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Having a Busy Week

Thursday, November 8th, 2012

Nothing like 3 days of meetings and appointments to keep you on your toes. I am so hoping to have a day at home for some studio time tomorrow. I got my Janome back and I am itching to get back to machine quilting the Rosales Organ piece.

We were very excited with the results of the election. I love that so many women won seats in Congress. All of the progressive measures for school and library funding passed in Portland. I think the results of this election and the coalition formed by the Dems bodes well for our future.

Yesterday, I had the local SAQA meeting here  — 26 creative women. Many revealed their challenge pieces. I didn’t get mine done. The challenge was to make a 12 by 12 quilt using SAQA’s new definition of an art quilt: SAQA defines an art quilt as “a creative visual work that is layered and stitched or that references this form of stitched layered structure.”  We decided to use the latter part of the definition. There were some very interesting pieces.

Today, I had STASH at Terry’s. She is having a busy week like mine, so we went out to lunch. I had to rush home and then off in the other direction to have my one year post cataract surgery eye exam. No real change. Since I lost my red glasses last summer, I ordered a new pair. They are red, and I really like them. Can’t wait for them to arrive.

My Janome is working like a dream so I whipped up 3 x 3s with no tension problems.

Do you know that it is Thanksgiving Day in just 2 weeks! Yikes.

 

 

Posted in 3 x 3, Quilting Friends, SAQA, Stuff I Buy | Comments Off on Having a Busy Week

In Waiting

Monday, November 5th, 2012

Mr C and I are passionate about our politics. We always find ourselves in limbo when there is a presidential election. I think we are more nervous this year than ever before and we have been through many elections. So we are looking forward to getting on with our lives, whatever happens tomorrow. And tonight, we retire with this as our mantra.

I am keeping busy tomorrow. I have a guild board meeting and then a luncheon meeting with the other 2 co-chairs of Artists Among Us. We are going to get our call to artists our earlier this year.

I spent a lot of time working on a couple of Constant Contact mailings for SDA. I kept doing edits, sending it out, then waiting for 2 or 3 people to weigh in, etc., etc., etc. I think we finally have them tweaked.

This is what my sewing table looks like while the Janome is in hospital! If there is an empty space, I will fill it up. I have the filigree pieces printed on freezer paper — just need to iron it to fabric and do some cutting.

I also pumped up the color in a few places on the Kelp Dance piece with some fabric pens. I think I have achieved some better contrast.

By the way, I got my website up to date. If you click on New up there on the left, I have all of my quilts from the last two years posted.

Fired up, ready to go!!

 

Posted in 3 x 3, Obama, politics | 3 Comments »

Where Was I

Sunday, November 4th, 2012

Oh, yes, I was excited about doing the quilting on the Rosales Organ quilt when my Janome decided to quit. I took her in to the Janome dealer and fortunately, I have a 3 year maintenance and repair plan. They told be it could take 10 days to 2 weeks. I put on my nicest smile and sweet talked the repair man into trying for a week. He wrote ASAP on the order. I  told him I had been a Powered by Janome quilter on the Janome web site because I talk about my Horizon on my blog. It might have helped.

In the meantime, I will work on the embellishments for the quilt. The filigree wooden parts and the gold foiled parts for the pipes.

The downside is that I can’t machine stitch 3 x 3’s. I am doing felting and hand stitching for now. I may convert my Bernina from my felting machine for the time being.

Yesterday, I got up early and drove to Eugene, a 2+ hour drive, for the fall meeting of my Oregon Critique group. Terry was unable to go so I made the trip solo. I stupidly took the wrong aspen quilt, I grabbed the one I took last time we had the critique with the same artist. I did have my Kelp Dance quilt. She really liked it and had lots of positive things to say about my design – good value changes, good repetition, great color combination, etc. Interestingly, she suggested the same changes for this that she gave me for the Aspen quilt last time – pump up the red for more contrast. I think I can go in with some paint and fix some of the areas that she suggested.

I have a really busy week ahead of me. Just so you know!! Sending love and warmth and concern to all my readers in the Tri-state area. I hope things get better for you soon.

Posted in 3 x 3, critiques | Comments Off on Where Was I

I Am Not Amused

Thursday, November 1st, 2012

A new month and a new color for my 3 x 3s — yellow orange. I was excited to see that I have lots of fabrics in these colors.

Here is the October collection:

I was hoping to lead off tonight with lots of quilting done on the Rosales Organ quilt. Unfortunately, my Janome Horizon is not doing well today. I don’t know what the problem is, but it started having tension problems and I was getting error messages. Tonight it just up and quit. I have til the end of the month to get the piece quilted, but I was on a roll and I hate having to stop. I got some stitching done on one of the wood panels.

So, I am not a happy camper.

On another note, I can do a little daughter bragging. Lisa has designed some wallpaper for Hygge and West. You can see it here. I love the one with triangles:

Wish me luck with the Janome Dealer tomorrow!!

Posted in 3 x 3, Machine Quilting, My Brilliant Daughters | 2 Comments »

Good Things Amongst the Devastation

Tuesday, October 30th, 2012

I am saddened by the devastation of places that I love — New York and New Jersey. I lived and worked in New Jersey before I was married and spent a lot of time in NYC. What they are going through is unimaginable. I survived 5 hurricanes when we lived in Wilmington, NC, with much damage, but nothing like what has happened in the tri-state area.

I am happy that my family members in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and West Virginia are all ok with minor damage. I am thankful that my sister came through surgery in upstate NY today and is recovering at home. I am slowly hearing from friends in the area who are fine.  I am so proud of our President who has been managing the relief with a steady hand and a comforting heart.

I am also thankful for a good night’s sleep and more energy today. The larger dose of Aleve seems to be making my achy joints feel better. The incessant cold rain, however, is not helping.

I decided to get outside my comfort zone and do raw edge applique on my organ quilt. I had a terrible time getting the tension right. I am using Superior Bottom Line for the zigzag stitch and it took some trial and error to get the tension just right. I was not a happy camper. I also realize why I like fusing. When I get the fabric on the batting, it does not move or wrinkle!!

I first pinned the pieces in place. I haven’t used my basting pins in ages!

Here is a section that is stitched down. I have several colors of Bottom Line on bobbins so I was able to match the fabric.

So, I have set this in motion. It will either be a wow quilt or a huge waste of gorgeous fabric. I wonder sometimes why I wander off into uncharted territory, but I keep doing it.

Sending love and good thoughts to all of you on the east coast. Keep the faith!

 

Posted in 3 x 3, My creations, This and that | 3 Comments »

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