Dad's Ties--Post 4 Eleventh Finish 2nd Quarter FAL 2020

Viewing the panel groups

I enjoyed stitching each panel. . .actually, it was fun. I laid the panels side by side to get an idea of what they would look like when stitched. I liked what I saw.

Carefully, I pinned two sections together ensuring that my pins connected the stitching lines on each panel. When I stitched the line, I found that I wasn't accurate. Fortunately, I had only stitched about 12 inches so there wasn't as much ripping as there could have been!

Hmmm. . .when this happened as I was learning to sew, my grandmother would encourage me to hand baste the pieces together. Yes, it was time consuming; but, necessary for accuracy as these stitched panels need to fit over a form.

Once I had the panels together, I chuckled. The piece reminded me of a circus tent! The upholstery thread from my Joann order arrived; but, not the upholstery needles. In fact, I received an e-mail message that the needles were no longer available. When I had placed my original order, I skipped the pick it up in the store option because I had a coupon for free shipping. Since I'm limiting my public outings, the free shipping option was best for me.

Label

ARGH!!! I was almost to the point to use the needle!!! I went back on line to shop Joann and saw the item was available at a store about 18 miles from me. I ordered it. In about an hour, I received the e-mail the item was ready for curbside pick up. I drove there and back which was about an hour round trip. There, I waited about five minutes and the staff person brought my order to my car window. It was great first time curbside pick up experience! 

Once home, I finished the label and added it to the back of the circle which finishes the underneath portion of the tuffet. I had about half of the the raw edge turned under when I decided I needed to incorporate a piece of batting underneath the fabric because it was too flat. 

Quilted backing and trim

I laughed at myself because while this part of the tuffet isn't going to be seen, I decide the area needed batting, quilting and trim!

With my walking foot, I quilted the backing in inch increments. I also quilted a few diagonal lines for added interest. In my stash, I had some leftover trim from the princess cape I made my granddaughter. This trim will cover the edge between the tie fabrics and the backing. In higher end furniture, the upholstery is finished in this manner.

The owner of the Tuffet Source, Sharyn Cole, appeared on an episode of "The Quilt Show" (TQS) which aired September 13, 2017. I enjoyed that episode. I decided making a tuffet would be on my bucket list. The ties provided the material and making a memory tuffet was the perfect project.

Last July, I ordered a kit. When it came, I was too chicken to start the project; but, I was impressed with the kit. The products were high quality. I supplied the ties, stabilizer, a small piece of batting, trim, label, thread and upholstery needle. The rest of supplies came in the kit. The kit was well packed and organized. The feet I had chosen were beautiful.

Finished bottom of tuffet

I watched the TQS segment many times. In one of those viewings, I noticed that she too finished the underside of her tuffet as I did. Perhaps, my subconscious brain remembered before my conscious brain did!

I appreciated seeing how Sharyn fitted the circus tent over the tuffet form. It is a little like putting on pantyhose after a shower! Her tips about button placement were great. 

I was intrigued with how Sharyn achieved the
deep dimple in her tuffets. She demonstrated her technique using a toilet flange. Yesterday, my husband picked up a three inch dryer vent that worked. The stores he shopped this week didn't have a toilet flange. It cost three dollars! I can't imagine getting a deep dimple under my own power. My husband pushed and I tied. I loved the result.

Finished side view

Yes, there was an adjustment of the gathers and smoothing of the fabric over the curve of the form. The next step was to staple the tie fabric to the base. My husband manned the stapler. We found that a scalpel was the best tool to cut the holes into the fabric to attach the feet to the base. I positioned the backing and my husband stapled it in place. I used a glue gun to lay a thin bead of glue around the edge of the backing and applied the trim.

The feet were easy to attach. I love the shape of these feet! From the time I maneuvered the circus tent over the form to the last turn of the feet was about half an hour. I LOVE it. My mom is going to be so surprised! Her favorite color is brown so she is going to key in on that fabric right away.

If you missed one of the previous posts, I've listed them below:

Post 1

Post 2

Post 3

Top view of the tuffet

In addition to my granddad's ties and those from my special friends--Laura's dad, Julie's husband and Heidi's husband and my husband, Bob--I used three yards of fabric from my stash. (1 1/2 yards was the brown fabric and the remaining fabric was the stabilizer.) I have now used 49 3/4 yards of fabric from my stash since the beginning of the year.

It took me about 42 hours to complete this project and the cost of the project was $262.

This is my eleventh Finish A Long (FAL) this quarter and my twelfth finish over all. This was goal number 14 on my list. I've posted this finish on Instagram #2020falq2finish 

I'm actually a little sad that I've finished the project. It was fun and I look forward to sewing another tuffet using a kit from the Tuffet Source. Next time, I won't wait a year before I start the project!

Today is the first day of the third quarter for 2020. It is time to make the plan of projects I want to make progress on and the plan of projects that I want to finish! Of the 27 projects I listed in the second quarter, I finished eleven of them. I made progress on three other projects.  I needed additional supplies for five of the projects. Since I am limiting my public outings, I refrained from doing an in person shop. I may decide to try an in person shop in the next quarter. I didn't work on seven of the projects. The other project is my granddaughter's mermaid project. I look forward to stitching again with her to finish her mermaid. Although, we may not be sewing together again until there is a vaccine for Covid 19.