In the dungeons...

So now that I've returned from the Oshkosh Air Show trip, I've headed back down to the basement to continue cleaning the "shop". I have two more boxes and half a grocery bag ready for the thrift store. I also found a pair of shorts I'd been looking for. Imagine that. The last day of July and I finally find them.

My neck and shoulders are less than thrilled with me at the moment, since I spent the last, oh, 20 minutes or so vacuuming the cobwebs in my laundry area. This is actually quite an accomplishment for me, arachnophobe that I am. I managed to do it without dry heaving once! That never happens. I can't put the hose back in the vac, though, because it's got webs on it. I'm also pretty sure I'll have to have my husband empty the canister. Oops! Almost gagged there. Sorry.

If I'm going to really make a home business of this sewing thing, I'm going to need a place I want to be in to work. Seeing my progress is more exciting than I thought it would be. I had always been afraid to get rid of the stuff from failed attempts at projects. Stubbornness, I'm sure. I felt like I was throwing away my ideas and betraying my creativity. Therefore, betraying myself. Now I'm seeing it as being as true to myself as possible and finding my authenticity. Chucking out the stuff I don't love. There is somebody out there who can use it, but it's not me. I'm practically rewiring my brain. I'm hoping that this is my new medication working on my brain chemistry and not some fluke. This is the deepest purge I think I've ever done in my life.

The problem is, I have so many ideas rumbling around in my head. I see a stick on the ground and think, "Oh, wouldn't this be a cool cane?" But I really shouldn't bring it home. Or I see a sweater and think, "Yay! It's wool. I can felt this into a pair of mittens." Yeah, I could, but I discovered that I really hate felting. A lot. On the other hand, I could sew it into a skirt or pillow. But I'm doing my best to be really picky about what I'm keeping. If I don't like the colors or the pattern, it's out. So there you have it. Progress.

I never thought I'd get into quilting, but I really do enjoy it. I still want to create clothes. But, for both of these endeavors, I'm going to need more space than what I currently have. I can get this space, simply by getting rid of all this stuff I've accumulated. I'm not sure what I thought I was missing or what I thought I was going to do with all that stuff. What sort of void I thought I was filling. Perhaps I was only looking for something I thought I could "sell", but it wasn't really what I personally liked. 

My husband is one of those people who is fortunate to have a job he really enjoys. He's also a fantastic salesman. He's good at making money but doesn't understand the idea of needing to do something you love whether you make a ton of money at it or not. I think that's why I was trying to find something "commercial" or "popular". But I've never really liked that sort of thing myself. Why would I want to make stuff I hate and sell it to the masses when I could make something I love that is enjoyed by a select few (who are willing to spend good money on it)? That's my point of view, anyway.

I spent most of yesterday on Photoshop and Spoonflower designing fabrics. It's an incredible feeling I get when I do that. I just wish it wasn't so expensive. But it is, and I'll have to save up. I began going through some garment patterns I have that I can adapt for my own designs so that I have an idea of how much fabric I'll need to make them. Then I can put together a budget. Once I have that put together, the fun can really begin! I have over 14 pencil sketches of designs in addition to some things I designed ages ago and there's really no reason why I couldn't make those part of the collection. I still have tons of ideas rumbling around up there, but I'm learning to focus them better. I had been wearing some sort of funky beer goggles before (not really, I don't drink beer. Often). I should have been wearing Speampunk Pilot's Goggles! Ack!

I've also been fighting depression most of my adult life, but only recently was diagnosed with ADD. Now that I've got the medication for that, I'm pretty on top of things. Not all the time, but so much better than I've been in the last 20 years or so. I'm also giving up trying to be what everyone else expects me to be. That's probably what's really making me happy.  It's going to suck, because I'm sure there are people in this world who won't be able to deal with the person I really am. But then there are the people in my life who have my number and I think they've just been waiting for me to emerge. 

Spinning Wheel...

I've been doing a lot of thinking over the past week or so, mostly because I haven't been able to accomplish too much with this FMS flare up that is just being stubborn. I've also done a fair bit of designing and "soul" searching. I've come up with a plan and I'm going to try to put those plans into action. I don't want to say too much, but it could mean a fabulous change in my life. 

Today I had a really great conversation with my mom about my creative arts, and how to parlay them into a career that I will love and will give me, not only a sense of purpose, but security, as well. My husband plans on retiring in about 3 years and I've been trying to figure out how I'll be picking up the slack. I know he won't completely stop working and his retirement plan is quite good, but I've had a career-shaped hole in my heart for a while. I've been really good at finding obstacles to my plans over the years. Of course, that's mainly because I try to do everything by myself. My mom and I put our heads together this morning during our regular phone session and came up with a few ideas and connections I have that would make this project seem not so out of reach. Now, I just have to sell my husband on the idea.

I have to say that reading Kaffe Fassett's "Quilts in Sweden" was partially responsible for this little kernel of inspiration. Fassett not only designs fabric and quilts, but also yarns and needlework. So, along with my quilting and the fabric I have on Spoonflower.com, I'm going to start working on a line of clothing and accessories using my own fabric designs. I looked at some fashion trend reports, and what I've got in mind for my designs is right on target for the colors and prints they're forecasting all the way into 2014. That was terribly exciting for me to see. Usually I come up with an idea and a week later it's being released by someone who had been putting those ideas into action for the last year or so. This time, I'm right on trend with what the future is bringing. I really don't believe in fate or signs, but I'm sure those that do would tell me that this is a door from which someone is calling me to enter. So, I'm being called. So, sue me. (No, don't. I haven't got any money!)

I'm going to continue with this blog, though it may now include things not related to quilting. On the other hand, designing quilts is a decent sized part of what I'm envisioning doing, so for the quilting fans out there, never fear. I'm just adding some other stuff to that which I do. Because I'm just not busy enough. (Yeah. That was, indeed, sarcasm.)

I have two, possibly three theatrical productions coming up in the following year. I intend to keep those commitments. I also want to go back to school, one class at a time, since that's what we can afford at the moment. I'm prepping to sign up for a math class <shudder> as I write this. I want to get my degree somehow. This will help me with my plans. I also want to see if I can get into a pattern making class. I know how to take an existing pattern and create what I need. I can also cut fabric without a pattern and create what I need, but making a pattern from scratch is something I have NO idea how to do, particularly if it's very detailed.

I'm ready for a change. I have been for quite a while, I just didn't know what to change, exactly, and I've spent a lot of time and energy on what was probably not the right path for me. I've been pushing back this other idea because, I don't know, maybe I thought I couldn't or that no one would like it. I'm also very aware of my age. I keep telling myself I'm not good enough. But I am. And, gosh darn it, people like me. And they like what I do. I'm going to listen to them for awhile instead of just listening to my inner critic (who is really loud and obnoxious, by the way). I'm also going to ask for help. I've never wanted to ask for help. I'm afraid people will think that's the only reason I want them around. But frankly, I wouldn't want you around if I didn't genuinely like you. I don't want to surround myself with people I can't stand simply because of how many connections they have, or money, or whatever. If you're an asshole, I don't want to work with you, either. That's something I just have to get over. I hate the idea of imposing myself on someone. I cringe at the thought. So, if you happen to be someone I ask, know that it's because you rock. You rock a lot.

Things about quilting I've learned...

I haven't been quilting for a long time. Technically, I've only "quilted" two things: A baby blanket and a sling style log/quilt carrier, which isn't bound yet. I tie "quilted" the batik quilt I made. Hardcore quilters don't consider that quilting. They can suck it. It wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. It wasn't difficult by any stretch of the imagination, but it was a bit frustrating at times. Besides, when my Grandma Louise made quilts, she only ever tied them.

Anyway, as I've been puttering along at this new textile adventure, I've been making notes. As most artistic people know, rules are made to be broken, or at least bent into submission. So here are my observations thus far... Fair warning, my sarcastic sense of humor has reared its ugly head in this one.

1) That whole pressing-the-seam-allowances-a-certain-way thing? Turns out it's a pretty good idea. It makes the finished top lay smoother and also helps in the quilting process by keeping your layers thin. Sewing along and then hitting a wad of layers can mess up your needle, tension, fabric, and day.

2) For the most part, using the far-right edge of your standard presser foot is more than a quarter inch. Crap.

3) Just because the quilt on the cover of the magazine is butt ugly doesn't mean there aren't cool ones inside.

4) Pins are useless. Straight pins, that is. Personally, I only use them on really long seams, like borders, or curved seams. Or if I have to match seams. Sigh. Okay. For most piecing situations, pins blow.

5) Speaking of pins, the bent safety pins designed for pinning your top, back and batting together? GENIUS!

6) Sometimes fabrics that clash look really awesome together. Well, I think so anyway.

7) Never be afraid to play.

8) Rotary cutters, self-healing matts, and acrylic rulers are quite possibly the best inventions ever. This includes the template (for which I begrudgingly paid $32.00) that measures out strips in 1/2 inch increments. That is my best investment ever, as far as those types of supplies are concerned.

9) Cutting a few (or even a whole bunch) more pieces than you need is never a bad idea. You can use the spares for practice stitches, you can even make another entire project out of them. Matching pillows, anyone? By the same token, always buy more than you think you'll need. Just in case you screw up.

10) It's okay to visibly cringe when someone says Muslim instead of muslin. Please, PLEASE correct these people. You're not being rude, you're being helpful. I used to work at a fabric store and this drove me up a wall. Take it upon yourself to be an educator. I think it's sort of insulting to the Muslim people, too. I wouldn't want to be called an un-bleached, cheap cotton fabric.

11) Along those lines, the flat or faceted, shiny plastic beads on bridal/evening gowns are sequins, not sequence. Sorry I'm getting preachy on this, but it drives me to drink.

12) There's a lot of math involved in quilting. It's okay to use a calculator. They even make special ones for quilters. I don't have one... yet. It's on my wish list.

13) There are HUGE quilt conventions all over the world.

14) There are quilting rock stars. My personal fave? Kaffe Fassett. He designs quilts and fabric and other textile arts. His stuff rocks my world right off its axis.

visit kaffeefassett.com that's where I got this image of him.

15) It's okay to just make quilts for yourself and be totally fine with the little mistakes only you will notice. But...

16) There are quilt competitions and they aren't just for the 4H-ers. Now, if you're a beginner, don't even think about this beyond "maybe someday." I know there are those of you (myself included) who are very competitive, and to you - and me - I say, "Slow down, there, Turbo!" The judges have very strict guidelines and you'll drive yourself to the edge if you think your first quilt will be stellar. Even the quilting rock stars started small. 

'Course, if you like being stressed out and inventing new cuss words, knock yourself out.

17) Learn the difference between "ironing" and "pressing". You want to press. If you iron, your fabric can stretch and get all farkucht. Ironing is moving the iron around on the fabric, pressing is picking it up, moving it to a new place and putting it down. It takes some time, but it's worth it to not have warped fabric.

18) You don't need to get every gadget, ruler and template. There are really slick, easy ways of doing half-square triangles, flying geese and even Dresden Plates. I have the "Easy Dresden Plate" template, sets for hexagons and triangles that aren't half-square. I also have a "Fat Cat" which is supposed to be used for these really twee cat designs. I use it for fans and really large plates. I also make a lot of my own templates from left over cardboard. Fat Quarter packs almost always have a little piece in them for folding into the fabric. They're great for template patterns and stencils. Then, of course, there's that strip maker sheet. I love that thing.

19) You can quilt with any fabric. You can even mix types of fabric. However, keep in mind that different fabrics have different needs depending on their fiber content. Educate yourself.

20) Generally when pressing a point, you want to follow the recommended pressing direction from the pattern. But sometimes you're trying to press and the fabric isn't cooperating... if the overall look of the quilt won't be affected, why fight it? Just make a note, mental or otherwise, that you've done this, so you won't be surprised by a bump in the road as you quilt.

21) Must you wash the fabric before you sew? That depends. Are you making a wall quilt? An art quilt? Something that isn't going to be used and washed repeatedly doesn't need to be washed, really. Keep in mind there are special finishes that are added to fabrics to make them look crisp and shiny for the consumer. It also helps protect the fabric from the dirt and oils of all the hands that will be touching it. Pretty much all fabrics get this treatment, even ones that are labeled as organic. Often the only thing organic about the fabric is that they grew the fibers without pesticides. There are a few companies who don't add the finishing, and are very "green" in their processes, but they are few and far between, so as a rule, or if you think the finishing product might be a bother your skin (some people are sensitive to it), wash your fabric before working with it. 

22) Another fun tidbit about washing. If you really like the way antique quilts look with the puckering, don't wash your fabric first and use a cotton/poly blend for thread. It will encourage that look as the quilt is washed.

23) There is a product you can use whilst pressing that is a starch-less fabric finish. It helps replace the crispness of the fabric after washing and get wrinkles out. It's called Mary Ellen's Best Press. It's sold at most fabric stores and comes in a non-scented version as well as lavender and "clean linen" scents. I really like using it. It doesn't flake like starch does and I still get a nice, crisp seam/crease. 

24) I put one of my tackle boxes (which I use for buttons, hooks and eyes, etc.) under my ironing board. When you stand there so often, it's nice to put your foot up. It saves back pain.

25) Having your chair and machine positioned comfortably can mean the difference between an enjoyable experience and a week in traction.

26) Get good lighting. This is one of my problems, actually. I work in our unfinished basement, and there isn't good lighting down there. I have an overhead bulb, the light on my machine and a floor lamp which can swivel so that I can either aim it at the sewing area or the ironing board. The one window that lets light into my work area is Southern, so it's really good in the Winter, but it gets dark in the Summer. When I hand sew, I'm up in our living room under the 5-bulb gooseneck. I try to use daylight for checking color combinations, but it isn't always available when I need it. Hence the wacky combinations (that's my story and I'm sticking to it).

27) Freezer paper is awesome for paper piecing! It's great for appliques, too. You can iron it to your fabric temporarily, move it if it's not in the right place, remove it when you're done basting. It's inexpensive and you can find it at the grocery store with the waxed paper and cling wrap. Don't use waxed paper, though. It has too much wax on it and leaves a yucky film on your fabric. I hope I don't need to tell you to not use cling wrap...

28) No, you don't have to make your quilt exactly like the one that's in the book. I shouldn't have to say this, but I know there are people who beat themselves up if they don't get just the right thing. Also, if you run out of a fabric, it's okay to substitute. There are quilts known as "make-do" quilts, so called because one or more blocks are different because the quilter ran out of the original fabric. Call yours a make-do and it's a unique treasure.

29) Inspiration is everywhere! 

30) Simple blocks are your friends. You can take something as unassuming as a 9-patch block and make a stellar quilt. You can make yourself crazy thinking you need to make something unique, but unique doesn't have to equal hard. The simplest patterns are often the most amazing. Play around with angles and colors, and suddenly - you're a designer! For example...

The images in this post are not mine, I claim no rights to them. I have tried to credit them as best as possible. I hope their owners realize I'm sharing them with respect to their craft. And that they get a little business. 

This is what can be done with a simple 9-patch:

from quilting-tidbits.com. It goes along with a free tutorial, so hop on over there and check it out!

This is from the blog, Teri's Painted Daisies, painteddaisies.blogspot.com. Teri's art is amazeballs! Plus she's got this adorable cockatiel... 

This is from candlewoodquilts.com They are a home-based quilt business in Tennessee. Go give 'em a look-see!

Grandma's Flower Garden

I now have 8 1/2 hexagon flowers. I'm not working consistently on them, but in the evenings after the boys are in bed, sometimes during the day while a movie is on. Now that I know better what I'm doing, it's going pretty quickly. I took some pictures this morning of what I have so far.

Here are the first blooms of the "garden". I had to use the platter under the brown ones so you could see them. 

The basting threads will remain until the whole top is put together. I also haven't taken the time to press them yet, since they're traveling with me in a ziploc bag. For the most part, they're maintaining their shape via the freezer paper I'm using for stabilizer.

It's odd how the colors are different from pic to pic. I didn't really notice it until I looked at the table in the background. The photo on top (the blue flower) is most true. These were taken on my phone. I'm rarely happy with those pix. But, hey, it's serviceable and it's what I've got. It's also the easiest way to get the pix online.

Now that I'm looking at the two directly above, I'm thinking I should have put more thought into how I was laying out the pieces. I've been literally picking them up and stitching them together. I've put them in sets of petals and centers and safety pinned them in their little flower groups, but that's as far as the "planning" has gone. Anyway, in the bottom photo, there are three petals where the stripes are going the same way and the other three are haphazard.  If I'm feeling extra ambitious when all the flowers are completed, I'll go back and fix this (and any others there will most likely be as I'm looking at these, and knowing how I am about such things).

Again, the ones with the blue petals seem to come out with the truest color.

The green one above is "in progress".

Here's the backside of one. I chose freezer paper, since it's a really inexpensive alternative to specially made fabric stabilizers and is available in most grocery stores. It's also temporary. If you're unfamiliar with it, it has one waxy side, which can be ironed on to the wrong side of your fabric, stabilizing it for sewing. Once your seam allowances are basted, it'll stay in place, even when the wax is no longer holding. The wax is minimal enough that it doesn't leave a residue, and if you get it in the wrong position, it is easily removed and relocated. Once the quilt top is complete, I'll remove all the basting stitches and the papers.

To make the paper hexes, I read how one quilter had her husband make a CAD drawing of hexagons put together like a honeycomb. Then she'd tape her freezer paper to a regular sheet of printer paper and send it through the printer and cut out the pieces. Since my husband is not a CAD draftsman, I tried making a jpeg from some hexagon images I found online, but in order to get the right size, I had to futz around with the scale and I ended up using a lot of ink. The dimensions on the screen just didn't match what came out on the paper. I did get a few to work, but, frankly, it was a huge pain in the @$$, between the cutting and the taping and the this and the that, and the schmachta... so I scrapped that idea. Instead, I used one of my nested hexagon templates which was about 1/4 inch smaller than the size of the fabric pieces and good ol' Sharpie pen to draw on a nice, large sheet of the freezer paper. Cutting them out was a breeze, and, dare I say it, kind of fun! 

I used the pages I had printed with the wrong size hexes (just on regular paper, I didn't want to waste the freezer paper while I was messing with the sizes) for trying out color combinations. Yes, I have a huge crayon selection. Don't judge.

It's a bit blurry, but here's a close up of the one I'm currently working on. The white threads are the basting stitches and the pink lines are the connecting stitches. I'm stitching them in the same way I learned from the quilter with the drafting husband. The stitches are pretty wee, but I want this sucker to last forever, so it can be passed down for generations. This is also why I may not actually take the time to undo the one that has the brown stripes. Those teensy stitches won't be fun to take out.

I'm starting to run out of the original set of fabric hexes I purchased in a kit. I thought about getting another kit, since I really hated the idea of cutting out all those fabric hexes, but then I thought, no, I don't want this to just be made from some kit. I'll suck it up and cut out more hexes. I got some fat quarters that went pretty well with the fabric in the kit, used one of the kit pieces to make a template, since they are a different size from any in my set of nested hexagon templates. In fact, I used one of the cardboard pieces from a fat quarter packet to make the template. I now have enough for the quilt without it looking like it came from a kit. It'll have my personal stamp on it now. Frankly, I only chose the kit I got because I wanted to try to put together hexes by hand. I had a trip to go on and wanted something creative to take along, but I didn't have enough time to cut out a ton of pieces before we left. It's just a lucky break that my niece is having a baby girl and I can actually pass it along. Knowing that makes this process so much more fun, and has given me the impetus to be even more creative with it and git 'er done. 

Miss America...

There she is, folks! Technically not a quilt because I did the "quilting" with ties, but it is the first full-size project I've completed since I started this whole quilting thing, so a major accomplishment in my book. <grin>

Needles!!!!!

Mom has needles (not to be confused with measles)! I can finish the Cacophony of Cups aka the batik! Hopefully I won't also need my pliers. I brought them along, but they sure are a pain in the patootie. Then I'll run it through the dryer to give it a nice finish.

Also, between last night and this morning I've finished another hex flower and I'm about 2/3 through another. My niece is expecting a girl, so perhaps that's even more of an impetus for getting the flower garden done. (I was really hoping for a boy, but, oh well.) She's due in November, so that should give me ample time to work on it. As long as I take it with me wherever I go. THAT'S IT! There's my name for it: Anywhere I Wander. It's a song from Danny Kaye's movie, Hans Christian Anderson. Perfect for a baby quilt.

My sister is so excited. She has a lot of step-grandchildren, but this is the first time one of her own kids is having a baby. It's pretty rad. I'll have another grandniece! My brother's daughter has a little girl about the same age as my youngest. Boy, is she a punkin! She's a little bit of a drama queen (must come from my side of the family) who loves ballet and princesses. Very girly girl. We have a picture of our matching shoes from Christmas. Well, our matching slippers. Black sequin ballet slippers. If I was at home I could post it. Maybe next post. I should make something for her, too! OMG! I've got a list a mile long! 

I also have to make those other two my mom commissioned. Also for baby girls. I wonder if any of my friends are having boys? I wanna make something with trucks on it. Or motorcycles. Hmmm... I wonder what I have at home I could use for two little girl quilts? I know I must have something. Or, mom could pick out the fabric. Most of the stuff I have at home has been assigned to a project. That will... someday... get done...

Sew close!

I found some ribbon yarn that was left over from a scarf my mom made for me a while back. There are two variegated color ways, bright primaries and bright secondaries, so I'm using them to make the tie quilting on the batik. I'm about 2/3 of the way done. I broke my needle. 

Okay, I wasn't using quite the right needle, but it was working just fine until it broke. I've been through 4 more needles since it died and I haven't even been through a whole row of ties.  Now, these needles didn't break, they were just not the right size. One was too fat, one's eye was two small and started to tear at the yarn, and the other two just didn't feel right. Somewhere in my "collection" (some might call it a "heap") is an old Sucret's lozenge metal box filled with really sturdy needles left over from my grandma and grandpa (he was a carpet layer) which would be really sweet to find right about now. I've been using a needle nose pliers to get them through the quilt. That is what ultimately broke the first one. I had a little too much torque on it.

One the other hand, my sitter came over yesterday and was chatting me up about the quilt (she wants me to teach her how to sew) and I asked her if she'd like to have it for her birthday next week. She was super excited about that. She just graduated high school and is getting her own apartment (she's really got it together), so she wants to have it for curling up and watching tv in her new place. Yay! It has a home! Also, I had it on my lap as I was sewing up the opening the other evening and it was so toasty! The air conditioner was blowing right on me and I didn't even mind. 

Today my boys and I are leaving to go stay with my mom for a couple of days and help her with a couple of household projects she really shouldn't do by herself. I plan on taking the batik along to finish and I'll take the hex project along as well. I almost have another flower done. I had no idea how painstakingly slow that would be. It seems quick as I'm doing the hand sewing, but that's alllll an illuuuusion.  

Here's another fun wrench to throw into my routine: I have been diagnosed with Adult ADHD. Not that this is a surprize. It's more of a confirmation of what we already knew. This is serving to make me even more determined to finish projects and not just let them sit around and languish in the dungeon, and to keep this blog going. Seriously, this is the most I've ever blogged. I must've found something I actually want to write about. Huh. Go figger. I'm going to start my medication later today and we'll see how that goes. I face it with hope and trepidation.  

Also, don't forget about my Autism fundraising! Go to http://www.cafepress.com/harriet07 and purchase and Harriet t-shirt in the month of June and the profits will go to Autism research! (See post from June 1st for more information)

Scrappy McScrapperton aka More, more, more...

How do you like it? How do you like it?

I like it when I'm busy. I also, apparently, like it when my quilts are busy. Like this top I just finished, which I shall call Scrappy McScrapperton.

It was inspired by a few things. First of all, the scrap quilts that my grandma made. Second, a similar quilt top I found in a magazine. Which I promptly lost, so I can't add a pic of that one. Third, recent research suggests that all those pastel baby things we get for newborns, can't actually be seen very well by babies. They develop a sense of contrast first, black and white is best, then the spectrum of colors begins to be processed. Geometric shapes are easier to see than fuzzy blobs, but they eventually register by the time baby is about a year old. 

My Grandma Louise made scrap quilts. She typically used a 9-patch, but I saw a quilt in a magazine (seriously, where did that thing go?!) that made squares within squares. It also had sashing, but I opted to just put the blocks together without it. When my sister's kids were little we'd put my quilt from Grandma Louise on the floor for them to play on. My nephew in particular, enjoyed discovering matching squares throughout the quilt; a bit like the game of Memory, but without the cards being flipped over. Hey, when you're 1 1/2 that's about all you can manage.

So, I put together a bunch of fat quarters with different colors, shapes, and varying degrees of contrast, cut them into strips 2 1/2 inches and 4 inches wide. I didn't worry about the length because I didn't have any idea which ones I was going to use where, though I did have some which were shorter and longer and I made squares of each size. I also used a couple of scraps left over from another quilt. They weren't the right size, but I just worked with them as they were. 

As far as putting the blocks together, it was an exercise in improvisation. I'd pick a center piece, (some were squares, others were rectangles. I like variety.) and then I'd put together the pieces going around the center piece in much the same fashion as you would for a log cabin block, only without the triangular color separation. I trimmed the length of the strips as I went around to square them off. I also didn't want the blocks to be perfectly square. They're 11" x 12". Sometimes, because of the trimming, in order to get the right size, I'd have to add an extra strip to one end. I just played around and had fun.

Once I had 20 blocks, I laid them out and played around with placement, following my instincts with regard to the way the colors made my eyes bounce from one part of it to the next. I also decided I wanted 5 more blocks. It's meant to go on the floor to let your kids play around on it, rather than cover a specific size of bed, but I wanted it to be just a skosch bigger than it was at 20 blocks.

I still have a ton of scraps left over, so I can make similar ones, or pillows. Or something completely different. 

Some of those fabrics were used in Lillian's baby quilt. I took what was left, added some solid batiks and had enough for a twin sized bed runner. Or, as I like to call them, Tootsie Toasters. 

It was pretty windy when I took this one, so I put some rocks on the corners to hold it down. Also, there's some schmutz on the camera lens. I'm just going to pretend it's a fancy schmancy artistic filter, 'kay? I may even have enough of the hot pink flannel I used for the back of Lillian's quilt to back this. I haven't checked yet. What? I've been busy.

Also, today is my little guy's 6th birthday. He's busy playing with his presents, so I thought I'd take this opportunity to add these photos and blog.

Happy birthday, Li'l Pootie Boo!

Batiki-tiki-tiki Room!

This past weekend, between my kids starting summer vaycay, four performances, the audition workshop, striking (tearing down) the set after the last performance, Tony Awards (Theatre Super Bowl) and mom coming up to visit, I not only pressed the backing for the batik, I finished it. I also sandwiched the backing and batting to the front so it's ready for the tie quilting process. 

Unfortunately, my camera is acting up (or down, depending on how you look at it). I have a feeling the boys got into it and changed the settings so that, instead of the pix going onto the memory card, they're in the internal memory of my camera, and I have no clue where my little cord is to connect my camera to the computer to upload them. Horrors! I hate using my phone for these pix. They aren't as clear. I got some really nice shots of it, too, because it's a nice, sunny day. If I drag that blanket out to the deck one more time, my neighbors are gonna start talkin'! LOL I don't know what about, but I have some odd neighbors. However, if they started saying stuff like, "Hey! She makes pretty quilts. We should buy one..." I think I'll take it out one more time and use both the reset camera and the darn phone...

Yay! It's working!

Wouldn't this be lovely under yer buns for a picnic in the park?

The back is just as pretty!

One thing I should mention was that, as I was cutting the back for the batik, I realized I had under guess-timated the amount of fabric I needed. I was cutting out the triangles and was suddenly aware that I was only going to get 3 full triangles! Crappy McCrapperton! I was just about to kick myself when I thought, well, perhaps I could sew together the two end pieces to make the fourth triangle. It worked. I wasn't going to be too upset about the seam because I'm using up all the fabric, rather than having these two big end pieces. I do have quite a bit left over because I didn't need to use the entire width of the fabric, but I have plans. Oh, yes, I have plans...

Anyway, the batik is nearly finished! Yay! Two quilts in one week! Huzzah!

Poop. Now what am I going to do?

Kidding! I have lots of stuff to do. I've been working on the hand-sewing of the hexagon Grandma's Flower Garden in drips and drabs. I thought I had done so much work on it, but I'll be dipped! I only have 5 completed flowers! This is definitely NOT one of those instant gratification projects. But I imagine it'll be pretty satisfying when it does get done. 

Another project I should really tackle is making a new cushion for my porch swing. Just sayin'.

My mom has "commissioned" me to make two baby quilts for some new girls in town. The granddaughter of the pastor from the church where I grew up and my sister's step-daughter's baby girl. I'm kinda hoping my niece has a boy. So much less drama. Even when they're on the spectrum. I'm all the drama I can handle!

finis!

Okay, not exactly finis. I need to bind the baby quilt, but the quilting part is done! Yay! I was thinking of using some of the left over flannel from the backing to make a ruffle, but I really should've attached that before I did any quilting, so I set aside the ruffled strip I made. I'll put it on the ends of the bed runner I made from the other scraps!

So, tomorrow, between my son's doctor appointment and my other errands, I'll go pick up some bias tape and I'll finish that sucker off in the evening! Then I'll take pix. And then I'll arrange to meet up with Laurel so I can give it to her and meet baby Lillian. I'm so excited that I've actually finished a quilt. Yeah, okay, a little baby quilt, but it's done! Almost. So close.

I'm a quilter, not just a topper!

Now I'm going to go press the batiks I picked up to make the backing for the batik top I made a while back. They're neutral colors to balance the brightness of the top. I got two different ones. Basically I'm going to make a giant block in the same style as the blocks of the top. I think I'll not quilt this one, but tie it. That's all my grandma ever did was tie quilts. I have a ton of yarn in my workshop in a bajillion colors, so I can have a lot of fun putting that one together! The only thing my grandma had that I don't have is saw horses. She rigged her quilts on them with clamps in order to do the tying. I'll just have to jury rig my own contraption, I guess. Between my husband, the boys and myself, I ought to be able to put something together that'll work.

I'm so happy I got this done. My fibromyalgia was acting up yesterday, so I didn't get down to the machine like I had wanted. I'm still a bit sore and tired from the flare up, but I pushed through it to get the quilt done. I'm on a roll! Nothing is worse than being on a roll and having to stop for something stupid like fibro flare ups.

Hard on myself...

I've been working on the baby blanket for my friend and I began quilting it yesterday. I have one square in the quilt that is all white, so I thought, Wouldn't it be cute to write her name when I'm quilting? Fortunately, her name is Lillian, so it's got a lot of loops. I didn't have quite as good a grasp on it as I'd hoped, and it didn't come out like I wanted. It was too small, wasn't at the right angle (I hadn't been able to find my water soluble pen to write it out first, so it was totally free-hand) and I felt like a dip for even trying it. Then I thought, well, just fill up the square with some more squiggles and blend it in more than making it a feature. That worked! Well, I think it did.

At least I can live with it. Even though I won't actually be the one living with it. You know what I mean.

Anyway, I got that all sorted out when all of a sudden, my tension got all wonky. I tried all sorts of things. I even tried simply stitching over where it was loopy. Then I discovered that somewhere along the line, my thread got taken off the back hook of the line. Hmmm... That's not the technical term for it, but I'm not sure what it's really called. The very first thing I hook my thread around when I'm threading the machine. That's where it got pulled off. I didn't realize, because it didn't really look any different and was still stitching, however sloppily. 

Waaayyyyll, crap. Now I'd done it. This is when my rather unfortunate brain chemistry chirps in and starts telling me all sorts of nasty things, like, "You're an idiot. What made you think you could attempt this? It's just one more thing for you to fail at." No really. She likes to go off the deep end. I should give her a nasty name. Like Chick the Stick. Just so you know it's my evil twin talking down at me, not me. Because she tends to have way worse grammar than I. 

Of course, the other problem is that I didn't get cast in the last of several shows I auditioned for. I got cast in the one non-paying gig I auditioned for, which is way cool, because I'll be working with a really great director and I really wanted the role, but I'd also really like to get paid for what I, frankly, love most and am best at doing. I deserve that paycheck. Hence the severity of the down talk.

Back to the quilt... I was terrified at the prospect of trying to remove the stitches. I'm relatively new to the quilting aspect of this process and I've only ever done free hand. I've also only ever done stuff that's pretty small. Yes, even a baby quilt is huge by comparison. I also don't have a machine specifically for quilting. It doesn't have a particularly long arm, so I have to really make adjustments for that. So, my stitches aren't terribly even and some of them get pretty tight. BLARGH! 

So, thoroughly disgusted with myself, I cut the blanket free and brought it upstairs to sit in my recliner under the good light and try to remove my mess. I must have had quite a look on my face, because my hubby looked really worried. I just muttered about how awful I am and he did his level best to be supportive and soothing. I'm not easy to live with, I grant him that. He has the patience of a saint. More so, probably. 

I started picking away at the threads from the front side because I thought it'd be easier than trying to work with the flannel backing. Then I flipped it over, just to see what kind of a mess I'd made on the back side. It turned out that, since the tension had gone so loose on the top thread, even the tight stitches were easily plucked if I simply made a few slices with my seam ripper. It wasn't an easy task, by any means, but it certainly wasn't as dreadful as I had anticipated. Sure I have a few needle scars, but those will work themselves out in the wash. I did leave it alone for the rest of the evening to let myself cool off and just separate from it for a while, but I'm going to get back to it once I've gotten the boys home from school today. 

I guess the whole point of this entry is to remind you that, even when you make a mistake, whether it's stupid, honest, or both, don't be so hard on yourself. Take a break. You made need only a few minutes or maybe you'll need to really separate yourself from it and move on to the next thing. But don't beat yourself up over it. And if you just can't help it and start to put yourself down, give your evil twin a name (a really awful name) and tell him/her to SHUT UP.

Also, don't forget to check out my Spoonflower shop and the cafepress shop I linked in my previous entry to help kids with autism in June and July. Or just go shopping. I have lots of designs in both places.

Quilty as Charged...

Busy month! Had a table read for a play I wrote (went very well), opened Crimes of the Heart at the Bloomington Civic Theatre on the 18th (Also doing very well, I'm playing Lenny) and last week, through a miserable cold, I went to 6 auditions (and was cast in one of them). Also got my eldest son set up for his IEP at school and found him an amazing therapist. Then our washing machine broke. Tomorrow the new one arrives. I had a load of fabric pre-washing when it went down, so I don't have the backing ready for Lillian's quilt. Needless to say, I didn't get a whole lot done in the quilt department. Quilty as charged.
On the other hand, over the last weekend, I put together the top of the pink quilt and made 26 multi-colored blocks for my niece's baby. I then made a bed runner from the pink/black/grey scraps, organized the other scraps by size and color, cleaned the bathroom, helped my husband replace the mini-split (heating and a/c) units in the boys' rooms, cleaned my eldest son's room and found him a new desk, a table that was made from an old treadle sewing machine stand. It's got a built in fidgit! (He's on the autism spectrum and has a hard time sitting still) I (finally) cleared the gutters, baked meringue cookies for my friend's Memorial day cook-out and designed two full fabric collections for my Spoonflower account. Not bad for someone who "doesn't work" LOL. I guess I really shouldn't beat myself up about not getting on to blog. I still have to take photos of the stuff I did get done, but they are on their way.
For next month, I have to plan my younger son's 6th birthday (Transformer cake - check!) and figure out something special for Father's Day and our 10th Anniversary. And go to two graduation parties. And attend a workshop on how to audition for musical theatre. And have two more weekends of performances. And... <insert exploding head here>

...then I'll have 6 weeks with no shows. Maybe I'll get something done then?

Project mania

Oh, myLANta! I have a terribly busy brain. I get a bit muddled when I have so many ideas, but I've come up with a plan that I hope I can manage. In my first post I mentioned the three main projects I have.

1. A basket-weave quilt that is all layered and ready to be quilted. I started to quilt it by hand, but at the moment, I'm not pleased with how it looks. I will most likely undo the hand stitching I've already done and start over.
2. A barghello-type quilt to which I'd like to add a border, but haven't done any more than think about that. I'm not sure what color I want to use for it.
3. The Dresden Plate. I'm ready to add the border. I thought I would get it done last weekend, but as I was preparing to press my freshly washed border fabric, I realized it was about two shades too light. No good. Had to go get more fabric. This time I actually took a piece of the original along to compare. Lesson learned.

Okay, those are only the ones I mentioned in my first entry. However, I've been drawing in my graph paper notebook for several months and I have all these design ideas: 

1. I'm going to make a fan quilt. I have all the fan pieces cut out, but some need to be shaped to either have a point or a curved edge. It's going to be a time consuming project, so I started another one which I thought might go faster.
2. The batik quilt. At first, when I just saw the batik fabrics in the store or online, I wasn't sure I'd like them. After seeing how some quilters have used these fabrics, I was eager to make one, myself. I found a block style that was used as a border for a quilt in a magazine and I thought that might be a cool all-over block done in batiks. I only have to do some minor cutting to get rather large blocks, right? WRONG! It was nearly as time consuming, but I think that's mostly because I'm working with fat quarters instead of full width fabric. I do have the batiks coordinated in the color combinations I want, but the cutting is a little more piddly than I was expecting. Oh, well.
3. Mom's Music quilt. This is one I've designed for my mom. She really likes the look of quilts made with bright colors against black and I found to black music fabric (she's a piano teacher) with rainbow colored musical notes on it. That became the inspiration for the rest of the quilt design. I drew it out in my graph notebook and then, with my American Quilt Society fabric calculator, I was able to figure out how much more fabric I'd need to complete the design I came up with. I have all the fabric for this quilt and it's washed. I just need to press, quilt, sew. 
4. The Tennenbaum quilt. A couple of years ago I saw a Christmas tree quilt on display at one of the fabric shops I like to haunt. It was very simple and figured I could do something like it, so I came home and started designing and drawing and erasing and redrawing and coloring, etc. Some of my designs were soooooper elaborate, so I chucked them. Why torture myself? In the meantime, I picked up the fabrics for it. I have a box of holiday fabrics in my sewing room that were all devoted to that one project. Now, I've weeded out the ones I really want for it and will then have to figure out how much of each I'll actually use. Being February, this project, while it's the one I've been thinking about for the longest and spent to most time designing, will be the last one I tackle.

So my goal is not to have all of these quilted and complete in a matter of months or whatever, because, for me, that's just not realistic. I've decided to finish the Dresden, barghello, fan, batik and music quilt tops by the time school's out in June. Then I'll have the summer to teach myself how to actually quilt the darn things. I have a bit of an assembly line thing going. Then, once I have those done, I'll tackle The Tree.

It's very important for me to pace myself. I want to just tear into things, but I also have fibromyalgia and in a couple of weeks, I'm going to start home-schooling my 3rd grader. (I'm sure that somehow I can work all this quilting geometry into a math assignment. There must be a way!) I'm also commissioned to write a play (first reading next month!) and my husband and I'll be traveling to Cancun in April. 

And I'm doing this by myself, why? Oh, yeah. Because, clearly, I'm nuts.