Monday, June 6, 2016

UM YA YA!

Before I explain "UM YA YA" I want to share some quilty items.  A blogger I follow had a post where she showed her ironing stick, which is used when you want to iron open a seam allowance and it raises it so you don't have to worry about messing up the rest of the seams when you iron.  I looked it up on some sites where it was sold and didn't want to pay anything for it, so I just got a strip of batting (which had been multiplying in my closet) and folded it over, sewed on 2 sides and slipped a dowel rod inside.  I could make it nicer by covering it with muslin, but I guess I'm too lazy to do that.

Home made ironing stick

I recently made a pink and brown HST doll quilt and decided to make another one to sell in my Etsy shop.  The one I made was a special order.  The HSTs finish at 1 1/4" and there are 12 rows of 10 HSTs per row.  It's just like one that I have hanging in my sewing room (I made it while I was a member of "Jo's Little Women Club" in Arlington, TX.  I love this little quilt made with all CW reproduction fabrics and alternating with pink and brown HSTs.

2 rows that need pressing

Using the ironing stick to press open the seam allowance
Here's what I have done so far on this quilt.  I keep running out of pink or brown HSTs because I don't want to put any fabrics next to each other, so I'm constantly digging out something different.  I have 9 rows almost finished, so I will need 3 more rows


The dark brown in this HST is one of my favorite fabrics of all time and I just happened to find one strip of it in my scraps so I made a few HSTs with it.


 I apologize that my pictures are kind of dark.  It was very early when I took these pictures.  Oh, and please excuse my ugly wrong board.  I need to put a new cover on it.

Now we come to "Um Ya Ya."  If you have ever attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, you will know what it is.  My DGS just finished his sophomore year there and he wants me to sew "Um Ya Ya" onto something.  Actually, its the pad for his accordion.  These are the letters I came up with.  Anyway, "Um Ya Ya" is what the students yell at sporting events.  Don't ask me why.  Maybe its a Norwegian phrase - must be.  He is home for the summer, but may take a job at a camp in Washington State and may want to take his accordion along, so I need to get these words sewn onto the pad ASAP.  I think I'll work on it now, just in case he gets that job and needs to leave soon.



Have a wonderful quilty week!  After a very hot weekend, the temperatures will be cooling off by Wednesday.  Woo Hoo!  Um Ya Ya!!

9 comments:

  1. When I think of St. Olaf, I think of Betty White on the Golden Girls. I didn't know there was a real St. Olaf.
    Your blue basket quilt in your header photo is beautiful!

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  2. Aren't you the clever one for designing your own ironing stick? Looks like it does the job.
    Hey, my ironing board cover is a twin to yours--and I just replaced mine earlier this year.
    I am totally smitten with your little pink/brown HST quilt!!
    You have got to ask your GS what that stands for. I am so curious now! : )

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  3. Um Ya ya!? Too funny! Cool idea for the ironstick!

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  4. Great tip on the ironing stick. Looks like you're staying busy and happy

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  5. Love your little half squares; so cute! I've seen those pressing sticks at shows, and like you, didn't want to pay the price. I thought the same thing you did, but never made one. Your GS will love having the "Um Ya Ya" pad for his accordion. ---"Love"

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  6. I'd never heard of an ironing stick until you mentioned it - so glad you showed the photos. Looks like it would help the process along, especially those tiny HST's.

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  7. Your ironing stick looks like a great idea, and cheaper to make. I have batting scraps around here. WE really have to find out what that phrase means. LOL
    The mini is adorable.

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  8. Pinks and browns always look so charming and friendly together!

    Don't worry about your well-used the ironing board. I gave up recovering mine years ago - now I keep putting on a clean towel every few months - you know, those specialty towels that don't work well on dishes, but too cute to NOT use in some way. 8-))

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  9. nice DIY stick. I use the Strip Stick all the time.

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