Replies

1. 
   Gloriasews | Jun 26, 2008 02:41am | #1

   Ah - the snail pattern!  Beautiful work, beautiful colours.  Also love the bag.  Again, beautiful work, great colours, perfect embroidery - & really creative fabric buckle.  Great job!

   Gloria

2. 
   VKStitcher | Jun 26, 2008 04:36pm | #2

   Your quilt is beautiful!  As a former teacher, I think it's wonderful that you are showing your students that math has lots of practical uses in the real world.

   I love your bag, too.  You are so creative in making the buckles on the handles, they really add style.  The fabric, embroidery, and the design is all just perfect.  What did you use in the bottom of the bag to make it stiff?

1. 
   purduemom | Jun 27, 2008 03:18am | #5

   Thank you for your kind words.  I like to think I have a responsibility to teach more than just how to work a few problems.  It is a welcome challenge to incorporate things like appreciation for art, music, certain talents, etc. into my daily plans.

   The entire bag was interfaced with heavy Craft-Bond(?).  Not sure of the name - something I had in my interfacing drawer.  I cut a piece of plastic needlepoint canvas and then made a fabric sleeve for it.  This is placed in the bottom of the bag and can be removed when laundered.  The original instructions had the plastic between lining and outer bag. 

   Sue

3. 
   rodezzy | Jun 26, 2008 06:21pm | #3

   Beautiful work.  Did you use paper piecing for the snails tail wall hanging?  Great job and love the fabrics.  So creative.  Love it all.

1. 
   purduemom | Jun 27, 2008 03:11am | #4

   Thank you for your compliment.  Yes, the quilt is paper pieced - that is the only way I am guaranteed to get perfect points.  Three cheers to the person that invented that process!!!

   Sue

1. 
   rodezzy | Jun 27, 2008 03:58pm | #6

   You said it, hip hip hurray.  I love paper piecing.  Taught is for a while through my quilt guild.  I love your wall hanging, just lovely.

4. 
   sewelegant | Jun 27, 2008 06:55pm | #7

   Your quilt is beautiful and looks perfect, congratulations.  I especially like how you chose the fabric to make the design so outstanding... in my experience that is a big challenge.

   I like your name.  We had three children graduate from Purdue. They are very proud to be able to say that, but we are not from Indiana, only one son-in-law is and he never misses an Indy 500.

1. 
   purduemom | Jun 28, 2008 04:48am | #10

   Thank you.  I think the difficulty of selecting fabric is what keeps me from doing more quilting projects.  My confidence begins to wane when more than a couple colors are involved!  I am hoping to someday do a bargello quilt(there are great curves hidden in there!) and will have to overcome my aversion to selecting the color groups that will be necessary. 

   After hearing you were also a Purdue mom, I had to check out your bio - your personal quote is one I use quite frequently in the classroom as well as the sewing room! 

5. 
   ThreadKoe | Jun 27, 2008 07:15pm | #8

   If my teacher had used something like this, maybe I would have caught on! Cathy

6. 
   MaryinColorado | Jun 27, 2008 09:22pm | #9

   Thank You for being one of those teachers who adds tangible/tactile teaching methods!  The children are blessed to have you.  They are lovely and well done!  God bless you!  Mary

1. 
   purduemom | Jun 28, 2008 05:00am | #11

   Kind words and complements from the amazingly talented members of Gatherings are appreciated.  My creative outlets are the salvation for my sanity on those school days that I feel like I've been talking to the walls!  Sue

1. 
   kbalinski | Jul 03, 2008 06:13am | #12

   I have that Mathematical Quilts book, and have been meaning to make a wall hanging for my Algebra classroom, too!  So glad to see that it serves as a decent guide!  Nice job, and I love the bag, too!

   By the way, did you ever make that top that had the twist in front?  I recommended a pattern to you (my shirt was the red w/ white polka dots), and have been wondering if you had as much luck with it.

   Kristine in Michigan

1. 
   cafms | Jul 03, 2008 04:42pm | #13

   I'm not purduemom but I made the top you mentioned and really liked it.  I also made Butterick 4789 for my daughter. It fit beautifully and she was so happy with it.  It is a little "puffy" right in the front and I've been trying to figure out how to make it without a seam in the front skirt.  I have seen it in ready-to-wear so think it can be done.  Just can't find a pattern.  I did find a blog on making a nursing top that also had instructions for making it into a regular top that I'm fiddling with. 

   Oh! Just had a flsash of inspiration on that so need to go try it.

    

2. 
   purduemom | Jul 04, 2008 04:36pm | #14

   I did make a twist front top.  Using Butterick 4986 and a voile in brown, turquoise and ivory, I thought it would be a nice, light summer top.  Ever the optimist (or maybe just in a hurry), I just cut and assembled.  Big mistake!  The top went to Goodwill yesterday!  I guess I will have to grade down to a size 6; on the front twist pieces as there was just too much fabric.  I will also take out the gathered sleeve caps.  I have plenty of the fabric left and intend to get one done if it kills me!  Once I get this one perfected, I will move on to the striped shirting.  This project has been moved to the back burner as July is my state fair wool contest sewing month.  Nothing like sewing with wool when it is hot and humid outside...thank goodness for A/C.

   Sue

1. 
   kbalinski | Jul 04, 2008 09:49pm | #15

   Sue,

   Sorry the first try with the top didn't work, better luck with the next one.  And good luck also with the wool contest.  What will you be creating?

   Kristine