HAPPY NEW YEAR

FINDING THE SPIRIT

My daughter needs a new stocking, and I wanted to try machine quilting one instead of piecing. I am rather pleased. The stocking part is muslin and the cuff is silk, quilted with sulky and wool batting. I haven't felt "in the spirit" of the season but this project helped.

HOUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM

I have only made two but I'm already anticipating needing an intervention or a rehab program very soon. I used pieces of my husbands old shirts. Really, the original pattern picture is MUCH better.

RUDOLPH HAD A COUSIN

I know, I know. How can I be taken as a serious quilter when I spend my time making Zipper Critters by Indygo Junction. Well I'm here to tell you ...THESE ARE SO FUN! I think they will make unique tooth fairy pillows( kids still do this don't they?) There is a pocket where the zipper is. Leave a note or poem, a key, some cash, packet of needles. This is just one size. Not into dogs? there are cats rabbits and pigs. Enjoy!!!!

A QUILT NEEDS A PILLOW

I really intended to make a traditional Christmas pillow, but something came over me. It was proabably that unconventional pop art quilt. You must admit it is VERY merry and bright.

WE HAD A LITLE RAIN

We really did have a smidgen of rain. I love sewing with what I call real weather, after all I was born in Michigan. It is supposed to be a very wet season this year in So. California. We'll see. This is a very old piece that hangs in my sewing room. The hand applique is rudimentary and the machine quilting is kinda sad, but I still love looking at it while I sew. I know how she feels sitting in a comfortable warm place, watching the rain. Life is good.

TRY IT YOU'LL LIKE IT !

No Tues. class this week leaves me with a day to play. At Houston this year there was a new vendor, Virginia Cole. Her miniature quilt art is addicting. check her out at www.gallopingpony.com. This dresden measures 3 inches. While I don't expect to do a whole quilt, it will be great in a frame. Just the right little gift in time for Christmas.

POP ART REVISITED

I am having such an unbelievable morning I had to share it. First I decided to add this inner border to Pop Art Christmas and now I am ready to finish it. Repetition even when you love the color or pattern is still repetition, but now I am jazzed. What I really want to share about my morning is the music. I am listening to Chet Baker while sewing and it is such a soothing sound. I was introduced to him while looking at a You Tube video by crazymml . She was a most interesting character and fabulous quilter. She journaled her life on screen to the music of Chet and others. Her "I dream of houses" is still one of my favorites. Unfortunately her life took a sad turn and her last entry requires Kleenex to watch. You can still view all of the videoes. I hope she is well and happy where ever she is.

A NEW FRIEND

The new Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks collector's edition magazine is out. I had to see if this guy was as cute in person as he was in the photo. You can see he is posing for his close up. It is a fabulous collection of work. All blocks measure 12 inches. Just enough for a small space if you chose one versus an entire quilt.

POP ART CHRISTMAS

I was really planning to put the borders on my brother in law's quilt. REALLY I WAS! Then something came over me. You know, one of those "what if "moments. Free form cutting is so much fun, I just had to do it.

FINDING YOUR VOICE

I love almost every quilt I have done,but what I really want to do is create large usable story quilts, mainly about reading. You must read the blog of Leni Wiener's about finding your voice. It is powerful.

FAMILY MATTERS

My favorite brother in law ( who will remind me he is my only BIL), reminded me he is probably the only family member without a personal quilt. Well no more. I hope to get the border on this week and quilt it this weekend. This is from the 5 plus 3 book. A 5 1/2 in square snowballed with( 2 ) 3 1/2 in squares. Simple but time consuming. He is worth it.

CHANGE IS GOOD

I thought I would change the template for a new look. Perhaps I will get more readers and what I really want are more comments. Time will tell.

JURY DUTY

One of my students thought she might have to miss class due to jury duty and it triggered a thought. Where is my court house steps quilt? Well it was hiding under a stack of quilts on the sofa. All greens with pink centers it remains a favorite.

APPLIED KNOWLEDGE

In real life I seem to make new mistakes, never getting the opportunity to use learned knowledge from old mistakes. In quilting, I get to use new, old, someone else's It's a good thing! I used Velda Newman's machine technique to "create the appearance of piecing" and Gabrielle Swain's suggested use of coloring with pencil. I was suppose to clean and do the laundry today. Oh well!.

Remembering John

I just returned from the Houston Quilt Festival. It is my annual fantasy vacation. My wonderful sister treats me like a queen. I have been going for 13 years and I think this year was the best. The quilt pictured was amazing. It was done by a guy who was asked to do a T shirt quilt of rock bands. He had never seen a T shirt quilt(thank God), and proceeded to put the shirts in the border and created the center using machine applique. This piece was then auctioned at the local school for $20,000. I was told it now hangs in the bedroom of a teenager. I hope it gets the admiration it deserves.

LOVE AT FIRST SITE

This is no 1 of many hand appliqued leaves I have done. I usually never give away my first attempts at any thing, no matter what the outcome. This is a segmental way of creating valleys that give you a place to add shadows using colored pencils. It is all needle turn. I hope it will entice my Tuesday class.

WHAT'S ON YOUR WALL?

I love the feeling of mystery that batik fabric creates. All the lights, darks and medium in one space makes me wonder....what is there, just beyond the obvious? I have 6 blocks to go and then the fun really begins. I will get close and personal while I quilt vines of leaves.

MISSING NAPA

We did not get to the Napa Valley this year. The first time in 15 years we missed the harvest of the grapes. So I found this wine colored hand dyed and decided to make another journal cover. We drank a bottle to celebrate its completion, not that we needed a reason.

OH I LOVE BLACK AND WHITE FABRIC

That is an under statement. This is a quilt I did a few years ago at a retreat for the two wacky women. I thought you could take a look while I finish the third pair of slippers. I got absolutely nothing done while in Monterey, partally due to my shopping at Back Porch Fabrics in Pacific Grove, CA. FUN, FUN, FUN.

COLLECTION CONTINUES

I am supposed to be packing for vacation to Monterey ,Ca. but I had to finish one more set of slippers. The third pair will be my hand work for the trip. It really is the little things in life that bring us joy. These measure about 5 inches long. See ya in about a week.

THE OTHER RED SHOES

I love slippers and when I saw this stitched collection well,I had to stop everything. They and their not yet stitched companions are just to cute. How will I use them? Dont't know, don't care. Just got to have them.

REMEMBERING

I did not make this quilt specifically to honor the 9/11 lives lost but I chose to post this today for one reason. Looking at this quilt evokes feelings of hope and pride for me and I hope you will feel the same. You can also wish me a happy anniversary. Sixteen years of fun. God bless us all.

WANDERINGS

Another night of unrest after finishing a project. I needed to applique something and this little circle was IT. Then the what if I added a border, then what if I stitched it , then what if I framed it between glass with clips, then what if I named it what I could not do ....resist.

JUST A LITTLE COLOR PLEASE

After working with a very mocha color palette, I had to go back to my roots. Intense, lots of fabric made from left over pieces. It is time consuming , but oh so gratifying.