Athena Goddess of the Yard Sale

There's been some construction/demolition around the house and I haven't been able to sew. I'm keeping busy, but it's very frustrating. It's important to look for inspiration in diverse places.

My daughters and I spent last weekend yard sailing and flea marketing. I enjoy the hunt, but my elder daughter, she prefers the kill, and she's a professional. I will call her Athena.

She has found roller blades (they fit, now take them off before you end up in the ER), (and a helmet- YEAH!), cowgirl boots, a barstool (Mom, it's only $1, I have to get it!), books (classic novels - FREE Mom, LOOK!, FREE!). Simon the memory game (VINTAGE, MOM, LOOK! - it's the Late 80s version, clear). And she's heavy into lamps but I've talked her out of them. The find of the week- was artwork. Three canvases. They got there just as they were being unpacked, and we were leaving. I said "Here's $5, just get ONE!" Athena runs off, with her sister trailing, and returned with all three (Mom, they were only $1/each). Such a deal! I got $2 change. And they hung them up right away. They are Mammothly impressed with themselves. See three great paintings:

The next day, she finds a yard sale with her cousin. He doesn't like anything used, second hand, etc. Just not his thing. He is mortified, but equally determined to humor her. She has decided to collect owls. Owls are cool, Mom. Yes. Every Athena needs an Glaucus. The Temple people can appreciate this. So, to start the owl collection are:

An Owl bookend (Just one - we can paint it) and a bobble head. The bobble head has interesting color and I like the stylized feathers. And she's a haggler. $10 in her hand is like $100 in the hands of we minions. It's very entertaining.

So I'm not quite as miserable as I usually am when I can't sew. It's Spring. Open Season for Yard Sales. I have the Goddess in my corner. Life is good.

If Quilts were Stars, and Manhattan was Heaven

The thing about quilting that bothers me is the decadence of today's craft. Up until a few years ago, quilts took a long time to make. You sewed by hand, and you collected old clothes, and fitted and worked a design over time, mostly an idea from memory, no rotary cutter and mat, no fancy machine, and it was a work of art, and it had it's own memory in time - that was the quilt I made for her when she got married. I made this one for when we had company when I was pregnant with whoever, while this one was in third grade, or in Autumn after Grandpa died. They represent time and memory. I think our decadent society is moving away from that in alot of ways. Maybe quilting is the journal by which we need to maintain time and memory, I don't know. It is completely ridiculous that when I want to make a quilt I go to a store to buy supplies, I order batting that is on a roll - it's so affluent. The point of the Gees Bend quilts is that a design is being worked, and reworked and stamped into a culture when there is nothing at all. Those women were the poorest of the poor, and they managed to have a consistent style with consistent motifs over many generations.

The Infinite Variety Show, Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts, highlighted the inner decadence of the quiltmaker. It was like the Sistine Chapel of Quilts. First thing that struck me, when my mind returned from awe, was that in a group of 650 quilts, there were very few Samplers. There is something about the contrast of red and white that inspired the quilt maker to make the best of artistic opportunities. First, if you have enough red and white (only) for a quilt, you planned. There was alot of patience in those quilts. They weren't made to just get through the winter. The quiltmaker was making a point, a statement, and the best thing is that they never imagined that anyone from the future really cared to listen.

They were cleverly displayed. The Museum knows it's market. It was overwhelming. I didn't feel as if I was going to bump into people, but I felt dizzy at times, from looking up and around and WOW! They were like stars in heaven. Because of the optical illusions, and the contrast, I lost control over HOW my eye was seeing. The eye went where the quilt told it too, over and over and over again. This was humbling, and that is what blew me away.

I am a fan of zig zags, and the monkey wrench (or churn dash), so this one appealed to me (top). Monkey Wrenches in zig zags. I love it! See Triple Irish Chain peeking out of the left side of the picture. Wow!

Also, I love the idea of using what you have, and not sweating when you run out. Look at this one (top of left picture). I don't think it's bleach. I think the quiltmaker used another color to fill in. Either way it's perfect because it's broken. Like People.

Also I enjoyed this stylistic interpretation of a Spinner. I wanted to zoom in on it but the quilts around it were REALLY great.

I am trying to display the Hawaiian one and have a button you can push playing the Hawaii 5-0 theme, when I do, I will post. It is fabulous. See this one with the three rings motif. I have never seen this before. So it was exciting to see something new. This theme was repeated in a few other quilts. Also very big was this overlapping ribbon/woven look. This one was particularly intricate. I'm beat. I'm going off to dream in red and white. I don't think I'm bothered by the affluence of being a quilter today. I'm not embarrassed that I need cool tools to get my job done. For some reason, all day I've been thinking about Walt Disney, resting peacefully in a cryogenic chamber, until science can return him to his full artistic capabilities. His legacy is so huge, it's like he's not really dead. These ladies, with their red and white great ideas, best wishes, and artistic fury, are not dead, not insignificant, and definitely with us, live in Manhattan.

Quilting in Wonderland with Alice and Julie

My daughters are always trying to inspire me. The older one went to the Blockbuster Closing sale and bought me some movies. She got Julie and Julia. Now, they love this. I think they love the versatility of Meryl Streep - Mamma Mia, It's Complicated, and now Julie and Julia. Also the younger one loves anything to do with France. So she found MY FAVORITE cookbook - Chocolate from the Cake Mix Doctor - which has a great list of awesome pictures and now she wants to make each one. So I told her to pick one, make a list of ingredients, and she did, and we got them from the store. Yesterday we made the cake. I asked her if she wanted to blog about it, she said "No". I asked "Why?". She says, "because I'm not Julie". See Fabulous Cookies and Cream Cake.

Also at Blockbuster Sale, the Haggler had her eye on a picture. She waited, and waited, until it was a good price. She comes in yesterday with this 2x4 large cumberson picture as well as her schoolbag, and everything else that falls away when her shuttle hits earth. She hoped to inspire me, and she was very impressed with herself. Alice in Wonderland. See close up. Perhaps there's a point she's trying to make.

And the big picture. Makes me think how in quilting, black makes all other colors POP! It's impossible not to get roped in by the fantasy and fury of Alice. Quilting is like Alice - no rules, just guidelines to make us think twice, the tumble from one challenge to the next, the decadence of color and pattern, the creepers we don't like (binding), the cards (history), and it's....my drug.

Lancaster Show Booty, Update

Okay, I've been away. Still no new sewing machine. I'm just fixing the old one and forging ahead until it quits, then I walk away for a little while, then repeat. I went to the Lancaster Show on St. Patrick's Day. See fun stuff I managed to pick up. At the end of the show, (we really zoom through these shows now) we ran into this woman who told me about a great show in New York this week. Infinite Variety: Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts at the Park Avenue Armory until Wednesday. The exhibit is presented by the American Museum of Folk Art. (It's Free!) I am very excited about this. I need a day out. So I'll hop on the Chinatown Bus, and take the subway uptown. Yeah! I will tell you all about it. We had an event at the Museum where I work, in Olde City Philadelphia, and we invited Ben Franklin (his 1st person interpreter) and a Dulcimer player. Ben volunteered his time, and I suggested we give him my red white and blue quilt as a gift. They decided to auction it. The dulcimer player beat Bens bid, and now our dulcimer player is the proud owner of my quilt. I am happy for him. However, I would have liked to see Ben win the quilt. So I spent my time at the Lancaster Quilt Show looking for red white and blues (see upper right of picture) for my next New York Beauty, which I hope to give to Ben. He is a delightful guy. Apparently, there was a show on Broadway called "Quilters". I looked it up on Wikipedia, it ran for 18 days in 1984. Well, our dulcimer guy played in that show, and since then, has wanted an original quilt. So, we are glad he won. The quilt has a happy home. It's Monday. Trying to get focused. Note fun Thomas the Tank strip in the middle of the picture. I happen to know a very big Thomas fan. Stay tuned....

After the Quilt Show

Crazy weekend!

My friend sent me a picture of the Quilt hanging up. You can't get a sense of how close to the entrance it was. You could see it from the main hallway. See picture of quilt hanging, and then after long weekend at work.

I'm giving it to the Museum where I work to be auctioned off for our Anniversary event. I like it alot, but I don't have room for it.

On Sunday I went back to the show (with my friend and my daughters) to pick it up, in terrible rain. It drains your energy to drive in that kind of rain. It never let up. It took me two hours to get there, and two to get back. We had to fortify ourselves with McDonald's on the way and Baja Fresh on the return.

I got great criticism from one of the judges, who liked my quilt but noted it could be improved by more diversity in my quilting design (especially in the white space) (at the bottom). I agree. I am not set up for that, but it is something I will keep in mind as my ability and equipment situation develop.

I spend around $100, and I got great booty: small fairy scissors, panel with six wine scenes and coordinating cork fabric (got panel for my friend too. We like to see what the other one comes up with), three scrap bags under $3 each - hand dyeds, greens, and browns. Very diverse, lots of fabric. Three yard cuts (on the left) and three yards of great japanese pink and white flowers on red background (very unique). Also thread and needles. I think I got all this for under $100 (and a commemorative tote bag).

I was very inspired and I started sewing and the machine is acting up again. Breaking down and getting Kenmore this weekend. (We're both breaking down - Ha!) For an exercise I might piece together some New York Beauty arcs just to get myself back in the paper piecing groove.

The Quilt Show!

The Quilt Show was great. Not as many quilts as last year, and not as many exhibits or vendors, but that was okay because we managed to see everything, shop, and eat in four hours which was a record. Saving our energy for the Lancaster show which is in two weeks.

My favorite thread guy was there, NOW I find red white and blue variegated thread! I bought some needles. And there is this older couple who sells every notion under the sun. I bought some pins from them. I'm going back Sunday so yesterday was my recon day. I bought some bargain fabric and some scrap bags and a fun pair of small scissors painted like a fairy (with red hair). Picture to follow. At some point.

At lunch there was a sign "no sauerkraut" for the hotdogs because some fabric nazi convinced them it was going to make the fabric smell. Really. Get over yourself. It's called OXYCLEAN! I find that short term odors do not doom fabric. Long term like chain smoking or multiple cats in an unsterile home do make the fabric smell. The kitchen was away from the vendors. I don't get it. I had pizza.

My quilt is in a very conspicuous place. This was equal parts exciting and anxiety producing. It looked great, and at the last minute I decided to try to fill in some parts with red metallic thread. I was successful, and this is fortunate. My dedication to finally learning mitered corners was successful as well. Very exciting.

Dealing with the scrap box this morning. I am very inspired and its clogging my energy.

Status report

I've lost my camera. I know this is a recurring issue. I am concerned. It's been a few days, it usually shows up by now. The Tri State show is Thursday I am hoping it shows up by then.

The problem with quilt shows is I am easily overwhelmed and I forget what I am looking for in the merchant's mall. I will be there on Thursday and Sunday. So, if I can't stop thinking about something I will purchase it on Sunday.

I have managed to fix my sewing machine. I don't know how long it will last. I took the WHOLE THING apart, sprayed air, oiled every moving part, tested each moving mechanism, put it all back together and Shazam! Sewing once again. The tension mechanism was not broken. So there had to be a superficial reason why the tension wasn't working. I don't have great proof that I can adjust the tension, but for a straight stitch, things seem to be functional. I will try to quilt soon, and we shall see......

The Lancaster Quilt Show is early this year. March 16-19. So I am prolonging my challenge to see what I can accomplish by then, since I lost a week without a machine. Things are looking good. I am frustrated by the 7 almost finished quilts taking up my space.

Better Homes and Gardens published a great magazine last summer highlighting 11 antique quilts. They are magical. They also included a "modernization" of a vintage style. There I became obsessed with the ICs and the flower baskets. This has helped me narrow down the ideas for my scrap stash. The voice in the back of my head says "SAVE TIME DITCH IT ALL ON EBAY". The voice of reason says milk the stash for small projects. It's getting out of control, but, there is something to be said for having all one's stash cut and ready to sew. So, in my spare time, I am digging into the stash box. And making progress.

I did get something new this week! A pattern for notebooks and kindle covers. This can be very fun. My rotary blade is sharp! Yahoo!

When I got the "Antique Quilts" magazine, I thought I should try out the basket pattern, and I made my Mom a tote bag out of my experiment. Her favorite color is blue. In the fall, I bought a huge scrap bag full of vintage calicos. Perfect for flower baskets. The baskets require 1 7/8" squares. I cut the calicos up into 3" squares and the leftovers will make perfect 1 7/8" squares. I need five per basket. It's great for scraps.

SNOW DAY

All Public and Parochial Schools are Closed Today. I haven't heard the weather, but I looked outside, and it looks like the teachers decided to prolong their long weekend. I can't say I blame them but they'll be in school till August at this rate. The kids went back to bed. I am snowbound, with no machine, and three kids. Not my idea of a picnic. So I'm going to do some busy work today. See GIANT box of fabric to cut. My rotary cutter, if it could talk, would be begging for mercy right now. Not a chance.

RETURN TO SENDER!

I carefully pinned the delivery guys, at 5:30 this morning, and went to sew them up. No tension. None. I may take it apart, I don't know. So I am presently in limbo, and this is tough. Such a great stay home holiday perfect for sewing. I am a little depressed. I was hoping to close a deal.

Glitches are opportunities. So I will do some cutting. I want to make a tote bag of the left over delivery guy fabric. I need a new handbag. I have some good pencil case zippers I found for $.10 at my favorite fabric store. Many opportunities. Tomorrow I will find a new machine. Scarlett said, "Tomorrow is another day!"

Kaleidescopes from Hell

I'm having trouble with my kaleidescope quilt. I took a class on how to make these, based on the book "Magic Stack and Whack" by Bethany Reynolds. I took it because I was more interested in the cutting process, because I wanted to make a wall hanging out of kaleidescope hexagons. You find the right fabric, (in my case a bali japanese print with a large repeat), make all these hexagons, and put them next to each other to create something very unique. The contruction process is like a puzzle, that you control. It's very fun. So for this class, I thought I found the perfect fabric. Lots of solid space so my centers wouldn't look weird if my piecing was lousy, unique, VERY INEXPENSIVE. I think I paid $3 a yard, I bought the bolt. Also it is perfect for a picnic or beach blanket because it has these little prints of different states. See picture. However, most people picked fabrics with a 12" or 14" repeat. Mine had a 22" repeat. I did all the cutting, because where would I possibly start, and pieced them all to see what I would get. I used my favorite JoAnns Fabrics staple yellow, that reminds me of my room when I was little, and I ended up with 22 blocks. 18 yellow, (4 solid orange batik, for something different). I was going to use this orange as sashing, because the class quilt had sashing, but I knew I would run out, so I started to make my sashing thinner. I laid them all out yesterday, on the floor, to try to come up with something, and they were like Pop Art Optical illusions so close to one another. I am having trouble coming up with a placement that will highlight the individual blocks. Sashing very far apart? 3" is way to close. Use a darker more contrasting color. I could use bold solids. Most of the other students incorporated the pattern into their final quilt, either in the backing, or in some way on the front. I had so much left over that I cut 12 1/2" blocks of it and thought I could lay them next to each other, in a checkerboard pattern. This proves WAY too busy. But not something I can throw out completely. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing correctly, and in a way that is pleasing to the eye. I have decided that I have so many blocks that I am going to make it double sided. I want maximum contrast and SMOOTH visual transition, with emphasis on the uniqueness of each kaleidescope. It's a challenge. I will try again today. Checkerboard may be the way to go. I just "WANT IT OVER" and that is a bad place to be, opportunities die in this place. I'm trying to keep an open mind. Today I'm going to try to clean the slate and come up with new ideas.

I changed my darning foot and the quilting process is a little smoother. So I hope to finish the 1930s crossroads today, and I have a great idea, so I'm stewing that while I sew.

Progress!

My cousin noted that I tend not to put a border on my quilts. This is true. It makes me think of George Lucas, who said that an artists work is never finished, just abandoned. Borders.....are so final. Is it a frame, or the period at the end of the sentence. I can't tell, but I figured it was a worthwhile pursuit to find out. So here is IC2 WITH A BORDER. The ICs I'm going to make into Quillows.....stay tuned.

Here are the CROSSROADS. I have a backing in mind for the Green and White, and I think I will attempt to quilt the 1930s Crossroads. Goals for today: 1)Getting the backing ready for the Blue and Brown. Have to make my Delivery Guys match up. 2) Piecing the Kaleidescope. I"ve been stalling for a while. Time to close the deal. 3) Finish 1930s crossroads.

Status report

I'm on target to get 7 quilts finished. The three that are up in the air are: pink and yellow log cabin, Indian orange peel and the scrappy diagonals. To inspire myself I took a picture of a half finished Indian Orange Peel. I'm just tired of it, and they are not my favorite colors, but I need to get it out of the way. It does have potential. I have fifty arcs to piece, and a few left of the border pieces. Maybe I can push myself over the weekend.

The scrappy backing for IC2 is getting very time consuming. I'm trying to just get through it. The sewing machine hunt didn't happen, I was too busy, and I may just work with what I have and look to buy one at the quilt show. Going to sew!

IS IT WORKING?

Is it working?

Blue is just not my preference. But I'm pleased with my progress.

Stay tuned.....

Blue and Brown - I'm out of control

I'm out of control. It's not really a problem. See all these crossroads blocks. They are huge, and I think I made way too many. We shall see. I want to close the deal so I am piecing like mad to figure out what I don't need anymore, so I can sell them on ebay and send off to the quilting universe.
I really don't like blue, and I'm not convinced that it's going to turn out, but I have alot of confidence in the brown batik crossroad - which I really love, and bought enough of. I found my self making four patches using the blues of the group which I like the least, and I want to examine why that was my habit. Maybe saving the best for last. Maybe feeling bad for the underdog. Not sure. We shall see. Hoping to have this one sandwiched by end of day. Stay tuned. I will also have the IC2 pieced but I've decided on a Gee's Bendy backing so that might not happen today.
The trick with this block is to orient the crossroad block the same way every time you pin. Doesn't seem like it would be a problem, but on my first one I found myself taking some apart at the end because they wouldn't orient correctly. Also the pinning is critical because if these points don't match up completely it will look totally sloppy. With some patterns (such as NYB) you have so much movement and drama it won't affect the overall impact of the quilt. Not so with this one. Pin Pin Pin. So far I am very pleased with the neatness of this one. Yeah!

Progress

Well, I'm having tension problems. I've spent quite a bit of time ripping seams. I've decided to spend my time piecing and finishing quilt tops this week, and this weekend I will go invest in a good quilting machine. Attached is my "Men with Packages" fabric. The Blue and Brown Crossroads is coming along, and I'm almost ready to put IC2 together. I am going to try to get them and the kaleidescope quilt completely pieced and sandwiched by the weekend. IC1 is sandwiched. It's folded up neatly, I can't show you a picture yet. It looks great! I'm very excited! I'm going to sew!

IC2

Okay. IC1 is ready to quilt. I would love to show you, but I've misplaced the camera (I think - someone may have "borrowed" it). Also I made a change to the plan. The Pink and Brown Crossroads is not Blue and Brown Crossroads, which matches my "Delivery Guy" fabric (can't wait to show it). So I've made a big dent in the cutting for that, and I'm very excited to be quilting IC1 during the SUPERBOWL! I love when my team isn't in the superbowl, I'm not emotionally vested and I can enjoy it more. Fingers crossed the camera shows up!

The Tri-State Quilt Competition! Yeah

I got into the Tri State Quilt Show! Yeah! As it can't jinx me, attached are pictures of my quilt, which I named "Beauty's Color's". Not as cool a name as last year's entry but just as fitting. The top two pictures are after it was quilted. The bottom two are before it was quilted. My Grandmother (Gram 88) called me up when I got the mail (acceptance letter) and read it to me. (This is sweet) I had her looking for it all week. She also got a jury duty summons (for her). (This is hilarious) And she went to the casino for a few hours yesterday. Very eventful week for both me and Gram.

Knocking out IC1 tonight. Can't decide on the backing but it may come down to eeny meeny miney mo because I'm pumped! Yeah!

Organizing the Stash/my February Challenge

Well, I've had some distractions. It was my brother's birthday. Ouch. I've taken to organizing my stash. I found things were a little out of control. I need to keep things in order by volume. Fabrics I have enough of, fabrics I have a plan for, etc. February is my month for finishing old things to make room for the new. I have a kaleidescope quilt (22 blocks - my choice fabric had a 22" repeat). It's cool, though , great colors, and despite my best efforts, traditional sashing is the best way to display them. I ran out of my sashing color - the first of two times this ever happened to me. Second time was IC1, and, by the way, that is going well. If it's a snow day tomorrow you will see.

Also, while cutting for IC 3 I came up with an idea to do an I Spy scrappy Irish Chain and we shall see where that goes. I have alot of 3 1/2 squares cut to do a traditional scrappy around the world quilt (I don't really enjoy the traditional around the world, I'm much rather do a diagonal), and I have a pattern I love, called CROSSROADS, (I will post it, soon, it was in a quilting mag a few years ago) which I have made a few different quilts as presents. I have an unfinished all green and white CROSSROADS (want a great St. Patrick's day fabric to back that with but that totally LIMITS it, doesn't it?), and a scrappy 1930 one I haven't finished because I havent' found the right backing, but I'm going to break down and finish it in white. And I have to finish the pink and yellow log cabin. So, busy month.

So here is the list, from start to finish:

Scrappy IC

Green and White Crossroads

1930's print Crossroads

Scrappy diagonal - make into full size

Kaleidescope

Pink and yellow log cabin

IC1

IC2

Pink and Brown Crossroads (I cut for this one recently, saving pinks) and lastly.....

Indian Orange Peel (iop)

Half of these are in limbo due to my inability to make a decision. I promise to decide and close the deal.

The Indian Orange Peel is from a class. I went to the class, picked out a great fabric, found a million fabrics to mix with it, and I"m over 1/2 way through, but it's paper pieced and so boring, the lull between excitement and the construction stage. Well, truth be told, the teacher (who was a great instructor) refused to let anyone rip a seam in her class - she (AND ONLY SHE) ripped all seams. This turned me off. I found this to be the equivalent of someone telling me I can't wipe my own butt. Life is about wiping your own butt. So, I'm going to get over it and finish it. It' s a great pattern, so busy, so dramatic. It's worth a finish. Also I picked the main fabric out because it matches my Mom's living room at her mountain house well. So it even has a home, when it's done. More incentive to include it in February finish madness.

We'll see what I can accomplish by the end of the month. The New Jersey tri state quilt show is first weekend in March and I will give myself $50 for every one I finish. Ha Ha It all comes down to more fabric, more inspiration! Yeah!

That's a good deal though, huh?

Last Years New Jersey Show Entry

Well, here it is. I was going for Frank Stella (really - I know no one believes that, but that was my original objective) but I ended up with Vincent Van Gogh. Garish, bizarre, but very good contrast. My biggest mistake, I think, was not using a deep (instead of a light) purple against the center squares. I think that would have unified the purple a little better, and gave me a better line, or block of color. I love the way a log cabin moves the eye around. It's almost a road map. I wanted to see if I could control what road my eye would travel around the quilt. I think as an artist, you just see your mistakes and the parts you want to improve. There were alot of mistakes, most notably it's wonky on the right side. I wasn't set up for using a darning foot and so I just quilted a zig zag pattern.

The challenge was to use small scraps, and to push the limits of the log cabin design. I think I have alot more to learn here. I am 1/2 way through a pink and yellow log cabin. The trick is to have alot of diversity among your fabrics and I don't really have that with the yellow but yellow takes over, so maybe it doesn't matter. We shall see. Attached is my tower of pink and yellow log cabin blocks. It takes me 3 1/2 hours to finish a side. I have about 250 blocks.

Covered in snow down here I am hoping to shovel my way to the post office. Will return to the IC2.

Not quite coasters

I was thinking about coasters, and thinking about my challenge fabric, but I decided to try something new. I made a pin cushion, a souvenir of my IC projects so far. Incidentally, it matches my new designer scissors! Yeah!
I found a monkey wrench pattern for a ten inch square and I divided the directions by two. (Fractions - my kids say this is useless knowledge but I use them everyday!). I used scraps from my "recent projects" bag and an extra long strip from the IC2. I need to make my rectangles 1/8" longer when I cut, and I need a better plan for sewing the corners (I'm bad at corners). Not bad for a first try.
I am snowed in, so I hope to have IC2 together and finish quilting something I hope to get into the New Jersey show. I haven't given up on coasters. The day is young.

Found It!

Well, it didn't take long. I am surprised. It was a very good karma weekend. First I combed the discount racks at Jomar and Joanne's. Then I searched "yellow Floral fabric" 1400 ebay entries. Nada. Then I found a Cranston website, with a lost fabric message board. Nothing. Then I emailed it to MissingFabrics.com. I got a very nice email response from the administrator explaining how it works, what I should expect, and a copy of my ad. It was Saturday night. My daughter and I went out to see Annie with Wanda Sykes as Miss Hannigan (I was a cynic). She was great! My expectations were low but....when I got home there was a message that someone had it and was willing to part with it. I can't believe it! Yeah! Thank you D in cyberspace! I'm so excited I feel like I got a direct response from fate!

So, very wonderful site all fabriholics should visit often http://www.missingfabrics.com/.

I left it up to fate, and fate responded. I must admit I am as disappointed to give up the challenge of making the quilt work as much as I am excited to create something consistent with my original objective. So I found another challenge. Upon perusing my stash, I found the most bizarre fabric. It's like Paris Hilton. Not necessarily attractive, a total turn-off, but so distinct you can't stop looking, and risky - it just might take-over any quilt. I have about a yard of this. (and there is alot left over at the fabric store if I need more (surprise!).

I find batiks are great for paper piecing because they are double sided and you don't have to be continually flipping the shape in your mind. Which isn't a problem if you paper piece every day, but I don't.

I'm marinating on this one while I get my IC fix. It is a direct match to the teal fabric in IC2. But direct matches are often too "safe". I'll think about it. This fabric is a Worker, but it may have a tendency to Manage, and I need some control over that. Please feel free to make a suggestion.

The quickie project for today is coasters. I dislike coffee stains on my table and desk. I think I might whip up some coasters. Will post a picture tomorrow. Maybe the IC2 will be done construction.

IC 2

These are pictures of projects I'm working on!

I'm in construction for IC2 today I should be ready to sandwich by evening. I may hit the fabric store for a matching backing but that just gets me in trouble!

A quilt for my niece. It was practice. I found a pattern I like - great for baby quilts. I lost some points on the edges. I'm working on that for next time. Really she doesn't notice she just sees the princesses. I held onto this panel for a long time before I finally found a use for it. It's bordered by a great dark pink batik. In person this really makes the body of the quilt Pop! I made the same pattern for my friend Patrick! I will try to post that tomorrow.

I saw this quilt in a window. Someone had tried to make a simple quilt and they didn't do a great job with the points or sewing but the colors and juxtaposition of contrasts was so striking, it didn't matter. I tried to duplicate this. Upon beginning to quilt, I realized there are just way too many colors, and I switched to stipple quilting withh invisible thread. But there was this great gold-chartreuse yellow fabric I found (I used this twice) I practiced quilting little squares to mirror the pattern on the fabric. This used gobs of thread but it's so worth it. I ran out, got more, and hope to complete this over the weekend.

Gram

Gram (my grandmother, 88 years old) thinks I should abandon quilting and concentrate my energy on making sofa tissue box covers. I didn't make this one I bought it at a local shop. I love it, had to have it. It's a great pincushion.

Irish Chain #1

When I began quilting ten years ago, I immediately tried an Irish Chain (IC). It was tough, I didn't get the pinning, it didn't quite work out.

A few months ago, on a stressful week, I cut for this quilt. Alot happened. I got some old fabric on ebay. Not today's quilt shop quality - but after very careful consideration, I decided that's okay. I decided to do an experiment. (I figured turn old into classic). I found instructions to make an Irish Chain quilt. I had alot of fabric maybe I'd "make it" with the main one. So I cut away. And it was very relaxing. I didn't have quite enough of the main fabric, but I wanted to do a project where I could get rid of all of it. I cut, got it to the point where construction could begin, and stopped. Holidays were approaching I was busy.

Last week I decided to put it together, with the goal creating a quilt that defied to the missing fabric problem (that was my original objective.) It came together quickly. Very invigorating, and, to my surprise, the contrast was good and I really liked the line. I loved the line, if only.... I have ideas but its a wip (work in progress). So I'm doing a one-month hunt for the missing fabric, just to see if fate tells me what to do, and then I will return to my original idea of how to cope. What if I made a solid one?

The three fabric theme is very alive. Great opportunity for contrast and union. The line, once I laid out the ICs, was really invigorating. I began to think what could I accomplish without this problem. I have three kids, thus the world often presents itself to me with three perspectives, and this is a comfort to me. So I'm sticking with Irish Chains for a while, because classic lines and simple combos are a good platform/ opportunity for growth.

A word about fabric quaility. I love the decadent feel of quilt store quality fabrics. I do. But they're new. And expensive. I decided with the next one to mix quality. I have three fabrics: one, not the best quality, has a vintage look; the second, good quality and old, kind of busy and boring; the third - next to best quality that came out last year and a total color POP! - the Line Leader! I've decided for the moment to just stick with 100% cottons, no matter what the quality, and see where that leads me. I am a fabric snob but I don't want to get to the point where I miss out on opportunities.

Also, I took a class once and my teacher told me she always buys six yards when she buys fabric. Six. Okay that's alot. Could get expensive. And I didn't quite get it. Why six? Then I read once that if you love it, buy as much as you can afford. Recently I had been asking myself will I be thinking about it when I go home? Just get enough so that I don't second guess myself and run back and get more. This not having enough of something you want is awful. Not something I want to happen often. Get as much as you can afford, and at least six yards of any fabric you love. This is my advice. Note the missing yellow. If you have this, please email.