Frustrated

Put it in, take it out.

Try this, un-try it.  Trying that doesn't work either.

What am I talking about?  I'm trying to finish my quilt. 

I thought hand-quilting would work, but it became too lumpy-bumpy and distorted.  I kept hoping it would get better, but it didn't.  It got worse.  I stopped quilting this morning at 10am, and pulled out quilting until 1:30pm.

Then I decided to tie it, with buttons.  But the buttons overpowered the quilt.  The embroidery became insignificant.   All I could see was buttons.  I sewed them on for 3 hours: they only took 45 minutes to remove.

I tell you, this baby is starting to look a bit worn around the edges with all the stitching/unstitching.

I finally understand why Crazy Quilts are tied.  Trying to do anything else to secure them can make one crazy! 

And so, my next feat will be to tie it, unobtrusively.  It still has 4 lines of quilting, which I think I will keep.  In the end, maybe it will have to go too.  If nothing else, I've changed my thinking.  It is more important to do it right, than to meet this year's Houston deadline.  Meeting it is still a possibility, but one that is becoming more and more remote.

Oh well.  I still think goals are good!  :)

Self Control?

If a local fabric/craft store is going out of business and has marked all of their button cards to 25 cents, is it necessary to exercise self control? 

If the buttons are made in Germany, I vote "no"!  :)

Still Stitching

Stitch, stitch, stitch!  I'm getting closer to the end.  In fact, yesterday I sewed all the blocks together, and am working on the seam treatments.  I embroidered about 40" late last night, but this morning?  I'm going to take it all out.  It falls short of my expectations.  I have a different look in mind, and about an hour ago I found the perfect trim to pull it together.  Goals are good.

Rejected:  Fly Stitch in variegated perle cotton, size 8

Replacement:  couched trim

It's hard to tell in the close-up, but it does the job I want it to do, at least I think it does.  The only way to know for sure is to pull out the fly stitch and couch on the trim.  Goals are good.

I still have to get the three layers together and quilt them.  More good goals, that's for sure.  I'm running out of time and that deadline is screaming forward.  Other things are getting tossed by the wayside as I focus on achieving the look I want.  I'm much closer now than I was last week, that's for sure.

I've also made a number of postcards and a couple of little quiltlet birthday cards, but I'm not sure what I did with the photos.  oh well.

And I finished up a promised quilt-for-hire on Tuesday. 

It had come into my possession right at Show Time (mid-April), and I said I couldn't do it just then.  I was told, "no hurry."  Well, I don't know if you know me and deadlines, but if you tell me "no hurry," and don't give me a time frame or "finish by" date, it gets pushed down the to do list as other things pop on.  On Monday night, I got an email from the owner.  oops.  She said she wanted to pick it up and do it herself, as I was too busy to get it done.

I love a challenge.

I got up at 6am Tuesday and went to work.  By the time she called at noon, her quilt was done.

I didn't quilt all of it.  She had done the in the ditch, around the applique, and the stippling.  All she wanted me to do was the free-motion work in the borders.  It was a lot of fun, once I actually went to work.  And it was a very nice break from all of the handwork I've been focusing on.  I echoed some of the patterns of the applique blocks.

 And there you go.  Photographic evidence that I am alive and well and quilting like a maniac.  I am hoping that the next time I check in, I'll be able to tell you that my quilt sandwich is together, and the quilting has begun.  Goals are good!

Stitch, Stitch, Stitch

I'm continuing to pursue this crazy dream of finishing a quilt to submit for Houston.  Time is of the essence.  I've been moving my needle as quickly as I can, as often as I can.  I have one border left to embroider.  Over the past couple of weeks, the size of my quilt has more than doubled.  It began as a 24" square.  When I finish, it shall measure 36" square.  It doesn't sound like it's THAT much bigger, but it's gone from 576 sq in to 1296 sq in:  That's a difference of 720 sq in!!!

Isn't math fun?  :)

I've also worked on a few other odds and ends, but for the most part, I've been stitching.  Stitch faster!  Stitch faster!

Just thought I should check in and let you know I haven't forgotten you.  I'm just really, really trying to focus.  Goals are good!  We've got some weekend plans and then some, so I really do have to spend every spare moment on this quilt...if I want to submit it to Houston.

ttfn!

Grand Plans

Okay, so I want to get back on my weekly goal setting.  I know I'm late, but better than not at all...

I believe we're on week #19.  Does anyone else think this year is going by much too quickly? 

Coming right up is the deadline to enter your quilt in Houston.  If you don't enter, you don't get in, right?  Then again, you have to have something to enter...which I'm working on.  Stitch, stitch stitch!

I have hours and hours of handwork in my future, as well as 8 machine-stitched seams, binding and quilting.  Entries must be received by May 30.  On Facebook I've seen more than one quilter concede that she will not make it.  oh dear!  To be received by May 30, it needs to be mailed...before then.  What would we do without FedEx?  ;)

But I'm definitely getting ahead of myself.  Stitch, stitch, stitch!

If I don't blog much during the next couple of weeks, imagine me with my head down, stitching like a mad woman.  Goals are good, and this month's goal it to get something submitted to Houston. 

Stitch faster!  Stitch faster!!

Not a Hopper

So this weekend was the Heart of the Valley Shop Hop.

I'm not a hopper.  I've unintentionally hit a couple of hops in SoCal and Napa, but for the most part?  I'm not a fan of crowds.  And I don't like to drive just to drive.  But on Friday?  I headed out and hit 3 of the participating shops that are in my neck of the woods.  :)

I always stop by Thimble Towne.  It's 5 blocks from my house.  To NOT see what Jeremy has done to get ready for the hoppers would just be rude.  :)  He had a Sock Hop, complete with vinyl records and poodle skirts (or leather jackets) for everyone's photo op.  The proof is all over Facebook.  It was a lot of fun, and I did shop.  :)

I also drove to Porterville.

I had to go to the walnuts, which is already halfway there, so a stop at Tina's seemed like a good idea.  I shopped there too.  :)

But the main reason I got on the road on Friday was to see the results of the Iris Challenge, hanging at the Calico Mermaid.  See me smile.  :)

The Chamber of Commerce acts as the judges, and I guess they had quite a time deciding.  They finally ended up with ties for first AND ties for second.  My "Iris Garden" tied for first with Becky Haley's quilt, which hangs just to the right of mine.

Georgia was also taking photographic evidence of shoppers.  Sure, I'll be a sport.  :)

As to quilting, I've made a few cards recently, which have been sent on their way.  I feel bad when I'm sending March birthday wishes in May, but then I remind myself that, after all, we did have a quilt show.  :)

Thank you, Blogger, for not messing with the orientation!  :)

Other than that, I've been madly piecing and embroidering on a piece that I dream of submitting to Houston this year.  That dream means that I can't waste time.  This is a time-intensive exercise in handwork. 

If nothing else, I'm likely to finish Season 2 of Downton Abbey.  Goals are good!  ;)

Breathe

So I've been grandly goal-setting and thinking that I plan to do this, that, and the other thing.  But the asthma kicked in last week, and seems to be here to stay.  Rather than follow through on those best laid plans, I'm plugging along, taking mid-day naps, and simply trying to breathe. 

goals are good.

At Retreat, I finished two baby quilt tops, to wit:

I "finished" the Sara-inspired top in my previous post.  I'm trying to add a wee bit of embellishment, but it's not currently a priority.

I started a new project, but there's nothing to show.  For the most part, it's in my head.

My latest fantasy is that I'm going to finish a project from last year, and submit it to Houston.  That means it needs to be Finished finished in a couple of weeks.  Call me crazy.  I'll post a picture once it's done.

But really, right now?  All I want to do is breathe...

Inspired by Sara

Last month, I blogged about our Art Group's design board challenge.  If you missed it, you can catch-up here.

While at retreat, I finished (except for embellishment) my first project.  The project took a surprising twist at the end.  Everyone at retreat held it one way when they looked at it.  I would tell them, "It's upside down," as they oohed and aahed.  As soon as I righted it for them, they looked confused and asked, "What is it?"

strange.

I took it back to my room and studied it, upside down.

I began with this:

Which I translated as this:

Flipped, it became this:

Which reminds me of this:

I took the last picture in November, when I was at Avila Beach.  Usually the sunset looked ordinary, but one night there was a big fire near Morro Bay that turned the sky fantastic colors.

Do you suppose this is what they mean when "they" talk about "Art" and "Inspiration?"

Thanks for stopping by...

Setting Some Goals

My weekly goal setting seems to have gone out the window in the wake of the quilt show.

Now that it is over and done with, and the loose ends are being tied up, I'm ready to resume.  I don't even know which week of the year it is...let's find a calendar, and see what it says...

Wow.  Week #17.  Looks like I missed a month or so of goal setting.  Am I behind?  Or ahead?  Hard to tell.  I think, perhaps, by the time I return on Sunday, I will be Just Right.

I'm leaving the family behind, and heading for the hills for Retreat.  woohoo!  I have plenty of goals for the next four days, but I'm afraid to speak them aloud, for fear I speak them out of existence.

Instead, I'll show you pictures of some of the projects that will accompany me.

These two "baby quilts" came along to the last retreat.  They need to be pieced.

 You've seen this LoneStar before.  I don't like the pink setting squares.  I've got some pale purple in the box, to replace the pink.

 The rocks at the top of this piece need to be quilted, then it needs to be bound. Goals are good.

 This box of beachy scraps has been cut for years.  I'd love to transform it into a background for a quilt swimming in my brain.

 These blocks have also been in a box for years.  They would like to become a top sooner rather than later.

I have other boxes, with other projects, also in the queue, but my flash isn't working, and I haven't packed.  I need to pack if I'm going to head out in the next couple of hours.

The past week was spent walking on the beach and making a birthday postcard for my sister.

Apparently Blogger has some issues with the birthday card.

And on that, I'm off and driving.  My goal for Week #17 is to post some amazing progress reports when I return.  woohoo!  Goals are good!

Have a great weekend!

Makes It Worth It

Today's post brought a note that contained the following excerpt:

"...my sincere thanks to you, all your committee, and sponsors who make the show possible.  Being able to get into a juried show, with real judges so close to home has helped me grow as a quilter; the 'areas that need improvement' section of the evaluation is invaluable in helping me make progress.  I really appreciate the fact that the judges take the time to make both positive and frank evaluations of my work.  It takes a very good friend to tell you the truth about your work, but a well qualified judge can be your best friend in the quest to keep improving.

Thanks for making that possible."

Thank you, Ann for the feedback.  You made my day!  :)

Beautiful Things

 
 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.  Philippians 4:8

"Iris Garden" by Suzanne Kistler

23 x 30

April 2013

More Things to Make Me Smile

Happy Quiltie Ladies

Leaves on the walnut trees

Colors of iris that I didn't know I had

 "Fields" of multi-colored iris, all in bloom, with a few roses for good measure

 Pixel

 New pipe storage for the quilt show (Thank you, Tim & Adam!)

yep.  There's lots of smiling going on around here.  Hope it's the same at your house!