Customized--Award-Winning Speech Edition

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to make one of those acceptance speeches, you know, like "First I'd like to thank the Academy..."

When I got an email from Kristin Link of Sew, Mama, Sew, asking me to make a pincushion for her friend, Mo Bodell, well, it sorta felt like being nominated for a major award.

I love Mo's fabric, Party Dress, and making a pincushion from this fabric was really fun. I hope she likes it.

*gasp* They just called me name. (trying not to stumble over my designer dress from Target as I go up the steps to make my speech....)

"First, I would like to thank the director (I mean, fabric designer)  for such beautiful designs. Your talent is amazing. I would like to thank  the producer (uh, fabric manufacturer) for giving me such great 'material" to work with. It makes my job so easy. I would like to especially thank the script writers for all the wonderful information you put on the selvages. Without you, it would be a lot harder to 'selvage my sanity.'

I would like to thank my fellow bloggers, who are a constant source of inspiration. This one is for you, Amanda Jean.

 I would like to thank the supporting actors who made this pincushion possible, especially  Robert Kaufman for designing "Crazy for Dots and Stripes," MoMo for allowing me to use just part of your name, and "Quilts," wherever you are--and you know who you are (because I don't remember...)

Further, I would like to thank Jennifer Paganelli, for having the most amazing selvages, and using lots of names in her fabric lines--Jennifer, without you it would be a lot harder to customize. And to Jean Ray Laury. You are a legend in the quilting community--a lot of newer quilters may not be familiar with you, but you followed your own path and made some amazing contributions, including designing six lines of fabric for FreeSpirit and having a quilt included in the 20th Century's 100 Best Quilts. And you come from central California, right where I live.

Finally, I want to thank my husband, Mark. You give me unwavering encouragement and support. Without you, none of this would be possible.

(Hope you all heard that last part, because they just cued the music for me to get.off.the.stage.)

One Week

The events of this week included my youngest finally getting her wisdom teeth out, myself having ocular migraines, rain pouring through the closed windows in our living room, and my husband traveling to be at his mothers bedside, because she is in the process of dying, despite being the picture of health a mere two months ago.


All of this seems to point to a pretty bad week, but in reality my daughter is healing well. I was relieved to find out the strange visual disturbances and pressure behind my eyes were just a migraine and not a retinal tear, as I had feared. I'm blessed with a pretty view as I sop up the water from my leaky windows. And most importantly, my Mother-in-Law in the last days of her life has brought family together who needed to be brought together. She is surrounded by people who love her and will miss her, and in the profound sadness of her passing there is tremendous grace and gratitude for her life.

It's been a busy month

A few other customer quilts I completed recently

 This is a quilt that I just completed for  Margaret Delemont. This quilt is an origanl design. The animals are just amazing!

Stripes

I just could not wait to cut into my new striped fabric. I decided to make a table cloth similar to Fassett's one in 'Passionate Patchwork' and on the reverse side I'm going to try something similar to Stripescape in his 'Simple Shapes' book. Cutting triangles in the method described in the book was new to me and after cutting the strips of fabric I had to actually cut out the triangles. It's probably the way to get the fabric to behave properly but I don't really get the whole bias thing. Any way I cut as it was written and quickly started to lay out the triangles.

These were just put down as I cut them so they are not in any order but they were already starting to appear to ripple in light and dark spots.

To actually lay them out properly seemed to be a massive job and being ridiculously impatient I thought that I would make squares up and then try to place them in some sort of design.

These stripes are just so exciting to play with.

I have 48 squares completed and 30 to go.

When you start cutting the triangles you get a mini triangle at the end of the row. These started to pile up. I trimmed them and sewed them together as well and here are some of those.

I'm not sure what they are going to become. Maybe a border for the table cloth or maybe something on their own. First those 30 big squares need to be made.

Serendipity: "That Girl, That Quilt" style

One of my best bloggy friends, Jennifer, just put her first pattern up for sale (just click on the pattern picture to purchase and it will arrive in your email box lickety split). It's called Serendipity, and as she defines serendipity, it is the faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident.

However, I'm sure this discovery yesterday was no accident:  the very same day she posted her first pattern, I got my shipment of AMH's new fabric, Innocent Crush, in the mail (thanks to whipstitch, by the way). Jennifer's pattern calls for fat quarters. Can you believe it? That is exactly what arrived in the mail!

I'm starting to cut this afternoon. How very serendipitous!

Computers and Quilting

I've read on the blogs of many others about how at times they experience computer troubles. Well, I think my laptop is going to crash and burn on me one of these days. It's really acting up lately and the other day I really thought that day had come. It is working sometimes, but I'm scared to do anything important on it now. So I think I maybe should start shopping for a new one so that I can transfer everything over, hopefully before the fatal moment happens.

In quilty news, I've been quilting on my poppy quilt. But that came to a screeching halt when I ran out of thread. I knew it wouldn't be enough thread when I bought it but it was the last spool and my favorite quilt shop owner immediately got more on order for me. So hopefully it will show up any day now.

So with the poppy quilt sitting in limbo, I got started on the next quilt in this series. Here it is as it looks today on my design wall.

Perseverance

perseverance - 3 dictionary results
per·se·ver·ance   /ˌpɜrsəˈvɪərəns/ Show Spelled
[pur-suh-veer-uhns] Show IPA

–noun
1. steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., esp. in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.
2. Theology . continuance in a state of grace to the end, leading to eternal salvation.
Use perseverance

Not too much to say today. My sd memory card in my camera broke, I got some disappointing news, and a few other things. Anyhow, I made this cute card one day just for fun.

Anyhow, perseverance comes to mind with my situation and it should always come to mind with our walk with God if we ever get distracted from something other than putting God first.

Romans 5:3-5 (New International Version)
3Not only so, but we[a] also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Thanks for coming by, hoping your day is a happy one :)
Living in God's Graces,
Kim

Something Beautiful Monday

This is one of my dogs, Adelaide (addy, ad-I love nicknames) I think she is just beautiful. Addy relaxing on our old sofa, with paw in between cushions.
Addy and her shadow in our backyard. On her leash in this photo but usually will stay in the backyard without her leash as long as you are out there and paying attention to her.

Addy wearing a cowboy hat because you know she is part human.

Addy is now taking a seista with her cowboy hat on because you know how hard it is being a dog.

Have a wonderful Monday.
Kim

Woo Hoo!!!!

I had such a great time at Quilting with Machines in Huron Ohio this last week. I met some wonderful ladies and sure hope I see a bunch of them next year! And, I did okay on the competition. My newest quilt, Will it go Round in Circles?" got a first place in Applique Bed and a third in Overall Bed (WOW!) My machine applique quilt "Through My Garden Window" got an Honerable Mention, and My "Paradise Lost" got a Teachers Choice from Richard King with Innova. Men have always favored that quilt, that is the third time it got some sort of "Men's Choice" or ribbon from a man......

Its a rainy fall day...

It's a rainy fall day but what a welcomed change from all that hot weather.
I made a Christmas card for the Scrap-Creations OWH Challenge to send to all our soldiers that we so much appreciate.
Enjoy your day :)

Dont forget to view all the posts

I have been crafting away today....
Here is another one. This is for Something Completely Different Challenge "Arches"

Saturday :)

Our Daily Bread Designs Challenge
Wing it! I am entering my card in this great challenge.
Hope everyone has a wonderful Saturday.
Isaiah 40:31 (New International Version)

31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Sunspun Sale

For anyone that is interested in wool, this is the sale for you! Sunspun has the most beautiful range of wools and the full range of Fassett fabric of which some of the shot cotton stripes are on sale for $12 per metre. I bought these...

If you live in Melbourne it's worth a visit to Canterbury Road for this sale.

They also have a great range of books and tapestries but

I am not sure of what else is on sale or for how much as I was only interested in the Kaffe Fabric.

Worth a look if you are a textile junkie.

My Favorite stamp with a twist and a charm

Lets Ink It up: Challenge Number 3 I am linking this to Lets Ink It up Challenge. I would love to be a part of the DT. This card is using an old paper doily as a backdrop to the green cardstock. I used three of my favorite stamps. The lady, the hummingbird and the angel saying stamps, they were all gifts to me from my friend. The twist is the little hummingbird stamped and colored then placed carefully on the edge of the flower so it looks like he just flew in. I would send this as a thinking of you, my friend, card. Hope your day is a happy one :)

Still here and a fan of Quilter Blogs

Hello Quilting World!

Where have I been?
Here, gestating, LOL I am a stay at home mom of three and it's busy! We are also in a transition to go to the states for maternity leave, and I'm both excited and bummed. So it's been an emotional push/pull for me. But mainly, my sewing machine is packed, and I won't see it probably for about a year or so. I will be using my MILs early-80's JCPenney machine while stateside, yeah! So, it's not like I won't be sewing! I NEED Sewing! I discovered it keeps my BP down during the final months of the pregnacy!

I've been watching you, well maybe, not you, but the Quilting posts!
I Love keeping up with the quilting community in many ways online. One fav is through Quilter Blogs. I subscribe to the RSS FEED , and so I don't actually get the Quilter Blogs webpage, just the text and photos from the blog posts. I hit page down and get through them fast.

In May, there was an online quilter festival. I Bookmarked EVERY single entry in my RSS Feed folder. I have not had a chance to visit them much but admit, if it doesn't talk mostly about quilting/sewing, i take it off my list.

Enough Text, where's the Photos, projects, UFOs?
As I say, this is a Quilt Blog, so It needs to talk about Quilting and have PHOTOS! LOL

• Tshirt Quilt for Hubby - WIP

• I have been purging our whole house and was finally able to get hubby to go through old clothes. I have a stack of Tshirts (see above), I have cut off the sleeves and blank backs in prep for his ongoing Tshirt Quilt.
• Have you Made a Tshirt quilt?
• I've made several small ones and love doing them!
• Denim, something...

• Hubby even gave my a stack of old jeans (above and there's more), I have on my to-do list to do a denim quilt/blanket/something. Not too sure what to do. I've collected different patterns and instructions of the year.
• Have you made a denim quilt and any pointers????
• Other TO-DOs, WIPs/UFOs
• In the USA:
• I made my sister's daughter a butterfly quilt top (year and a half ago or so). I told her when I get stateside to send it to me (with batting and backing or the money for them) and I will finish it
• I told my brother to gather his old Ts and I'll make him a T-quilt
• My MIL wants a Music themed quilt, I'm still trying to design in my head!
• Anyone have ideas or Music fabric to donate or I'll SWAP!
• In GUA:
• The polyester quilt is packed away for after I return to GUA after having the baby.
• My own T-shirt quilt site awaiting for the purchase of something cool for sashing. I cut these years ago, they are already stablized and ready for assembly!
• Two "quick quilts" the baby size of cheater fabric. They never were finished because I didnt have batting.

The Quilting Group
I am still with a quilting group here in Guatemala and it is a huge blessing to be part of it. I have been able to help much when I go but it sure is mental therapy for me!

some photos of show and tell

*hugs*
Jackie


Disclaimer: Life happens :)

Stitch. Snip. Snip.

I'm only giving you little snippets about this quilt project, because it's not my project--I'm just helping out a bit. For more pictures on what this super cute quilt will look like, go here.  

Here's the basic procedure. Start with lots of strip sets carefully pinned together:

Stitch. (but only 1 1/2 inches each time).

 Snip.

Snip.

Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Etc. (you're getting the idea, right?)

Take a look at the view.

Back to work.

Stitch. Snip. Snip. Eventually you will have a pretty pile like this.