Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Happy New Year (what else?)
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Another Rescued Project
As you know, I have a hard time resisting something for free. It's hard to turn someone down when they want to give you something for nothing - but I am learning! But this particular project was before those days, and it is one of many partially done projects that I am determined to finish, even if they didn't start in my own sewing room.
I had a set of six finished blocks, and a couple small pieces of yardage with a few strips thrown in for good measure. I decided the blocks just needed a simple setting with sashing, then bordered with the same brown. There was just enough of the yellow to make the binding. The leftover strips were enough to make hanging tags which I thought looked quite nice.
I thought all the hand-painted faces on the kitties were adorable, and I love that hungry looking one looking down at the mouse!
The bells were also on the package, so I added them with a touch of blue embroidery floss tied with a little bow. A couple of the cats had ears that were pressed down, but I pressed them back up because I liked them better that way. All in all a very cute quilt, and better a finished quilt than a baggie of bits and pieces!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Oh, Christmas Tree...Take 2
I was puttering around in the sewing room yesterday morning, then walked into the living room only to find to my total disgust and horror that my beautiful Christmas tree was laying on the floor, ornaments scattered all around and the angel topper laying in disarray above the mess.
So I got to spend the next few hours disassembling our tree, repairing the stand, reassembling the tree and then decorating it....again. We attached the tree to two walls with fishing line, hoping to discourage a third incident. (Been there, done that before!) Despite it all, the tree looks lovely, my angel still works, and all is well. Plus I have strategically placed a basket to prevent the dog from going behind the tree. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we'll survive for another couple of weeks!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Talk about a long term project...
The outer border gave me the most trouble, mostly because the pattern in the book had a very cool continuous line leaf pattern that I really wanted to use, but I had already layered the quilt. So, I ended up biting the bullet and making a stencil for the pattern. It took me longer to make the stencil and do the marking than it did to do the quilting, but it was well worth the effort. I used my heat tool with a stencil tip, but wasn't too thrilled with how it worked. There were a lot of burned plastic lumps left on the template and it chewed up my blue pen something awful. But I did get the results I wanted and I suppose in the end that is what was most important. Next time I'll use my light table and mark before I baste! In the black border with holly leaves I free motioned my own holly leaf design which really worked out well! I used a gold toned thread after using a metallic in the center and not being impressed with that. The non metallic gold tone looks just as good.
All in all a job well done, if not a timely job. I am happy with the quilt and it's beautiful hanging over the mantle! Now it's on to other quilts that are begging to be finished, one of which will be the strip robin. It needs to be hung in my husbands office!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Why Should You Buy a Handmade Quilt?
Reason No.. 1: Because you LOVE it! To me, this is one of the best reasons, though there is no quantifying or qualifying it. It's like meeting the man of your dreams, or finding a Bosom Friend - you just know it. Something in that quilt touches something in your soul and you have to have it.
Reason No. 2: A handmade quilt is one of a kind, and you will never find another just like it. At least in the case of the quilts I have made, you are highly unlikely to find one just like it. Two quilters can use the same pattern and the same fabric and come up with two very different quilts! Some of my quilts are made as shop samples, and if I have made it with the fabrics it was made for you may be able to find another one, but for the most case they are one of a kind quilts. I work a lot from my stash, so there may be fabrics used together that you won't find anywhere else.
Reason No. 3: A handmade quilt will endure. I have made each of my children a bed sized quilt for their first big bed - at the age of 2. With one exception every one of these quilts endured throughout their childhood all the way through high school. The exception was a quilt I made with 99 cent a yard fabric, and it wore out much faster. Each of these quilts were used daily, washed when needed (and you know how it is with kids!) and generally treated with little respect. When two of my daughters were in high school they wanted to buy one of those bed in a bag sets you can get for less than $100. Neither one of these lasted more than a year.
I have a quilt that I made 18 years ago for my bed. It is a special quilt, hand quilted and has lots of hours of labor in it. I have used it regurlarly for about 4 months out of the year, washing it at the end of each use. It still looks almost new, and I know that eventually I will be able to hand it down to one of my girls as an heirloom. Yes, you can buy a quilt for around $100.00 at any department store. But how long will it last? I can tell you that I have made a good amount of money repairing these inexpensive quilts, and they are no bargain - you will get a year or two out of them and a few washings, but that's about it.
Reason No. 4: You are supporting an artist, not a factory. By buying handmade, your money actually goes to the person who is doing the work, not a CEO or the Chairmen, or a bunch of stock-holders. You are helping someone support their family and a way of life that is getting lost in this busy world. A quilt takes time and thought. It comes from the heart and imagination of the quilter. There is love in this process, and the world needs more love!
Reason No. 5: Quilts keep you warm! There is nothing better than snuggling under a warm quilt with a hot cup of tea and a book on a chilly day - and you can turn the heat down and save a little money on your heating bill, too.
Reason No. 6: Quilts are wonderful decorating accents. Ask an Interior Designer - a beautiful quilt can make a room! Whether it's hung on a wall as art, or draped over a chair as an accent piece, the right quilt can make your room a beautiful place to live.
I can probably come up with a lot more, but these are the ones that come to my mind right now. I don't think any home is complete without a quilt or two (or a dozen!) but of course, that's my passion. I do know that the expense of a handmade quilt is small for the value you will receive when buying it. There are times when buying on the cheap is good, but just like in clothing, if you spend a little more on quality, you will get a lot more for your money in the long run!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Day by Day
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Holiday Ball
Isn't it lovely? I really like the simplicity of it, enhanced by the lovely array of beautiful fabrics. I wonder where she got all the fabrics? Leftovers from clothing, traded with friends, purchased with the intent of making a quilt? What did she think about while she sewed it all together, was it an enjoyable escape, or a project she wanted to get finished? I'm sure as a quilter I look at it much differently than a non quilter would. I can imagine her deciding on the placement of the diamonds, fussing over whether the reds are too close together, or if that dark patch looks right in that spot. Running her hands over the top, gathering the memories behind the fabrics and enjoying the feel of the quilting. Feeling accomplished that she has created this thing of beauty out of bits and pieces.
I will probably read her books with different eyes now!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
What Can I Say
I have been remiss in my blogging, but for some reason I just haven't felt like I've had anything to say. There has been a lot going on, but not too much of it having to do with quilting, which is what I like to write about. I've been working on a couple of projects for myself, which is nice. I made this beautiful quilted journal for my Etsy notebook. I knew I wanted to make it Orange for Etsy, so I used the leftover fabrics from Dancing Fans to make smaller log cabin blocks like in the quilt. It came out wonderfully, and I am enjoying using it!
I am also working on a new winter quilt (technically it will be a comforter) for my bed. I am going to use two layers of fluffy poly batting and tie it with embroidery floss. I am using a light brown sheet for the back. I discovered that I had accidentally purchased a fitted sheet, so had to make a special trip to exchange it for a flat one! Anyway, the top is done so now I just have to layer and tie it. I may layer it tomorrow, it would be nice to have done this weekend because next week I go to have my gall bladder "sucked out" as my daughter puts it!I have quite a few loose ends to tie up in the next few days, but I hope to make a return to more regular blogging as I recuperate. Hopefully I won't be out of my sewing room for too long, but I think a break will be a good thing for me. I'm looking forward to being a little lazy and reading some books and playing video games without feeling guilty!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Shop Samples
This is the paper lantern sample I made from a pattern. Isn't that orange geisha next to it wonderful? It is from a series of four different ones. Very dramatic, and lovely.
This is the dancing fans quilt that I made last year - I'll be taking it home soon and adding it to my Etsy shop! It is a beauty, so I'm thinking it will have a new home very quickly. I'm not much on orange, but this quilt is so attractive that it almost makes me wish that it would look nice in my house (unfortunately it would look very out of place in my country house!).
And the final picture today is of one of my original design, All Seasons Basket. The blue and yellow is a spring version and the Brown is the fall one. I'm currently working on a very elegant looking Chrismas version with a fabric featuring partridges in pear trees! It will be very lovely. I have many patterns printed up of this quilt, so I just need to get to get busy selling it- one of the to do list of things I have that's about a mile long. It's been selling nicely at the shop here, so I think it's a winner! My next pattern I'm working on is for my quilted journal covers. Just needs some tightening up and I'll have that one ready to market.
I really enjoy working at the shop, it's a great outlet for me, and Sharan has been such an encouragement in my life. I appreciate her so much for all she's done for me. I have learned so much from working there, not to mention developing a taste for the wonderful fabrics that we have! It's a wonderful thing to have a job that is enjoyable, challenging and fun, and I am truly thankful that I am so blessed.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Complete Joy!
Monday, October 06, 2008
Inspiration
Friday, October 03, 2008
Climbing The Wall
We began with greeting the ladies in our bathrobes, which was great fun and inspired ladies to dress down and relax. Our speaker was wonderful - Mary Ann Zimmerman spoke to us about the Road Signs of Life, so we decorated the chapel with road signs on loan from the Dept of Transportation! The first night we made flip flop bags to put on the beds secretly while everyone was at chapel - notepads, erasers, key tags, all in the shap of flip-flops. Very fun! The second night we had silk rose petals strewn on our beds with a pampering bag of goodies to enjoy. Then, as the ladies left they were treated to goodie bags with avon products. I'm sure they all left refreshed and feeling very much cared about, which was our goal.
On to the main point of my story. At our retreat center there is a large gym with a climbing wall at the back of it. During free time in the afternoon on Saturday, they open this up for anyone who is brave enough to attempt to climb. This has been a very popular activity, usually a line of people waiting to try it, thinking of trying it, or just watching. Every year I say - next year maybe I will try that, it looks like fun - kind of! Several years ago I was inspired by an older member of our church who tried it. She said that as long as an activity was not against scripture, and it looked like fun, that she would try it.
This year my youngest daughter got to come for the first time and her next oldest sister came down from Portland to join us. I love spending time with my girls! Well, they both decided they wanted to climb the wall, and I said, well, maybe this year I will try it. By lunch time time they wore me down enough to say, I think I will try it. Right before they opened up the wall, there was a game started in the dining room, and I though, well, maybe I will just stay here, and not have to do this hard, scary thing after all (major cold feet!) It didn't work, they came in and grabbed me and in their sweet way, forced me to get in line to climb! I was hoping that time would run out, but eventually it was my turn to step into the harness - my hands were sweaty and knees shaking before I even stepped up to try!
I was hooked up to the line, then one step after another up I went. I gave myself permission to quit when it got too scary or I got too tired, but the cheers of my friends and my daughters below urged me on. I had to stop a couple of times to regroup. But up, up, up, I went until I was able to Ring the bell at the very top and was gently lowered down. What an experience! It made me feel very empowered, but most of all it made me realize how important it is to encourage others. If it wasn't for the encouragement I got, I would not have even tried. Or I would have tried, but quit partway up. And my gratitude for the man at the other end of the rope. He had a tight grip on me, and was not going to let me fall. When I was tired I was able to lean on the rope and rest. In my everyday life, God is the man on the other end of my rope. He is there to balance and support me. I feel like I have to climb the wall of life on my own power, but the truth is that He is there supporting me all the time. And He is also my encourager, whispering, go ahead, keep pushing, you can do this. And my friends, my family are all there, too, urging me on every step of the way. I can't express in mere words how this makes me feel - confident, less worried, more hopeful. Anyway, it was a great retreat, and just that afternoon makes it all worth while!
Not to mention the sale at the quilt shop we visited - 20 Fat Quarters for $20.00! That was a great bonus, and was another great highlight of my weekend!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Sea of Quilts 2008
This is a close up of the wonderful quilting, close stippling and a feather wreath that looks like trapunto.This is one of my favorites - Christmas pickle! It's a beautiful quilt all done in batiks. It was professionally quilted, but the piecing is what stood out on this quilt.
Last, but not least, this is the cute pincushion that I am teaching as a free class at the quilt shop on Oct. 11. I made several samples and this one will be given as a door prize at the Quiltsy Trunk Show tomorrow night. Look for Quiltsy Trunk Show and click on the link to take you into the room. Not sure if you have to be a registered buyer on Etsy, so it would probably be a good idea to join first. You can find the shops that are participating by searching for sewso under tags and titles. Good luck, and hopefully we'll see you there tomorrow afternoon/evening!
Friday, September 19, 2008
Setting up the Quilt Show
We hang sheets to back the quilts, then the quilts go up! There are some beautiful quilts this year! Tomorrow there will be public voting, then on Sunday the ribbons will go up! I'm excited to see who wins - I didn't enter anything this year, so at least I don't have to be wondering if it's me!
There's also a great vendors area, so I'll take some pictures of that tomorrow, too. It's all part of the big Fun Festival that the town puts on every year. Fun for everyone!
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Messy or Creative?
Ironing board, and notions area. Not too bad, I worked on that over the weekend. There is a stack of magazines on the dresser that needs to be sorted and put away, or at least moved to another area! The balloon sculpture is from a clown that I recently did some sewing for. I suppose I ought to take a picture of it and then give it to someone. It is already starting to get floppy and not as cute as it was! In the back corner is my strip bucket which is absolutely overflowing. Time to start some string blocks to make some more quilts from.
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Back Talk
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Not just Another Day at the Races!
On the way to Portland we got slowed down by a fire near Albany, but we did make it up to our motel and had a good nights sleep. We met Mark, Jo and Asher (what a cutie!) for breakfast, but I wasn't impressed with the food and think we need to find another breakfast spot! We picked up Tracy, and actually made it up to Auburn, home of Emerald Downs, with no problems, then headed over to see how McLaren was. After that we headed over to the motel, and had to make a hard decision. We ended up scratching McLaren from the race as we were concerned about him being fit to run that night. It was a tough thing, and it was hard to go and see the other horses run, and see our boys name in the program and hear it announced, but not get to see him compete.
We made it through the evening, and of course none of the horses we wagered on won (until the last race, when Tracy had a winner!). What a big disappointment! But in the long run, you really have to look out for the welfare of your horse, and that is what is most important of all. We hope to be able to enter him in a race next weekend, but I won't be able to go because I am joining my fellow OCEAN team members in manning our first booth at the Blackberry Festival! I'm looking forward to a good time doing that, and will hopefully take my mind off the race and not be nervous about it!
On to the last straw for the trip. On the way home we were caught in a massive traffic jam on I-5 due to an RV fire which sparked a 20 acre brush fire! We were stuck on the highway in 95 degree heat for over two hours, which slammed us right into rush hour going home through Portland. A 7-8 hour drive took us over 11 hours! An exhausting trip, with no gains for us, but we are home and that is great. Now I'm looking forward to a productive week of sewing, and hopefully a little more blogging! More quilting news to follow!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
County Fair Results!
I didn't get to see the exhibit, so I'm not sure how much competition there actually was, I am in the professional division, but I look at it as less competition (of a higher level!) We all know each other, so it's fun - especially trying your hand at something you know someone else is fabulous at!
Then I entered an assorment of smaller items. The Eiffel Tower Journal Cover got a red ribbon, and my quilted postcard got a red ribbon. The rest were all blue, including my two miniatures! The yellow and blue miniature I finished the morning that the fair items were picked up. The scalloped binding was a last minute decision and not as well done as I would like it to have been, but it still qualified for the blue ribbon so I am happy.
It was a pattern from a Miniature Quilts magazine, but I made it in different colors. I love the blue and yellow combination, so bright and cheery. I ran out of fabric for the border, but had one in my stash that I loved, but didn't want to use. So I ended up running to the fabric store to look for more, and found the same thing, plus the cheery fabric I used for the back. I am going to make myself a quilters wallet out of the border fabric that I have left now!
Saving the best for last, the happiest thing I got from the fair is a commission to quilt one of the loveliest vintage grandmothers flower garden quits I have ever seen! It is a fabulous quilt and I know that not everyone is as thrilled as I am about getting to handquilt something like this, but it is such a wonderful quilt!Yes, that is a quarter in the center of the flower! Each of the flower petals has a design from the fabric centered on it, and the green path around the flowers makes the whole quilt beautifully straight, not slightly skewed like most of these are. I think there is a special name for this variation, if you know what it's called let me know. It is in pristine shape, not a spot on it. I am so honored to be able to put my stitches in this quilt, I cannot even tell you! What a joy this will be!