The Quilter's Market

Here's a Smilebox that offers a tour of The Quilter's Market in Tucson, Arizona, where I teach some of the quilting classes. This includes my Floral Fantasy quilt that I will be teaching in July.

Let me know if you're interested in taking the class!

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Christmas Quilt BOM Photos

Jo Cady-Bull has asked if I will continue to post close-ups of the Christmas Quilt BOM blocks that she has done.

I've finished all to date (nothing like being sick enough not to go to work but feeling OK enough to do some photo editing!) and you can find them here and in the links:

http://picasaweb.google.com/shimmers411/ChristmasQuiltSamplesInstructor#

Blockbusters Month Four

 

This was a good block to get me back into quilting after being on vacation and focusing on making Nik's baptism outfit.

For first time no consistency with the sun fabric. Instead continuity with the other gold, fuscia and purple. Since this is a scrappy block I feel that as long as I keep some fabrics consistent everything will work together.

When I get the block design and fabrics, I use Electric Quilt to reproduce the block and add fabrics. I'm hoping to get my Electric Quilt 7 Upgrade by the time I need to do the July block. Some folks have already gotten their full versions. Can't wait for the upgrades to be available! I began using EQ with version 4.

Time to work on editing more photos now. And maybe getting to my quilting projects this weekend.

Vacation Memories

Wow! What a wonderful vacation! So many memories!

I spent about a week packing. A little every night as anticipation built. In previous trips I've done the fastest route from Tucson to Deming, New Mexico on I-10 then the Hatch shortcut to I-25 and straight to the Denver area.

This time I needed to stop in Mesa where my stepmother had some of my late father's family mementos for me. I left Tucson about 6:30 am and enjoyed a beautiful spring drive via the Pioneer Parkway. The beauty of the desert and saguaro cactus in bloom were in sharp contrast to the prison facilities in Florence.

Only a quick stop in Mesa then I headed up I-17 toward Flagstaff. I considered a detour to photograph the red rocks of Sedona but my goal was to try to reach Pagosa Springs for an overnight stop.

As usual when we travel Sargeant TopGun looks around for a time initially then he retreats to his dog bed "donut". We stopped at one of the few rest areas still open in Arizona (economic shutdown and one I disagree with) and then a few miles up the road came upon the remains of a brushfire. The median was charred and the south interstate was closed. Traffic on that side was backed up for at least five miles.

In contrast we had an easy trip to the Flagstaff area. I was on I-40 for just a few miles and saw a sin "road closed ahead". I wondered if that was because high wind was predicted for the weekend.

It didn't take long to realize the warnings were correct. From outside Flag until almost Durango I drove in the worst wind I have ever experienced. It should have been bright sun. Instead, no shadows whatsoever. The world was taupe. I could see nothing of this beautiful Four Corners area. Indeed, the Four Corners monument was closed!

There were times that visibility was less than 20 feet! Fortunately I know how to drive in wind, as did the few vehicles ahead and behind me. We kept about 150 yards separation and had no problems. On the interstates drivers aren't as aware. There have been mass pileups and people killed. I learned later that I-40 was closed for hours on both Saturday and Sunday.

When I reached Durango I said "enough!" Motels have discovered that it's good business to welcome travelers with pets...for an additional charge. I happily paid $10 for Sargeant. Dinner was take-out BBQ, some of the best I've ever had. They even put together a package of "ends" for Sargeant.

Early Sunday morning we headed out to Denver. I've ridden the route on my motorcycle and thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful scenery and mountain passes. Still beautiful but not nearly as fun in my little Hyundai with strong winds. My Accent is a wonderful car and it's gotten me back and forth between Arizona and Colorado several times but it is definitely NOT a mountain car!

When I arrived at my son's house early afternoon I said "no more mountain driving for a day or two!"

Then the fun really started ... family time! We had some dinners out and cook-outs in the back yard. Went shopping for clothes for Lukas. Tried on Nik's baptism outfit to make sure it fit ... it did!

Tina and I both came down with colds. I spent the better part of one day doing nothing but sleeping and swallowing cold medicines. Fortunately that was the worst day for me. For the first time I was able to celebrate Tina's birthday with her. My son and I went together and gifted her with a Canon SX210IS camera. I think she was most excited by the Eye-Fi card that will allow her to automatically upload photos to her Shutterfly account.

I took lots of photos as usual ... almost 600. They've been culled down into two Smileboxes. One is exclusively baptism photos and videos. The other, with this post, are from other activities.

Geoff, Lukas and I went to downtown Denver for the Memorial Day parade. We ate at a wonderful restaurant, Sam's 3, with some of the biggest food platters I've ever seen. There was an arts festival going on so we looked but didn't buy anything. Downtown Denver really is vibrant!

Several days later we all returned downtown for a visit to the Denver Aquarium. This is one of Lukas' favorite spots. Afterwards we took a ride on a trolley and enjoyed the sights of the Platte River.

The weather was beautful the entire time I was there!

Although this was my longest visit, it was time to leave all too soon. I'd allowed myself two days for the trip back to Tucson, if needed. As I usually do I made it in one day ... about 14 hours on the road. The drive was completely unremarkable and unmemorable.

Now enjoy the Smilebox I made:

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Nik's Baptism!

What a wonderful vacation with my family! This is the longest time we've spent together for years and it was truly a marvelous experience. I'll post another message on some of the things we did. For this message, I'm posting the Smilebox I did on my grandson Nikolaus' baptism.

There are three videos at the end of this Smilebox. The last one is the complete baptism ceremony and it is about 7 minutes long. This one will likely be of interest only to family members or historians!

I have to wonder ... will this blog exist 100 years from today? Will my great...great grandchildren think "how primitive?" What would it be like if I had records like this from my "greats"?

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Nik's Baptism Outfit

 

Finished! Or almost. It depends if Tina and Geoff want to add a bow tie.

Since I haven't done much garment sewing recently this was a bit of a challenge. I did give my serger a bit of a workout and used two sewing machines ... my Juki and my BabyLock. The Juki is definitely my favorite now for any kind of straight stitch sewing!

In addition to finishing the outfit, most of this weekend has been spent cleaning and organizing. The hall bathroom got steam cleaned (love my little steamer!) and I'm slowly working through my bedroom (not with the steamer!) My desk is cleaned of the piles and there are a couple of bags going into the garbage. Time to declutter!

Sargeant and I did take a break last night to go to an outdoor concert at Udall Park. Tonight it's the Pops Concert at Reid Park. I've discovered that Jimmy John's lettuce wrapped "subs" are out of this world. Tonight I might even surprise Sargeant with his own roast beef sub. It's always fun to order one "Hold everything including the bun".

Now it's time to take my first load of laundry out and put another one in. Then watching the Amgen Tour of California bicycle race. What fun!

Mother's Day

 

I spent a wonderful Mother's Day sewing the baptism outfit for my grandson, Nik. I made an outfit similar to this for Lukas almost five years ago. Lukas was younger at his baptism so his outfit is too small for Nik to wear. Just as well, now each of my grandson's will have his own baptism outfit!

This week I need to do the buttonholes for the back closure and the snap tape closure for the pants. Then all gets connected and packed for the baptism. What fun! What a great Mother's Day!

Unconventional Sewing

 

Although I began as a garment sewer, I've evolved into a quilter. I'm far more familiar with rulers and rotary cutters than scissors. As a computer geek I'm always looking for ways to use my computer to make my processes easier. Maybe not always easier but certainly more fun for me!

When I started to lay out the pattern pieces for my grandson's baptism outfit I quickly remembered how much I dislike fluttery pattern pieces and cutting with scissors. I decided it would be easier to make copies of the pattern pieces onto freezer sheets, apply them to the fabric with a quick swipe with a hot iron, and then cut out the pieces. My tools are here: my freezer paper pattern, ruler, pattern weights (an essential tool for sewing!) and rotary cutter. I was able to cut out everything except the pants legs this way. I still used the rotary cutter and ruler with these, along with judicious placement of the pattern weights.

If you're making baby clothes, doll clothes, stuffed animals or other items with small pattern pieces, consider this method. You may find it a new useful technique!

Evening Walkabout

The cactus are in bloom so when Sargeant gave me his "walk?" look I grabbed a camera and took phtoos while we enjoyed the day sliding into dusk.

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BlockBusters Month Three

 

This is the block done for my birthday. Quite a bithday it was! It started out early. Actually, it started like a normal work day ... alarm going off at 5:00 am. Time to relax them Sargeant and I left home about 6:15 am to go to the Cop Walk at Brandi Fenton Park. This is the second year we've attended. For $15 we get breakfast, a mile walk, police K-9 demonstrations and feeling good supporting this good cause.

Dropped Sargeant at home; one tuckered pup! Then headed to Quilters Market for BlockBusters. I'd been to Girls Night Out not many hours before and had put aside a number of items so I could claim my birthday surprise ... a discount equal to half my age. It's gettin up there!

Next I headed to the sewing supply store to get the notions needed to make my grandson Nik's baptism outfit. Then to Kampai, my favorite sushi restaurant for some favorite foods to go. Home in time for the Kentucky Derby...only I took a nap! DVR'd the race but haven't watched it yet for I received the kind of phone call no one wants: my grandson Nik had been rushed by paramedics to the children's hospital.

There was nothing I could do but pray and ask my friends to pray. "Thy will be done" was my silent prayer. I had to do something so I began to work on the block. After a while I stopped. I couldn't sew a straight line!

Tonight I finished the block. Nik is home from the hospital, safe and sound, with a good prognosis. I ripped out some seams and finished the block tonight. So many memories in this one block!

Spring at Old Tucson

Today was a wonderful day for the company I work for to have our end of season company picnic. This year we took over Old Tucson, one of the top five "must see" Tucson tourist attractions. I've been going there since I was in high school. I have great memories of sharing the fun with my son. Sadly, the Old Tucson I knew burned in an arson fire (no one ever arrested). It's been reconstructed but so many of the old movie props are lost forever.

It was especially fun today as the park is large enough it wasn't crowded. A great opportunity to photograph the sights without having people blocking the views. There are a few people here and there, mostly the sights of Old Tucson.

Enjoy the Smilebox!

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Velcro Puppy

 

My sleep schedule has been all messed up this past week. Overtime and I've been coming home, falling asleep watching TV and then waling in the middle of the night. So I've been working on my quilt for a couple hours. That pattern continued Saturday only I didn't go back to sleep. I stayed awake until I finished the binding. All done!

After realizing I wasn't going to come back to bed, Sargeant came out and snuggled net to me. He doesn't mind being covered by whatever quilt I'm working on. Of course, as soon as I took this photo he went from deep sleep to looking at me. Food? Need me? Getting up? None of those? Then back to sleep.

As I type this he's snuggled next to me. A big sigh announced he was going to another level of sleep. In a few minutes I'll be ready to head to bed. He'll follow, of course. That's what a velcro dog does ... stick to you like velcro! I wouldn't have it any other way.

Blockbuster Month 2

 

I took a break from sewing on the binding on my Floral Fantasy quilt. I was working last Saturday and unable to attend the presentation so paid to get the block. Picked it up Saturday and had the chance to get Jean Biddick's new book and get it autographed by all the Tucson folks who are represented.

With this second block I have more clues on how the blocks will be designed. The theme is movie stars so the blocks are stars. Fabrics are batik and colors look like jewel tones (blues, greens, purples).

I picked up a few more batiks Saturday. My design concept is to use my spinning sun fabric fussy cut in the center. For the star points I'll use another yellow (I have several). Blues, the fuschia and purple, and perhaps some green will be my other colors. As I continue designing I'll plan to use one to three similar fabrics in the blocks, though the similar fabrics may vary from one block to another. It will be consistently scrappy!

I'm enjoying this very much. It gives me a chance to work on techniques in fabrics and a color palatte I like. I'm also getting some Electric Quilt 6 practice as I recreate the blocks and play with various color combinations.

Cabbage Casserole

Dinner tonight - very easy to make!

1 cup boiling water
1 cup quick-cooking brown rice, uncooked
1 14-oz bag of coleslaw mix with carrots
1 pound Jennie-O Italian seasoned ground turkey
1 tsp chopped garlic (I actually use about 2 Tbsp minced from a jar)
1 tep (or more to taste) Kirkland Organic No-Salt Seasoning
1 can heart healthy (low salt) condensed tomato soup
1/2 soup can water

Preheat oven to 340 degrees. Spray a 2-qt covered casserole with nonstick cooking spray. Add rice and the 1 cup boiling water. Cover.

Spray a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray and add the coleslaw mix. Stir-fry until limp then add to the casserole. Don't stir yet.

Brown the ground turkey in the same skillet with the garlic and seasoning. Spread over cabbage in casserole.

Mix soup with water then pour over the casserole. Mix gently. Cover casserole and bake for 55 minutes.

Makes four 2-cup servings, approximately 350 calories.

Adapted from a recipe published in Everyday Cheapskate.

Enjoy! Easy and healthy!

Cat Approved

 

I've spent almost all of Easter Sunday, from about 5:30 am, working on my Floral Fantasy quilt. Finished quilting all the blocks (99) and a bit over one quarter of the border. Tucked a casserole in the oven (it will soon be too hot to use the oven!) and am now collapsed on the couch watching The Amazing Race. Hopefully I can stay awake for Undercover Boss. If not, the DVR is set.

I'm on track for getting the quilt completely finished by next Sunday. Mizzy Paws has definitely adopted it as hers. She can snooze on it until I call "Bed! Bed!" and she'll come running to collect her spot on the pillow next to mine.

Wishing everyone a blessed Easter!

-- Joanna

Adventures in Embroidery

 

I can remember my grandmother teaching me to embroider but it has been a long, long time since I've done more than a quick stem stitch. So I really am having to shake off the rust!

I did manage to finish my first test block. Not perfect but not dreadful either. By the time I quilt it and add some bling it will definitely be passable!

Sneak Peek

 

For the past three weeks I've been spending much of my non-work time designing and then cutting and piecing a quilt for a possible class this summer. I finished the top tonight and am relaxing (ie collapsing) and watching the end of the Xavier-Kansas State game (2nd overtime!) I'm pulling for Xavier since our new University of Arizona basketball coach, Sean Kelly, came from Xavier. How proud he must be of his former team!

Next task is to start thinking how I will quilt my quilt.

Sadly, Xavier lost. Terrific game though.

March Blockbusters

 

I've been immersed in creating a quilt for a class I plan to teach this summer. Nothing to show right now (it will be revealed when the class schedule is published). I took a hour diversion to create this block, the first in the new series. Meets the first Saturday of the month and, as most monthly block programs go, bring the previous month's block in and et the next month at no cost.

I missed the first meeting so missed the demo. Rules say that at least some of the provided fabrics must be used in the block. I enjoy this more than the blocks where everyone is given all fabrics. This allows more creativity.

In this, my first block, I used the provided fabrics to surrond the sun in the center and the blue/green in the outer corners.

The Christmas Quilt - A Different Path

 

I'm not much for doing block of the month (BOM) projects. I've tried a few but something always seems to interfere with makin all the blocks. One of these days I need to take those blocks and turn them into placemats as a charity project. But that's for another day.

When the Christmas Quilt BOM was announced by The Quilter's Market, where I teach, I decided I would do this and give it as a gift to my son and family. It is, by far, the most expensive quilt commitment I have made in my years of quilting. There's a monthly fee and, as I discovered at the first meeting on Saturday, embellishment kits and tools to make the project process smoother. I have no problems with either as I love embellishments and tools. I'm not only making an investment in the quilt; I'm making an investment in the fun I will have making it and the delight of giving it to my loved ones.

I have created two Picasa Web albums. The first -- Christmas Quilt Samples - Instructor shows block samples and close-ups. There will be two blocks a month for eight months (skipping July). The second album, Christmas Quilt Joanna Variations, has my samples.

After attending the first BOM meeting I decided I wanted to try something different than the techniques presented by the instructor. I usually tell my students to try the instructor's techniques first then adapt. In this instance I feel I have enough experience to head out on my own.

As detailed in previous messages, I recently finished a baby quilt that had about 100 appliques. I used the technique taught by Sharon Schamber. There were times I really struggled with the process but I mostly conquered it. Then I got Beth Ferrer's More Hand Applique by Hand book. While the techniques are similar, there are some significant differences.

I decided I would like to try my own variation of the wash-away applique fabric method.I didn't want to start out with the fabric pack provided in our first class, so I assembled fabrics from my stash. ood thing I experimented! My first attempt was a disaster! I didn't realize that I needed to scan the hand applique block pattern and then flip it horizontally to get the proper orientation after I fused the wash-away to my fabrics. I discovered the problem when I went to glue the red M to my fabric background.

Great learnings come from mistakes so I started over. The result is shown here and in the album. So far, I'm pleased.

My next challenge is reactivating my embroidery skills. I haven't done any serious embroidery for at least five years. If the muscle memory comes back I'll start work on the block using my fabric kit.

What fun!

Colorado Railroad Museum

Make a Smilebox digital scrapbook

Creativity takes many forms. Tonight I did some free-motion quilting and then came in to play with my computer graphics programs and create a few Smilebox presentations.

Nothing like a doting Grandma, is there?

The Story of Oslene's Quilt

I was horrifed when I saw the devastation that was caused by the earthquake in Haiti. It was a country I'd never really thought about. Vague neative mind ticklers but nothing specific. No desire to ever go there.

The initial pictures of the disaster evoked memories of other disasters in my lifetime. Hurricane Andrew. Oklahoma City. Katrina. The tsunami. Wildfires. Most of all 9/11 and my mother saying over and over again "The children, the poor children, so many orphaned."

Haiti became personal when my dear daughter-in-law Tina forwarded a message from her good friend Shushawn. Shushawn and her husband David were in the process of adopting an 11-month-old baby, Oslene, from a Haitian orphanage.

Never underestimate the power of prayer and determined people! Emails began to fly around. These orphans needed to get out of Haiti and into their loving forever homes! Fox News and CNN broadcast coverage of the orphanage around the world. Nothing happened immediately then American Senators and other government officials and aid groups began to respond.

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Every baby needs a loving home and a quilt. I looked through my books and found the ideal one for Oslene in P.S. I Love You Two! by Nancy J. Smith and Lynda S. Milligan. I had made the Bye Baby Bunting quilt from that book for my grandsons Lukas and Nikolaus.

I went into my stash of fabrics and discovered I had good amounts left from those quilts. I began cutting and sewing, early work mornings and evenings and weekends.

The news from Haiti was not good. Many of the children had made it to Miami but not Oslene. Paperwork this and that. I didn't stop work on the quilt. I was learning much as I worked with it.

Then the joyful news from her parents. They were to fly to Miami immediately to get their daughter!

Shushawn asked those in her circle of friends and acquaintances to respect their need to introduce Oslene to her new world slowly. That was fine with me. I would bring her quilt, now almost finished, to Denver when I visited for Valentine's weekend. I could even sign it there. That was my only remaining task to finish the quilt.

That plan changed as soon as I arrived at my son's home. Tina needed to pick up Lukas from daycare "and Shushawn may be there picking up her son."

No signature on the quilt but that wasn't important. Important was heading out the door!

At the preschool there was Shushawn ... and Oslene! We chatted for a few moments then Shushawn tucked the quilt around Oslene and I snapped a few photos. "Send me one with Oslene and the quilt," I asked.

Shushawn did.

Oslene is beginning to adapt to her family and new life in America. The road ahead will likely contain bumps but one thing is assured: Oslene is surrounded by a loving circle of people who wish her only the best from life.

Valentine's Day Visit

Make a Smilebox photobook

This is my first attempt at creating a Smilebox digital scrapbook. So far it looks like a fun way to capture photo memories. What do you think? I have all of the photos used here in my Picasa album .... http://picasaweb.google.com/shimmers411/ValentineSVisit2010#
Are these complementary presentations?

A Plea for Haiti Orphans!

My dear daughter-in-law forwarded this plea from her good friend who was in the process of adopting a Haitian orphan when the earthquake struck. Please, take a few minutes to write or call your representatives!

   -- Joanna

Letter from the mom who is adopting:

Email text you are welcome to use or copy:

The Haiti orphans don’t have a lot of time!  Food and water is still not reaching them and the babies will start to die soon.  Many have already begun the adoption process and their American parents want to rescue them now!

I implore you, PLEASE act quickly on authorizing these “humanitarian paroles” or visas to get these children here and safe before it’s too late!  Every second counts for those precious babies.

UFO Finished!

Yesterday I finished the free-motion quilting on this project and began hand sewing the binding. Finished the binding watching the morning shows and football (temporarily changed allegance and rooted for the Vikings!).

This is one of the reasons I made the commitment to learn free-motion quilting. I pieced this little quilt perhaps three years ago. So long ago I've forgotten where I got the pattern. The fabric was leftovers from my Christmas Cat quilt (still not finished ... waiting for the skill to improve more). It's been sitting in one of several UFO piles.

This combines straight line and free-motion quilting. I secured the gold border using stitch in the ditch. The red and floral blocks had straight line stitching. The free-motion stitching was leaves in the gold areas and then flowers in the brown blocks and around the quilt in the red border. I used gold-orange-red varigated thread.

I'm really pleased with the result!

I'm going to use this as a table topper and concert picnic quilt. I've named it "The Haiti Quilt" as the colors remind me of the Caribbean and much of the free-motion quilting was completed while watching the news coverage of the horrific earthquake destruction in Haiti.

If anyone recognizes the pattern/designer, please let me know so I can offer attribution adn thanks for a great pattern.

Not My Colors?

 

Several weeks ago, when I was at Girls Night Out, I was looking at the Hoffman Bali Pops and a friend commented that one I was holding didn't look like my colors. She was right. I rarely buy or work in pastels.

So I bought the pastel package.

Saturday morning I decided I needed a change of pace from free-motion quilting practice. I pulled out the Bali Pops and began sewing strips together. What a dream on the Juki! They went together quickly in a pattern from the Quilters Market Strippers Club. Just a few more seams and it will be ready to decide on borders.

With a few exceptions, I don't decide on borders until the piece is ready. I may have a concept in advance, but the final decision comes when I can step back and look at the project. Borders can change the entire look of a quilt. With this one, they will help pull out on or two specific colors. I'm thinking of a cream inner border and a blue or green outer border.

It's exciting seeing this come to fruition! And I really like the pastels.

What do you think? Is this my colors or not?

Enjoying the Process

 

It's tax season! That means the start of 10+ hour work days. Ther's just a peek of daylight when I leave home and it's O'dark Late when I arrive back. Emotionally exhausting days yet satisfying in many ways.

After I arrive home I make a quick dinner, check e-mail, then relax in front of the living room TV for a time. Most often when the clock shows 9:00 am I say "Bed...Bed!" and Sargeant and Mizzy Paws head to the bedroom. Mizzy has to curl up on HER pillow next to me and Sargeant snuggles under the covers next to me. If I stay up any later they're likely to head to bed and give me "where were you?" looks.

My time for quilting is in the morning. This week I'm managed to spend anywhere from 15 minutes (today) to an hour in the studio. I'm finished with the straight stitching and ready for the free-motion quilting. I started with one concept (free-motion over the entire top) and it's evolved to straight stitching with limited free-motion. Maybe I will finish this weekend.

My time in the studio has been spent enjoying the process and learning the machine. I removed my speed control and have gotten pretty good at foot control. I take pleasure in committing the hiding of my threads to muscle memory. I enjoy the feel of the fabric, the sound of the machine, the visual patterns of the fabric.

It's a good preparation for the work day!

What If?

 

In addition to not knowing how to free-motion quilt, there's another reason I've been a topper: I absolutely hate preparing a top for quilting!

My table space is limited, as is my floor space. I've tried using the kitchen for quilt preparation. It has lovely tile but getting ready is a pain. No matter how clean the floor, I have to clean it again. Then there's the agony of getting down on hands and knees to tape down the backing, betting and top. All the time fending off the quilt inspectors. I've had disasters too. I tried fusible spray and ended up trying to get it off the tile. Not fun.

Then there was the time I decided to try the fusible batting. Can you guess what happens when you use steam on a tile floor? Not good.

So tops have remained tops and I've learned the joy of working small. I've evolved a technique of using either Misty Fuse or Steam-A-Seam2 to fuse my layers together. Works great but it's not for a lap size quilt.

Over the holidays I've watched videos by Sharon Schamber and Carol Taylor. Sharon does hand basting using boards to keep the layers smooth. Carol uses photo fix spray for everything. Most other quilting gurus advocate pinning in one form or another.

I couldn't find photo fix spray so decided to take another chance on the adhesive quilt spray. I did decide to try starching my top and back, as Sharon Schamber recommends. I typically prefer Best Press but "what if....?" The worst that could happen is that I'd ruin this project quilt. That's unlikely to happen.

The spray worked well! Even so, once the layers were together I decided to go ahead and pin as well. The pins aren't as close together as recommended (hand width). The layers also weren't moving around.

I've started stitching in the ditch and, so far, I'm pleased with the results. I'm getting better at changing tension.

Another "what if?" is the thread I'm using for this project. Instead of my usual King Tut I'm using Signature Pixelles Size 30 Triobel Polyester on the top and Signature Size 40 Cotton in the bobbin. So much for not combining polyester and cotton. It's working well so far and I like the results.

Batting is Warm and Natural. I was going to try bamboo batting but the quilt spray recommends cotton only. I'll experiment with the bamboo at another time.

Veggie Quilt #1

 
Happy New Year!

I hope your first day of the New Year 2010 has been as satisfying as mine. I managed to stay awake long enough to see the ball drop from Times Square and sip a glass of champagne. Then a solid seven hours sleep before waking. I watched the Rose Bowl parade and then went to prepare my potluck dish for an afternoon gathering with friends.

Lots of time to go into the studio and practice green thread free-motion quilting in my little quilt series.

That's when I had the "aha" moment. A little quilt would make a perfect hostess gift. I shuffled the pile and found the quilt pictured. All done except for quilting in the orange area. I added a quick fused binding. It's a bit larger than I would like so I will experiment with other bindings in the rest of this series.

The finishing touch was to put on a label. Some time ago I used one of my graphics programs to print a sheet of labels. I have had the sheet pinned to my design wall where I can quickly add this finishing touch that is so often forgotten. This was the last one on the sheet so I'll design a new one for 2010.

After photographing the front I also snapped shots of the back. I can view my work in my graphics program (I use the free program Picasa from Google most of the time as it is quick and does a good job on simple editing.) Using the zoom feature I can examine my stitches far more easily than just looking at the actual quilt. It's a good measure of the quality of my work, especially since I'm progressing through these little quilts one thread color at a time.

This little quilt now belongs to my good friend Kellie.