A DAY WITH AMI-updated

I took a class with Ami Simms called 'Invisible Applique". It was a fun class. I learned a new technique. I don't know if this is the kind of applique for me, but it was fun AND invisible! It definately has possibilities.
I got a closeup look at her quilt St. Basil's Cathedral. http://www.mallerypress.com/stbascat.html It is amazingly beautiful up close.. wonderful hand embroidery embellishes parts of the buildings. These Russian buildings are awesome, and Ami did a great job converting the images to fabric.
I have been doing needleturn applique forever, and I am comfortable with it. I have figured out what works best for me, and although I am always open for new ideas, I think for the most part it is a personal choice. Ami's method does almost completely hide stitches. It is essentially a 'ladder stitch' . I just don't know if I would be up to the challenge of marking all of the applique pieces AND the fabric it is to be appliqued to. We also learned a way to use this method to do hand piecing. You sew from the front of the piece and not the back, the way that it is traditionally done. I would be really hard put to ever piece by hand.. but if I ever had to this is the way I would do it.
I have to wait at least a week for my new glasses, in the meantime this ...
















Is what I have to put up with. I don't mean to seem ungrateful, I am glad that Bill was able to wire them up, or I really would be in a fix. But if I don't get them on just right, or I put on earmuffs that squeeze myhead too tight... they go all cockeyed, and I can't see right. To get replacements, and a spare, it cost $575.00! I was talking to my co-worker and she was expounding on her great vision insurance.. turns out we have the same kind. The difference is, she only get's the 'free' glasses covered under her plan, and I want what I want. She only uses bifocals at work, and to read. She is farsighted. I am near sighted and I need them to read. I have to wear mine all of the time, and she doesn't. I have worn glasses nearly all of my life. I went through too many years looking like a dork.. I want decent looking glasses now. I certainly don't have anything else going for me in the appearance department.. I don't need big clunky bifocals with a line! My last 2 pairs have had a frame on the top and framless on the bottom of the lense. My new pair are frameless. The spare is like my old pair only dark purple/green. Both will have progressive lenses. I have wanted the frameless for a long time, but I like these spring clip sunglasses which can't be worn with them. So it was either get bifocal sunglasses, or a pair that I could use the sunglasses. Last time, I got a pair of single vision sunglasses. I couldn't see a thing. Once your eyes are trained to look through a progressive lense, I guess that I can't go back to a single vision. (I couldn't anyway.)

Good news.. the big snow storm is passing way south of us!! yay...

My favorite guild is tonight. I am doing the program. Since I am the program director.. I can do what I want. Actually, it is our Christmas party and I have been trying to do a member led program when we have a party. The other time is in August. This means, everyone gets into the program if they want. Tonight is themed.. "Confessions of a notions junkie". We will leave the book and office supply problems for another meeting....