Fiber and Pulp

Fidgety!

Yesterday I was out-of-step all day. (sigh) I woke up late, when I got to the store I discovered that my FiberLectic group was holding their monthly meeting (I _knew_ the meeting was on Tuesday, I just didn't know it was Tuesday yesterday :P) which I had (obviously) missed some of .... my friend Sherry came to the store while the meeting was in progress but I only got to spend a few minutes with her (she had even called me the night before to tell me she was coming to buy some fabric for beading -- if you know Sherry, you know what a rare event it is for her to be here!:) ... then my student, Ruth, came for a 2 pm class that I had totally forgotten about (as I was wolfing down my lunch. :P (tearing hair out)

By the time I was finished teaching Ruth the finer points of hand piecing inset seams, I was totally frazzled. (whew!) So, I stayed after closing (until 8:30 pm) to sew -- sewing always calms my nerves and puts me back on center track. :)

I'm working on a new spring jacket to replace the one I made some years ago. I am using a pigment dyed sweatshirt base (soft yellow) and covering it with some lovely nine patch blocks that Arlene gave me a while back. She made a baby quilt for someone in her neighborhood and ... um .... got carried away making blocks. :) She gave me the extras -- enough to cover a good sized jacket! I think she made enough for two baby quilts (with maybe a few left over!) (grin) My camera is running low on power so I'll put up a photo of the jacket when I try it on for size -- so far, the body and sleeves are covered with blocks (and some pieces of kitty print from Laurel Burch in pastel colors). I have to split the jacket up the front and then sew the underarm/side seams (baste, till I try it on and fit the jacket) ... and then bind the neck, hem (shirt tail), and fronts ... and put on buttons/closures (probably loops of some kind or a placket (I dislike making buttonholes by machine and don't have time for hand sewing them).

When I got up this morning, there was a box on my door step from the mailman. A package from my Aunt Ruby in Kentucky with some wonderful goodies in it (I ran errands all morning - bank, post office, hair cut, pharmacy, etc., so I saved the box to open when I got to work as a reward for duty:). Thanks, Ruby!!!

She sent me a WONDERFUL apron, like the ones my Grandma Hampton used to wear -- I LOVE it!

I love the way it fits me, the fabrics are fabulous (I love purple and the print on the body of the apron has baking icons on it -- how perfect! My Grandma was a fabulous cook ... and, even tho' I hardly ever cook any more, I think I am pretty good at it, too:). I love the lace and the wonderful pockets -- what a GREAT pick-me-up gift! :)

She also enclosed two small goodies that I love -- a little chicken pincushion (cute!) and an appliqued/embroidered pocket:

I have a use for both of them right now -- and will cherish them. :) Such a great uplifting surprise! :)

I am going to the annual quilt show in Lancaster, PA (Quilter's Heritage Celebration) on Friday with my friend Patty. We go every year -- three days of quilts, good food, shopping, and no responsibilities. My kind of vacation! :)

The flowers are blooming here (I've seen plum trees, daffodils, vinca, and pear trees blooming -- don't know what has happened to my crocus, maybe the squirrels ate them??). I love spring! :)

I think it is funny (in an ironic way) that I so much resemble my Grandmother. I have spent the last ten years avoiding the status of House Wife ... I don't think I've ever been very good at the job. Mind you, I think I am a GREAT Mom (not to brag, but my kids tell me so, amyway:) but a pretty awful housekeeper and tender. (sigh) It would be hard to find or imagine a woman who was better at house keeping and mothering than my Grandma Hampton -- great cook, loving mother, fine wife .... Maybe more of her will come out in me as I get older?

I have noticed that I am starting to come out of my cave of more-or-less depression ... sank into it nine or ten years ago and am slowly crawling out ... mind you, there have been plenty of happy days in that decade (!!), but I've been generally depressive despite good medication and loving surroundings. (sigh) Saturday, Sunday and Monday I spent mostly at home, cleaning here and there, puttering. I'm, of course, happy that spring is here and the days are getting longer, as I am every year. I'm seriously thinking about spiffing up my house and making plans to help my son with things ... I think life is looking UP for a change. (smile)

ONE Ready!

I finished my leaf study quilt this afternoon. Today was Sew & Tell Club day at the shop so I got to sew all afternoon. I finished binding, sewed a sleeve on and signed my Leaf Study I piece. At least I will have one finished quilt to put in my guild's show next month! :) I have not taken photos for a while, so it has changed quite a bit since I showed it here last:

The background of this piece (it is small - about 20"x28") is free hand curved pieced leaves. Then I stencil painted leaf shapes using the Shiva paint sticks (these are transparent paints, so the added leaves look like they are made from sheer fabrics). I embroidered around those stenciled leaves (to bring them out a big more) ... then I added a number of small leaves on top ... and a few crystals. I bound the edges with leaf shapes cut out of fabric and applied by machine, raw edged.

I intended the piece to show layers of leaves being swirled around by the wind ... and I think it succeeds. :) It is a bit chaotic, visually, even for me. I think the next one I tackle will be .... um ... calmer. (grin)

I went to the quilt show for Southern Comforters in Bowie yesterday with Patty and Barbara. Had great fun and saw some very pretty quilts! We stopped at Tomorrow's Treasures since we were down there (that shop is on Rt.3, just north of 450). The last time I was there was about three years ago -- they were primarily a garment shop then, with quilts on the side. Now they are a quilt shop with some heirloom sewing on the side. :) Nice folks!

We also stopped at Daedalus Books in Columbia (took a wrong turn going home and figured we should get some benefit from the mistake:). Lotsa great titles at very low prices. I don't get there more often than once or twice a year (even tho' it can't be more than 2 miles from my house, tops:) ... and had fun picking through the titles. Even bought a couple. :) Great day out, on the whole, and it was quite spring-like, weather-wise (in the mid 60's and sunny).

I watched the recent movie Beowolf last night -- I thought it was pretty good and I liked the story twists the director put in vs the original poem (circa 500 AD or so). :)

Head Down ...

... Head Up. I had a relapse of the flu on Tuesday (day before yesterday). :P My husband was 'wonky' yesterday (but, of course, he, being a GUY, does not stay home and protect his co-workers:).

I've had my head down trying to finish up with the details involved with the spring class semester at my shop -- newsletter, signage, class samples, etc. :P Tonight when my friend Barbara B came in to sew with me, I had to play hooky and sew for 'myself.' :)

One of the members of the Sew & Tell group is moving away (she and her husband have decided to live in Chapel Hill, NC) ... and so they are making a good-bye quilt for her. Tonight I made a block to contribute -- I hope it will be ok. Tobi likes strong bright colors and is a fairly new quilter ... and likes symmetric, somewhat traditional quilts. (She's a CPA by profession:)

Here is the block I made for her:

As you can tell, this is an off-center close up of Grandmother's Flower Garden (one of my favorite designs). It started when I found the center patch in my workbox:

This little block is a piece of three-way weaving -- it is a class sample from a Make&Take class I taught several years ago. It is made with Clover hand dyed and lame bias tapes. I figured out how to weave this all by myself, starting with just a photograph of the finished design. (whew!)

I feel happy that I got SOMETHING done today that was at least moderately creative. :)

Charming!

Well, I'm back at the store today. My stomach seems ok and, though a bit tottery, I feel fine. (sigh)

Today I sat and 'chaired' the hand pieceing club monthly meeting. While I was there, Etta S came in (a former employee) and brought me something I had almost forgotten about. :)

Last fall's Quilter's Quest (shop hop) included charms from every store. I gave Etta my thirteen charms to make a bracelet and today she brought it to me. I really like the way it turned out!!

It is such a _pleasure_ to be back in my colorful surroundings!!

:)