Sewing machine News!

A few weeks ago, I actually bought a new sewing machine. A Janome Decor Computer machine. I really like it!! I got it at Meissner's in Sacramento and would highly recommend both the machine and the source.http://www.meissnersewing.com/Looking forward to taking a class or two there.

My latest project is with my sister in law. We are in the process of appliqueing 140 butterflies for a quilt started some years ago. Loretta cut out the squares and wings, and her mother embroidered all 140 of the butterfly bodies. Now, it is going to turn into a quilt for each grandchild, with 20 butterflies on each quilt.A good opportunity for spending time together, which has been scant the last few years, and lots of practice with applique.

Art Quilts

Amazing quilts. Amazing Art quilts. I am blown away by the beauty of these quilts.

http://www.quilts.com/fqf07/enVivo/SpecialExhibits/IQAWinners/

This all started with reading an article about Philippa Naylor. One of her quilts brought tears to my eyes. You can see a snippet of it here:

http://www.quiltingbythelake.com/PhilippaNaylor4.htm

I haven't found a full picture of it, and don't want to run the risk of copyright issues by posting a scan of it or anything. You just have to imagine it. If you want to try to find the whole picture, it is called "The Daisy Quilt". Come in the shop and I will show you the picture.

Finding my way...

Finding my way

I love fabrics. I love the feel of the fabrics, the beauty of the colors. A really great fabric is almost huggable. In the past, I created clothes with fabrics. I made my clothes starting in High School, and continued right up until I started to have children-- and then switched to making tons of T shirts and shorts. Occasionally my daughter and I would have matching dresses, and once I made matching T shirts for everyone. Unfortunately, we never took a picture of all of us dressed in our T shirt best.

At some time I quit sewing. Instead of being thrifty to sew, it started costing more than buying in a store. Patterns cost $10 or more, instead of the $2.49 I was used to. I had less time. Because I was a stay at home mom, I had no more need for dressy clothes. A couple dresses for going to church, but T shirts and shorts in the summer and sweaters and jeans became my Uniform. All I was making was the occasional purse-- I can never find just the right one and usually end up making one.

Then I had the opportunity to start working at Quilter's Friend. It has sparked my interest again. I am no longer that interested in making clothes, although I did buy a beautiful knit piece a couple months ago when I visited Stretch and Sew in Stockton. It is still waiting. Patterns are back down in price. No reason not to sew.

The first thing I did for Quilter's Friend was an apron with three matching potholders. Fun! On to something more challenging, I picked out some batiks to make a wall hanging. It took me nearly a YEAR from start to finish. Finally, it's hanging in the shop.

I've been enjoying the challenge of free motion quilting. I don't think I want to progress to all those matched stars and delicate appliques, but at least I understand the process. Maybe some day, when I get the stack of projects that I have acquired under control.

So, finding my way. Quilting and piecing takes a lot of practice. Maybe someday my descendants will find my quilt creation packed away with great-grandma's and grandma's quilts. Maybe someday I will be a famous quilt designer. Maybe someday I will have my own longarm quilting business. Maybe someday.....

So although I am not starting to quilt early, there's adventure ahead.

Exploring

Quite recently, I have been exploring blogs, due in part to Meda's tagging me, and thinking it would be fun to participate. Today I came across this one in a rather strange way:

http://sweetleafnotes.blogspot.com/

I was looking for notebook covers. I love to use fabrics in unique ways. I made a carrier for my laptop out of double quilted fabric, and wondered if I could make sort of an inner zippered case to better pad my laptop. So I was following links as I love to do, and there was a blogspot blog.

To see the laptop carrier, go to the Quilter's Friend Lodi website, and click on the instructions link on the right.

I keep adding more stuff as I think of it. Anything you would like to see?

Another blog I found while looking for color ideas for a website update... this has nothing to do with website colors at all. http://oohprettycolors.blogspot.com/

And her website has a wonderful gallery of art quilts:

http://www.dianedoran.com/

 

I have always been intrigued by the cathedral window quilt, and someday hope to do one.

So if you need inspiration, go blog hopping-- I'm ready to do a Sweet Leaf Notebook cover now, right after I finish the baby blanket, my daughter's quilt, and my son's quilt.

Free motion quilting...

My first completed free motion quilting project! I've been practicing a lot, both with a wipe-off pen on plastic and with my sewing machine on fabric "sandwiches".

Finally I decided to attempt a baby blanket. It's simple, just fabric, not pieced. It's flannel on the other side, with another layer of flannel for batting in the middle. There's a fabric book that goes

with this fabric, Animals Around the World. It shows animals from different continents. Educational, and cute too! My grandson will love it!!

It is just simple stippling. That's as brave as I am at the moment.

New Adventure...

(This post was from another blog that is going away but I wanted to keep this post...)

Well. That was fast. A week and a half ago, I didn't have a job. Was not really looking. Suddenly, I leap. I call a personnel agency. They call me in and have me do tests. I score well on test. They send me on job interview on Monday. On Tuesday I start new job. I've been there 4 days. I've worked 3 days. Tomorrow, another. This isn't the direction I thought I would be going. Not exceptionally good pay. Only part time. Not in an office. Not a "professional". Not using my office skills, typing skills, publishing skills. No writing skills used. Not in the field I have all the experience. Not sitting at a desk all day. Not sitting at a desk at all. 

 In a Quilt Shop.

what I've been up to... (musings)

DECEMBER 31, 2006

what I’ve been up to…

Christmas began the 17th of December, with stepsons 1 and 2 and their wives, and grandson 1 and 2. We all got together at great-grandma’s house (MIL), SHE says the last time, but she says that every year, she’s 91. And one of these years WILL be the last one; we’re planning on next year here, but if she’s still up to it, I know she’ll insist on there one more time. I admire her greatly. She’s active, both physically and mentally. She runs circles around me as I’ve said more than once. A good role model. Turkey with all the trimmings, including pumpkin pie, fudge, carmel corn… persimmon bars, snickerdoodles… yummy stuff.

Christmas Eve my DD came; we had dinner with DH, DD, DS 19, MIL, and me. Oyster stew. Frozen fruit salad. MY family traditional dinner for Christmas Eve. Delicious. I will put the recipes in my holiday planner notebook (started this year; too bad I didn’t do it years ago! What a help it was!)

Christmas Day, at DS 29’s house. His wife, her mom and stepdad, her grandparents, her cousin and his wife, my DS 23, DD 25, DS 19. All but DS 27. It was good- DIL made breakfast, and it took all day to open presents….

The day after Christmas, my mom and dad came to our house, along with DS 27 and his wife, and DD and DS 19 were there… and afterwards, we played Mystery Mansion. A good time. We need a new Mystery Mansion game, however, it is so old and the cards are soft, and you can tell from the back which are the keys… LOL!!

NEXT YEAR… better plans. But I did pretty well this year, I can see areas of improvement. But I am happy with how things went. We had all the present buying and wrapping done way early. It was nice not to have to rush at the last minute. Next year, we will work on calendars earlier! It was too rushed, and generally a disaster. But they got done, and delivered before New Year’s.

Wednesday we took DD home. It is always such a sad time, I hate having her live so far away, only 8 hours but STILL!!! She’s been my best friend her whole life. I am so thankful for the wonderful relationship that we have.

Thursday we got back here. I am seeing so clearly how I have so much planning to do. Menu planning. I used to have so much planned ahead, we will get back to that.