cashs_mom

Don't be sad. Many of us left willingly and have no desire to go back. I love Texas and can't imagine living anywhere else!

Iona D.

Sorry about my not mentioning my nontraditional approach to basic sewing habits earlier. I tend to put all of my sewing products (including fancy traditional quilts (like the one in discussed here & in production right now) through a great deal of use-& resulting stress-during the product's lifetime. That means machine washing & drying when needed. I made one quilt almost 35 years ago almost 100% by sewing machine which is still in use (my almost 90 year old mother uses it for sleeping). It was sewn with 1/2 inch seams & machine made bar tacked stitched instead of traditional quilting lines or designs whether by machine or hand. It is falling apart now, but the seams are still strong and unbroken, even though the fabric is beginning to give out. Wall hangings and other light use ones is fine with the 1/4 inch seams. Hand sewn ones too as well. That was the way they were constructed even before the sewing machine was invented. With mostly or fully machine sewn (like this one), I find I'm more accurate with 1/2 inch seams. True more fabric is used when being made (i.e. the 1 seam geese are formed by folding rather than cutting out), but it's worth it at least for me time-wise and longer lasting-wise. It's simple as making a personal preference or choice especially out of the sewing industry I no longer work in. It seems there are some benefits to getting older.

I'm taking a break after this one is completed for the summer as far as large quilting projects go. I will switch to less involved apparel construction. I need a nice mottled red furry fleece jacket right now until it gets hot around here in a couple of months. Plus I have a good use for those awful limpy, cheesy, or plain ugly, cheap fabrics I-and perhaps many of you-sometimes get stuck with will be used as more idea generators. I play with them until I see what works for me. Then I make notes, take smartphone photos, and make the patterns for the next potential projects. I see one for late fall. Too early to comment what it will be exactly. Except I will continue to experiment with the 1 seam sewing technique more. I want to see if I can develop some strong star ideas through this technique.

I make a point to sew in sections, not whole tops at once, even when it comes to using my machines. Plus I am rather limited to a single table when cutting/sewing (my sewing corner is very tiny). If you sew everything right, there should be no swishing (might just distort the fabric as well, possibly losing accuracy). I'm right handed.

It's an experiment, but I am hopeful as well. Thank you for the encouragement.

I've lost so many good friends due to the high costs of living in Southern California. I did not think that it would be possible to live a good life when relocating to another part of the country. Perhaps it's time to rethink some thoughts I have on the subject. Lives definitely do change and we must follow our hearts & needs.

Peckish

I sew in sections as well, in fact I think most everyone does. I was referring to the picture you had posted where you have all your fabric on the right side of the needle instead of the left, and was thinking that must be rather cumbersome to manage, squishing your fabrics instead of floating them on the other side. But if it works for you, more power to you.

sewbizgirl

I've been reading through all of your step by steps on you "project". Whatever you did in the rag industry, quilting is different than garment construction. I strongly suggest you take some basic quilting classes to learn easier ways to quilt with better results. If you don't want to attend in person, you could learn a lot from the classes offered at Craftsy. There is so much great information online nowadays!

I can assure you, also, that living a 'good life' apart from living in Los Angeles is not only possible, but quite probable! I love living where I do... miles and miles and miles away from you.

Onebyone

Wonder Clips would be better then the clothespins to keep the fabric together. I enjoyed S California the years I lived there but once I had children I knew it wasn't where I wanted to raise them. I have no intention of ever going back there to live as all my family and most of my old friends have moved away from CA too.

Iona D.

I like the "rag trade." It wasn't the real reason why I was involved with it. I was a college student who graduated from one of the many fine well known universities around here with a degree in the social sciences (not fashion) by working at those same low paid raggy jobs which existed at that time (late 1970s-early 1980s). I graduated with no help from my parents, co worker associates, boyfriend at the time, or anyone else financially. Neither did I took out a student loan until I went to grad school later. I worked at both the food service trade & the fashion industry when the government jobs dried up after my first graduation. I seem to like to keep up with with cloth the best now. I no longer will make any money from it anymore than cooking & serving. It is now a simple diversion/hobby and that it will stay. It keeps my mind sharp and analytical with minimal stress. That means that if my "project" as you say does not turn out the way it should by my or other's ideal, what of it? Who really would care? My "rag trade" bosses? (probably dead by now). My visitors? (they don't care about quilts). Other quilters? (don't know any anymore-the last one move away about 15 years ago). It will be-and is-still very usable as a light summer bed covering and that is what I need right now. The rest is just practice & amusement.

I might appear to be hard nosed and "mean" to many. In my world, you better be or else you are out in the street. Believe me, there are so many homeless people here now-you almost step on them when you go anywhere now. I learned to take care of myself as to take care of my mother. Since we owned property here, I stay here for now. If you miles and miles away from me, that might mean you are in a 4 season area. Not for me as my father left Ohio and never returned because all that snow way back in 1935. If I want snow, I can go up into the nearby mountains for that. And leave it behind later when I tire of it (I prefer the beach). My long dead father was right. Southern California has the best weather for the most part-just earthquakes, wildfires, & flooding are the bane of our residents' existences. Plus too many people now crowding the LA basin (more coming in than leaving still). Deserts (high & low), mountains, beaches, forests, valleys-all within an hour's drive from where I sitting right now. Plus the fashion industry's related movie/tv industry that grew up around here because of all these natural gifts. The celebrities still crowd their own haunts and mansions to the west of me. I don't see them going anywhere anytime soon. They keep coming back.

I'm not here for a popularity contest. That was work & school a long time ago. I simply state what I want and create it for myself without troubling others to do it for me. I was gifted with a new Samsung Chromebook 3 very recently and wanted to see what it does online with social media is all.

I admit that I don't quilt that much like most of you probably do. I just dabble in it when both the mood & opportunity hits. Don't have much free time anymore taking care of my mother and another elderly friend. Plus my present income now does not allow me to buy much. Thank you for your suggestion, though. I really should update some things I have on hand. My Chromebook shows many more things I should consider as well. Like a new simple sewing machine to be a back up to the one shown in Post #1 photo purchased ASAP.

When I think of my personal friends and relatives that moved away from CA, sometimes it does feel a bit lonely now. I don't see any point in myself leaving right now. There are some perks here (like excellent medical/dental coverage), that I don't want to lose. I agree with you about raising children here. Not a good place anymore for children to grow up. They could always come here for college though if they choose to & will be able to make good choices I'm sure you will teach them.

Iona D.

As for the subject of retreating quilters, so many really good sewing studios/quilt shops went out of business that I will list the ones I actually visited before they physically closed up shop:

Common Thread, South Pasadena CA
New Moon Textiles Pasadena CA
Why? Face to Face Interactions seem to fall apart in 2016 for some reason:".
-https://www.yelp.com/biz/new-moon-textiles-pasadena

The Sewing Studio Pasadena CA
Same with this one as far as sewing instruction goes-some good, some not so good:
https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-sewing-studio-pasadena

Sew LA Atwater/Sillverlake Districts
I personally like this shop the several times I visited them in their different locations. And the owner is more clear on why she could not succeed:
http://sew-la-fabric.blogspot.com/se...=Store+Closing

She is now a traveling teacher (like many contracted others here, even myself when I'm on call):
"...... I'll come to your house with basic tools, an iron and travel board (if needed) and we'll work on whatever project you have in mind. A $5 gas fee will apply if you are located more than 10 miles from my house in...... And please do not worry about what your house looks like. As long as there is some table space to sew your dishes will not bother me!......."
-http://sew-la-fabric.blogspot.com/ (Monday May 9, 2016)

I prefer to keep a low profile, enjoy myself, with a couple of hobbies (separated from employment) and if I have to work again, I always choose something I'm not too interested in, heavily invested, or involved with. If I'm passionate about it, I'm sure not going to try to make a living at it anymore! Not with present & potential customers' attitudes or inflated expectations like the above!

Peckish

Kind of explains things, doesn't it?

PatPitter

There is no reason to be hard-nosed here. Sometimes learning some basics about a hobby can make the hobby more enjoyable. At least that's my experience. Tried and true methods can be very helpful to know even if you then venture off to your own method. There are usually multiple ways to accomplish different things in quilting.

The internet has lots of information about everything! If you go searching you will find some blogs of people who make things from fabric scraps or recycled clothing. I know there is a feeling of satisfaction to be able to reuse fabric and not have to go buy new. I do a little of both.

You said you are going to use this as a summer bed covering, are you going to use batting or just layer with a sheet or something ?

Patricia Drew

There is no reason to be hard-nosed here. Sometimes learning some basics about a hobby can make the hobby more enjoyable. At least that's my experience. Tried and true methods can be very helpful to know even if you then venture off to your own method. There are usually multiple ways to accomplish different things in quilting.

Couldn't agree more. There are so many variations of age, skills, background, experience, inspiration, etc, but one common thread: we all love quilting. And I think we all agree that we have no use for "Quilt Police" ... Happy quilting to all!