[Nfb-krafters-korner] quilting question

Fri Apr 20 22:28:36 UTC 2018

For something a little less expensive, you can purchase a Sizzix big shot machine & use the Acuquilt dies with it. I learned a lot about this by llistening to YouTube videos. Check out the Sizzix channel & the quilting videos.

________________________________
From: Nfb-krafters-korner <nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org> on behalf of Joyce Kane via Nfb-krafters-korner <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, April 20, 2018 3:08:54 PM
To: 'List for blind crafters and artists'
Cc: blindhands at aol.com
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] quilting question

I have no light perception so my world is darker then black.  I had sewn up
until I went blind 20 years ago.  I ran a business from my home and used a
sewing machine since I was 11 years old up to age 46 when I woke up from
surgery in total darkness.

It was a slow process coming out of the surgery that caused my blindness and
learning how to do things without sight.

I did start back on my basic straight stitch Singer Feather Weight machine
which was the first machine that I purchased at the age of 16.  After a lot
of trial and errors and the fact that I had all  the time in the world now
I started my way to learn how I could get back sewing and how to learn more
about quilting.

The cutting was a challenge.  Now let me say my Mom had retired at the age
of 66 and that is when she got into quilting.  The help that I got from my
Mom was, "You can't do that, you can't see".  She felt I really couldn't do
quilting and sewing and learn hand quilting, but I was determined, "Yes, I
can!"

Let's jump ahead know as it did take time and the tools I use today was
quite out of my money range back 18 years ago.

A year after I went blind I went out and purchased a new Bernina sewing
machine  and had a dealer that was willing to teach me the machine.   I  had
a lot of hours behind a sewing machine and used my experience on learning
this new machine.

I learn to cut shapes out with a rotary cutter and had gotten shapes and
rulers with grids in it to use.

Finally maybe 10 years back the Accuquilt Cutter and quilt dies came down in
price and I started saving and started collecting my array of dies.  This is
what opened up my world to accomplish so much without sighted help.

When I first found out about the Accuquilt.  The starting off price ticket
on it was $599.95.  This was the "Go" model.  They had the faithful quilt
shop studio model which was a few more hundred dollars and the dies for the
go were just starting out and the studio dies ran between $100 to $200 and
up.  Within 10 years they have consintrated on the "Go" dies and and have
hundreds of them now.  The prices of the Go has come down to the mid $200's
and even the dies run from $30 to under $100 for the larger dies.  They have
also done some combination dies, Log cabin, Ohio Star, etc.

No problem cutting things out.  Just take a die lay your fabric on it [up to
6  layers-depending on thickness], put the cutting guard on top of this and
with the Go, you need to push it into the center and there is a crank handle
that you turn and it goe thru and cuts the shapes out for you precisely.

There are like blades inside the dies and encased in this protected foam and
when you turn the hanble it makes these plades come up & cut the fabric.
With normal use and care the blades will not cut your fingers unless you
intensionally  push your fingers or hand down on the dies.

They made this for the sighted world, but little did they know they opened
up a old time crafting skill for the visually impaired/Blind.

As far as hand quilting there are 1/4 " guides that you can find to help
you.  I tell people, I put a lot of feeling into my quilts."

I invite you to come to our Monday Night Chat, April 23 at 7:30 PM  Eastern
as I am hosting a chat on Shapes that make up quilt blocks.  All come from
the Accuquilt dies.  605 475 4000  code 966659#
Joyce Kane
www.KraftersKorner.org<http://www.KraftersKorner.org>

-----Original Message-----
From: Nfb-krafters-korner <nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf
Of Jamie Prater via Nfb-krafters-korner
Sent: Friday, April 20, 2018 3:04 PM
To: nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org
Cc: Jamie Prater <jdprater at bellsouth.net>
Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] quilting question

Hi, I am totally blind and have almost no sighted help.  How does anyone in
this situation learn to quilt and make a quilt?  How do you cut the shapes
and sew the pieces together and other skills necessary to make a quilt?  My
sighted friends are wondering how this is possible and they quilt but use a
sew machine for a lot of their work.  Any light on this subject would be
very greatly appreciated.  Thanks and have a blessed day.

_______________________________________________
Nfb-krafters-korner mailing list
Nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-krafters-korner_nfbnet.org
Division Website:  http://www.krafterskorner.org Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/NFB-Krafters-Division/269246643109571
Krafters-Korner Blog http://krafterskorner.org/ "Follow NFB Krafters Korner
on Twitter: Our Handle is @craftingblind Don't have a Twitter account? You
can still follow Krafters Korner on Twitter. Go to:
Twitter.com/craftingblind To unsubscribe, change your list options or get
your account info for Nfb-krafters-korner:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-krafters-korner_nfbnet.org/blindhands%
40aol.com

_______________________________________________
Nfb-krafters-korner mailing list
Nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-krafters-korner_nfbnet.org
Division Website:  http://www.krafterskorner.org
Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/NFB-Krafters-Division/269246643109571
Krafters-Korner Blog http://krafterskorner.org/
"Follow NFB Krafters Korner on Twitter: Our Handle is @craftingblind
Don't have a Twitter account? You can still follow Krafters Korner on Twitter. Go to: Twitter.com/craftingblind
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Nfb-krafters-korner:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-krafters-korner_nfbnet.org/cmfulghum%40gmail.com