Another Finish

I put this table topper together using most of a charm pack of Rouenneries. I love the soft wine color and sashed them with a white-on-white I had in the scrap bin.

Fmq'd with polyester thread in gold. Bordered, backed and bound with others from my scrap bin.

I am going to be ready to cut into my non-scraps as soon as we get into our new home! I am also ready to buy and add to my stash! But first, we must wait the 3 weeks until closing! Limbo isn't going to last forever.

And this lovely is going to MIL, she loves to create a pretty table!

Charity Quilt finished!

My friend/boss, Kristen bought the Ruffles and Squares kit and pieced the top. I FMQ'd it.

She put a ruffled binding. I think it is too cute!

I did a stipple/meander with a heart to coordinate with the background fabric.

We have donated to our company's United Fund event. If you pledge/give a one time gift of $10, your name goes into a drawing for prizes. This is one of the prizes. We are trying to get 100% participation. I believe $10 is a good price for a nice quilt. And I know the money stays here in the community.

NYC Fun

Roaming through SoHo saw this window:

Got closer and realied they are antique sewing machines!

Saw this cool wooden bike in the Camper store:

Working in NYC this week

My company has an office in New York, on 5th Avenue, across from Lord & Taylor. I spent this week working out of this office with the rest of our design crew on a yearly project. So great to all be together in the same room, face to face. We function via conference calls the rest of the year so this is really jam-packed and a lot of fun. All was not work, however. On Tuesday, we went to FIT to catch a guided presentation of their exhibit "Japan Fashion Now". The curator, Valerie Steele, led us through a history of Japanese fashion from the vanguard designers in the 1980's through the current years. A fantastic show!

Thoroughly inspired by the japanese designs, I made my way to Kinokuniya, a Japanese bookstore. I found myself purchasing a gorgeous book and magazine on Japanese quilts (imagine that!).

Can't read a word of them, but the beauty of the quilts speaks volumes. It is so interesting to see the different perspective at work in the composition of the quilts. Sure to inspire my work (as soon as I have a studio to work in!)

I also trekked down to West 25th Street to visit a jewel of an LQS: the city Quilter. Full of beautiful fabrics (prints, batiks, shot cottons, silk fat quarters and japanese wovena nd prints) this shop was so busy with quilters taking classes. Felt like home and it was my first visit. They had wonderful samples on the wall, each easily identified with the pattern or book. They also have many New York themed patterns and fabrics available.

 Love the skull made from Halloween Prints!

From the book Dare to be Square by Boo Davis.

 Couldn't leave without buying a charm pack of bright blue and red patterns along with some white on white FQs. Already have an idea for these!

Just some thoughts

I have always and forever thought of myself as an artist. As a 6 year-old first grader, a 16 year-old high school student, even after I had my son. (I was “Mom” first, artist second). I make my living as a textile designer but I still consider myself an artist. There is a difference. I think about line, form, color. I design quilts in my dreams. I doodle and imagine that element as part of a fabric design.



Often this thought has struck me: is there a limited need for artists in the world?

 Part of this question is economic. When I announced at 6 that I was going to be an artist when I grew up, I was encouraged. Then as I began high school and college, I was encouraged to find and study something “to fall back on”. My Dad, however told me I did not need anything to fall back on if I were successful. I never wanted to do anything else, so I have never had anything to fall back on. I have been employed as a creative for most of my adult life, even when I was an administrative assistant. Creative thinkers can add to any field and any position.

 What created this question? I saw an animated short on the internet. It was simple, beautiful, thoughtful. There are so very many fantastic artists in the world: writers, painters, jewelry makers, animators, photographers. The internet will bring them from all over the world into your home. Is there enough paying work to keep them all fed? Do we need to make money from our art to be successful?




I feel artistically successful when I am creating something that turns out either just like I imagined it, or better.




I believe we need more artists in the world.

Seeing quilt patterns everywhere!

This building in San Francisco sure looks modern-quilt-inspired to me!

All those blocks of bright colors on the white background!

My San Francisco Hotel Room

The Hotel Carlton was just so cute and colorful. My room:

An old and foreign quilt!

I was in San Francisco last week for a whirlwind business trip. Stayed in a cute and funky boutique hotel, The Hotel Carlton. I love boutique hotels. They are always different and inspiring. This little gem boasted a middle-eastern/India theme and a most EXCELLENT staff!

Oh, and yeah, an old Indian quilt in the lobby!

I am such a magpie, drawn to sparkles and velvet!

Local Quilt Show continued

More beauties from the local show (and yes, I asked permission before photographing!)

New quilt

Antique Mariner's Star

New Sampler (love it!)

Antique star, still in quilt maker's family, hand pieced and hand quilted

Antique crazy quilt that is also a replication of an older quilt in maker's family

New (and gorgeous) King-sized pineapple quilt

New quilt

New quilt by Ann Cline. I got to meet and talk with this talented lady. This quilt is also a blue-ribbon winner!

More of Ann Cline's lovely work (above detail of the "Tree of Life" below)

Such a delight to find these treasures on a beautiful October afternoon!

Local Quilt Show

Saw a sign at the crossroads Friday night: Quilt Show Sat & Sun 2-6!

Turns out it was a fund-raiser for the local Barn Quilt organization. Both new and old quilts exhibited in an old brick house that had been both a family home and small hospital in its past.

Though the pictures seem dim, the light was magical coming through the windows in this house. A fantastic venue for this exhibit. And a worthy cause!

I will show more pics as the week goes on!

Finish!

Yes, even living in limbo, I can start, and finish, a quilt!

My class demo sample is now complete. And claimed by my landlord/MIL. She declared it hers very early on!

I really like the way I pieced the scraps in the border.

Zen quilting

Just a little love note to both my machine (Husqvarna Viking Sapphire 830) and to free-motion quilting.

Every time I sit down to quilt, I feel relaxed, energized, excited and very, muy, tres, creative!  Love it.

Tammy's first quilt FINISHED

I am teaching my friend and co-worker how to make quilts. Here is her first finish!

She pieced the whole top. I quilted it. She bound it.

It is for her son. I know he will love it!

Wordless Wednesday - Eye Candy

Old Quilts in Spainhour Cabin

I saw these beauties this past Saturday while at Kingfest, a great little festival in the park in King, NC. The cabin is the ancestral home of the Sainhour Family and is open to the public. I love both these quilts! The schoolhouse quilt shows the fan quilting pattern really well. The black background on the star, while well worn, really makes the colors pop!

A Piece-ful Sunday**

**or how I regained some equalibrium by sewing**

I grabbed my scrap box that I kept out of storage. I cleared off Meme's table. I sat down and sewed.

This is a cute flimsy I am using as a demo for the FMQ class I am teaching next Saturday. Then Meme has claimed it as her autumn table topper. Gosh, it felt so good to sit and sew all afternoon!