Wednesday Quilter

Not for the faint of heart...

2012-02-12T21:36:00.000-05:00

...and not for anyone over 30!

CJQP Update

2012-02-12T18:02:00.001-05:00

February Block: Polly

This block will be my second for the CJQP challenge and honor my mother's second oldest sister, Polly. This is the middle block on the top row. In this photo, it's upside down.

Aunt Polly

Working on the first block taught me a few things which are probably no brainers for most of you. One: embroider first, embellish next, photos last. At least that's the sequence that's making sense to me right now. I've been doing seam treatments and using very basic stitches which I'll add to later. I will determine where the pictures will go before I get to far with the embroidery, although I won't actually stitch them at this point.

This weekend I've been doing nothing much but spinning my wheels. Thursday my husband was taken to the ER from work with symptoms very much like a heart attack: left arm pain, sweating profusely, shortness of breath, high blood pressure. Tests were all normal - EKG, blood chemistry, and a stress test the next morning. The ER doctor insisted that he spend the night in the cardiac unit for observation. The cardiologist could find nothing wrong with his heart and thinks the pain could be the result of nerve damage. The DH was in the paratroopers while in the army and did quite a few jumps out of airplanes and helicopters. Thirty years later, I think his body is talking back to him and it's not happy. He knows he has back problems as a result of this so I wouldn't be surprised if there weren't some issues that are just now showing up. I do wonder if the pain in his arm caused a panic attack over fear that it *might* be a heart attack?

The stress of that little surprise really wore me out and Saturday was kind of a blur. Today is our 25th anniversary, so we met the rest of the family for breakfast and then did some grocery shopping! Never say we aren't the romantic couple!!

Actually, DH called me a couple of weeks ago and asked if I'd like to go to Savannah on our anniversary. Hilariously, he didn't realize it was just 2 weeks away - too soon for him to get leave from work. So we're celebrating a littler later, at the end of April. That will be a much nicer time to go anyway - more flowers, nicer weather.

I'm extremely glad DH is okay but my weekend has been written off as far as the CQs go. It wasn't a total loss as I did make a skirt for my sister-in-law - who, incidentally brought me a lot of interesting loot today:

All of those lovely hankies were in this case which is leather and what feels like silk.

Elegant faux fur collar.

Funky retro beads...

Lots of jewelry

This wonderful stuff comes from J's mother who is 96 and now in a nursing home. K was from Germany, is a Holocaust survivor, and immigrated to this country after the war. She, her sister and mother were the only members of her family who survived. K was always very elegant. I'm so thrilled that J wanted me to have these items.

This is a long photo intensive post. Thanks for hanging in there.

Productive Insomnia

2012-02-09T04:50:00.000-05:00

A bit of a sleepless night/morning. On mornings like this, I can't wait to retire. I am so so weary of waking up in the wee hours in a panic over some perceived mistake/bad judgement call at work. I'm so tired of second guessing myself. I'm ready to enjoy life worry free (never happen), and unleash the free spirit within! A friend told me about her son who falls into that category. He didn't have stamps so he taped cash to his bills and put them in the mail. Almost all of the checks cleared. When his car payment didn't make it and the bank called he told them not to worry about it. The next month's check would be a pay off. Would it be nice to live in that state of mind? I don't know and I'm sure it has it's down side, but looking at it from my perspective right now, it sure seems like it.

Putting my insomnia to good use, I naturally started cruising Pinterest which eventually led me to this lovely website. Lots of vintage love there, embroidery, and some interesting photography. She has an Etsy shop too. I love the sweet, simple design of her embroidery.

Now's about the time I start getting sleepy again which means I can maybe get another hour of dozing before I have to get moving. You'd think I had a handle on this after all these years, but no.

UPDATE! Debra has got to be one of the most generous people I know. Yesterday I received a package from her full of wonderful stuff: fabric, embroideries

beautiful machine embroideries

and something that in my excitement over those beautiful things I had set aside. I got distracted and didn't open a second bag filled with these until this morning:

vintage embellishments!

Even more vintage love!

I took these photos in a hurry this morning so didn't have time to edit them, but wanted to share this with you. These pieces are absolutely perfect for my cq - all are very vintage looking if not in fact. They will absolutely make this quilt into what I had hoped. I know that a collection like this probably takes years to accumulate, so THANK YOU, Debra for sharing these. I have been looking everywhere for just this kind of thing. You are the best!

You Big Doily!

2012-02-06T20:37:00.000-05:00

(sorry about the shadow)

While looking through the several hundred (it seems) I have kept over the years that my aunts made (Mom did not crochet) I found these examples of what is truly amazing work. I would never have the patience to complete anything like these:

There are 44 of those clusters in each bunch of grapes.

While they never learned to knit - no one to teach them - they certainly loved to crochet. No one uses these much any more, and I wish I could find a way to display them - perhaps frame them? or make them into pillows? Not sure.

And who doesn't have one of these from the 1970's?

I made this afghan when I was about 17. It's 100% wool, and one day I forgot that and washed it, so it's quite felted. But I've had it all these years - nearly 45. And don't these colors scream 1970?

We spent a lot of time together, my aunts, my mother and I on Saturday nights doing things like this. I was lucky (although I often feel I was raised by a committee). Their hands were always busy, as long as they were able.

Yard Sale - Binding: SOLD!

2012-02-04T09:34:00.004-05:00

Bonnie at Quiltville's Quips & Snips is having a yard sale. Here are my items:

SOLD!

Thanks for your interest!
Five rolls of binding. Here are the specifics, top to bottom, left to right:

Peach: 4 yards, $2.00
Pink: 7 yards, $3.00
Yellow: 7 yards, $3.00
Black: 5 1/2 yards, $2.50
Red(ish): 6 yards, $2.50

This includes postage. Or, buy it all for $12.00 which includes postage. UPDATED: Or, make me an offer! This is binding I made to sell on Etsy. The prices are 1/2 what I originally charged. I have a paypal account which would be the best way to pay. Let me know & we'll work out the details.

CQJP Block One - Semi-Finished

2012-02-03T20:12:00.001-05:00

Block One - Aunt Emma

I'm sure I'm not completely done but I'm giving it a rest. There are things I would have done differently -- the top right hand corner needs something more, I think -- But, overall, I'm okay with this.

The Devil is in the Details

2012-02-01T06:01:00.001-05:00

Feather stitch with French knots

Herringbone with lazy daisy & French knots (above)), feather stitch (below)

Several examples of our TAST stitches from the past few weeks

This is the photo on the bottom right side of the block. I wanted just a little more color or detail to the lace so I threaded floss through the eyelets, and added French knots to the flowers - which I decided to fuse rather than stitch. I realized it would be very difficult to stitch through so many layers and was doubtful the result would be very attractive. The French knots should anchor them.

I'm still not ready to reveal the entire block. I'm still not completely satisfied with it. Hopefully by this weekend - which will be another busy sewing weekend.

Adding Color

2012-01-29T18:21:00.001-05:00

I'm thinking of adding these flowers I cut from another piece of fabric to the photo on my cq block. I'm not sure I'm up to appliqueing those small buds, however. Not even sure it can be done without a lot of distortion - I'm not that skilled. But I could add the bigger flowers and embroider smaller ones.

What do you think?

TAST Week Four - Cretan Stitch

2012-01-29T12:13:00.000-05:00

I tried doing a leaf using this stitch on Aida and just couldn't get it right. I didn't have any problems on the plain fabric where I roughly drew a leaf shape. You can see here where I cut my losses and moved on.

I actually like this stitch although from reading some others' comments, it doesn't seem to be very popular. Leave it to me! I didn't have a problem with it until I tried stitching it along one of the seams on my CQ block. But check my blog. I have a photo of some leaves I did using the Cretan stitch. I liked the results. I found it easier to do something like that on plain fabric rather than the Aida for some reason. Moving right along to week five!

January CQ: Emma

2012-01-29T12:06:00.000-05:00

I'm not really finished with this block but here's where I am. I would appreciate your thoughts!

Here's the overall picture. The large space in the upper left will have something there but not sure if it will be a photo. I'll be revisiting all along I'm sure and embellishing over the next few months.

Detail of the 2nd photo. More work to do here

I used the Cretan stitch for the leaves in the flower

Threads and patches: TAST week 3: feather stitch

2012-01-24T20:19:00.002-05:00

Threads and patches: TAST week 3: feather stitch has an absolutely beautiful rendition of the feather stitch. Marjolein has layered them to look like lavendar. It is an gorgeous interpretation!

CQJP Progress

2012-01-23T20:59:00.000-05:00

Feather Stitch

Finished the first photo of Aunt Emma with her husband Walter. They could not have been married for very long in this picture. Second picture, not sure how I want to proceed. Any suggestions? Would a simple blanket stitch be okay, considering how fancy the first picture is?

When will this stomach bug go away?

Fabulous Ladies

2012-01-21T11:34:00.002-05:00

I stumbled upon this blog, Advanced Style, and wanted to share. What fabulous women - all of "a certain age" who look magnificent.

The weather today is so gloomy. Right now it looks like it's about 9 at night, rainy, and cold. In fact, it's so dark it's kind of scary. I have a slight tummy problem and I'm not feeling 100%. On the up side, my dear daughter has given me access to her considerable bead collection since she's not into that any more. I've found some real beauties in there for the cq. I need to go to the grocery store but I'd have to put the dogs in their kennels and I hate to do that - they are so comfortable looking on the sofa. And since it just began pouring rain, I think I'll wait until my DH gets up so he can dog-sit wil I go. Maybe the rain will have let up. It's really pouring right now. I think I need some chicken soup, a quilt & a good movie.

Stop SOPA

2012-01-18T07:33:00.003-05:00

Image credit:Craft

2012-01-17T21:27:00.004-05:00

Weird things have been going on over here today. Apparently an old link to the New York Public Library was keeping me and others from accessing this blog. I checked NYPL's facebook page because I couldn't get into their web site, and others were having the same problem. I think they had been hacked. Anyway, it

appears all is well.

I'm not done with this, but I'm using an applique to frame the picture. Stitching the ribbon through the photo & the trim was just too much and I did not like the results. I think this is much better. What do you think?

CQJP and TAST Week Two: Buttonhole stitch

2012-01-15T07:13:00.001-05:00

This is a very conventional use of the buttonhole stitch but I promise embellishments are coming.

What else have I been inspired to do:

A CQ block for a future AAQI donation. I came across an embroidered handkerchief and immediately did this before I got cold feet about using it.

This is a future AAQI donation, too. The embroidered bird is one of several Debra gave me awhile back for future AAQI quilts. Using my blanket stitchery skills here!

While I was walking yesterday I had a couple more ideas that I will share later. I had a thought about how to collect all the TAST stitches and more Alzheimer quilts. I'm keeping file of ideas since this is going to be a busy year and I'm going to have to turn those out fairly easily.

Blogger seems to be jumping back and forth between new and old blogging. I've heard from others that they were unable to leave comments for the past couple of days. I had that problem on Friday - I hope it's fixed because I love hearing from fellow quilters. This morning, I was getting both the old and new way of posting photos.

Today is my annual outing with my daughters and sister in law. A couple of weeks after Christmas we pick somewhere to spend the day, have breakfast, and shop. For the past couple of years we've gone to Ikea and Atlantic Station. This time, the girls wanted to do Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza. At those two posh places, I doubt much shopping will get done! Ca-ching, ca-ching! I rarely go to Buckhead any more - that's what happens when you move to the 'burbs: you lose your edge - so this should be fun. I lived for several years in the Peachtree Hills.

Have fun stitching!

More Fly Stitchery with a Blanket Thrown In

2012-01-12T18:48:00.001-05:00

Last night I stitched this flower using the fly stitch and blanket stitch. I found those tiny buttons in just the right colors at Michael's.

Here's the big picture;

More uses of the fly stitch

2012-01-09T19:37:00.001-05:00

I was browsing the photos on the Flickr TAST group and saw this beautiful use of the fly stitch. Fascinating how such a simple, easy embroidery stitch can be used so many different ways - so simple, and so elegant!

Here's what I'm doing with one of the photos for the first cq block. I'm using the fly stitch to couch some ribbon around one of the photos:

I stitched that crocheted edging by machine and I'm adding ribbon to cover the raw seam and the stitching. I couldn't get the needle through the photo and the two layers of fabric in the cq block. I have a sore thumb resulting from very dry skin which splits right at the corner of my thumb nail - on my right hand of course! This happens every so often in spite of using hand cream liberally every time I wash my hands. I handle library books all day and they are very dusty. It just saps all the moisture from my hands, plus I feel I need to wash my hands all the time because handling library books is kind of like handling money. So I wind up with very painful dry skin. It's really difficult to push a needle through several layers of fabric because of this. This is only slightly easier but I like framing the photos this way. Those scalloped edges of the crochet also have lots of possibilities.

CQJP, TAST, and Fog...

2012-01-08T17:47:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning, looked out side, and saw this:

which really doesn't do the depth of the fog justice. But it sort of relates to my state of mind.

I could not get to sleep (both girls were out) until around 2 am. Dogs woke me at 3 am needing to go out. Woke me again at 4:30 am wanting to be fed. DH woke me at 6:30 am when he came home. finally got back to sleep and woke at 8:30 am. So yes, I was a little foggy when I got up.

Here's what amounts to a very basic fly stitch, the first stitch of TAST 2012, on my CQ block.

Of course I envision much more embellishment in the next few weeks. I've laid out some of the photos I printed on Saturday. Do three seem like too many to add? I also think maybe they need a border, or something around them to give them some definition? And to make it easier to stitch them to the block!

These pictures are of my mother's oldest sister, Emma. The photo in the upper left hand corner is Emma with her husband Walt. Around 1926 the family - meaning my grandfather, his wife and children, even Emma who was married -- went to Florida where they thought they were going to make their fortune in a big building boom. It didn't work out and they headed back home. By them my grandmother was pregnant with her 8th child - she rode back to Atlanta from Miami while pregnant, can you imagine? There was a family joke that the reason my uncle Frank was moody and a "black sheep" was because of that trip - he was born shortly after they returned to Atlanta. Emma would have been about 17 or 18 - she married very young.

And by the way, some of the work being done by the TAST participants is really amazingL such beautiful stitchery! I need to shape up! What I've done is so lame compared to some of the work over there- it inspires me to challenge myself and push myself farther.

I have a lot of work to do.

Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative

2012-01-05T19:20:00.002-05:00

One of my quilts is for sale at the Alzheimer's Art Quilt website!

I just discovered this young lady who has an incredible voice. Sadly, she passed away in 1996.

I plan to download several songs from Amazon. Her version of "Blues In The Night" just blows me away.

WIP Wednesday and Sharon's Band Sampler

2012-01-04T05:38:00.000-05:00

Sharon at PinTangle shows today how she makes a band sampler. I remembered a beautiful piece of linen I have with what looks like a hand crocheted border:

The size of the linen piece is about 7", which would be perfect. Whether I'll use this for the TAST challenge remains to be seen. :-)

I've come up with an arrangement for the cq that I'm happy with. I still need to work on the bottom center block, but I think this has a more balanced look. I'll use blocks in the corners without any of the linen pieces.

This nine block arrangement will work out perfectly for my plan. There were six sisters, who will have one of the six blocks on the top and bottom rows. The center rows will consist of pictures I have of all the sisters, as well as a little nod to my grandmother and a seventh sister, both of whom had passed away before their renewed interest in quilting back in the 1970's but who shared their love of needlework.

I'm still testing various ways to do the center block. I think the blue is too much of a contrast - I'm looking for a way to blend it into the surrounding blocks. I'm happy with this arrangement - everything else is still in the WIP stage.

TAST began last night and I have begun work on my sampler pages. I've been looking for varieties of the fly stitch both on Sharon's web site, Pin Tangle and other web sites, particularly examples from the group on the TAST Group on Stitching Fingers. I'm so enthralled by the huge variety of work stitchers in the group are doing. There are some amazing embroiderers in the TAST group. What a great opportunity to master the art of hand embroidery.

CQJP progress

2011-12-30T17:57:00.000-05:00

I added linens to the corners of the surrounding blocks. The next step is what to do about a border around the picture.

Below are some shots of the many letters, cards and postcards from my mother's French pen pal, Michelene. They wrote to each other during World War II and for a while afterwards. In the early 1960's, I wrote to Michelene once or twice. Most of her letters were saved.

I had thought about scanning some of these & printing them to use in my quilt. If not, I think they'd make a great quilt on their own.

CQJP - more blocks

2011-12-29T20:17:00.000-05:00

Here are the eight blocks i've completed, surrounding the center picture which I printed today. I'm very happy with the way it turned out. Several people have strongly suggested keeping the white linen border. I wish I could come up with a way to do that without using pieces of the linens in the blocks themselves. Somehow I feel that it takes away from the center piece in each block.

I do like this and I look forward to getting on with the handwork.

Progress on CQJP blocks

2011-12-27T18:17:00.001-05:00

It has been cold, wet and windy today. I woke up to pouring rain. Poor dogs dashed out to do their business and came back in cold and wet, shook themselves off and made a bee line for the sofa (which I wisely keep covered with a blanket).

I had lunch with my sister in law at Marietta Diner then came home and procrastinated a bit, looking through pictures and old documents I found while searching for some photos I wanted to include in this quilt. I ran across a letter my mother had received from the Veterans Administration around 1979 apologizing for mistakenly sending her an overpayment notice. I cannot imagine getting such a personal, polite letter from any government agency today. When Mom died seven years ago, an employee of the Social Security Administration hung up on me after telling me that they were just too busy to process our claim for her final SSA payment.

But, moving on...

I finally got to work on another block. I'm still a little ambivalent about this. I look at it one minute and it looks pretty good to me; another time I'm still not happy with it.

Here are some pictures of the latest blocks.

I've been moving them around the center block, which will be the photo you see of my aunts. I'm thinking I should put smaller cq blocks around that center picture.

I've also decided not to include the linens in the cq block except as the center. I like the blocks without them better.

I've left some large pieces deliberately to be able to place some photos in those areas. Speaking of photos, digging around today I found more of the aunts in quilting mode:

Emma

Peggy, Mae & Emma

Gladys & Mae

Still have to find those slides I made for the project I did in school. I am sure I have some great photos in there.

It's the last night of Hanukkah. We had a great weekend with family and way too much food. This was taken the fifth night when we celebrated with my dreidel cake which I make each year.

(I'm just dreaming...please don't wake me...)

Merry Christmas from Zoe and the rest of the Clan!

2011-12-24T07:58:00.002-05:00

I'm on vacation for the next ten days during which I hope to get A LOT of stitching done since I've fallen behind.

AAQI Awards $30,000 to University of Michigan

2011-12-21T06:05:00.004-05:00

Message flagged

Tuesday, December 20, 2011 6:03 PM

Message body

Re posted, with permission, from Ami Simms:

On Monday volunteers from the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI) presented a check for $30,000 to Dr. Sylvie Garneau-Tsodikova at the Life Sciences Institute of the University of Michigan. Dr. Garneau-Tsodikova and her research team will be using the money raised predominantly through the sale of donated quilts to develop multifunctional drugs for Alzheimer's disease.

Pictured above (from left to right) are: Jacob L. Houghton, Todd J. Eckroat, Wenjing Chen, Keith D. Green, Rebecca A. Reed (kneeling), Joshua J. Bornstein, Dr. Sylvie Garneau-Tsodikova, Ami Simms, Pat Holly (kneeling), Sue Nickels, Debbie Chenail, and Ruth Langdon.

It is unusual for researchers and those who fund them to ever meet. AAQI volunteers have had this opportunity three times. It is an extremely rewarding experience.

We bring quilts to explain our mission of raising awareness and funding research through art. Dr Garneau-Tsodikova's grandmother and aunt have Alzheimer's. She is motivated by their struggles with AD to work towards a cure.

We also bring Priority: Alzheimer's Quilts to sell. They become tangible reminders of the hope we all share that some day there will be a cure for this horrible disease.

It was truly amazing how science and art came together as Dr. Garneau-Tsodikova explained the work of her research team to quilters Pat Holly and Sue Nickels using a quilt from the AAQI traveling exhibit ("Alzheimer's Illustrated: From Heartbreak to Hope") made by Mary Andrews. In the background are exhibit quilts by Mona Fallis and Gay Young Ousley.

For everyone who sews for the AAQI, I know you do so because you care deeply about finding a cure for Alzheimer's. Let me assure you that what you do matters. Every single stitch counts. Your art touches people in a most special way. Just look at the faces of the people below holding the quilts you made!

Together we CAN make a difference.

To everyone who supports the AAQI by making quilts, buying quilts, and through financial contributions to our nonprofit, please accept my personal and heartfelt thanks for the work you do to make the AAQI a reality.

Together we have raised more than $679,000 since the AAQI began in 2006. This is the 10th research project we have funded.

Thank you!

Ami Simms
Founder & Executive Director
Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative

Disclosures

Portrait of My Daughter Drinking Coffee

2011-12-18T09:28:00.002-05:00

I started making this for the AAQI but it turned out to be too large and besides, something faded and left a dark blotch on her forehead. Also, I didn't like the way her hair turned out. But overall I'm pleased with this as a first attempt, and will definitely do another one. This isn't the greatest picture but I was too lazy to take another one. I'm binding it in the same polka dot as her dress.

Second CQ Block

2011-12-18T09:28:00.000-05:00

After a 36 hour labor I have produced CQ Block #2:

If the blocks are going to frame a center block, and the pieces of embroidery provide the framing, this will be on the right hand side of the center block, with the embroidered piece on the inside. Obviously I'll have to cover up that stain with something but that won't be a problem.

Not sure this is coming together like I thought it would. I'm hoping I'll be happier with it as it progresses. In this block I feel like the colors are kind of chaotic.

Good grief, it's just a quilt block. What am I obsessing about?

First CQ Block

2011-12-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

I hope I accomplished what I started out to do with this block. I should have had a better distribution of the light/dark fabrics. After talking to Debra on Saturday, adding the photos to the finished block seemed like a better plan than trying to incorporate them into the block itself. I managed to find some fabrics that will not detract from the pictures and have a vintage look. At least, I hope that's the result. This is all new and was a little like giving birth or maybe root canal surgery. Just kidding. Stretching is always painful at first. But I think it'll all be worth the effort.

CQJP Theme

2011-12-12T19:35:00.002-05:00

The theme of my CQJP will tell the story of the Wednesday Quilters - the ladies you see in these photos, plus a few more who wandered in and out, including me!

This group of women consisted of my mother and most of her sisters, five of whom you see here. One sister had passed away before their weekly quilting started. When my daughter was born, I started attending these weekly sessions. A couple of cousins usually showed up too. It was something I looked forward to each week, and continued for years.

Inspired

2011-12-11T07:27:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago I was in my favorite quilt shop with a friend. We were picking out fabric for a quilt she wants me to make for her when another quilter walked up. I asked her what she thought about the colors I had chosen. Of course she offered an opinion! :-) Later my friend said, are all quilters like that - you're all so friendly and helpful to each other. I said, you know, for the most part, yes. It's like this online community of friends (and notice I did not put quotation marks around that word) we have here. Yesterday I got a call from Debra to talk through my malaise about the cq project. I came away with new ideas & a fresh perspective. And in several ways, a confirmation of some ideas I already had been mulling over. Sometimes my biggest problem is a lack of confidence. It was very generous of her to spend about a half hour talking through ideas and helped me get over some obstacles, amidst the Chrismas music & shoppers at Publix ;-) - so thanks - as always, Debra! (That yardstick has a very long reach!)

So I sat down to dive in to the cq project, turned on my machine and - snap, crackle, pop - the overhead light went out and so did the machine. I thought a fuse had blown but no. DH thinks the ceiling fan shorted out for some reason. It's only the side of the room my sewing machine is on, oddly enough. But then I think this house was wired by circus clowns. I won't tell you what the guy found when we were doing some remodeling a couple of years ago. Okay, I will tell you: he found live wires behind some paneling under the stairs. Yes. Live naked wires. It's a miracle the house hadn't burned down - or that he didn't get electrocuted. I guess theyve been there since the house was built 30 years ago.

I have to make mac & cheese for a lunch party today. Hopefully DH will get the overhead fixed and I will be able to sew this afternoon & evening. I'd love to get 3 blocks finished. It seems doable but you know, this is NOT as easy as it looks. But it's a great challenge and mental exercise for me getting way outside my comfort zone.

Meanwhile, I have been looking at what others are doing and everything is so fantastic. This is going to be a great year!

The Plan for Today

2011-12-10T07:38:00.001-05:00

I feel like a lost a day yesterday. It was a long day at work and I was pretty much mush when I got home. Today I'd really like to get 3-4 cq squares done but also have some errands to run. BLECH. Working really cramps my quilting style. I feel like I need to get out and clear my head a little today anyway. Tomorrow I have a lunch party with some library friends & I've got to cook something for that. It's the DH's long weekend to work, this computer is being uncooperative, both girls are working and - I'm not going to lie - I'm a little down in the dumps. I can't get this cq thing to come together & I'm getting frustrated. The holidays are right on top of me, my daughter's graduating from college AND her birthday is the first week of January and I'm feeling the pressure of needing to do something for her but I don't know where to start. Just feeling a little overwhelmed. But - it's a beautiful day~! Not too chilly & the sun is shining. I'm just going to sit here and see where it goes. I'm not even going to post a picture of my preliminary cq block until I rework it. I should have pictures by this afternoon. I don't want to get too caught up in this but Michele at Quilting Gallery is having a blog hop. I could spend all day at that but I won't...really.

Update: God. Sorry about that photo of the scary quilt. I promise not to do that again. Not without fair warning.

Anyway, here's something I can show you that won't make you spew your morning coffee (hopefully). I'm not completely unproductive or dysfunctional. Debra sent me some embroidered pieces awhile back for AAQI quilts. I put together a cq using one of them:

Those fabrics are Japanese silks. When the Summer Olympics were here in Atlanta, the Georgia Quilt something or other got volunteers to make quilts for each country that was represented. My quilt went to Nauru, a country I'd never heard of before then. They also made quilts for the Special Olympics (I didn't participate in that one), and miniature quilts for the Winter Olympics which were in Japan.* I sent a miniature quilt and in return, the Japanese quilters send all of us several pieces of silk, which were lovely and, you guessed it, I've never used until this piece. I just need to embellish and finish this for the AAQI.

*Not that it matters much but I think the way that one worked is that the Japanese quilters made larger quilts for the athletes, and we made mini-quilts for the quilters.

Now I just need an infusion of caffeine and I'm good to go.

2011-12-08T18:46:00.001-05:00

I'm still working on the cq blocks. I'm not satisfied with what I've done so far.

Here's that wacky quilt top I was telling you about. This must have been done somewhere between 1940-1950. A lot of interesting fabrics, and the pieces are fairly large. Some of them look like feed sacks. [edited: removed the picture. too ugly.]

Photos on Fabric

2011-12-07T19:12:00.001-05:00

Below are some examples of some pictures I've printed out using both the freezer paper method & commercially prepared inkjet printable fabric. I think the freezer paper method gives a softer look. The commercial printable fabric seems to give a sharper image. The type of fabric also makes a difference. Higher thread count in the picture on the right. It just depends on what effect you want.

I often iron freezer paper onto muslin or some other fabric and then cut it to 8.5 x 11 inches. It works pretty well and it's definitely cheaper. **Added: Debra points out that fabric should be treated with Bubble Jet to keep it from fading or the image disintegrating if it gets wet. **

Freezer paper images.

The last two were printed on commercially prepared fabric.

There are a multitude of tutorials on doing this on Youtube and other places on the Internet. Try Craft Gossip, too. I'd search for them and link them here but my computer is an antique and it takes FOREVER to load photos - and some of these blogs (heh, heh) are very photo-intense. Kind of like this one. I'm sure there are folks out there who have done this and have great ideas and tips to share, please feel free to do so in the comments. And I'll work on getting the links together during lunch at work where I have a much faster computer.

Please do comment on the photos above, and come back soon.

AAQI Raises $62,000 at Houston

2011-12-07T07:31:00.001-05:00

From Ami Simms:

The Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI) raised $62,000 during International Quilt Festival (IQF) in Houston , Texas . From November 2-6, 2011 , volunteers sold 1,141 Priority: Alzheimer’s Quilts (mini quilts measuring 9" x 12" or less) breaking all previous sales records for the all-volunteer nonprofit organization.

Click here to see the quilts that sold in Houston.

This was the sixth year the AAQI was invited to display and sell Priority: Alzheimer's Quilts by IQF founder and director Karey Bresenhan. Brooke and John Flynn, from Billings , Montana , again sponsored the booth.

The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative awarded $115,000 in grants in 2011, funding research at the University of Michigan , the University of Pittsburgh , and Cornell University . AAQI grants are made possible in large part from income generated by selling made by its supporters. Nearly 9,000 Priority: Alzheimer's Quilts have been donated since the effort began.

The Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative is a national, grassroots charity whose mission is to raise awareness and fund research. Alzheimer’s Illustrated: From Heartbreak to Hope, a nationally touring exhibit of quilts about Alzheimer's, and the Priority: Alzheimer’s Quilts project are two of its programs. The AAQI has raised more than $679,000 for Alzheimer’s research since January 2006. Ami Simms of Flint , Michigan is the founder and executive director of AAQI, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Her mother had Alzheimer’s.

For more information on the AAQI or to make a donation, contact Ami Simms at 810-637-5586 ( 9 a.m – 3 p.m. Eastern), ami@alzquilt.org or www.alzquilts.org.

p.s. I'm so pleased to say that I had six miniature quilts at Houston this year that sold. This cause is so dear to my heart.

Rough Draft

2011-12-05T19:43:00.001-05:00

When I first thought about making a quilt using family photos, I planned on doing a kind of free-form patchwork - decide on the block size, choose the photo, and filling the spaced with fabric. This was one of the initial blocks I made:

I planned on filling in the large blocks with embroidery.

What about using this same concept but the patchwork blocks would be crazy blocks. This block is 10" square so at least one of those sections would have to be 6" to fulfill the requirement for the CQJP.
I also started a cq block building around one of the photos:

So I'm curious about your thoughts. Would this work?

Quick Post

2011-12-05T06:28:00.001-05:00

I did work yesterday on a quilt that I can't post pictures of because it is a surprise gift for someone.

But, I can give you a glimpse of the fabrics I will be using. The person I'm making it for loved these batiks. It's a simple pattern which I hope I can complete this afternoon.

I also played around with the cq blocks, working some pictures into them and will post pictures of them this afternoon. Right now, I'm running late for work. Have a wonderful day, everyone.

Mamaka Mills Recycled and Custom Memory Quilts: Four Commissioned Memory Quilts for a Family in Ohio From Their Dad's Clothing.

2011-12-04T07:27:00.000-05:00

Mamaka Mills Recycled and Custom Memory Quilts: Four Commissioned Memory Quilts for a Family in Ohio From Their Dad's Clothing.

I saw these quilts on Craft Gossip. I love this idea. Don't they remind you of the Gees Bend quilts? They were made by Alix of Mamaka Mills.

Children's Health Care of Atlanta Christmas Parade

2011-12-03T19:15:00.001-05:00

Some photos from the Children's Health Care of Atlanta Christmas Parade which ate up most of my day today. Here are some photos of me and some coworkers (and other parade participants!) who braved standing in the cold wind for 3 hours, while admiring and having fun with the Happy Tails therapy dog group. Thank goodness the horses and llamas were BEHIND us this year. Just sayin'.

At the end of the parade route, near Phillips Arena where the SEC Championship game was about to be played. Always fun being downtown .....

CQJP fabric

2011-11-30T18:44:00.001-05:00

These are some of the fabrics I will be using for the Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2012. I have been thinking about using photos in a quilt for awhile but I was trying to come up with something a little unique. Making a crazy quilt should give me the opportunity to make the quilt very personal.

I'm in amazing company in this group and to tell you the truth it's both intimidating and exhilerating.

AAQI Update

2011-11-30T17:53:00.001-05:00

Beth Hartford is an AAQI Board Member and Priority: Alzheimers Art Quilt registrar. This post is about her purchase of one of the priority quilts at the Houston IQF this November. If you have purchased or donated a quilt to this worthy cause, you should read this post.

The AAQI also recently held a Stanley Cup Quilt-Off which raised over $17,000. Here are photos of the amazing and beautiful quilts that were donated, and the quilters who made them.

It is a joy for me to make these quilts and donate them to a cause that is so dear to my heart: a cure for Alzheimer's Disease. My mother and three of her siblings had Alzheimers and now my mother-in-law is suffering from the disease. To be able to do something I love, and that Mom and her sisters so enjoyed doing together, and also help fight the disease that took so many of them from us, is a privilege.

December 2011 & January 2012 AAQI

2011-11-29T04:28:00.001-05:00

Here are my December 2011 and January 2012 AAQI quilts. Very easy & simple but I imagine I'll be making quite a lot of this type of quilt for them this coming year. The first quilt is December 2011 and the second will be submitted for January. Debra sent me a number of machine embroideries awhile back and this is one of them (my daughter fell in love it). I'm trying to get some easy quilts done to submit to AAQI next year. Once I've done 6 months worth of the Monthly Challenge, I may take the pressure off and drop out of that challenge, just concentrating on my $1,000 pledge. I'm more than halfway there but it may take next year's Houston Festival to reach the goal. There are just so many quilts being submitted at this point, people have a lot of choices. But that's perfectly fine with me. I know they sell tons at Houston and I'm happy to contribute.

Now that I'm ahead of that game, I plan on getting blocks ready for the CQJP 2012 and Take a Stitch Tuesday challenges. I'm joining a great group of quilters/stitchers and I'm excited and looking forward to a year of getting to know them all. Keep up with our progress at the Tuesday Stitchers blog. I'm honored to be part of this group!

Getting up a 4 am is not unusual for me but this morning not only did the dog need to go out but I got up to redo Stella's bandage by myself. Fortunately, she was uncharacteristically calm. I didn't eve have to hold on to her, she just sat there and meowed a few times. She did keep looking at me but it was more of a "Gee, thanks. That thing was nasty" look. Not like the other day:

I don't know if you can see the eyes but they are totally dilated. When I see eyes like that on a cat I generally move slowly away.....

Quiz

2011-11-27T07:49:00.001-05:00

Do either of these fabrics work with this 9 patch? Either as sashing or maybe an alternate block? Maybe both?

As I let the dog back in this morning, I looked toward my neighbor's house & saw this lovely sunrise.

December Alzheimer's Art Quilt Auction

2011-11-27T07:32:00.001-05:00

The AAQI December Auction begins in four days. Mini-quilts make great gifts. Like this one and this one and this and here.

All the quilts are donated by quilters around the United States. All proceeds go to the AAQI which supports research and awareness initiatives about Alzheimer's Disease. AAQI has raised more than $679,000 since January 2006.

Please support the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.

Take a Stitch Tuesday

2011-11-26T10:06:00.001-05:00

I have signed on for the Take A Stitch on Tuesday challenge, hosted by the incomparable Sharon. This is in conjunction with the Crazy Quilt Journal Project.

And I've been scrounging through stuff I've been holding on to for a long time hoping to use one day. This is why I never throw anything out.

Today I'm getting organized, contrary to what that picture says, because I am committed to seeing this through.

Registration is still open if you want to join the fun and stretch your creative horizons.

2011-11-24T10:28:00.001-05:00

This is what teamwork can do. I handed this quilt top over to Debra at the Houston Quilt Festival. Some of the prints were in my stash but many of them were from other quilters, and sent to me by Debra. So it's a collaboration of a number of quilters, most of whom do not know each other. But we love to quilt and we love to donate quilts to worthy causes.

Finished quilt - pieced by me, quilted by Debra.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Inspiration

2011-11-23T14:13:00.001-05:00

Here's some inspiration to get me going on my Crazy Quilt adventure:

Source: crazyquilts.ca via Angie Kay on Pinterest

Lots of inspiration here

...and, oh my, here!

I'm looking forward to this. I've been looking for some different way to create a memory quilt using photos and keepsakes I've been hanging on to that I wanted to display. I think this will give me that outlet.

I Did It.

2011-11-23T05:28:00.001-05:00

I tried to resist but I couldn't. I really didn't want to do this. I read about it here first, then there was this and it seemed someone was trying to tell me something. So I went over to here to read more and by then it was too late. I was like a hoarder in a thrift store. There was no going back. Help me Rhonda. I signed up.

Guess what?

I've never done a crazy quilt. Never. But oh my. Aren't they wonderful? Who wouldn't want to make one? I haven't signed up for a challenge (except AAQI) in a long time, so it's about time I drove myself over the edge. Because I don't have enough to do, right?

Sewing Room Revisited

2011-11-20T16:26:00.000-05:00

I spent a couple of hours reorgainzing today and things look much better. I have a few more bins to go through & decide whether to keep or toss but most of my room is organized and I have a pretty clean, clear space for sewing. I even managed to get all the knitting & crocheting in the closet you see. I still need some shelving for the books and some miscellaneous stuff that is still upstairs but this is a big improvement.

Challenges

2011-11-20T07:44:00.001-05:00

Trying to go from this:

to this:

has not been easy. That little circle on the bottom of the cup has been giving me fits. My daughter says it looks like the cup is upside down. I'm hoping that quilting around it to give it more definition will solve that problem. Otherwise, I'm pretty please with this as a first effort. I loved the process. I read several articles and web sites on doing this kind of thing, all very helpful and I see where I could change some things and make it easier next time. It's always fun to try new things, even if I get stumped.

Today I am on the hunt for storage bins to organize the new sewing digs. It's ridiculous - so many bags and bins. I like this arrangement:

from this website which I think is a great idea. Clear bins let you see what is in them, no tops to keep up with, take on and off, etc. I like this.

I'm leaving in a minute or two to have breakfast with the family, then grocery shopping. Later I plan on organizing my shopping and doing some online research to see if ordering some things online would be more efficient and cost-saving than driving to the warehouse place (B.J.'s), given what gas has become. I know some sites offer free shipping for a minimum order. Drugstore.com has a lot of stuff I normally buy about once a month, and they offer free shipping with a $25.00 order.

I hear the clump clump of DH's boots. I guess it's time to go.

Quilt Suggestions Needed

2011-11-15T19:15:00.001-05:00

I've been asked to make a quilt for someone's daughter's wedding. She wants to incorporate pictures of her daughter in the quilt so I'm looking for a simple, easy idea. Does anyone have any ideas or links? It will be a wall hanging, I'm thinking; maybe 36" or so, incorporating 4 or 5 photographs, perhaps in 6 or 8 inch blocks. Something along those lines, and I'm flexible.

Any ideas?

Crazy Quilt

2011-11-14T17:30:00.001-05:00

A beautiful crazy quilt here at Yesteryear Embroideries. The handwork and detail is gorgeous. Lots of details at the link.

Vintage

2011-11-13T08:32:00.001-05:00

You little minx!

Fun website, Bramcost Publications, for lovers of Vintage knitting, sewing, crocheting, etc

In Other Quilting News

2011-11-13T08:19:00.001-05:00

More pictures of my progress on the November AAQI quilt:

I chose a polka dot background since it's a little on the whimsical side and that's the direction I'm going with this:

Cut out the fusible pieces and placed on the outline. The fusible material I use allows you to reposition the pieces before ironing which is just great.

Finally the pieces in place - I'm pretty pleased except that she looks a little angry, which is not what the photo looks like. Some of the details were drawn and I have some more work to do but I'm pretty pleased with this first effort.

Making Disorganization Work

2011-11-13T08:10:00.001-05:00

In the process of trying to organize this train wreck I've created by switching rooms and dumping all of my fabric, sewing projects, etc. down here in the spare room I came across this lovely red and green block which I probably made twenty years ago. I was looking for some hand embroidery patterns online to make a table runner for a friend. She recently bought a cottage at Callaway Gardens and plans on spending her weekends and holidays down there. This block is pretty large so it may turn into a table topper instead but I'd forgotten all about it and I think it's a good starting point.

UFOs

2011-11-11T19:00:00.000-05:00

As promised:

This first piece is from Scrap Quilts by Judy Martin, a great book with loads of patterns for pieced, paper pieced, and applique - if you're a pattern kind of person, and sometimes I am.

I'm only showing the center of the wall quilt because it has a hideous pink border around it at present, and I'm going to change that. I'm also going to change the darker green leaves for a more muted green. I was never happy with those leaves! Amazing how our tastes change. I'm actually glad that I never finished this because I would have been very unhappy with the results. These fabrics are so 1980s! I like to think, perhaps incorrectly, that I've grown a little as a quilter in that I am somewhat more selective, maybe even a bit more sophisticated, about color. It's something I am constantly working on.

The next three are from Mimi Dietrich's Baltimore Bouquets. I started these blocks a mere five years or so ago for a monthly challenge. The idea was that I'd make four different sets using four different color schemes or fabrics or techniques. And I did finish two of the sets! One was a monochromatic color scheme using some of the same dupioni silk you see in these blocks.

I look at these blocks as sort of a poor gal's Baltimore Album quilt but they are lovely in their own right. I've seen various blocks from this book in numerous quilts. I love the textures and I added to that with some embroidery and beading.

The little book opens up by the way:

This is my priorty UFO at the moment so I'll keep posting as I go along.

November AAQI and Houston

2011-11-10T18:32:00.001-05:00

Right now my favorite thing is the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (November auction going on now, by the way [EDITED: Auction ends tonight!). November's AAQI monthly challenge - one of them - is a self-portrait so I decided to do a portrait of my daughter instead. She is a lot easier on the eyes. I read about the technique below on the Internet somewhere. Ah yes - it was the Interpret This! challenge hosted by Debra Spincic a while back.

I took a picture of my daughter doing what she does frequently, drinking coffee, then edited it on Piknik where you can choose an application called "posterize". This gives you a sort of outline which I traced with a big sharpie, then traced onto fusible web. Next step is to chose the fabrics.

I've never done this before so I hope I don't get hung up on getting it "right". In fact I might go for some truly whimsical fabrics just to force myself out of that box.

I read Debra's rundown of the Houston quilt show and I pretty much agree with her assessment. I do love the Japanese quilts, however. I doubt I will ever tire of them. I know Debra likes lots of color and I do too but I love the elegance of the Japanese quilters. I agree with Debra - not much new, nothing really blew me away. I did love the 12 x 12 International Art Quilt Challenge which I thought was the most original exhibit there. Lots of inspiration in those pieces.

I'm kind of over the extreme machine quilting I see. The top honors for a couple of years have gone to phenomenal quilts but it make me wonder how much farther can this go? It's certainly admirable and has it's place. I really am more impressed with handwork: applique is my favorite. The Baltimore Album quilts last year alone were worth the trip. Scrap quilts are a very, very close second.

It's all in the process for me. I love making quilts and giving them away or donating them. Quilting should be enjoyable for everybody and there is room for everybody. I've learned that every quilt I make doesn't have to be the best quilt in the world. But it sure is great to see those breathtaking examples of human creativity.

Tomorrow: pictures of REAL authentic UFOs.

Inspired

2011-11-09T19:29:00.000-05:00

I came back from the Houston Quilt Festival with a lot of pictures, inspiration, and good intentions. I have actually pulled out a UFO that I'm determined to finish. I've also committed to continue this blog, for what it's worth, and to minimize my time on the evil Facebook, the spawn of Satan. Moreover, I've moved all my sewing downstairs

which gives me more room although it needs a tiny bit of organization (I'm working on it, okay?). While I don't think I'll be invited to join this crowd at least I'm not squeezed into a broom closet like before. (Also, nice shot of the trash can.)

Bonus:

On the right is the lovely lady who bought one of my Alzheimer's Art Quilts. We shared not only a love of quilts but our names: both Deborahs and even had the same surname. . Hey, we even LOOK alike (a little). Got to meet Ami Simms, too. Four of my quilts sold at Houston!

Tomorrow I'll post pictures of the UFOs I have dragged out to salvage and ~~hopefully~~ finish--some early applique work. You can offer advice on how I should finish them.

Quilting Gallery Weekly Contest

2011-10-20T19:32:00.000-04:00

I took the plunge and entered my September Alzheimer's Quilt in the Weekly Themed Quilting Contest at the Quilting Gallery. This week's theme just happened to be paper piecing, and my quilt just happened to be paper pieced, something I rarely do - I used to but not any more.I also never enter contests.

Nine Patch

2011-10-19T19:56:00.000-04:00

Nine Patch I am working on for Debra Spincic, from fabric she sent to me. Nothing more wonderful than a 9 patch. I could do them al day long.

I loev this fabric. It has a wonderful, soft hand.

Blogging

2011-10-16T10:04:00.001-04:00

I don't know where I'm going with this blog. Facebook has ruined me. Bear with me while I get my bearings again.

September ALQ Quilt

2011-10-16T09:58:00.000-04:00

I made this quilt some time ago but did not know where it was going. Didn't seem worthy to me. I took it out again and thought; 'beads'. Thst seems to be what it needed. I noticed after taking the photo that I had missed some areas where it needed more quilting so I took care of that. I'm pretty happy with it. I paper pieced each quadrant then stitched them together and appliqued the circle in the center. I used organdy ribbon for the binding.

Genius!

2011-09-05T12:41:00.001-04:00

I just watched these videos showing how to baste a quilt. I admit that I stopped making anything but small quilts because I don't use a quilting frame, have never been able to quilt that way and basting a large quilt or even a wall hanging is such a you-know-what. But here is a method that is efficient, effective, and easy! I will be heading to Lowe's for some of those board things very soon to try this out.

The Stanley Cup Quilt-Off Has Begun

2011-08-30T06:24:00.000-04:00

What's that wacky AAQI bunch up to now? Check out The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative blog to find out!

Everything you need to know is here.

Raising money for Alzheimer's Research!

Smackdown Quilt

2011-08-30T06:19:00.001-04:00

Not much time this morning but here's a picture of the August smackdown blocks I made (all three):

The picture's not great but it's early and I don't have time to fiddle. I like this block. I approached it first as a traditional 9 block but didn't know for sure if I had enough fabric to make all of them that way so went for the scrappy look. Maybe I'll throw in a "matching" 9 block here and there to make it interesting. I think the pastels will look nice, but I'll save the dark one for another quilt.

I'm going to use about three different pastel solids for the star center.

I'll probably have it finished just in time for the September smacking.

More Smacking

2011-08-27T14:34:00.000-04:00

Join Debra, Susan, Barbara and me for another quilting smackdown this weekend. I've been lazy so I'm behin the rest of the team but we are working on this great quilt pattern.

Pictures to follow as soon as I have something to show!

August AAQI entry

2011-08-20T20:06:00.000-04:00

This quilt is not wonky, it's the angle of the camera. I barely made the deadline, again, for the monthly quilt for the AAQI. It's been more like an every other month quilt pledge. I love this little sampler, which is based on patterns in the September 1994 QNM, in an article called "Mini Block Bonanza." I started some of them a long time ago, pulled them out & made a few more for this quilt.

It's dedicated to a friend who returned to nursing school and is now a gerontological nurse practitioner, working with Alzheimer's patients. She was a great friend when my mother was sick.

Possibly The Scrappiest Quilt In The Universe

2011-08-14T06:28:00.002-04:00

Inspected and approved by Zoe.

These are for Debra to quilt and donate - I think to a veterans' hospital. Very scrappy but what a soft, cozy quilt this will make. If I ever get the hang of those end pieces, I would make this quilt again. I think it would look great with a solid / large scale print combination.

It gives me a great sense of accomplishment, doing something like this. I know they will be appreciated & enjoyed.

(p.s.: the green borders on the bottom quilt are closer in color than they look in the picture. And Whoa, those blues are jumping out at me. The things you don't notice...weird).

Recycled Tshirt quilts are on sale

2011-08-05T07:54:00.000-04:00

My recycled tshirt quilts are marked down to $60 with free shipping on my Etsy shop.

These blankets are so soft and cozy, completely washable and dryable. No worries about spills - a great item to throw in the car for a tail gate party, picnic, or just to snuggle up with on the couch. They're quilted directly to a soft fleece backing, then serged on the edges. It wouldn't even hurt my feelings if you used it for a doggie blanket.

My kids love them. As you can see.

More Smacking

2011-08-04T05:28:00.000-04:00

Join in the fun this August for another Quilting Smackdown. Check here for instructions for a simple quilt that will bust your stash and create a great quilt for one of our veterans. I'm stealing a picture from Debra's blog (which I think she stole from Barbara:

Join the fun and do something for a very worthy cause.

Smackdown: 1000 Pyramids

2011-08-01T20:04:00.000-04:00

Not such a good shot but it gives you an idea of the claustrophobic space i have to sew in. Actually I like how these are turning out. I have one finished and this one which I began on Sunday. I feel better about those triangle points today than I did yesterday.

Flannel is mostly forgiving but at the same time, can be stretchy, especially on the bias. Still, this will surely be a very cozy quilt for a verteran. The triangles are done and stitched together, I just have to add them to the other rows.

I wouldn't make this again for awhile but I wouldn't mind having one of these myself. It's very striking and I'd like to make it using a plain solid and some large scale prints. I could see how you could play around with the triangles and make a sort of pin wheel ... if you were a mind to do so...

Are You Ready for Some Quilting?

2011-07-31T07:13:00.002-04:00

I am ready to go up and get started on the 1000 Pyramids Quilt. I organized all my pyramids last night and raked off the sewing table. Bobbins are threaded and seam ripper is handy (because of those pesky light/dark half triangle things on the ends).

If Debra and I come out of this alive, I think this calls for a nation-wide quilting smackdown with the results going to a charity like the veteran's hospital, or homeless shelters.

After I get my coffee, I'm diving in. Who will emerge the Iron Quilter?

Check this space for updates.

Update: I have 22don-something 2-pyramid done. I had to stop for a minutes to fix Elizabeth a rice bag for her jaws which are really sore today from the surgery.

Quilting Smackdown :-)

2011-07-29T11:23:00.004-04:00

Right here, on Sunday July 30, Debra Spincic and I will be stitching at the same time, the same quilt top, 700 miles apart. It's called the 1,000 Pyramids Quilt and Debra has a tutorial on her blog. It's pretty easy to do once you get your brain going in the right direction (triangles have the same effect on me as ocean travel: Disorientation). Who will finish first? The drama!

So tune in either here on the blog or Facebook where we will be chronicling our progress and each of us will attempt to finish one quilt top in a matter of hours.

All in fun, of course!

See? I'm smiling.

And while you're at it, visit my Etsy Shop and look at the cozy reclaimed, upcycled, or recycled - whichever term suits you - tshirt quilts that are now on sale with free shipping. These are made from lovely, soft tshirts and quilted onto soft, durable fleece. These things are really snuggly and are great for college students and small kids - no worries as they wash and dry just like a ...well, tshirt. Remember how comfortable those things are? Think about an entire quilt made from well worn, easy to care for t-shirts.

I'm off to check in on the patient who just had all four wisdom teeth extracted. She's sleeping off the anesthesia right now but was begging for a Chik Fila milk shake on the way home. She's on total Facebook/texting restrictions for 24 hours.

Atlanta, mostly from a moving car

2011-07-24T11:19:00.001-04:00

Arts Festival at Olmstead Park in Atlanta - playground for the kids.

Beautiful chickens in somebody's back yard in upscale Druid Hills neighborhood.

Margaret Mitchell House

Protest outside the Fed on Peachtree.

I was born, grew up, went to high school, undergrad and graduate school in Atlanta. But it changes all the time. I love driving around taking pictures but it was so hot yesterday, we didn't stop and get out to walk around. I used to ride the bus downtown when I was in high school and go to the movies by myself - thought nothing of it. I would have been 14 or 15. Nowdays - I wouldn't do it unless I was armed.

One thing I can't get used to is the traffic. It's bad in the suburbs but downtown it's heinous. I was glad someone else was driving. Ponce de Leon was like Friday afternoon at 5 when we left the craft show around noon.

Makes me doubly glad I do not have to make that trip daily, like my brother did for many years. It would drive me nuts at this point in my life.

One does tend to lose one's edge living in the burbs.

AAQI July Quilt

2011-07-23T17:39:00.001-04:00

Details from my July AAQI submission. I wove strips of fabric together, machine quilted, embellished with embroidery, lace, crocheted flowers, beads, ribbon. Lots of fun - let's hope it sells.

Childhood Home

2011-07-23T16:37:00.001-04:00

I was astonished to drive by the house where I grew up - which was built by my grandfather in the 1930's - in this shape. The land to the right was a beautiful lawn...now it's been neglected for so long. It's sad.

Things wot I Made Then Ate: Maruchan Ramen, Japanese beef noodle soup

2011-07-18T22:44:00.000-04:00

Things wot I Made Then Ate: Maruchan Ramen, Japanese beef noodle soup

I confess I've never eaten Ramen noodles but if I ever did, I'd cook them up like this.

Unexpected Things Found at a Parade

2011-07-17T15:08:00.000-04:00

The library participated in the Independence Day parade again this year. It was extremely hot which made me extremely cranky - my dislike of hot weather is legendary - but in spite of it, I had a good time.

You kind of expect to find Lady Liberty and Uncle Sam (if that's who that is).

...and people dressed up in Revolutionary garb....

And people waving flags...

and floats

and strange little cars...

boy scouts...

and librarians pushing book carts

BUT

would you ever expect to see a beautiful quilt like this?

Sippican Cottage: The Autocoprophagy Of Mark Twain

2011-07-08T19:04:00.000-04:00

Sippican Cottage: The Autocoprophagy Of Mark Twain

My favorite blogger, Mr. Sippican, opines on Twain and other library stuff.

Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative auction

2011-07-02T04:13:00.000-04:00

The AAQI July auction is up. Go see the beautiful quilts and buy one. Your donations really do make a difference.

Quilt Sale!

2011-06-10T06:29:00.001-04:00

My Internet quilting buddy, Debra is having a big quilt sale during the month of June. She has a selection of quilts for sale for $100 on her Etsy shop, Debra's Design Studio.

Also: tomorrow, June 11, she will feature her quilts in a Showcase on Etsy. Check out the Showcases here. She is generous enough to list a couple of my upcycled tshirt quilts as well.

You can't beat the prices for these items. Go take a look!

NOTE: Debra's Showcase will not be on the page until Saturday, but the link above will take you there.

Good News about Alzheimer's Disase

2011-06-08T17:43:00.000-04:00

I opened my email this afternoon to find two uplifting messages concerning Alzheimer's Disease.

First, a project my brother was involved in won the National Utility Contractors Association’s annual Community Service Award.. His company renovated the home of a family whose elderly, wheelchair bound mother suffered from Alzheimer's disease. From the press release;

The Team, employing the expertise of the contractor, Western Summit Constructors Inc., installed an access ramp and sidewalk that ran from the back deck to the front driveway so that the wheelchair could access with ease. Other improvements included:

· Removal of a large dead pine leaning toward the home;

· Preparation, formation and pouring of nine yards of concrete for a new sidewalk and curb along the rear of the house and around the corner of the home to provide wheelchair accessibility;

· Scraping, repair, caulking and painting of all exterior soffit;

· Construction of new treated-wood handicap ramp to back deck;

· Replacement of missing vinyl siding;

· Replacement of gutters and downspouts;

· Replace exterior wood coping.

· Replacement of fencing and installation of a new gate;

· Removal of yard overgrowth; and seeding;

· Provision of mulch, pine straw and hay for erosion control;

Besides CMG staff, the Team included volunteers from Western Summit, Llamas Coatings, Tip Top Roofers, Player & Company and Lafarge Concrete.

Good for them. If you've ever had a family member who suffered from this disease, as our own mother did, you can sympathize. How wonderful they were able to make such a difference in their lives.

The second piece of good news is even better for all of us who fear this condition: The Independent reports that "a surprise discovery has allowed doctors to block Alzheimer's". Read the article! Scientists are calling this

"significant step forward in the battle to develop drugs to treat Alzheimer's disease"

Gorgeous

2011-06-02T18:16:00.000-04:00

You need to scoot over to Debra's
Etsy shop and take in this stunning art quilt called Our Lady of the Frontier. Debra has done a series of Madonna quilts, each one more beautiful than the next. While you're there, feast your eyes on her other incredible and original quilt art. Then buy one!!

Sweet Dreams

2011-06-02T18:07:00.003-04:00

I've just posted two new upcycled tshirt quilts to my Etsy shop, Barefoot Girl.

These quilts are incredibly soft and cozy. I made them with teens and toddlers in mind. Since they're "old" already - made from gently worn tshirts - you'd have no worries about spills and other toddler/baby related mishaps. Good to throw in the back of the car, or in the grocery cart without stressing over messing up that nice quilt someone worked so hard on.

As you can see - very conducive to afternoon naps.

Visit my Etsy shop to see other similar items at VERY reasonable prices.

(Model not included.)

New AAQI quilt

2011-05-11T20:24:00.000-04:00

From a design by Lenna Anderson of Stitching Cow.

I took Lenna Anderson’s lovely spring flowers embroidery and added a crazy patch border. These are actually strips of leftovers from another project. All the pinks, greens, and lavenders lend such a cheerful spirit to this small quilt. Spring is all about beginning again and renewal which is what makes it such a happy season full of hope. And, that’s what the AAQI is all about: hope.

I love the Fifties!

2011-05-11T18:52:00.000-04:00

Me and my Dad's Studebaker, ca 1953?

Custom Quilt Binding

2011-04-26T18:23:00.000-04:00

This is a custom order for binding I just finished. I turned this order around in about a week. $8.99 for 10 yards. Such a deal!

Go to my Etsy shop for details.

New Etsy Posting - All Purpose Tote Bags

2011-04-17T17:55:00.001-04:00

Here are a couple of totes I made. Nothing fancy here, just a great little bag to grab when you're going to market, or to the library, or for your quilting/knitting/sewing/crochet you-name-it project. They're a decent size, not too large but big enough for a few books, groceries, whatever. Reasonably priced at $20.00 plus shipping.

Oh yeah: made from upcycled and recycled materials, 100% cotton duck on the outside, poly/cotton recycled bed sheet on the inside. Washable, of course.

More Tshirt Quilt Tops

2011-04-17T17:48:00.001-04:00

I put these together yesterday. Finally came to my senses and made the simplest quilt top possible: 6" squares, serged together randomly. I buy XXL tshirts, wash them, cut them across the body and that way I believe I get the maximum number of squares possible. I use the other parts for smaller projects, like pillow tops. This time I found shirts in different colors, and I particularly love that spring green.

Looking for fleece to back them then they are off to be quilted. Look for these in my Etsy Store, Barefoot Girl soon!

Another Quilt For Sale

2011-04-14T05:27:00.001-04:00

The auction is over, but this quilt is still for sale.

2011-04-14T05:23:00.000-04:00

Wow, my quilt Alzheimer's Quit earned $100 this month! Very exciting!

Etsy Treasury

2011-04-14T05:17:00.001-04:00

Etsy Treasury is a great way to spread some Etsy love around. You can showcase your friends' work and others who labor to sell their creations. Celebrating Spring is my treasury. My friend Debra also has created a Treasury of wonderful vintage items called The Way We Were. I invite you to click on the link and visit them.

New Etsy Posting - Bias Binding

2011-04-10T21:31:00.000-04:00

I've just listed this in my Etsy shop. If you 've got UFOs you want to finish but making the binding is holding you up let me do it for you. 10 yards of 2" bias binding is $8.99 plus postage. I can have it done within a week of receiving your fabric.

T Shirt Quilts

2011-04-10T06:52:00.005-04:00

I've been collaborating with Debra Spincic on these wonderful t-shirt quilts, made with recycled shirts and fleece.

I had to wrestle these away from my 23 and 19 year old daughters. Teens and toddlers would love these and since they're already "old", no worries about what kids can do to them.

Lots of fun to make, priced to sell (as they say) since this is a new collaborative effort...

Very cozy & snuggly.

Got binding?

2011-04-10T06:02:00.003-04:00

Hate binding?

After making some quilt binding for the amazing Debra Spincic, I'm offering to cut & press binding for you quilters who hate to do it. You can send me your own fabric; I'll do 10 yards minimum for $8.99 plus shipping.

Contact me at by email if you're interested.

I'll have this up on my Etsy site as well soon. Check that out for some beautiful tshirt quilts!

Debra's Design Studio: 9 Patch Blocks Needed!!!!

2011-02-28T16:09:00.000-05:00

Debra's Design Studio: 9 Patch Blocks Needed!!!!: "Every year Bentwater, the community in which I live, raises alot of money for the American Cancer Society. Last year's tally was over ..."

Another AAQI quilt

2011-02-23T19:52:00.000-05:00

Working on another AAQI piece from an old dresser scarf. I really love this one, it might be too hard to part with it.

Making A Small Quilt From Vintage Linens

2011-02-22T12:20:00.001-05:00

This is easy.

The hard part is cutting up your Mom's or Grandma's dresser scarves. This time it was pretty easy for me since it's raising money to defeat Alzheimer's Disease- which is what took my mother and gradmother from this world.

In this case, I had a dresser scarf that had the same embroidered design on each end with empty space in the middle. It happened to be just about the right size for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiatve if I cut it in half (an indication to me that I was supposed to use it for this purpose!). I cut it down to a size that I could use & still put a border around it. AAQI quilts must not be larger than 9 x 12.

Usually these little scarves have nice vintage crocheted edgings. SAVE THIS FOR OTHER PROJECTS.

Then, find some beautiful cotton that coordinates with the embroidered design to use as a border. I was mulling this over when I glanced up at my boxes of fabric and saw this beautiful floral stripe I had bought for another (as yet unfinished) quilt. It was perfect - the color, the slightly vintage look of it. It was kismet, I tell you!

Then just stitch on your borders as wide as you want, or as wide as you can and still meet the AAQI size requirements! I've become slightly fanatical about mitering borders and binding, but I think it's worth trouble for the difference it makes in the look of the quilt, especially if you're using a stripe. Not as evident in this little piece, but in bigger ones, definitely miter.
I use these inexpensive, white fleece blankets from IKEA (about $3.00 each) for batting for these little quilts. It is perfect. It is easy to stitch through if I'm hand quilting, gives it a nice feel, it's drapey enough, not stiff, and seems to hold up well. Of course, these are artsy quilts that are going to hang on the wall so wear and tear is not much of an issue. Sandwich the batting between the linen piece and backing, which should be another nice 100 % cotton for backing.

Quilt as desired. I started handquilting this piece but the scarf fabric was too difficult so I resorted to machine quilting. I'm not much of a pro at this but I think this turned out well. I just stitched around the embroidered motifs. I like the result.

At first I could not imagine cutting up my Mom's things like this but then I thought - I have dozens of these just sitting in a box. I'll probably never use them as they were intended, so what better way to display and put them to good use? If you don't have a box full, they are everywhere - Etsy, Ebay, antique shops, and they aren't all that expensive.

I think Mom would be pleased.

Ideas for Thrifting old Sweaters, part one

2011-02-03T21:02:00.000-05:00

Here's a good idea for using those old thrifted sweaters hanging around in your closets and rag bags. I really love this blog for the photography, the interesting people, and of course the clothes.

Works In Progress - AAQI

2011-02-01T05:32:00.001-05:00

I've got several things in the works for February's AAQIs:

I thought about several quilts similar to this one: "Coffee" , "Tea", "Cocoa" maybe? I loved the bright colors - I think it needs a little more embroidery.

(The turquoise fabric is some that I dyed awhile back. What a mess. Not sure hand dying is my thing.)

This beautiful embroidery was sent to me by the fabulous Debra Spincic. I think this will be a smallish quilt. Maybe a narrow border after the checkerboard.

Another experiment with reverse applique - stacking several pieces of fabric, randomly stitching and cutting away one or two layers to reveal the fabric beneath. I cut 4" squares and stacked them, then cut them into 2" squares, then zigzagged them together. I'm trying to decide what to do next.

I have a box full of dresser scarves like this. Anyone have any ideas how to make them into quilts? I am okay with cutting them up - I do not use dresser scarves and they aren't doing anyone any good in a box in a closet. These were made by my grandmother, mother & her sisters. It would be great to use them for AAQI quilts to combat the disease that took my grandmother, mother, and three of her siblings' lives.

Also, as you can see , I have some nice vintage lace (I think it's vintage- not sure where it came from) that I could use on these).

I welcome your comments & suggestions!