Me and My Quilts ~ Exploring the Possibilities

Weekend Notes

2012-01-30T05:00:00.000-06:00

The sinus infection won.

I was supposed to spend a long weekend in Nashville with DH

but common sense caused a change in those plans.

DH went to his woodturning symposium

and I stayed home.

I rested, and read, and rested, and read,

and rested some more.

My favorite spot?

The recliner in our sunroom where I could enjoy

the sunshine, puffy white clouds, blue skies, and

a host of visible-from-inside-the-house daffodil buds!

Here's to the week ahead . . .

Quiltdivajulie

Too Many Monkeys . . .

2012-01-27T05:00:00.000-06:00

Photo courtesy of Google Images

Many years ago, DH brought this book into our lives.

However, instead of the day-job focus of the book,

we adapted/incorporated elements of
monkey management into our home life.

Photo courtesy of Google Images

"That's your monkey, not my monkey"

can be heard frequently.

(usually followed by good-natured laughter)

Many days, between work and home and life in general,

I feel like there are waaaaaaaay too many monkeys

in need of care and feeding . . .

I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in this!

* * *

Breathe in

Breathe out

One monkey at a time

* * *

Courtesy of Google Images

Have a good weekend

(and don't forget to put bananas on your grocery list)

Quiltdivajulie

Uncle Will's Closet - Final Flimsy Notes

2012-01-26T05:00:00.000-06:00

The fabric above will be the backing for Uncle Will's Closet

(Kaffe Fassett's Shirt Stripes)

* * *

Uncle Will's border idea came from another of Bonnie Hunter's quilts.

I've used it before ~ in the back of Dandelion Detour (2008)

The instructions are in Bonnie's second book:

Adventures with Leaders and Enders

* * *

And last,

but not least,

the winner of the leftover shirtings

from Uncle Will's Closet is . . .

JaneB!

Quiltdivajulie

Wordless Wednesday (more or less)

2012-01-25T05:00:00.000-06:00

Gestation Zone

Reminder

I will draw a name tonight after work

to find a new home for the leftovers

from Uncle Will's Closet.

p.s.

If you are a no-reply blogger,

I have no way to contact you unless you include

your e-mail address in your comment.

Quiltdivajulie

Uncle Will's Closet - the flimsy

2012-01-23T05:00:00.000-06:00

The flimsy is finished!

62" wide by 74" long,

Uncle Will's Closet has been "claimed" by our younger son.

Taken using the "super wide shot" feature ~

first time I've tried it.

* * *

I've decided not to piece a scrappy back for this quilt.

Anyone want to use the leftover shirtings?

Leave me a comment and I'll draw a winner Wednesday after work.

Quiltdivajulie

Tree Work

2012-01-20T05:00:00.000-06:00

I resigned as family historian nearly ten years ago.

(shortly before I made my first visit to a quilt shop)

Over a seven-year period of time,

I spent countless hours building Julie's Genealogy ~

when WYSIWYG was a still-new concept.

Even though it has been years since I've updated that site,

and computer issues have, sadly, caused the demise

of my Family Tree Maker database,

the photographs and documents and

other handed-down items continue to live in our house.

That is about to change!

I've found a local history museum in Pennsylvania

that is delighted to accept items from DH's family.

(as soon as we gather them all together, update their documentation,

and pack them into boxes for their cross-country journey)

I also have photographs and papers from my side of the family

ready to take to my sister when we visit Michigan later this year.

So excited that these precious things will soon have new homes

where they will continue to be appreciated and cared for!

* * *

If you don't hear from me for a few days,

please don't worry.

I'll be back soon!

Quiltdivajulie

The Verdict Is In

2012-01-19T05:00:00.000-06:00

Lots and lots of border segments waiting to be stitched . . .

Narrow stop border strips waiting to be sewn together . . .

And, finally, the moment we've all been waiting for:

The elephants have arrived and they are truly wonderful ~

but they were not at all happy when they met the flimsy.

So . . .

The stack of fabrics above will be trimmed and sewn together

to create a scrappy backing for Uncle Will's Closet . . .

and the elephants will have to wait

(patiently, I hope)

for their project to come along.

* * *

I'm off to read for a while.

Be back soon!

Quiltdivajulie

Uncle Will's Closet - Part 2

2012-01-17T05:00:00.000-06:00

Center of flimsy based on Bonnie Hunter's Random Ohio Stars

Before we go any further, Uncle Will is not a real person.

I made him up . . .

(the shirts in this quilt came from GoodWILL ~ hence the play on names)

* * *

In the end, as you can see, I chose not to incorporate any "made" fabric.

I was having too much fun playing with the stripes and plaids of the shirts.

On the floor

The central portion of the flimsy (above) measures 48" x 60"

The larger stars are 12" finished -- the small stars are 6" finished.

(all photos should enlarge if clicked)

* * *

On the design wall

I have about 1/3rd of the segments cut for a pieced border.

I'll start piecing the border while I wait for Brown to deliver the elephant fabric.

(see previous post for photo)

My skinny stop border and binding choices depend on whether or not

the elephants play nicely with the colors in the shirtings.

If the elephants want to be part of a different project,

I'll shift to Plan B and use the 15 shirt-backs and other leftover plaids/stripes

to create a companionably-scrappy back.

All in good time . . .

Quiltdivajulie

Uncle Will's Closet

2012-01-15T09:45:00.000-06:00

8 light shirts have been completely deconstructed.

(collars, cuffs, yokes, and plackets have gone to the great trash can in the sky)

7 dark shirts have also been fully deconstructed.

You may remember this photo from my September 28 post.

Lots of procrastination and pondering have taken place since then.

* * *

After considering a gad-zillion different options,

I have finally settled on a plan of attack ~

I've printed out Bonnie's Random Ohio Stars as my jumping off point.

Even after making only the first four large stars,

I can feel myself getting restless . . .

I want/need to incorporate some of the scraps that are being trimmed

from the shirt panels into "made" fabric for the center blocks

and I want to make at least a few stars with wonky points.

(and I want to pull in some other fabrics from my stash!)

Time will tell how it all comes together.

* * *

Now, about the title of this post . . .

I've ordered enough of this very fun elephant fabric for the shirt quilt's backing.

You see . ..

My fictitious Uncle Will ~

who was a very good guy ~

was also quite a character.

He kept his shirts in a closet like most other folks,

but, during the week, he volunteered at a local zoo ~

working with (of course) . . . the elephants!

(he was known for telling silly jokes, which always made them laugh)

Somehow, this all makes sense to me ~

hope you'll stay tuned and follow along with my shirtings-nonsense!

Quiltdivajulie

--------------------------------

p.s. The barn raisings have not been abandoned ~ the builder is just taking a bit of a break.

April's Barn

2012-01-13T05:00:00.000-06:00

The barn for April took a bit more sketching

and plotting and testing . . .

14" x 14" block

In the end, I'm pleased that it was worth the extra effort!

* * *

Elsewhere in the studio ~

I've loaded photos of quilty-work shared

by many of my blogging friends

into this digital photo frame that now

sits just to the right of my sewing machine.

The silently rotating images offer a

colorful, encouraging presence.

Taking advantage of sales here and there,

I have gotten all of my annual and AAQI quilt journals,

along with other quilty resource material,

organized into white insertable-cover notebooks.

(replacing a chaotic jumble of colors and styles)

And I set up my notebook for 2012's quilt journal.

Last year's phrase was "keeping it real."

This year?

"Just because I can, does not mean I should."

* * *

Funny, isn't it ~
I love lots of color and scrappiness in my quilts,
but I need order and calm to encourage my creativity. . .

And speaking of creativity,

did you see the awesome graphic that Karen posted?

I think we can ALL relate!

Quiltdivajulie

March's Barn of the Month

2012-01-11T05:00:00.000-06:00

The March block, complete with somewhat stormy skies, is done.

(measures a generous 14" plus)

Do double click to enlarge the photo and see if you can find

the not-really-hidden pun (intended).

Side note: my new camera and I are getting along better,

but I'm still working my way through the manual.

(I'm determined to be able to get good photos of red fabrics)

Below is the most recent inspiration photo taken

during a lunch hour escape to Shelby Farms.

(one of those wonderful 65 degree January days

when it is just wrong to stay indoors at lunch time)

* * *

Here are the first three blocks on the design wall . . .

have not made any decisions about sashing or joining yet.

This is still very much a work in progress.

Next up ~ April.

* * *

In other quilty news,
All15 shirts from Goodwill are fully deconstructed
AND
I've made a decision on how to use them!

I plan to start with Bonnie's Random Ohio Stars pattern.

Who knows where the design will end up!

Quiltdivajulie

February's Barn

2012-01-10T05:00:00.000-06:00

This is my barn block for February!

It measures a generous 14" square.

Click to enlarge for more construction details . . .

Photo courtesy of Google Images

And this is one of the photos that inspired my Feb. barn.

* * *

After only two blocks, I'm getting excited about this process!

Tomorrow, I'll share my March barn of the month . . .

Quiltdivajulie

Let the Barn Raising Begin

2012-01-08T09:17:00.000-06:00

A few process notes to start this off . . .

Barn Raising ~

something we watched with fascination while living in Indiana Amish country.

(I grew up and lived in the Midwest until 1989 when we moved "south")

The colors on the design wall above are the sky and ground fabrics

I've pulled for my 12 barn blocks based on the seasons here in Tennessee.

This is not a barn-a-month project, but rather

a journey through a year of seasonal changes featuring 12 different barns.

(like flipping the pages of a calendar)

The print fabric on the left will be the backing.

The soft blues on the right will appear in the flimsy borders.

(once I get to that stage)

* * *

Over the past couple of months,

I've been gathering photos of barns and outbuildings ~

inspiration photos and different elements I hope to include somewhere in my quilt.

(Later in the week, I'll add a link in the sidebar)

* * *

Even with all the liberated work I've done,

these are my first free-pieced buildings!

I pulled out Tonya's Wonky Houses tutorial

and I've been watching Lynne build houses . . .

(did you see her Four Seasons flimsy?)

SO much to experiment with!

SO many ideas to consider!

* * *

And so, without further ado ~ here is my January barn block.

(click to enlarge photo for greater detail)

This one measures 14" square (more or less).

* * *

Tuesday morning, I'll share February's barn block . . .

Quiltdivajulie

Afterglow - First Flimsy of 2012

2012-01-06T05:00:00.000-06:00

Front ~ Afterglow, my liberated single wedding ring flimsy.

Back ~ My Grandmother's hand-pieced double wedding ring quilt.

(all photos should enlarge when double-clicked)

60" x 80"

Corner detail taken indoors.

I am so happy with the flying geese border!

(inspired by photos of quilts by Gwen Marston & Freddy Moran)

It was sunny but cold and windy outside,

so getting a flat flimsy photo was just not possible.

Moving into the shade, the colors shifted (yet again).

The fabric on the right is the backing.

(from my very first visit to Delta Patchwork ~

Sherrill Kahn's Chasing the Rainbow II collection)

Back indoors with the flimsy and backing draped over the couch.

Soon it will be off to Chris for quilting . . .

Meanwhile, I'm about to embark on the first barn block!

Quiltdivajulie

I LOVE IT !!!

2012-01-04T05:00:00.000-06:00

It's here . . . it's here . . .

Back in November,

Millie posted about Plus One and his fund raising efforts.

Then I learned I could purchase one of Jeanne's painted scarves

to help with his European adventure ~ done deal!

And now my incredibly amazing

and absolutely gorgeous

silk scarf is here!

My co-workers love it, too.

(Good thing, because it goes with just about everything in my wardrobe ~

not to mention how well it plays with my rainbow shoes!)

Thank you, Jeanne!!!

(you can see more of her painted scarves here)

Quiltdivajulie

Tie Pillow Tutorial

2012-01-03T05:00:00.000-06:00

Oble's Tie Pillows (2006)

I've been asked several times how I made these memory pillows,

so it is high time I put together this tutorial.

* * *

A co-worker's father passed away in early 2006 and the

children/grandchildren wanted to preserve his ties.

The woman for whom I made these purchased the pillow forms.

I do not remember if they were 12" or 14" ~

but the method is the same no matter the size of the insertable pillow form.

* * *

The first step is to purchase pillow forms so you have a size to work with.

For the pillows above, I cut muslin foundation squares large enough

to cover the top with 1/2" seam allowances added on all four sides.

I did not take the ties apart nor did I launder them.

(at the request of the family)

The ties were cut into lengths long enough to cover the muslin squares.

The remaining shorter pieces were saved,

including the pointy ends.

I laid two tie segments on top of the muslin, side by side.

Using the 'fancy' stitches on my Bernina at their widest settings,
and stitching along the line formed by the two ties' edges,

the resulting 'seam' formed a join between the two adjacent ties

and secured them to the foundation fabric.

I worked my way across the foundation fabric, one join at a time.
(If there were any raw edges involved,
I made sure the next piece had a finished edge
and layered it over the raw edge before stitching.)

I've put photos of the finished pillow tops in a Picasa photo album

so that you can see how the layouts varied from one pillow to another.

* * *

Once the foundation squares had been covered,

they were squared up and ready to be made into insertable covers.

* * *

In 2009, I shared a tutorial on making pillow shams here.

You can add coordinating or contrasting flange borders to the tie pieces or not,

depending on how you want to use/display them.

Otherwise, the tutorial for making the back and binding

follow the same process.

For those who want to incorporate other clothing into their memory pillows,
the back panels and/or binding could be pieced together
from taken apart shirts or pants ("made" fabric).

* * *

Click here to see photos of what others have done with ties.

(Some people take the ties apart ~ others do not.

Some stitch with the silk alone.

Others prepare the ties with fusible tricot interfacing before cutting their pieces.)

* * *

At one point, I had grand plans to make a tie quilt ~

but the ties I gathered were given to another quilter

once I realized I was more in love with the idea than the actual process.

To those who are considering tie-related projects,

there's truly a world of possibilities out there!

Quiltdivajulie

At Long Last

2012-01-01T05:00:00.000-06:00

double click for greater detail

Every time we drive east on Highway 64, we pass this building.

It sits on a little bit of a hill, alongside a very busy 5-lane road

at the edge of a highly commercialized area full of

big-box stores, Wally-world, Tar-jaay, countless restaurants, two warehouse stores,

and the Wolfchase Galleria mall.

Each and every time, I have wanted to stop and take photos.

(secret fear: that one day I'd go by and the buildings would have been torn down)

Now, at long last, I have my photos!

I love the age, the textures, the shadows,

the lines, the coloring, the character,

and, possibly most of all, the implied stories . . .

* * *

double click for greater detail

This is the second building on the property . . .

(the still-lived-in house sits to the left, just beyond the photo's edge)

* * *

One of my first new quilt projects of 2012

will showcase a long-thought-about theme featuring barns.

I've been gathering inspiration photos and potential fabrics for months now ~

as soon as Afterglow is ready to go to Chris for quilting, my barn project will begin.

* * *

Hmmm ~ that could just be the perfect name for this quilt!

The Barn Project

(working name up to this point has been See Rock City)

Stay tuned!

Quiltdivajulie

Happy New Year

2011-12-30T08:01:00.000-06:00

"Out with the old and

in with the new"

* * *

No resolutions for me ~

more a time to re-assess.

Where I've been,

what has been accomplished,

what still needs to be done,

and where I'm headed.

* * *

Hope each of you have a wonderful,

satisfying, and most of all SAFE weekend.

See ya'll next week!

Quiltdivajulie

Happiness is . . .

2011-12-29T05:00:00.000-06:00

Being able to get to everything in the lower kitchen cabinets

without having to 'stand on your head' . . .

DH did both of us a huge favor

by installing these wonderful sliding racks.

In order to install, everything had to be removed.

(which meant only the necessary and useful survived)

I love being able to find things more easily!

* * *

Afterglow folded & hanging over Meet Me In The Rose Garden

Happiness is also learning more about the new camera.

I could not get a decent progress photo of Afterglow

until I increased the factory setting of 3 megapixels to 10

(maximum possible is 14),

and played around with the flash settings.

(still on the list is to actually read the User Manual)

By the time I figured out the problem,

the blocks had been stitched and sashed and the partial top pressed ~
pieced borders are still pending.

Hopefully by next week,

I'll have a flimsy-finish to share!

Quiltdivajulie

One Thing Leads To Another

2011-12-27T17:44:00.000-06:00

DH needed some new storage boxes for his workshop,

so I volunteered to use this all-the-same set in my studio

and re-purpose my mis-matched assortment for his tools, etc.

(his studio needs are quite different from mine)

After a full afternoon of dumping things out,

sorting, folding, and re-arranging,

one of my shelf units looks like this.

(2.5" strips by color, half-pregnant projects, & assorted orphan boxes)

This is the second newly-tidied shelf unit.

The top shelf holds PIF-Kindness quilts cut out and ready to stitch.

Shelf two holds fabrics for an almost-ready-to-begin quilt.

(more than I'll need ~ but I wanted plenty to choose from)

Another shelf for books and the lower shelves house my selvages.

(And I finally found a reasonably-priced dress form for my White Coat!)

* * *

The process of sorting, folding, and re-organizing

led to a list of the various projects ~

and taking inventory of my stash.

* * *

Bottom line?

I need to browse/shop less during 2012 and stitch more!

(Will share my list soon . . . )

Quiltdivajulie

Good Fortune

2011-12-25T14:37:00.000-06:00

Yesterday afternoon, I randomly stitched together

all the leftover strips that had been cut for Afterglow.

Little did I know . . .

. . . that one of my Christmas presents was this book!

I have strata already made and waiting

and page after page of pure inspiration . . .

* * *

I also have a new camera ~ a Samsung WB210.

That means I need to read the instruction manual

and figure out how to use all the cool features.

* * *

Now that we've enjoyed the turkey cooked by our younger son

(he was given the turkey at work ~ but he had never cooked one before)

DH and younger son are enjoying an afternoon Matrix marathon

(testing out DH's new blu-ray box set)

Not me ~ I'm headed upstairs to play with fabric!

Quiltdivajulie

Sleeping Babe

2011-12-23T05:00:00.004-06:00

Landon napping on his quilt from Aunt Julie . . .

(my sister's first grandchild and our first great-nephew)

* * *

Wishing each of you a blessed Christmas weekend . . .

Quildivajulie

And then there were . . .

2011-12-22T07:17:00.000-06:00

Twelve blocks on the design wall, that is.

From here, it will be all about the sashings and borders,

since I want a generous lap quilt and not a too-big version.

(each block should finish at 14")

I made my ring segments from strata.

(instead of foundation piecing)

I enjoy stitching strings and strips together,

then combining the cut-off ends to make more strings ~

and watching how those "made" strings add a bit of sparkle to the overall mix.

* * *

Don't forget about the giveaway/swap offer in the last post ~

I still have enough to share with two or three more people.

Just leave me a comment to let me know you're interested.

(and be sure to include your e-mail if you are a no-reply commenter)

* * *

And now, as this busy week passes the half-way mark,

it's time to take a deep breath and pause for a moment . . .

"For many of us, sadly, the spirit of Christmas is "hurry".

And yet, eventually, the hour comes when the rushing ends

and the race against the calendar mercifully comes to a close.

It is only now perhaps that we truly recognize the spirit of Christmas.

It is not a matter of days or weeks, but of centuries -

nearly twenty of them now since that holy night in Bethlehem.

Regarded in this manner, the pre-Christmas rush may

do us greater service than we realize.

With all its temporal confusion,

it may just help us to see that by contrast,

Christmas itself is eternal."

Burton Hills

Quiltdivajulie

Challenge for the New Year

2011-12-19T05:00:00.018-06:00

A week or so ago, one of our town's oldest

family-owned high-end furniture stores completed their downsizing.

They moved many (!) of their sample books to the new location,

but there was a HUGE pile of trim and fabric sample books destined for the dumpster.

I rescued a car-load and brought them home.

(DH has been such a good sport about all this . . . )

As you can see, DH and I have removed the pieces from their books.

(great project while watching television)

Now ~ for the challenge part.

There are a LOT of inventive, artistic, creative people out there in blogland,

and I would be delighted to share some of this bounty with you.

(feel free to share with your altered-arty and scrap booking friends)

Most of these trims were priced at $15/yard up to $300/yard ~

the threads are silky and lustrous.

(perhaps taken apart and mixed with Angelina fibers?)

And turning this into a swap sounds like fun ~

I'll mail you a squishie full of trims

(and fabric - see below)

and you mail me a squishie of batik, Kaffe and/or blender fabrics ~

strings, squares over 2.5", etc.

(no selvages, solids or novelty fabrics, please)

This photo shows the back side of several pieces.

All of the trims had been glued into their books ~ most pulled free with no paper.

(although there are a few like the ones above)

Most of the trims do have some glue residue on the back side ~

but, depending on how you use them, this should not be a problem.

There is also this large batch (maybe 20 or so pages like the ones shown above).

We removed the plastic coverings, but left these trims on their paper backing.

* * *

Along with the trim sample books,

I rescued 15 or so fabric sample books.

(cottons and silks along with some gorgeous linen/wool/rayon blend pieces)

DH used his band saw and cut the headers/covers off the books,

so the fabrics are now loose and easily accessible.

taken before laundering

I trimmed and stitched this group of Laura Ashley cottons

so I could toss it in the washer/dryer to see how the fabric behaves.

(it did fine, a bit wrinkled but then the quilting is pretty far apart)

* * *

So, if you would like to play along,

please leave me a comment that includes your e-mail address.

Once I see how many are interested,

I'll figure out how many ways the bounty can be divided

and still have enough variety to be useful.

* * *

I've made several gift tags already.

I also have some greeting card ideas.

(birthday or anniversary or just because)

For you postcard makers, there are lots of interesting textures . . .

There are also a few Priority Quilt ideas forming.

* * *

What ideas do you see?

Table runners? Pillows?

Table toppers? Mug rugs?

Tote bags? Purses? Patchwork vests?

C'mon ~ let's see what we can create!

Note added 12/31/11:

The fabrics and trims have now gone to

Pennsylvania, Washington (state), Alabama,

California and New Mexico.

THIS CHALLENGE IS NOW CLOSED.

Quiltdivajulie

Weekend Glimpses

2011-12-16T17:32:00.000-06:00

Santa (ca. 1950s) and a new piece of raku pottery . . .

Bell made by DH's grandmother and a spalted oak vase made by DH . . .

Needlepoint bell pull made by yours truly (ca. 1970s) . . .

Nutcrackers from my mother, Germany, England, and elsewhere

along with the white C9 bulbs rescued when we switched to LED lights . . .

Dining room chandelier with personalized ornaments from

our days near Frankenmuth, MI (and Bronners) . . .

Vintage and reproduction ornaments on the sunroom tree . . .

* * *

This is a season full of mystery, magic & memories . . .

Quiltdivajulie

Introducing . . . Afterglow

2011-12-15T11:10:00.000-06:00

Over the long Thanksgiving weekend,

I taught our younger son how to use my rotary cutter.

He had a blast cutting random strings and strips from

the pile of scrap fabric Chris gifted to me.

(from her Borealis quilt named Free Spirit)

I've finally spent time stitching some of those strings and strips together

and cutting the first few segments for my longtime bucket-listed

Marston-Moran-inspired Liberated Wedding Ring quilt.

Here are the four quarter blocks that form Block No. 1!

And then, there were three blocks . . .

* * *

I've named my quilt-to-be Afterglow.

Photo by sudarshan vijayaraghavan

The photo above explains why . . .

(taken at Adyar creek, Chennai, India)

If you're curious, you can read a more scientific explanation here.

* * *

Once Free Spirit and Afterglow are finished

(sometime next year)

Chris and I want to photograph our two quilts together.

In the meantime,

I LOVE playing with these colors!!

Quiltdivajulie

-------------------------------

“The sky broke like an egg into full sunset and the water caught fire.”

(Pamela Hansford Johnson)

Advent Quilt - the back

2011-12-13T05:00:00.036-06:00

As I worked on the front of my Advent Quilt,

I stitched the randomly scrappy ends and cut offs together.

Later, these segments were trimmed to 2.5" or 6" widths,

(except for the one column that was trimmed to 8")

then sewn together end to end and mixed with leftover yardage.

(cut into 6" WOF strips)

Once I had the columns arranged the way I liked them,

I started stitching them together.

I stitched and pressed & stitched and pressed & stitched and pressed . . .

And then there was a 74" x 74" flimsy for the back side of the quilt!

(the light outdoors was cold and thin ~ hence the odd color tone)

I do love reversible quilts with scrappy pieced backs!

And I love the challenge of using my leftovers

so they don't go back into the stash.

(or the trash)

* * *

Next year, when I pull out the boxes to decorate for Christmas,

I'll have a wonderful table topper for our kitchen.

And at least one or two throw pillows

(or maybe a small table runner)

made from the excess backing that will

be trimmed after Chris finishes quilting!

* * *

Be back in a few days . . .

Quiltdivajulie

A Happy Ending

2011-12-12T05:00:00.006-06:00

Back in September DH created a bottle tree for my birthday.

With help from one of our neighbors and their wine-drinking friends in Ohio,

we recently finished filling the tree with glass bottles.

(the lone red bottle came from Pier One)

Then the three-day monsoon arrived.

We were surprised that only three of the bottles shattered

when the tree came down.

Now, thanks to those ever-useful engineering skills of DH,

my bottle tree has been repaired, enhanced, and restored!

(and the new little bottle bush was an unexpected extra)

Even with some of the mucky mulch still stuck to the bottles,

they look so good in the sunshine!

Thank you, DH!!

* * *

Note: for those who aren't familiar with bottle trees

and their lore, please click here to mearn more.

Quiltdivajulie

It's a Flimsy!

2011-12-10T12:26:00.000-06:00

My as-yet-unnamed December kitchen table topper

has reached the flimsy stage!!

It measures 62" x 62" . . .

Now I'm off to piece together a scrappy back!

Quiltdivajulie

Laughing at Myself

2011-12-09T07:45:00.000-06:00

As I hurried to put together

my sister's White Chicken Chili recipe before heading to work,

I went to the cupboard to get my beloved crock pot.

But wait ~ where is it?

My well-worn, trusty brown and harvest gold crock pot was missing!

I searched the cupboard, the pantry, and another cupboard

before asking DH if he remembered where we put the crock pot.

He searched ~ then stopped and looked at me . . .

"It's right there ~ right where it should be ~

"We bought a new one a month or so ago . . ."

Good grief!

I wasn't looking for a shiny black and silver model.

Deep sigh . . .

You'd think that since we've kept track of DH's Snippy scissors

from one of his early childhood Christmases . . .

and a series of vintage glass ornaments from our mothers' Christmas trees,

that we would remember we had replaced our wedding-gifted Crock Pot.

Apparently not ~

So now we're laughing at ourselves because neither of us remembered

until after we'd spent 10 minutes searching.

* * * *

Mr. and Mrs. Claus - made in the late 1970s by Julie

* * * *

If you need me later today,

I'll have this book with me while

I cover my shift at the law firm's front desk.

It has been a busy and disjointed week ~

I'm craving some creative flow to smooth my rough edges this weekend.

Quiltdivajulie

Morning Moments to Savor

2011-12-08T07:24:00.000-06:00

We woke Wednesday morning to falling snow . . .

(remembering that we live in the Memphis area)

The kind that sticks and makes magic.

(and makes you wish you did not have to go to work)

Just enough to coat every branch on every tree and create a wintery wonderland . . .

* * *

This morning we have freezing fog (aka heavy frost)

with the promise of temperatures in the upper 40's.

It was beautiful while it lasted!

Quiltdivajulie

Holiday Table Topper

2011-12-07T05:00:00.001-06:00

So I pulled a few more fabrics for the

holiday table topper that is happening in my studio.

Here are the blocks on the design wall . . .

. . . and here are the blocks being assembled.

For now, this is the design wall view.

(at least this is for next year and not this month!)

Close up of just the word blocks.

(one for each week of Advent)

And, true to form, I'm just as excited about playing

with the trimmings and scraps as I am about the topper's front!

Quiltdivajulie

Alpha Palooza - The Quilt

2011-12-05T05:00:00.021-06:00

I LOVE IT ! ! !

Alpha Palooza measures 42" x 60"

Chris quilted this with free motion Baptist Fans

using a variegated thread featuring raspberry and turquoise.

This project is mostly Lynne's "fault" . . .

I was part of her Red Letter Quilt Along.

(except my letters were 25 purples & 1 turquoise)

But I can't blame it all on Lynne ~

I've wanted to make an alphabet sampler

ever since I learned to make free-pieced letters during Tonya's First Ever Online Class

(that's when I made And Sometimes Y)

and I had a whole box of 1.5" strips left after making Dumpster Diving,

one of the many legos quilts made after Tonya shared her idea with everyone.

Photo taken with late afternoon sunshine.

(and yes, that is the toe of my rainbow shoe)

You can see more photos in the Picasa Album here.

SO happy with the way it all came together!

Quiltdivajulie

Alter Ego - The Flimsy

2011-12-02T05:00:00.000-06:00

Lower left-hand corner of the flimsy

Lower right-hand corner of the flimsy

Upper right-hand corner of the flimsy

Upper left-hand corner of the flimsy

Sorry, no overall shot ~ it has been too rainy and windy (and cold) for outdoor photos!

Alter Ego, with its four different borders, and its equally scrappy back,

is neatly folded and stored on the closet shelf until after the first of the year.

(and the binding has been made and is hanging on the binding tree)

It feels really good to reach this stage!

Quiltdivajulie

Binding Underway!

2011-12-01T05:00:00.002-06:00

I am SO in love with this quilt!

Chris quilted free motion (!!) Baptist Fans

using an amazing variegated thread that includes raspberry and turquoise!

Here's a sneak peek at the binding.

(see why I was so excited about the thread color?!?)

I am so happy with the way this has all come together . . .

Thanks, Lynne for hosting the Red Letter-Along

(and thanks again (!!) to Tonya for her free pieced letters & her legoes project)

Finished photos soon!!

Quiltdivajulie

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-30T05:00:00.001-06:00

Quiltdivajulie

Ready to Add Binding!

2011-11-29T05:00:00.004-06:00

WOO HOO!!

Alpha Palooza is ready for binding!

Chris and I met up over the weekend . . .

I LOVE the free motion Baptist fans she quilted!!!

(C is for Chris, after all)

More photos soon!

Quiltdivajulie

Inspiration and Memories

2011-11-28T05:00:00.004-06:00

Thanksgiving weekend at our house also means

getting out the Christmas holiday decorations.

One of the boxes I unpacked contained

our Christmas mugs, including the one above.

(possibly my favorite due to the larger size, comfortable shape,

and the combination of b&w design with the red interior)

One thing led to another and the next thing I knew,

a new kitchen table topper had been started from fabrics in the stash.

(not for this year ~ for Christmas 2012)

This little tree will spend the next several weeks in my studio.

Like my grandmother's quilt, the tree was decorated many years ago.

Unpacking boxes offers so much more than just re-discovering the contents . . .

Quiltdivajulie

Alter Ego -- the scrappy back

2011-11-25T17:52:00.000-06:00

Piecing . . .

Pressing . . .

Arranging on the design wall . . .

Pondering additional filler . . .

* * *

Christmas trees to decorate, lights and garland to hang ~

be back soon!

Quiltdivajulie

Thanksgiving Week is Here

2011-11-21T06:00:00.006-06:00

Postcard ca. 1960s

Thanksgiving week is upon us . . .

Click here to explore the documented history of this annual tradition

(and, for those who don't know, click here to read about my connection to that history)

Despite the very real issues of today,

we have so much to be thankful for . . .

* * *

Blessings and happy holiday wishes to each of you . . .

Quiltdivajulie

----------------------------------

p.s. Check out four of my quilts listed on the Quilts For Sale page at AAQI

Making Waves

All Buttoned Up

Sapphire Mornings

Yin Yang

And remember - funds go to Alzheimer's research grants

Results of Field Trip . . .

2011-11-20T05:00:00.002-06:00

I needed just a little more fabric in the mix

for the upcoming liberated wedding ring project.

How better to gauge prospective color relationships

than to snap a photo before going to the warehouse sale?!?!?

(If you supersize the photos, you will be able to see the phone photos more clearly.)

Also needed more of the black and white background

plus something else with a "kick" for the scrappy back of Alter Ego.

(Wait 'til you see how AE has evolved! Serendipity is hard at work!)

These are for my next free-pieced project . . .

the fabric on the right will be the backing

(the cows will make sense ~ plus they really are very fun).

Oh, and I'm happy to report that using the phone photos this way works well ~

these new fabrics are playing very nicely with those in the stash!

Quiltdivajulie

Field Trip!

2011-11-19T08:04:00.000-06:00

WAREHOUSE DAY SALE

THIS SATURDAY

November 19, 2011

9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Delta Patchwork Warehouse

460 Distribution Parkway

Collierville, TN 38017

The Joy of Re-Discovery

2011-11-18T09:00:00.001-06:00

How is it that we lose ourselves every so often?
(at least temporarily)

Where do we go when the world gets so busy around us

and our minds are preoccupied by the needs of others, test results,

appointments, project deadlines, errands, and the never-ending to-do lists?

Detail from JCCFS class collage project

I don’t pretend to have "the answer" ~

I’m just delighted to find myself mostly back in the groove again.

* * *

Maybe it is because I’m only one last appointment away

from the end of this long month of annual medical mayhem and madness . . .

Maybe it was the rainbow shoes . . .

Maybe it is because I pulled out my copy of Freddy’s House

and actually read the words instead of just inhaling the pictures . . .

Maybe it was because of thoughts in the article written by Ricky Tims

in the December issue of The Quilt Life ~

". . . so much has been made about getting out of the box that we have been
led to believe that great things only happen outside of our comfort zone.
However, being in a box and being in a rut are completely different things...
the "box" is our comfort zone and it provides the foundation
from which we can grow and expand . . . "

Maybe it is because I pulled out my copies of Gwen’s and Freddy’s

Collaborative Quilting volumes 1 and 2 and spent several hours reading

(and inhaling the colors in the photographs) . . .

Maybe it is because I finished my letter sampler
(Chris is quilting Alpha Palooza with free motion baptist fans!!!!)

and I'm actively planning for my next free-pieced project

(as part of Lynne’s wonky house-a-long) . . .

Maybe it is because I quit waffling and made some PIF decisions in the studio

(incoming and outgoing) . . .

For the scrappy-pieced back of Alter Ego

Maybe it is because Alter Ego is well underway and gloriously scrappy . . .

Maybe it is because Chris passed along those glorious batik leftovers

and I’ve begun work on my bucket list Liberated Wedding Ring quilt . . .
(thank you, DH, for making my acrylic template!)

Maybe it is just because it is time . . .

* * *

I’m not sure I’ll ever know the “real” reason

and honestly, in the end, that part really doesn’t matter . . .

I’m just so grateful and happy to feel colorfully-centered once again!

Quiltdivajulie

Quick Public Service Announcement

2011-11-17T15:39:00.000-06:00

If you dislike the new Lightbox feature,

(the one that displays your photos in a non-enlargeable format)

here's how to disable that "feature" . . .

1. Log into your blog via your Dashboard

2. Click on Settings

3. Select the Formatting tab

4. Scroll down and look for 'Showcase Images with Lightbox'

5. Select "NO"

6. Save settings

Woo Hoo ...

No more Lightbox!

Quiltdivajulie

Brain Cramp

2011-11-17T05:00:00.041-06:00

Working on point gives me a headache . . .

There's no good reason except that my brain just doesn't want to go that way.

(It doesn't help that I've spent the past week or so at work

adapting to a new computer with a new operating system and ALL new software)

But ~ I am determined to do this!!!

I really want a column of floating four patches in the scrappy back of Alter Ego.

I've got my Collaborative Quilting books open, and I'm following the diagrams . . .

(except, of course, my four patches are a different size than those in the book)

Next, I'm going to try to chain piece a few segments.

(without getting things turned around the wrong way)

Stay tuned!

Quiltdivajulie

What's For Dinner?

2011-11-16T05:00:00.001-06:00

Pizza on a quilting blog?!?

Yes!

Eldest son loves to cook . . .

This past weekend, he hosted one of his infamous pizza parties

and, lucky us, he brought the leftovers to our house last night and fixed dinner.

(Younger son, Elder son, and yours truly ~ so sorry, DH and DDIL)

Shown above:

Homemade grilled pizza crust topped with

roasted butternut squash (with roasted garlic),

goat cheese + parmesan cheese roux infused with fresh sage,

(these are his descriptions, not mine)

pulled/chopped turkey breast,

all topped with more fresh sage,

salt & pepper (freshly ground, of course),

and drizzled with olive oil.

As you can see, he brought lots of containers with him!

Here's his fabulous "fall" pizza hot off the grill . . .

Can you smell it? It was delicious!

While we devoured the fall-flavor pizza, the second pizza was cooking on the grill.

Shown above (baked):

Roasted sweet potato, sweet Italian sausage with leeks,

shredded guyere cheese & freshly grated parmesan,

all topped with salt, pepper & olive oil drizzle.

Finally, it was time for his all-time #1 best-loved pizza!

Central BBQ pulled pork over their barbeque sauce,

white and yellow cheddar cheese,

chopped red onion, more parmesan cheese, salt & pepper,

a light dusting of Rendezvous dry rub, and the final olive oil drizzle.

(For those who have never been to Memphis, barbeque is very serious business here ~

Corky's and Rendezvous and Central and the list goes on and on . . . )

Needless to say, quite a few soggy wet leaves were tracked into the kitchen

with the repeated trips back and forth to the grill.

(yes, it was a dark and stormy evening ~

I snapped this photo from inside the kitchen window)

So very, very good!!!

Quiltdivajulie

Thankful ... Thoughtful ... Terrific

2011-11-15T07:36:00.002-06:00

First ~ The screening mammo detected some new "lumpiness" . . .

but Monday's diagnostic mammo/ultrasound test results yielded an "all clear" ~ YES!!

[Have you gotten your mammogram this year? Hint. Hint.]

Second ~ I've decided to jump in and make one of my bucket list quilts

using the gorgeous leftover 'Borealis' fabrics gifted to me by Chris.

(above)

Gwen Marston's liberated wedding ring quilt

(shown here as a collaboration with Freddy Moran)

has been on my list for ages.

Now is the time!

* * *

Meanwhile, back on the design wall . . .

It always tickles me just how much 'shrinkage' appears when the 1/4" seams are stitched!

Here you can see how I pieced together all the strip set end-cuts

(these are from the pairs that form segments in the nine patch blocks).

You can also see the leftover hourglass blocks in their new arrangement.

And the leftover HSTs have become flying geese!

Gotta get Alter Ego's top stitched so I can start laying out the gloriously scrappy back!

Be back soon!

Quiltdivajulie

Alter Ego (my namesake quilt)

2011-11-13T11:19:00.000-06:00

One of the final four blocks . . .

(Mixing up the four outer corners added fun to the process)

Another of the final four blocks . . .

(the inner black and white remains constant throughout)

Third of final four . . .

(there are at least 15 different black and whites in the outer position)

The last block!

Woo Hoo!!

photos will supersize if double clicked

Blocks created using Bonnie Hunter's Chunky Churn Dash.

I tried scattering the colors randomly,

but ended up devising my own rhythmic repeat.

Can you find it?

I cut enough to make a BIG quilt

(Bonnie doesn't make small quilts)

knowing that I would have lots of extra pieces for . . . a SCRAPPY BACK.

I've already stitched the leftover hourglass block pieces into HSTs ...

lots (!) more fun to come as the back evolves!

This one is going to be really wonderful once it is off the design wall

when it wil not be so perfectly flat.

Still need to add the inner stop border and the outer borders . . .

And I found the perfect binding fabric hiding in my stash!

LOTS more stitching ahead!

Quiltdivajulie

National Corduroy Day 111111

2011-11-11T06:00:00.011-06:00

In the very early 1970's

I used a cardboard template traced from one of my grandmother's books

to cut these scrappy pieces from fabrics in my mother's stash

(she made clothing, not quilts).

Printed velveteen, cotton lawn, eyelet, dotted swiss, seersucker,

stripes, plaids, wovens, polyester gabardine, florals, solids, and . . .

CORDUROY!

The queen size yarn-tied, poly-filled comforter was used for many years,

first at our house and later at my mother's.

* * *

Fast forward to 2007 . . .

I gently unstitched my dresden plates from the tired muslin backing,

followed Janet Berlo's advice to "smash those plates"

(by cutting each circle into quarters)

and hand-appliqued the quarters onto blue splatter-paint background squares.

Designed and created by Julie Sefton
Quilted by Chris Ballard

In August 2008, Thirty Years Later

was juried into the Nashville AQS show!

Look closely at the second ring . . .

do you see the corduroy?

My mother made me a jumper from that red/brown plaid corduroy . . .

I'm pretty sure she made a jumper for my sister from the red . . .

I still love the gray gingham corduroy . . .

. . . and I had a skirt made from the navy blue wales.

* * *

And so, in honor of National Corduroy Day 111111,

here's a current photo of Thirty Years Later.

* * *

To see lots more corduroy quilts, please visit Nifty's blog.

Quiltdivajulie

Thankful Thursday

2011-11-10T05:00:00.004-06:00

I am so thankful for color . . .

. . . and for friends, like Chris,

who share their gloriously scrappy leftovers . . .

. . . and for each of the talented quilters/bloggers/mentors/online friends

who shared their work for my White Coat Project . . .

The coat won the "Clothing" category at last weekend's local quilt show!

Quiltdivajulie

New Project

2011-11-08T15:44:00.000-06:00

I've had a jelly roll of Quilt Diva fabrics for ages . . .

Now, a decision has been made

and the pieces are cut & ready to stitch . . .

Stay tuned!

Quiltdivajulie

Quilt Show Photos

2011-11-06T19:05:00.004-06:00

Chris (above) and I met at the local quilt show Sunday afternoon.

(That's Saturation Infatuation on the left and Color Bridge on the right ~

two of the quilts Chris had at Davies)

(photos should supersize if clicked twice)

That's me with Dumpster Diving . . .

and me again with Gotta Love It

(which, sadly, was hung so only one side showed).

Here is a photo of Border Town with Gotta Love It in the background.

What fun to see the quilts in this kind of setting!

* * *

I have no idea which quilts will earn Viewer's Choice ribbons

because there were still a few hours left for visitors to vote

at the point that I headed off to the grocery store.

We go back to pick up our quilts on Wednesday.

You can see some of the other photos that I took (with captions) in my Picasa album.

Enjoy!

Quiltdivajulie

Annual Quilt Show Anticipation

2011-11-03T05:00:00.001-05:00

I delivered my quilts to the registration desk

during a longer than usual lunch hour excursion.

(This is the one local show in which I participate each year)

Waiting for the Mail, Plaid Happens,

Gotta Love It, Border Town,

and the White Coat

will all be there.

This is an open event with no judging,

but visitors are encouraged to vote for their favorites in each cateogry.

(. . . hence the "Viewer's Choice Award" ribbons)

This gazebo is just outside the main entrance to Hillwood.

I love how the vines were trained to grow and cover the canopy!

One of the outbuildings at Davies Manor.

Davies Manor Plantation is one of the oldest in Shelby County.

During the weekend event,

the older quilts will be displayed at the manor house

(in most appropriate surroundings)

while the 200 or so newer quilts

will be showcased at Hillwood.

If you are in the Memphis area this weekend,

hope you'll stop by!

Quiltdivajulie

Alpha Palooza - Revising the Flimsy

2011-11-02T05:00:00.002-05:00

The unstitching process hasn't been as difficult as I feared . . .

However, getting a decent photo of this background fabric is a challenge!

The background, in real life,

is very warm and inviting.

In these photos, it looks a bit flat and boring.

While I unstitch the final two rows of letter blocks,

I will be pondering what to do about the border corners.

I don't have enough of the background to piece four blocks,

and there are not enough of the surrounding scraps to make blocks.

Maybe I'll just add the side border the way it is in the photo.

Hmmmmmm . . .

Quiltdivajulie

Why Is It ???

2011-10-31T05:00:00.004-05:00

Why is it that so many bloggers are questioning

whether to continue on or to close down their blogs?

I think I understand the dilemma
because I'm dealing with it, too.

Not enough hours in the day and not enough energy to do it all.

But who says we have to do it all?

I started blogging 1,000 or so posts ago

because I wanted a way to focus on the good things

(there was a lot of bad stuff to deal with back then).

I do not belong to a local quilt guild

and I really don't even visit the local quilt shops that often,

so I don't have much contact with other people who play with fabric.

That means ya'll are my quilting companions ...

mentors, online friends, and kindred spirits who understand the power of color,

who share the need to cut up fabric and put it back together again,

who "get" the joy of being inspired by what someone else is doing,

and who know the satisfaction of creating something with your own hands

and seeing it used and appreciated (which is why we do what we do, isn't it?)

The inner over-achiever in me says "you need to post every day"

but reality says "let go of that perfectionist thinking" and

"post when you have something to say or share."

* * *

One of my goals over the past couple of years

has been to talk less and listen more.

Some days I do pretty well - others, not so well.

Blogging allows me to listen and share in your lives

(accomplishments, fears, concerns, joys - whatever you share)

and I like that a lot.

Some days are so busy that I don't have time to leave comments,

(even though I'd like to)

and sometimes Blogger just flat refuses to LET me leave a comment

(which is NOT nice).

For those of us who avoid Facebook, Twitter, etc.,

blogging IS our way of staying connected

with this amazing community of creative people.

* * *

So, please, know that I do care that you took time to post

and that I hope you keep on posting as your time and energy permit.

I value what you do.

I plan to keep posting here when there is something worth sharing

and I will definitely keep reading your posts.

Maybe I'll even be able to leave more comments instead of just breezing through . . .

Quiltdivajulie

Post 1001

2011-10-29T14:07:00.000-05:00

OH MY GOSH!!!!!

I am SOOOOOOOOO happy!

Check out these shoes!

I, like lots of others, have problem feet,

so cute shoes have been totally out of my life for almost 25 years.

DH needed new shoes,

so we stopped at the New Balance store this morning . . .

and LOOK WHAT I FOUND!!!!!

They fit!

They support my feet!

They don't squash my temperamental toes!

And, did I mention ~

THE COLORS ARE TOTALLY AWESOME!!!!!

The shoes come with neon green laces.

I changed to orange for Halloween.

After Monday, I'll use the "more conservative" pink ones.

I already have "Tiger Blue" laces for basketball game days.

(And I'll be on the lookout for purple ones)

Oh, and you can't really tell in the photos,

but there are holographic sparkles embedded in the teal toes!

I LOVE THESE SHOES!!!!!!!

* * *

DH is just shaking his head . . .

Quiltdivajulie

Dumpster Diving - Revealed

2011-10-28T05:00:00.007-05:00

I LOVE THIS QUILT!!!

The black and white that I had planned to use for the binding was set aside.

This red plaid sings!!

I took the quilt to work earlier this week . . .

"it reminds me of the scrappy quilts my grandmother made"

"I love how crinkled it is and how soft it feels"

"I think the back is the bomb"

Chris did more of her amazing free motion quilting.

It's perfect!

Here is the front of the quilt.

(measures 48" x 60")

This is the back . . .

(Wild Garden ~ Pollen fabric)

Thank you, Tonya!

I am SO glad you shared your idea with all of us!!

Quiltdivajulie

Not So Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-26T05:00:00.002-05:00

The blocks are done!!

Yippee! Yahoo!!

However, it may be a while before you see the flimsy . . .

Why?

Well . . . I stitched the blocks together, but I'm going to unstitch them again.

Why?

They need more room to breathe.

Losing all those 1/4" seam allowances squashed everything too close together.

Besides, I want to turn this into a lap quilt instead of a wall hanging.

Glad I have a nice new seam ripper!

Quiltdivajulie

What a Compliment!

2011-10-25T05:00:00.001-05:00

Sunny Day is now hanging at one of my co-worker's desks!

How cool is that ?!?!?!

She has my old work station

(where I was before the office expanded and I was moved to the new wing).

I had Catherine's Quilt on the wall back then.

And for a while, Rabbit Hole (aka Light Therapy)

kept me company during the work day.

I hung Impact Zone near my new desk earlier this year,

which meant that Dave and Friends was taken down.

My co-worker asked if she could hang Dave and Friends at her desk.

Of course!

Now she's re-arranging and asked if she could hang a different quilt.

She chose Sunny Day . . .

* * *

I love how people smile when they walk by!

Quiltdivajulie

River Arts Fest 2011

2011-10-24T05:00:00.001-05:00

We drove downtown (30 minutes) Saturday afternoon

to see what this festival was all about.

We'd heard good things and we were not disappointed!

South Main Street was closed for blocks and blocks

with vendors set up on both sides of the street.

Most of the galleries and other coffee shop-type businesses were also open.

Estimates for attendance over the two days are in the 100,000 range.

Every so often, we had to step to the curb to allow one of the trolleys to pass.

It was a beautiful late-autumn afternoon

(temps in the high 70s).

I love photos like this ~

the contrast, the brick designs, just everything.

That's part of the trolley stop on the right.

The art district has a wonderful vibe

(as shown by the colorful window frames).

Love the side of this building!

* * *

Out of respect for the artists, I am not sharing any of the photos

they graciously allowed me to take of their work.

I was amazed at the power of my simple question

"May I take a photo of your piece?"

At one point, several of us ended up in the middle of the street

discussing inspiration and plagiarism in the art world.

My favorite addition to this kind of conversation is

"How to Steal Like An Artist" ...

If you've never taken time to read through Austin's website,

I strongly encourage you to click over and spend a few minutes.

He has added a series of related quotations and a video

of him presenting on The Economist's stage.

And of course, there were food vendors.

The colors in this sign just begged to be photographed!

* * *

Suffice it to say that we will definitely go again next year!

SO much inspiration . . .

Quiltdivajulie

Love this billboard!

2011-10-22T20:32:00.000-05:00

Photographed earlier today near downtown Memphis.

Kermit has been a member of our family for over 30 years.

DH and I even visited his birthplace in Mississippi a few years ago.

Here's more on the story behind the billboard.

SO much to share from today.

Be back soon!

Quiltdivajulie

Pink No More

2011-10-21T05:00:00.002-05:00

I know many of you have wondered about

the rescued dresdens project . . .

I'm happy to report that real progress has been achieved!

Here is the quilt that Wanda made for her daughter

during the 1970s.

(shown spread out on our driveway in June of this year)

This was the first layout ...

which didn't last too long.

DH likes this background a whole lot better,

and so do I!

I'll machine applique the 24 segments

to their background squares,

then assemble the squares.

The final 4 segments

(shown in first photo above)

will be pieced onto the back.

The floral fabric in the first photo will used for borders . . .

and then the two sets of leftovers

will be pieced together for the back.

* * *

I've named this quilt-to-be Ongoing Conversation.

It feels soooooo good to reach this point in the process!!

Quiltdivajulie

Happiness Is . . .

2011-10-20T05:00:00.004-05:00

Having Dumpster Diving back at home

now that Chris has finished quilting . . .

(taming and binding ahead!)

and

. . . this wonderful pin from Chris!

Quiltdivajulie

Sedici - the flimsy

2011-10-19T05:00:00.001-05:00

At long last, this project is a flimsy!!

(48" x 60")

I've named it Sedici

(that's Italian for sixteen).

Even though at first glance,

the first two photos look alike,

the flimsy was turned end-for-end.

(I love palindromic quilts)

Of course, now that the flimsy is done,

it was time to pull fabrics for the back . . .

One day soon, these 12.5" squares

will be stitched together

and Sedici will be ready for quilting.

WOO HOO!!

Quiltdivajulie

Eye Candy

2011-10-18T09:44:00.000-05:00

While I regret that so many catalogs end up in the landfill,

I confess that I do love finding one like this in the mailbox!

Incredible designs . . .

Beautiful colors . . .

Makes me want to run

straight to my studio!

Quiltdivajulie

Crisis Averted

2011-10-17T05:00:00.003-05:00

So, the layer cake purchase has been pondered to death.

It was time to make a decision ~

right, wrong, or indifferent.

Now that I'm feeling much better,

a decision has been made.

The 10" squares were cut into strips

which were sewn together end to end.

Those strips were mixed with strips from my stash

to create 9 strips sets.

I also cut a lot of 7" squares from the tossed letter

linen-looking fabric ~

then lopped those in half.

Each strip set was laid on the cutting table,

right side up.

Triangles were laid wrong side up

along the length of the strip set.

As you can see, each strip set yielded 7-8 pairs.

Matched pairs after trimming . . .

Flipped over so you can see the strip set side.

Here are the first seven blocks,

all from one strip set.

Here are the first 18 blocks on the design wall

(two each from the 9 strip sets).

Each block is 6.75" at this point.

A final layout has not been chosen ~

as I make more blocks, I plan to play around

with the many options this block offers.

* * *

Crisis averted!

(which may very well become the name of this quilt)

Quiltdivajulie

Pieces of Progress

2011-10-13T15:47:00.000-05:00

So . . .

the next letter for my alphabet sampler

should have been "m" . . .

On my first night back in the studio,

all I could muster was the "o" above.

Elsewhere in the studio,

the first six shirts have been deconstructed.

(much easier using the cutting table and rotary cutter)

* * *

Now, I know several (!) of you

have expressed concern about

some of the colors shown here recently ~

Hopefully these next two photos will reassure you

that I'm fine and have not entirely lost my way.

Here is an inspiration photo

from Gwen Marston's Liberated Quilting book

for the stash-enhanced Moda-based assortment.

No cutting has happened yet ~

I'm feeling a little better each day now

(darn cold)

so hopefully something will happen soon.

And here is a peek

at one way to re-purpose the quartered Dresdens . . .

again inspired by one of Gwen Marston's re-cut block quilts.

* * *

Nothing is set in stone,

but the fragmentary ideas

are beginning to come together.

* * *

See ya'll again early next week . . .

Quiltdivajulie

Happy Dance

2011-10-12T11:24:00.000-05:00

Recent CT results are in . . .

NO changes

This was the fourth 3-month follow-up

to monitor the "spot" on my liver.

Next visit will be in six months.

(instead of three)

Yes, I'm doing the happy dance!

Quiltdivajulie

Status Check

2011-10-10T05:00:00.000-05:00

Here's a photo of the 16-patch project.

No stitching since before the cold took me down.

Can you find the liberated blocks?

The last night that I did stitch,

I was so pleased to finish the last 6 blocks

with the long-suffering HSTs . . .

only to discover I assembled the blocks

the opposite way from all the others!

They are not going to be un-stitched again.

A quick photo of gathered fabrics

for a design-yet-to-be-decided upon quilt.

And a few stitches at a time,

I'm slowly liberating the dresden quarters

from Wanda's long-ago quilt for her daughter.

Only two more quarter-blocks to unstitch

and then the layout process can begin.

I have several sketches to work from ~

and my guess is the final quilt

will not look like any of them!

* * *

You may not hear from me for a day or two . . .

the worst of the cold has passed

(thanks for the kind get-well wishes),

but my energy level is still very low.

See you soon!

Quiltdivajulie