Saturday, December 30, 2006

Last Entry for 2006

Another year has gone by and I am anticipating the New Year - I hope that it's a great one for all my friends and family! I've been busily working in my sewing room this week, trying to finish up some old projects and thinking about next years goals.

One of my focus areas for next year is working on my writing. (Yes, this does include working on my blog more!) I would like to publish a pattern this year, so I will be working on that. I also want to do more original work, I will probably have to cut back on the shop samples to accomplish that.

Another thing I will be working on is organizing my sewing studio so that it's more efficient. I am trying to figure out how to accomodate all the storage I need balanced with work space, and how to make it all pleasing to the eye. Not an easy task! I am really liking that quite a few of the things I am using are movable, so that makes my work space more flexible. The folding cutting table is really handy, I must say. I most often use it with only one of the leaves up, but it's truly awesome for basting when I put both up. Though it 's a tight fit, I can roll it around and reach all around it when I'm pinning!

I also want to work on my photography skills (which are pretty basic right now!) And if I can't do it, I want to find some resources that can! Not only that, but to find a place to take pictures of the larger quilts. My house is just not the right place for really good pictures. It's just too dark in here.

All in all thought, 2006 was a great year, and I did accomplish a lot that I set out to do. I tried some new things, got accepted into a juried show, and made some new friends. I've been more active in my quilt guild, finished a ton of UFO's (of course, I've also accumulated quilte a few of them, also!), and have moved forward on my machine quilting skills.

My family is all healthy and happy (at least most of the time!) and I have a lot to be thankful for. Here's to a wonderful 2007 - God bless you all this year!

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Merry Christmas

Wow!! What a time we had this year - all five daughters were home for the holidays, plus one son-in-law, and a boyfriend. It was busy and bustling and fun. Also exhausting, expasperating and noisy! All have left this morning, husband is back at work and the house is a mess, but it is quiet. No one is expecting me to do something for or with them, and I have the computer to myself. I have some tidying up to do in my sewing room, and by tomorrow I'll be ready for some all out sewing, but for now I just want to is sit.

I am looking forward to lots of quilting in 2007. I just celebrated the fact that I have been quilting for 20 years now - so I am looking forward to my 21st year of quilting (guess that makes me an adult in the quilting world now, right?) I am working on trying to publish a few patterns, and finishing up a few old projects. I plan to enter a couple of juried shows, and to actually attend one of them. This summer I will be making a trip to Colorado with one of my daughters, and at the beginning of the year a trip with my husband and our married daughter and her husband.

Some of my personal goals are to be more efficient at my housework (think I may go back to the flylady routines!), and to journal more this year. Hopefully I will be good at keeping up my blog also! I want to simplify my life, and continue to define myself - in all my years of mothering, and loving my husband I feel like I've lost touch with myself. I am really thinking about who I am, what do I like, what makes me happy... I want my family to know that I am a person in my own right, not just someone who is here to make them all happy in their little worlds! I hope that doesn't sound really angry. I love my family, and I want them all to be happy, but sometimes they forget that I want to be happy also.

I want to grow spiritually this year. I want to spend more quality time getting face to face with God, and to know Him better. I want to be the woman that He has designed me to be. I want to look at this life with new eyes, and to see the things that are important. To know my blessings and to be truly grateful for all the wonderful things I have been given.

I also want to get this physical body of mine into better shape. I want to be able to walk and run and have energy to get all the things done that I want to do every day! I want to eat foods that will nourish my body, not food that will clog my arteries and make my hips bulge out like balloons. I want to be healthy, and comfortable with the way I look. I want to drink more water so that my skin will stay smooth and lovely, and not be dry and itchy.

So, I am a work in progress (aren't we all!). Here's to a Ney Year full of blessings, grace, and love. Today God has blessed me with a wonderful day to stay inside and recoup from the busy holidays. I blessed Shannon by making her heart shaped pancakes! I hope all of you have a wonderful day today, and that you will know that God loves you!

Saturday, December 02, 2006

Here today......Gone Tomorrow


Don't you just love the way I skip in and out. It seems I can be fairly consistant for a month or so, then nothing. That's always been exactly the way I've kept journals...and everything else it seems! Went through a bout of the flu at the end of September, then hit the ground running after that. I've done a ton of quilting, nothing wonderful, just finishing up some of the UFO's that have been piling up for months. Feels good, and has allowed me to see some of the horizontal surfaces in my sewing room!


This is one of the cutest - it's up for sale in my Etsy shop, as are most of the things I have been working on lately. I'm pleased to say I've been selling quilts on there fairly consistently, and there is a lot of satisfaction in sending my little creations out into the world for other people to enjoy. I've been trying to keep a range of prices going there, kind of a something for everyone deal, and have made lots of quilted bags and sundries. Lots of fun and it's nice to use up some of those fat quarters that I keep accumulating also. I also made up a lot of tote bags from a sample book that was given to me by my interior decorator client. I'll give here one of the totes as a thank you.

This morning my Women's Ministry Team is holding our annual Christmas Tea. We decorated with lighthouses, and are serving Ministrone Soup from a local restaurant. The ladies are bringing finger sandwiches to share. We will sing Christmas carols, have a wonderful humorous lady to speak to us, and a trio for special music. We also have a Chocolate fountain for dessert! Should be a good time. I am doing the hot cider for a beverage (huge hit last year - ran out before everyone was happy, so hopefully am making enough this year!) It's a lot of fun working with the team, and I love all the ladies of our church. I'm really looking forward to this tea because I missed our retreat due to that nasty flu bug I had! It will be wonderful to catch up with everyone.

I'll try to keep up a little better with my blog this month, I'm sure both of my readers will be anxiously awaiting all the news of my life and adventures in quilting! I'm planning on getting 3 or 4 more quilts basted this weekend, so I have my work cut out for me. I also need to get started on the Christmas PJs. I scored some wonderful flannel from the quilt shop last year for this project so they will be extra nice this year! Also need to sew hubbies flannel shirt this week before his vacations starts - haven't actually made a real garment in some time, so better give myself some extra time to work on that one. Though I am excited to use the Brother for the buttonholes - this little machine makes such excellent buttonholes!

Monday, September 25, 2006

Quilting another UFO



I spent the afternoon yesterday getting another UFO ready to quilt. This one is Blackberry Brambles. It was made as a shop sample to showcase some new fabrics, and to provide a window display for Blackberry Festival. As I was sandwiching the top I realized that either I didn't piece it very well, or hanging as a top for so long didn't do it any good. It's not quite as flat as I like my quilts to be - it really seems as if the blocks are larger than the sashing strips so they bubble up.

I have smoothed it all down as well as I can, and we'll just see if that will quilt out or not. I plan to meander it with leaves - just want to get this one finished up, and they are pretty active blocks so I think an allover pattern will do just fine for this one. I have a lot of the fabric for the back so I may make a matching pillow or two. I think I may even have an extra block also.

I added another couple of UFOs to my drawer this month as some shop samples came home, so I think I am going to push to get some of them done as well. I have some very nice ones waiting to be quilted. I also need to get busy hand quilting the log cabin. This is a commissioned piece - a very nice man came into the shop looking for someone who can finish his late wife's half done project. It's all blues, and unfortunately, backed with a sheet which makes the quilting a bit harder, but it's a good TV watching project, and one way to rationalize my increased watching time! If I can get 3 blocks a day done, I'll be done in no time. Plus get my quilting finger in shape to do some more quilting on Memories. I am determined to get the additional quilting done on it by the end of the year so I can show it in 2007.
Butterfly Pond

I also worked on getting Butterfly Pond ready to ship next week. I had to re-do the sleeve. Honestly, I do know that a 4" sleeve is standard show size. I don't know what I was thinking when I cut the sleeve (and sewed it on), but I cut the sleeve 4.5 inches so it finished at 2 inches! And I actually remembered to sew it in the binding, so I had to un-sew the top edge of the binding, take off the narrow sleeve, but the wider one on and re sew the binding down.

While I was doing that I did one more run through to cut off stray threads, and found a few little tangles on the back to deal with. I just need to put another label on, and it will be ready to go. I'm on the lookout for a box that's just the right size, but I may just go to the UPS store and spend a little extra money to get a box that is new! I wish I could just send it now, but there is a very specific window of time for it to arrive in, so I have to time it just right. I know - always something, right! I'm off the the sewing machine - lots to do today.

Thursday, September 21, 2006

It IS a small world, after all!



While catching up on some blog reading this morning I found a post that really brought home to me what a small world this really is. While I know that Fran lives in Colorado, I had never thought about how close she is to the place I grew up, until I read her account of the severe storm that we encountered while on vacation. It's amazing to me to think that here we are - two people that have never met in our lives, yet we have walked in the same places, and have many things in common in our lives! I think that it's amazing that we could sit down to a cup of tea, and have a very fun afternoon chatting and getting to know each other - but we've never even met! Anyway, it was quite a storm and this is one of the trees that blew down in Mineral Palace park, Pueblo, CO.

Plan for the day - quilting at my house this afternoon. Don't know who will show up this week, but I need to clean up my dining room before they arrive! I am working on a shop sample today. One the the best perks of my job, making shop samples. It does keep me awash in UFO's and scraps, though! Good practice for machine quilting, though, and Butterfly Pond started out as a shop sample. I did most of the cutting last night, just have to mark half square triangles and sew them. It'll be a pretty quilt soft greens, pinks, and yellow roses. The sample I finished last night was candy colored pinks and greens. Who knows what the next one will be! If I get this one pieced today, I have some rows for the row by row to finish up. Always something, but I really need to get some of this done and off of my to do list.

Monday, September 18, 2006

Sea of Quilts 12

Our annual quilt show is now over and quilters all over town are relieved, and inspired to create new works for next years show! It was a very nice show, as usual. Our entries were down a bit this year, which was actually a plus in the small category because they didn't have to hang them as high on the wall as they have in the past. Some of the categories were pretty small, only four or five entries. The large quilt, professionally quilted category had 30 entries, which was the largest category. Small quilt, hand quilted had only 3 entries (note to self, make sure to enter a small hand quilted quilt next year!)

I got two blue ribbons and a red this year, so I was very happy! My miniature Storm at Sea won in the Miniature category and Jewel of the Prairie won in the Large Quilt, Machine quilted (non professionally) category. Butterfly Pond placed second in the small quilt category. The prize packages were very nice this year and I got an assortment of nice goodies, including thread that I will definitely be putting to good use! Lots of fun and it's nice to be finished. I did a demo on hand quilting, which was fun. Not too many people there, so that was fine because it's really easier to do hand quilting on a one to one basis.

This week, I have to prepare for the EQ5 class I am teaching on Saturday! Last time I checked, I had 9 people signed up to take the class, if we get 10 we'll start a second class. I'm planning to just teach the basics, and if my students are interested to go on to more difficult classes later on. The drawing is really fun, but tricky to figure out on your own. I have really enjoyed using the program, and I do use it a lot, so it will be interesting to see if I can encourage these other ladies to get more out of the program. Some of them have never really used it at all, just loaded it into their computer!

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Accepted in PIQF!!


I am bouncing off the wall - I just got my notification that Butterfly Pond has been accepted in the Pacific International Quilt Festival! I have been trying not to think about it, and when the envelope arrived today I was afraid to open it - but I did! Wowwee!!! Now I am all nervous about getting it packaged up and shipped off - and I need to change the sleeve on it. Plus all the double checking of loose threads.... I just don't know what to do first! Actually first I need to get it ready to hang in our Guild show this weekend, then worry about the rest. I am so happy right now I can't even express it - I am so glad I took the risk of just entering my quilt, anything beyond this is just icing on the cake.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Good day for quilting (kind of!)

Had a good day in my studio yesterday, did some cleaning up and organizing (much needed!). I made a quilted tote bag that came out really cute: I'm calling this design a Judy Tote to honor a friend of mine who passed away due to breast cancer this summer. I was thinking of her as I designed it, and used fabric from the heaven can wait line.

Got a box mailed to my Mother in law - her 70th birthday is Sunday and one of the brothers is organizing a big surprise birthday party for her on Saturday. We can't go, so I sent some framed 5 x 7's of us and the kids, and some inspirational books for her to read. I hope she has a really good day! I'm glad that we have one good organizer in the family, he does a really good job of making all of the holidays good for the family, and especially for mom.

Have to work today, but plan to finish preparing my quilts for the show tonight, maybe I'll have time to make another tote bag - I've got some super cute fabric picked out for my next one!

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

The Joys of Being a Homeowner

Need I say it - I really miss having a landlord when I have an appliance (or plumbing) problem! Just last week I spent two days dealing with a toilet that was leaking. Last night one of my lids to an old pan fell apart in the dishwasher. The little screw went down into the pump area in the rear of the dishwasher. From experience, I know what can happen when something small and hard gets down in there, so I decided to take the cover off to get the screw off. As usual, I thought it was just going to be a matter of taking a few screws out and that would be that. The screws came out just fine, but then there is an impeller that needs to come out. Well, that screw was well and truly stuck and in the process of trying to remove it I broke the impeller. The screw then turned, but I couldn't get the darned thing off. So I went to bed thinking that I was going to probably have to buy a new dishwasher.

First thing this morning I went to repairclinic.com to see if they could help me. I submitted a question, and got an answer within minutes - it seems as if my only choice is to break up the entire impeller to remove it. (I also checked on sears and picked out a cheap dishwasher, figuring that this project was going downhill fast.) After a bit of beating with a hammer and a screwdriver the impeller started to break apart. I was getting more depressed as the pieces flew, but when I finally broke most of it off, I discovered that with the removal of a few more screws the cover came off easily! At that point I was able to grip the base of the screw and remove it so that when the new impeller arrives from repairclinic I will be able to finish repairing my dishwasher for the princely sum of 35.00 including shipping - yeah! But I still miss having a Landlord to call when something goes wrong.


Here is a picture of Jewel of the Prairie. It looks so pretty hanging up on my wall I think I will leave it there for a few days just to look at! I am really happy with it - not my usual style of quilt, but so bright and colorful that I love it.

It was fun to make, a little challenging to keep all the pieces organized, but quite east to sew, and laying it out was a lot easier than I thought it would be. There are so many different colors that it was easy to keep from ending up with the same colors right next to each other.

This one will be in the quilt show this weekend. I need to put a label on it and it will be ready to go.

This morning I finished the baby quilt I was making for the show, so all of my quilting is done, I just have to finish up labels and sleeves. The baby quilt I just stipple quilted, then I bound it by machine, so it will be very washable and durable for a baby to use. I am happy to have been so productive over the past week, and am going to have to challenge myself to keep up the good work!

Monday, September 11, 2006

Remembering

I think that a lot of us today are a little lost in memories of the awful attack 5 years ago. I've seen a lot of quilts made to document this event in our lives, but as of yet I have not made one. But September 11 is a day that will not be forgotten for the rest of my life. I don't know how it could be forgotten by anybody who like me, was not an eyewitness, but witnessed it through television and other media. The shock and disbelief that I felt watching the unending news reports will always be with me. I am always grateful that my family is safe, and I can hug them and laugh with them. I am thankful that God has blessed me so abundantly with people that love me and that I love, and that He watches over us all of our lives, even in scary, sad, and trying times.

My daughter and her husband came for the weekend. She has been learning to sew again, so I gave her one of my old machines and have been helping her. So much fun - her dad says I am corrupting her. She made a lot of little bags this weekend and I finished two baby quilt tops. I still have blocks cut for at least two more, and one needs to be quilted for the show this weekend. We went to JoAnn's and bought her some more sewing supplies, she got a rotary cutter and mat set, and I bought her a ruler.

Here's a picture of my completed New York Beauty blocks. We will be meeting at the end of September to decide how to set them together - we made 60 blocks all together. I'm excited to see how this quilt will come out. I'm not sure who the ticket chairman is, but I'm sure they'll do well with this one. I love the way the background is split, just something a little different.

Saturday, September 09, 2006

Jewel of the Prairie finished!


I am thrilled to report that I have finished Jewel of the Prairie! It's hard to believe that in the past 5 days I got a queen size quilt quilted and bound. I am so glad it's done (well, I still have to label it - but that won't take me too long!). Now I just have to complete the baby quilt and I'm ready for the show on Friday. I'll be spending the day there helping to set up, I'm thinking of setting my camera up and taking pictures at interval during the day while the quilts are going up. I think that would be fun.

Back to the quilt. It is quilted with a swirl design all over. Nearly 500 yards of thread in the quilting (top only) I bound it with a bright green batik and did it all by machine. I've really refined my technique and I think the machine bindings look almost as good as the hand bindings. I think that if you are quilting by machine, that binding by machine is entirely appropriate.

Now to clean up the sewing room!

Friday, September 08, 2006

September Guild Meeting

Last night we had our first meeting of the year at Sand N Sea Quilt Guild. I enjoyed it very much - returned two very overdue library books, turned in my New York Beauty Blocks for the '07 raffle quilt, and I even bought a block of the month (a very cute little house for halloween!) I had a good time catching up with some of my quilting friends, and was inspired. All of these things are what I like about quilt guild. What I really don't like is that the same people always sit in the same spots, so I always end up way in the back. I feel like I'm butting in if I try to sit in a spot other than my usual place, and I'd really like to sit and visit with some different people sometimes. Maybe I just need to get over it and butt in!

Didn't do any quilting yesterday, but did hem 5 pairs of pants (with cuffs) and replaced an invisible zipper in a pair of pants. So I am free this afternoon to quilt. This morning I am busy getting the cars serviced. Glad I have a book to read while I am waiting! Our program last night was making name tags so if I get myself together I could even work on that while I am waiting. I might do some simple embroidery, I haven't done any for ages, and it really sounds like fun. I've been eyeing some quilt block kits that have embroidered flowers on them, so that may be a good hand work project for television season. Though most of the programs we watch aren't really good for watching while stitching - like Lost!

Off I go, nothing will get done while I'm here on the computer - but it is a lot of fun!

Thursday, September 07, 2006

Post Vacation Blues

I just got back from a wonderful trip to Colorado and I feel a little down today. It doesn't help that I have got a cold, and a few deadlines to worry about. I am still anxiously awaiting the letter that tells me if my quilt made it into the PIQF show. I am trying to think positive thoughts, like "who will I tell first?". Wouldn't it be fun to go see my quilt in the show? It would be a great excuse to go visit my sister for a week-end. Then I start thinking about the cost of air-fare! But it would be so worth it!!

I have 8 days to finish quilting a queen size quilt, and finish a baby quilt for the quilt show next week-end. Last year I promised myself that I would not enter anything that was not finished, but I conned myself into entering my Jewel of the Prairie quilt because I may not be able to show it next year. And I entered the baby quilt because I had it all cut out. Unfortunately, here I am again, frantically quilting against a deadline. I suppose I do some of my best work at the last moment, but I think I'd like to not be working this way!

Monday I took Jewel down to the quilt shop and pin-basted it. I quilted 1/4 of it Tuesday, and another 1/4 on Wednesday. I should be able to finish it tomorrow, then have it bound over the week-end. The baby quilt has the top sewn, but I am not satisfied with the border. So, I may have to make a trip to buy a new border for it. So, I keep telling myself I'm ok, I have time, I may not be getting up early friday to sew labels and sleeves on. But I know I probably will!

Back to vacation. I took a ton of pictures, and may have some landscape ideas for quilts. We had a great time, and the whole trip went well except for the severe storm in Pueblo! We were trapped in the midst of 3.5 inches of rain in 30 minutes combined with 70 mph winds. In a Taco Bell Drive-through. We actually did end up getting some food, but there was no way to get to my parents house to eat it! So we very cautiously drove across the flooded street to higher ground in a dry cleaners lot and watched all the fools speeding through lakes of water. The amazing thing is that we didn't actually see anyone get stuck! About a half mile down the road a lady tried to drive her SUV through a railway underpass and just about drowned. I don't know what she was thinking! Luckily by-standers rescued her and no one was injured. There were tons of trees and branches in the streets afterward, and the next day we took a drive through a nearby park I played in as a child and there were about a dozen trees completely ripped out of the ground. Big trees laying around like pick-up sticks. We speculate that there may have been a tornado, but the storm was so bad no one could actually see it! It was an exciting thing, and it made our vacation very memorable! We were very glad to come through it safely, and to have an interesting tale to tell. We know God's hand is on us!

I am glad to be home and back to my sewing machine, even though I am a bit pressured at the time. The quilt is quilting nicely - I've really enjoyed working with the batiks. I'm promising pictures of the finished product next week!

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

New York Beauties


My mission this week is to complete 10 New York Beauty Blocks for the 2007 raffle quilt. I have had 2 months to work on this, but the adreneline junkie that I am refused to work on them until now, when I have only 1 week to finish them! So far I have half of the arcs pieced so I am doing well. My plan is to finish the remaining 5 arcs today, sew all the background pieces on Wednesday, the 1 inch arc sections on thurs, and the small center pie sections on Fri. Then I can take them to Toni on Saturday. They are coming out very well so far - of course the batiks are beautiful. This is going to be a very colorful quilt, and I am sure we will sell lots of raffle tickets for this one!

I was excited to have someone buy Nova Nouvelle yesterday! I hope the quilt brings her a lot of joy. It is a beautiful quilt and I am happy for it to go to a new home. Now I really can make a new one with a clear conscience! Now to figure out colors - maybe some nice blues and purples.

Last but not least, I mailed out my entry for the Pacific International Quilt Festival today! In one month I will know. In the meantime I am going to try to forget about it and just stay busy sewing. I have some curtains to work on this week, and a couple of items to be mended. Not to mention the tote bags I have been creating - more on those later!

Friday, August 11, 2006

Red Ribbon 2006


This is the last of the fair entries: Morning Glory. It got a a red ribbon. The judge wrote very nice comments, but nothing about the pucker on the back! I feel like I got away with something, though I'm sure she noticed it and that is why I have a red ribbon. Next year I may have to forgo the fair, only amateurs allowed and I am going to start teaching classes. It's been a lot of fun, and a lot of people see my quilts there that don't see them other places. I'm glad our guild show allows everyone to enter! I entered 6 items in that, but I still have to quilt one, which is a queen size. I plan to get going on that next week. I'll take it in to the shop to baste, it's soo much easier on the tables than on the floor.

Off to clean my sewing space, will be having company this weekend, and every surface is covered with stuff!

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Red Ribbon for Nova Nouvelle


Another second place for Nova Nouvelle in Miniature. What did I learn with this quilt? Always make sure you trim your seam allowances. I was so excited, impatient to put this together that I didn't do that. I realized after quilting that the shadows showed through and it doesn't look as finished as it should. Hopefully I will not do another quilt with this problem, but I do get in a hurry. Even with this small defect, I love this quilt and think it is beautiful. I would like to do a similar style lone star in different colors. It's amazing the effect that the color wash has on the design.

I am really excited, nervous, almost nauseous today. I had a picture cd made, and filled out an application for the Pacific International Quiltfest. I hope Butterfly Pond makes it in! I feel scared because I really don't want to be rejected, but I'm nervous that it will be accepted and looked at up-close and personal by the judges! I am keeping myself busy so I don't think about it too much, but I'm sure my heart rate soars every time I go there. Well, it's out of my hands now. Wish me luck, please!

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

A Pretty Pirate Costume


This is the one clothing item I entered in the fair. Every year I say I am going to enter more, but then when it comes fair time, I don't really have anything! When I made this for my daughter's halloween costume I thought that if I put it away, then it wouldn't get trashed or given away, so I could actually have something to enter in the fair.

She picked out the colors and fabrics and I did all the sewing. It was not a quick and easy costume, but it did really turn out cute. She wore it to the mall costume parade and won a trophy for cutest costume! I learned a lot about working with pleather. I had to come up with a different method to make the elastic waist because I didn't have the right foot to use on it, but it came out well in the end. Though you can't see it in this picture the sleeves also have the leather eyelet trim and lacing on them.

Oh, the reason I got a second place was because the neck trim wasn't even. One side comes down a little lower that the other! It's amazing the detail those judges catch!

Monday, August 07, 2006

The quilt that didn't win a ribbon



This is the comforter I made in January to keep me warm at night! It didn't get any ribbons, but I just entered it for fun.

 I made this all from my stash. It amounts to about 20 light fat quarters and 20 dark fat quarters for the top. I even had the backing so the only purchase I had to make was for the batting.

 I used 2 layers of an extra loft poly to make it really warm and fluffy. It's tied with perle cotten at the corners of the blocks. When you enter a tied quilt they look to see if the ties are all tied in the same direction. Mine weren't! I also had the comment that the ties were too tight? I can't quite figure that one out, but I like the quilt and it's really cozy on cold winter nights, so it fulfills its purpose.

Friday, August 04, 2006

More Fair Results...2006 Coos County Fair


My other blue ribbon winner was Butterfly Pond. I got some really nice comments from the judge, so I am really happy with that! I've been using the scraps from this quilt to make some really neat postcards. I have some for sale, just check out the quilts for sale link on the side of the page.

I'm also working on a tote bag from the scraps (I had a lot of left-overs from this quilt, and they were so pretty I figured I had to make something out of them!) I got about half of it machine quilted last night, but was really struggling with thread breaking. 

After some internet research this morning, I think I am going to give my machine a good cleaning, check the tension settings, change the needle (yes, a novel concept for sure) and do a test run. I suspect part of it is that I am just using good old Coats and Clark thread and my Juki does regular sewing ok with it, but doesn't really like it for quilting. But, I do like the colors I have and want to finish with them. Last time I was having this trouble a good cleaning did the trick, that was just last week, though. You never can tell though. All it takes is one stray thread to throw everything off!

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Coos County Fair 2006


Last week was fair week. I entered 5 quilts, and a pirate costume I made for my daughter last year. I got two blue ribbons, and two red ribbons on my quilts, and a red ribbon for the costume. I won the special award for miniatures with my paper pieced lighthouse quilt- "A Light in the Storm" It is made from a commercial pattern, which was very nice - all of the paper piecing patterns were included, and there were a lot of them! I need to figure out how many pieces in this quilt because there are so many. I had a lot of fun making it, and decided to hand quilt it because according to the rules at last year's quilt show it was too large to be a miniature (or so I thought). According to the applications for this years show it just makes it as a miniature - yeah!! Anyway, the machine quilted category for wall-hangings is huge, but there were only a few hand quilted ones last year, so I thought by hand quilting it I would stand a better chance of winning a ribbon on it. Oh well! It won at the fair, so I hope it does well at the show in Sept. The one thing about the show is that the ribbons are awarded by public voting, so it's not always the best technical work that wins, but the most eye catching. I try to enter something in the miniatures every year - it's a small but competitive category! Plus, I just like to make them, so it gives me a good excuse to come up with yet another small quilt.


Monday, July 17, 2006

Finished project!

I've been on a quilting spree lately, and have finished the #2 of the Pick 4 Challenge early! I am very, very happy with the way it came out. It is very heavily quilted. I did a McTavishing technique in the strip sections and borders, then echo quilted in the butterfly fabrics. I washed it before binding it and it made a huge difference in the feel and look of the quilt. By washing it, I reduced the appearance of irregularity in my echo quilting, and it took the stiffness out of the machine quilting. I am soo excited to get this done, and am thinking of entering it in a couple of shows this year!


My main obstacle is getting good pictures, but I have a friend that owes me a big favor, so I think I may have to call that in.

Will add more close up pictures later, the first ones I shot didn't come out very well.

The next project I am doing is hand quilting the paper pieced lighthouse miniature. It's not easy, but I really want to enter it in the hand quilted category as the machine quilted category is so full that nothing really gets noticed.

It doesn't really need a lot of quilting, thank goodness - the piecing is really more of the beautry of this quilt and a lot of quilting would really detract from that.


Here's looking forward to another week of productive quilting!

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Lazy Days of Summer, yeah right!

So much for the lazy part of it anyway. Actually it hasn't felt much like summer around here weatherwise either! I guess I should count my blessings, a lot of people are suffering in the heat, but sometimes I get tired of having cold feet all the time. At least I'm not wearing my sweatshirt all day any more.

I have had so much to do lately that it's hard to keep up. I haven't blogged for a while, but  I have actually got some quilting done. (After sewing a lot of muslin curtains, that is!) I finished the first pick four challenge from quilt studio, so this is the grand unveiling of....
Morning Glory



I actually finished quilting this top over the course of three days. I had a false start - quilted four blocks, looked at the back and realized why it is a good idea to actually press the back. The center line had a tiny tuck in it. I hate taking out quilting, so I stuck it in the closet to decide whether or not I really wanted to take it out, or if I should just leave it in. There it sat for about two months, then I said to myself - it's not meant for a show quilt. It's a small tuck, just leave it in and get going on this, girl! So I did. I had no real plan for the quilting, just took each section as it came and made decisions on the fly - you know, lay it out on the floor, stare at it for a good 15 - 20 minutes, say - let's try this, and go for it! Actually great fun and I am really pleased with the results! Did some small stippling around the flowers in the center of the block: This quilt was from the book No Boundaries. Fun technique for using prints and letting them overflow from the confines of their pieces. I used clear mono to outline the edges as they are just fused down. I can't leave anything un-sewn it seems, just don't trust it to stay! This is the quilt, folded in half at the foot of my bed! It's really bright and cheerful.
I absolutely love how the back of this came out (despite the few small tucks - oh well!). I did some spirals to fill in an empty area, and to practice. My spirals usually leave a lot to be desired! The big flowers I saw in a magazine and thought it was a neat idea to make a really large flower. A nice large meander in the outside border finished it off nicely.




Of course, I had a challenge in figuring out what to bind it in. I always forget to get that in advance and end up struggling to find a solution. I used the darkest yellow to bind it in, and am pleased with that. I would have loved to use the blue polka dot, but it wasn't available. Maybe someday I'll learn and make sure to set the binding aside beforehand!

I am now working on the second challenge, and plan to have it done by the end of the month. Actually if it comes out well, I'd like to enter this in a couple of shows. It's a beautiful quilt. Not going to show you now, you'll have to wait til it's done!

Friday, May 05, 2006

Lost Again!

Who would have ever guessed that somehow I have two blogger accounts? I thought somehow that my blog had been erased, but I was trying to log in with the wrong account all along! Leave it to me to get lost on the internet! Now that I have it figured out I'll have to see if I can delete the other account. The really dumb thing is that both accounts had the same password - no wonder I was so confused!

I have been sewing and sewing lately, but not too much of the fun quilting stuff. I have made 10 cafe curtains out of muslin, with pinch pleats. Pretty boring, but it's an income, right?


I am also working on machine quilting a quilt for a lady from church. It's very pretty, but tedious work. I have the center done now, and the border left to do. I sure hope all the marking washes out all right, because it's really a pretty quilt. And I'm not doing a bad job at all with the quilting if I do say so myself. I like spreading it out after each session of quilting and see what it's looking like! The feathers are tons of fun, and the lines are really tedious with all the starts and sto-ps. I'm telling myself that the worst is over and I'm on the downhill side of the slope now! We'll see! I want to finish that next week, I think an hour of quilting a night ought to do the trick. I'll charge a bit more if I ever do one of these again, there were a lot more hours in it than I thought there would be when I took on this project. I couldn't resist, though, it really is a lovely quilt.

I have also been working on some piecing with random squares for another client. There is quite a bit to do, but I'm on a really good roll now and should have it done by the end of next week, also. I seem to have a lot of work in progress at the moment, I'll be glad when I get to the end of some of these jobs!!

I'm taking it easy today, catching up on some odds and ends and maybe reorganizing the sewing room a bit. I found a really good deal on a table last week, so it's really a jumble right now. But I do like my new table, I don't have to keep switchcng my machines around now, I can have both set up at once and sew away till I drop!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

9 to 5 (actually 10 to 6)

I really don't know how any woman can work full time and still keep up with house, family, bills... I worked two 8 hours days so far this week and I am wiped out! I need a day to recuperate already! Hats off to all you ladies who can do it all and still stay sane and healthy!!!

I finished a couple of big sewing jobs this weekend, so am feeling much less stressed. I have some pants to alter today, and some skirts to get started hemming. Then I can get around to the quilting stuff, guilt free. I pieced the back to the blue and yellow quilt, just need to get it basted - that's my goal for Friday. I'll bring it to work with me, and when it's quiet I can do that. One of the perks to working in a quilt shop! The really bad thing is I am working from my stash in April and yesterday we got in some absolutely wonderful florals. I am consoling myself with the thought that they will not be all gone by the end of the month and I can have some in May!

I have volunteered to be on the Committee for the 2007 raffle quilt for Sand N Sea. A group of us are getting together today to start throwing some ideas out there. It's a group of the old guard from the guild, so it should be fun. I had been contemplating heading up the committee, but someone else beat me to it which is great, because I have trouble heading up much of anything! I'm a much better worker bee than a queen bee (I was going to say something else, but decided it was possibly offensive!) So, this way I can have the fun of being part of it, but not have to be responsible. Ooh, maybe I can suggest that we use those new florals! Then I can play with them, but not have to actually buy them! And the romantic look is so in right now - this could be a really good plan (or plot as the case may be).

Stay tuned for further developments!!!

Friday, April 07, 2006

Working long hours this week!

While Sharan is out of town we are working long hours at the shop this week! It definitely supports my opinion that I would rather be an employee at a quilt shop than own one. Of course while she has been gone this week there have been several unusual and urgent matters that we have had to handle. All in all, though it is fun and challenging, it's just that I would not like to have to deal with these things every day. Next week I have three days of 10 - 6, so I will likely not get a whole lot of quilting done at home, but I have a shop sample to work on should it be slow at the shop. Actually my two days this week were pretty busy.

This is my pick four challenge. It doesn't really have a name yet, it's just the blue and yellow quilt I made from the No Boundaries book. It has some fusible applique on it - not easy to see, but some of the flowers flow out of the blocks onto the neighboring blocks. I want to do something different on the quilting, but I haven't really decided what I want to do yet. I have to piece the backing and layer it, so I'll be contemplating the quilting all the while! Which is usually how I approach the quilting portion. As I work on it, I'll try to remember to add more pictures. I don't want to do it in a hurry, I want to take my time and do something a little special with it.

I picked up a new book this week - Fabric Art Journals. It looks very inspiring and fun. I hope to have some time after next week to explore some of the ideas in this book. I think they could make very cool gifts for special people in my life! I'm thinking I'd like to do one for my friend Marvel who is having open heart surgery in two weeks. She is a really special lady, so say a prayer or two for her in the next couple of weeks.

I finished the quilt for my daughters school last week - spent quite a few hours on it, so I hope it does well at the auction. I forgot to take a picture of it before I handed it over, so I'll have to get one at the auction. There was some puckering in the top due to a very puffy batting, but once I washed the marker out of it you really couldn't tell. From now on, when I do something like this I will donate my own batting - then at least I know the quilting won't be such a pain!

Sunday, March 26, 2006

Home Alone (almost) and Strips and Curves Quilts

We had planned an excursion to Eugene today to shop for a car for our daughter, but unfornately little sister is not feeling up to par. So, I am staying home with the sickie while Perry and Catie go up to look at cars. I am airing out the upstairs since it's not horribly cold today, getting the laundry started, and plan to do some general cleaning. Then I can play a bit!
Hopefully if I can get some of the household chores done today it will free up my week to actually do some sewing. Of course that would mean I cannot spend too much time online fooling around!

I finished cutting out the batik quilt (Jewel of the Prairie) this week, and I have sewn 4 6" star blocks so far - they are so pretty! I wonder if people will think this quilt looks like my "style"? It's actually fairly traditional as far as the actual pattern goes, but this is my first foray into batiks, so I think it will throw people who think they know what kind of work I like to do. There is a ton of sewing in this one - the plan is to have it pieced by the end of May so that I can quilt it in June/July. I want to give myself plenty of time. I am also working on the Basket Row by Row for the shop. I skipped doing this one in Jan. because I was so busy, but I need to get caught up! I have all the pieces cut and the fusing done, so just need to buttonhole the handle and piece the baskets and that will be done.

Strips and Curves
! got a couple of samples back from the shop this month - both were from the book Strips and Curves. I made Walkabout first. We had just gotten in some really interesting Australian fabrics, so I challenged myself to put them together in a quilt. I really went all out with the machine quilting on this one. There are a lot of swirls, outlining of the flowers, wavy lines, you name it! I figured it was an experiment, and if it wasn't absolutely perfect that it really wasn't going to be a big deal. I used a YLI variegated thread called Mango which was the perfect color.


When I was done I had a good amount of left over "strata" from the strips, so picked a couple of different prints and made another quilt from the leftovers. This one I just called Ribbons. The pictures really don't do the fabrics justice, I think. I did a lot free-motion on this one also, outlining the flowers and quilting flowes into the reddish pieces that didn't have any. I still have some pieces of the strips left, and have been thinking of making those into little zippered bags, or even using them as the background for some fabric post cards.

I also got back the first top I made from the book. It is going to be a fabulous quilt. I used a gorgeous purple oriental with butterflies on it. When I was making it, and arranging the fabrics I was thinking of a shady little garden pond with butterflies and flowers, and that's exactly what the top looks like! So, that's another project to be quilted this summer! All I've been doing lately it seems is piecing, so I am anxious to get down to some serious quilting again. Hopefully I can get a lot done this week, so that will be a possibility!

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Fun sewing, and ideas for a new tv show!

I had a busy day yesterday, didn't get to do any quilting, but I got a lot of my other stuff done! So today I feel a lot less pressured and optomistic that I will eventually be caught up. I did go to an American Girls clothes making class and had fun. We made our girls a little flannel a-line skirt. Great fun! Forgot how much fun it is to make those fussy little things. Got a denim jacket all cut out and it will be hard to set it aside and forget about until next class. Maybe I'll make something else in the meantime and save that for class!

Got a box of sewing in the mail yesterday. Duvet cover and pillows. Fun! I enjoy doing those kinds of jobs - very straightforward, no hang-ups that require creative solutions, just sewing it together! Hopefully I can get it done and out next week. Makes me look good!

Stayed up to watch the Amazing Race last night. Wish I was brave enough to apply - I always think I could definitely win, seems like the teams always are making bad choices and I know I wouldn't (yeah, right!) Can you see it - me, bargaining with various people to give me their shirt, sari, etc. so I could make a memory quilt of my journey? The question is, who would I pick to go with me? Would have to me someone who could deal with heights and drive fearlessly! But I just had a terrible thought. If I were to go I wouldn't be able to do any quilting for several weeks. Maybe I could pack a very lightweight sewing machine and some Dear Jane Blocks and quilt during the pit stops - maybe that's why we haven't seen any quilters on this show. How about an all-quilters version and the participants would all have to do quilting related challenges? Then at the end, the team who finishes their quilt first wins the prize! Ok, I'm getting silly here, time to get busy with the day!

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Long time, no blog!

I cannot believe it's been over a month since I've been on here! Life gets busy I suppose, and I've been in over my head lately! I still have a ton of stuff to do, but today is my day off and I intend to catch up on some of the things I want to do before I start on my have to do list. (Actually I hemmed three pair of pants that were have to do already today, so I suppose I am golden!)

What have I been working on this month? Some samples for the quilt shop, of course. One that I didn't get a picture of yet, but I think I'll get it at the shop. It's hanging in the window, looking very pretty. I am working on a sample which will also be a pattern. A very lovely yellow and blue basket quilt. It's been an experience trying to put into words the things I just know how to do without thinking. Trying to explain how to line up a square in a square block in words - plus the figuring out of all the math - setting triangles with sashings, getting it all to come out so it is easily understood by someone with little to no experience. What a challenge! Really gets the old brain cells to wake up.

I have also accumulated the 55 batik fat quarters for a quilt I want to make, so I couldn't wait to start on that! I have spent about 3 hours so far just cutting out the light pieces - still need to do the darks. My goal is to get this one done for the fair this year. For now it will be my Thursday quilting group project, as time gets closer I'm sure I'll have to step it up and work on it more, but at least I'm dedicating 3 hours a week to work on it for now.

I've really been pondering the idea of publishing patterns lately. I'm wondering if all the work involved is really a profitable endeavor. I suppose if you come up with something that's popular and sells well for a long time it could be worth it. I'm just dabbling right now, for my own benefit. I'm not sure where I really want to go in my quilting life. I've done some teaching this year, and enjoy that pretty well, but what I really like best is the creating. Not even necessarily creating something original, but the act of cutting and sewing and actually bringing to life the quilt. I do like the drafting and figuring and deciding on fabric stages also. I think that there is something I can do that will involve all these things that will also challenge me and keep me from the poorhouse! Because in the end, at this point, making some kind of a profit from this is also important to me. To this end I am listing some of my quilts on Etsy. So I hope to realize some profit from that. At least the price is right! And I'll make room in my house for more quilts! When I have time, I'll get some more quilts up, heaven knows I have plenty.

Housework is calling, so I'd better answer - lots to do and little time to do it all!

Monday, February 06, 2006

Productive Weekend!

I feel like I had a very busy and productive week-end. I finished quilting the Ruby Tulips quilt for the shop, and it came out beautifully. It's a very striking quilt - I may have to keep this one when it's done being on display. I did not really like the pattern because the instructions weren't particularly helpful, especially the ones for cutting the scalloped border. Mine ended up being different from the pattern because I got tired of trying to figure out the instructions and "winged" it, then realized that I spaced them wrong after doing the cutting. But the end result was very nice and I like it.


I also finished this small portrait piece. It is something I've had on the back burner for a while. It was fun to get it done. I did not like the way the fusible quilted, my machine did not like it much at all, I broke my thread several times. Next time I'll try a different needle and see if that helps. I actually liked the back better that the front, but then again, I am a piecer at heart. I do want to try new things, though, so I will keep experimenting! This one is before adding the decorative thread to the front. I'm not so sure I like it, but it does look rather rainy which was the whole point of it.

The quilting started out at the top with some swirls to represent the wind, but then I ended up doing more of a McTavishing towards the bottom, which I really liked a lot better. Anyway, done is a good thing, so now I don't have to feel guilty about another project that I've started and not finished! I'm all about finishing projects this month - enough tops already, I need to finish some quilts.

Back Art

Friday, February 03, 2006

Back to Dear Jane


I had intended to spend the afternoon yesterday at Cheryl's basting a couple of quilts, but at the last minute decided to get out the old Dear Jane project (which I have not even touched in a year) . For those of you who are wondering "what in the world is Dear Jane", Dear Jane is a book featuring drawings from a civil war era quilt. Said quilt is made up of 4.5" quilt blocks. 13 rows of 4.5" quilt blocks with 13 blocks each. Definitely a life-time project for those of us who get distracted easily. When I purchased the book, I had a fantasy of completing the quilt in one year. After a dozen or so blocks, that fantasy was over! I actually have all of row 1 done, most of row 2, and some of the easier blocks from the middle done. Anyway, to get back on track, I completed 3 blocks yesterday and started a third. It was fun! So, I am back to working on it, which was one of my New Year's Resolutions anyway. My quilt will be all blue and white. I'm sure it will be stunning whenever I get it finished!

I did come home and baste the two quilts I want to finish this weekend, so it was a very productive day, and I am looking forward to machine quilting this weekend. I am hoping february will be not as busy as January was! I would like more time to play and less time doing things that I have to do. Enough said, I am off to do the "have to" for the day, and the play will come later!

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Busy, busy, busy

It seems as though I have been running from dawn way past dusk all through January! I am hoping that February might slow down a little. Working at the quilt store has been a marvelous thing, but I am still amazed how much 10 hours a week makes a difference as far as getting things done around the house. It seems that I am always behind on the dishes, the laundry and the cleaning. And how will I ever get the downstairs painted if i don't even have time to run the vacuum? I need to get a better time management thing going on! I have really cut the amount of time I spend on-line (and on spider solitaire!), but I still haven't seen much progress in getting other things done.

Thursdays are "me" days. I have bible study in the morning, then in the afternoon I go to quilt at Cheryl's house. Today I am bringing three quilts to baste for machine quilting. I did not finish the project for January, so that is first priority this week. Not the most fun, basting, but wonderful when it is finished and Cheryl has a wonderful big living room that I can baste in! Off to the races, don't want to be late.

Thursday, January 26, 2006

Time Flies...





It's been a busy couple of weeks, but I got the memory quilt project finished, delivered and collected my pay for. Now I am concentrating on samples for the quilt shop. I finished this one last week. It was a very quick and easy project, and has been popular - sold lots of fabric so far with this one! I think it's prettier in real life, but most quilts are. I really enjoy doing a quick and easy project, especially after one of those tear your hair out projects. I am currently working on one of those. The instructions for the current project weren't the best, and it's a lot of picky work, but I do think it will be worth the effort in the end.









This is the very dark and forboding sky last week. We have had so much rain - it really makes me glad we live at the top of a nice , solid hill. There was a lot of wind and rain last night, and we are supposed to get more of the same today. A good day for sewing, but unfortunately I have other obligations, as much as I would like to stay home and have fun. Maybe tonight I can sew!



This is our Miss Cat. I caught her and her brother snug as can be sleeping in forbidden territory - my bedroom! Of course, they were being so cute that I got my camera to take some pictures before I kicked them out. I'm challenging myself to take more pictures now that I have the digital camera, so I suppose the cats better get used to me stalking them. I think she's a gorgeous kitty, and she definitely has the siameses temperament along with those looks. She's quite the huntress, always stalking small scraps of paper and snips of fabric. She has beautiful blue eyes and a very comical half of a tail ending in a lightening bolt zig-zag. She can be quite a nuisance at times - she loves to help my type on the keyboard, and if she gets a chance will sit on the most current quilting project on my table. Her name is Missy, but she gets called lots of other things like prissy - my favorite is Miss Cat.

Enough blabber, got to get ready for my day, and hopefully to get some sewing done tonight!



Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Rain, rain go away!

Well, it's another downpour here today. A good day to stay inside and quilt! I made a lot of progress on the memory quilts over the weekend. I actually have four of them ready for quilting, and most of the fifth is cut out. I will be so glad to get this project over with. It's been over a year and has caused me a lot of guilt for not getting going on it earlier. I am just stitching these in the ditch. Not fun as the sweaters are rather thick and bulky. Not my best work, but for the materials I had to work with they are all right. Hey, adding a picture is not that hard! The worst part is remembering where I put it on the computer! Really need to organize those files and folder, too.



I finished the storm at sea paper piecing also, and now I need to figure out how to get the pictures to go where I want them to. Oh, well. It took me a while to fix those 6 little mistakes, but I am very glad to have it done now. I plan on hand quilting it and entering it in the local guild show this year.
Off to the sewing room to do some more on the memory quilts. The goal of today is to quilt two of them and piece the fifth. I would love to have these all done by the end of the week, but I have to work a couple days and teach a bible study, so I may not get that far, but I have made great progress.


Friday, January 06, 2006

My First Blog Post - The Lion, The Seam Ripper, and the Sewing Room

This is an experiment for me- I don't know if people are so interested in my thoughts and what projects I am working on, but I am challenging myself to get out of my comfort zone and do new things this year. The main things I plan to share about are the creative processes of my quilting. I got a new digital camera, so I plan on sharing pictures along the way once I figure things out!

I have a free day today so after fooling around on the computer for a bit it's off to my sewing room. I have had my sewing room for only a few months now and I am loving it! One of the perks of our nest being closer to empty. I really was shocked that I still can't fit all my stuff in one room, but at least I can find what I'm looking for now in a reasonable amount of time. I still have a twin bed in there in deference to my daughter - (she's still in shock that it changed so quickly), but eventually there will be another sewing table in place of that.

Sewing plans for today - work on small art piece. Cut out 6.5" squares of clothing for a memory quilt project for someone. Maybe redo some of the paper pieced squares of a miniature lighthouse project. As I was sewing the squares together I found about 6 or 7 mistakes (imagine that!). Contrary to popular notion I am not perfect, nor does every project go together perfectly! I am just picky and get it right eventually!

I have a funny story of a project that really was a challenge! Early in December I was contacted regarding making costumes for a play. I agreed, but with other commitments was unable to start the project until almost Christmas. One of the costumes is a lion. Not just any lion, but Azlan - so it has to look right, no cheesy looking lions allowed. I cannot find appropriate materials for a lions mane. The wearer of the costume has an inspiration and calls a taxidermist. No, he cannot come up with any lion fur, but he has a bear skin he would be glad to donate to the cause.

In a moment of temporary insanity I agree to work with the bear skin. I suppose I was hoping it would be a brown bear skin and not look too bad. Well, it was a black bear. Very black. No, that's not going to work, maybe we can dye it. After an unsuccessful e-search I decided that regular hair dye was the way to go. So, I sewed the hood together first. It really wasn't too bad to sew, just butted up the edges and zig-zagged them together. But it's really heavy and bulky. Plus, there is now bear fur all over me, the floor, the table, and everything else. It smells a little funny, but not too bad.

Now comes the dying part - I unsuccessfully tried to dodge that part, but couldn't find a volunteer hair dresser to help me out (imagine that). Up to the tub go me and the bear fur. 2 boxes of dye later it's starting to turn dark brown. I dry it with a hair dryer, but it's still way too dark. I tried another box and it looks a bit better, but it is still really dark, and I am done. This is just way too hard, and I do not want to go any further. Plus that by now the skin is drenched, too and it is twice as heavy as it was before. So I drape the thing over a laundry basket and set it out to dry. It doesn't help a bit that it is pouring down rain and the humidity is so high!

The wearer of the skin took it with him, and he dyed it next. 2 more boxes of die later, it's quite a bit lighter, though still not great, but we are both done with dying now! Needless to say, I was quite relieved when the project was finished and picked up on Wednesday! I'm curious to hear people's comments when they see the play. I will continue to volunteer to sew for the local productions, but no more animals - I'm sticking with real clothing pieces!  As you can see, it doesn't look too bad, and the play was successful.