Hello everyone! I am sitting here, with my coffee, the kids glued to the t.v. watching a family movie. All is quiet, at least for now.
I have been busy putting in tons of hours with the ambulance service. I also finished re-doing the girls' room. I painted it a peach tone with minimal green trim. I used colors gleaned from April Cornells' Poetry Collection fabric by Moda. I then made curtains with this fabric and the room looks great! Paige and Summer (my daughters) love it, as do I, and it is a room that will grow with them.
Next I will tackle the living room, well, after dear husband has installed the new window.
New in my quilty world, is the Pleated Log cabin block using Moda "Jelly rolls" (if you so choose). I like the block and over all look of the quilt. It says folk art to me. There is some time involved with the folding of the fabric but the finished look is intriguing. Look for this class in the month of April at Brambleberries.
I am nearly finished with my "I spy" quilt. Just a few more places to tie (no, I am not quilting it, a first for me) and then the binding! There are only two more classes left for "I spy" so please don't miss out on the fun, bring in what you have been working on, and share with your class!
We meet on Wednesday the 28th, see you there!
My personal project list keeps getting bigger and bigger! I see what other quilters are working on and those ideas just start hopping. Check out what Judy is doing in her studio at this webshots link: http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/1225081929056947851DgCJcM
Judy is a regular poster on the wwqp blogspot and a very talented lady!
It is hard to believe that Easter is nearly here! However if this means that we may get some warm weather, and the snow will melt then I am all for it!
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Do you know what this is??
Ok Quilters, I need your help. Today a neighbor brought over a quilt frame from his farm. This is the farm where he grew up and where he had found his mother's quilt frame. He set it up for me and for the life of me I cannot figure out how to attach the quilt to the frame. There are little pins along the sides of the frame. I also cannot imagine "stabbing" the fabric onto these pins??? The frame is labeled "Maid of Honor" and I found this pic for one just like it on eBay. So if this looks familiar to you, or if you have any ideas please leave a comment.
Other news? I haven't had much sewing time, as my daughter Summer had a reaction on Friday night after eating peanuts. She is fine and well, however we are avoiding peanuts (not easy to do) until her blood test comes back.
On the design wall:
(ha ha this is just a sheet hanging in my dining room LOL) is the ever present "I spy" quilt, nearly finished with the top, if I were to get back in front of the machine. Next to the sewing machine, neighbor's coat, nephew's quilt and Eli's jeans...four pair that need repair.
On the shelf:
As time is ticking, I need to start the restoration on the "Sucker Creek Quilt" I really wish I had photos of this one to share. Made circa 1970's had quilted, with small two inch blocks surrounded by a plain muslin background that is heavily hand quilted. The quilt maker did quilt in her initials!
In the future:
I would like to start at least one small 12X12 approx. size quilted art wall hanging. I would like to explore more of this free form art expression. An artist I found while surfing, from SC, has an esty store http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=3496 I love what she is doing! She is very talented and inspiring.
Also on the web:
Loads of farm girls and maybe a few farm boys, sharing ideas and laughter. Lots of talent bouncing around in there too. If you have an interest in sewing, and farm life in general please go take a look.
I will include a pic of that frame, please let me know what you think.
After having posted this question to the quilters at WWQP the answer is:
It is a Curtain Stretcher! http://quilt.com/BulletinBoard/bb/
for our "conversation" on this painful process!
I also found a blog worth mentioning, I love this guy's photos. He is a student at Regent College in Vancouver BC http://cawley.typepad.com/blog/
And please check out my personal friend, Cindy the Seamstress in Seatle (say That five times fast!)
Happy Valentines Day
Hello Friends!
Happy Valentines Day to all of you
with big hugs all around
sincerely
Katie
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
yooper quilt girls
On the Moda pattern, Parasols in the Park one of my students was able to get all 12 points to meet neatly in the middle by pressing open her wedge seams and doing a bit of trimming. Thinking on your feet and improvising is key to making your creative endeavors a success. I was happy to see a student think outside the box and to be able to share that with everyone else.
The "I spy" class was canceled due to a scheduling conflict. This happened to also be the same night as our elementary schools annual "variety show". An "extra" class will be added to the end to make up for this lost time. The next "I spy" class should see students with nearly all the fabrics collected that they will need to finish a quilt. We will have had nearly 3 months of time to gather the necessary novelty fabrics. If you are still finding yourself short, please check the "free box" at Brambleberries for what you may need. This is a give and take box so please contribute a novelty at least 5"x5" for each piece of fabric that you take.
As I mentioned in an earlier post I have plans for a Circle quilt. This is not set in seams, it will be following "Easy Bias-Covered Curves" by Wendy Hill, look for this book at Brambleberries, it is required for the class that is offered as a one day event in March.
Now without having run this blog by Vicki x 2 and Deana, I must add here that this my own personal blog not endorsed in any way by Brambleberries Inc. Nor are any of my own opinions shared here by the above mentioned shop and its owners. The same can be said for The Piecemaker's Quilt Guild.
Our next guild meeting is coming up soon. It is a "business" meeting with much to discuss. Don't want to leave the planning for the annual show to the last minute. LOL.
The "I spy" class was canceled due to a scheduling conflict. This happened to also be the same night as our elementary schools annual "variety show". An "extra" class will be added to the end to make up for this lost time. The next "I spy" class should see students with nearly all the fabrics collected that they will need to finish a quilt. We will have had nearly 3 months of time to gather the necessary novelty fabrics. If you are still finding yourself short, please check the "free box" at Brambleberries for what you may need. This is a give and take box so please contribute a novelty at least 5"x5" for each piece of fabric that you take.
As I mentioned in an earlier post I have plans for a Circle quilt. This is not set in seams, it will be following "Easy Bias-Covered Curves" by Wendy Hill, look for this book at Brambleberries, it is required for the class that is offered as a one day event in March.
Now without having run this blog by Vicki x 2 and Deana, I must add here that this my own personal blog not endorsed in any way by Brambleberries Inc. Nor are any of my own opinions shared here by the above mentioned shop and its owners. The same can be said for The Piecemaker's Quilt Guild.
Our next guild meeting is coming up soon. It is a "business" meeting with much to discuss. Don't want to leave the planning for the annual show to the last minute. LOL.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
My perimenopausal quilting day
Oh my, I had my birthday, and low and behold I am now 42. I have had a rotten time of it trying to get some decent sleep at night. This leaves me too tired to get motivated durring the day.
The whining aside, I did manage to get some chores done today, all the Christmas decor is put away, dog is washed, dried and brushed...this being no small task as she is a St. Barnard.
My quilt projects for the year are already standing in line.... classes to teach, samples to make, and a quilt show to help organize and impliment. I aught to stop raising my hand to volunteer for things.
I am excited however about getting to some quilt ideas bouncing around in my head. I have found a new love, circles! Gosh cant hardly wait to get started on that. If the quilt comes out as well as I hope it will, this will be my "fair quilt". I recently purchased a book on bias-covered curves by: Wendy Hill. This book is great! I love her style of writing, very assessable, not pretensious. The instructions are clear and illustrated. So if this is a book review, I give her a thumbs up!
Am also working on a pattern "parisoles in the park" and dispite several tries at the parisole block am unable to get the points to meet neatly in the center. This block is pie-shaped with 12 "wedges". The wedges are cut with one side on the bias. I have taken my time with this, being carefull not to push or pull the fabric out of alignment durring sewing and carefull pressing, still not quite getting it right. Ah but I will doggedly try yet again.
It features the Sonet fabric collection by Moda, which I must say are quite delish! Loads of browns, oranges, and some of that turquios-y blue reminisent of the 70's. This line was designed by April Cornell, love it April!
Found a church pot luck recipe book at "Crossings" book club. This is indeed a must get for me as we have a large social after every Sunday service. Once I recieve it I will let you know if it works for me. If you are looking for a large selection of Christian reading material I would suggest you check out the site. They have titles for everyone. I have been very pleased with the service as well.
That is it for today. Just a note that the Northwoods of Michigan's Upper peninsula did get some snow. Not much and tempuratures did come down a bit, I beleive that we are a ways from the lakes being all that safe yet. Let it freeze some more.
The whining aside, I did manage to get some chores done today, all the Christmas decor is put away, dog is washed, dried and brushed...this being no small task as she is a St. Barnard.
My quilt projects for the year are already standing in line.... classes to teach, samples to make, and a quilt show to help organize and impliment. I aught to stop raising my hand to volunteer for things.
I am excited however about getting to some quilt ideas bouncing around in my head. I have found a new love, circles! Gosh cant hardly wait to get started on that. If the quilt comes out as well as I hope it will, this will be my "fair quilt". I recently purchased a book on bias-covered curves by: Wendy Hill. This book is great! I love her style of writing, very assessable, not pretensious. The instructions are clear and illustrated. So if this is a book review, I give her a thumbs up!
Am also working on a pattern "parisoles in the park" and dispite several tries at the parisole block am unable to get the points to meet neatly in the center. This block is pie-shaped with 12 "wedges". The wedges are cut with one side on the bias. I have taken my time with this, being carefull not to push or pull the fabric out of alignment durring sewing and carefull pressing, still not quite getting it right. Ah but I will doggedly try yet again.
It features the Sonet fabric collection by Moda, which I must say are quite delish! Loads of browns, oranges, and some of that turquios-y blue reminisent of the 70's. This line was designed by April Cornell, love it April!
Found a church pot luck recipe book at "Crossings" book club. This is indeed a must get for me as we have a large social after every Sunday service. Once I recieve it I will let you know if it works for me. If you are looking for a large selection of Christian reading material I would suggest you check out the site. They have titles for everyone. I have been very pleased with the service as well.
That is it for today. Just a note that the Northwoods of Michigan's Upper peninsula did get some snow. Not much and tempuratures did come down a bit, I beleive that we are a ways from the lakes being all that safe yet. Let it freeze some more.
Friday, November 10, 2006
for the love of fabric
In the past I would buy fabric just because I liked it. But I was finding that I was accumulating a stash of fabric that no single quilter could possibly hope to use in one lifetime. This wanton buying of fabric really started to bother me. It felt wasteful and selfish. Even intimidating. When I would stand back and take a long look at this growing monstrosity of fabric, I would think of all the projects I had thought that I "might" do and never had the time to get around to. Then the guilt would seep in over money spent, projects never started or started and left unfinished and dusty.
This extravagence was unheard of in the earliest days of pioneer quilting. This was incomprehensable durring the depression era. I can hardly imagine even the Amish of today tossing this much money into something that may never get used.
So I weeded through my mounds of solids, plaids, and the oh-so-70's. I set aside yards of "hey that would make a great curtain" and "I better buy it ALL before it is gone" yardage. I was cruel to the point of painful in my culling of the fabric herd. Yes I tossed that "one of a kind batik" (that was really massed produced in China) and that weird "what was I thinking!?" fabric that would co-ordinate with, well, Nothing!
And I Gave it Away. I took it to my church left in bags and boxes for the Martha's Quilters who spend dilligent hours making lap quilts for the needy. And I made a promise to myself that day. I would NOT fall of the wagon again. I would only buy what I needed to complete a project. Plan ahead the fabrics and design I might use. and so far I would have to say that I have been successful. But it has been hard to quit the compulsive buying habit..."see it, love it, must have it".... or "I just know that I will use that someday..."
This extravagence was unheard of in the earliest days of pioneer quilting. This was incomprehensable durring the depression era. I can hardly imagine even the Amish of today tossing this much money into something that may never get used.
So I weeded through my mounds of solids, plaids, and the oh-so-70's. I set aside yards of "hey that would make a great curtain" and "I better buy it ALL before it is gone" yardage. I was cruel to the point of painful in my culling of the fabric herd. Yes I tossed that "one of a kind batik" (that was really massed produced in China) and that weird "what was I thinking!?" fabric that would co-ordinate with, well, Nothing!
And I Gave it Away. I took it to my church left in bags and boxes for the Martha's Quilters who spend dilligent hours making lap quilts for the needy. And I made a promise to myself that day. I would NOT fall of the wagon again. I would only buy what I needed to complete a project. Plan ahead the fabrics and design I might use. and so far I would have to say that I have been successful. But it has been hard to quit the compulsive buying habit..."see it, love it, must have it".... or "I just know that I will use that someday..."
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