Tall Tales from Kansas

shall we say smoother

I am surrounded by triangles. Sewing them into great long lines. Attaching each line to the next. 

I used a ruler to cut my triangles, but other than that I am making this up as I go, sort of. 

I mean how many ways can there be to do this? What is really fabulous is how I keep making note of all these color combinations that seem to work well together. 

There wasn't a lot of thought put into exactly what went next to what because, well because I liked all the combinations. There was a bit of moving, not much.

Probably a really good quilter would be more precise about lining up things. Points would be sharp and match up. I do my best. 

In the end, I will be happy with it. 

Next up is figuring out the backing material.  Generally I piece together bigger remnant scraps. I might go a different direction this time. Or not.  

I saw a great video on instagram showing a woman who taped her backing fabric to the floor, then she used basting spray on her batting and quilt top as she laid them down to make the quilt sandwich. I am going to try that instead of big safety pins this time to see if things come out a bit, shall we say "smoother"? I learn something new with each project. Step by step. I am on my quilting journey. 

it's turning out like I thought if would, in my mind

I have fallen into a rabbit hole of triangles. Equilateral triangles. Multi-colored, solid, equilateral triangles to be precise. Triangles that will be sewn into a quilt. 

Cutting, arranging, re-arranging. Then moving them around again. 

I read somewhere about taking a photo, then making it black and white, to more carefully consider the color values. Such a smart idea. 

The truth is I like each arrangement pretty well. I could walk around this bed for another week playing with it. So I am stopping. 

Saturday morning the sewing will commence! So far (cannot be over stressed) it is turning out like I thought it would in my mind. Hallelujah! I haven't picked a backing yet. Binding will be some sort of small multi-colored stripe... I think anyway. All decisions are subject to change up until the very last second.

I'm not built that way

We had some big white snowflakes today in Lawrence. But just for about an hour or so. Nothing stuck to the ground. It was the perfect morning for a late breakfast, steel cut oats topped with big giant blueberries, walnuts, some yogurt and maple syrup. Coffee to sip. A glance through the paper. Nowhere to go. 

Cold weather makes me want to stay inside and make stuff. Coincidentally, I scribbled down a list in my journal the other day of things I want to get going on. Today I worked on three.  Let's begin with the triangle quilt. As you can see, it has not yet been started. 

I have wanted to make one since Pam Garrison brought her's to art retreat #3 (I think) in Palm Springs years ago. Solid triangles, sewn together in strips. She told me she got the idea from Elise Blaha and today I found her old post of a baby triangle quilt she made. It was fun to look at in preparation for embarking on mine. 

I made a few practice cuts on some scraps to be sure I understand how this is going to fit together. I'm glad I did. This stack of Kona Solids (fat quarters) was acquired a while back with just this purpose in mind... plus a few other projects I have thought of for using the scraps I am going to have afterwards.  

My needlepoint project also got some attention. I think I am just past the halfway point?

This cowl was also begun. Yarn purchased in Lincoln when we went over the summer. It's a combination of linen and silk and is very nice to work with. 

Sometimes I think if I just did one thing at a time, I would complete things more quickly. But I'm just not built that way. My hands and my mind like to skip to and fro and I feel compelled to go where they lead me. 

to stretch my quilting wings on small projects

Let me take a minute to show you my finished "tree" pillow. I mentioned it here previously along with details about the pattern. 

I have been wanting to replace the covers on the pillows on the couch, which are sort of rough and scratchy, with something more pleasing. 

This was a most satisfying project, made entirely of scraps, that didn't take forever, and provided some good fun during the holidays. 

I like a pillow that is firm, not too big, certainly not scratchy, and perfect to support my back.

It's also good to be able to continue to stretch my quilting wings on small projects. 

This turned out just as I hoped. 

AND, the great thing is it helped me work through the pattern, convinced that for next year, starting in the summer, maybe I could make a quilt of trees for a bed, or for a great holiday throw for the TV room. 

P.S. I absolutely love the online quilting community. They make me want to do things I didn't know I needed to do. 

it wouldn't be right if I didn't make at least one mistake piecing parts together

Today was the day I got down to business on the improvisational tree project.  I have been wanting to try these trees for years. The first quilt I saw was a red and white one and then last year there was the one Maureen did using her hand dyed fabrics. So fabulous. 

Today I stopped trying to think about how to do it and looked it up and found this wonderful pdf instruction sheet on Amy Smart's blog. I am fairly certain her's was the first one I saw, but who can say. 

I stuck with the plan of trying to use up napkin scraps with this darker background. 

Gosh it's fun. And easy. Ok, I did have to do a little bit of ripping out. It wouldn't be right if I didn't make at least one mistake piecing parts together. 

At 6:23pm on Saturday night I have completed 6 little trees. I will need a few more to make a pillow for the couch. 

Not sure yet if there will be strips between the individual trees or not. Good fun!

the answer will surely reveal itself to me

When I went to the Yarn Barn recently to get some needles for a project (how can I not have a size 3, 16 inch circular?), I spotted a hat made from this yarn and decided while I was there, I needed one too.  Then, with that done, I cast on fingerless mitts because shouldn't I have a matching pair?

The debate over the need for a faux fur Pom Pom for the hat is being waged internally while I work on the mitts. A faux fur Pom Pom is so cute. I will keep you apprised.

After seeing an improv tree quilt done by Maureen Hardy Schmidt last Christmas (link below if you want to see for yourself), I have had the idea to do one. I am calculating the number of trees I will need for a pillow for the couch - made from these napkin scraps.  Sew them together? Cut triangles? Make trees? 

Or should I piece the scraps together in strips of color for the background and make triangle trees out of dark colors? A combination of both? The answer will surely reveal itself to me in my dreams soon. Just thinking about it is fun though. 

Helpful links: mhardyschmidt instagram

so many potential applications in future projects

The Prairie Makers met last month in Lawrence for a serious discussion about all things having to do with creating - thinking about, starting, finishing, showing, telling... all about our projects. 

Ann had just finished this fabulous quilt. Isn't it wonderful? I love the curvy lines of it and the fabulous border that frames it so perfectly. 

Ann and Pam and I recently took a "faces" quilt class taught by Jean Impey. Here are our creations in various stages of completion. 

So here's the deal about this ... while it's not really my "style" in terms of a project, I learned so much from the class. Things about spontaneous piecing and free motion quilting and using that heavy black thread for "outlining" areas.  

My absolute favorite thing about this little face is the BACK!

How cool is that, and with so many potential applications in future projects.  We also talked about QuiltCon 2023. I love seeing what everyone posts from there.  We are kicking around a field trip to Atlanta in February to check it out for ourselves. If you have been, how did you like it? 

hoping the corners are perfect

Just in time for the last bouquets of zinnias from the garden, I have gotten around to finishing up this table runner. 

I love doing bias binding. Making it, attaching it, folding it over, using clips, hoping the corners are perfect, hand stitching it down. 

This little project was an absolute pleasure to work on. No pressure, cut some strips, arrange and re-arrange, add the neutrals, quilt this way and that. It's like playing with paint on a canvas. 

Can you tell I love how it turned out? 

There may need to be a uilt with this fabric in my future. It's good to mull these things over in your mind. But seriously the colors in this fabric collection are dreamy. 

For inquiring minds, this collection of fabrics is called "Here There" batiks by Marcia Derse. I got a set of fat quarters and made napkins for my niece from them. The remnants from a set of napkins always begs to be used, especially in a collection this lovely. Happily, there is still enough for a pillow. Maybe? If you are in the Lawrence Kansas area, Sarah's Fabrics on Massachusetts street carries this line. If not, you can always order from her website.

to bring it all together but not detract from the lines of color slapped haphazardly together.

So, a while back I told you I was making napkins for my niece's family. My method involves taking a fat quarter, folding it into a square, whacking off the excess, and making a generous size mouth/hand wiper out of that. 

Which always leaves these strips that simply must be used. 

This particular bunch is (in part) getting turned into a table runner. 

The backing is a solid piece, the same color as this binding that will go around the edges. 

The quilting is straightforward, close together, with the plan being to bring it all together but not detract from the lines of color slapped haphazardly together.

So far, so good. Table runners are as fun as pillows in the small projects arena.  



In the top photo you can see how well this table runner is going to perform as a background for bouquets of zinnias all summer long.  Which is all a girl can ask for. Tonight anyway.

where you catch the scent of the fruit on a breeze every once in a while

Today I had the great pleasure of going to The Quilters Guild of Greater Kansas City's 2022 Quilt Show. Such a wonderful display of work by a group of local, talented, artists. There was something for everyone. I'll just show a few of my favorites. 

After studying the one below in great detail, we decided we needed to have a Prairie Makers session focused on sewing strips then cutting and re-positioning them in various ways. It's so interesting to study the details and figure out how they go together up close... and the effect from afar. 

The "shadow" effect below, followed by the red and white with the "pinwheel peppermint candy" are wonderful examples of the optical illusions created in piecing. 

Below is more of that sewing strips together and cutting and re-arranging. I am completely enamored with the thought of playing around with that, not to mention these "modern" Christmas fabrics. I have also seen many renditions of trees on quilts through the years and feel there could be one in my future. Sometime. Maybe.  

So many ideas. I am so glad to have like-minded friends who also get ridiculously excited by the idea of "making" quilts. 

I had to skip the farmers market today but did treat myself to a ridiculously good, and most unusual latte at Second Best Coffee on 85th and Wornall - the "EZPZ latte", which is a latte with the addition of a housemade apricot, lemon, vanilla syrup . They call it "summer in a latte". Fabulous. It's like drinking a vanilla latte while sitting at a picnic table, out in an apricot orchard, where you catch a hint of the scent of the fruit on a breeze every once in a while. 

whatever superlative you use to describe an amazing experience...

This weekend, Ann and I ventured up to Lincoln Nebraska to check out the Red and White exhibit at the International Quilt Museum. Shut The Front Door! Holy Smokes! %$&%*! Insert whatever superlative you use to describe an amazing experience... and this is what this exhibit was like.

Apparently there are 652 quilts in the entire collection. This display contained maybe 100... which was just the perfect amount.  More than this would have overwhelmed.  As it was this allowed us to ooh and ahhh and "look at this!" about all of them.







Some of these designs we had never seen before. Not that we are quiltologists or anything... but to be surprised by the unexpected brilliance of some of these makers was mind blowing.







We really enjoyed the variety of ways in which they were displayed for viewing.  







I was struck by the fact that the makers of these quilts were mostly unable to be identified. It seems a shame that these masterpieces did not have a history of the maker (photo included) right by them. 







I hope their spirits were hovering close and they heard every single thing we said about how unbelievably amazing their art is. If you are in the area, and love quilting, you MUST see this. I think the exhibit is up until mid September. 

her work draws me like a powerful magnet

I have been arranging, re-arranging, and re-re-arranging these squares endlessly. But at some point THIS configuration was settled on as the most visually pleasing and they have been sewn together. 

A border of sorts was added.

Quilting was done. 

I love how cool the quilting looks on the fabric that no one will ever see because it will be tucked away on the inside of the pillow. I will know it is there. 

Fabric for the back of the pillow was selected. It has been living in my stash for many moons, from a time ages ago when I took a class from Keeley Barham. I used a small piece for a mail art bag and the rest has been patiently waiting for me. Just for this purpose apparently. Binding was made from other scraps. 

More quilting was done because I need to practice free motion quilting, and the border was a good place to experiment. 

It is now done! Except I want another one just this size to go downstairs on the couch also for my back. Happily, I find pillows to be the perfect project for playing around with different patterns, colors, and shapes. 

While we are on the subject of quilting, this book from Uppercase came out a few years ago, but I just ordered mine in the last month. It is FULL of wonderful artists and their work. I had not previously heard of Diane Melms whose work draws me in like a powerful magnet. 

Good stuff here. 

You may be able to get this book in other places, I ordered mine here.

We did. It was good. We were glad.

When Johnny and Annette were visiting Tall Tales Headquarters recently, we had Margaritas and Bloody Mary's. Not at the same time. 

The luxury of having your own personal bartender, who cleans up after himself, and has a wicked sense of humor, can not be overstated.

The fact that he is a dear friend and married to one of my dearest friends ... ok, enough said. 

In other news, these zinnias all re-seeded themselves from last year. Best crop of volunteers ever. I took care to break up the dried flower heads last year and throw them around at the end of the season. Seems like it paid off. It also helps that these zinnias are in my back garden where it is sunny and sort of protected from the harsh winds here in Kansas. 

I am very much enjoying listening to The Trojan Horse Affair podcast. I am not sure where it is going, but it's so interesting and a commentary of sorts on these times we are living in? If you like a podcast, give it a whirl. Excellent to knit along to. 

In addition to cleaning the bathrooms before our guests arrived, the sewing area got neatened up.  



This may or may not turn into a smallish pillow for the chair at my desk at home. Old jeans + scraps = real good fun. 

While we are on the subject of sewing, I reinforced a buttonhole on these yard-mowing shorts for Chris recently.

I told Chris they come with a money back guarantee. I am in love with the whole mending movement - in theory anyway. I need more practice which will of course make things closer to perfect

There was a meeting of the Huff Lunch Club recently. Items discussed included the universal appeal and good looks of a pair of Birkenstocks at any age, the importance of incorporating creative endeavors into a life, and carrot cake. 

That's all I have to report today. Did I mention that we ate carrot cake in addition to discussing it? We did. It was good. We were glad. 

what the heck

Playing around with scraps to make this pillow sham was good fun. Though it's hard to tell from these photos, I practiced some quilting. I also tried folding over the back of the sham to make the "binding" instead of making bias binding and attaching it separately. That was a mistake, but you have to try it to know that right? This method does not lay down as smoothly, at least it didn't for me. 

I am not 100% sold on the "matching" of a sham to a quilt, but what the heck. 

In other news, this dianthus, planted at least 10 years ago, has returned yet again.

It just hangs on to the rock wall and does its thing every year. A wonderful little plant for mini flower arrangements, that also provides plenty of pleasure as I look at it from the window over my sink. 

All the flowers are done for the year from the Rising Sun redbud but aren't the leaves just beautiful? 

I also finally went through the burpee catalog and ordered zinnia seeds to plant. It feels like maybe it's a bit later than last year but you can plant them all summer long so why not whenever you get around to it?

On the reading front, I finished the first of the Kurt Wallander series by Henning Mankell - Faceless Killers. As in the previous book I read by him,  The Shadow Girls (not part of the Kurt Wallander series), I was irritated at times by the main character and yet was compelled to see how it turned out. I will likely try the second in the series... to see if Kurt gets any smarter in his personal life as he is in his professional work. Actually, "smarter" is not the right word. He just struggles so, as we all do, with what seems to the reader (anyway) like the obvious best choices. If you've read the series do weigh in. This was the first book I have listened to on a library app (Hoopla) as opposed to an actual CD, which has opened up my listening options greatly. Plus, it makes me feel savvy. 

some sort of a triangle quilt

The prairie makers loaded up and headed to the Missouri Star Quilt Company in Hamilton, Missouri this week. It's only a few hours away and seemed like a thing to do.

Yep, we had to get the picture at the worlds largest spool of thread. Started in 2018, 22 feet tall, and with one million yards of thread, visitors are encouraged to bring and add thread.  Next time we will come with our contributions. Maybe a ladder?



This trip started with a visit to the quilt museum, filled with quilts, machines, notions, and a very knowledgeable young man at the door who answered all our questions. There were some quilts on display from a national collection ... more on those later. My personal favorites were all these quilts made by "regular" folk. Above is a crazy kite quilt circa 1900. 

This 9 patch was labeled as being completed in 1901.

Seeing an early Bernina was a treat.



While I love all the really "scrappy" quilts, this anything but simple black and white was stunning. 

Crazy quilts have always had a special place in my heart... the combination of embroidery and pieced scraps is so interesting and personal. I especially loved the border on the one below. 

The precision in the stitching on this butterfly quilt, all by hand, was a thing of beauty.

The "Dresden plate" design below was one I especially enjoyed studying. Why do you suppose there is more white space at the top? Also... another lovely and complex border.

This really scrappy number below is so marvelous it made me want to jump up and down and clap. Every time I looked at it I was caught by another optical illusion. Circles, triangles, diamonds!

Yes, I forced Joan to pose by the giant rotary cutter, and I also got a shot of the tiny machine she got as a child for Christmas.  Which she still has, I might add. 





The "lily garden" quilt below was machine pieced, hand embroidered, and hand quilted in 1990. It was included in the section from a national quilt museum. Completely amazing. 

The appliqué in this quilt was mind blowing. The lighting in the room where these quilts were displayed was not quite as good so my photos were a bit blurred. I wanted to get a better shot of the appliqué that had so much texture, alas, those did not turn out. Not really sure what that technique is called. Fabulous. We came here to get inspired and left filled to the brim.    



There are many murals in town - again, perfect for posing in front of. 

At the end of the day, I could not pass up this incredible bundle of Kona solids at one of the stores. It is destined to become some sort of a triangle quilt. Unless it whispers otherwise to me in the middle of the night. Which is entirely possible. It's hard for me to go anywhere for fabrics other than my own local shop downtown, Sarah's Fabrics... but sometimes a field trip is called for. 

Helpful links: Missouri star quilt company

the scones, the scrap play, the daffodils, and all 3 together

The last piece of pumpkin bread,  baked in November then sliced and carefully wrapped and frozen, was eaten last week. Which means the freezer is bare and some other kind of breakfast treat must be baked. Recipes were scanned, what haven't I had for a good long while? Oatmeal pecan scones with maple glaze were chosen. Except I forgot to add the pecans into the batter.  How does that happen? No worry, they were chopped and placed on top between layers of maple glaze to adhere them to the surface. 

Other creating included playing around with triangles.  So many possibilities for what to do with the rest of these quilt scraps. 

The fun of re-arranging, and re-arranging, and re-arranging shapes should not be under estimated.



Daffodil days have arrived. 

Eating the scone while looking at the daffodils and thinking about patterns and shapes makes for a pretty good start to any day. The scones (even with the nuts on top instead of inside) were perfect. The toasted oat flavor is hard to beat.  Be sure not to overwork the dough, you are going to think they will not hold together but they will, less handling = more tenderness. These are not too sweet. If you want them even less sweet sprinkle with sugar before baking and don't put the glaze on. Either way they are really good. 

Highly recommended. The scones, the scrap play, the daffodils, and all 3 together.  

Link to previous post with this recipe: maple pecan scones

on a pendulum swinging between total irritation with the main character and can't stop listening because the story line is so good

Recently, I heard it said "you have to do something ALOT to get good at it". That's true about many things in life. Why is it that we think we will achieve perfection without the work of repetition? Luckily I am having an amazingly good time continuing to try my hand at improving this little pouch thingy. Turning it into the best little squeeze pouch I am capable of. 

What I have figured out, is my favorite part may be sewing together teeny bits of fabric to decorate the bag. I have NOT hit my stride yet, but the practice will continue. What else am I to do with all these scraps?





The logical side of my brain also continues to contemplate ways to make the construction better. 

At this exact moment I have a pair of old, very thin, jeans, waiting to be cut up for use with my leftover spots and stripes quilt material. They are going to turn into a pillow sham. I think. A good "medium sized project" to go along with this small scale bag. 

On the literary front, I just finished The Shadow Girls by Henning Mankell.  It has had me on a pendulum swing between total irritation with the main character, and can't stop listening because the story line is so good.  I got this at the library because it was available on CD and I have had "Faceless Killers", the author's first in the Wallender series, on my "to read" list for years. It was not available on CD, but this was. As good a reason as any to pick a book. This is NO crime novel. Which is amusing because the main character, Jesper Humlin, is a poet whose last book didn't do so well and his publisher wants him to write a crime novel. 

 

What made this book very worth a listen, are the stories of the three refugee girls  (Tea-Bag, Leyla, and Tanya) and their individual journeys from Nigeria, Iran, and Russia. Their struggles to be seen and survive are real and their narratives difficult to hear at times.  There are so many things we don't know about what people are going through, have been through, etc. I want to read more by this author.

a million new neural pathways in my brain

Today was spent trying to figure out how I could replicate the little squeeze pouches that the one and only, amazingly talented, Arounna Khounnoraj made a few weeks ago. She is one of the most inspiring makers out there in the world. Somehow I got the idea that I could figure it out if I put my mind to it. So I channelled all my maker friends, got out an old pillow case, watched a you tube video on flat bottom bags, and went for it. 

A lining seemed essential.

Even though it meant trying to sew multiple layers together and turn it inside out. Fingers were stabbed by pins. 

The squeeze clasp hardware, that I thought would be complicated, turned out to be the easiest part of the whole thing. 

and... it works!

Now that I have the mechanics down, the fun part can begin. Making embellishments and choosing fabrics and making another one. 

Fingers are crossed. 

P.S. If you aren't familiar with Arounna Khounnoraj, click on the link above to her instagram account. I think I created about a million new neural pathways in my brain today working on this. Who doesn't need that?

Sashiko stitching and Burst blocks

When Pam walked into a recent Prairie Makers session carrying this bag I grabbed it right up and tried to steal it, but she caught me. Don't say you wouldn't have tried.  She has been on a deep dive into Sashiko stitching. Taking it in all kinds of directions.

I like ALL the places she is going with it. Such creativity. We had a great discussion about threads and needles and stitch lengths and the like. Notes were taken.

Then Ann whipped out a couple of quilt squares. She is using parts of her old lab coats and Dan's old shirts to make these. I would normally not think to use colors like this in a quilt but I LOVE how the black works with them, making the overall pattern so striking. Genius. I have been loving all the photos posted on Instagram of the fabulous quilts at QuiltCon. There is an ABUNDANT amount of talent out there in the quilting world, so many ways to take this incredible art. 

Quilt museum field trips were discussed.

So as not to feel like a slacker, I put my feet on the table to show off the valentine socks.  After that, a discussion about linen ensued. The different kinds, what you could use it for, what things have been made, how they have turned out...

When I got home I cut 3, 31 inch lengths, ironed the edges, sewed the seams, and made some dishtowels. I had some fabric left which seems like it will be perfect for patching jeans. 

They required ironing when they came out of the dryer. This is not a game changer for me. I like to iron. The key to a good dishtowel in my book is absorbency. After only one washing I am liking how they soak up the water. 

Do tell, what are your maker groups up to these days? 

impacted our sense of community and the way we care for each other

This sunset, on the drive home last night, was like a great big, ginormous, hallelujah, signifying the beginning of a few days off after a weekend of work. You know the feeling I am sure. It seemed an appropriate visual preamble. 

Let me take a minute to tell you that our COVID numbers at the medical center continue to come down. As of Monday 2/21/22 at 4pm we had 124 COVID patients in the hospital. Only 37 of them with "active" disease and 87 of them have been deemed "recovered". Let me clarify that this means they are no longer in isolation but they are still too sick to leave the hospital. Only 4 COVID patients are in the ICU and only 2 on ventilators. I hesitate to take a big sigh of relief, but I am doing it anyway.

Let me also say that while the decreased numbers of COVID patients ease the strain on the system, we are all still dealing with many effects of COVID on our work relationships and environment.  We are all less resilient than we once were. The strain of our team not being able to meet in person to really communicate with each other about our work and the way we do it has significantly impacted our sense of community and how we care for each other. This is hard for a person who HATES meetings to admit, but when we are not in person to discuss decisions, it is easier for things to get swept under the rug, and for the power hierarchy to get lopsided. I bet all of you working stiffs like me can relate to this.  

Moving on...

This is my completed LOVE pillow. Which I think I already said I LOVE. Don't you find it gratifying when something you visualize in your mind turns out sort of the way you intended? I do not know what I would do without the ability to distract myself with making stuff. I enjoyed everything about this project - the colors, the piecing, using the free-motion feature to do some wacky quilting, and again making and sewing on binding. I may need to start a binding making/application business. Kidding of course, I only enjoy making things when there is no deadline except the ones I impose on myself which are very loose. 

small, crazily quilted, cobbled together

Just checking in today to let you know what I have been up to.  

First of all, the Valentine socks were finished on February 14th. I'm not gonna lie... I had to keep my nose to the grindstone, but it's amazing what you can accomplish when you do that. 

Secondly, ever since my friend Pam Garrison made this valentine pillow  almost 10 years ago, I have wanted to make one of my own. This February it is happening. Starting with scraps, piecing them together, forming them into letters, placing them on a small, crazily quilted, cobbled together, front and hand sewing the letters down. 

Today, while Chris got out the snow blower for the first time in at least 4 years, I put together one of those "cross over" pillowcase backs, made some binding, embroidered a label, and the end is in site. 

Chris's edges are impressive don't you think? 

If you ever need a deep dive of creative ideas, go to Pam's blog (link above with the pillow she made) and peruse her past posts. I spent a few blissful hours doing just that when I was looking for a photo of her pillow. I adore her style, whether it's her painting, journaling, sewing, embroidery... you get the idea, whatever she is making!

Chris and I made frosted chocolate brownies last week. I am not going to show you any photos of them because they were so good they were bad, and nobody needs that. They are living in the freezer. By the way, if you need a good gluten free dessert - the King Arthur boxed brownie mix is excellent. You can take it over the top with a can of Hershey's chocolate frosting. It you want to.

This book just got started and so far it's very good. It is not living in the freezer. 

Hoping you are surviving these days of winter, doing all the things that make you happy now, while you dream of the things that spring will bring. 

like a mother loves her child

If I knew how to insert a drum roll into a blog post I would have done it right here, at the beginning of this post, with the finished photos of the Spots and Stripes quilt.  Please do one for me with just your hands instead. 

Using the Bernina, squares were quilted inside squares and squiggly lines were quilted in the long strips between the squares, binding was made and ironed in half. It looks like a bunch of neckties, don't you think?



Videos were consulted, binding was pinned. 

Binding was sewn down on the right side and then every single clip I own was used to fold it over with corners properly secured. 





Extremely enjoyable hours were spent sitting on the couch sewing on the binding by hand. Feet up, coffee on the side. 

A label was added, Chris was instructed to get his shoes on and head outside to hold it up so I could take a few photos. 

Did I mention how much fun I had sewing on the binding? 

Today I washed it and let it dry. It is now all crinkly and soft and wonderful and FINISHED. 

This is not a perfect quilt, but it's my quilt, and I love it like a mother loves her child. That could be a bit over the top, but having just given birth, it feels appropriate. 

then I started, then I stopped, then I exercised my right to reverse course

While on my "stay at home" art retreat in Kansas last week, attention was given to this quilt. For some reason, unsatisfied with simply a solid background, I elected to sew together a strip of most of the colors used on the front to add to the back.

I think you will agree, it looks like a strip of lights on an airport at night. Landing lights? I like how it pops off the black starry night fabric. 

Then the sandwich was assembled with the able bodied assistance of Chris to keep wrinkles to a minimum in all three layers simultaneously. 

Then I pinned, rolled, and contemplated my options for quilting. 

Experts were consulted - Mary Joan who is a hand quilter with the callouses to prove it, and Ann who is a fearless long arm quilter.



I wanted to use a method I was most comfortable with, and having previously enjoyed hand quilting small projects, I settled on that. Then I started - as in got out the hoop, watched a hand quilting video, dug out the thimble.  Then I stopped - do I really want to do ALL this by hand?  Then I exercised my right to change my mind and reverse course. Not all the way to the long arm, which I have never done, but rather to my trusty Bernina. I decided a priority was to finish this and get it on our bed. SOON. Also, I need to experiment with quilting. So I am playing. Doing what feels right, knowing that once it's quilted and washed and has that wonderful "crinkled" look, I will be happy with it. No matter the method used to arrive at that effect. 

P.S. It's also helpful to banish the thought that "I might mess it up".  That kind of thinking has NO place in making. 

no topic is off limits

The Prairie Makers (minus 1) met today and worked on projects. Below is the quilt Ann has been diligently working on.

As you can see, she is about done! Binding was being sewn down by hand today.  

This is an amazing bit of work, and I LOVE how she quilted it.  We declared it a family heirloom.  

Pam is putting together what looks to me like a very complicated blouse even though the pattern says it's "easy". I love the combination of the structured pattern with the fun fabric. 

We discussed quilt artists, the ridiculous installation of "traffic calming devices" in old west Lawrence, fruitcake recipes, who's doing what for Thanksgiving, what it's like being retired &/or working part-time, stick-on-wallpaper, and about 9 other topics that I can't remember right now. No topic is off limits and we love sounding like a bunch of "old ladies". It was wonderful.

Thanks for another great day of creating friends.. and for letting me boss you around while photos were taken in your knitted creations.

he IS the king of color

Progress continues on the Spots and Stripes quilt. The enjoyment factor remains high as the first half of the pieced squares are laid out for review. 

Such decisions.  I like to look at it with my eyes partially closed to determine the compatibility of the colors. Then I switch everything around about 5 times. 

The truth is, all the colors look marvelous together. How could they not, these are Kaffe Fassett fabrics and he IS the king of color. 

As I work on the squares, in the back of my mind a plan is being concocted for what to do with all the scraps.  Table runner?  

The thought of future creations is like a hose that is never turned off.  Which is how it should be. Though sometimes when it's a fire hose I wish it would slow down, and when it's a trickle I want to turn it up.  

to have the most contrast in color value between the strips and the squares

Today the Prairie Makers got together to work on sewing projects. We had such an invigorating session last time, we decided to have another "meeting of the machines".  The photo below will not look like much to a regular sewist, but for me, gathering the sleeves and fitting them into the cuff band in a relatively uniform pattern is no small feat.

 

When I was considering how to best do the gathering after our last session, I discovered the existence of a Bernina "gathering foot". Which I promptly ordered, not realizing it was shipping from Istanbul. I love thinking about it coming to me from that wonderful city. 



It worked just fine and the next step will be gathering the neckline. But because I can never work on just one project at at time, there is also the update on the Spots and Stripes quilt.

I am zipping along on my squares and continue to be quite entertained, getting a few squares done at each sitting. 

With the "stripes on stripes" squares below, it is fun to experiment with pairing the different colors, my preference seems to be to have the most contrast in color value between the strips and the squares.

On a day off, it is so great to engage my brain in things like gathering material, pairing pleasing colors, and just everything NOT related to work. On a related note, last night at knitting class, my friend Dianne brought her autumn cross stitch projects to show me. It took me back to how I so enjoyed doing that years ago. 

Stitching on over dyed linen was something I would never considered, but seriously how cool is this?!

enjoying the journey

Last week the Prairie Makers got together to MAKE for the first time in a long time. We converged on Ann's house, sewing machines in tow, projects in mind, support at hand. It was wonderful. 

I never cease to be amazed by the talent, knowledge, and initiative of this group. It spills over on to me, providing the push and the help I sometimes need to feel confident and go forth.

All the fabrics for this quilt were purchased a few years ago, cut out at least a year ago, and have been sitting quietly waiting for me to pay them some attention. 



With Ann's guidance, I was quickly able to piece a square, and once the first was done, I was off and running. You will see above I have made good use of this ledge at the top of the stairs to lay out what I believe will be the best color combinations for each square. Oh joy. 



It's quite nice to have someone warn you in advance of pitfalls to avoid. I also need help with basics like - which way is best to press the seams and what's the standard seam allowance for quilting again?

There is something quite meditative about carefully sewing then pressing each square. At this moment 7 squares are finished. I am enjoying the journey. Quite a lot. This pattern is available from Sarah's Fabrics in downtown Lawrence. The fabrics are from Kaffe Fasset. I have said this before and I will say it again, the women at Sarah's are incredibly helpful and I feel certain they will be able to answer any questions. 

I feel terribly lucky to have people who I can knit, sew, embroider, dream, create, problem solve, AND drink good coffee with. Aristotle was referring to a group of women makers I am sure when he said "the whole is greater than the sum of it's part's".  

best seen in person to appreciate the intricacies of the work

There is a not-to-be-missed exhibit up at the Lawrence Public Library right now. If you are in the vicinity, you will WANT to check it out. It's a selection of dresses made from maps - all the work of Liza MacKinnon. Her web site is listed below in the links section. Here is a taste of what you are in store for...

The collection is best seen in person to appreciate the intricacies of the work. For the life of me, I can't understand how she does it without the maps tearing or ripping. I stand in awe of her creativity. 

Links: https://www.mackomics.com

this amazing work of her's to add to my collection

My halloween decor, which I take great pleasure in putting out,

while totally adequate,

could not be described as something to write home about,

until, my sister in law Ann, sent me this in the mail last week.

It's called "Trick or Treat Street" and is from the Missouri Star Block - Vol. 17, Issue 4. Carefully pieced, wonderfully quilted, fabulously colorful, it makes me deliriously happy. Ann is an excellent quilter. I delight every year in bringing out the table runner and Christmas tree skirt she made back back in the 1990's. Now there is also this amazing work of her's to add to my collection. 

since the machine is ready to go with the proper color of thread in the quantity required

There is nothing as satisfying as making a set of regular, everyday, cloth napkins.

Getting the corners properly mitred and ironed in place for sewing may be my favorite part. Especially when you have an iron that provides a generous amount of steam.

This group of fat quarters was selected purely for the colors, but when I threw them in the wash prior to sewing, and discovered they are part of the "Veggies" collection by Martha Negley, it seemed providential that I was making them for my vegetable loving sister, Dottie.  

We agreed upon an exchange of "Carol made napkins" for "Christy made apple butter" with the hand-off to take place on our trip to Arkansas. As for the apple butter... it is smooth, perfectly spiced, and just the right thing on top of your oatmeal in the winter. 

Now I am contemplating what I will throw together from these scraps. I am thinking of making some mats/coasters to put under the pots of succulents brought in to winter over. 

I should jump right on this asap since the machine is ready to go with the proper color of thread, in the quantity required to complete the job. But we both know that is way too sensible. 

its the least prudent ones that most appeal to me

The clouds on Sunday morning between 8:00 and 8:22am were simply splendid. It was a bit chilly on my walk, but these vista's and the smells of approaching spring, along with the chatter of returning robins made for a perfect morning.  

My endorphins were kicked up into high gear; in a way that simply can not be replicated by walking indoors. And if that wasn't enough to make Sunday great, there were also these strawberries.

Which, though far from home-grown, tasted especially good to me. The walk, followed by the strawberries, accompanied by toast and coffee, gave me the impetus to set up the sewing machine and start some guerrilla patching - to be added to by hand as the ideas come to me.

Sometimes the ideas make sense. Other times they do not. It's the least prudent ones that most appeal to me for some reason. These are my "house jeans". You know, the ones that you really shouldn't wear outside the house but sometimes do. House jeans are best for wild experimentation. 

it performed magnificently, and almost caused a riot because it is so darn pretty

One of my work partners, Marilyn, is an extremely talented sewist.  

Last week at her quilting retreat, she whipped up a few shopping bags.

Which I may have mentioned that I thought were wonderful.

Which resulted in her "gifting" me one.

Today I took it on it's maiden voyage to the grocery store.

Where it performed magnificently, and almost caused a riot because it is so darn pretty! I think these would be a wonderful Christmas gift for anyone. It's called a "Simple Sack" and the pattern is from Atkinson Designs. If you want one exactly like this one, you can buy a kit with the fabric and all at Sarah's in Downtown Lawrence. Link below for your convenience. Thank you Marilyn for a WONDERFUL gift!

Simple Sack Kit information

 

because it seemed important to carry them over

Days off around the holidays, when your house has already been put into tip top shape because you were hosting, means time for doing anything your heart desires.  For me, that meant finishing my needle book.  

I wanted to add some scraps to the "pages" of felt inside the book.

I did some experimenting with stitches I can do on my machine.  

This is a simple pattern, the only part that caused me a teeny bit of consternation was the loop for the button to close the book.  But after I thought about it for a second, I figured it out.  I wanted my back and front to be different and did not want the button to wind up on the back. 

Very similar to the coffee cozy concept.  

Once the pages were sewn in, I was on the home stretch.

After the button was sewn on, I filled it up, tucked it in my "on the go sewing bag", and called it done.  

A small project is immensely satisfying for me.  Something that can be finished relatively quickly.  I put some of the needles and a few of those teeny tiny gold safety pins that Angie had in her pin cushion in my needle book. Because it seemed important to carry them over. She always liked a safety pin at the ready to keep a shirt from gapping in the wrong spot.  

Helpful links:

Pattern - how to sew a needle book

making simply for the pleasure of it

Here is another quilt I saw in someone's room at the hospital in the last month.  I haven't seen a "flower" made like that before. It was so pretty.  

The delicate hand stitching for the appliqué of the leaves and stems is a thing of beauty. It is unlikely that I will be able to make something this pretty, but it will not stop me from trying. This gets back to my whole philosophy of participating in the act of making simply for the pleasure of it. Which reminds me that I meant to include a link to a great read along these lines.  In Praise of Mediocrity. Well worth reading. Enjoy.

"Do Not Destroy"

When the Prairie Makers met at Mary Joan's house recently we got the chance to examine this treasure made by her great aunts Emma Dunagan-Thompson and Martha Dunagan-Thompson.    They lived in Georgia and were of English/Irish descent.  

We have all seen Crazy Quilts, right?  

And I think we can all agree that this is ABOVE and BEYOND what is normally thought of as a crazy quilt.  

Such attention to detail, even on the back.

All the fine hand embroidery, variety of stitches, and consistency in the repetition is simply remarkable.  

Truly a museum quality treasure.  Beyond compare.  

Mary Joan was given this by her Aunt Eva Barker.  Who, in a very smart move, pinned this note to the back of it. In the event that it would somehow end up in the hands of someone who did not recognize the true art that it is. Bravo Eva Barker!  

to spread her quilt over her in the last hour of her life

This week at the hospital I spied some especially lovely handiwork in the rooms of a few of the patients I was seeing.

Quilting and love of fabric art is an immediate way to connect with people.  It lets us know we have a common language.  I bonded well with the woman who made these quilts during our very first visit.  She knew when she told me to be honest with her about what she was hoping for, and I told her I would, I meant it.  We had good talks during the week I knew her.  About what was possible, what was likely, what her family would need as her body was shutting down.  And we talked with her family when she not able to talk, about where was the best place for her to be if she could not be at home. Which is what they really wanted to make happen for her.

This quilter took matters into her own hands, as is often the case.  Early one morning this past week she died.  While her daughter and husband were on the way to the hospital.  It was a gift for me to be able to be there with her.  To spread her quilt over her in the last hour of her life.  To be sure her mouth was moist and her hair was combed.  To make sure she was not suffering, to whisper that her family was on the way, and wanted her to know they loved her, and lastly to let her know I would be sure to tell them how peaceful she was as she was dying.  

Dottie sent me this poem by Saint John of the Cross last week.  

And I saw the river
over which every soul
must pass
to reach the kingdom
of heaven
and the name of that river 
was suffering:
and I saw a boat
which carries souls
across the river
and the name of that boat
was love.  

I am not sure at all about the concept of heaven.  What I am certain of, is that the most important skill you need when you are with someone who is dying is just to care.  I was not with Angie in the last moments when she was dying. You have no idea how much I loved paying forward the caring that another woman showed my mom.  

I asked Chris if he wanted to use if for his Dopp kit

Inside Outside Pouch #2 completed.  There are still some kinks to be worked out in my techniques.

The fabric selection though, I am 100% happy with.  Especially the combination of the flowers and the stripes.  

Thanks to those ultra friendly, helpful, women at Sarah's Fabrics for assisting with the selection of just the right shade of orange and then yellow for my 4th color. Putting just the right colors together to make them all look their best together can be overwhelming.  

Getting the bottom part of that gusset in has me all twisted up at the machine.  Then there is the finger-poking awkward hand binding for that same bottom gusset.  

But all's well that ends well.  

And if you don't examine it too closely, it looks pretty sharp.  I asked Chris if he wanted to use if for his Dopp kit but he didn't seem interested.  Which I can't understand.  But since I am packing it up with an embroidery project for the next meeting of The Makers that works out just fine.  

Links for pattern previously posted here.

a net used to catch thoughts that would otherwise escape

Here is a final look at my "finished" inside outside pouch.  It is going to be the companion to my everyday journal.

The one I take with me on solo coffee shop excursions.

When I make time to sit, observe, and write about the vital, sometimes earth-shaking, ideas that are flowing through my mind.  Think of this journal as a net, that is used to catch thoughts that would otherwise escape and not receive the attention they may (or may not) merit.  

This pouch has plenty of room AND compartments to keep all my supplies neat and organized, and the vinyl allows for easy spotting of what lives where in the outer pouches. 

Supplies are needed because I also like to cut and paste in this book.   AND should I decide I just want to sit and listen, but want to appear totally absorbed in myself, there is plenty of space in the main compartment to tuck in a small knitting project.

Meanwhile, this was made from the scraps.  That pink button has been waiting for the project that would display it to it's full potential.    

The best part about this is not the button though.  It's that every time I see these materials, while drinking coffee at work, I am reminded of the day we made the pouches and how that day filled me up.  In the best possible way.   

dreaming and relaxing

Over the long weekend, I had the pleasure of sitting on the couch flipping through Making and Taproot magazines. 

Here are the projects that have made my list for further consideration.  

The perfect yarn for this project is already living in my stash.

I can not explain my fascination with crochet covered stones.  These make me jump up and down and clap.  All at the same time.

Finally, who doesn’t need one of these?

This, is what long weekends are made for.  Dreaming and relaxing.  With your feet up.  If you haven’t flipped through Taproot or Making, I can highly recommend both.  

 

the lost companion of the banner over my fireplace

The thing I got most excited about a few weeks ago at Art in the Park in Lawrence was these banners.  BANNERS seriously float my boat.   

Cute babies with squishy legs and feet, pet beds with canopies, and a dad getting a head massage are all good.  Seriously good. 

But a banner is so cheerful.  And it lasts for a long time.  And requires no maintenance. 

Second to the banners there was also this future singer in a rock & roll band, the tuba player from the municipal band, and baby in boots with sunglasses giving me the serious stare down.   

But see how nicely the banner works with the pom-poms and puzzle balls hanging over the table. 

These 2 curly headed creatures were so cute they almost killed me. 

But it was only the circle garlands that came home with me. 

This one clearly is the lost companion of the banner over my fireplace right now.  I was glad to be able to facilitate a reunion. 

the quilts are the things to see

At the Spencer museum on the KU campus there are two exhibitions featuring quilts that will be up until September 17th.  If quilting is your thing, you may want to skip over and take a look. 

And Still We Rise:  Race, Culture, and Visual Conversations is an exhibit of story quilts made by artists in the Women of Color Quilters Network.  No photos were allowed in the gallery that housed those quilts so I can't show you anything from that one. 

Narratives of the Soul is a collection of African American story quilts drawn from the Spencer's own collection, as well as the Kansas City and Lawrence region.  The one that spoke to me the most from this exhibit is Faith Ringgold's Flag Story Quilt below. 

Here are a few more.  Unfortunately I did not capture the creators of all these works. 

The intricate piecing of the fabrics in the face and hair are what drew me to this one. 

A Kiss From the Ancestors, by NedRa Bonds is below. 

After we were done on campus we walked up to the Campanile - a World War II memorial.  All these years in Lawrence, and it was the first time I had done that.  

Big trees, Potter Lake, and old garage door graffiti rounded out the tour.  But the quilts are the things to see.  Story Quilts are a medium I don't know much about.  Very different, and yet similar to more traditional quilts.  Definitely worth a good look. 

my partner in creativity

Yesterday, in between a lot of yakitty- yak about gardening, needlepoint, knitting, books, food, trip-taking, and everything else under the sun, Mary Joan and I made hand sewn puzzle balls.

Supplies were laid out, directions were read, felt was cut, and we got started. 

We did of course break for lunch (zucchini salad with arancini and garden fresh tomatoes in marinara sauce at Limestone Pizza), but we brought our supplies with us and kept right on working. 

After lunch, there was a stop at Decade coffee shop for a cold brew with ginger syrup (it tasted just like a molasses cookie).  Sewing continued between sips.  Before you know it, we were each back at our respective homes completing our projects.

Hand stitching is very meditative.  Hand stitching with a friend who loves it as much as you do... well that is over-the-top. 

The felt from Purl Soho is wonderful to work with, and the colors are divine.  The instructions include pictures and are very well written.   We ordered the pattern and a few of the felt bundles because we already had all the rest of the supplies that were  called for.  If you don't, they have a kit that includes all the supplies.  (I am not on their payroll by the way, just a well satisfied customer).

I hung mine up this morning, over the dining room table of course.  I used embroidery floss instead of ribbon, but may yet use ribbon after I rummage around in my stash a bit. 

I like the way my puzzle ball looks with my pom-poms made from fabric scraps.  Of course, I will need more than one. 

Which should not be a problem at all.  I am starting this one tonight and already have the colors picked out for #3 as well.

Thanks Purl Soho for a really fun idea, and to you Mary Joan - my partner in creativity! 

don't know about you, but I like to "grab and go"

Today my friend Joan came over so we could work on a new project.  She brought her "sew together" bags at my insistence and I was blown away by her fabric choices.

I must make another one.  Soon.  I need one for small sewing projects.  My current one is for small knitting projects.  I don't know about you, but I like to "grab and go" when I am taking a project somewhere to work on.  I can't be messing around with transferring contents between bags. 

Chris and I did the annual sweet corn run this week.  We each played our parts... based on our talents.  Because he is a more meticulous cleaner, he shucks.  I cut, freeze, and bag. 

One side dish for Thanksgiving dinner, done.   

Happy Friday.  Have you read this excellent commentary from one of my favorite bloggers - Kristin Nicholas?  I have been thinking about it since I read it earlier in the week.  In the event that you don't follow her, I am sharing, because it's worth a read.  Whether you are putting up corn, making a bag, starting a project with a friend, or staying home to read a book this weekend, I hope it fulfills your idea of "making the world a beautiful place".   Thanks Kristin for a lovely piece of writing. 

Yes/No, Yes/Yes, Yes/Yes, No/Yes, Yes/Yes kind of Saturday

Yes, I did start the day by heading to the farmers market.  No, I did not get out of the car.  A different plan was hatched as the rain came down in sheets.  It involved the community mercantile, some local produce and flowers, and a little Italian buffalo mozzarella. 

 Yes, the lemon cherry scones were made.  Yes they were eaten for breakfast.

Yes, some sewing got done.  Yes I got Chris involved in a fabric project.

Thank you to the person who told me about this way to use up fabric scraps. 

No, we had not planned to go to Rock Chalk Park to walk.  Nonetheless, yes we did, and I am thinking of becoming a weight lifter.  No photos of this.  Use your imagination.  Or not.  

By 2pm we were at 2 inches of rain for the day.  And finally... yes, a movie was on the agenda.  Yes we selected Hidden Figures.  Getting ready to start it as soon as I hit the publish button. 

So that turned out to be a Yes/No, Yes/Yes, Yes/Yes, No/Yes, Yes/Yes kind of Saturday.  Which seems just about right.

 

to keep this mantle arrangement from looking like something a "lady" would have in her house

If you have to ask yourself "Do I need a banner hanging over my mantle for every season?" the correct answer is "Yes".  

This is the internal conversation that started banner making over the weekend. 

Using left-over bits from these napkins and the sew together bag (with a few odds and ends thrown in for good measure),  the "all purpose until it's time for Halloween" banner was successfully completed. 

It was a bit of a rocky start.  I couldn't quite wrap my head around the best way to do it.  My first several prototypes were not salvageable. 

I ended up getting out old banners, scratching my head a bit, and finally coming up with a workable solution.

I have to puzzle things out using my hands for them to make sense.  I am sure there are easier ways to do this, but I like trying the hard, harder, and hardest ways too. 

Eventually I had the right number and color combinations to go all across the mantle. 

Then it was time to take out leftover pieces from my very first quilt. 

All sewn together, they made the perfect "cord" to attach the triangles to.

Then it was just a matter of hanging it up. 

Ah.  There it is.  Perfect.  Just the right amount of funkiness to keep this mantle arrangement from looking like something a "lady" would have in her house. 

And I mean that in only the nicest way :-)

which has me almost as excited as making this one

Kaffe Fasset and Brandon Mably were in Lawrence a few months back as part of their 2016 USA tour.   While they were here they got together with the folks at Sarah's and put together a selection of fabrics and "designed" a quilt.  When I saw it hanging up in the store, I died.  Then came back to life and stared in wonderment at how amazing it was. 

Then I left the store.  Because I was in the middle of my other quilt project. 

Then I went back a week later.  Still in the middle of another quilt project, but recognizing the need to have the next quilt project lined up and waiting in the wings. 

The pattern and fabrics were all packaged up.  Like a work of art.  I almost hated to undo it.  But I did. 

Now I am in the midst of cutting. 

Lots and lots of cutting.  I have never really followed a pattern for a quilt before.  There is lots to learn.  Stuff like WOF means width of fabric, and that you can change the blade in your rotary cutter (!), and how to cut a bias square.

And all the while, as the cutting continues, I look at all these pieces and wonder just what I will make from all the scraps. 

Which has me almost excited as making this one. 

it's never too early to start concocting spring cocktails

 If, on a weekend, you have a few strawberries left over from breakfast, cut them up, pour a few ounces of vodka over them, and leave them alone.

Then, run upstairs and look at all the scraps from your Sew Together Bag, and think about what you can make out of them that will only take an hour or so.  Like maybe one of these.

Then go back downstairs and throw your strawberries and vodka over ice, add some citrus, a splash of St. Germaine and some club soda, and smile.  It's Saturday!

And you can't have too many coffee cozy's, it's never too early to start concocting spring cocktails for sipping out back in the sun, and all those things that seem like chores can wait for another day. 

thanks Pam, for all the inspiration

This has all happened.  And yes, there are some imperfections in the attachment of the binding but nothing I can't live with. 

All the different colors and patterns of orange/yellow came together very nicely into a whole. 

It works for the front and maybe even better with the back. 

There are some sweet spots that I really like, and especially that one square that Pam had pieced together and tucked in the scrap bag for me. 

Everytime I walk by and look at it, it makes me very happy.  Which is what creating is all about, right?

Thanks Pam!  For the bag of scraps, for bringing your quilts to the last several art retreats so I could see them, and for all the inspiration to try my hand at quilting. 

almost throwing my shoulder out of joint as I pat myself on the back

In the event that something unforeseen happens while the binding is being attached, and this scrap/experimentation quilt never see's the light of day again, here is what it looked like when the quilting phase was completed. 

Gosh I love what adding all those quilting lines did to the total effect. 

And of course you will need to see the back.   

Report on the gripper gloves = A+!    They really helped move the bulk of the quilt along easier.   

On to that binding now.   Then I may or may not do a little bit of hand-stitching, followed by attaching a label, and throwing it in the washer.  All the while almost throwing my shoulder out of joint as I pat myself on the back.   I am shameless like that.  When it comes to a project that is a labor of love.   

how we Moss girls are wired

Friday I have a date with my walking foot.  The one that attaches to my sewing machine.  The one that I am going to use to finish quilting my quilt.  Because it's just time.  It has not a single thing to do with the two new top patterns I want to get started on.  Or the next "Sew Together" bag that wants to get made. 

I have reviewed books, discussed techniques with friends, watched a class on creative bug, and am still not certain exactly how I should quilt this quilt.  So I am going to approach it the same way I approach all other things I am uncertain about in life.  I am jumping in.  With both feet.  Accepting that this is a learning quilt and I am going to experiment on it.  I'm pretty sure it will be fun.  When I look back on it all. 

I did buy myself a pair of these.  Who has used them to quilt with?  I figure they have to help move the bulk through the machine a bit easier.  It sure looks like it on the videos I watched anyway.  Let me know if you have used them what you thought.  

Have you guys been as inspired by all the images coming out of Quiltcon 2017 as I have been?  Lordy Moses.  So much talent.  I joined the Modern Quilt Guild and have reserved a room at Moss Cottage for Quiltcon 2018 in Pasadena.  Go BIG or go home.  That's always been my motto.  I'm not saying it's good, and I'm not saying it's bad.  It's just the way we Moss girls are wired.