heart2heart

Here are the 2 postcards I've made (so far) for Karey Bresenhan's Heart2Heart project which will be delivering fabric Valentines to wounded soldiers in military hospitals. I worried that they were too cute and not artsy enough but finally decided to get them done as the point is to brighten the day of those who need the cheer. So now to get busy and make several more.

This is going to be an incredible study, of this I have no doubt. I've always enjoyed Beth Moore's style of teaching; her sense of humor and more especially, her passion for Jesus. This study will be different from any of hers I've done before, because it is session driven -- the homework stems from the video session, instead of vice versa. Personally, *I* like the set-up. She made some awesome points yesterday; I left the session feeling incredibly convicted!

We talked about viewing Daniel's Babylon figuratively -- as a way of thinking, or an attitude. To that end, Isaiah 47:10 sums it up, "...I am and there is no one besides me." Self-absorption and complete over-indulgence. Certainly, an attitude of Babylon prevails in the west!

One thought that struck me particularly was this: If I am not doing everything possible to keep from being indoctrinated by "Babylon," I already am.

Wow. I think about how as a family we've struggled with worldly music, TV, movies, clothing, and other worldly influences, and I understood just why it was so important. Keeping that mindset of separation enables us to live in the world without being a part of the world. It doesn't take much.

Another thing she said that sticks with me is, "I believe I won't." Based on 1 Corinthians 6:12, which (paraphrased) is that all things are permissible, but not all things are beneficial. Believers need to pray for godly discernment so that they can say "I believe I won't," to those things which are permissible, but not beneficial.

To that end, Beth Moore challenged us to do something Daniel-like. Daniel refused to eat from the king's table. I don't believe this was a sacrifice, but more a decision to NOT. Beth is giving up rich meats and challenged us to do the same or something similar. I want to give up something to which God would say, yeah, you can, but it's not beneficial to you. I am praying that God will quickly illuminate that something for me!

Exciting days.

Hola!

Tonight starts our Sunday edition of the Beth Moore Bible study on Daniel. I'm very excited. I *miss* being in a small group with other women. I have a hunger. I will try very hard to keep up with the study and journal it here. I'd like to be able to read back through my thought processes, once it's finished. It's being facilitated by Jamie Bell, and I'm looking forward to that, as well.

We sang this morning, oh did we worship! Two back-to-back "builders" as Todd calls 'em. What a great morning of praise and worship! I'm so thankful to have a Minister of Music of Brother Pat's caliber! He pushes us! It certainly was good to be in the house of the Lord this morning!

SELAH!

:)

Today I spent a couple more hours working on the design on computer. I added the lamp, the light and the book, open at page 43. I then inserted a textured background and the door also in the background, open.

It's hard to decide how big to make the quilt. I designed it for maximum impact measuring 2.2m x 2.8m. This means that each of the nine panels will be 60 x 80 cms. this is OK, but there will need to be a lot of texture, detail and interest in each panel to make it work. I will cut out from a larger sheet of paper to see how this will look - maybe print out the face to look at the scale and see if that is the size I want to work with. At this stage everything is flexible.

I also worked out some yardages required to make the window frame. Once the basic design lines are worked out I can actually construct the quilt as an "attic window" design with some detail in the background blocks. Then I will make up the quilt sandwich and go from there.

Home of the Brave

Patriotic quilt I made using ufo's (unfinished objects) from several classes. Made for local guild challenge requiring use of the tan Debbie Mumm crow w/flag fabric. I created the random flying geese border using freezer paper for my foundation piecing. The 4 corner stars are paper pieced. I have taught this class a couple of times at the Annual meeting of the Utah Quilt Guild. I have patterns available for purchase.

Here are some samples of quilting I have done for customers.

1. Custom quilting - special quilting in different areas of the quilt. Includes stitch-in-the-ditch, stippling, borders and freehand patterns in different areas of the quilt. This type of quilting is the most expensive to have done, and waiting lists are longer - can be several months.




2. Edge to edge quilting (see below) - the most versatile, durable and most economical.
A computerised pattern is sewn over the entire quilt. This technique is suitable for many types of quilts, including applique. Waiting lists are usually short - 4 weeks maximum.

This is a new quilt design I have started working on. I am designing it fully on computer prior to stitching it out. Why? I can print out patterns to scale, and I can get huge A0 patterns done by my bureau. Makes it so easy.

Today I am posting the first draft - this only gives a really rough idea of the shapes, concept and theme. The quilt is inspired by my memories associated with music I used to listen to in the 70s. The lyrics of the songs are very deep and meaningful (or so I thought, back then.) I don't want to name the music source for copyright reasons, but there are clues in the title of the quilt: "Where Will I be" and in the objects which will appear in the design.

This quilt will be huge. 2.5m x2.9m. I won't even be able to hang it in our house as the ceilings are low. Never mind - it will be a good exhibition piece! If you are looking at this quilt in progress, please leave comments - I will consider your design suggestions as I go!

Summer School at McGregor College at Uni in Toowoomba was great! Had 10 days of wonderful quilting with Wendy Scott. In that time I was able to turn one of my ideas into an original quilt "Many Coloured Beast", which is one of four I want to do inspired by lyrics of music from the '70s.

"The Many Coloured Beast" (Close-up)
Full view, after quilting before binding was attached.

In the early stages, showing curved piecing

Wendy Scott, from Newcastle Australia shown here with one of her wonderful quilts. Wendy loves colour and wears wonderful colourful outfits every day.

With Wendy's expert tutoring, we learned curved piecing and many other techniques. She encouraged us to develop our own original designs and that was the best part of the course. I must have got a lot out of it as I dreamed the other night that I was to be promoted to the third year of a mysterious Quilt University Course!



It was great fun, but exhausting, and it is a little hard to settle back into the old routine. I've got lots more quilt designs going round in my head and now I know what to do to make them come to life.

Rock Art

Moab Rock Talk 24 in. wide by 39 in. long $1,100.00

Quilt was made last year for the AQuA (art quilt guild in Grand Junction, Colorado) http://www.theartquiltassociation.com/
TXT challenge.

Inspiration/theme: Ancient rock art (petroglyphs) found on the red rocks of Moab, Utah and the southwest region. The designs range from representational to whimsical from laughing sheep to eerie shaman. The bottom left figure is the Moab Man. They speak to my soul although I'm still trying to break the code of these early text messages. I used very busy fabrics to convey the loud messages we are faced with today. I used low contrast as many of the petroglyphs are now very faded and hard to see.

Figures were created with hand applique including reverse applique. Hand and machine quilting. Beaded embellishment.

I was honored when the challenge juror Faye Anderson selected my quilt as one of the quilts to be featured on the TXT page of the AQuA website. To see the other 6 quilts http://www.theartquiltassociation.com/exhibitions/txt.htm

The TXT quilts were displayed as a special exhibit in the Mancuso's Denver show in May 2006 and their Chicago show in November 2006.