Busy As A Bee

Well!  Now that last week is over, I can relax.  HA!  Did you believe that?  Even for a minute?  It's not true, it's a lie.  Last week held the entry deadline for the Best of the Valley.  I received 20 envelopes on Friday, and 29 on Saturday.  Each holds an average of 2 entries, so I was processing them into the wee hours.  "Processing" includes making sure that the entry contains all necessary information, particularly the size of the quilt.  Photos need to be labeled on the back (that's often overlooked), checks logged, quilts invoiced...it takes about 5 minutes/entry, and with 200+, that's a goodly bit of time.  whew!   I guess I know where the week went, and why I haven't been blogging.

It's only going to get busier from here on out, so I apologize in advance for my scarcity.  I'll try to pop in now and then, but posting and commenting on other bloggers just hasn't been happening.  By the time I've peeked at your blog, I'm off and running, pulled in this direction and that.

I promised you a photo of the finished Log Cabin.  I try to always keep my promises.

"They Play Well Together"

Suzanne Kistler 2014

I'm not sure the photo does it justice.  The reds aren't as dominant in person.  In fact, the fluorescent green seems to be the one that pops when I look at it. 

The quilt name comes from my BOTV Committee.  One key characteristic is that they (we) all play well together.  They each presented me with a floral fat quarter at the close of the 2011 show, and I wanted to keep them together in a single quilt.  I had trouble deciding, but once I separated lights and darks, well, they did indeed play well together.  We always do.

And on that, I'm going to have to get back to my quilt show duties. 

If you entered quilts, I thank you.  And if you're in the area April 4-6, 2014?  I invite you to come to the show.  I've seen the submitted quilts, and I can tell you, they will blow your mind.  And that's a GOOD thing.  :)

Who's There?

Do you ever have that feeling of being watched?  Of eyes boring into the top of your head?  I had it yesterday, and was startled to see this:

And this:

Edgar?  Charlie?  What are you doing out there?

I'm certain they were asking themselves the same question!

I'm making progress on the Log Cabin.

Today's assignment:  quilt the border.  Quilt faster!  Quilt faster!

Q & A

Q.  What's wrong with this picture?

A.  The quilt is not quilting itself.

Happy Valentine's Day

It's been another productive day.  I made a valentine for my valentine.

I finished another UFO - the Log Cabin made from leftover blocks from my daughter's quilt, made when she graduated from Cal...in 2005.

See?  Even the binding is finished.  Blogger must be jealous.  Blogger flipped the picture.  arg!
 

I have to say I am pleased with the feather plumes.  They are not perfect (not by a long shot), but they were quilted free-motion, without marking, and in contrasting thread.  A brave (or foolish) move, but one that I am not unhappy with.

And that's a wrap.

A Well-Pressed Quilt

Is a beautiful thing...

 Look closer...

 Yes, indeed, this is the inside of the quilt/backside of the quilt top.

 I'm thinking of using this for the border.

And that's today's progress in a nutshell.

Log Cabin Blocks

One of the projects I started last month was a Log Cabin quilt.  Last year (2011), the Best of the Valley committee gifted me with floral fat quarters at the close of the show.  They've been in a basket since then, moving from one end of the studio to the other, as I've tried to decide how best to use them.  I didn't want to lose them in my stash.  They were rediscovered when we initiated the Great Carpet Replacement Project.

hmmm.  I thought I had a picture of the basket of fabric, but I can't seem to find it.  oh well.  They're no longer fat quarters.  They're cut and sewn.

I cut them in prep for the Hartland Retreat back in October, but didn't even touch them.  I took them to Avila Beach, and got started.

 hmm.  I thought I had a second picture, showing more piecing progress, but I can't seem to find it.

This weekend I made it to the design wall.  Should I put the darks in the center?

 Or the lights?

 If I'm careful to choose darker darks for the very center, and to disperse the lime green, it seems to balance quite nicely.

The only snag was discovering that I had a counting problem when I cut the blocks.  I know I'm short one (because I had a slipping scissors issue while piecing), but I thought I'd cut 56.  Apparently I cut 48.  hmmm.  I will be adding borders. 

The other thing I did this weekend was to read three (yes, three!) books by JoAnn Bassett, that were well-written and entertaining.  They're murder mysteries sans blood, gore, sex and swearing (all the things that seem to be key to the genre), and they're all set in and around Maui.  woohoo!  I recognize Cheeseburger in Paradise, Front St., Prison St., and the giant banyan tree!  If you're interested, start with Maui Widow Waltz.  You won't be disappointed.  :)  (And it was only $2.99 on my kindle app.  double woohoo!)

And that's all I've got for you today. My To Do list is growing by leaps and bounds, so I'd better see about getting myself OUT of vacation mode and on to the holidays.  Happy Prepping!!

More From the Stitchfest

I'll tell you a secret.  I didn't get back from Avila Beach until yesterday afternoon.  I got so much done, I can hardly believe it.  I showed you two baby quilts in my last post.  I've quilted two more, and applied the bindings.  I just need to tack them down.  I'll show you when they are finished.

I cut the foundation pieces, to increase the size of my "challenge" crazy quilt.  I've been wanting to do that since mid-October.

I started sewing Log Cabin blocks, made from floral fat quarters gifted to me by my Best of the Valley committee after the show closed in 2011.  I found the stash of fabrics when I cleared out for carpet.  It was a delightful discovery.  By the time I left on Friday, had 14 rounds of the 17 logs completed...on 50+ blocks!

 I finally had the uninterrupted time to concentrate and cut the background for this Lone Star.  Do you recognize it?  I pieced it at Hartland in April 2011, I bought the background fabric in Paducah in April of this year.  How long does it take to make a quilt?  Sometimes 
F O R E V E R!!

 Once I'd finished insetting the blocks, I realized it needs more border to float it.  oh dear.  I cut the gradation in such a manner that I can't float the quilt in the same fabric.  I do have some of a perfect fabric - it's a very pale red-violet/purple with a crocus-type flower on it...but I don't have enough of it.  Does anyone have any of this in their stash?  It's probably 4-5 years old...

 Another project I brought along was a slab of 3" foam and some canvas.  My task was to build a dog bed that the dogs can't eat.  This is the base.  My current thought is to put some sort of nylon web/mesh over it, so that even if they sink their teeth into it, they can't tear it apart.

I know.  Stop laughing!!  ;)

I didn't spend the entire time indoors sewing, I did get out a bit.  Unfortunately I kept forgetting my camera!  But it was nearby, when Wednesday gifted me with this spectacular sunset:

Did you notice that even the ocean glows pink?

The next day, the postmistress told me that the reason it was so beautiful was that they'd done a "controlled" burn at Montana de Oro, and it got out of control.  Thanks, guys!  It was lovely!  (I doubt the same can be said for the park.)

And on that, I've got some binding to stitch down.  More pictures soon!  Goals are good!

A Thing of Beauty

is a joy forever.
And takes one's breath away.
Like this gem of a feather, glowing ruby on my laundry this morning. (When it's predicted to be 100+, I hang the clothes and ignore the dryer.)

 I special ordered some switchplates on Etsy.  I love them!  Now I have to paint the bathroom, so they'll really look splendid.

Instead of painting, I finished the ditch-quilting on this Log Cabin.  It still needs the border quilted.

 I'd rather be napping, like Charlie, the Nap Champ.  "Anywhere, anytime!"  He's up for it.  Or down for the count.  ;)

Ant that's the haps around here.  It's been a day of machine quilting and magic feathers.  What a combo.

All Better

I guess I must have dislocated something in my foot, which relocated itself during the course of the day.  My limp is gone, hurrah!  I'm still a bit bumped and bruised, but I feel terrific.  Thank you to those of you who commented.  I know.  I shouldn't be on a ladder on an incline.  Unfortunately I keep thinking I need to get back up there and finish the job!  Maybe I'll go shopping instead!

 

I found this velvet Log Cabin quilt at an Estate Sale yesterday.  It smells musty - ew! - but for $15, I thought it might be a good experiment to see if velvet can be washed in the bathtub.  So far, so good, except that it bleeds like crazy, and it still smells.  oh well.  Maybe a few days on the line will reduce the aroma?

The dog, who shall remain nameless, or called "Rocky", "Butch," "Spot," or "Jaws," (depending upon who you talk to) has been back for three days.  Do you suppose he will stay?  He has new scars since his last visit.  He acts like a lover, not a fighter.  At least he has no ticks this time around!

 The Chup-ster isn't feeling so hot.  Or maybe she's feeling TOO hot.  The heat is taking its toll, and the boys worry that she's not going to make it through the summer.  Once the sun goes down, she takes more of an interest in her surroundings.

And I guess that's about it.  Yard sales are calling, and then later, I may hole up in the Studio, and begin stitching 'til the cows come home.  (And since we don't have any cows, that could be a very long time!)  :)

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...

More Rain

The latest Arctic blast has arrived, and it's shivering me timbers. brrr!!! The high according to my car has been 51 today. For the most part it's been 47 and raining. I see blue skies clearing right now. If the clouds blow away will it warm up enough to keep away the freeze that is threatening the citrus growers? I hope so. I know there are some who are praying for a miracle.

Our ginkoes are noticeably more yellow than they were a few days ago. Some of the trees around town have already begun dropping their leaves. Ours must be more sheltered than those.

Indoors, this is my first noticeable hint that we're rapidly approaching the holiday season. It will be here before I know it. Is it sneaking up on you too?

Yesterday I stopped at Thimble Towne and this luscious batik screamed at me from the shelf. Seriously. I looked at it and started salivating. Is it really blue? I mean, is it THE blue? Is it the right one to use as borders on a quilt that has been tossed aside because I could not find matching border fabric?

By golly, I do believe it is!! (It is actually darker than the upper pic and lighter than the lower pic. It is just right.)

And finally, I'm sitting inside, doing some beading. bead faster, bead faster!

The deadline (I almost wrote deathline) is approaching faster than I can sew them on. Bead faster! Bead faster!

At least the quilt-for-hire pile is growing smaller...