Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Quilted Friends!

Friends know what friends like and also how to give.  Friends keep other friends in mind when they receive a gift that may not be perfect for them but perfect for another friends.  In my case it was a QC quilting friend who had a friend bring her fabric from Africa.  While not perfect for her she knew it was perfect for another and so she passed it onto, another friend.  I am so happy about this that I too will pass something along to another so that they too will have a surprise in their quilting life!


I made 2 Roman shades with this fabric that matched my decor and esthetics's!  My husband had placed one of my quilts in front of the French doors of our camp entrance and while this kept the heat in and the cold breezes, that whip across the lake, out, it did not solve the issue entirely!  Everytime you wanted to go outside the quilt fell on your head because 1 big quilt across 2 French doors meant a hassle everytime the door opened.  The shade and fabric solved our problem beautifully.
So keep a friend in mind the next time you have or are given something that may be passed along.   We should all pass something on, whether it is good wishes or something else. Just do it!
Jessica

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Time to revisit

Happy days when something gets done!  It does not matter what but something is better than sitting all day watching musicals and TV and nothing else. 
I received 2 notes today telling me they enjoyed my "Selvedge Queen" talk for CPQG.  I m thankful for the notes and so thankful to be a quilter.  I  you don't tell someone how you feel or whether you were "moved" than you never know if someone understood what you were trying to say.  My mother always said when something "moved her", more often when it didn't!  I decided I needed more FACEBOOK friends and now I am connected with long distance relatives and other quilters who have  sent me comments.  Reach out and touch, for sure.  We once got our daughter a cat and we had always called our cat "BOOFY" but this one she said "No, Poppy, For Sure" and I asked if that was the name and she said it was Poppy , For Sure!

I am revisiting my UFO's and updating what I am doing, more for me than well others,..and here are the UFO's, some winners


2 years Crazy Quilt  Blocks
2 red work hand embroidered pieces
Strata for Louise Smith and  Ami Simms classes
Elinor Peace Bailey pocketbook started DONE combined with another UFO
3 years Petals swap, 1 year used
2 years 1/2 Square swap, all used to make 3 tops as backgrounds for petals
Italian Floors paper pieced quilt
Greek door quilt  from a class
Secrets Quilt
Friendship Blocks 2 guilds Swap
Faces of me Friendship Block
Landscape  from Pam Druhen class to be stitched and quilted
Linda Warren Moon class top to be completed
3 Jackie Patton class stenciled pieces
Naughty Elves  Crayon quilt needs to be hand quilted
5 piece Asian panel Strip Robin
Tent lady? Fusible Applique class
Hand appliqued Snowman pillow top created by daughter
Leaves Friendship Blocks
2 hand painted pieces in QC  Jennifer Beavin class
Hand embroidered Chicken blocks leftover from a jacket
Hand applique Chickens a BOM from quilt store
Quilters Way BOM that I can't figure out the ruler!
Whirly Windmills blocks seminar from a getaway for Quilter's Connection (correction) DONE with Elinor Peace Baily in a Cicken Getaway Bag
Japanese Lanterns leftover from quilt, quilt blocks
Sylvia's Einstein class mystery blocks (A mystery to me)
Marci Baker class  top to  bequilted
Halloween quilt, Hack and Sewn!, needs verbage and quilting
Grandson's  4th Birthday Quilt  DONE
another day another UFO

Thursday, January 19, 2012

the morning after........

Well, my talk for my quilt guild, Concord Piecemakers, went great and it was easier than I thought to speak to people you know.  They laughed and smiled and wore my coats with aplomb, even if some did put them on backwards and inside out!  Check out the pictures.

There are always words I wanted to say but forgot as I really don't have a  prepared speech and just talk.  One of the most important things my mother, The Memere, said as I was growing up is you need to get dressed everyday so why not choose something nice instead of sloppy or unattractive.  You need to put it on so take a moment and choose something that makes you feel great!

Another comment I forgot to say was one my husband tells me, when I complain I have a deadline or too much to do, he says I could get up everyday and do nothing, that I should look in  the mirror and "see my enemy, it is me".  We do control what we volunteer to do or what quilts we start but how boring would it be to wake up everyday and have nothing to do.  I am a firm believer in giving back to my community, as a Selectman, on the Zoning Board and assorted Building committees in the past and the currently  Fitchburg Art Museum.  Love that place and hope all come to visit.  I also believe that family comes first, always no matter how much that may interfere with your plans.

Also, people wonder what my husband thinks of my "outfits".  The first time I wore one he thought I should not go out in it.  We were going to the Paradise City Art Show that comes 4 times a year to the area.  After the 20th person asked where my booth was, he decided he should make business cards so I could sell them!  Ha!  Now if I go to business function with him, he only wears button down collared Brooks Brothers shirts, pleated cuffed pants and wing tips or loafers in brown and black, and I look "normal",  he tells me to change as he has told people his wife is coming in her weird garments and they would be disappointed if I look normal.  What's normal anyway!

another morning.........
Jessica


Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Getaway, life!

I went to a quilt getaway with Concord Piecemakers Quilt Guild, CPQG, last weekend which is 11 miles from where I live!  What fun, what UFO's almost completed, what a wonderful sound, machines humming and friends laughing!  Thanks, Marian!  I bought a new SewEZI table and love, love, love it and everyone who takes workshops or goes to getaway needs one!

I was able to find all my projects because of my studio cleanup and I was able to put the neatly folded fabric back when I was done.  I started my "Hack and Sew"  quilt titled "A Family Confrontation/Conversation" with Alexander Henry fabrics from their Holloween collection and I am planning to write subtitles for what the characters are saying, using family dialog!  What dialog!?  Most of us are deaf and the others wish they were!

I am the guest speaker at CPQG this week.  What pressure as it is harder to do this for people you know than strangers because they know you, my quilts, have heard some of the stories and expect me to be funny all the time!  Pressure!

My latest "Hack and Sew"  project about the family will include 2 years of 1/2 square triangles and 3 years of Dresden petals swap from Material Girls quilt guild and so the UFO's will be crossed off the list.  My latest challenge to ones self is writing down my current list of UFO's which are:

I think we should all, be truthful, count our UFO's and put the number in a Blog or email.   All of those swaps, class projects, baby blanket for first grandchild, now 6, started, but hated it, (give that one away,) all of those Friendship blocks, crazy quilt squares and any other thing that is stopping you from  just doing it!.   Then, instead of competing against one another , we compete against ourselves.  If you have done a  piece work type of job in the past, (I made sunglasses,) the only way to get through the day was by making more than you did the day before.  This time we are finishing more quilts and freeing up space, than we have ever tried to do in the past.
Keep me posted on how many completed and we will have a built in cheering and crit group all year long.  I will count mine today!
 ......and here are the UFO's, some winners
Ok I have these UFO;s, never mind the USO's that are incoming always!
2 years Crazy Quilt  Blocks
2 red work hand embroidered pieces
Strata for Louise Smith and  Ami Simms classes
Elinor Peace Bailey pocketbook started
3 years Petals swap, 1 year used
2 years 1/2 Square swap all used to make 3 tops as backgrounds for petals
Italian Floors paper pieced quilt
Greek door quilt  from a class
Secrets Quilt
Friendship Blocks 2 guilds Swap
Faces of me Friendship Block
Landscape  from Pam Druhen class to be stitched and quilted
Linda Warren Moon class top to be completed
3 Jackie Patton class stenciled pieces
Naughty Elves  Crayon quilt needs to be hand quilted
5 piece Asian panel Strip Robin
Tent lady? Fusible Applique class
Hand appliqued Snowman pillow top created by daughter
Leaves Friendship Blocks
2 hand painted pieces in QC  Jennifer Beavin class
Hand embroidered Chicken blocks leftover from a jacket
Hand applique Chickens a BOM from quilt store
Quilters Way BOM that I can't figure out the ruler!
Whirly Windmills blocks seminar from a getaway for  Nashua Sew and Vac
Japanese Lanterns leftover from quilt, quilt blocks
Sylvia's Einstein class mystery blocks (A mystery to me)
Marci Baker class  top to  bequilted
Halloween quilt, Hack and Sewn!, needs verbage and quilting
Grandson's  4th Birthday Quilt  DONE


As you can see I did not include any USO's like the Grandchildren names art books that are in a plastic containers
Hand dyed and Mono printed pieces
vests that need to be cut and sewn
Jackets that are in my Brain and sew many other wonderful projects wanted but yet created!

Done!

Thursday, January 5, 2012

current project, Marci Baker class

Selvedges

Nightime view

Watch musicals and other stuff to inspire

Vertical storage,  shoe rack holding stabilizers, current project fabrics, antique drying rack, canning jars and chicken feeders

Cutting areas

Vertical fabric storage

Vintage collection

Tarkay pictures and current fabric for Italien Floor quilt

Shoe rack with stabilizers

Buttons and dolls that I created under "Naughty Friends" label

Knitting needles and extra hair, all girls should have!

Husbands custom ladder built to hold projects

Favorite place in NYC, favorite saying and favorite, inspiration! IMAGNE

Lawyers cabinet with fabric and antique baskets holing non quilting fabric

African baskets holding trims and projects

"Peg" quilt "SO I Say......" and cabinet from Homegoods holding fabric by category

"Big, Bold and Beautiful" vest!

Folded fabric

Vintage fabric in Tiffany blue mermaid bathroom

Dressmaking fabrics and medical emergency tapes!

Storage under sewing table with yarn

Wicker chest with dressmaking fabric and all notions

Mermaid bathroom doll from Elanor Peace Bailey pattern

Persidon and mermaid.........................

Sewing room organised, almost!

Well, after too many days, refolding too many fabrics, too many notions to decide where to go and too much other stuff that needed a home I have finished, for now.  You do realize that organizations of sewing rooms only last as long as you don't start sewing again because then you start taking stuff out and not putting it back!  For now, I have it organized and all my UFO''s found.  USO's have been recognised too!  New pictures in gallery reflect some of the areas of my compact sewing room.
My sewing studio is 10' by 10' with 3 major doorways and 2 windows in it.  Doorways to the bathroom, side entry and living room are here as well as 2 windows, one that has a shade on it to keep the sun away, and a second, that is my view to the nature, that is 10' away.
Ceilings are high and so is the storage and I use a small step ladder, that is in my bathroom, which the grand children use, is near by.  My design wall is the floor.  Buttons, trims, odd jewelry, beads and stuff are in African baskets and canning jars and chicken feeders!.. All fabric has been touched and refolded and there are spaces now, for more...........................
Bags hanging from funky hooks hold paraphernalia for each sewing machine and the ladder my husband made me has more bags with, snaps, Velcro, projects that are started and those that will be.
Plastic containers from JoAnns,  the must place for all sewers,  have UFO's.
Quilt racks holds completed quilts and bodyform, my latest creation!
Rolling baskets have selvedges, yarn and extra blocks and fabric from completed projects..
Bins in Tiffany blue mermaid bathroom hold vintage fabric!
Not shown is desk with more JoAnns plastics bins with thread of all kinds.  I love thread and have at least 1000 spools and I love the sheen, the colors and the texture!  Never enough thread!
Now to sew...................................

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Happy always

I had this wonderful blog I wrote and deleted!  We spent New Years with 4 grand children under 6 as of Thursday!  They ran, screamed, I think that was me, ran, ate and some crashed at 10:00PM and the 2 year old ushered in the New Year saying she wasn't tired.  She was, but got up at 6:00AM!  I have spent the last 4 days reorganising my stash and recommend this for all.  What gems, what wonderful taste I have in fabric, what quilts I can imagine!  My new project will be finishing an Italien floor quilt in paperpieceing that I started 2 years ago and want to finish, just to get rid of the fabric I bought to make it!
In the New Year. what are you working on and what organizing stuff are you doing as I would appreciated the advice!?  I need to focus, calm down, get rid of stuff and learn to cook!  That from my husband!
I will do only what is fun as the Slevegde Queen needs to get rid of some of the collected slevedges from last year!

Take care and I will post a picture of newly cleaned sewing room when done!
Imagine