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I’m currently working on two pieces simultaneously, something I have ever done before. And another “first” for me: I am making both pieces for a specific event. I don’t normally like to do that. I like to work in the size, format and genre that I want. I don’t like being restricted to a certain size, theme or type of quilt. But in this case I had two separate ideas that had been rolling around in my little head for a long time. And each fits into the requirements for an exhibit-lucky me! Both are part of my black and…
Sometimes the inexplicable happens. Like when I’m working on a piece that has a looming deadline and all of a sudden this happens: Now this has happened before-in fact this is a photo from a previous post, appropriately entitled “My Torturous Trek to Terrific Thread Tension”. My tension was actually good, except in the loopy parts. And I gotta tell you, tension problems usually are torturous-you try this, you try that, you have some chocolate, drink some wine, try something else. That post is still a good lesson in solving tension issues and is worth a read if you didn’t…
The Give-Away closed last night and Kathy Moran is the winner! I’ll be sending the book out today for your enjoyment Kathy. I used the Random Number Generator to choose the comment number for me-pretty nifty little tool. I want you to know that I did read each of your comments and enjoyed them immensely! It’s fun to hear your opinions about Chicago vs Alaska and there were some interesting reasons for the preference. And thank you for writing about your most unusual quilting tool too. I did not respond to the comments because that would have muddied the waters…
Note: I’ll have a separate post on Friday about the Give-Away, so be sure to check back! This has not been a week that tidily fits into a focused blog post. I’m working on several projects that are longer term, so there may not be a lot to show from week-to-week. I am soooo excited about my upcoming new studio! It’s probably going to end up somewhere between this…. And this…oh wait, that’s my current “studio”! I need to do some planning and dreaming for this new studio: I’ve inventoried my current spaces and their dimensions. I’ve created a wish list…
It’s been a week full of wildly different activities, from choosing a contractor for a whole house remodel (WHOOP!), to caring for a very ailing Basset Boy, starting on a new quilt and getting some excellent images of one of my “old” quilts. Life happens like that-big ups and downs at the same time. Basset Boy has been ailing. Apparently he’s received a “serious insult” to his liver. After a 2-day stay in Doggie ICU (don’t even ask how much that was) we are all delighted that he is home. He will not eat. We’re stuffing countless pills through his…
As promised, I’ve got a hot new book to give away: The Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters: A Guide to Creating, Quilting, and Living Courageously by Sherri L. Wood. I was so excited about her upcoming book that I pre-ordered….twice! So I just have to give away my extra to one of my readers. I have not yet been able to read the whole thing and I’m dying to play with one of her “scores”. The book is a lot about process and practice and what’s in your head. The photography is fabulous. Although it is definitely a book for…
No give-away this week-I’ll be posting that next week. I’m still catching up from a whirlwind 4 days at Fiberlandia, the SAQA Conference in Portland. I find myself still vibrating from the energy and ideas that arose during those 4 days! There were insightful break-out sessions, enlightening presentations, rich conversations with other artists…and then there was Portland. Warning: I left my “real” camera in Montana and it was in transit as I was in Portland, so all these photos were taken with my smart phone-ugh. Somehow this conference made it easy to make connections with other artists. I met so many…
I’m on the road again, this time I’m going to Portland, Oregon for the Studio Art Quilt Associates Conference, “Fiberlandia“. I’m excited-I will “just” be a participant! I am not presenting, I’m not a Rep. I am volunteering for a few things, but I will savor the feeling of simply enjoying the presentations and the company of great friends old and new. I always seem to return from SAQA conferences energized and filled with new ideas. This year we are having a Maker Space where we will “learn through doing” in a social environment with hands-on activities-sounds fun! We have free time on…
I just returned from my very first visit to Montana and what an adventure it was! Wendy Gerke of Bearly Square Quilt Shop asked me to teach 2 days of free motion quilting. Last fall when I taught at Houston International Quilt Festival, Edna Gregory was the Bernina rep in my classes. She is an absolutely delightful person and I enjoyed getting to know her. Edna works at Bearly Square and suggested to Wendy that she consider bringing me in to teach at the shop-that was my entre. Okay, I left my camera in Montana so all these are cell phone…
There is a lot of preparation that goes into teaching so sometimes I don’t get to quilt for a long time. In a perfect world somehow there would be a balance between teaching and quilting. I know that I would not want to be a full-time studio artist-I would miss teaching terribly. April has been a very full month and it’s only the 16th! Check out my calendar-there’s a lot of blue on there. I am thrilled to be teaching so much but just wish I had planned for a little more time to create. I presented at the Northern…