WEDNESDAY---ALMOST

I always have multiple works in progress. But today I think I will show you a couple of things that I got that are very helpful .

First, while waiting for my local shop to get in 7" bamboo dpn's so I can finish a sock, I started another sock with different yarn and different needles. I only have one small project tote which is actually a mesh bag I got from Barnes and Noble. I think it is meant to tote a paperback book. I wanted something else, something smaller. This is what I found. It is actually a pop up trash bin for your car. When not in use, it collapses into a little flat circle that is secured by the loop that wraps around it when not in use, and serves as a carry strap when you are using it. It is the perfect size for sock yarn and everything you would need for one pair of socks. It is about 8" tall, and 5" across. I got mine in the automotive dept. of Walmart, and it cost $3.89.

The next thing I got was courtesy of another blog. I can't remember which one.. sorry. She was making postcards and was using a 4x6 postcard ruler, which, luckily had all of the information on it that I needed to order it. Instead of getting one and having to pay postage, I ordered ten, and will sell them to the ladies in my guild if they want them.
My husband met a local media personality named Bob Becker. He used to have a radio program that I listened to. I kind of lost track of what he is doing now. Anyway, my husband must have been talking about my quilting to him, and Mr. Becker mentioned that he and his wife had produced a TV show about quilting several years ago, and he would send me a DVD. I will admit.. I thought it would be silly and not useful to me even though the thought was nice. Boy, was I WRONG. It is called "Unraveling the Stories- Quilts as a Reflection of our Lives". It dealt primarily with Ohio Quilt History, and had interviews with many people that I know. Ricky Clark, and Virginia Gunn, quilt historians, Susan Shie, Nancy Crow, many other quiltmakers I guess I should know.. but I can't place. It was a video that showed different aspects of quiltmaking and what it means to make a quilt. One woman while holding a quilt that her grandmother made, expressed what it meant to her to hold a quilt that her grandmother's hands had touched. I just think that is cool.. Thanks Mr. Becker!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATTHEW!!

This wasn't the best quilt I have made, but it held my greatest work of art. This is Matthew at a few days old. He weighed 11 pounds when he was born 24 years ago!
I could take a picture of him today, and he would probably be in a similar position.
I spent all day yesterday sitting around waiting for Fed Ex to deliver my quilts and the quilts that I babysit for my friend Birgit. They were coming from the Road to California show, and I had to sign for them. I was on the phone with my friend Gail who won the judges recognition award with her quilt November Fields. Her quilt was delivered about 9 am, (10 my time). When a Fed Ex truck drove by my house at noon I thought they would be here soon. They came at 6pm. Oh well, now I am going to be running all over today catching up.

I hope that you all have a great weekend!!

YOU MAY...

Happy Friday everyone!! I am so glad that the weekend is here. I went and stitched with my "Twisted Stitcher" group today. Sometimes getting together with them once a month is not enough. We had a good time as always.

I have had an interesting couple of days. My newest miniature quilt GRACE
was juried in to the Road to California show. Last year I had a quilt get first place in the show, and they called and told me. I didn't get a call this year, and it was backed up by a picture of my quilt at the show without a ribbon. I must admit, I was bummed. I worked long and hard on this quilt, and even though I know that I can't always expect to win, I thought someone would at least recognize the work.. I mean, it wasn't that bad.. So I stupidly spent the day re-evaluating what I was doing. I already only make things that I like. I don't make quilts that I think judges will like.. I decided that I was more disappointed in my reaction than I was disappointed in the fact that I didn't get a prize. I tried to make up for it by lavishing e-cards on my friend Gail Stepanek that won a big prize with her quilt NOVEMBER FIELDS and giving myself an attitude adustment. I had moved on and got over it.. Then this morining I awoke to a barrage of emails proclaiming that when a friend went back for a second look at my quilt there was a big BLUE RIBBON hanging on it!

So I am really happy. I learned a great lesson from this whole experience. I never thought I would win. But I was actually thinking of changing my plans for future quilts because I thought Judges didn't like GRACE. That is really dumb, and you would think I would know better.

WHAT KIND OF QUILTER AM I?

I'm supposed to be on quilt blog rings. But I have posted nothing but knitted stuff lately. This week is no different. I learned a lot with those last socks. I don't like them. The yarn is really stretchy.. and whenever I put them on, the short cuff( first mistake) stretches out and then the socks want to slide down. They wash up well, but still stretch.

I am working on a new pair.

It is a pattern from Mountain Colors (Hand painted Yarn) Called Diana's Trail socks. These look like my favorite pair of socks (Thorlo's) they have a little give in the toe and heel, and are tighter in the instep. They have a rolled cuff.

The color of the pic does not do the yarn justice. It is a kind of hot pink, purple, orange,red merino superwash wool. What I have finished is all but about 1/2" of the cuff. To the left is the wrong side of the outer cuff and to the right is the under cuff. I'll let you know how it turns out. I cast on 64 stitches and have decreased to 60. Just about the same as the other socks. I am hoping that the difference in the yarn will be a good thing as far as the outcome of the sock. I also hope that this folded cuff works better at keeping my socks up, than a short cuff did. From now on, I will just knit a regular long cuff and push them down.

Now for quilting stuff. Nothing to show. I re-drafted my new quilt, and I am going to have to re-make another compass. The next one will be a 64 point compass in a 12" block size. I decided to do all of my blocks at 6" so that the quilt will be a wall size. That meant having to back down the size of the center compass. Dont' worry, I'll find something to do with it.

I got my new Quilting Arts today. I guess I will go upstairs and read it. Have a great Wednesday!

I FOUND MY SEWING MACHINE!

I'm coming right along with my big clean up. At least I can see my sewing machine now. I still have a way to go.

When I am working on a quilt, I write a journal and write ideas and insights that I come across while making the quilt. My hope is when I am working on a quilt, I will also be learning something.. usually by my mistakes. I found my journal, which has Laurel Burch Cats on the cover. I know, I can't believe it either. Anyway, I thought it was only a couple of months since I have worked on a quilt.. I found that September 20th was when I finished the mariner's compass that will be in the center of my new quilt.

Pretty bad. I think I was uninspired with the whole design. This quilt will be the third in a series of sorts. I think I made it to look too much like the first quilt in the series.

Anyway, I came across my journal, read some of the things I had written pertaining to my ideas on this design. Then I went into EQ6 and did some fiddling around with the layout of what I already had. I came up with a better idea. I hope. I always try to have a working idea, and then 'tweek' it as I go along. The strength of this design will depend on how well I do my planned gradiations.. we'll see I guess.

So, who knows? Maybe I'm on a roll again. I have to find my patterns. I re-drafted some EQ6 patterns, adding my own elements. Does this make it my block? What pile are the patterns under? Stay tuned....

I'M IT!

THE ABC'S OF MY QUILTING STYLE

The A-B-Cs of My Quilting Style
Debra tagged all of us!

A- Artist? There are a few quilt artists whose work I admire. Caryl Bryer Fallert, and Diane Gaudynski top my list. And the up and coming Gail Stepanek of course!
B- Best Blogging Buddies? I will admit that I read a lot of blogs. And I have many internet buddies.. some arent bloggers.
C- Crazy or Sane Quilting? If talking about the actual quilting, I have done both. I like quilting with lots of wild threads and patterns, and I like quilting like Diane Gaudynski does reserved and plentiful. I guess it all depends on the quilt.
D- Dyeing or Stamping? Dyeing
E- Essential Item? there are a lot of things I wouldn't want to live without. Rotary cutter is one.. and sewing machine is the other. Wouldn't want to make and cut from templates, and I wouldn't want to piece by hand.
F- Favorite Fabrics? I like batiks and hand dyes. I am leaning more towards hand dye solids these days. Commercial brand favorite is Moda
G- Great Quilt Design? My favorite block pattern is New York Beauty I like a traditional or contemporary setting. I'm partial to Mariner's compasses too.
H- Hand or Machine Quilt? I mostly machine quilt now
I- Indispensable Notion? considering I am a notions junkie, that is a hard question. I need my big handled clover seam ripper
J- Janome or Bernina? Neither. I'm a Pfaff girl
K- Kits or Original Designs? I used to buy kits, but since I have started doing competition quilts, I like doing my own thing. I still prefer to do my interpretation of classic patterns.
L- Life in the Studio is? Better than comfort food
M- Most Projects Made in One Year? I will never compare to what my friends put out. I am trying to get a miniature and a large competition quilt out a year. I do some challenge quilts with my guild in between.
N- Number of Gadgets? I'm a notions junkie. I like scissors, rulers, any neat little thing that will be fun to work with
O- OH, I wish I hadn’t. . . . .? Bought all of this novelty fabric!!
P- Pet Peeves about Quilting? I don't have any peeves. Really.
Q- Quilt Show? AQS Paducah is my all time favorite. I love the town and I have gone down every year for 5 years.
R- Reason to Rip Out? I do a lot of ripping on my miniatures. I am a perfectionist, and seams have to line up!
S- Sewing or Knitting? Depends. I would take knitting over garment sewing, But making quilts over knitting
T- Tag, You're It! consider yourself tagged
U- UFOs? I only have about 4 UFO's. That is because I got rid of the others!
V- Vexing Quilt Pattern? I like challenging patterns. I would never do stack and whack, grandmother's flower garden, yo-yo's, and probably not a crazy quilt
W- Wishlist Item? Some days I think I would like a long arm, some days I don't. Who knows how it will ultimately turn out?
X- Xtra Fabric you will never use? Novelty prints.
Y- Your Biggest Goof? Not prewashing the blue hand dye I put in a miniature that took me months to piece and then watching the fabric bleed onto the rest of the quilt.
Z- Zip! I don't have a clue what this means..

WHAT DAY IS THIS?

I almost forgot it is Wednesday! Being off work on Monday threw me off. So.. WIP Wednesday

I have my first sock finished. And I am working on my second sock.
I went back to the doctor today because I am just not any better. This time I came away with antibiotics, and an additional asthma medication. I think it has gotten down to most of my coughing being caused by asthma. I have had asthma since childhood. Sounds stupid.. but I don't put two and two together when I am coughing my head off.. especially if I am sick with something else to. It's different if I come in contact with smoke, perfume, stuff like that. I will suddenly be coughing, and I automatically know to use an inhaler. I have been a little more dense with this illness.
I washed a pile of fabric, and I am putting it away. I am going to start on one of my next larger quilt THIS WEEKEND no matter what. I have fumbled around and procrasitinated long enough. I think what I should do is set a certain time every day just to work on quilting. If I set aside time everyday, maybe I will get something finished. I don't know how some of you do it. You just turn out quilt after quilt. I just can't get it together.

I actually ordered something from QVC. I never look at those channels. But one day I'm flipping through the channels and they are selling Birkenstocks. I have one pair of Birkie sandals that I wear around the house with socks.. I know.. lovely. I actually bought 3 pairs. They have quite a selection on their site. There is only one place around here that sells Birkenstocks and they are expensive. I got my new shoes at a reasonable price. And they are comfy. At least they will be once I break them in..

That's about it. I will hopefully be on a roll concerning an actual quilt by this weekend.