means "The Greatest Mountain".  Like Mount Katahdin, we believe you will find our Katahdin Premium Batting to be the greatest, highest quality quilt batting available today." 
Below is a sample of hand quilting using Bosal Katahdin Premium Cotton Batting 3oz Summer weight.


Hand quilting done by none other than the IHAN East Coast Head of Operations and "Master Hand Quilter", Mary Jane.  She whipped this up as a sample / trial run.  MJ is going to be doing a whole cloth quilt soon and she wanted to make a sample block before she selected her batting. 

I asked MJ how she liked working with  Katahdin Batting and this was her reply, "It needled very nicely and was soft.  It holds the design well and had a consistent, even, smooth texture and it has no voids.  I really like it"

I asked another trusted and  experienced quilter, Madalene Murphy (she writes one of my favorite blogs- Working Wall to also write a review for Katahdin Premium Batting because I know she uses it.  This is what she wrote,
"I have a new favorite batting. I just finished my third machine quilted wall hanging with Katahdin summer weight--their lightest weight batting--and it is now my batting of choice. Because it has no scrim, it is extremely soft so that the quilt drapes beautifully and it is very easy to sew through. But whatever kind of needlepunching they do to make the cotton hold together, they have found the secret of making a product that holds its shape and that I love to work with. I will also be using the autumn weight--slightly heavier--in some projects, but I will definitely keep a good supply of summer on hand."
Madalene Axford Murphy

It sure is good to know some talented and experienced quilters when I need a review for a product that I personally don't feel I can review with confidence.  I don't have near the experience Mary Jane and Madalene have and they are women I trust when it comes to honesty and being forthright. (Can you imagine how I managed to attract these ladies?  giggles)


Katahdin Summer 3oz Premium Batting  is Lightweight, 100% Organic Natural Cotton Batting Ideal Weight for hand quilting but stable enough for Machine Quilting. 

Katahdin Autumn is a Premium  Midweight 100% Organic Cotton Batting Ideal for Machine Quilting and Crafts.

Katahdin Winter is a Midweight 100% Polyester Micro-Denier Batting Ideal for Machine Quilting and Crafts.

Katahdin Peemium Batting is available at IHAN  in the following sizes: 45" x 60", "72 x 90", "90 x 96", and "108 x 90" and by the roll, 90 inches X 30 yards. 

While discussing Batting....I think I'll also tell you about Bosal's Batting Seam Tape.  It is the only Batting Tape I'll use.  I love the weight of it and I have found it very easy to work with. 


Waldo and I are working on a quilt as you go project for charity.   The batting needed to be cut 10" x 10" so this gave us an opportunity to use up scraps of batting we had. 


You can see in the photo how nice the Batting Seam Tape works and you'd never know it was there once you cover it with fabric!  So, there's another tip for ya :) 

Smiles,
Kelly

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