Merry Christmas!
I know this is such a standard greeting (where it is not banned for being politically incorrect), yet I use it anyway because I'm joyful this morning celebrating that God sent Jesus, and my desire is that everyone knows that same joy!
When I wandered into my studio about 8:30 this morning, this was the view out the south-facing window. I took a few photos on various settings on my digital, and while the color isn't quite right, I liked this one the best. The ornament hanging in the window is a gift from my husband's employers (everyone in management got one) and is Swarovski crystal. It looks like a quilt inspiration to me!
The temperature is about - 14C and I never noticed the car backing out of the garage down the street until I moved the files to my computer. (Double-click to see the large view.) Somehow that little bit of light adds 'humanity' and warmth to this otherwise cold winter scene!
I'm in the homestretch with my 'insanity' quilt... keep cheering and I will get it done before Christmas (or before being hauled away in a straight-jacket)!
Our local quilt shop has "Quilt Talks" once a week. The topic yesterday was "Rhapsody Quilts" as made by Ricky Tims. The presenter had taken Ricky's class, made a large quilt that we loved, and told us some stories. She said that Tim's idea about these quilts comes from his musical background. He want them to flow, like music.
Then she told us the meaning of 'rhapsody.' Apparently, 'rhap' means to sew, and 'yodei' means a song. Did he know that before he picked the name for these interesting quilts? I don't know, but I do know that I must make one of these.
The main part of the talk was instruction on how to design and do just that. I ordered Ricky's new book last week. It hasn't come yet, but I've got a few sketches already... and am totally side-tracked. No wonder my cupboard is so full of UFOs! I also picked up a bit of fabric... yikes.
The photo is not my quilt (wait a couple of years for that) but one of Ricky's. Click the link at the side to see more. This one is called Bohemian Rhapsody. If anyone has made one, I'd like to hear from you.
I might try with something smaller, and it will not be in these colors (even though I have a neighbor who loves this so much she'd serve me forever if I made one for her just like it). My design is fairly intricate, and piecing it will be a challenge. Yes, these are pieced... with applique on top, but put together without pins! Ricky strikes me as something of a quilting daredevil!
Back to the sewing machine...
The past few weeks have been taken up with remodeling our bedroom. New flooring, wall color, furniture, bedding. I'm exhausted, but also frustrated. Other than my once-a-month get together with other quilters, I've not been able to sew at all. Oh, I've looked at quilt books (a new book does not automatically mean a new quilt) and read blogs (same thing) and been inspired, even opened EQ6 last night and played with an idea, but no fabric creations. I'm frustrated.
But there is one little gem that did come out of all this. I'd seen it in a McCalls 2005 Christmas quilt magazine and had to make it for 'show and tell' at our group. I've cut out another one, and these are so easy! The pattern called for a 6" orphan block but my leftovers were too large so used a small piece that I'd stamped on during an Earthly Goods class. The colors in the photo are a bit anemic. The green is rich, darker, but sparkles.
Oh, the bedroom turned out absolutely gorgeous... but now I need a new quilt, a king-size to boot. I guess that a new bedroom does automatically mean a new quilt. Sigh! Those UFOs are never going to be finished...
That 'insanity' quilt is progressing far too slowly. I just got a new computer, with Vista, and am climbing the learning curve as I install software and try to figure out how to turn off all the unwanted stuff that Vista loads up at the start.
In the meantime, I love my table runner, so want to share it. Our oak table sits in a north facing room, but with this runner and the glow of oak, the room looks sunny and inviting. I made the runner for a class that I taught. As always, the class variations due to fabric choices were super. I also made a pink one as a sample, then the yellow one in class.
My nephew and family live in San Diego and were one of the first to get out (left early Tuesday morning). We live in Canada, but our prayers are certainly including the people in southern California whose lives have been affected by these fires.
I've just discovered that I've been tagged by Wanda. The rules are: 1. Follow the link to your tagger and copy/post these rules. 2. Share 7 facts about yourself: some random, some weird. 3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them). 4. Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.
Facts about me:
- At 7, I had a childhood illness and my parents were told I would not see my 16th birthday.
- At 17, I'd broken and trained two American Saddlebred horses, and wrote and sold my first article--about horses, of course.
- At 27, I had two children and made myself and my little girl matching dresses.
- At 37, I was married twice and had three children and a husband whose job took us all over the place.
- At 47, we moved near a Bible college so I took 4 years in 2 1/2 and got a degree, the oldest person in my classes. Such fun!
- At 57, we designed and built our current home. I'd moved 28 times and am staying put!
- I'm not 67 yet, but by then hope to have my UFO quilt shelf empty! Ha!
I am tagging:
After not posting for two weeks, it is time to at least share a finished project. This one is a quilt I made on commission. We had three ladies in our church give birth all in the same month, all girls. I made three quilts for the joint shower.
After a few months, one of these three moved away and we lost touch. A few years later, she called me. She now had another little girl, but her first one liked her quilt so much that sharing it with her new sister was out of the question. Would I make another one for the second daughter?
Of course! I selected the fabrics because they seemed to suit the fair-haired redhead that I was making it for, and would accept payment for only the fabric. Some commissions are just too much fun to be commercial about them.
The quilt is called "The Sun Always Shines in Kaylee's Garden."
When I wandered into my studio about 8:30 this morning, this was the view out the south-facing window. I took a few photos on various settings on my digital, and while the color isn't quite right, I liked this one the best. The ornament hanging in the window is a gift from my husband's employers (everyone in management got one) and is Swarovski crystal. It looks like a quilt inspiration to me!
Our local quilt shop has "Quilt Talks" once a week. The topic yesterday was "Rhapsody Quilts" as made by Ricky Tims. The presenter had taken Ricky's class, made a large quilt that we loved, and told us some stories. She said that Tim's idea about these quilts comes from his musical background. He want them to flow, like music.
The past few weeks have been taken up with remodeling our bedroom. New flooring, wall color, furniture, bedding. I'm exhausted, but also frustrated. Other than my once-a-month get together with other quilters, I've not been able to sew at all. Oh, I've looked at quilt books (a new book does not automatically mean a new quilt) and read blogs (same thing) and been inspired, even opened EQ6 last night and played with an idea, but no fabric creations. I'm frustrated.
After not posting for two weeks, it is time to at least share a finished project. This one is a quilt I made on commission. We had three ladies in our church give birth all in the same month, all girls. I made three quilts for the joint shower.