Further to my post last week on Sewing Ergonomics, Marguerita sent me this post she wrote on making your own Custom Sewing Desk – Cheap.

While not the prettiest to look at, this idea definitely has potential for me. I am loving free-motion quilting, but finding the stress on my shoulders and upper back prevents me from sewing as much as I would like.

I need to find out if I can buy adjustable legs from Ikea for my existing table, then I’ll look into getting some foam core. I have some spare paint, and might even try painting the foam core… we’ll see how ambitious I am.

I have some concerns about the static, as my apartment is very dry in the winter with electric heat and concrete walls. Does anyone have any ideas? I wonder if I can eliminate the vinyl altogether and instead use a paint that has some slick-ness to it. I think a phone call to my Dad, the Handyman is in order.

Contest Update: I have had three wonderful donations offered for the upcoming contest… you’re going to love them. Details will be posted in the next couple of days, so stay tuned.

Newsletter Update: If you missed the first edition of the Quilting Gallery Newsletter, it is now available on-line: Issue #1 – June 2008 – Are you a Quilting Blogger?.

Here’s a handy tutorial on Joining Batting pieces together that will help you save money and help the environment all at once.

My sewing machine has a zigzag stitch (called double ZZ) that puts three stiches in each zig and zag. I think this would be a great stitch to use for adding strength and durability, if you have it available.

Did you know?

I’m always looking for tutorials, tips and techniques and free patterns to post on here. If you’ve written something and would like it featured on this site, please don’t be shy, send me the information, and if it’s relevant, I’d be pleased to post it and throw you some extra link love.

Did you see?

There are now 748 Quilting Bloggers, representing 29 countries, 47 American states and 5 Canadian provinces. WOW! Thank you to everyone for all of your wonderful support, seeing all the blog posts about the directory, makes those late nights developing it all worthwhile, and I think judging by the responses, you do too. Please keep spreading the word, I think reaching a thousand by the end of June is well within reach.

There’s a great article over on the Lemon Tree Tales’ web site, Sewing Room Ergonomics or why does it hurt when I sew?.

My sewing machine and table set-up are my problem. I really need to lower my machine, about 4 inches, but can’t afford to buy a new table right now. I can raise the chair, and will try that again, with the presser foot on some boxes. I found the presser foot kept falling off the phone book I was using in the past. I only feel the stress when I’m doing the quilting part, no problems with piecing or regular sewing.

Here’s a completely unrelated link to a blog post a friend of mine made earlier tonight, Saving the Environment by Renovating the Little Red Golf. Please forgive the intrusion… we’re testing some Googleze to see what happens. Us web developers always have to stay on top of such things.

I found myself this morning wondering how to calculate the triangles needed for setting a quilt on-point. No, I’m not working on a quilt being set on-point right now, I was just curious. I found this information, Cutting Corner and Setting Triangles for On-Point Quilts. Some scary math there.

Browsing around some more, I see that Bonnie from Quiltville, has a great chart of standard sizes already prepared. That saved me the math! Yeah!

From Quilting Passion, here is another tutorial I thought was worth mentioning, On-Point Setting Triangles Tutorial.

My rotary cutting mat could sure use a bath, how about yours? Here are some great tips for Caring for Your Rotary Mat.

I have an older mat, that I only use for cutting battting and other fluffy things… I think I’ll try to bathe it first to see what happens.

Ever tried the Origami-style of folding fabric?

Here’s a great tutorial on making the Cathedral Window Quilt. The instructions with photos are very well done, and the finished quilt is simply gorgeous using the jewel-toned fabrics.