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Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Chernobyl Ivy and other Artistic Endevors


 Happy Halloween!  Hope your day was full of cute ghosts and goblins and Batman.  We never have trick or treaters but I'm always prepared!

I got the chance to do some ribbon dying last weekend!  Yeah!  I'm loving the new colors I got, really saturated and yummy!  Thanks to the generous donation from Dana D. last year.  It took me awhile but I finally got the chase to try them out! (I dyed so much ribbon last year, it took me a year to sell it all!)  So much ribbon!!!
 These 4 are original colors but I left them in longer and they turned out SO MUCH BETTER!
 Then, I worked on my Crazy Quilt Journal Project.  I'm so close to the end.
 2 blocks left!  I ordered an 8.5" hexi template but it's been on back order forever.  So, I won't be finishing any of them until that comes in.  I want them to be the same shape and size so they go together better than my last one!
I've started quilting my Irish Chain.  I haven't taken any pictures buy I will.  I'm doing a meandering ivy in the 'chain' part and the open spots have a feathered circle.  The feathered circle is turning out much better than the ivy.  I'm referring to them as Chernobyl Ivy, to give you a reference.

That's about it.  Rich and Bethany have been really sick.  Rich is very needy when he's sick.  Petulant 5 year old comes to mind... but hopefully he'll be bouncing back soon.  Talk to you soon!

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Life Is One Big Learning Experience


Hello Friends!  Wowzers, what a month!  I tell you what, it'll be awhile before I book my calendar that tight again!  Sometimes you can't help it but, jeez, that was a rough one!  Not to mention we've been crazy busy at my day job.

First, I'm super pleased to say that my first guild presentation seemed to go fairly well.  Let me just say, it was a very near disaster.  I didn't realize I needed to bring ALL my own equipment for the presentation.  Luckily, Katie M and a random IT guy came to my rescue in the nick of time.  Everything I do is a lesson in life.  Everything.  Next time, I'll know better!!!  Anyways, I didn't make a complete fool of myself.  Sales were wonderful!  And, on Saturday I gave a Back Basting Applique class.  We did the block for this pillow.  That was much easier.  It helps to be surrounded by friends!  So, if you know any guilds interested in hiring me for a class/ presentation, let me know.
I had tons of fun and torment while traveling this summer to quilt shows.  Again, everything is a learning experience.  My most recent, Urbana, was almost a complete bust.  I'm not sure if it was the weather (it rained the whole time), if it was the days of the show ( Friday and Saturday) or if they just didn't like what I had to offer.  But, I learned some more stuff about traveling and how I want to present my shop.  It's obvious that I need to diversify and I need more samples!  Samples, samples, samples!  So, now that I'm slowing down (pretending to), I got back to work on my Hungarian Heritage quilt.  I do have this book for sale in the shop and I LOVE it!  I got 2 more blocks done.


The project so far.  It's going to be pretty big.  I didn't buy enough red to do the borders, so I'll have to figure something out.  Naturally, my distributors don't have it in stock any longer.  Distributors are another thing I'm trying to figure out.  Note that the middle block, far left is not set right.  Booo!  But, I don't know that it screams at you.  So, I can either do a few more wrong and pretend it was on purpose or just let that one be it's own unique self.
 Here's the center block for my President's Challenge this year.  I'm calling it Blue Danube.  I'm loving it so far.
 Then, randomly, I decided to start a whole new project that has nothing to do with anything other than I'd been planning it for awhile.  I've got some grey fabric with pink flamingos on it that has been in my stash for a few years now.  Naturally, I decide that it can't wait and I have to start it in the middle of my craziness.
 I'm using star blocks that I had downloaded during Turning Twenty's block of the month a few years ago.  I knew they'd come in handy eventually.
 Nice big, easy blocks.
 I should end up with 12 stars and then I'll figure out how to get the flamingos incorporated.
 The guild's BOM from last month.  I didn't have it ready in time for the meeting but I treated myself to some embroidery afterwards, since I hadn't completely humiliated myself...  I'm using some of the Wildflowers thread that I sell in the shop.  So pretty up close!
 The project so far.  I've got a new one to work on this month.  That'll be my treat for finishing Hungarian Heritage.
I still have 3 quilts on my UFO list but things aren't looking good.  If I concentrate, I might get one of them quilted.  Both my Clamshells and Irish Chain tops are finished.  But, that means making a backing, basting, quilting and binding before the November meeting.  I MIGHT get one done.  MIGHT!

And, that brings us mostly up to date!  My next "event" will be at Frieden's Church here in Troy on 11/11.  Right down the street!  No hotel, no long road trips!  Hope you can all stop by to see the shenanigans!