Civil War Diary Bocks

I did a CWD block today. Alarming Conditions it was a little tough and after I was done I realized I mad a little unplanned alteration on the block. I think I'm just going to make the Civil War Diary qult blocks in order starting with the top row and working down. Picking fabrics I think will be easier if I know what blocks are next to each other.

Civil War Diary Bocks

I did a CWD block today. Alarming Conditions it was a little tough and after I was done I realized I mad a little unplanned alteration on the block. I think I'm just going to make the Civil War Diary qult blocks in order starting with the top row and working down. Picking fabrics I think will be easier if I know what blocks are next to each other.

Stars and Squares

I have another finish for the year. My goal of 12 for the year is a long way off yet. At the beginning of the year this quilt had about 12 blocks left to quilt and the binding had to be added yet.

Stars and Squares

I have another finish for the year. My goal of 12 for the year is a long way off yet. At the beginning of the year this quilt had about 12 blocks left to quilt and the binding had to be added yet.

Green Postage Stamp Quilt

Another quilt top to flimsie stage. I've been sewing 1 & 1/2 inch squares together as starters and enders off and on for a while. Last week while doing the crumb quilt I thought I should also get these postage stamp blocks sewn into something. Did some playing and thought it would be a good way of getting rid of the dark green I had in my stash. Worked with the lay out and came up with this. I was 3 blocks short so I had to sew them up. Feels good to get this one done after at least a year.

Green Postage Stamp Quilt

Another quilt top to flimsie stage. I've been sewing 1 & 1/2 inch squares together as starters and enders off and on for a while. Last week while doing the crumb quilt I thought I should also get these postage stamp blocks sewn into something. Did some playing and thought it would be a good way of getting rid of the dark green I had in my stash. Worked with the lay out and came up with this. I was 3 blocks short so I had to sew them up. Feels good to get this one done after at least a year.

Left Overs and Crumbs

Last week as I was cleaning my sewing room. I came across a lot of left over quilt parts. Strip piecing ends, wonky blocks, crooked HST, sample blocks, and so on some in plastic baggies others pinned together. Saving these for something? I tried to fit them all in my orphan block tub but they would not fit.
I guess that's a sign that you need to do something with them. So I stared sewing crumb blocks found some maroon fabric that needed to be used for something and sewed up this top. It was nice to just sew and not have to worry about things lining up or points matching. Here is a close up of some of the blocks. I kind of got addicted.
So my orphan blocks are now at a manageable size.
My crumb tub I now realise has pieces that are to small to be of any good. Any thing less then an inch just is not worth sewing you don't end up with much after the seams. Need to spend some time cleaning them out.
I should start a string quilt to use up the strings I have.
And then there is this mess.Leftover triangles I'm sure there's enough for a couple quilts. Maybe a lady of the lake, or a flying geese. I'll need to do some pattern searching and come up with something. I guess some people would just throw them out. I guess I'm just a scrap saver.

Left Overs and Crumbs

Last week as I was cleaning my sewing room. I came across a lot of left over quilt parts. Strip piecing ends, wonky blocks, crooked HST, sample blocks, and so on some in plastic baggies others pinned together. Saving these for something? I tried to fit them all in my orphan block tub but they would not fit.
I guess that's a sign that you need to do something with them. So I stared sewing crumb blocks found some maroon fabric that needed to be used for something and sewed up this top. It was nice to just sew and not have to worry about things lining up or points matching. Here is a close up of some of the blocks. I kind of got addicted.
So my orphan blocks are now at a manageable size.
My crumb tub I now realise has pieces that are to small to be of any good. Any thing less then an inch just is not worth sewing you don't end up with much after the seams. Need to spend some time cleaning them out.
I should start a string quilt to use up the strings I have.
And then there is this mess.Leftover triangles I'm sure there's enough for a couple quilts. Maybe a lady of the lake, or a flying geese. I'll need to do some pattern searching and come up with something. I guess some people would just throw them out. I guess I'm just a scrap saver.

Playing with lines and shapes

I am doing an online course through the Quilt University called Playing with Lines and Shapes. It is a basic design course and wow, it is stretching the imagination. It is amazing where one ends up after starting with a straight line. I have uploaded a few of the many drawings I did. As I work through the course I'll add photos to this post. All I can say is..... watch this space.....

I have finally managed to convert one of the above sketches into a fabric sample - see below. I am not so sure about how it has turned out. Except I created it as the reverse image of the sketch :LOL

All's Well That Ends Well!

I heard back from Lark Books today, (see my post from February 7th). My baby quilt, shown here, was not selected. I think I knew in my heart all along that it wouldn't be. It's a lovely quilt. And very well made. But I knew that they originally approached me, asking if I would submit a design, based on my small art quilts. And I knew that the energy of this larger quilt wasn't the same. (Nor was my attitude in making it. Despite how much I wanted to succeed.) Throughout the whole process, my shoulders were hunched and I swore like a longshoreman who'd been away at sea way too long. Not very good mojo to put into a baby quilt!

I have always enjoyed expressing myself on a small scale. It suits me. It's my language. I understand it. But have me work on a large scale, and I lose my vision. I feel like I am sitting in the front row, looking at a mega sized screen. I can't take it all in, my body hurts, I want to move away.

Ahh, but it turned out there was a very nice, and unexpected twist. The good people at Lark Books said that they liked my small art quilts so much, that they decided to add some smaller scale wall quilts to the book. They have requested that I send them my "HoJo Space Spores", ( see post from February 14th) and have asked me to make two more quilts based on two of my other designs, and done in the HoJo colors! And by the way, they were kind enough to offer me another go at making a larger baby quilt, based specifically on one of my designs in my etsy shop. I really appreciated the offer, but respectfully said no thanks, and they graciously understood. I have decided that life and art are just too precious to me to try and force myself to fit into a mold that I just don't feel comfortable in!

Thanks to everyone for their encouragement and good wishes! The book is due to come out in the Spring of 2009, I will keep you posted on any more updates!

Space Spores in Search of a Neapolitan World

Another "Space Spores" embroidered art quilt! The colors in this one were inspired by my girls favorite type of ice cream, Neapolitan. (Personally, I am a Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup ice cream, type of gal.)

Civil War Diary Quilt

I've decided to make the Civil War Diary Quilt. I'm going to join the Sew Many Blocks web ring and try to do 7 blocks a week with the group. I think this will be fun. I'm still deciding on fabrics and colors so these are kind of test blocks. But I'm really happy with all of them. Not sure how many different fabrics I want to use or how often I want to repeat them.

Civil War Diary Quilt

I've decided to make the Civil War Diary Quilt. I'm going to join the Sew Many Blocks web ring and try to do 7 blocks a week with the group. I think this will be fun. I'm still deciding on fabrics and colors so these are kind of test blocks. But I'm really happy with all of them. Not sure how many different fabrics I want to use or how often I want to repeat them.

Pine Burr

The blocks are done. Now to sew them up. I thought if I layed them on the floor I might really sew on them a little. Every time I walk by at least think about it. How many days will it take. Hmmmm

Pine Burr

The blocks are done. Now to sew them up. I thought if I layed them on the floor I might really sew on them a little. Every time I walk by at least think about it. How many days will it take. Hmmmm

Scrappy Bargello

I finished the bargello I stared the first week of February. It went really quick and used up a lot of scraps. I was surprised at how well the squares lined up when I sewed the strips together. I would defiantly do another one someday. I'm hopping to machine quilt this one in March.

Scrappy Bargello

I finished the bargello I stared the first week of February. It went really quick and used up a lot of scraps. I was surprised at how well the squares lined up when I sewed the strips together. I would defiantly do another one someday. I'm hopping to machine quilt this one in March.

HoJo Space Spores or Where Have All The Howard Johnson's Gone?

What in the world is a HoJo Space Spore? They are the fragmented memories of my childhood, where Howard Johnson's Restaurants feverishly dotted the american landscape and were never more then an exit away. Whatever happened to the familiar orange and blue roofed eateries? I imagine they are now little orange and blue space spores, floating through the galaxy, in search of new frontiers and gastrointestinal tracks.

It all goes to show that inspiration for art can come from anywhere, folks!

Jamaica

I'm home from vacation. My husband and I and 6 of our friends spent a week in Jamaica. The Riu Tropical Bay resort was beautiful, and the weather was wonderful 80 degrees. The resort was allinclusive, we ate seafood and drank wonderful fruity drinks, we ejoyed the nightly intertainment, the beach, the swim up bar, and lots of rum. We discovered rum cream.
We had a wonderful week with friends we don't get to spend alot of time with. But I'm having a hard time adjusting to being home. The weather highes of 10 degrees, we've had snow twice since we got home on Friday. Having to cook and clean and the laundry after not thinking about things like that for a week. I did complete our personal and business taxes this week. After I get the taxes done every year I go through all the files and clean them out for the year organize the office get ready for the new year and file 2007 away. It makes a huge mess pliles of papers all over. My goal for today is to get it done. Hopefully hubby will come home to a clean office for the first time this week and I can spend tommorow sewing.

Jamaica

I'm home from vacation. My husband and I and 6 of our friends spent a week in Jamaica. The Riu Tropical Bay resort was beautiful, and the weather was wonderful 80 degrees. The resort was allinclusive, we ate seafood and drank wonderful fruity drinks, we ejoyed the nightly intertainment, the beach, the swim up bar, and lots of rum. We discovered rum cream.
We had a wonderful week with friends we don't get to spend alot of time with. But I'm having a hard time adjusting to being home. The weather highes of 10 degrees, we've had snow twice since we got home on Friday. Having to cook and clean and the laundry after not thinking about things like that for a week. I did complete our personal and business taxes this week. After I get the taxes done every year I go through all the files and clean them out for the year organize the office get ready for the new year and file 2007 away. It makes a huge mess pliles of papers all over. My goal for today is to get it done. Hopefully hubby will come home to a clean office for the first time this week and I can spend tommorow sewing.

Pretty in Pink

I have finally finished this quilt and it has come out rather well (if you ask me). The girl I gave it to last night would not let it go. She was so pleased with it. It makes the effort all worthwhile.....

This is a close up photo of one of the blocks and sashing showing the trademark hearts that I tend to quilt on all the sashing of the quilts I make.


A quilt for a pretty little girl who loves pink. This quilt is for a friend's daughter. She is 5 years old and is such a cute little girl. I am not a "Pink" person so I really battled making the blocks. The more blocks I had to make the more I thought dark thoughts and gave the blocks black looks.... :LOL. However it is good for one to sometimes make quilts that are not easy to do, using colours that are not one's favourite etc. It stretches one's mind and allows one to conquer difficult challenges which gives one a certain sense of self worth and personal satisfaction which are very important. (ok..... philosophising over for the day....) I sewed the blocks together in conjunction with the "Under the Sea" quilt so putting the top together was a lot easier. Now I have to quilt it........