Work Quilt #2 - Finished!

Finally finished my 2nd "Work Quilt"! (My fingers are very relieved!)


Now, I have tried sooooo hard to get the colors accurate.... almost to the point of insanity. Proving very difficult as the shot cotton seems to constantly change and shift colors depending on the angle it is viewed and how the light hits it. Some days it looks more green to me and some days more blue. But that is one of the things I love about shot cotton!


Looking at my monitor, the red squares are showing up more bright then they actually are... in truth they are more of a brick red, actually being woven with a rust weft and a purple warp! (who-da thunk?) I believe that quiet purple warp helps this particular red fabric get along very well with the surrounding blues and greens.


This photo above seems to be the best as far as color accuracy.... of course every monitor is different. (I am working on a Mac, but just looked at these pictures on my daughter's PC and surprisingly they looked very accurate on the PC. Again... who-da-thunk? Never-the-less, I love my Mac!) ...But I digress... back to the quilt...

With a little math I have estimated that there are approximately over 15,000 hand stitches in this piece, which after washing now measures 40" x 41.5"



Not wanting to use up my shot cottons on the back side, I instead choose solid Kona fabrics, giving the back a more contemporary feel...


If you look closely at the back, you can see small patches of horizontal stitching where the patches on the front have been quilted down. I like that subtle variation.

This "Work Quilt", at least for now, is another keeper.... I want the Work quilts in my possession so I can refer back to them as I continue on this series. The next one is in the planning stages, but I also want to make some smaller, related pieces to put in the shop.... Oh my. These are a bit more labor intensive then I am use to. If only I could get by on 2 hours sleep!

Headband Heaven

I am in the midst of growing out my short hair and am currently in that awful stage where what had been bangs are now annoying slips of hair that will not yet reach behind my ears. Tired of hair clips and disdaining hairspray, (I am a low maintenance type of gal and don't even like the blow dryer) the simple solution is to wear headbands. Trouble is I have been headband cursed my whole life. They slip, they slid, they are too loose or too tight and they always ride up in the back, causing a funny little bulge in the back of my head. Drives me crazy!


But when I saw the headbands made by the very talented and amazingly sweet Colleen in her BCharmer shop, I decided to chance it and give my headband lust one more fling. I am so happy that I did! Her headbands are not only pretty as can be but fit like a dream, are incrediably comfortable and they stay put. And best of all they are REVERSIBLE!! I want one in every color!


Now I am a happy camper!
Thanks Colleen for making such a great headband!

Happy 46th Birthday!

Today's my 46th birthday! I wanted to get some shots of Mo and I together to mark the occasion.


The pics didn't come out as I had planned... try as I might I could not get Molasses to look at the camera or stay very still, (she also kept wanting to close her eyes!)


But that's okay, I had fun trying, as it is so nice just to be with her and as always she made me laugh. What better gift is there then that? Birthdays generally make me happy, and on this one I am as happy as happy can be for my #1 birthday wish was to have my best buddy with me on this day. I am so very grateful to say that Mo's recovery from her stroke has been going really well. (The vet said that they can recover within days, but I am blown away!) I've said it before and I will say it again, she's my hero.


And as for being another year older... it is flipping weird to be turning 46, as I still feel like a kid. I can no longer pretend that 50 is some distant speck on the far off horizine... now it is big and bold and coming closer by the day. I say Yippee!! Life's a gift and I am so damn grateful for each and every birthday!!


“Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, the last of life, for which the first was made. Our times are in his hand who saith, 'A whole I planned, youth shows but half; Trust God: See all, nor be afraid!'”
-Robert Browning

Creative Drain-O

I hit a creative road block last week. It happens more often then I like, and despite lots of ideas popping around in my head, everything I make feels off. I start to feel like a drain with a clog in it. No flow.

So, I decided it would be a good time to empty my scrap bin. It's a lovely old red and white enamel pail that I keep by my sewing machine, and at the time it was filled with lots of bright colors, oranges and blues, purples and yellows, all from my last few sewing projects.

Using my scraps often helps to break up the creative clog. It acts sort of like a creative Drain-O! I definitely think that there is some kind of energy moving correlation between freeing up our outer space and freeing up our inner space, thus helping the creative flow to return.


I pulled out the strips of fabric, sorting them by size and just began to sew. After I had made a few sections I started to move them around listening to my gut, along with the fabric, until I had arrangements that looked pleasing and right.


The results were two new art quilts...


The first is called "Dialogue" and is available "here.




And the second, titled "Conversation", (my personal favorite of the two) is available here.


It looks like a busy week awaits me. Taxes need to be done, (ugh!) a couple of appointments to keep, and oldest daughter is coming home for spring break, (Yay!) and for her 20th birthday, (Yikes!) So, if I don't get around to another post this week, I hope you all have a great one! Also, very best wishes to Rachel of Fog and Thistle. Rachel will be appearing on the Martha Stewart Show this Friday! She will be showing off and demonstrating how she makes her fabulous nightlights. I will definitely be watching and cheering Rachel on!!

PS. Mo's had a couple of really great days, with amazing bursts of puppy like energy! I think she has spring fever, and it does my heart good to see her so happy!

Mid Century Utilitarian

Introducing the 2nd piece in my newest line of functional art quilts. (Wow, 2 new pieces in 10 days... the devil must be ice skating!) Just like the one previously posted here, this too was inspired by mid-century design and also by those beautiful, faded utilitarian quilts, often made in the past by farm woman, from used pieces of wool and dyed indigo cloth. (Although mine is 100% cotton).


I tried to emulate the look and feel by choice of color, and simple construction. I also washed this piece as a final step in its construction to give it that puckered, aged and worn look. And just like my first quilt in this series, this one also functions both as a decorative piece of art which can be hung on the wall, and as a functional object that can be used. Available now in my Silly BooDilly Shop.

And one more "Thank You" to everyone who left comments on my last two posts, and/or sent me emails. I treasure each and every one of your responses. It is nice to know that there is so much thoughtfulness, kindness, support, love and understanding out there!