Finish it February!

I had a major finish so far this month!  Well, two major finishes to be precise.  The quilts pictured below were finished and delivered to two little girls in NH.  Three days after Christmas 2017 their house burned taking everything they had and three pets.  I had the tops in my quilt armoire waiting for someone to inspire me to finish them.  I decided to finish them and donate them to the little girls.  Quilts are meant to warm and comfort, not sit in storage for 10 yrs like these two did.  And I think it’s important for small ones to know that there are people out there who care even if they don’t know who those people are.

Resurrecting this blog

Since I am sewing again, and knitting and doing cross stitch, I decided to resurrect this blog.  I’ll be posting about my sewing experiences with quilts and purses and whatnot, as well as some of my knitting exploits and cross stitch projects.

Xs and Os Quilt

Recently, I discovered quilt tutorials on You Tube done by Missouri Star Quilt Company.   What I really like about them is they involve easy ways to cut and sew quilt patterns that usually take FOREVER to put together.  I've gotten over my snobbishness about what "real quilting" is and have embraced all the time saving techniques I can.  

Even more recently, I bought a series of videos from Craftsy.com, which has been taking so much fabric money from me it's ridiculous.  The videos are made by Missouri Star Quilt Company, too.  They are fabulous!  One of the quilts Jenny teaches is the Xs and Os quilt.  I decided to try it with some fruit fabric I've been hoarding...er....COLLECTING...and came up with this wall quilt.  

I want to hang it in the kitchen, but I don't know if I can figure out a way to attach it to the cinder block wall.  Whatever, I'll figure out some place for it once it is quilted.

Husbands as Props for Quilt Photography and other Cool Stories

Without going into the various deficiencies of the dwelling we have in Hawaii, let me just say, it's not a quilter's house.  There is no place to hang a design wall where one could pin up a quilt to take a picture.   So, after trying various venues for photographing my Rose Garden quilt top, I had a workable idea.  

Bob decided to take a siesta in his living room chair yesterday afternoon.  I have often cautioned him that should he fall asleep in an accessible area and I am experimenting with a new hobby or technique, he could wake up dyed, painted, quilted, beaded, etc.  The only thing I vowed not to do is cut him into little pieces to make a Bob Quilt.  He always thought I was joking...well...maybe not....

Still puzzling about how to spread out my quilt to best advantage, I glanced at Bob's sleeping form.  Bob is a little over 6 ft tall and was all stretched out in his chair with his feet on a footstool. PERFECT, I thought.  I can spread the quilt over Bob and it would be high enough and even enough to get a passable photograph.

Bob woke up as I spread the quilt over him and was happy to assist.  He probably figured that functioning as a photography prop was preferable to many of the other things I could do in pursuit of my various hobbies.

I have a confession to make: I am a total convert to quilting pre-cut fabric.   I have resisted jelly rolls, layer cakes, turnovers, honeybuns and other dessert-named fabric shortcuts.  And charm packs held no charm for me.  

I have bought yards and yards and yards and yards, etc. of fabric over the years.  I've cut it into all sorts of shapes and had scraps and bigger pieces leftover.  This is what REAL quilters did.  They didn't buy pre-cut 10", 5" or 2 1/2" pieces that make  piecing faster and easier. 

 Well, shame-faced, I have to say...I have bought my first charm packs and layer cakes.   I like them because as fabric gets more expensive and I get older, I realized that buying yardage is costly and I have more fabric than I can possibly use in two lifetimes, let alone just the one I have.  And I've found it easier and faster to cut these into useful shapes.   AND they contain entire fabric collections, so they always go together.  Here are a couple of examples of some cute pre-cuts

 Mind you, back in the late '80s I didn't think machine quilting was "quilting" at all, but I have been machine quilting since the mid-90's.  So I guess this old gal can learn new tricks.

Rose garden quilt

Geez...first I don't blog forever and now you can't shut me up!  Two posts in one weekend!  Gotta blog when the spirit moves me!  I'm going to try to cut back my hours at work to no more than 9...not 9.5, not 10 and DEFINITELY not 12.  I get so exhausted that by the time the weekend rolls around...I don't get much housework done...all I want to do is play.   So, I did this weekend :)

Here's a quilt I've been working on.  I call it Rose Garden.  I love the fabrics.  They came out around Valentine's Day and I bought a yard of a few designs.  Then I thought of making this quilt, so I ordered a whole big bunch more.  Good thing, because I can't find it anymore.  

I'm using setting squares for the sashing, something I haven't done in a long time.  I always sucked at measuring and getting the squares right.  But, this time it's going quite well.  The blocks are about 14" square with 3" sashing, so  few blocks will go a long way.  Funny thing is I made a BUNCH of blocks, so I have a whole lot leftover.  

I'm not done with this yet.  I'm adding at least one more row horizontally.  Then I think I'll put a 2" border of the sashing fabric and then either the red rose fabric or the striped fabric for a 4" border.  

Stay tuned!

I'm back!

Although I haven't been blogging on this blog, I have been working on quilts and fabric in general.  While looking through my extensive stash of fabric, I found some that made me wonder what I was thinking when I bought it.  Like this piece:

It is probably the ugliest piece of fabric I've owned..EVER...and  I've been quilting since 1987.  
When I first found it, I thought it was inside out....but, nope, it is right side out the way you see it.  The stuff I would never put in a quilt is going into a pile to be made into cotton crocheted rugs like this one I made:

 
 I had yards and yards of drapery weight fabric my mom had gotten in a community yard sale years ago.  The fabric was leftovers from the funeral parlor across the street from my mom's house when they made new drapes....kinda funny :)


This rug is almost 4ft across and it is gracing my foyer.  We have beige carpeting in this house and it never stays clean...so I'm covering it up.  Here are some others I made:

 I think I am obsessed...there are a few more rugs in my future as I clean out my stash....
 

Retirement Quilt

I'm planning myself a retirement quilt.  I know, I'm starting early, but it takes me time to make a quilt. For my first spring in New Hampshire after I retire I want to snuggle under a new quilt made by me!

I love log cabin quilts.  So, I decided to make myself a log cabin quilt in purple and rose and yellow polka dots.  I've made two blocks so far.  And you'll note that I have a black cat-shaped spot on my two blocks. And this spot is apparently washing his feet....on MY quilt blocks.

Merlie's Quilt Addiction

Let's remember that Merlie never lived in a cold climate.  I doubt he ever really knew what a quilt was until a few weeks ago.  Ever since he became acquainted with his Aunt Denise's quilt, which she made for Bob, he's been a quilt junkie. In fact, he's become a FABRIC junkie!  

I submit this picture as evidence:

Note the colorful fabric Merlie is ensconced upon.  That is a quilt top that I spread over one of our pub chairs in order to decide if I wanted to make the quilt bigger or leave it as a wall quilt.  

Merlie has never sat on our pub chairs.  Never showed any interest in them.  BUT, add a quilt top and he's right there!  Also, he's been joining me in my quilting area lying in quilt scraps.  HOWEVER, once I tried sprinkling fabric scraps on him.  He got scared and ran.  I have no idea what he thought I was really doing to him.  He doesn't seem scared of lying on the scraps, but scraps raining down freaks him out.   Strange cat....

Happy New Year!

As the East Coast of the U.S. finishes up its ringing in of 2012, we in Hawaii are still waiting for the magic hour. Some fireworks are still legal here, but not the real loud stuff.  Still, some folks think the rules do not apply to them and there are occasional loud booms.  This is our first New Year with Merlin and he's afraid of the loud noises.  He is curled up next to me on the couch so I'll protect him from the "booms".   Guess I'll be up for a while defending the homestead against loud noises and keeping Merlie safe.  :)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Here they are!

 For once I got my act together to post my pictures early today.  This picture is the serendipitous quilt that just "happened" yesterday.  Found the fabric, realized how much I missed my sunflower fabric and decided to whip up something simple to add beads to.  I have a perfect place to put it in the bedroom.  I just love sunflowers.  They are such happy flowers!

And this is the polka dot quilt. Really bright and pinky-magenta.  I'm going to bead it, too, but haven't decided how yet.

Today I need to work on my Red Victorian Lady bead tapestry.  Haven't worked on  her in a while.  She's a big project and isn't going to weave herself!

Quilt Catch Up

I've gotten the quilting bug again.  I have rarely quilted while living in Hawaii....too hot and we don't use quilts at all.  But, I spent two weeks in New Hampshire which included a couple of days of snow.  I just felt like quilting and sewing in general.  Thought that feeling would go away once I returned to the tropics, but it hasn't.  

I've cleaned up my sewing area which is just a part of  one of the bedrooms.  It's enough space with shelving and a table for cutting, etc.  I don't think I'll be making any bed quilts, just lap quilts and some wall quilts.  

When I lived in Germany, I made several quilts.  One was for Bob because he didn't have one and we really needed them in the winter.  His was coffee-themed :)
And I got into making wall quilts embellished with beads and appliques.  These are a couple of the wall quilts I made:

Today, I've been working on a new quilt based on one of my favorite quilting books.  I'm almost finished with the piecing, but haven't decided on embellishment yet.  Oh yes, it must be embellished!  I'll post a picture tomorrow of the pre-embellished stage.  And I finished a top for a wall quilt which just kind of happened while I was going through my stash today.  I'll post a picture of it's pre-embellished stage, too.

I'm back to quilting!

Too Much to do....

I cannot wait until I retire!  I have too much to do at work to spend time to do all I want at home.  Maybe I'll just wait until I retire and write a book!

Merlin

I'm trying to revive this blog once again. I have so many cat stories I want to share.  First, let me introduce Merlin. 

Merlin is a 5yr old cat we adopted from a local rescue group.  He definitely part Burmese.  He has Burmese fur and looks reddish brown underneath his black coat.  He is a gorgeous animal.  And a spoiled animal.  My husband, Bob, says all my cats will be spoiled...it's just what I do. 

Merlin was really sick when we first got him.  He stopped eating a week after we got him.  We took him to the vets. a week and a half later (and $4500), he was back with a stomach tube and we had to feed him through the tube until he could eat again by himself.  His liver had shutdown and had to be "taught" to function again.  It only took 2 weeks before he was eating on his own.

And since then he has been king of the house and all he surveys.   He has scared Jazzmyn, who unbeknownst to us didn't want another cat  in the house, so she stays upstairs.  We're gradually working their relationship out, but it's going to take a while.  

Check back for more Merlin/Jazzmyn stories....

Catch up Time!

Trying to catch up on my blogging.  I've got so much to update....new starts...a few finishes...but, alas, no pictures.....yet.  Working on that.

But, without pictures, I can say that I tried working with resin.  I planned to make some components for jewelry.  Cabochons for earrings and pendants.  But I have to say...I really don't like working with resin.  It's sticky and takes at least three days to cure.  Unfortunately, it's rather humid here in Hawaii, so it often takes longer.  The one thing I do like resin for is to seal my paper clay components after I've painted them.  I think once my supply of resin is gone, I won't be making resin anything.  Resin jewelry stuff is just one thing that doesn't really appeal to me.


I've been making lots of paper  clay components.  They are so light weight and I can use my metal leaf pens on the components to make them look silver, gold or copper. I've made earrings and pendants that actually look like ceramic, but are so very light.  


Gotta get some pictures to post this week!

 

Happy New Year!!!!

 I know I missed the common New Year, AND I missed Chinese New Year, but the sentiment is well meant :)

Ran into a few bumps in life the last few weeks.  My 14 yr Oriental Shorthair Boo-boo passed away earlier this month.  After weeks of medical attention and TLC at home, it was determined that there was nothing more we could do for him.  Boo-boo went off to Rainbow Bridge on 2 February.  We love him and miss him.

Before the end of the year....

I gotta get in one more post with a few updates.  I've really started making dolls in earnest.  As usual, I have several started in various stages of construction.  I'm trying some multimedia dolls and cloth dolls with sculptured faces. 

                              
The first one is a paper mache mannequin that I painted and have had hanging around for a while.  I made my very first paper clay head and glued it on.  Now I have to make some sort of arms from paper clay, too.

Did I mention there is no laughing while looking at my blog?  Well, seeing this, my own original creation of a stump doll, might just make you break that rule.  This was my attempt to make a doll with a bosom.  I had a really hard time trying  to stuff her into her dress.  I did learn a lot from the process, but the poor thing looks a bit lopsided.  And now I have to a head and arms for her.

 This is Fanny the Fandango Doll.  She has a ready-made body that I'm painting and beading.  I beaded her face.

 This is a purely fantasy doll.  I don't even know what it will be when I'm done.  I'm altering the body a bit and just going with the flow for beading.

 

UPDATE!!!

FINALLY!!!  I am making an update to most of my latest projects.

First is Griselda - 

 She's almost done except for her shoes!  And I have one more "bendi doll" to make her a friend!

Next:  Purple and Yellow bead embroidered cuff bracelet -

 I made all the glass cabochons, including the face.   Some folks think it's kind of creepy because of the face.  It's 3" wide and I really like it!

AND....Purple Amethyst bracelet -

 Amethyst is my favorite gemstone.  This bracelet is three pretty amethyst donuts and some of my glass cabochons.  Only problem with this bracelet is that the magenta-colored beads had a metallic finish which is coming off.  Underneath, the beads are just clear glass.


And last but not least - Rose bracelet

 All the cabochons in this bracelet are made from paper clay...yup, that's right paper clay.  They look like ceramic, but they are not.  The paper clay is originally white.  I colored the cabochons with Sharpie Markers and finished them with a gloss liquid that was made for polymer clay.

I'm sure there are a few more projects I haven't mentioned.  There are two cuff bracelets, a red one and blue one that I'm looking for.  

I'm trying to make time for a rag rug that I've started to weave.  I really need to retire!

I'm a Slacker!!!

HA!  I will not be blowing off the month of October on my blog.  After all, it's my favorite month...my anniversary AND birthday...AND in 2015 my retirement month.  Unless, of course, the Mayans are correct and the world ends in 2012.  I'll be totally ticked off if that happens!

Well, POO!

Totally missed the month of August!  It went by so fast!   By Monday, I'll post some photos of progress and finishes.

Progress....and a Finish

I have some progress pictures and a finish to talk about today.  First, my progress pictures:

This is Grisella my Nifty Fifty doll.  I'm making her to celebrate my 5th decade.  She is supposed to be done by October.  I think she might be.  I was a bit stymied about her hair, but finally decided what should look like.

You can see  that she has two butterfly "tattoos"...ahem...well...in strategic areas.  And her hair is a natural do o of bead strings and square beads.
I've started adding garters...wooohooo.....and will make a pair of peyote stockings for Grisella.

 














And here is my finish:  

 This is my third bead embroidered cuff bracelet.  I used three dichroic cabochons that I bought from the internet and used all kinds and shades of brown beads.  It looks really rich.