Aimlessly Waiting ~

I've been waiting for something large and wonderful to blog about.  Something witty. Something important.  But none of those adjectives describe anything I've seen or done lately.  So, I'll just talk a little bit about what's going on around here.  Naturally, there is always a quilt work in progress. 

We dined out last night and dinner was wonderful.  It rained as we dined - he on a steak, a medium to rarely cooked ribeye and I on grilled halibut.  Servings are large,  even at  fine restaurants,  so we'll have a steak sandwich for lunch today.  I didn't think a halibut sandwich sounded very appetizing, so I left my remains at the restaurant. 

Moving backwards.....I basted four quilts Friday.  You see,  I have a new way of basting quilts and so far it's almost worked out.  I say 'almost' because I'm still having to  wrestle around with the larger quilt tops.  I use my dining table as my basting surface which isn't as wide as the large quilts.  But anyway, next comes my 1" layer of foam that I purchased at JoAnns' last week.   The quilt back smooths out nicely on the foam and, of course, the batting takes care of itself.  If I use cotton batting then the quilt top usually snugs down and smooths out without a hitch.  Wool batting, which I adore, gives a little more of a smoothing struggle.  But my new basting technique is with that little Micro Stitch (as seen on TV).  Those little tacks are just the trick.   And, as they advertise, say goodbye to pens AND  there is no spray basting required. 

Moving forward again....in my zeal to do more hand quilting, I started another one yesterday.  After quilting four lengths up and down the quilt, I decided that the thread was too heavy.   I had some Valdani 8 weight that was a nice variegated color mix for my quilt but 8 weight is just too hard to pull through the layers and it was puckering the back.  I bit the bullet and pulled out the 4 lengths of quilting  that took all morning to stitch in.  Now I'll start with a #12 weight and see where that takes me before making an investment in heavier weight quilting thread.  Perhaps by Houston Quilt Festival this November I'll know more about my likes and dislikes on using heavy thread in my slow stitching.  I'm sure they'll have a thread vendor that will be more than happy to assist. 






 
 
 


Now you see, there doesn't have to be an earthquake to shake a blog post out of me.  It just takes a minute longer to type as I ruminate on my everyday happenings.



























That's it from the home front.    Happy Sunday to you all. 

Marty

 

 

I walked and slept at the same time ~ oh, dear !

A perfect daytime nap quilt  at 53" x 66".  I've read that I will seldom walk in my sleep while napping  - if I keep it brief.

 I've been told through the years that as a child, I walked in my sleep.  My mom or grandmother or whoever found me walking about in the night would just nudge me back to bed without waking me.  I never remembered any part of it so don't know the truth of my walking about in the night.   I did  jar myself awake many, many years ago as I rattled the safety chain on the front door - heading out in my nightshirt, I guess !  I must have been in my mid-twenties when this happened. 

But I don't recall sleep-walking since that time - until last night when the cold water I was drinking woke me.  WHAT Am I doing in the kitchen?  Drinking ice cold water!   HOW did I get from my bed down the hall to the kitchen - I don't remember. I don't remember getting a glass out of the cabinet nor filling it from the water cooler.  Wide awake I did come when the cold water hit my throat.  Oh, My - did this ever scare me.   I did tell the HuMaN to be on the alert for bumps in the night.   There is some safety in knowing that he might call out to see if it is I before he pulls the trigger or that the alarm will wake me and everyone else should I try going out to walk about the neighborhood!

So, what else is new for me?  I have been enjoying hand quilting all over again.    I once hand-quilted all my quilts but it has  been 20 years or so since I decided I didn't have the time.  I've thought about hand quilting on and off through the years - remembering the calm brought about by the simple act of stitching.    

Excited  by this finished project and jumping with joy that I did it myself.  Yes, I loved the one-on-one quiet time this quilt and I have shared the past couple of months.  The project stitched up rather quickly since I used 12 weight Perle cotton thread....giving me the totally imperfect big stitch I wanted.   Perfect will come with practice.  At 53" x 66", this will make the perfect daytime nap quilt.     

 

Hold on to that quilt pattern ~

Once upon a time there was a quilter who used patterns to make quilts.  That would be me, once upon a time.  While I continue to enjoy coming up with a quirky improvisational design of my own, I hold dear some quilt patterns - for instance,  here's a work in progress inspired by a Valori Wells pattern in Quilt Mania Magazine, January-February 2015 issue.  I have two - or maybe three more flying geese borders to add.....

And, yes, those are fold wrinkles you see in this work in progress. I was digging around for projects to take to an upcoming quilters' retreat and stumbled upon this bag.  Now that I've pinned it up on the design wall, I'll get it finished!   

And here is an idea I have for a modern quilt inspired by those flying geese. 

And while gathering quilts for my half-rectangle triangle program to locals last week, I re-discovered this quilt I made last year....from a pattern designed by Stephanie Prescott,  also out of Quilt Mania, same issue. 

Oh, and there are several more in there that I hope to get to one day.  And very interesting pictures and story line featuring quilter and quilt historian, Barbara Brackman.    Oh, so much inspiration. 

Quilt Magazines and quilt patterns - now, those are good things.....

And a happy Sunday morning to you too. 

Marty

Comfortable In My Own Skin ~

It took a lot of critical, but I think the critics have finally toughened me to feel comfortable in my own skin.  That's where I was this morning when I got up close and personal with Anna Maria Horner's Mod Corsage fat quarter bundle, with asymmetrical big and bold borders using  a Valori Wells designed fabric.  Adding a little bit of Kaffe and Downton Abby....what's not to love? 

Yes, I was comfortable in my skin this morning as I sewed to completion this big block patchwork.  You see, I've just been itching to do more big stitch hand-quilting and decided these fabrics set the perfect stage.   

Thank you critics for being patient with me until I could say out loud to you - I'm comfortable in my own skin and am very much enjoying the freedom of making my quilts my own.  You shamed me for years, you snickered behind hands over mouth.....then went public with your comments.  Thank you again for helping me realize that I don't care what you think or say because I am comfortable in my own skin and enjoy my style. 

I wish for all the happiest of days and hope you are enjoying the freedom of doing it your way. 




 

Breath In.......Breath Out

Coming up for fresh air.  It has been a self-imposed busy year prepping for guild workshops and programs.....the one on half-rectangle triangles just completed/presented yesterday to my local quilt guild group.   Don't let the boring tag - half-rectangle triangle - fool you....not boring at all.  As a matter of fact, once I got into making them, the more design alternatives I discovered.  Who would have thought that a program on HRT's would be so fun for me. 



Okay, so coming up for more fresh air and a bit of catch-up.  The HUman and I took a mini vacation the other week to Hot Springs  - staying at a wonderful bed and breakfast - The Hilltop Manor.   We landed for a couple of days in The Spruce Suite and it was divine.  I took afternoon naps - a real luxury for me.  We had wine with dinner at a couple of fantastic restaurants.  And we visited the Garvan Woodland Gardens.  Acres and more acres of water and stone, flora and fauna.  Even the common was beautifully displayed. 

We were officially greeted at the front gate by the official greeter.....

 

and enjoyed that even the most common of common flora was beautiful

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoying people watching in the gardens -

 

 

and delighting over the whimsy of the crickety wooden fence

 

and the deadwood swan neck sticking out of the rock

 

Watching - ever so slowly the beauty of natural decay

 

and enjoying the orderly way of coming down, going up

 

 

 

But what a treat when we rounded the corner and first glimpsed Brushwood Dance.....an art installation approximately 450 feet long and 6 feet diameter in a serpentine shape made by bundling natural material gathered from the Garden. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't let the brushwood dance get you.