tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15922009447541953042024-03-18T21:58:54.946-07:00Write Me a QuiltQuilt Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893406898382986960noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592200944754195304.post-81505619344704202742016-02-04T08:23:00.000-08:002016-02-04T10:58:19.839-08:00QUILT PHOTOSHOOT<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Campout Quilt</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's been a while since I've posted anything. I actually forgot that I created this blog! I decided I wanted a new blog, signed in and wha-la! Already done! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In reviewing my two year old posts, I realize I promised more quilt pictures! I have another blog that I posted the full quilt photoshoot experience on. (<a href="http://www.christinepaul.wordpress.com/">www.christinepaul.wordpress.com</a>). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">After viewing so many quilt blogs, I had realized my photographs needed a good background setting. Just spreading them on the bed was not showcasing them. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">With this goal in mind, my husband and I ventured out in search of a place that held possibility. I remembered a farm that has been deserted; I had been there with my grandmother as a child, and we had driven by it recently. The place just glows with the love of the people who had once occupied it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: large;">With a basket of temporarily repossessed quilts and my husband's iPad, we headed to that farm. My husband played photographer (as I stood behind him looking at the iPad screen) and helped me hang the quilts. It was a great day! And we took more pictures than I am posting here, but didn't want to overwhelm. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: large;">I hope you enjoy seeing them as much as I enjoy seeing everyone else's creations! Feel free to leave a comment. I'd love to hear from you! </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Mother's Garden</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Story of My Life - Courthouse steps style with big stich quilting done with Number 8 Perle Cotton</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My son (and me) with the flag quilt I spoke of in my last couple of posts and a more close up of the pattern than the photo below. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drew's flag quilt hanging on the barn</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBEhPewBGcVhCc8va-zlXShn2vuqIeLVjVixqyePwfApxjXMyMxoOxKC4id4H7CZ-tb2IajQir5ccVyAHDb6rc0rhtar6JcbeJX5gKqEfhRO6K2CXeAbDtkSbULQqaeuGSSSx6V0KcC9pd/s640/blogger-image-69174176.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Layla Loves Red - quick quilt for my granddaughter's Christmas a few years ago</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh66kXbTz2-Xr9Hp420YKjPWWaAfVR7MDvQO0OerQQavhektmaTWmXmRWvXl101WqOj5LAoGkH69PoZJe_y353qV8cYHNkDlQKE4Vh5QxMk52j3FlAJFPZ0gZ-8rb0oNRLF2oy2YOlYiRjw/s640/blogger-image-412451156.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jaden Loves Blue - Jelly Roll Race made with Snow Days batiks for my grandson's Christmas a few years ago. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRbzkrCF6g4AbblmBexA0Gy3ecnvoe8kdy1AiZddBZmYtxdegxm5dUNkQPvXSO1VQ-l9KrJt6KJyXeJcW4XB6BBto60XYPBt_Xa3QgXtmc1aI055sihlb095pJcyabciVSKsX4mpF44D30/s640/blogger-image-2027899898.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amish quilt - made in the late 90's for my oldest son</td></tr>
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Quilt Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893406898382986960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592200944754195304.post-62723941330190619362014-10-25T04:14:00.001-07:002014-10-25T04:14:27.194-07:00Past Quilts<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6PhyphenhyphenMt2352jFbpg58snseU9ncuaKgAtt6NFY5XeljKKBwKyODyVMFsgPdAlTnxzYoJ2YQ9lrvtHiMcZVYGTpfzKBXuorvKY-xc9bLPlOnrzALpAjDcizjFJRJpxR5bsBwh_3onOSUUCAA/s640/blogger-image--1860595308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6PhyphenhyphenMt2352jFbpg58snseU9ncuaKgAtt6NFY5XeljKKBwKyODyVMFsgPdAlTnxzYoJ2YQ9lrvtHiMcZVYGTpfzKBXuorvKY-xc9bLPlOnrzALpAjDcizjFJRJpxR5bsBwh_3onOSUUCAA/s640/blogger-image--1860595308.jpg"></a></div>I love to see what other people have made, so thought I would post a few pics for others like me. <div>Here's a quilt that I made for my daughter. She picked the pattern and the fabric. I free motion quilted the entire thing on my Viking Lily. It was a job, but I enjoyed putting my own design in it and even put in a few favorite quotes and sayings. My favorite is from Sleping Beauty when the fairies tell Rose, "Don't touch anything!" </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhif1c1_pr2Ww0pdQ22PrW1RqsInC3BF8YO-TnbslyejcqYkGAIu6ToOdegKXE_4i_kl7B9LHmEwlD_gPkAntkNhVSKcDAqSEVGY_CSueqCxUPcuhsPrgVENjYgVikC8TT1rDAcqoZzqB-_/s640/blogger-image-1902609377.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhif1c1_pr2Ww0pdQ22PrW1RqsInC3BF8YO-TnbslyejcqYkGAIu6ToOdegKXE_4i_kl7B9LHmEwlD_gPkAntkNhVSKcDAqSEVGY_CSueqCxUPcuhsPrgVENjYgVikC8TT1rDAcqoZzqB-_/s640/blogger-image-1902609377.jpg"></a></div>This one I made for my oldest son and his wife. She picked the colors and I paid to have this one quilted on a long</div><div> arm. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQOUiae7c5oO377YyyWbMS8WfnfDwnKZOeCVDn47BoEzQC7uDryDiubavF6SVITsMinwkD5hEtUakXNAgoqYr3l4EyEwa9-dvD2MpcNVfFMlDSWRWK32sJgolgABGWyon_X5zpPftILE0R/s640/blogger-image--2099271513.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQOUiae7c5oO377YyyWbMS8WfnfDwnKZOeCVDn47BoEzQC7uDryDiubavF6SVITsMinwkD5hEtUakXNAgoqYr3l4EyEwa9-dvD2MpcNVfFMlDSWRWK32sJgolgABGWyon_X5zpPftILE0R/s640/blogger-image--2099271513.jpg"></a></div>This one is a flannel quilt that I made for my youngest son. It's rather rustic and woodsy. Just like him. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNgFX-dQ4IJCpLpIkcv1j9ntFvAc158LGrH3S-h5T1yfSWLmplXVs_8ZIvuKtaCcSo-WuXGCWzT2mqzklMOnLG7k_etuVoBOPlnyhnbPw8ERtFEGUBpL59pm2Iw3hr3hb8ccZ963XQ1tC/s640/blogger-image-641018167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNgFX-dQ4IJCpLpIkcv1j9ntFvAc158LGrH3S-h5T1yfSWLmplXVs_8ZIvuKtaCcSo-WuXGCWzT2mqzklMOnLG7k_etuVoBOPlnyhnbPw8ERtFEGUBpL59pm2Iw3hr3hb8ccZ963XQ1tC/s640/blogger-image-641018167.jpg"></a></div>This is one I made for my husband. He asked for a "big" quilt. It's called a disappearing four patch. I used fabrics that represented the things he and I have enjoyed doing together: fishing, camping, bicycling, raising cows and I used a flannel in the back that says, I heart my bike. </div><div><br></div><div>I have several more I can share. But that's all for today. </div><div>Happy Creating!</div>Quilt Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893406898382986960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592200944754195304.post-89612652227826359322014-10-19T06:07:00.000-07:002014-10-19T06:07:28.408-07:00Handing It OverFriday after work, my husband and I took my quilt top, batting and backing to a local long arm quilter. I have never taken my work to her before, but I have heard she is good, and it's all she does. Her name is Linda, and her place is called <i>The Creative Stitch</i> in North Manchester. <br />
The town of North Manchester is a college town with old houses and quaint little shops. They are in the process of painting the store fronts, so the sign for her business had actually been taken down that day. We drove up and then down the street, but couldn't find it. I typed the address in my iPhone mapping app, and my husband pulled into a parking spot in what he felt was the near vicinity of the business. <br />
I got out of the car with my garbage bag holding the quilt and batting and backing and started walking. It's hard to find the place you are looking for when you are right up to it on the sidewalk. I remember trying to find certain places while walking the streets of Chicago. An aerial or street view is much easier. Luckily, just as I was about to walk past the store, the woman in my phone said, "Arrived." I turned and saw spools of thread in the window, smiled and grabbed the door handle.<br />
As I entered, I was greeted by Linda, who had so graciously agreed by phone to stay past her closing time of 4pm, to wait for me. She was friendly and welcoming, and I felt immediately at home. <br />
We laid the quilt out on the table, so she could see what we were working with. I told her since it is a flag quilt that I wanted an edge to edge meandering star design. She had me come to her display on the machine and go through several star designs that she had. We went through thread colors and finally decided on a gray/taupe. <br />
I was disappointed to hear that she uses the same color on the bottom as she does on the top. The backing of the quilt is dark brown, and I was hoping she would use dark brown bobbin thread. She said the backing thread tends to show on the top, so she always uses the same color. I didn't like this idea, but I decided that she was the professional, and, afterall, the back is the back, right? The frustration of it all was really that the reason I had decided to have her do it was that when I was trying to do it myself, I was getting poke throughs of the top thread to the back, and I couldn't get my tension adjusted right to avoid this. Now we were intentionally having the thread showing on the back. <br />
Since the quilt is so large, and I was already there, I went ahead and left it. Her turn around time is great - four weeks! And she seemed to know what she was talking about, and she came highly recommended. She must be good if that's all she does, right? <br />
I am a bit nervous, and hope and pray that it turns out okay. I spent a lot of time cutting and piecing it. Not to mention the cost of all the fabric, right? Fabric is so expensive these days - as is everything else! I don't know about you, but I am shocked every time I get my total at the grocery store! <br />
Anyway, I've been working on this quilt for so long that it feels weird not to have it to work on. I've started some little owl projects, and am debating doing a craft show with my sister, whose business is called Nine Oh Nine<a href="https://www.facebook.com/9OHNine?ref=br_tf">, https://www.facebook.com/9OHNine?ref=br_tf.</a> <br />
My other option is to spend time making a quilt for my son-in-law. He is the last to join our family and last in line to get a quilt. The problem is that I am still not sure what quilt to make for him. My daughter is supposed to let me know. <br />
I guess I will let you know my decision soon. Happy Creating! Quilt Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893406898382986960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592200944754195304.post-40338216940707500132014-10-15T16:34:00.000-07:002014-10-15T16:34:00.416-07:00When At First You Don't Succeed......Well, I spent a couple hours or more marking my quilt top and pin basting it to the batting and back. I had my reservations about quilting it myself, but since my husband had purchased me the Sapphire 835 with the bigger harp space, and everyone was saying I should do it myself, I decided to give it a whirl. I was actually all psyched up about it. <br />
First I got a little frustrated with the marking. It was tedious at best. But I marked the main lines that would be hard to do without a guide, and then figured I could use them as starting points and go from there. <br />
The pinning I ended up doing on my breezeway floor, where it was cold and hard on the knees. But I got it done and headed to the sewing room with my large bundle. <br />
I threaded my machine with the carefully chosen thread from the LQS (that means local quilt shop in quilter's lingo.). I carefully positioned the quilt under the needle, folded up all the edges (or bunched it up), donned my quilter's gloves and off I went - or so I wish it would have gone. <br />
Immediately, it got hung up. I quickly stopped and awkwardly pulled the quilt off the machine. Better do a practice run on a mock up of the project. <br />
I cut some backing from the extra fabric, some batting and a piece of leftover top fabric and made a sandwich. <br />
To save you the grief of having to read about it, and me the grief of reliving this nightmare, I will give you the short version. <br />
After three different needles - a sharp, a quilting needle and a topstitch needle; three different brands of thread (and one trip to JoAnn Fabric in the next town to get said other two brands of thread); rethreading the top thread and the bobbin several times; taking off the darning foot and replacing it; trying every setting of tension numerous times; reading my owner's manual - three hours later, with nothing to show but five sandwiches with the top ecru thread showing through on the brown bottom fabric, I decided to take all the pins out and hire someone to just do a meandering star with their long arm. <br />
I am not happy with my Sapphire 835. I am still debating on trading it in. I'd like to be able to FMQ (free motion quilt), because ultimately, that was the purpose of this machine. It is great at other sewing, but that's not what I wanted it for. <br />
I am disappointed and relieved. I should have listened to myself. I really thought a full size quilt was taking on a bit too much with my full-time work and other projects to do. Everything happens for a reason, right? <br />
But now - what to do about the Sapphire......Quilt Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893406898382986960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592200944754195304.post-6526899850781970352014-10-13T06:20:00.001-07:002014-10-13T06:20:32.662-07:00Sailing the Blue
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October 13, 2014<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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It’s Columbus Day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yay for the day off, but boo for the guy it is honoring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know much about history, but I have
heard he was real bad!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway,
selfishly, it works for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing like
a three-day weekend - and a paid holiday to boot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Government jobs my not be the most
enthralling, but the holidays are great!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I woke today with a sore neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It alarmed me, because I plan to start
quilting my latest project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is this an
omen? I thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I remembered that
I have been doing yoga planks to strengthen my core.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I spent an hour on my hands and knees
pin-basting the quilt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I was looking forward to the day home alone to putz about
the house and get into my quilting, but plans have changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thunder and lightning and a nice downpour
awakened us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My husband is a building
contractor and had warned me that if it was raining, they wouldn’t be working,
as their job this week is a metal roof.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He has been home a lot recently, but not because of the weather – unless
you want to say it’s because he has been “under the weather.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last Monday he awoke with a scrotal infection and
hydrocele.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will let you Google that
and you will see that it is a very painful and uncomfortable illness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is doing much better than he was, at least
physically, but his spirits are down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The pain is almost all gone, but he is not convinced it is getting
better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have been trying to be supportive and caring, nurturing
and compassionate, but I am feeling a bit at a loss, as I am starting to
wonder, too, if more might be done, and the doctors that he has seen are just
missing it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A third doctor may be in the
future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My husband’s passion is training.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He rides extreme distances (which don’t seem
extreme to him anymore) on his road bicycle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I think this obsession may have something to do with his condition, but he is
adamant that it has NOTHING to do with it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Regardless, he is not able to get on a bike, or run, or swim, and those
are the things that make him happy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
needs, as I feel everyone does, a diverse set of hobbies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I see elderly people, men especially, who
when they lose their physical abilities, become depressed and feel
useless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He does read, and he IS
addicted to his iPhone, but it doesn’t feed him like his physical training.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, if this thing doesn’t hurry up and get
better, he is not going to be a happy camper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Poor guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On a happier note, I have my son’s flag quilt all pieced and
now it is sandwiched and pin basted!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
cleaned my sewing machine last night – removing a pile of lint from under the
bobbin and surrounding the bobbin case – and I have a new needle inserted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have the various colors of top thread set
out and my comfy office chair now in position at my sewing desk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I moved my Viking Sapphire 835 to the large school desk that
we purchased from my husband’s old high school buddy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He saw it for sale on Facebook and thought of
me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So sweet!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been using it with my Viking Lily, but
haven’t used it for any large projects yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is where it will really come in handy having all that surface to
work on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am excited to see how well
this works.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has been several years
since I have machine quilted any large quilts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had been opting to take them to a lady who does an all over meander
quilting with a long arm, but this quilt, the flag quilt, pattern showed the diagram of quilting it, and it looked like something I could handle, especially since my
husband insisted on getting me the used Viking Sapphire 835 for Christmas a
couple years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has a larger throat
(or harp) space, and it sews faster, too – amongst other features.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My Lily has been a workhorse, and I still
love it best, but it’s a bit slow and small.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had a little trouble with the 835 at first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bird’s nesting on the back of my quilting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was horrible and so disappointing, and
frustrating!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I took it to a nearby
dealer, Sew Biz, http://www.sewbizmarion.com/in, where the owner, Donelle, who for $65, cleaned it and said it worked great for her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She did point out that the bobbin was very
specific in its threading.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is the
tiniest little bit of metal lip that you HAVE to get the thread under.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since then, it has been great!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although one day I did have it threaded wrong
and the top thread kept breaking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got
out the manual and realized my blunder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Whew!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I am ready to go – EXCEPT – I have to wait for the local
quilt shop to open, so I can get the right thread for the bobbin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wish I would have thought of that on Saturday
instead of on Sunday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have two hours
to wait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But hey, anyone who knows me
knows that I can find plenty to fill those two hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So Happy Columbus Day!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And Happy Quilting!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Quilt Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893406898382986960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592200944754195304.post-46453371870265523382014-09-04T07:26:00.003-07:002014-09-04T07:29:12.174-07:00Birth of a Passion<br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: 15pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">My quilting started a long time ago.
I didn't know at the time that it would become a life-long passion.
I was about ten or so, and I was bored. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: 15pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">I hate that word -
"bored." When my children said they were bored, my training
from my parents was to put the child to work. That was their solution to
being bored, but as a parent, I realized that there was more to life than work.
I wanted them to enjoy being children and find things they enjoyed doing
when they were not working. It seemed like good training for when they
became adults. From my own experience, I realized that too many people,
when relieved from the daily grind, were lost on what to do with themselves and
resorted to drinking or shopping as entertainment. Both, I feel, are not
the most productive or fulfilling activities and can lead to an empty wallet
and an empty heart. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: 15pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">My youngest son was easily bored.
Not one to watch TV, movies or play video games, if it was raining
outside or snowing, it made it difficult to placate him. When he said,
"I'm BORED!" I would cringe inside. I knew that I needed to
guide him to finding ways to fill that empty time that would instill lifelong
skills to lead him to a fulfilling, nurturing space. It was a huge
responsibility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I soon learned that the
only way to placate him was to send him outside – regardless of the
weather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is a lot like his grandfather
and finds fulfillment in what others would call work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: 15pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">My oldest two children were easily
entertained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They loved to watch the
Discovery Channel, and now joke about their wealth of “useless” knowledge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My oldest son loved video games, and both of
the oldest two loved to read.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
daughter loved photography and painting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: 15pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">It was a Sunday when I proclaimed my
bored status. I am sure my mother cringed at that responsibility being
laid upon her back. Since it was Sunday, work was not required. It
was a day of rest, and I am sure my mother wanted a break, too!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My siblings all loved to play together
outside, but I rarely cared for their activities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am sure when my mother reached deep into
her resources to find something to entertain me that she had no idea how it
would change my world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: 15pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Out of desperation, she taught me to
make patchwork quilts. She gave me a small envelope for my template, the
pin cushion and a stack of scraps she had saved from making pajamas for us
kids. She showed me how to lay the template on the fabric, taking care
not to waste, pin it in place and cut it out. After I had a stack of
rectangles, she showed me how to lay them out on her bed to see how they
looked. We rearranged them till the pattern was pleasing to us. She then
taught me to use her sewing machine, and I sewed the pieces together. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: 15pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The quilt was tied with orange yarn,
something we must have had on hand, and the batting was made from an old
blanket. It was the old way of making comforters and quilts. It
seems archaic, but I appreciate it today for what it was – a woman’s way of
making art from necessity. They used what they had, and they made useful
things, but they made them with love and care, taking pride in the end result.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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id="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:24pt;height:24pt'>
<v:imagedata croptop="-65520f" cropbottom="65520f"/>
</v:shape><span style='mso-element:field-end'></span><![endif]--><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHl8-3z-_JmfYfzAn2lqiSv_vm11GPKoJfyb-hEEtM-bvZ4ramdNnZgODzgb8jkMNeF-JFej3ijWty_-Nr9NfY9HdT7NFsi9BNo92ltuBzh0WtylfYxAivvMtc0nVAUKNMIVAkPlIkd3yx/s1600/First+quilt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHl8-3z-_JmfYfzAn2lqiSv_vm11GPKoJfyb-hEEtM-bvZ4ramdNnZgODzgb8jkMNeF-JFej3ijWty_-Nr9NfY9HdT7NFsi9BNo92ltuBzh0WtylfYxAivvMtc0nVAUKNMIVAkPlIkd3yx/s1600/First+quilt.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">My first scrap quilt was just the
right size for my dolls, and I would later use it for my daughter when she was
an infant. After I finished the first one, I set about making a twin
sized for my own bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: 15pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">My quilting was left by the wayside
for many years, as friends and school, ball games and school activities took
over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After high school, I married and
had children, divorced and remarried, moved around the world, and grew
up. I didn’t pick quilting back up again, till necessity opened the door once
again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: 15pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">It was the fall of 1989. My
husband and I were living on a meager income. Christmas was coming, and I
could tell that we would not have a lot of presents for the children under the
tree. I decided to make my daughter a personalized quilt. I had
lots of scrap fabric, collected over the years, and using the same technique
that my mother had taught me when I was ten, I made a large patchwork quilt,
used a blanket for the batting, but this time, I machine quilted the blanket to
the back, which was a flat sheet I had purchased from the Dollar Store. I
appliqued her name on the front, and used eyelet lace to edge it. She
still has it today, and she brings it home to be mended, as it is becoming
threadbare from use and age. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: 15pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">My best friend, Deirdre, who was
also struggling to buy Christmas that year, saw the quilt and decided to make
one for her mother. She did not have such a stash of fabrics, so went to
the local fabric store to find what she needed to complete her project. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: 15pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">While at the fabric store, Deirdre
saw a quilting class advertised. She begged me to take the class with
her. I really didn’t feel I should spend the money, but after much
begging and pleading, I gave in and splurged. It was at this class that I
learned new techniques, and the art of quilting. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: 15pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Deirdre and I continued on with our
quilting. We were two stay-at-home moms. We got together and cut,
sewed and quilted together. We planned and dreamed together.
Although we had learned to machine quilt our quilts, we were enamored with the
idea of hand-quilting, so studied up on it, and experimented with hoops and
frames. We aspired to get as many stitches in an inch as we could. Eight
to ten is considered good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We achieved
ten and were content with that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: 15pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Through the years and changes in
lifestyles, Deirdre and I lost touch for twenty years. We recently
reconnected through Facebook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was sad to hear that she does not quilt or
sew anymore. Deep down she is a true artist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes, she would wake in the morning and
sketch out a quilt pattern that popped into her head in the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of my creations seem to always come from
magazines or books. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: 15pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">When my maternal grandmother came to
live with my mother for a short period before moving into the nursing home
after Grampa died, she and I spent time quilting together. She did all of
her work by hand – from the piecing to the quilting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
a time of bonding that I will treasure forever. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: 15pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">I know where the word “comforter”
came from, because the feeling of fabric in my hands and the transformation
that takes place through this creative act feeds me and comforts me. It
takes me to places that nothing else can. I don’t think I will ever
stop quilting. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My only hope is to
possibly get better with each project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
Quilt Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893406898382986960noreply@blogger.com0