Hand Quilting - Not a Lost Art

I was up early this morning and determined to get a blog full of pictures to make up for my lost week. Took 81 pictures - yes, this morning!

While quietly snooping around the house (dearest sleeps in, remember) for things to take pictures of, I was reminded that I once was primarily a hand quilter. This, of course, was pre-Bernina sewing machine and pre-machine quilting class days.

"I Heart Ewe Too" was a mini quilt pattern I found on sale somewhere. Flannel scraps just fit into the homespun look I was after.



And one of my favorites to make - this needleturn applique Father Christmas.





Don't let the stars get in your eyes....This one was made back in the days when I was still afraid of color! Venturing out with the red cornerstones on green sashing was a huge step forward. I've walked a few more miles since then.



This house is really full of cats! And I lovingly hand quilted whiskers and tails for each and every one of them.



I call this one my mini-mardi gras quilt. Purple and gold with beads - its hand pieced and hand quilted.



Here's one of my first block-of-the-month quilts.



And Stairway to Cat Heaven - recently sold

Sunbonnet Sue - recently sold

I'm on a roll. Now that the sun is up, I can get more pictures and share more musings later.

Hugs,

Marty

Red and White Quilt

I still get giddy when I see my name in print - especially when it's a mention from a fellow blogger. I was just rambling around in blog land when I stumpled upon Judy's comment.



Okay, so now my head is too big for my body. Better go for breakfast and see if I can fatten the rest of me up a bit. Not a hard thing to do!!

Here are finished views of my red and white quilt.


Since my math calculations aren't always accurate, I had to make a few extra blocks to stretch the backing fabric to fit the front!! I really like this look, so I probably won't hire a tutor to help me with my math homework....

Studies in Mustard

Where did all this mustard fabric come from? Was I in a mustard state of mind? I guess so...thus, my "Studies in Mustard" art quilt series. All available at Marty's Fiber Musings website.

Windows.... 14" x 18"


Lava Flow....3" x 13"



Mustard Surrounds Me....13" x 18"



Hold the Mustard Please...9" x 9"


Mustard Seeds....9" x 14"

Creative Slumber

I've been in a bit of creative drought of late.

To keep me from bemoaning my lack of....I dug out my all time favorite resolution....

A constant reminder stitched out on a fabric art card I made before creativity hit bottom.








I need to take Annie's lead and just sleep on it.

A Blog with No Pictures!

A local commercial has had me thinking for the past couple of days.

Scenario: Young couple sitting on stools in kitchen talking about how well a local flooring company has made their home construction project a snap. He brags about how the company helped them put together the floors, the drapes, etc...etc...etc...etc...until she finally interrupts him to tell us that the bathroom is her favorite room in her new house. Okay, this is what gets me thinking?? A bathroom - the favorite room?? I love that my house has indoor plumbing, but a favorite room?

My, my, I say to self....they should have spent more money on the den. OR, invested in an outdoor fan for the back porch. I'm sure their new house has a screened in back porch! Where else could they sit and enjoy a morning cup of coffee or an early evening glass of wine? On the toilet?

Does the bathroom have a large window to view the butterflies and hummingbirds? Perhaps that's the key - that's why her bathroom is the favorite room in her house.

I'm still thinking....what type personality would love her bathroom more than the sewing room? I'm sure her new house has a room for just plain ole fun. Doesn't it?
Oh, yes, silly me...she said it's her bathroom!

I wonder if her bathroom has lots and lots of mirrors. Does it have a sunken tub with spa jets? Recent article tells me that we should only stay in tub no longer than four minutes to keep our skin from drying. Wonder if she and I read the same articles. Do I need to tell her that she'll be looking like a prune come fifty if she continues to favor the bathroom over the kitchen.

I'm continuing to think...she and I both need to get a life!! We are both obsessing over something that doesn't amount to a hill of beans. I hope I don't see this commercial again for a few days. Perhaps by then I'll have something else to keep my mind occupied. A blog with no pictures. Is it really possible?

Pretty In Pink

Just a cat's meow. When I opened my email this morning I found this little beauty smiling back at me...

Quilts and Purses and Potholders

This really has been a productive week, but I don't have much evidence to prove it!

Just Believe

I still don't have the grommets put into these pot holders








But I did get the tulle and organza and dupioni silk purchased and this delightful little chartreuse pin made and attached to my knit purse. Now, bring on the winter season. My bag is adorned and packed!!



I did make another one - available for sale. These pins are just perfect for a purse, suit or sweater lapel. The silk and organza fabrics are so beautiful to touch and are just the right weight so this pin won't pull on your garment. I'm in love.

And the (almost) next to the last saga on "Geese in the Forest" - The 28 Sapling blocks are almost complete.

AND I have the first 10-block row of the quilt sewn together and hung on my (too small) design wall. Heck no....I'm not complaining....I'm too happy to have one.


How does that song go....90 blocks of geese on the wall, 90 blocks of geese, take one down, sew one on, 89 blocks of geese on the wall.

Art Quilts Inspired by Amy Tan

Amy Tan is one of my favorite authors. I was first drawn into her books by the titles of her books. Intrigued by "The Bonesetter's Daughter" - what was this all about. Then there was "The Joy Luck Club" and "Saving Fish from Drowning".

So as I got more and more into making art quilts, and of course, each one must be named, these book titles came to mind. These quilts are not meant to be an interpretation of the storylines.....



These two art quilts are "Joy Luck Club 1" and "Joy Luck Club 2." They are meant to be hung side by side to get the full meaning of Joy.

Then this little journal quilt became "The Bonesetter's Daughter."



And, finally, "Saving Fish from Drowning". I found this title very fitting. These cats are very devilishly fishing in the aquarium. One has even pulled up the chair to make his/her dinner come easier. Upon close inspection, you'll see the background fabric is a koi print.
This one and more is available - just go to Marty's Fiber Musings.


Remember to hold on to and enjoy the moment you are in.

Fall is in the Air Art Quilts

Love and leaves are in the air.....I'm thinking Fall. My favorite time of the year. Well, next to Winter and Spring and Summer. It's almost time to rotate my Summer art quilts and pull the Fall and Winter ones out of the storage bin.






I don't use this one...but you can...see Marty's Fiber Musings to see how.


Log Cabin in the Woods ....an art quilt.


It's still hot, dry, summer weather but I'm thinking Fall.

Flying Geese

Cover your heads...gaggles of geese are flying everywhere!! The sewing machine has been hot this week. Making all these little honkers for my orange and aqua "Geese in the Forest" quilt just about has my goose cooked.

Here is block 2 - Friendly Flock - make 27. I'm keeping track - only 44 more 6" x 6" blocks to go!


And here is block 6 - Loosey Goosey - 16 blocks were made....only 28 more....


...like I said, this quilt top just about has my goose cooked. But I have made a little headway on the last block. Flying geese quilt blocks are very difficult to construct with accuracy so paper-piecing eases that pain. But then I'll have to trim all 100 blocks to size and pull out all that paper backing. Not something I look forward to doing.

Pretty clever of Twiddle Tails to name each block. Now I can say I've been done in by a friendly flock of loosey goosey goose bumps in formation by the triple tree. Only 27 saplings are left.

Ooooo's and Ahhhhh's

OOOOOOOOOO
AHHHHHHHHHH

What??? she was having a green bean lunch....that's why the little piggy face!! Oh, childhood...every little thing is a delight.

Felted Knit Purse

I knitted this purse ages ago, but just yesterday put it in the washing machine to felt it. What took me so long???? Who knows why I have so many loose ends around here. It just clutters my mind (that means my mind is disabled.)


Pictures are so deceiving....it measures 10" x 13".

A little adornment....I think this little pin will work just fine.


Thanks Calamity Kim for giving us this great tutorial on making this pin. I'm sure I can get this done by cold weather!!

I just lucked up on this knit purse pattern. Well, actually, it jumped out at me. I purchased Bernat Felting Natural Wool yarn and when I got it home, I noticed on the wrap around a little note that said Free Pattern On Label. And, sure enough on the back of the label was the free pattern. Nice. This makes me wonder how many more free patterns on yarn labels I have over-looked.

More wonderings later. Have a happy Saturday morning.

Marty

Photography Tutorial

Every now and then I find a tutorial worth viewing....this was one of them. Some quick tips to capture beautiful photos in a simple garden setting. Short length - you won't get bored.

Halloween

Some days are just too good to be true. Uninterrupted fun - thrown in with an extra cup of coffee and here's what you get.

Vest front
And just as much a delight on back
The cat's meow - this little purse


Just August, you say. The new school year is about to start, then will come the ballgames and fairs and before we know it, the holidays will begin in earnest...beginning with All Saints Day - yes - that's Halloween. And, I'm ready!
Or is Halloween the eve of All Staints Day??? Anyway...Both the vest and purse were pre-printed patterns (vintage unknown)....all I had to do was cut and sew. All in a mornings work. Friends and friends of friends got together last week and divided friends of friend's fabric. I came home with this piece.

....and this piece of fabric which I put into a donation quilt. Our quilt guild donates lots and lots of quilts each year for children in need. Hopefully this one will bring joy to a child on a cold winter day.



And, I found this cuddle buggy bug fleece on sale and whipped up two baby quilts to complete my donation quilt project.


Dearest is out taking care of family, so while he's away, me and the cats do play!!

New Quilt Top

I love it when I get so energized to start a new quilt top. Twiddle Tails started the "Geese in the Forest" block of the month and I downloaded most of the patterns. I had already missed the first two before I found Twiddle Tails so I drafted my own blocks to fill in. Now have 29 of these little paper pieced beauties completed. I've already 'done the math' only 71 to go.

Block 1 - Goose Bumps - Make 6


Block 4 -In Formation - make 13

Block 3 - Triple Tree - make 10


It will have the scrappy look but will be predominately aqua and orange. Aqua and orange - now that's a good thing!

Recycle

I've taken recycling to a higher level.

My community - no not just my community - my city, my state, my part of the country - seems not to be concerned about trash and recycling. About ten years ago the city allowed a recycle company to come in with a large dumpster for our paper products disposal. That lasted about 6 months, then it just disappeared without explanation. So now even our paper has to go to the dump. Dearest and I pick up the trash dumped by the city when its trash and garbage trucks run each week. They are definitely sick of the trash in the trash truck, 'cause when it hits the streets, it's left there.

Oh, well, enough whining. I can't make it go away but I can do my part here at home. We had to replace our chipper/shredder last week. Our first one just bit the dust. I can reduce mounds and mounds of yard clippings down to a very small pile which composts beautifully in a matter of months. Great recycled nutrition for the garden beds.

About the same day the shredder died, so did my under-the-sink-kitchen compost bin. My first one lasted for about 15 years, so I guess I can truthfully say it served me well. Now have a new bin to reserve all my veggie peels to go outside to the compost pile.

I've been reading lately that our aquifer level is rising. I understand that this means as the fresh water table rises, salt water fills the space which will never allow that space to go back to fresh water. I know this is a very simplistic explanation but in my simplistic mind, this means that unless we do something to reduce the rising fresh water level, we WILL be using salt water in the not to distant future. Again, I want to do my part to help save our water, so I'm thinking...

I remember when visiting the San Francisco area back in the 1980's, they were experiencing a severe drought. I must admit that the first time I heard "If it's yellow, let it mellow..... If it's brown, flush it down" I was amused. But folks lived by that rule or got fined. So I've started practicing that discriminate method of disposing. Dearest immediately banned me from HIS toilet seat!!

So, I took recycling to another level this week. Here are my little booklets made from recycled saltine and cereal boxes. No, not my idea, but I wish I had thought of this.
The cardboard of one cracker box made 4 little booklets





And a cereal box was transformed into two booklets that measure 4" x 7". They are hummming a little tune - I'm too handy for my purse!




This is a free project, compliments of Two Creative Studios. Thanks, Sue Bleiweiss, for sharing this little project with me. So much fun. I chose to piece together strips of fabric from my piles of scraps to cover my little booklets.