I decided to sew my vignette blocks together.

I’m kicking around the idea of doing the quilting on it myself.  Not sure – just kickin’ it around.  It will end up being 80×80 – which is too frickin’ big for me to quilt on my little Janome so I would have to quilt it in three sections and then join them ala Leah Day technique.

Then again…..I might just pack it back with me the next time I go to the USA and have K2 do the quilting for me.

Still plenty of time to ponder the quilting but SOON…..I think within the next week or so, the next issue of Vignette will be out so I can start working on the last row of blocks.

Here is the quilt that is currently hanging on the veranda.

It was made by my sister K2 for my birthday a few years back.    Thanks again!

I’m not sure who the pattern is from (maybe Terry Atkinson Designs?) but simple patterns like this are great for showing off gorgeous prints and fabric packs.

Here’s a couple close-ups of the quilting – she did that too – isn’t it awesome?  Hard to believe she nearly flunked out of high school Home Economics.  She’s such a Martha now!  Who’d a thunk it?

It is such a bright and playful quilt – makes me smile each time I use it.  And I do use it quite a bit.  This summer it had place of honor draped over the table on the veranda.  It just added a nice splash of color to the entry of our home.  After its spin hanging on the veranda I’ll give it a wash and dry and then tuck it away for winter.

These are the pieces that I ended up with.  I also incorporated some of the left over bits from the triptych pieces that I made (fractured reality 3,4,&5).

My inspiration came from a couple sources…Wanda Hanson is an amazing quilt artist that inspires me daily with her color palette, design and generally, her productiveness.  I have her blog, Exuberant Color, in my reader.  Her quilt  Jumbled Library 2 quilt specifically inspired my Fractured Reality 6.

The other two sources were these two books:

1.  Create your own free-form quilts by Rayna Gillman

2.  Intuitive Color & Design by Jean Wells

Once I’d sewn together most of the strips, I started playing on my design wall.  I decided I wanted a long, thinnish piece to put next to the fireplace.  I kept adding and subtracting pieces – sort of like putting a puzzle together until I had an arrangement that was pleasing to me.  Then I started cutting and adding in order to make them fit together without there being any obvious sections.

This is what I ended up with.

I love it.  It’s not often that I am really thrilled with my work but this is one piece that I am so pleased with!  It feels very artsy to me….like I’ve finally pushed myself a bit outside the box to create something that is unique to me.  Sure, it’s not NEW (is there really anything new?) but using my current favorite color palette and freeform piecing, I’ve created something that is truly mine.

I can’t wait to quilt it.  I’m thinking to do a flip and turn with batting & backing rather than a traditional quilt and bind method or maybe quilt it and then face it.  I don’t think I want any borders on it – not even a binding.  As far as the quilting…..I think an all over would be easier but I’m leaning toward doing some straight line free motion work or maybe large (as in 6-8 inch) overlapping spirals?  I’ll need to marinate on it for awhile before I decide.

I have enough strips left over that I’m going to make a throw pillow or two – and maybe a new seat cushion for Mr. W’s mom’s piano stool.

There are about 15  categories you can put quilts into.  Some of my favorites that I nominated are numbers 477, 178, 567, 242, 35, 569, 21, 468, 3, 50, 214, 107.  

Several of you have asked and my number is 597.  

Now….on to my SewCalGal update for May…..

It’s hard to believe it’s mid-May already…..the year is just whizzing by!

This month Leah Day is the featured quilter with SewCalGal.  I’m doing Leah’s weekly FMQ challenges so was greatly looking forward to this lesson and I wasn’t disappointed.  She taught us two designs (double stipple and rail road tracks) that were simple but upped the technique a notch or two.

I chose to do the double stipple.  I decided to use this on my Magic Pudding top.  I did a large stipple in the center – probably about 3-4 inches between the loops in most places.  Then I went back and did the double stipple on top of that line.  My tension was good and I really enjoyed the process.  It was almost meditative.

One of the troubles I had with this quilt was the thread.  I really like variegated thread and so the last time I ordered Isacord thread, I asked for a recommendation (they don’t carry the Isacord variegated) and they suggested trying Hemingworth Poly Select.  It’s a 40wt so I was hopeful.  For whatever reason, I didn’t have much thread trouble  in the center part of the quilt – occasional breakage but not bad.  However, once I got to the outer border and doing the spiral flower I started to not only have tension problems but thread breakage.

I did the entire dance…..change needle, rethread, change to a different kind of needle (worse), change back, one-two-three, one-two-three, break-two-three, shred-two-three…..finally I finished the last border after what felt like a bazillion thread breakages.

I won’t be using this thread again.  I think I’m just going to stick to what works  - which for me and my machine is Isacord thread.  Or at least only do thread experiments with small pieces.  If it wasn’t for my dedication to staying in my ZEN ZONE, there would have been a whole lot of cussin’ going on (and mama don’t like it when I cuss!).

Here’s a shot of the ‘eye lash’ problems when doing the spiral flowers.  I think I just don’t have my speed and movement right because when doing other stitches, I don’t seem to have these types of tension problems.  I’m not discouraged though – and I love the spirals so I’ll just keep practicing.  Plus….I think once I wash this baby up, the eye lash issues won’t be very noticeable.

So, another small quilt done and dusted.  Label was sewn into the back and binding has been hand stitched down.  No identified use for this one – it will probably sit on the shelf until one of my nieces or nephews produce the next girl child.

Here’s my New York Beauty Australia quilt.  It measures about 70×80.

I started collecting fabrics for it many years ago on my first trip to Australia and ended up with well over 150 fabrics.  I then took a class at our guild with Karen Stone and started making this quilt.

The quilt followed me around for about 10 years.  I would occasionally make a block or two and then tuck it back into the box.  Once I had all the blocks finished I started taking the paper out and swore I’d never do another paper pieced quilt again (ok, I’ve changed my mind since).

Last year I made the decision to finish it once and for all.  I then brought it back to my sister in the USA to do the quilting.  She seriously made it SING!  I love it.

The quilt symbolizes not only the colors of my new country (I am now a permanent resident of Australia) but it symbolizes my love, respect and adoration for Mr. W.  There are many kind men in the world but Mr. W takes the cake for me.  In my 53 years, I have never been happier – more content – more me.  He is a wonderful soul and I am thankful each day I spend with him.  He rocks my world.

So, be sure and check out the other quilts and vote for your favorite – there is a ton of inspirational eye candy out there!

OK – I know that sewing bibs is not REALLY an artistic endeavor – but who cares, right?!  Sometimes a little basic sewing is just what is needed.

We were in Berry, NSW last week (see Mr. W’s blog for deets) and so I had the chance to stop at Sew and Tell (they don’t appear to have a web site right now)  - a delightful little shop that never disappoints me.  They have everything a crafter, knitter, quilter, needlepointer, embroiderer or felter could imagine and somehow, they always keep current with what’s new.  They also have a great little home decoration/gift area in the back so even the non-crafty people have something to buy.

I found this fun little girl bib pattern from Vanilla House called Diva Bibs.  Well, since we have finally had our first girl child of this generation, the pattern had to come home with me.  Friday I spent the day making bibs.  Yeah….bibs as in plural.  Why make one when you can make five?  :o)  There is a shower in May for this new girl child (Ruby Ellyn is her name) and so part of the gift will be these 5 bibs…..or maybe more……a girl can never have too many fancy bibs, can she?

Oh, and I just visited the Vanilla House site and they have the cutest BOY bibs patterns too.  Our boys are all too big for bibs but I’ll have to keep that in mind for any future male rug rats.

Did I score with this or what?  It’s a Horn sewing machine cabinet.  Of all the things I’ve had in my life, I’ve never had a sewing machine cabinet before.

I’ve been sewing on an old computer table that has more screws in it (to keep it from falling apart) than you can imagine.  When my friend Maree mentioned that she had two cabinets and was going to get rid of one of them – I jumped at the chance of checking it out.

We stopped over at her place Friday and had a look.  I knew I wanted it immediately.  It hardly looks like it’s been used at all.  And, I’m sure she sold it to me for too low a price – but I asked twice if she was sure and she said she was.

So, I was up bright and early Saturday morning (2AM-a nightmare-I was back in high school-UGH!) and started cleaning/organizing/moving things around in my little house to make room for my new cabinet.  It is absolutely perfect!  I am just tickled orange (orange is the new pink, you know).  I can’t wait to fill the little cubby holes with crap.

The bonus is that the little house is now relatively spick and span and ready for me to dive into another project…..I think I’m going to go back to my Klimt work for a few days and see if I can find my mojo for it again.

Here’s my big table when I started…..needs a little work, eh?

And here’s what it looks like now:

This post originally started out as a 1000 word rant, full of snark and wit, about a woman I met last week.  I deleted it and started over.

I have heard about The Quilt Nazi before – but never really met anyone from this group of quilters.  Last week I met one of their card carrying members.  I also had the opportunity to have a very uncomfortable discussion, in class, with a yoga teacher.  Throw in some frustrations surrounding a party being planned and a few other issues and it amounted to me spending a lot of time in my head justifying, pointing fingers, mentally re-scripting what I SHOULD have said and biting my tongue.

I could easily write 1000 words or more about each of these situations and I’m sure I could convince most everyone that I had good points.  However, after doing some meditation yesterday I realized that I didn’t have to because it truly doesn’t matter.  None of it does.

As far as The Quilt Nazi – as long as I stay open-minded and believe we are all entitled to our opinions – well then it just doesn’t matter what she thinks.  And the yoga instructor?  We’ve already worked things out in a very yogic way.  The party will turn out just as it’s supposed to – perfectly.

Basically – I don’t have to participate in the drama.  And if I don’t participate in the drama, well, then I don’t have to spend time in my head justifying, pointing fingers or biting my tongue.

I read a quote by Pema Chodron today on Elephant Journal that spoke to this:

“If we learn to open our hearts, anyone, including the people who drive us crazy, can be our teacher.”

I thank them for being my teachers.

I’ve two more quilts labeled – and these aren’t even quilts that I made – but rather quilts that were given to me and are in our home.

The first one is from my dear friend KKG.  It is a wool hand button hole stitched quilt.  I adore it.  I just pulled it out last week to have on the couch for the winter.  It’s perfect for putting on my lap while I’m reading or computing.  She did the top and I did a utility/big stitch hand quilting with perle cotton number 8.  Did I mention I love it?  :o)

The second one is from my friend Sherie.  I love this one too.  I love the tomato colored floral fabric especially.  It is sort of a linen-like fabric.  Goes to show that using a simple traditional quilt block with a gorgeous fabric goes a long way to making a beautiful quilt.

This quilt moves around in the house a little – depending upon my mood.  It works well in the little bedroom on the foot of the bed but it also looks great in the TV room.

My sister quilted it and I love the pattern she chose.  I posted it in B/W so that you could see it better.  She doesn’t really follow pantograph patterns with her commercial quilt machine because of her lazy eye – she just uses patterns as a guide and basically does it all free hand.  She’s fabulous and if you need a quilter – let me know and I’ll hook you up.

Today, I actually left it hanging out on the veranda.  I don’t leave quilts out there for very long because the sun is so harsh – but this time of year the sun is much more mild and it’s so fun to see a quilt or two outside when I look out there.

Over the years, I have purchased a few items from Nicole Mallalieu Designs for various bags that I have made.  When my local quilt shop, My Patch,  added these patterns and kits to her line – I had to buy one and try it out.

The green fabric on the sides is a silk that I’ve had in my stash for eons.  The middle section is a little strip that I randomly stitched together last year when doing therapy sewing.  The beads along the top are left overs from a wedding invitation.

Although it’s adorable – I don’t think I’d make many of them.  The hardest part was attaching the fabric to the frame.  First you put a bead of glue into the channel and then you shoved the fabric into it – let it dry – and then stitched through the holes to attach it.  I guess it wasn’t exactly HARD – it just wasn’t a piece of cake.  Then again – the next one will probably go together easier…..and they do make nice gifts….and I do have some more silk fabrics and pieced sections that would look lovely….. (oh dear……)

Here it is……a finished little purse to be used for coins, lippy or any of those little things that roll around in the bottom of your purse.  If you use a purse….which I don’t…..very often anyway.

So…..Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!  Hope you enjoy it.  Thanks for all you have done for me over the years – and especially thank you for your creativity and letting me get up on the sewing machine all those years ago!  Who’d of thought I’d be sewing 43 years on?  LOVE YOU and sending you a big cyber hug today!