When I joined High Fiber Diet here in Portland, I discovered this method of hanging small quilts, which I love. It works especially well for the small vintage Japanese fabric collages that I do. I have some small quilts made over the past few years sitting in my studio that I am starting to give as gifts and some need a sleeve or a method of hanging. I like this method because it is something that a person can take home and hang on a couple of small nails.

Here is one that I finished this week-end. I made it when I still lived in Santa Rosa. I call it the Chico’s Bird of Happiness because it was taken from a Chico’s t-shirt.

I purchased some bamboo poles from IKEA. I bought red and lime green. I think they had blue, too. You can also find these at Michaels and JoAnnes. Sometimes, I buy bamboo stakes and paint them.

I cut the pole to the size I want. Then, I stick t-pins through the pole to make the holes. I leave the pins in until I am ready to add the beads. Sometimes the bamboo will split, but, I just use some Elmer’s glue on it when I am finished.

I use beading thread, doubled. I bury the knot in the seam of the front and back. The I pick up a bead, remove the t-pin and go up through the hole and into another bead, then back down and finish off.

This same method could be used on a larger quilt by using a dowel and drilling the holes, I think.

I am feeling like such a putz. I missed two show deadlines last week. I have no one to blame but myself. The trip to Israel took a lot of time — 2 weeks there, a week preparing, at least a week to recover. We also have this bathroom renovation going on which is quite distracting. So I have my excuses, but it comes down to my own indifference that has gotten me into this box. I have schemes and dreams and ideas in my head. I just need to get back to a more dedicated work ethic.

Any body else in the same boat? How do you work your way out of it?