Door Closing

Here is another photo taken 'Along The Way' (for the Sketchbook Project challenge) - a little pile of treasures on my side desk. :)

Today my husband, son and I worked like yoked oxen and an army of stevadores to finish getting the store space cleaned out. We are DONE (well, almost - I have to go back tomorrow to retrieve my vacuum cleaner 'cause we didn't have enough room to take it home today:). Seminole Sampler no longer exists except in fond (I _hope_) memory. The end of an era in local quilt making ... and in my life.

Now I just have to devote a month to six weeks of labored effort to tidying up my house and building a sewing room in our guest bedroom (my son's old room). I am actually looking forward to this, even though it will be hard labor. :P I look forward to being able to walk in and sew whenever I want ... and to actually making some of the designs I've dreamed up over the past 15 years. :)

I've been asked to teach stuffed toy making for the Baltimore Modern Quilt Guild. I am by no means an expert ... but I do have a considerable amount of experience. It is actually a pretty large topic ... I've been sorting through the files I have here that I've gleaned from the web. I think I will do quite a bit of tutorial writing and sharing here on my blog as well as some hands-on lessons at guild. I have a stash of felted/boiled wool that has been calling to me for a while to be made into pretty things. :)

I expect I'll start the project (well, the tutorial part) after I get back from vacation toward the end of May. Watch this space as they say. Grin!

:) Linda

Exhaustion and Satisfaction

I am participating in a group photography challenge from the Sketchbook folks titled 'Along The Way' this week. These three photos are shots I took in passing as we worked at my (soon-to-be-former) store today. I am physically exhausted tonight (muscles twitching with fatigue, etc.) but satisfied with a week of work well done. One more day and we'll be finished at long, long last! :P

I cannot believe how complex and protracted the actual process has been! Not to mention physically challenging. :P We completely filled a very large construction dumpster over the past three days with the stuff that no one (including us) wanted to have from the shop....after two visits (one more coming tomorrow) from the charity truck (Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake) to cart away stuff for re-use. After selling all the fixtures and such that we possibly could.

The shop is empty now of all but the very large steel utility shelving units (large classroom - what the truck is coming back for tomorrow) and the few things we want to keep (my sewing stuff and books and notions, tools, etc.) - renting a 10 foot moving truck tomorrow to take that stuff home (after about six car loads of things already taken home and maybe a dozen trips to the landfill to carry recycling). Oh, and my car is full of recycling that has to be taken to the Alpha Ridge landfill/recycling center tomorrow, too.

I have to call the power company tomorrow to have the bill switched back to the landlord's account and call their office for the key give-back. Sooooo glad to be nearly done!

My friend Barbara is an excellent bargain hunter. She sent me news a week (or two? my grasp of exactly what the date and time are is a bit weak right now:) ago that Connecting Threads was having a 40% off sale on books. So, I ordered several from my wish list (have been spoiled for years by buying my books routinely at 40% off and find it hard to change my habits:). I am actually reading the texts from several of these (and will try to remember to share my thoughts here as I do).

Here is what I bought:

I love this woman's work! I think I have every book she has written to date. Wish I could visit her store! :)

 

This is the first new-to-me book on Bargello quilt making in a number of years. I've always liked the idea but have never made one (_have_ done a couple of bargello needlepoint pieces, including at least one circular one:). Definitely on my list of 'things to sew.'

 

I've been dancing around the edges of multi-color knitting for ages - and usually satisfying my urges by using multi-colored yarns. About time for me to buckle down and learn to 'do it right', eh? :)

 

Not having any training to speak of in art history, I know only a little bit about the Minimalist schools of art making. One of the things I am learning to appreciate about modern quilts is the appeal of minimalist patchwork. This book (which I am still reading) is insightful. I got hooked by the cover image - when I was at the MidAtlantic Modern Retreat in March, someone was working on a tree patchwork quilt that REALLY got my attention. I don't know how they were executing the blocks but I know how I want to do it ... maybe the next project I will tackle. :)

 

This man, Thomas Knauer, is very thought provoking in his writing. I am actually reading the text of this one, too. I like his approach to quilting and to design. Can't wait to really get into this book. :)

 

This one has been out a while but I decided that I really need a copy. I tend to like complex fabrics with large print textures and I think these (fairly simplistic) blocks will be a good vehicle for some print, embroidery and real texture play. I like several of the possible layout designs she gives, too. I might embark on a block-making adventure this year (if my quilt making cup doesn't completely run over:).

Well, gotta go be horizontal until tomorrow - hope my muscles don't hurt so much I can't sleep. :P

:) Linda

PS. Yes, I bought these books online vs at a local quilt shop. Sadly, I am not able to _get_ to a local shop right now (kinda busy) ... there will be many other goodies I _will_ buy locally over the coming months. :)

Plugging Away

You may not have noticed but I like to start each of my posts with a photo - I am such a visual person, I need pictures to keep me patient with text. :) I took this particular photo while on vacation several years ago with my Mom - we went to attend one of her nursing class reunions in Berea, KY. Among other sites we visited was a model log cabin built in early 1800's (I think) and now situated in the town, outfitted appropriately for a cabin of that era (supposedly:) ... from what my memory dredges up.

My niece Stephanie tells me that she took this picture in Texas and shared it with me (so much for my memory!). Somewhere here is that photo I thought this one was ... will try to find it to share.

I have always liked log cabins - my husband laughs when I tell him I'd like to live in one - and this photo showing the nicely quilted bedcover appeals to me. :) I think the simplicity and spareness of the environment is calling to me, too, given what I have been doing this week. :P

I ended up spending Easter Sunday at home resting after all. I was so tired that I slept until early afternoon (I'm fighting fairly serious insomnia right now ... similar to what I suffered from for several pre- and peri-menapausal years ). Monday I spent at the store working hard on packing up my office - five hours got about half the job done (and me exhausted). Tuesday, more of the same. :P

Today my husband had to have a minor surgical procedure and so I was the designated chaperone and driver. Only difficult part (for me, besides the worry) was that I had to get up at 8:15 a.m. The process was over just before noon and I drove him home to rest and recover from the anaesthesia. I fell asleep on the sofa and napped for three hours (I had to fight the giddiness of complete fatigue the entire time I waited in the surgery). I _had_ intended to go work at the store today, too, but turned out to be way too tired.

Tomorrow, back to the schlepping grindstone - only a few days left this month!

 

:) Linda

Happy Spring!

Happy Easter to you all (that celebrate the holiday). To those of you who don't, Happy Spring! :)

I expect I'll spend my Sunday packing up the goods in my office at the store. I've left that chore until last - mostly because I have been putting it off. Today I figured out why ... once it is all packed up, my personal presence there will be finished, for good and all. Hard to let go, as much as I want to have this process completed and off my 'to do' list. :P

Today my son and I disassembled the gray display wall that used to 'live' in the large classroom. That gray wall has seen a lot of beautiful blocks and quilts go past over the last 14 years. Many, many of Mimi's classes displayed gorgeous applique blocks ... many other class samples and works-in-progress went up there ... a number of my own personal works ... it was the 'heart' of my store, in the same way as the kitchen table is often the heart of a home. :)

:) Linda

Going Forward

Today I did much the same thing as yesterday - worked at my shop to get rid of the left-over 'stuff'. Yesterday was actually more interesting 'cause my friend Barbara came in to sew with me last night. :) Hugh and I had finished clearing off the shelves in the big classroom and I had taken all the recycling to the recycling center at the landfill. I was _ready_ for some relaxation by the time Barbara came around 6 p.m. :)

She brought a vintage quilt with her to share the unusual pattern with me. It was a typical utility quilt in wear pattern (hand assembled cotton batting, kinda thickish, obviously washed many times) - but the piecing was a complicated design that I had never seen before (later Barbara did find it in Brackman's and in Beyer's design encyclopedias). The quilting was stitched by hand but the workmanship was not so great  - either the quilt was pieced by one person and quilted by someone else ... or the person who did both really preferred the piecing. :) I think more likely the former as the sewing level required to make the patchwork would produce better quilt stitches than the quilt had in it. :)

Anyway, Barbara got out some grid paper and drew off the design ... and took lots of photos. I think I might try to make a version of the design ... although I think I will enlarge the pattern (not so sure my piecing skills are up to the size used in this quilt!). Would be fun to try to 'modernize' it. :)

Today I went to the shop a bit later than yesterday. Had a professional shredding company in to safely dispose of the parts of the financial records that Skip decided he did not have to keep (daily records, class notebook pages with cc#'s, etc). The shredding guy was a nice fellow - was a pleasure to work with him. Speaking of nice ... yesterday, when I went to the landfill, not once but twice some nice fellows stopped and helped me empty the car and ditch the recycling. I am pretty sure it was because of my cane and the hobble, not because I am an especially hot prospect. Grin. There are plenty of mannerly people in the world, if you give them a chance to express themselves. :)

I dropped by the knitting shop next door to say hello when I was there yesterday. I spotted some beautiful yarn that was hand dyed and spun by Wae (see photo at the top of the page) - the colors were so luscious I just could not leave the yarn in the shop. :) I chose a pretty orchid yarn to coordinate (there were only 74 yards on the skein) and I'm making a messenger style bag with it. Radiant orchid is this year's color, after all. :)

I've been watching the last season of CSI-NY on Netflix while I crochet. The handmade yarn will be the bag flap and the orchid the body. Not sure yet about the gusset/handles - I'm just making it up as I go along, here. :)

I sent off photos of the assorted stuff I have to donate to ReStore today so I should hear from them tomorrow (fingers crossed). Hopefully we'll be completely finished by Wednesday next week at the latest. I really am starting to look forward to being DONE with all this ... and to going on vacation.

:) Linda

Floating

I've been floating on that river of time again ... and the currents are pushing me harder toward midstream. I've had to rearrange my spring traveling plans - closing my store is taking way longer than I like/want/need it to do. Sigh! Looks like I'm going to be working on emptying the place out right up until almost the end of this month (lease runs out). That means I won't be going to Kansas until the beginning of May. I rescheduled my knee surgery for the end of May, though.

I managed to actually do some good work today. My husband and son both came to the shop with me this morning. Hugh and I worked our way through the 'small' classroom, sorting everything into keep/charity piles, throwing out trash and carrying out recycling. Sure helps to have strong young muscles to assist! :)

I managed to mail off my mother's tax info to her accountant yesterday and lots of paperwork to the lawyer. Always more details.... but no more offers on the small farm, yet. I am hoping the good weather will bring out the buyers.

I bought an ap for my iPhone that is fun to play with. Waterlogue by TinRocket lets you take a photograph and render it into a watercolor form. The picture at the top of this post was made from a photo of a very pretty Double Wedding Ring quilt that Alice M. made for her god-daughter. Here are two more watercolors of photos I've taken and shared on this blog before (recognize them?:):

There are all kinds of special effects you can apply to the renderings. And the software only cost $.99. :)

The weather has been glorious this weekend - in the 70's - and I'm looking forward to tomorrow. I have seen forsythia, magnolia, cherry, plum, pear and weeping cherry trees flowering on my drives today. Wonder what tomorrow will bring?

I LOVE spring!

:) Linda

701!

Apparently I missed my 700th post (well, I made it, just didn't know it was #700:). Hmph! I don't have any inspiration whatsoever what to offer by way of give away ... sigh. Something I've made ... some goodies from my stash ... a free pattern or design for all. I will keep thinking. :P

Meanwhile, I want to share what I've been doing for the past few days. I spent Thursday through Sunday this past week (4/3-4/6) in total BLISS. I might have mentioned that I signed up to attend the Mid-Atlantic Modern Quilt Retreat (last November? December? When I knew I'd be closing the store and thought it might be a good idea to have something to look forward to doing.) - it was held in Lancaster, PA, at the Doubletree Resort. The entire event and everyone there was fabulous - great service, great food, great quilters, jaw-dropping inspirational work to admire. :) Great!

I did not take photos of everything I saw - far from it, I was usually just walking around to exercise my body in between sewing steps - but I did take final photos of the three progressive robin projects. I participated in the Stripes progressive (in fact, I was the first to work on it:) - here is the final piece (won by one of the other participants):

I contributed a number of pieces to this piece including the feather block (currently being feather obsessed:).

There were two other progressive projects. One was 'Low Volume with a Pop of Color':

I _really_ like this piece. :) It was won by Rose D. from our group (she sat beside me for four days:) - talk about one happy woman! :)

The third piece was Triangles:

There are lots of small bits of each of these three tops that I really like - the floating stripes in the lower middle of the Stripes piece and the mortared-brick stripes ... the little asterix shapes in the Low Volume piece, the words and the tiny floating triangles ... to be honest, there is not very much about the Triangles piece that appeals to me (but what is there _not_ to like about triangles? boring is the worst that I can say:). Maybe my short-sightedness. :)

Right outside the door of the large space in which we were sewing was the plaza/party space. Here is a shaky photo of it:

We saw a wedding, a couple of church meetings and at least one party while we were sewing. :) Deb said she thought it looked like a place in Paris but, to me, Marseilles would be more apt (well, somewhere with real palm trees anyway:). The sound environment was certainly excellent. :)

What did I work on while I was there? First day I finished my Aqua Fantasy Flower piece that I started while in Paducah last April. Only a year to finish, not bad for me. :) We took a shopping trip to Burkholder's Fabrics and I found the perfect rickrack to finish the outer edges. Before we went out, I had pebble quilted the background space to cause the central flower to pop up. I thought about finishing the edges with a binding or a facing ... but I really had the idea of small triangles created from half a rickrack row stuck in my mind. So, when I found the exactly right color at Burkholder's, I was happy to buy some. :) Here's a photo of my finished piece:

We got some great swag bags at the retreat - mine had two spools of Aurifil thread in it, one of which I used to quilt this piece. :) I did not put a hanging sleeve on the back - I guess my back brain is thinking it might work as a table topper (my front brain thinks that is a truly hare-brained idea since it would almost certainly end up being a kitty bed:).

I also designed a simple layout for the Feather Quilt, pieced at least one feather, taught a couple other people how to do foundation piecing and assembled my six pointed stars onto a top to be appliqued - the ones made with fabrics I dyed in the Malka Dubrawsky workshop last summer. I'm eager to work on those projects after I get my studio set up here at home.

The weather was cool and breezy in PA but when I got back to Columbia, my daffodils were blooming and the temperature was in the 60's. Heavenly. :) I've seen crocus and daffodils and blooming plum trees here so spring has, at long long last, sprung! :)

Now I have to figure out what is left to be done on closing my store and get on with it. :P

:) Linda