Arg. *Sigh*

I must tell you how great it feels to finally finish this quilt. wow. I drafted/drew the pattern at the first Hartland Quilt Retreat, which was in October of 2007. (btw, as I looked up the link, I see that the Lone Star quilt in the picture on the left is mine.) I sewed the Log Cabin blocks and cut the stencil for the border in November of that same year, at the Valley Oak Quilt Guild retreat.

I had a problem with stenciling the border, in that the fabric I chose - which is perfect in every way but the most important - was a medium value. This meant that no matter what I did to try to make the lettering stand out, nothing worked. I had committed to using Fabrico ink markers for the lettering, and even after 4 layers of ink, it wasn't distinct enough.

I attempted to lighten the fabric behind some of the lettering with paint. I ruined one border completely, and had no more of this fabric. By now it was out of date and out of stock everywhere. I finally found a replacement border piece in my stash, that I had discarded earlier as "ruined". At this point, it was "good enough" to finish the quilt. I went over the four layers of stenciled green ink with a layer of black, and a fifth layer of green. whew! I can finally read the lettering. Finally, finally.

The border hang up hung me up for over a year. I don't even remember when I finally basted it and began the quilting.

Because it is hand-quilted, it was my travel project. This quilt has accompanied me to many places, including Colorado (twice) and New Mexico. And multiple quilt retreats.

I couldn't decide how to quilt the border, so I set it aside. again. Last fall I finally realized that I had to just quilt it. And so I did. Then I didn't like the flatness of the quilt, although it was perfectly and completely flat. I added the dimensional heads to the coxcomb. And added dimension to the border. See the wobble I introduced to the quilt? Can you hear me groan? This is the left side:

Here is the right. For some reason the top and bottom remained flat and straight.

Last night, I spent all of NCIS, LA spritzing and pinning the two borders into submission. Please quilt, please submit!!! I dampened the interior of the quilt and absolutely soaked the recalcitrant borders.

This is the left border this morning. It's not quite dry.

This is the right border this morning. It's not dry either.

Compared to the before, those two borders are looking pretty good. If you're wondering how I did this, here is a close up. The pins are nickel-plated applique/sequin pins, that do not rust.

People ask me, "How long does it take to make a quilt?" How about "forever"? It depends on the method used, and whether or not the method is working well.

So. Will this or won't this become a traveling show quilt? Good question. I guess the proof will be in the judges' remarks come April. I have entered it into Best of the Valley, and am considering submitting it to the Denver National Quilt Festival.

After all these years, it would be sad to just put it in the pile on my shelf, doncha think?

Such a saga.

And now, I'm back to work on the show. 'Til next time...

Finished

"The Flower Fades"
Suzanne Kistler February 2011
44" x 44"

"The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our Lord stands forever." Isaiah 40:8

A Cat and A Valentine

When I talk about our cats, Malcolm, Edgar and Charlie are the stars. Many people think we only have the three of them. But we don't. We also have a fourth cat, a spooky little almost blind little gal named Hecate. (It's pronounced Heh-Ka-Tee, like one of the witches in MacBeth.)

I have no idea where she spends her days. It is a mystery. But once the sun goes down, she's on our porch. And first thing in the morning, she'll even think about stepping foot inside.


This is about as close as she comes.

I go to get the camera, and she turns tail and takes off.

She used to be all white, with some Siamese tips to her face and feet. She's so dark now, that I often do not recognize her.

Even though she can barely see, that doesn't stop her from climbing trees or dancing across the rooftops.

You've heard of stop and smell the roses? She stops to smell the bamboo...or anything else around her. I am certain that she navigates by sound and smell and everything but sight.

I took a very nice picture of Pete's valentine, and Blogger flipped it. Flippin' Blogger!

For some reason, the lesser photo was acceptable.

Number 3 on my February Goals List was "Make valentines." I made one. One is better than none.

Do you like the beaded picot trim I created around the edge? That is the one skill I learned from Thom Adkins that made his class last year worth the time. The center heart is velvet.

And on that, I'll wish you a Happy Valentine's Day!!!

***The new printer is an HP Photosmart Plus. It doesn't have any visible numbers. The blurb promised it would "print/copy/scan." The good news is that was 1/3 the cost of the last one, and the quality of photo printing is better. The bad news is that I can no longer do two-sided printing or booklets or any of the things I need to do for BOTV that apparently I took for granted. *sigh* Do I need to get yet ANOTHER printer?

I didn't know it didn't do these things until I tried to do them. terrific. And if two-sided printing is the very first thing I tried to do, you can assume, and be correct in assuming, that I use that feature daily. arg.

Working, Working, Working...

No time to blog, no time to stop and say, "Hello! Goodbye!" Time is of the essence, and it's slipping through my fingers...

Can I spin a yarn, or what?!!

I have finished the hand quilting on my quilt. YAY!!

All that remains is binding, adding a sleeve, adding labels, and...adding some extra pizazz.

What kind of pizazz?

Shall I give you a hint?


What on earth am I doing with diamonds? HA! Do you think I'm going to tell you? No, I am not.

I am experimenting, which is part of what's making me nutso, because I THINK I know what I'm doing, but I've never done it before and if I do it wrong then I'll be back at square one and I won't have my quilt finished and then I'll have to come up with another idea and I've been working on solving this particular problem for the past two years which is why I hadn't been in a rush to finish the hand quilting and

I think I'll stop and take a breath now.

Multiply the above by 10, and you've got an idea of what it looks like inside my brain these days. It's not pretty.

But the red is pretty, don't you think?

If I solve my problem with the quilt, I have additional plans for red. Stay tuned, as I might have something to share some time soon.

As to my February goals, the above quilt is the Flower Fades quilt, which shows up as #2. And I beaded last night, so that's part of #1.

How about you? Have you set any goals this month? Are you making any progress?

Playing Catch-Up and February Goals

So. Where did I find my laptop? **blush sheepishly** It, umm, was in, ummm, the bedroom with all of the quilt show stuff. Obviously I did not go in there looking for it.

Will you believe me if I say I forgot about that room? The door was closed.

umm,yeah. That's the truth. I'm so embarrassed. ;) Please don't mock me. Thank you. :)

Yesterday I just wanted to sew straight seams, so I sewed together the last few 2" strips from my icicle. This is what they made. Can you see the prairie points? I'm still smitten with them.

Here it is again. It's a bit tough to see, since I've pinned it on a pale background.

Goal #1 was to spend some time each week beading. Here is a peek at what I've been beading. It's going to take forever. And a day. If you click on the picture, you'll get a better view of the beads.

Finally, this morning, I added the beads to this card for my friend. It's her birthday present. I sat in my car after BSF and before meeting her for lunch. yeah, I was on a crazy time table. I didn't plan it out so well...

Lastly, it's time to make a February goals list. hmmm. Five was a good number. I was able to cross off two completely.

January's Goals

1) bead at least 2 sessions each week. - check
2) finish "The Flower Fades" quilt in time to enter it in M-AQF on Jan 20. - made some progress, but still incomplete
3) do the machine satin-stitch on SIL Sharon's quilt. - done
4) finish, "This is a quilt" piece for submission to SAQA before Jan 21. - done
5) tidy up Studio - made some progress, but still incomplete

Here's February's list of goals:

1) bead at least 2 sessions each week.
2) finish "The Flower Fades" quilt in time to enter it in BOTV on Feb 24
3) make valentines
4) begin piecing Rose Window
5) tidy up Studio

There. That's it. Should I have made the list longer? I want to get my submissions in to Sacred Threads. Should that be on the list? I need to take the photographs. No, I think that will get done, without being put on the list.

What about quilting and finishing the diamonds at the top of this post? No, it will be filler for a 2 hour space, not worthy of a slot on my goals list.

What about? yeah, what about it? ;) I've made the list, I've set the goals. I am really hoping to continue ongoing goals #1,5, and accomplish #2,3. They are of primary importance. To make the goals list, it needs to require a commitment of more than 5 hours.

Yes, Goals are good. Has anyone else set any for February?

A Quick Update

Our college boy is visiting for the weekend. He came bearing a vanload of "gifts" for the Laundry Fairy.

This photograph does not do the load justice. That's a full-size van, FILLED with stinky boy clothes.

The Laundry Fairy has been busy. For the past few days she's been turning the stinky stuff into PILES of clean. *sniff, sniff* SO much better! :)

In between loads, I was able to finish up the Iris quilt for SIL Sharon. My goal today (I think the PO is still open...) is to box it and ship it. I may have missed my window. They may have closed at noon. I'd better call first.

Oh well. Even if I am delayed another couple of days, the quilt is DONE. Cross off #3, on my January Goals. Two down, three to go. Actually, #1 was bead twice a week. I'm falling behind on that goal, but I've exceeded #3 (which was to merely do the satin stitching). #2 (Finish the Flower Fades) is still possible, maybe, although the "enter in M-AQF fell by the wayside.

I am finding that setting monthly goals, rather than yearly or weekly, is proving to be quite productive. I definitely plan to do it again in February. Let's hope I have similar success!!

Gotta run!

Personal Victory

Applique. I love it. If I can do it by hand. Machine applique? Involving the "f" word (fusible)? Forgetaboutit! Ain't gonna happen.

Well, them's fightin' words, and my friend Sharon took me up on it.

You see, she writes patterns, and she asked me to test sew a few of them. "Sure, no problem!" until I realized they involved fusing. Had I purchased the patterns, I would have done them by hand. But to test sew? I had to follow the directions, and her directions include fusing.

The test sew took place last summer. I finished the fusing, but did not do the machine satin stitch to hold the pieces in place. I just couldn't face it.

Fast forward to January quilting goals. "#3 Do the machine satin stitch on SIL Sharon's quilt."

SIL Sharon is not Sharon the pattern designer. Yes, sometimes it does get confusing.

Anyway, I was supposed to be doing computer work today, but errands got in the way. By the time 3pm rolled around, all I wanted to do was sew. I have a particular project in mind. However, I'd put January Goal #3 on top of my machine, to prevent me from starting something else. groan.

I sat down, loaded the thread, and started stitching.

Believe it or not - I don't! - I'm done!! Tomorrow, I can baste, quilt, and bind this quilt, if I have the time. The mental roadblock, the satin stitch stumbling block, has been removed. I can't believe it!! Yay!! Happy dance!!

Not only is the satin stitch finished, it doesn't look half bad. And it didn't kill me.

Perhaps I was being a tad melodramatic.

Then again, I have yet another piece waiting in the wings for satin stitching, and I am NOT planning to work on it any time soon...

Cross Off #4

I am so excited! Seriously, I am THRILLED.

I finished my piece for the SAQA traveling exhibit, and I've written my statement. The next hurdle will be to get it shipped so that it arrives at its destination on or before Friday. I might just be able to do that. yay!!

This is my piece:

"This is a Quilt"
"Ice"
9.25" x 9.25"
Suzanne Kistler 2011

I don't know if you can tell, but there are plenty of beads and ribbons and prairie points and couching. If it looks familiar, it is because it is made from leftovers from the icicle finished back in November 2010.

I'm hoping to visit that icicle on Friday. I promise. I will take pictures. :)

There has been much comment regarding the color choices of these pieces. I must admit that they are not something I came up with on my own. I am smitten with the work of Deborah, and last year she posted a piece that had me marveling at the interest that can be created with minimal value change. When there is so little value, texture becomes critical. Therefore this piece is much more about the texture, than it is about the quilting or the piecework. The quilt itself has become a backdrop or a canvas for the embellishments. Thank you, Deborah! :)

hmm. That sounded kind of artsy there - I'd better watch out.

And that's it for now. I'm going to leave the computer and set my mind to accomplishing task #2 on my goals list. So far in 2011, Goals are Great! :)

A Few Animal Pics and a Goal Update

Yesterday, when I got together with the Itty Bitties, there was a lap bandit in residence. Hey! That's my lap! I don't share! She didn't believe me, until I took her picture. That's when she took off. She did not return. :)

I thought you might like some animal updates, with before and after pictures of the animals at the walnuts.

First we've got Chupa. On her first day at the house, this was how she looked. She wasn't sure she wanted to be there. Notice her ribs.

With our boy, she's been fed and bathed and spayed and, well, this is what she now looks like.

Despite her kidney failure, she is probably feeling better than she's felt in years. We're off to the store to get some Science Diet k/d, which should help her continue to feel much better.

Today I noticed that she is missing all of her bottom teeth between her canines. No wonder food sprays in every direction when she eats.

Mr. Cat was in residence when we took possession. No one knew where he came from. He was lithe and lean and VERY attentive.

This is the same cat. He's looking a tad...plumper. He didn't get his breakfast this morning, so he had to catch a mouse. It's only the second one in 6 weeks. Now he catches just enough to keep in practice, rather than enough to stay alive.

Can you believe this? Mr. Cat thinks this is his house! He marches right in, as though he owns the place. Maybe he did. He's a sneaky one, and falls asleep in corners where he is easily overlooked.

The other thing this post title promises is a goal update.

1) Bead at least 2 sessions/week. I beaded last night, and have some beading I need to do tonight.
2) Finish "The Flower Fades." I quilted on this about an hour today, and am going to give it all I've got tomorrow. I hit a snag on this one, when I couldn't find my littlest thimble. My fingers shrink in the winter-time. I bought an interim thimble (not Roxanne's) so that I can get back to work.
3) machine satin stitch quilt...hasn't happened at all.
4) finish "this is a quilt" piece for SAQA. This is what I've been beading. It's quilted and bound and most of the embellishment is finished. I'm going to have to reread the rules. If there's no prohibition against publishing, I'll post a picture of the finished entry some time this weekend.
5) tidy up studio. haha. My husband came in and said, "Oh my goodness!! It's so CLEAN in here!!" He was grinning from ear to ear, until I told him that everything that had been relocated - to the twin bed in the bedroom across the hall. The grin disappeared from his face, and appeared on mine. :)

Actually, having everything in the other room has helped me to organize and the piles are diminishing. Goals are good. I'm really hoping that by the time I hit January 31, I will be able to say that I've accomplished, or attempted to accomplish all 5 on my list. yay!

January Quilting Goals

Ahh, January. Time for setting goals and resolutions. I'm a perpetual goal-setter, probably because I fail to finish. But without goals? I'd be even worse. I'd be treading water, never trying to make my way anywhere. At least I set my sights and try to move in the right direction.

This year, I'm going to try to cataloging my monthly goals. Remember, Goals Are Good. Getting there is even better, but without the goal-setting? It's hard for me to keep track of any progress. So, here goes nothing...

1) bead at least 2 sessions each week.
2) finish "The Flower Fades" quilt in time to enter it in M-AQF on Jan 20.
3) do the machine satin-stitch on SIL Sharon's quilt.
4) finish, "This is a quilt" piece for submission to SAQA before Jan 21.
5) tidy up Studio

I've already been at work, picking away at the list bit by bit. Some goals have already been completely missed - "enter Paducah" - fail; "get entry made for Quilting Arts 'petty' competition" - fail. Others are actually seeing progress. I've put 4 hours into beading this past week, and I've spent 2 hours hand quilting on The Flower Fades.

I've also uncovered Sharon's quilt from under a stack of debris, so the "tidy the Studio" also has a dent in it.

In between all of this, I've got a trip to SoCal next week, a quilt-for-hire to pick up on Tuesday, a friend who wants machine quilting lessons, Quilt Show meetings and assignments, and...the list could be overwhelming, were I to put it all down. I won't.

I'll just stick with the Top 5, and fit the others in where possible.

Wish me luck! I'm definitely going to need it!!