Happy New Year's 2014!

 

A new year, a clean slate, a turned page....so much significance assigned to the date. I found this quote and I like it....

 

 

“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something.

So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever.” ― Neil Gaiman 

 

I guess that is a theme for me, being brave. Brave enough to try things that push me out of my comfort zone. Brave enough not to worry if I will look silly. Brave enough to risk failure in order to experience as much as I can while I am on this blue marble in the universe. 

 

Worked on Bonnie Hunter's Mystery today. She made the big revel at midnight and the quilt is really cool with movement and color. I sewed one of the blocks together just to see what it would look like. A bit of wonk, but I bravely sewed on. It doesn't matter if there is wonk. It just matters that sewing it, looking at the colors and patterns makes me happy. Isn't that really what making art is all about?

Happy New Year.

2013 Quilting

 

Was looking at pictures over the last year...didn't quilt as much as I would have liked but got a few things going.

 

 

A UFO of charm packs with grey.

 

This is finished and bound and kept me warm on the sofa during football. A Christmas Turning 20.

 

Lisa shows off her fine long-arming skills, on my jelly roll twist Christmas quilt that is bound and in use!

 

This will be a fall table topper when it is quilted, still needs the print border.

 

This was a Christmas fabric swap I did with my friends, the Barefoot Quilters. I received the blue Grinch fabric and made this piece for Colleen. "Maybe Christmas, doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps... means a little bit more!"

 

A quick kit table runner.

 

Civil War braid will be the backdrop to some wool applique, I think.

 

Father's Day sewing, a new apron for my husband.

On retreat in April, scrappy trip around the world, a Bonnie Hunter Pattern.

Love my modern Christmas Trees!

 

Fall table runner.

 

A throw down challenge....ridiculously small blocks....remains a UFO.

 

Playing with applique on the machine.

 

A little more progress on the throw down.

 

A Turning Twenty at the Fall retreat out of Laurel Burch cat fabric for a cat enthusiast friend who lost her mother in October.

 

Another top stitched at the Fall retreat, added the borders below for a finish!

 

A closer view of the Grinch!

 

Hoping to spend more time at my machine this year!

A Little of This and a Little of That



 

The problem with taking down the Christmas decorations, is what to put in the space that is left when "festive" is removed! I found these great prints that combines January snowflakes and February hearts into one table runner, the "10 Minute" variety. I am pleased with this bit of décor.

 

 

Work continues on the Owl Quilt, and I slipped in some chain piecing of Celtic Sunrise Clue 4. At the least I have all of the clue cut and now half sewn. 

We are tucked into the dining room today so we can support each other...haha. I am not sure who is supervising who!

Now I need to remember that little twist trick that makes the center lie flat. But that can wait until tomorrow.

Hoot, Hoot!

 

Whenever my Step-daughter is with us for a stretch, we usually get into some sewing project. We hatched an idea for a raffle quilt for her school trip and went on the hunt for some owl fabric and coordinating prints for a Disappearing Nine Patch pattern that is popular on internet quilting sites. (Not sure who originally came up with this nifty idea.)

 

 We found some owls that we liked and got to cutting..

Sewing away...

Next the magical cuts...

 Here's our block...I like the color pops!

Schizo Saturday

Working on UFO's, several at a time...may have something to do with why I have so many. No matter, doesn't make me a bad person right? Just offensive to the quilt police!

Been fiddling with this OBW- the longest part of the process for me. Moving half hexes. Take a picture. Move again. Determined to get the thing sewed together sometime soon, but I can see I am not there yet.

These are cut from a mod witch fabric...if you look closely you can see them. I think it will be called Hexed Witches.

Meanwhile, I am sewing triangles for this UFO whilst I study the movement of the witches.

Makes for an interesting, somewhat schizophrenic sewing day!

Valentine Quilt Top Finished!

We added some borders and some hearts I had made awhile ago...and we had a nifty Valentine quilt top finished! Not bad for a first quilt for a ten year old! It's such a cool thing to see a budding new stitcher so enthusiastic!

From OBX Guild...

Remember that Monday night, 7 February is the Outer Banks Quilt Guild Meeting.

The meeting will be held at the Colington United Methodist Church on the curve on Colington Rd.

7 pm start time.

If you bring 1 1/4 yds of fabric – preferably batik, you can make your own grocery sack with no sewing. (you need a piece of fabric that is square or close to square).

Quilt Talk Radio:

    http://www.wsradio.com/internet-talk-radio.cfm/shows/Quilting-with-Rosie-Radio.html

    http://www.quiltershome.com/ – Pat Sloan

Hotdog Pillowcase how-tos:

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7moryq_ZRFY&feature=related

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrYWCma9wgM&feature=related

February 24-27, 2011

Hampton, VA - " Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival XXII" Hampton Roads Convention Center. A compilation of quilting, fiber arts, and wearable arts. It's the perfect place for quilt enthusiasts and textile artists to meet, shop,learn and explore their art.