Grendelskin

Even More Starry Eyed

2012-01-28T19:37:00.000-05:00

OK, take a deep breath and hold on tight, here are a few pics from today's "Total Eclipse" class! Jackie has been a terrific instructor, offering her humor and gentle guidance along with effective teaching of Judy Niemeyer's techniques, her own killer tips and lots of cheering.

Sharon had hers all ready to lay out!

Most of us hadn't gotten that far! But they are all just gorgeous, every combination working a different kind of magic.

Elisa is the only one in the class using regular prints instead of batiks - Wowee-wow-wow, they're fabulous!

Rita's got a gradation groove going here:

Process: laying out the frames

And filling in with color. This woman has a serious eye, don't you agree? It's like the depths of the forest in May:

Barb was so pleased with this block - ALL of her blocks are going to be fabulous! Keep an eye on her blog, this lady has some terrific and varied interests! That's Jackie's version in the background, if you're a regular reader of her blog you've seen it before.

Maria works on her layout:

Outstanding progress!

SO beautiful ... Sigh...

How are my own blocks coming, you ask? Well, I'm probably about in the middle of the group as far as production is concerned, but here's not not-quite-final-but-nearly-there layout:

Hope you enjoyed the eye candy! This was a fabulous class, hope you enjoyed the bits I could share. Hopefully Jackie will be teaching more classes soon - BTW she has a tutorial on foundation paper piecing on her blog today if you want to give it a try, it's fun!

Starry-Eyed

2012-01-15T10:36:00.002-05:00

Owow, I had my second class on Judy Niemeyer's "Total Eclipse" quilt yesterday and everyone's stars are amazing! Each and every one has its own fantastic appeal! Jackie seems to be having a good time teaching us and it's easy to see why - the class members are all good folks and the class results are so striking! See what I mean?

I wanted to point out that there is one member of the class making hers with regular prints instead of batiks; I think Elisa's end result will be just as beautiful as the others'!!

My first completed block. A little wonky, but that's a genuine curve and it's a new technique for sewing it. Hopefully they will get better as I make more over the next two weeks; I'll let you know.

I Made a Circle!

2012-01-07T20:42:00.001-05:00

Today I went to the first of three classes on Judy Niemeyer's "Total Eclipse" pattern. My first time foundation paper piecing. Totally cool. It takes a lot of tools and a lot of room, messy if you're that kind of worker (I am!), results in some fabric waste, and wow-wow-wow, delivers impressive results! Look at those pointy points!

Most of you already know, or know of, Jackie Kunkel; she's our instructor, and I can tell you right now she's just as kind and funny and clever as she is in her online persona. She's also fond of the occasional killer sale; keep your eyes peeled and you'll be amply rewarded!

LOTS of homework - there are a whole lot more quadrants to make before next week's class - but I couldn't help but share this. I'm totally chuffed, I want to give this picture to my Mom and see it posted on her fridge! Lookie what I made!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T11:45:00.000-05:00

I hope your year goes well, with the ups higher than the downs are low, with dreams fulfilled and warm, loving people surrounding you.

2011 wrapup:

Clamshells: mostly unchanged since my last update - shameful. Will get back into it once my Clammy Mojo returns!

Hexagons: Some progress this year - 3 completed "flowers," one mostly done, 3 to go. It's more work than it appears at first - that last round on each finished flower is 60 hexies!

And this year's "stock" handmade ornament - from Sarah's tutorial last year. Note to self: stop agonizing, pick ONE pattern, and start earlier next year! These were given out as fast as I could finish them. They are very lovely but take lots of time, so start in September or October if you want to make these in bulk! I made several more that did not get photographed but you get the idea ...

I already have several Must-Do's for 2012 but am going to make an effort to be more restrained about leaping into every online quiltalong just because I adore the outcome. I need to finish some of my ever-growing stack of UFOs, many of which are the direct result of the aforementioned weakness!

Having said all that, I'm enrolled to take a class with Jackie to make Judy Niemeyer's Total Eclipse quilt, and I'm totally stoked! Thanks Hubby, what a wonderful present - it's a wise man who buys his wife the exact gift she suggests. I'm drooling over batik-y goodness and dreamily visualizing the outcome. Hope you have something yummy to dream about as we start yet another year.

Bus Driver, Bus Driver, Open the Door!

2011-12-22T14:17:00.001-05:00

Remember when you thought that was the funniest joke in the whole world? OK, I'll confess, I still think it's funny.

I don't usually "do" for the kids' teachers anymore, but when I did I always did a little something for their bus drivers too; they are brave and hardy souls indeed! Now that the girlchild is in high school and the boychild in junior high there seems to be less call anymore. But the girlchild's bus driver is a special exception: the girlchild goes to the regional technical school, so her driver goes through six towns on her daily route, starting at about 5:30 a.m.!

Naturally she has to open the door. A lot. Even in February. I presume she's always freezing since she keeps an old comforter folded atop her lap every day - I think it has Care Bears on it. So several weeks back I set out to make something to make her drive a little more comfortable.
I present The Driver's Apron:

A simple apron made of warm quilty goodness! LONG ties to go all the way round and back again, with loops in front for added strength. I tried to find a size that would cover her lap without flapping over, getting caught in the gear shift or otherwise hindering her, keeping in mind that I don't really know her size since she's always seated and covered with a comforter! It measures about 28 inches square.

I recruited my adorable neighbor Courtney to help me show you the apron. Here she is, in her very first modelling job!
It's easy to put the apron on:

And, since she has a better vehicle than I do for approximating the high seat of a bus, here it is In Action:

[I love the tractor covered with Christmas lights, it looks terrific in the evenings!]

I hope the bus driver likes it; I hope you do, too. It's a great stashbuster and way better all around than a bearskin!

A Cold Tip and a Win

2011-12-13T11:43:00.002-05:00

A Cold Tip:
I don't know where I first got this tip but I've used it for years - it'd be a Hot Tip if it wasn't December. Now, ordinarily I share few photos of my home, and I would be horrified if any of you actually *saw* my downstairs bath - aka the Skanky Bath or the 30-Year Bath (as in, the 10 Year Plan is starting to look a lot like a 30 Year Plan!). BUT:

When you bring your holiday wreath home, fill the tub with cold water and let it soak overnight. Like so:
(ain't it purty? It's almost a heart wreath!)

In the morning, drain the tub and let the wreath sit a few hours to dry, decorate with extras if that's your pleasure, and hang. I've gotten wreaths as early as December 1 and taken them down as late as the end of January, and I have never once had a wreath drop needles or turn brown on me. If I could figure out a way to soak the whole tree overnight I'd give that a shot too!

A Win:
Chris from We Love Quilting sent me a great box of goodies! She does a monthly giveaway on her blog and I was the December winner! Look at all this cheer! There are notions and fabric and a magazine and a honking huge quilty bag and notebooks and cards and embroidery transfers and a Kanzashi flower maker and a very cool beaded spider.

The beaded spider looks just perfect with the glass flowers hubby made me. One of my offspring tried to abscond with the spider but I stood firm - this time. In this house spiders are my gig; they can take the zombies and steampunk gears and other good stuff, but spiders are mine.

Thanks so much Chris!

We Are Not Alone

2011-11-27T10:51:00.001-05:00

...even when it feels like we are. Even when you can hear no sound of the highway or airplanes or the rumble of semis (or the steam train whistle, a sound that's heard regularly here and which I find deeply evocative). Humans are just about everywhere.

Here's where we went yesterday. I love these markers; I don't recall why I started taking photos of them but it's become a habit. I guess the Geodetic Survey is complete and they don't do it anymore, but we've seen the markers nearly everywhere we've gone in the U.S. The one in Provincetown at the Pilgrim Monument almost got paved over and some thoughtful soul scraped the asphalt away from it; I wonder how many have been buried?

The day turned out gorgeous, sunny and unseasonably warm; so I took the boychild, a friend of his, and the dog for a walk. There were loads of dogs there, and Cooper behaved far better than he ever did in Obedience class! He's growing up fast (and BIG!):

Walking with him is exercise: no thoughtful strolling is allowed, every nook and cranny must be rushed to and explored in full. We've been walking every morning and evening since I got him and although I haven't lost much weight, things are ... shifting in the right direction so we're good.

Signs of Human Intervention:
Primitive? Yes, it looks almost like petroglyphs! Vandalism? Yes. Art? Sure it is.

Really, how upset can you get when the graffiti is this much fun? We have a lot of painted boulders around here, and most of the time I think they're cool. This one is VERY cool.

And sooner or later, my mind always finds quilty inspiration.

I also spent the weekend reading Stephen King's new book, "11/22/63." [Note: Any time you see a reference to reading a new King book, you can presume several things: the dirty dishes are piling up and the laundry is unfolded, I've not slept enough, the kids and spouse are rolling their eyes because I'm Off Elsewhere and it takes several attempts to reach me, and most time away from the book is given only grudgingly until that first read is completed.] King gives several nods to the private domain he's built (see my earlier post on Faulkner), adds a fair amount to that domain, and builds a Really Big Tale. Does he answer the Grassy Knoll question? Sort of. Did Oswald act alone? Maybe. It's not an attempt to answer those questions, but a look into the great rolling effects of our actions - all of our actions - and the interconnectedness of all things. And strings. As always with King the tale is about good and evil, love and hate, but mostly Love. Always. Go find a copy and immerse yourself for a few days, you'll come out with your brain energized and some very thoughtful questions that will provide ample material for future mulling.

All in all, a rich and fulfilling weekend.

Here’s a Kitty, and a Kitty …

2011-10-31T06:38:00.001-04:00

There’s only one song that makes for a worse Brain Worm than The Llama Song and I’ll spare you. OK, I won’t: the opening song from season 2 of Sargent Frog is even worse than the Llama Song! It's called - really - National Irresponsible Era by Gagaga SP. Glutton? OK, follow the bouncing link and be sorry. Be sure to read the dubbed lyrics!
Anyhow. Halloween treats tend to be pretty predictable – lots of Rice Krispies and pretzels. It's hard to find something in between my-kid-could-make-that and omigosh-she-must've-gone-to-baking-school. In my search for something different to make for a party Monday night I bumped into this image. Ack! Unbearably adorable!

I found no evidence that the artist ever shared her recipe or instructions, but I did find this homeschooler’s post on attempting to recreate the recipe. OK, it’s Good to Have a Plan! I went to work. Here you see the eyes painted on, and my “paint:” confectioner’s sugar, milk and vanilla glaze, with a bit of brown paste food coloring added. I used a toothpick and a needle (I know) to do the decorating. The spouse and girlchild helped with the decorating or I would have been up all night!

I dislike the making of such fiddly stuff, but I do like the results.

Look, itty-bitty-cat butt!

The recipe is good overall; next time I’d use all vanilla instead of both vanilla and almond extract, but that’s because Almond extract always makes me think of love-smitten death. Go grab your copy of “Love in the Time of Cholera,” it’s right at the beginning, I’ll wait. See? Almonds have just never been the same since I first read that. Besides, I have my killer kick-butt homemade Vanilla to work with.

If you make these, keep them small; they won’t cook through if you get ham-handed about it. They must be tiny to work. You could easily make them into owls and pandas too, and even dogs – some of ours seemed to want to cross over into other families.

On another note:

I'm extremely, profoundly grateful to have electricity and heat in my home; many homes nearby do not. We do not have a fireplace and its's below freezing out there; we'd be in deep trouble if we were to be without power for any extended period. "Excuse me, can you take us in? We've got four humans, a dog and cat who do not yet get along, and six rats?!?" We did OK post-Irene and have pretty good resources for a summer outage but winter is a whole nuther thing.

Have a happy Halloween, with all of the right kinds of scares and none of the wrong kind!

Blogger’s Quilt Festival: Anna’s Gift

2011-10-28T07:04:00.000-04:00

When I was a kid, I had lots of aunts and uncles. The coolest aunt, naturally, was the youngest and childless one. It’s unfair but true: the one who doesn’t have her own kids has more time and attention to lavish on everyone else’s. I had a time as the Cool Aunt but ceded the title to my younger sister when I had offspring of my own; it’s a privileged position and a very special relationship unlike any other I’ve known.

Anyhow, Cool Aunt had two children of her own in due course; a girl and a boy. They were both neat kids and fun cousins for us. She shepherded her kids all the way into adulthood, then tragically lost her girlchild to asthma. The pain of losing her adult child was too much for my aunt: she lost her smile.

Her boychild continued to grow into his own adulthood; a few years after his sister died, my cousin got married. My aunt was thrilled, of course, but her overwhelming sadness remained. A couple of years later, along came Anna. Ordinary, delightful, sunny Anna. Cool Aunt’s first grandchild has been her saving grace, the one who pulled her up from the depths and brought back her ability to fully enjoy her days instead of trudging through them.

I recently met this child for the first time when we went to her state for a visit; we talked kidstuff together and I played blocks with her. Who am I to her? Nobody special, just a lady who stopped by to play. Who is she to me? She’s the one who made my Aunt find her joy again. The label on the back is very simple, just my initials, town and year; but in my heart this quilt is called Anna’s Gift. The quilt is a special thank-you to a child who will never know how sweet her gift has been, or how many lives she has touched merely by being a child and happy in the world.

I enjoyed making these gentle curves with the walking foot; see the cool pattern that emerged?

This is my first Drunkard’s Path, the blocks cut on an Accuquilt Studio at a local quilt shop and assembly begun in one of their classes. Machine pieced, machine quilted with the walking foot. I generally give my quilts away upon completion; when I selected these fabrics I knew it would be a very Happy quilt, but I had no specific recipient in mind. Then I met Anna and realized that she was the perfect fit for its bright colors and happy feel. I hope it gives her a fraction of the warmth she has given to someone dear to me.

Enjoy the Festival; there are loads more quilts and stories to discover!

Is That You, Mom?

2011-10-24T10:18:00.001-04:00

You know that my camera went kaput in Utah. I approved the repair at Nikon, am praying for a good outcome. It was shattering, to say the least, to start my sightseeing and to have the buggardly thing act completely normally and create mostly-white pics.

I bought two of those one-time-use cameras at the Bryce Canyon visitor center. And lo, we've time-travelled to 1967!

The pharmacy charged me full-price for the pics but had disclaimers slapped all over the envelope. Temperature extremes? X Rays? Could be anything given that they were on a plane prior to processing. These few are as good as it got with my basic photo editing tools - the originals are even worse!

I keep looking for my Mom, wearing her shell top, pedal pushers and canvas shoes, gasping as my sisters and I get too near the edge. (My mother's gasps are legendary - and possibly genetic.)

If you ever get any excuse to be anywhere near southern Utah, GO. There are about a dozen major parks in reasonable driving distance of one another, and the driving itself is incredible. Do a lookup on Utah's Scenic Byway 12 and you'll get a glimpse of the nonstop, head-smacking, awe-inspiring grandeur that I was able to experience.

[A Caveat: if you decide to drive Route 12, the most stable person in your party should drive. The most likely to be terrified of being within two feet of a major precipice (with no guardrails) should ride in back, with their eyes shut. It feels like Certain Doom for long stretches, and I am inordinately proud of myself for having driven it successfully. A fellow at Zion told me that he had a friend who was ticketed for driving too slowly on this route and I believe him. The offset to the terror is those moments when you're approaching the top of a rise and cannot see the other side: every single time this happened, I was rewarded with a different and just-as-incredible vista as the one I'd just left.]

To the Sewing Summit ... and Beyond!

2011-10-18T16:38:00.000-04:00

Sewing Summit is over for 2011. The inaugural event went off very smoothly I thought; as an early riser and general doofus I tend to be aware of such things, and if there were any bumps in the planning or execution they were not apparent to the attendees.

There were a bunch of planned classes, a lot of impromptu mini-classes and one-on-one instruction, tons of gorgeous bags, and maybe a little too much attention paid to personal appearance but the result was pure eye candy. So much color and movement in one spot! There was squee-ing all over the place! It was also a young crowd, maybe a little surprising; I was definitely among the older attendees and I'm only Nearly Fifty! I'm used to being called "kid" at sew-ish gatherings so this was a real surprise. I bet there weren't a dozen actual Seniors in atttendance! The mix created a very vibrant crowd.

Lots of pics in the Sewing Summit Flickr group!
The hotel was much nicer than I had expected. It has a good-sized lobby with a two-sided gas fireplace. This focal point became the gathering spot for embroiderers and hand stitchers. I sewed with some online Big Names and it was almost universally positive. The hotel also has a half-indoor, half-outdoor pool and a hot tub. I did a lame American version of the Scandinavian custom and swam to the outdoor side, then ran in and sat in the hot tub for five minutes, then back to the pool, and another round. Wished there was snow on the roof to make it authentic.

The view from my balcony on a gray day:

I took the time to walk around Temple Square. The Temple is just beautiful, a white, nicely-grained granite with little flecks of black and gray. Non-Mormons are not allowed in the actual Temple but I walked around it, gaping with my jaw down-to-there. Went through the Tabernacle and the visitor center; it was very informative and the Visitor Center is effectively presented. Salt Lake City has a terrific light rail system; I rode right to the Square and then walked back - no fee for the better part of the City center!

Geeking out over the door hardware? You bet!

Look, the whole city is quilty! See the lovely French Braid?

The county courthouse - beautiful, isn't it?

A gathering like this makes you hyper-aware of form and color. This cart was ready to go up to the Bride's room; it was so pretty I made the bellhop stop so I could take this shot. The bellhops were a whole 'nuther story, I'll tell you sometime.

Classes ended by noon on Sunday and I got picked up by my coworker and her husband for some touring. They took me to Antelope Island so I could get a look at the Great Salt Lake, and then we headed through Big Cottonwood Canyon, over Guardsmen Pass and down into Park City. The scenery was nothing short of spectacular.

The Great Salt Lake:

Real Mountains!

And then, the camera starting acting up. oh, gargh. This is about the best shot I got from Zion National Park. I was Good, I did not weep - aloud. The camera is at Nikon now; I will shortly decide whether the next step is repair or interment.

I did what any unreasonable Tourist would do: I paid an exorbitant sum for a couple of single-use cameras at the visitor center. Zion was a wash but I used two cameras at Bryce Canyon; will share some of those photos when they come back from processing if they're worth sharing.

The final call: Sewing Summit was great fun and I'll plan to do it again next year; and the friends who took me touring (and put me up in their guest room!) are genuine peaches. SLC to Zion and Bryce and back again the long way in two days is a bit much but I wouldn't take it back for all the world and I'm thrilled that my friends convinced me it could be done. I can't recommend these parks strongly enough though; if you haven't been, you should make plans - now - to do so. Words are inadequate to describe their grandeur and awe-inspiring beauty.

Look for Me in SLC

2011-10-05T09:37:00.000-04:00

I'm off to Sewing Summit tomorrow morning! I'll leave at an atrocious hour to drive to the shuttle, which will take me to JFK, and thence to Utah. I'm going alone, first time ever leaving my family for non-work-related purposes for this long, so I'm a little nervous but very excited. Catch me tonight and you'll see me in full pushing-50-menopausal-manic mode!

I made a new handbag - Marlous Designs' Linda Bag, with cool Origami folding to make multiple sections. The pattern is a bit tricksy for a beginner but it's a great bag.

If you don't spot the bag you'll still be able to recognize me coming

or going!

(yup, still a work in progress and likely to be for some time - please don't yank my needle as you pass by!)

A Saga of Defeat and Redemption

2011-09-26T08:36:00.001-04:00

Two years ago I spotted a fabulous crazy-quilt coat at the Renaissance Faire. Lightweight denim with embroidery and light patchwork all over it, coat length, simple shape, perfect fit. It was too expensive. I grieved (well, relatively speaking). I went to the other Faire (they have an autumn one and a spring one in another location), and it was there again; I went into action. I dickered something fierce, but I only had plastic; with the dealer's plastic surcharge my entire dickering-discount went kaput and I dug my heels in and refused to buy it.

So here I am, with a trip coming up to one of the few places such a coat would be genuinely appreciated. I schemed, saved a few expense checks just for this purpose. I took the kids to Faire on Saturday with cash in hand and ready for a battle. The dealer wasn't there! Argh! I made the rounds about six times looking for a coat to replace my tweedy, comfy, I-love-it-but-it's-getting-too-ratty-for-public-view coat. I looked at all kinds of funky outerwear, most of which was either nonfunctional (who wears a coat that isn't intended to close in front?!?) or way out of my price range. So I went home defeated.

Could I make it myself? Of course I could. Would I make it myself? Probably not.

With defeat and disappointment radiating in waves around my head, I hit the consignment stores yesterday with the girlchild ... and SCORED! Cute black denim jacket, heavily embellished. I spent last evening removing the sequins but leaving the other bits, and now will embellish it my own way. NOT crazy-quilt style, but decidedly fun and funky. So, for the price of the coat I originally lusted after (and still do, I must confess) I got a funky jacket, a heavier autumn coat that's a nearly perfect replacement for the current one, a dressy overshirt I can wear to meetings and such, and a dress for the girlchild!

sneaky-peek showing the jacket on my bead box (Contrary to my husband's thoughts about intended uses, I believe Plano makes the best bead boxes!):

[Aside: While looking at one of the gorgeous custom-made frock coats I said to the dealer, "If I spent $600 on an autumn coat my husband would divorce me!" His response: "How much do you like your husband?"]

Play Time

2011-09-10T14:18:00.001-04:00

I'm in a bit of a slump right now - hung up on the boggiest bits of my current projects and anxious to FINISH something. Enter Doodle Quilter with her Play Time!

A couple of charm packs of Circa 1934, a couple of hours listening to the radio, and I have the start of my own personal playground:

Ahh, that's better! It's not a finish but it still satisfies. Now I can go back to gotta-do's and unpicking with a much lighter heart!

Go check out Doodle's blog - sounds like we're going to have some fun!

Clamshells, Month 14

2011-07-31T11:25:00.000-04:00

Goodness, has it been a whole month already?!? The summer is just flying past. I’ve had some finishes but alas, we’re suffering from camera shortage at the moment. I did take photos of my last finished quilt and a table runner with a borrowed camera but the photos came out so horrible I was ashamed to post them. I do have a functioning camera, but someone has misplaced the charger. I’m not saying it wasn’t me, but it would be the first time I’ve ever misplaced it, I’m ordinarily very careful about it ...
Anyhow – the clothesline shot:

I picked up a booklet for the local fair, thinking perhaps I’d enter a quilt this year. The local booklet states that quilting must be done by hand which rules me out, at least until the clamshells are done. The State booklet seems to contradict that. Now it’s starting to sound too much like work, think I’ll give it a miss; it’s too much like the local politics. I signed up last week for elections to get a full term on Planning & Zoning again, and am already regretting the decision; I’ve approached several local movers-and-shakers about pledging to a “No Vitriol” campaign; the representative of one party laughed outright and the other said “too late.” Sigh. I would like to see just one election cycle, even at the itty-bitty local level, proceed with the candidates touting their merits – only – and with no Straw Men, no panic-stricken crises caused by deliberate misinterpretation of innocent acts, no inflation of small skeletons into accusations of felonies. As you see, I’m still fully capable of sustaining a pipe dream!

I’m also working on a Drunkard’s Path which will be bright and bold; I have most of the blocks sewn and will play with layout next. There are so many terrific layouts to choose from that it wouldn’t surprise me if I take a long time to settle on one! I took a class at my LQS using their Accuquilt cutter – wow, that’s FAST! I just found out she has a tumbler die too, so that will be coming at some point, I think I’ll assemble some of my Craigslist scraps with those in mind. Here are my DP fabrics – aren’t they fun?

Clamshells Month 13

2011-06-30T05:58:00.000-04:00

Well, Jossie is taking a blog break to care for her family and most of the others have either finished or given up on their clamshells but I'm still plugging along. I hope to finish the center by the end of this calendar year - clamshells, like GFGs (which is also still crawling along), are not for the impatient!

The clothesline view:

Around 46 inches, so over halfway there! I haven't decided whether to make it square or elongate it - I do like enough length to cover my toes, don't you?

Hope all is well in your world!

Laurels and Stupas and Dolls, Oh My!

2011-06-18T18:23:00.000-04:00

The Girlchild and I went on a mini adventure today. Several weeks back we were a little bit lost on our way somewhere and we caught a glimpse of what looked like a celebration in the middle of nowhere:

We went back today to get a better look. The path led us past several very odd signs – I think there’s a modern-day commune next door. I did find a citation online: the New England Farm Institute says “The site holds the first Buddhist stupa in CT, the main dwelling is the oldest bale structure east of the Mississippi and there is a newly-constructed straw bale barn, all off the grid. The farm is currently a gathering place for artists, environmentalists, peace activists and the local Tibetan community.”

(thuper fabuluss! Ordinarily my Former Lit Major Self would be freaking but I think the polka dots and swirlies make up for it!)

As it turns out, we were right about the celebration – sort of. I believe this is still Connecticut’s only stupa, a Buddhist shrine The idea is that it’s a place of meditation; you are instructed to walk around it only in a clockwise, contemplative manner.

It’s definitely another of our favorite Surreal Places! The Girlchild likes this one almost as well as the Interdimensional Rift, which I’ll tell you about another time. Here she is with her strange doll. He got his own photoshoot today.

Late Spring is one of my favorite times of year; this year it’s all pink and white. The dogwoods are exceptionally beautiful; even my dorky tree (which really was just a stick when I first purchased it) looks great – look at those swathes of flowers!

The sweet peas went crazy, I think I need a bigger trellis!

And the Mountain Laurel, our state flower, is also thriving. We found this little stand just North of the stupa.

Each year I feel compelled to make at least one Lady during Laurel season. It’s pretty basic, a bit like making flower chains. I’ve been making these since I was a small child, but I don’t think I know anyone else who makes them. Here’s this year’s Laurel Lady:

On the way home we had to stop for the local steam train; these excursions are much beloved by the tourists and maligned by the locals, but I love to hear a steam whistle in the distance, it's very evocative.

I hope your day was meditative, contemplative, evocative and filled with gorgeous flowers. Failing that, I hope you at least got to see a pink unicorn.

Glutton for Punishment

2011-05-31T12:49:00.001-04:00

First, the non-punishing update - after a full year of Clamshelling, I have the majority of the top finished! 60" wide by about 42" long at this point.

As you can see, I've begun folding it to make my new rows each month, to manage the bulk a little.

Shamefully, I only completed two rows this month. I have several excuses:

1. The end of the school year is approaching fast: we've had *lots* of evening activities associated with the children's schools. Concerts, art shows, orientation for Junior High, all that jazz. Fun, but definitely not the kinds of activities where I can get away with handstitching in the corners!

2. I agreed to serve on the Planning & Zoning Commission again. If any of you are familiar with small-town politics, you'll understand how overwhelming this can be. Attempting to regulate how people use their land, especially here in New England where people are fiercely protective of their land rights, is a real challenge in many ways. But since I've served in the past I've already made many enemies here in town (there is no such thing as a popular land-use decision!), so I cannot harm myself any more than I have already ... right?

3. I took the Naked Bed Challenge. Probably should have selected a quick-and-easy pattern, but silly me, I did not. I am awaiting a few more solids, and may well miss the deadline. But my bed will.be.clothed by this Winter! Here are a few blocks, with fabric auditions for the corners in progress:

4. And here's my Big Excuse. We've talked about getting a dog for years; this month, it happened. Suddenly. We adopted a lovable lummox from the local dog rescue. Meet Cooper:

He's a mutt - Boxer, German Shepherd, Pit Bull or Rottweiler, who knows what else? He is large and friendly and has the potential to be a terrific family pet once we all get trained up a bit.

Iki is not amused. Right now she's taking an Avoidance and Disdain approach; I'm still hoping she will prove her dominance by giving him a solid whack on the nose, but so far she hasn't.

Have a happy June everyone!

Be a Hero and (maybe) Win a Gorgeous Quilt!

2011-05-24T14:54:00.000-04:00

Dana is organizing a Red Cross fund drive for the benefit of tornado victims. Donate via Old Red Barn Co to have a chance to win her stunning quilt!

All proceeds donated via Dana's site will go directly to the American Red Cross. Now, there are a LOT of worthy charities out there, but think back to all of the disaster-relief photos you've ever seen: I bet the only folks you've ever seen onsite immediately following a disaster are these folks. When my neighbors' house burned down a few years ago, a representative from the American Red Cross was here within an hour, bearing gift certificates and offering other assistance so my neighbors could buy clothing and have a roof over their heads. I'm partial to this organization also because they used to make me feel like a hero (and feed me killer sandwiches) just for laying still for 15 minutes. (I'm not allowed anymore, I'm a Mad Cow risk due to Junior Year Abroad in college; but I was a 5-gallon donor by the time they banned my donations.)

Go to Dana's and help those folks please. Worst case, you're a hero; best case, you get to snuggle with Dana's amazing starry quilt!

Blogger’s Quilt Festival – Spring 2011!

2011-05-13T13:47:00.001-04:00

Once again many thanks to Amy for hosting what has become a huge online event. I look forward to seeing everyone’s beautiful work!

I’d like to share my latest quilt. I took a class in April at my not-so-L QS with Laurie Shifrin. It was a neat class: we spent little time sewing, practicing only the trickiest block portions, but instead cut our fabrics for ease of assembly later and focused on the technical and nontechnical aspects of quilting and fabrics. She actually went from table to table analyzing each person’s fabric selections, discussing the colors in detail and helping the students find the most appealing combinations. She was incredibly helpful: she helped four or five of us select our fabrics from the shop’s shelves, walking around with us, carrying bolts of “possibles,” and gauging the yellow-ness of this one or the grey-ness of that one.

Laurie is a veritable library of quilting knowledge and shared her wealth enthusiastically. She discussed color selection and theory, general fabric characteristics and manufacturing processes, tidbits of history and tricks for such things as efficiently lining up layers prior to cutting, proper ergonomics for sewing, and more. I brought home a bunch of tips. She even provided us with a trunk show! She’d done one at the shop the evening before, and at the end of the class she presented again just for us!

This is my finished quilt using the Queen Charlottes pattern from her book Batik Gems. It was a giant step out of my comfort zone in many ways but I love the finished product. It’s a generous lap size at 60x74”:

The back:

This quilt is going to the annual fundraising auction for a local domestic violence services provider. It will be the first time a monetary value will be attached to one of my quilts (gulp); hopefully its cheery tones will encourage people to be extra-generous!

Clamshells, month 11!

2011-04-30T06:57:00.000-04:00

The sun is coming up on what looks to be a beautiful Spring day. It's been nearly a year since I started making my clamshell quilt with the Clamshell Club. Think I'll finish by Year Two? It's about 40" long now, not so far to go!

I know Winter is not so severe here compared to other places in the world, but it felt very long indeed, and a sunny, mild day is enough to bring a silly grin to my face. The Hellebores are mostly done now...

as are the tulips.

But there are many other pleasures right behind them! I haven't photographed the asparagus (have you ever seen it in a garden? It's not ... pretty) but we had the first of the season with last night's dinner and that's a hedonistic pleasure indeed. And the rhubarb is coming up too! You've heard me spout this before, but if you garden, you must have perennial vegetables! There are few finer things on this Earth than perennials you can eat.

In other quilty news, I finished my top for Konda's Layer Cake Quiltalong! I love Jane Sassaman's fabrics (this is her Sunshine and Shadow line), but they don't play nice with others! I was having a heckuva time figuring out the sashing and border; Hubby suggested the tomato red. Even when I stood there poring over the color card I never considered red; he pointed it out right away. Thanks hon, ya done good.

Grandpa's Killin' Knife and the Perfect Bird

2011-04-19T07:50:00.000-04:00

Me: Oh, honey, it's beautiful!

Him: I wish we had guests tonight, I'll never make one that nice again.

Me: I did my part - I kept up the tradition of burning myself basting a bird - see? [shows off hand]

Him: [rolls eyes]

The knife you see there is what we affectionately call "Grandpa's Killin' Knife." Hubby's grandfather used it to kill chickens. It's old, has a wonderful heft, and sharpens beautifully. You know the scene in the horror flick where you find yourself shouting aloud, "Don't go in there!" Well, if that's the scene and I do go in there, this is the knife I'll be seeking. There's nothing like the right tool for the job!

I wasn't kidding about that tradition: I could show you a scar today from the infamous Turkey of 1993, when the power went out for two hours during the cooking and I touched my wrist on the oven's heating element while basting - and our lovely guests remained our lovely friends. I don't make a point of burning myself basting, just seem to have a talent for it. Every major bird has exacted a price from me.

p.s. Bacon. In stuffing. THAT'S food porn.

p.p.s. Oh, and the gravy came out perfect.

On the Demise of Twine

2011-04-15T09:44:00.000-04:00

...or at least its manufacture here in New England.

At one time, New England was a buzzing hive of manufacturing; as you already know, it’s certainly not that today. “Dead mill town” is a phrase that most locals here understand instantly; the region is full of small towns on watercourses that once provided the power for huge mill operations. Many of these towns still look much like they did at the turn of the 20th century, with gingerbread on the houses and fabulous woodwork now ignored by tenants, interspersed with 60’s concrete block buildings and newer pseudo-residential (see? It has gables!) structures. My town became “quaint” and “artist-friendly” and a favorite weekend destination for folks from NYC so is thriving; the former mills and manufactories now house the historical society, artisans’ co-ops, office space and residences. Other towns haven’t found a new niche yet and are sort of dusty and dreary; the same is true throughout southern New England.

Last weekend I took one of my favorite shortcuts, a tiny road that passes through a former mill village. Neptune Twine and Cord was a major cotton twine (and cord, there is a difference, didn’t you see Mouse Hunt?) manufacturer in the 1800’s; they started out making yarn and later made twine and cord instead. This was the only mill around that didn’t sell at the start of the Civil War, and operations ran mostly-successfully even during the Depression thanks to the fishing industry. For the (surprisingly colorful) saga you can hop here. Today, the remaining buildings sit empty. I believe the "village" was last opened briefly in 1988 and has not been open to the public since.

Some of you know that I live in a farmhouse with absolutely no "frou-frou;" the house is all squares and straight lines and it absolutely rebels if I try to gussy it up with pretty moldings and the like. As a result, I'm a sucker for the ornate woodwork and ironwork seen here.

Yoo-hoo, Pavlov, over here!

I strolled around freely – there are “no trespassing” signs all over so I didn’t go within any of the gated areas - but I did stand right next to some of the fences to take photos. It was a gorgeous spring day and I was thrilled to do some limited exploring. I believe this may be the "fountain" that was put up to commemorate the site of Building #1.

Wow-WEE:

I found an 1834 map online that notes this as the schoolhouse, but it's certainly been used as a chapel as well.

I could go all-out and research the full history and current ownership and all that, but I kind of enjoy leaving a tiny bit of mystery. Stop on by, just take the Johnsonville Road - watch the turn, it's a bit tricky.

circa 1904

Clamshells update

2011-03-31T18:54:00.000-04:00

Time for my monthly Clamshell Club update!

Three rows this month. I waited for the skies to clear, but April showers have arrived early - and now they're mixing with snow! So, you get an on-the-couch photo:

It's slow going, but at least it's starting to resemble a quilt!

And, because I can't let Spring arrive without a photo of my lovely little Pulmonarias - don't they make a perfect nosegay?

This is the first year I've had Hellebore; it reminds me of Audrey Two from Little Shop of Horrors (the remake). Look at that sassy tilt to the stem! I will definitely buy more this year, so that next Spring I can have several of these interesting blooms. Even the daffodils are still just buds, but this is blooming so prettily!

Christmas Cactus completed

2011-03-28T08:04:00.000-04:00

The pattern is from Sandi at Piecemeal Quilts; it's a lot of pieces but definitely suitable for a beginner who’s brave and organized. 900 squares make up the center portion! VERY good HST practice, I feel so much more confident now; it isn't perfect, by a long shot, but it's probably the prettiest quilt I've made. It was gifted to my baby sister yesterday for her birthday.
The front (waving in the wind, it's very well aired!):

And - because ~~I couldn’t keep track of the count~~ I’d rather overcut and have choices than come up short and because I love a pieced back:

I used basic grid quilting in the center, tight lines in the first border and "organic" (relaxed, fun, crookedy) wider lines in the outer border. I love the look, especially on the back.

When we were kids, I once made my sister cry by stabbing her with a pencil; she returned the favor by hitting me over the head with her Blythe doll. I was really hoping she’d cry this time but she didn’t; too bad, ‘cause I know Blythe is long gone and she couldn’t bop me with it now!

The Crazed Crusader – OBW WIP

2011-03-25T12:40:00.000-04:00

I took a One Block Wonder class last autumn with the irrepressible Meguey Baker. She’s hot stuff, let me tell you; she has a few tricks up her sleeve that make it well worth taking a class if you get the opportunity to do so. The class was held at what has become my favorite not-so-L QS, A Notion to Quilt, in northwestern Massachusetts.

Since I’m a spazz, I brought two fabrics: a gorgeous large-scale floral very much in keeping with the book’s recommendations, and also a set of full-yard Batman panels, which was what my heart wanted. Meg suggested I go with my heart, and this is the result. The white you see is the batting, it's not quilted yet.

Back - the original panel with a few borders added:

As always, the outcome simply can’t be anticipated from looking at the uncut fabric; some of these blocks are surprisingly lovely. I’ve started quilting this twice and unpicked it twice, because my skills aren’t up to the picture I have in my head. It's just going to have to wait, because my mental image is set and I'll be unhappy with anything else now.

I did go back for another OBW class just recently, mostly because that panel got me out of the proper cutting technique and I wanted to wrap my mind around that. Meg was clever enough to help another student, whose pretty-but-a-bit-lackluster fabric produced disappointing results, come up with a sparkling layout that had us all excited. It was so great to spend a day with like-minded individuals playing with fabric, and my original floral is now on the design wall getting rearranged daily. This will almost certainly get quilted more quickly than (and probably before) my Crazed Crusader!

Before ......

4 Up

2011-03-14T13:27:00.000-04:00

It was that time again, so I asked Quilts for Kids to send me a kit. I know they're in need of teen boy quilts, so I'd planned on making my "extra" with that in mind. They sent me two, so I made two more!

The first kit they sent me:

And the second:

The first of my "extras:" I don't really know what teen boys like aside from things that beep, things that go BOOM and things that turn me into The Nagging Fishwife, but here's my interpretation of a teen boy quilt. I'm sure there's a name for this block: it's essentially half-a-snowball, just two corners done instead of four.

For the second quilt, I took the extra HSTs I got from the corners of the first's blocks and made them into a funky center. I wish it was nicer out today, the colors are much richer than they come across here. The upside, of course, is that I have a yard again! Spring is definitely coming right along.

I'm pretty certain this is the first time I've had so many finished quilts in one spot! They're sitting atop a sneaky-peek of my next project - hopefully I will be able to share that next week.

Clamshell Update

2011-02-28T08:29:00.000-05:00

Nine months have passed since I started working with the Clamshell Club and I think I'm about halfway through the top! Hooray for milestones!

I'm going to aim for 60" square center, then see where it goes from there. I took this photo yesterday when we got a peek at the sun a couple of times. We're in for ugly weather today so I figured I'd best get out there while I could! Supposedly we're in for thunder and lightning today; I hate winter thunderstorms, they scare me.

It is still winter here but tomorrow makes it all better in my head: once we've reached March it can still snow, quite a lot even, but.it.won't.last. whew! Still, the season is not without its smiles: when I went out yesterday morning to get the newspaper, this oddity was awaiting me on the porch:

Feelin' Cozy, Rats In The Cellar

2011-02-25T14:16:00.001-05:00

The boychild's rats finally got their upgrade. Hubby finished their cage today and they are already exploring. The girlchild has a similar cage but version 2.0 incorporates an underbed storage tub as a floor: hopefully this will better contain the chips and make cleaning much easier!

Here's your Ratty Poetic Justice for the day: Recently the aptly-named Malice, one of the original rat mamas, passed away. (She really was a meanie.) When the girlchild told me the animal was dead, I told her to double-bag it and put it in the freezer until the ground thaws. She didn't want to leave it at that so she went and got a box. Now, I do read horror fiction from time to time, and I sometimes order from a specialty book publisher; it happens that the first box at hand was from this publisher. So Malice is now ensconced in a box labelled Cemetery Dance!

If you're a horror reader, Cemetery Dance does put out some lovely editions and is worth a visit. I wish I could buy special editions all the time, I do love the smell and texture of good paper.

[With apologies to Aerosmith for the silly use of their lyrics; the freezer IS in the cellar though!]

Layer Cake Quiltalong Progress

2011-02-23T09:34:00.000-05:00

Well, we're up to 9 blocks now in the Moose on the Porch Layer Cake Quilt Along.

The fabric line is Jane Sassaman's Sunshine and Shadows. It's been a real challenge for me: the colors are not matchy-matchy and several of the prints are large in scale and really want to show themselves off, something that's hard to do in a 12-inch block made from lots of pieces! (It's also nearly impossible to photograph well; I think a professional lighting setup is required for this line!)

Considering my love of bright and clear colors, you'll be able to tell at a glance which blocks I love and which I don't; I may consider re-doing a couple of them just to get rid of the muddier prints (I'm not using a layer cake, I already had FQs onhand so have extra to play with). Have you done a quiltalong like this? What do you do - re-do the blocks you're not crazy in love with, or chalk it up to experience and go with what you originally made?

My favorite block so far - but you knew that, didn't you?

yeah, yeah, yeah

2011-02-17T11:06:00.000-05:00

He loves me.

And I love him. (That's Morse code for "love" in the ticker-tape pieces there.)

Grist for the Mill

2011-02-02T06:27:00.001-05:00

Owow, the mail lady brought me the most lovely squishy yesterday! Tammy gave away a bundle of 30's repros and I won! Look how luscious:

So much possibility! I'll need to fondle them awhile before committing to anything. I've been wanting to do sashed tumblers for quite some time; but wouldn't storm at sea be great in repros? Wait, how about ..... this is my favorite part of quilting, tossing around all those ideas. And new playthings keep one's mind off how the kids have yet another day off from school, whether the garage roof will hold during this latest storm, whether the porch roof will hold .... say, isn't it about time for that rodent to predict the rest of my winter?

edited to add: I do find it deeply ironic that several of Connecticut's skating rinks are closed due to weather conditions ...

Clamshells, month 8

2011-01-31T10:14:00.001-05:00

Month 8 of the Clamshell Club already! I completed three rows this month, bringing the total to 25 rows. Did a bit of basting too; at this rate I will be lucky to finish the top this calendar year! I'm glad I used muslin though, it adds to the vintage-y Grandma feel of this one. Here it is on a snowbank - no chance of reaching the clothesline this week! FYI: the crease you see is my version of bulk management; I've been folding down the top and measuring from that point for each row so I have less mass to heave around while I'm stitching the clamshells on.

My new project this weekend was making shoes! Well, house shoes or slippers. Pattern courtesy of I Think Sew. A little lumpy, and I did the toe crossovers wrong, but this is version 1.0 and I think there will be more of these in my future!! I did add a layer of batting in the insert and they are very comfortable.

Lastly: On a whim I started cutting up a panel on Saturday evening. Right now it looks more like OBWTF than a proper OBW, but I'm still ironing the blocks. Here's a peek at the initial layout on my design wall.

Connecticut:

2011-01-27T05:34:00.000-05:00

Not the best place for claustrophobes today!

My garden bell, and the handles of the shovels that will get much use today.

Hubby's car (dang, that path was clean last night!):

January 20-25 is the traditional week for January thaw here in CT; it did get to 31 for awhile yesterday but I don't think that counts!

Our average winter snowfall totals 21.8 to this point in the season; this winter's total to date, before last night's snowfall, is 57.2! We got another 14 inches or so at my house overnight.

Ninja Assassin Iguanas!

2011-01-25T06:32:00.001-05:00

Our trip to St. John, USVI, was much as you'd expect in many respects. This was our fourth time visitng this part of the world, and I can think of few lovelier places to be.

There was a gorgeous view from the tent-cabin, complete with sweet breezes,

Gorgeous vistas everywhere,

(This view is lovely but you probably wouldn't have liked the hike to get to this vantage point! I have been labelled a ruthless tyrant after "making" my family go on this particular walk.)

Ruins to contemplate,

Lots of playing in and near the water,

and beautiful flora and fauna of course.

But the real stars of this year's trip - mostly because they shoved their way into the spotlight - were the Ninja Assassin Iguanas, as we affectionately called them. There were five that hung around the cabin, from fairly small to humungous. One in particular was very aggressive, climbing right onto the deck of our tent-cabin demanding snacks. The kids named him Vert.

I didn't have any leafy greens onhand but he liked corn chips!

Here he is going right past the corn chip and - eek! - right toward me! I skittered away. I know, I know, but he still scared me!

And just in case you had any doubts about how very tough Vert is:

In my own defense, I came in after the fact and it's not my photo; but rest assured Vert did not in fact eat any of those nasties and they were removed from his reach shortly thereafter. I thought the boychild would actually injure himself laughing over this little incident. What do you think, shall I submit it? "I CAN HAZ DEATHSTICKS?" or "YOU TALKIN' TO ME?"

POTC Part I

2011-01-21T17:32:00.000-05:00

Pies of the Caribbean! You guessed it, my next handwork project is Sue Daley’s Pies & Tarts. Oh, swoon! I’ve been keen on this one for months and months, and finally bought the “playing with paper” starter pack. Carried several cut fabrics and the papers with me to St. John in my handy-dandy Well Done Experience pouch. Here it is in action:

Now look up - see that cool bromeliad growing in the Maho tree? Wow! Air roots get me every time.

Ten and a half pies basted! I’ll be taking this one slowly – I want to get serious again about my Clamshells and my hexagons; when I finish my Clamshell top I’ll come back to this, except when I need a portable project. The others are too big now, they really are, that's not a rationalization for a new start .... well, maybe a little one ...

An Award - for me?!?

2011-01-21T14:02:00.000-05:00

Well, I just don’t know what to say: Andrea awarded me! Part of me thinks, wow-wee! You mean me?!? And another part says, whoa, I have to pass it along now?!? Take a hop over to Andrea's house and enjoy her quilts, she's a contemporary quilter you'll be hearing about in future if you don't already know her work.
The Liebster Blog award is intended to recognize some of the awesome blogs out in cyberspace with less than 300 followers. The recipient then awards to 3-5 others so the word gets spread about all of our favorites out there. I'm thrilled to share with you some of the folks I enjoy here in Blogland:

Valentina is one of my very favorite humans-I’ve-never-actually-met. She is consistently upbeat, to the point where though I know she must bellow at her kids at some point – I mean, all of us with offspring do, right? – I'd wager it doesn't carry any weight. Her kids probably grin at her while she’s doing it, know what I mean? She does gorgeous handwork, has a keen eye for color and form and has a knack for virtual tourism (she always takes us along on her journeys). Go say “hello;” you’ll be glad to meet this delightful, well-versed and thoughtful woman.
Sarah is young, enthusiastic, and has a killer hand-quilting stitch. She’s made some knockout pieces and I always smile when her blog pops up in my Reader list.
Sonja is my paper-piecing idol; I’m hoping that someday I’ll get good enough to make her Halloween Quilt of Awesomeness (she hasn’t finished designing all the blocks yet but I’ve been drooling over them for months). Check out her big-headed animal blocks and then try to tell me that Pavlov wouldn't have used you as a subject.

Finally, because life isn’t just about quilting, I nominate Bully, the friendly neighborhood little stuffed bull. This guy BREATHES comics. He posts anywhere from one to four times most days, and apparently has an eidetic memory for any comic book ever published. I have only a glancing acquaintance with many of these characters, but his posts make me smile (or at least smirk) every day.

going, going, gone

2011-01-12T14:18:00.000-05:00

If all goes well, we will leave frightfully early tomorrow morning to go from this:

(This was taken early this morning. I think it's slowing down...)

to this:

Ahhh, Maho. I have a new project to handpiece, will share it with you soon. See you in a week!

2010-11 crossover finish

2011-01-10T09:03:00.000-05:00

Technically I finished it in 2011, but I made the label in 2010 and on New Year’s Eve started the handstitching on the binding so I’m calling it 2010. Made as part of the Fat Quarterly quiltalong.

The front:

The back:

I had lots of fun with this one: the top was easy-peasey using jelly rolls and I had a good time puzzling out how I wanted to piece the back. I used a large version of the same block which gave me the quilt name - "Thick and Thin." Then the quilting stumped me in various ways until I remembered I could use different colored threads on front and back and didn't have to go straight geometric just 'cause the pattern is made of squares. I relaxed and decided to do “wavicles.”

This was made for a friend and has finally been gifted so I can share it. Hope you like it.

Clamshell Club, Month 7, LCQAL progress

2010-12-31T10:29:00.001-05:00

It's month 7 of the Clamshell Club!

Well, December was a bust for me; my clamshells spent the month tucked away from my primary hand work space. I did a bit of basting but no assembly at all. January will put me back-on-track I hope!

I did manage to keep up to date with my blocks for the Layer Cake Quiltalong. I’m using Jane Sassaman’s Sunshine and Shadows line, a real stretch for me – there isn’t a “quiet” pattern in the lot!

Block 3:

Block 4:

Block 5:

Finally - Happy New Year to you all! My Mom stitched me a lovely New Year's dishcloth:

I hope that the new year brings everything you wish and more.

New pretties!

2010-12-30T13:11:00.000-05:00

I was lucky enough to win one of Mandi's bundles as part of the Sew, Mama, Sew giveaway days!

Aren't they luscious? And I have a brand new wristlet keyholder (never a fob, thank you Mandi!). I've been fondling them since they arrived in the post. I don't have a Grand Plan for them yet but I'm enjoying them without a plan for now! Thank you Mandi!

BIZARRE MIXUP RESULTS IN LOCAL SEWIST RECEIVING COAL

2010-12-29T06:44:00.000-05:00

QP – Quilting Press
CLEVELAND, OHIO
In a rare case of mistaken identity, Santa misdelivered gifts for two women. Rachel Griffith, who writes a blog called “p.s. I quilt,” received the Christmas gift intended for Rachel Griffin, of nearby Canton, who writes a blog called “p.s. I quit.” Griffith’s blog focuses on quilting and the fiber arts; she is well-known for her tutorials and upbeat tone. Griffin’s is a daily dose of employment-based snark; her best-loved posts are those in which she provides unforgiveable things to say to one’s boss as one is walking out the door.

Griffin’s coal landed in Griffith’s stocking, and Griffin received a coveted bundle of new fabric. When asked by QP reporters about her gift, Griffin responded, “I don’t know what to do with this stuff; if I can figure out a way around copyright, I'll tell my boss I’ve become a designer so I can tell him to take this job and ... well, you know.” Griffith was unavailable for comment. Her representative said she was “devastated ... she had a quilt all planned for that fabric and now she’s back to scrap management. It’s a genuine tragedy.”

Nightie Night

2010-12-28T09:38:00.001-05:00

My Mom has made a lot of nighties for her granddaughters, and some fewer PJs for her sole grandson (he was the last to come along, and she hates making pants!). Here's a silly pic from a several-years-ago family vacation - all her grandkids at once, all wearing the nightclothes she made for them!

As the last one to have kids, I got all the hand-me-downs. At first I passed along the nighties along with the rest of the clothes, but then I started hoarding. I didn't quilt at that time but I hoarded the fabric notheless. Last year I hatched a plan to make quilts for the grandkids. The railfence was a second-time-around using the ORBC quiltalong guidelines, and the pinwheel was part of another quiltalong there. The center one is the New Wave from Oh! Fransson's tutorial (thank you Elizabeth, what an easy, quick and effective pattern!) I exempted my own two kids for several reasons (not least of which was trying to yank an additional two quilts out of the stash) so I made three total. The perspective is off on this photo but they're all about 52x66 inches. I call them the Nightie Night quilts.

I appliqued labels from bits of embroidery Mom had put on some of the bodices. A little puffy but there are several layers there!

I had a blast making these; I can honestly say there's love in every stitch. BTW, if you don't know this already, sashing is your bestest friend when it comes to making disparate fabrics "play nice" together. And purple is WAY underrated.

Dreaming in French

2010-12-11T08:40:00.000-05:00

...courtesy of Rita and Pat Bravo! Isn't it lovely? It's Pat's "Dreaming in French" line from Art Gallery Fabrics, and it's all-around delightful. The colors are very rich and the hand is smooth and supple.

I was stunned at how quickly the USPS brought this to my door and have been fondling it for two days now. Dreaming, dreaming .... should I use some bits for my upcoming Pies & Tarts? Or hoard every smidgeon for a dedicated project? Oh, I love getting fabrics selected by someone else, it opens whole new worlds!

Clamshells, month 6

2010-11-30T13:18:00.000-05:00

The Clamshell Club project is moving along!

Here's a look - along with a first peek at hubby's shed-in-progress! Hooray, someday I will have the little garage all to myself, without having to share space with the riding mower!

I believe I finished 4 rows this month. It's starting to look like a quilt! And yes, Valentina, I was wearing my winter coat and waiting between North-wind gusts while I took the photos; it's grey and blustery here, no tourist-y polar bears to be found!

Process note: now that it's getting big, I'm finding the bulk a little harder to manage. This month I folded down the top 10 inches and pinned it, measuring down from that point for my latest rows. How are you handling this issue?

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T06:50:00.000-05:00

I hope that you are able to spend a delightful day with people you love.

This year I am particularly grateful for my parents: for a father who passes me great books, helps me with block layout and keeps my debate skills sharp, and a mother who gives me a rock-solid base of love for myself and my offspring and gives the best embroidered gifts EVER. I've said it a zillion times: if I could have picked my own parents I couldn't have chosen better.

Layer Cake Quiltalong progress

2010-11-16T20:01:00.000-05:00

Time for a progress report on the Moose on the Porch Layer Cake Quiltalong (whew, that's a mouthful!). I just realized I hadn't posted my first block and here I've finished the second! There's still plenty of time to join; there's a two week span to finish each block, and block two was only just posted today.

I'm using a set of Jane Sassaman's "Sunshine and Shadows" FQs.

Block 1 - Gene Black's Alabama Spinner:

Block 2, designed by Vickie of Spun Sugar Quilts:

I can't tell you how uneasy I am about this: I know that a mystery quiltalong is to some degree an act of faith, but with such a bold fabric line it's positively terrifying! Block 1 is definitely the mellowest possible combination of prints; from here on out it gets bold and brassy. I hope I can make all the blocks Play Nice when it's all done! It's my first mystery, and my first sampler, so there's a huge learning curve here - bear with me please and think nice thoughts if you can.

Local Color

2010-11-15T05:57:00.002-05:00

To some folks, the coming of winter is marked by the first snowfall, or the last of the leaves dropping from the deciduous trees. Where I come from, there’s a different mark of the season:

That’s right, Gozzi’s colored turkeys! Gozzi's Turkey Farm has been doing this for at least thirty years; it's a marketing tool to bring in orders for Thanksgiving and Christmas birds. These few get a break of at least a few weeks!

Disclaimers: These photos are unedited aside from sizing; the birds really are this bright. The dye is nontoxic and doesn’t harm the birds in any way. They get a quick dip and they’re done. By Christmas, these birds will have lost most of their colored feathers and plain-old white ones will have replaced them. The kids love trying to get a colored feather from the pen! Invariably a few kids stick their fingers in and get nipped; it's startling but doesn't really hurt.

It was really crowded when we went yesterday ... by colored-turkey-pen standards anyhow.

The wallflower of the group really stands out in this setting!

If you’re ever driving down the I-95 corridor in Connecticut during November or December, give me a shout; it’s a quick stop worthy of roadsideamerica. Happy belated Thanksgiving to my Canadian friends; happy upcoming Thanksgiving to my friends in the U.S.!

Outspoken

2010-11-07T05:59:00.000-05:00

I think most novice quilters vow never again to make a huge quilt on their DSM once they finish their first. I’ve amended this as follows:

I will never again let really tall people do me kindnesses requiring proper thanks.

Naturally the quilt is Plain Spoken, the Kerr & Ringle classic, with a slight twist: I used all tonals instead of solids, and I sized the blocks up. My friend is 6’5” so I needed a really big quilt; the finished blocks are 10”x3”. Post-dryer crinkly finish measures approximately 100” square.

All of my short friends are more than welcome to be kind to me in future but you tall ones, keep your distance please!

Clamshells, Month 5

2010-10-31T11:58:00.000-04:00

It's time for the monthly Clamshell Club report! Wow, 5 months already? How did that happen?!? Looks like 3 rows per month will be my average.

Mrs. Boney playing Elle MacPherson; I don't think she has a career as a supermodel in her future but the clamshells make a lovely skirt!

Mr. Boney can almost use the clamshells as a nap quilt!

Yesterday we went on a little family trip: the New Britain Museum of American Art was having an M.C. Escher exhibit and we wanted to catch it before it left. Boy, am I glad we did! This was the entrance - clever!

We were not allowed to take photographs within so I cannot share anything from the actual exhibit - but you probably know many of the pieces we saw. I knew almost all of them. We got to see the litho stone for Planaria, my very favorite Escher work; we saw all of his impossible staircases, his reflection pieces, several spectacular woodcuts and naturally his tesselative work. This man had a caliber of mathematics tripping off his pencil that most of us cannot even grasp; he himself did not have the education to name most of what he was executing! I stood in awe before even his most hastily-scribbled sketches. As a budding quilter, I see his work very differently than I have in the past: the posters that I had decorating my college dorm walls are still a source of delight to me but in a completely different way.

Some details from the roofs of two nearby houses - love these decorative elements!

Does anyone still sell lightning rods? You can see one sort of wrapped around that finial there. We have them on our house; when we had the roof replaced I insisted that they be reinstalled because an old balloon-framed house needs all the fireproofing it can get!

While some of us are not yet in costume for Halloween Night, some folks are preparing for the future:

Hope your Halloween is just a little spooky and a lot of fun!

Quilt Festival - Autumn 2010!

2010-10-29T11:07:00.000-04:00

Thank you Amy for arranging this Festival; your energy must certainly be boundless!

I'd like to talk today about Love/Hate relationships that sometimes develop with our quilts. I've had a few quilts turn on me midway through production; in fact, one is still in the "Box of Shame" awaiting a layout that will please. Most of the time the quilting itself redeems the piece though - whew!

Case in point:
I won a mess of strings from Tara in a bloggy giveaway. They were mostly light and sweet, not my usual cup of tea. (I do not own a single piece of clothing in pink!) I started researching string quilts, bouncing around for something that really caught my eye, and decided to use a white strip in each block, but to offset the white instead of bisecting the block with it. I added some brights from my own scraps and that helped a bit. When I got what felt like 12,000 6-inch blocks assembled it still felt too small so I put borders on the top and bottom. And I hated it. It was too light, every speck of dirt would show on it, and the borders looked dorky 'cause there were only two of them - what had I done?!?

Well, I had to travel on business so I took it with me. Agonized over how to quilt it, figuring if nothing else it would be good practice. I decided to emphasize those diamond shapes. Luckily I had found a neat piece of fabric (a drape I think) at the Goodwill that seemed to suit perfectly. I played for three nights at the hotel with the quilting, finishing up after I got home. Here's the quilting:

And after the fact - I fell in love with it! This was gifted to my oldest friend; we met in 1969 when she moved to my area from California. She was the only girl in second grade with unbitten fingernails! She had eaten turtle soup! I thought she was so exotic. We had a gap in there during our early-married-life years, and when we reconnected it was as if no time had passed at all: it simply doesn't matter what happens in the interim, we will always be good, good friends. Today I don't think of her as exotic, but she's the girlfriend I want to grow old with. Do you have a friend like that? I sure hope so.

Triple Star and The Snappy Dresser

2010-10-20T19:13:00.000-04:00

Finally gifted - a quilt I finished this summer for friends who moved into a new home. Loved playing with these HSTs. Pattern is called Triple Star; I got it here. I did overlapping squares for the quilting: easy to mark, I just zoomed around my 12.5-inch square; harder to actually quilt. I did get the hang of burying my thread ends!

The back. You know I like a pieced back!

This afternoon I bellowed at the kids to play outside and grab a rake while they were at it - so they did! Meet Bob. They gave him a snazzy ensemble, eh?

He even has a friend to "hang out" with - one of our old, much-abused milk-jug skeletons. I do love this time of year, don't you?

Lucky Charms

2010-10-18T09:33:00.000-04:00

I finished my latest ORBC project! This is Lucky Charms:

This latest quiltalong was led by the inimitable Pat Sloan, who introduced us to raw edge machine applique. I had to make a concerted effort to "put on my Big Girl Panties" at several points along the way; I'm not entirely satisfied with the results but it was a great learning experience and I'm sure it's not the end of that particular path! Pat's original designs (she gave us two choices plus a bonus project from the trimmings!) were much more flowing and lyrical; I took it in another direction because of my fabric choices - they just had to have Autumn-specific elements!

A little closer on the center:

I would make the leaves a bit larger if I had it to do again, and the idea of making the branches more angular to go with the oak tree theme was better in theory than in execution, but I figure for a first effort at the technique it ain't bad.

10 points to the person who can correctly identify this "lucky charm" in my home. Hint: pop culture reference that totally reveals my age!

A Little Gardening Tip

2010-10-13T12:51:00.000-04:00

I always feel a bit sad when putting my little flower gardens to bed for the winter, they look so forlorn. The rhubarb still has leaves, and all that's left are the Cannas, which I won't dig up until they're done blooming:

And here's my silly Brugmansia, which gifted me with ZERO flowers this summer. Now that we're verging on frost warnings most nights it has six buds! those are my Gloriosa lilies in the background; they, too, are doing an end-of-season bloom so I haven't put them away either.

I love Sweet Potato Vines in both planters and in my windowboxes. Their foliage is wonderful. Did yours do well this year? Even at this late point (believe me, the boxes looked much better in August!) you can see that mine thrived.

You know that these are ornamental; but they're still potatoes! You can dig them up and replant them next year, very much like regular old potatoes. See? I had one good-sized potato I overwintered last year - next year I'll have a few to plant! I'd wager at least 3 of the five you see here will grow. I haven't tried cutting a tuber and planting the bits - in theory it should work, just as it does with edible potatoes. Do you know anyone who has tried this with ornamental potatoes like these?

BTW, the Gloriosa lilies also have terrific tubers, they usually come close to doubling each summer so there are lots to give away! This year's are already claimed by a friend but if you want some of next year's give me a shout.

I store mine - and all of my other non-hardy tubers and bulbs - in paper bags in my basement over the winter. Because we live in an old house, I hang my bags from a nail in the ceiling joists to make them less accessible to any mice that may move in for the cold months - or that the cat may bring in and *lose* in my house!

Quilt Show!

2010-10-10T09:21:00.002-04:00

Went to the quilt show in East Haddam yesterday. As always it was a genuine treat. The church was just chock-full of eye candy:

The first quilt to catch my eye. The tails on these lightning bugs actually light up! C. Susan Ferraro possesses awesome thread skills, 'nuff said.

Justine Cancryn's "1040," made from 1040 2-inch squares and quilted by Jackie. Justine (who's just delightful in person) collected bits of fabric from her Mom and her friends for this quilt. Would love to have spent an hour inspecting all those terrific squares!

Madeleine Lowry made a fabulous Rose of Sharon quilt. Here is just one block to show you how wonderful it is:

This Hawaiian applique knocked my socks off. The maker, Sheila Gleason, said it took her 10 years to make but she probably won't try this ambitious a project again. I believe her on all counts, look at that stitching!

The church is kind of a funky spot to try to take pics - if it's dreary the quilts don't show up well but if it's bright the church does let full sunshine in. A lovely "Year in the Meadow" by Lynn Veith and a very cool Drunkard's Path variation exhibited by Laura Thomas:

You have to love a crazy quilt, though there's a pragmatic side of me that would be scared to use it for fear of damaging all that wonderful needlework. Judy Koch exhibited this piece.

Look at the work, wow-wow-wow!

This adorable rag quilt was made by Jo Hansling; it makes me - almost - wish my kids were little again!

A spectacular Baby Jane in spring colors by Jane(!) Howe:

I love the quilt descriptions for this show. Lynn Veith reveals that she made this as part of a class with Judy Niemeyer. She hadn't done any paper piecing before so she used her wildest and brightest colors, purposely not using her favorite fabrics in case she didn't like the result!

This vintage Grandmother's Flower Garden is a Corbett family heirloom. ahhh.

Look at that quilting! Sue Morrison tells us it was created by the ladies at the Southern Hills Church in Topeka, Kansas. Those ladies deserve a big round of applause!

This was probably my favorite piece this year. Partly because of the happy design and the fabrics Lynn Veith selected (hey, I see a trend here, do you?),

But also because she obviously had so much fun with the actual quilting of the piece!

Betty Haines made this beautiful wall hanging:

Look at that detail, how marvellous!

Am I the only one who remembers the (rather silly) movie "Hello Down There?" I kept thinking about the "Little Goldfish" song while enjoying at this rich quilt by Donna Reynolds.

If you're in the area, the show is open until 5:00 today; if not, hope you enjoyed this little bit of it!

Anticipation

2010-10-08T13:51:00.000-04:00

Jackie gave a great heads-up about a local show this weekend in East Haddam, CT.

This little show is fabulous; it's held in a gorgeous old church and the folks who run it are wonderful, open and friendly. When I first started thinking about quilting (I thought about it less-than-seriously for years, no foolin' - will tell you about it sometime), when I had my first fabrics selected but was still scared to cut into them, I attended this show for the first time. The men and women there gave me such sweet advice and encouragement that I did get up the nerve to make those first cuts; maybe next year I'll be ready to apply to have one of my own pieces included. I've been looking forward to this one, and just realized that I never shared photos from last year! Shamefully, I do not have credits to provide.
Maybe it's the setting, but my favor sides with the antique and handworked pieces at this show, though there's lots of variety and of course loads of beautiful pieces to view. Here are a few pics of my favorites:

Look at all those gorgeous stars!

Drool-city, as my Mom would say!

I just love the dragonflies on this piece!

Cool technique:

But the ones that really made my jaw drop were the miniatures!

Yow! But wait, look closer! I put the quarter there for scale.

Ahh, so pretty!

I'll be back on Sunday or Monday with pics from this year's show! See you then!

Clamshell Club, Month 4

2010-09-30T06:42:00.000-04:00

It's time for my month 4 report from the Clamshell Club!
September has just flown by, and I didn't give this piece the attention it deserves. Children starting the new school year, agricultural and other fairs, 2 concurrent quiltalongs and more have absorbed my time this month! I have measured my progress to show you. Seen here on my crusty-but-trusty breadboard coffee table:

By the way, my kids do take an active interest in my quilting; see the pincushion above? The pins are artfully arranged so I feel bad every time I take pins out, LOL! They also nick my tape measure all the time, I really should have 5 or 6 just like this one.

In the interests of process I took a photo of the back; here I admit to wonkiness, bad trimming, and probably overdoing it with the basting!

And just for fun, my favorite picture from last weekend's outing to the Renaissance Faire. I love the belly dancers!

Gearhead Heaven and a Thank You

2010-09-19T11:06:00.000-04:00

This weekend was the annual Tobacco Valley Flywheelers show, an event we get to most years. (Connecticut has grown cigar-wrapping tobacco leaves for many many years, thus the name.) Most folks come to see stuff like this:

and this:

Antique tractors galore! There are loads of flywheel engines, steam engines and the like. The sound can be very loud, and the smell (not entirely unpleasant) of oil permeates the air.

One of the best ways to show the power of an engine is to use a recirculating pump to send water through the system. It's even more fun when you add bubbles!

There are antique autos too. If you think your dashboard is too crowded with gizmos, remember that at one time there were nearly none. Note that this one has two keys; one is to accommodate a new(er) battery.

There are collections and vendors too. This fellow has the most beautiful display of antique lanterns. Did you know that some lanterns have two glass lenses, one clear one in the front to act as a headlight when hung from your buggy and another red one in back of the lantern to act as a taillight?

Lots of flea-market style booths with stuff like this for sale. I can't identify most of these; I know a distributor cap and a belt when I see them but most of this stuff is out of my realm. I couldn't help thinking that a bit of paint would turn them into adorable garden mushrooms!

But the real reason I go to this show is to see Katie Sue. She shows up most years and is a genuine delight, something a lot of people in my generation have never seen in action. Yup, it's a real, live calliope!

Here's her posterior (apologies, Katie Sue!):

See the bellows that beats the drum?

Front and center:

And of course the xylophone:

I must extend hearty thanks to Amanda of the Quilted Fish! She gave away several FQ bundles of fabulous Riley Blake's Summer Song fabrics and I was a lucky recipient. Aren't they wonderful? Lots of scheming already, they're so bright and happy.

I hope your weekend was full of cool rusty things, bright happy things, and delightful music!

A Finish, Another Finish, and a Rant

2010-09-06T12:15:00.000-04:00

First finish: No, not that kind. This summer I gave myself the task of reading Mervyn Peake’s “Gormenghast” trilogy. I finished! The work defies classification – it’s part allegory, part fantasy, part gothic novel, part fairy tale, part dystopia and all surreal - and it’s LONG (over 1,000 pages, not that I was counting). I’ve not worked this hard on a single piece as an independent project since I read Goethe’s “Faust” about 15 years ago!

Peake’s writing style is ponderous, a real challenge. It took me, no lie, about 300 pages to “get into it.” I did find myself caught up in the tale, especially towards the end of the second book. But every step of the way I had to stop and re-read phrases (what does “an access of evil” mean?), pull out the dictionary, and repeat paragraphs aloud to try to understand the phrasing.

An example sentence, pulled at random:

"Below the cruddled underside of the unbroken cloud-roof, the air, through some peculiar trick of light,which had something of an underwater feeling about it, reflected enough of itself from the gaunt back of Gormenghast to make the herons restive as they stood and shivered on a long-abandoned pavement half in and half out of the clouds."

See what I mean? It sounds a lot better the third or fourth time you read it. BTW, look up cruddled and see what you find: it may be a colloquial bastardization of curdled (the most likely definition here I think), or it may mean to crouch in a fetal position, or to cuddle. Yuh-huh, most of my lookups resulted in answers like this.

There was a film made (by the BBC I think), but I don’t own a copy; I believe it focuses on the first two novels only; the final book of the trilogy focuses on the a different protagonist altogether. If you have a copy of the DVD(s?) I'd love to swap for it.
Dark? Yes. Depressing? Certainly. Full of wild imagery? Oh, yes. I’d put him up there with Thomas Mann (or even Joyce, to whom he's been compared in some circles) for reading difficulty, but I’m so glad I read it all the way though; it’s a tale unlike any other in modern fiction and if you’re feeling brave and hardy, do give it a go. It will take patience and fortitude to get through it but it will feed your imagination in ways you cannot anticipate. Peake was well-known as an illustrator and he has painted a thousand indelible images in this work.

Second finish: I finally finished my Asterisk quilt!

The back - poor lighting conditions, sorry. Simple applique strips done pick-up-sticks style.

Note to self: black is a LINT MAGNET, don't do a whole back in black again!

And the glamour shot:

And finally, my rant:
One of the current ubiquitous phrases that really irritates me is, “It is what it is.” I hear it anywhere from one to four times most weeks, and always with respect to something that needs correction. The phrase is universally used as an excuse not only to escape responsibility, but also culpability. Should you have checked the gas tank before firing up that equipment, and given it a tuneup? Of course you should have. Now that it has broken down and is out of gas, you say, “It is what it is.” No, it isn’t. The worst cases are at work – I work for a company that makes a product, so the phrase is by definition meaningless: you made the stuff, so you can change it if you care to do so. It’s an abominable act of shirking to use this phrase – by doing so you expect me not only to accept the flaws I’ve noted, but to specifically hold you free from responsibility for correcting those flaws.

It isn’t what it is. It is exactly what you make of it.

Whew - thanks guys, I needed to get that off my chest.

Clamshell Club, month 3

2010-08-31T10:19:00.000-04:00

It's month 3 of the Clamshell Club!
Month 1 was all about process, figuring out which method would work for me; in month 2 I started my actual rows. Now, in month 3, I've made some progress and it looks like it may someday be a quilt! Hooray!

There are definitely still technical issues - some of my clams are a little bunchy/crinkled, and I did start to veer upwards toward one end.

But our grandmothers made pieces much like this, scrappy and full of imperfections so I'm not going to fuss over it; I'll make adjustments where I can to hopefully end up with something square-ish. And when it comes time to hand-quilt it, there will be lots more imperfections added I'm sure! It's 60 inches wide so it fits perfectly atop my picnic table.

I'm surprised at how much I'm enjoying this process; I've been terrified of applique, but the stitching itself is not hard (probably a perfect introduction with those gentle curves) and I've been very relaxed about the whole thing. It will be no technical marvel when complete, but there will be Love in every stitch and will certainly meet the primary goal of becoming a pretty and warm blanket.

I have a friend who is a professional aquaculturist; some of my fondest memories from my late youth and early adulthood are of time spent at the Clam Farm where he worked growing seed clams. He grew the common local variety, Mercenaria Mercenaria. I think the proper name for this quilt is Mercenaria Fabricaria!

Fair Skies

2010-08-18T14:09:00.001-04:00

I finished my version of Andrea's Avignon Picnic! This has taken me a shamefully long time to complete but I'm pleased with the results. If you're looking for an easy, fun, jelly-roll-friendly project, I'd recommend this one in a heartbeat. The front:

the back:

the close-up shot:

Details: My final size, post shrinkage, was about 57 x 65 inches. I had a little..ahem..issue with my eBay jelly roll - the strips were not consistently cut - so my finished blocks are smaller than Andrea's. I know, caveat emptor and all that rot. On the upside, there were no white-based prints so I got lots of mileage out of those strips. I bought a heap of L'Amour circles print from Natalia at a wicked discount and incorporated it into the front, used it for the bulk of my backing and also bound with it. Wish I had a bolt of the stuff, it's a lovely rich red and could go with lots of kinds of projects.

I'm hoping that the town Library will accept it to be raffled off at the local fair - thus the quilt name ("Fair Skies"). If they don't want it, I can find someone to take it off my hands, I hope!