Happy Saturday!
Happy weekend!
Happy Independence Day, America!
Saturday, July 04, 2009
Friday, July 03, 2009
i'll bet you...
...I'm behind.
I recall it being May just a moment ago. And then for an instant it was June. Now? July is in full swing! Time flies seems to be my middle name.
Just awhile ago...in May...my friend and fellow blogger -- Cassie...of JunkFest (blog) fame -- tagged me with Six Things About Me. Like any friend would...I promised that I would oblige. What I didn't tell her though, is that I'm a well-practiced procrastinator. I'm a pro.
Hmm. I'm at a loss. I tend to think of myself as quite ordinary. Almost to the point of being rather boring and very average. So what Six Things shall I share? The boring...the quirky...the no-that-can't-be-true?
I guess I will just let you decide which title they fall under. Here goes:
1). The very first time that I ate a bowl of hot oatmeal cereal, I was 39 years old. I always thought that it looked gross. Now I love it!
2). I bite my fingernails.
3). I love watching MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) fights...and have lots of favorite fighters.
4). I wear shoes of some sort nearly every waking minute of any given day.
5). I do not like the food on my plate to touch each other.
6). I love mornings!
So...there you have it. Six Things About Me. Now...if you've never done one of these on yourself...please be my guest and post one to your blog. Pretty please?
I will bet that you won't stop thinking about it until you just do it!
I recall it being May just a moment ago. And then for an instant it was June. Now? July is in full swing! Time flies seems to be my middle name.
Just awhile ago...in May...my friend and fellow blogger -- Cassie...of JunkFest (blog) fame -- tagged me with Six Things About Me. Like any friend would...I promised that I would oblige. What I didn't tell her though, is that I'm a well-practiced procrastinator. I'm a pro.
Hmm. I'm at a loss. I tend to think of myself as quite ordinary. Almost to the point of being rather boring and very average. So what Six Things shall I share? The boring...the quirky...the no-that-can't-be-true?
I guess I will just let you decide which title they fall under. Here goes:
1). The very first time that I ate a bowl of hot oatmeal cereal, I was 39 years old. I always thought that it looked gross. Now I love it!
2). I bite my fingernails.
3). I love watching MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) fights...and have lots of favorite fighters.
4). I wear shoes of some sort nearly every waking minute of any given day.
5). I do not like the food on my plate to touch each other.
6). I love mornings!
So...there you have it. Six Things About Me. Now...if you've never done one of these on yourself...please be my guest and post one to your blog. Pretty please?
I will bet that you won't stop thinking about it until you just do it!
Monday, June 22, 2009
it's the little things that mean a lot
I find it very interesting how I can view something -- like a quilt or piece of art, for instance -- on someone's blog or on television...and have a particular notion of what I think the size might be.
Like the following quilt, for instance. How big...or small...would you say it is?
Really? It is actually quite small. In fact, so small that when I was filling in the information for my client's invoice...I didn't even indicate the measurements! But if my memory serves me correctly...I believe this little quilt is about the size of a medium sized cutting mat. Around 17 x 24 inches.
It is darling, isn't it! So crisp and fresh looking...with its two color blue and white color scheme. I can only take the credit for the Star Echo machine quilting. My good friend and client from Texas -- Julie...of JulieK Quilts -- pieced this little wonder. Now just imagine its size...and then think of all of the seam allowances that Julie matched up and stitched through! Truly...most of the seam allowances on the back butted up to the neighboring seam allowance!
My initial thoughts were to treat this quilt in a very traditional manner...perhaps longarm quilting it in the way that it might have been hand quilted. Some cross-hatching, maybe?
Well...the more that I thought and planned and envisioned the possibilities...the more that I turned away from those plans. I knew that any little wiggle or imperfection in my machine stitching would be magnified, due to this quilt's minute measurements.
Those plain white open blocks that you see on the quilt's top? The snowball blocks. They are smaller than my fist! And those little blue triangles that create the snowball block? They are about the size of my fingertip! So...I opted away from a traditional look of cross-hatching or what have you...and turned to a simple edge-to-edge Star Echo.
Who knew that so much thought could be stitched into such a little quilt!
Like the following quilt, for instance. How big...or small...would you say it is?
Really? It is actually quite small. In fact, so small that when I was filling in the information for my client's invoice...I didn't even indicate the measurements! But if my memory serves me correctly...I believe this little quilt is about the size of a medium sized cutting mat. Around 17 x 24 inches.
It is darling, isn't it! So crisp and fresh looking...with its two color blue and white color scheme. I can only take the credit for the Star Echo machine quilting. My good friend and client from Texas -- Julie...of JulieK Quilts -- pieced this little wonder. Now just imagine its size...and then think of all of the seam allowances that Julie matched up and stitched through! Truly...most of the seam allowances on the back butted up to the neighboring seam allowance!
My initial thoughts were to treat this quilt in a very traditional manner...perhaps longarm quilting it in the way that it might have been hand quilted. Some cross-hatching, maybe?
Well...the more that I thought and planned and envisioned the possibilities...the more that I turned away from those plans. I knew that any little wiggle or imperfection in my machine stitching would be magnified, due to this quilt's minute measurements.
Those plain white open blocks that you see on the quilt's top? The snowball blocks. They are smaller than my fist! And those little blue triangles that create the snowball block? They are about the size of my fingertip! So...I opted away from a traditional look of cross-hatching or what have you...and turned to a simple edge-to-edge Star Echo.
Who knew that so much thought could be stitched into such a little quilt!
Monday, June 15, 2009
bye bye baby, bye bye
Experiencing a little deja vu?
No...not really. You may have seen these felted bowls here before.
But then again...maybe you haven't.
Perhaps you'd like to check out ArtFire for yourself? There are a lot of terrific handmade goods there.
I am so pleased to say that these three soft felted nesting bowls -- minus the contents -- are on their way to a new and very perfect home!
Yes sirree...they are SOLD!!! But there are lots more where these came from....
No...not really. You may have seen these felted bowls here before.
But then again...maybe you haven't.
Perhaps you'd like to check out ArtFire for yourself? There are a lot of terrific handmade goods there.
I am so pleased to say that these three soft felted nesting bowls -- minus the contents -- are on their way to a new and very perfect home!
Yes sirree...they are SOLD!!! But there are lots more where these came from....
Friday, June 12, 2009
no waiting required
This is exactly how I recently wrapped a graduation quilt/present to be given to a very special young lady. Just a feminine tulle bow. Fairly green of me, wasn't it? After all, the tulle was re-purposed....
Honestly though? It was not initially the environmental aspect that I was most concerned with. It was more the fact that I just could not wait for my sweet recipient to open her quilt! I wanted to see her reaction immediately.
She LOVED her red and black and white quilt! And I was tickled pink.
I pieced it very simply. That seems to be my life's mantra these days: Simplify.
I just bordered 8 1/2" squares of red and black/white fabrics with 1 1/2" strips of the opposing color. Stitched them all together...sans any borders. Longarm machine quilted the top with my Freehand Fancy Feathers. Machine sewed and hand stitched the binding. And voila`...a love lap sized quilt for an even lovelier young woman...on her way to college this fall.
And she is not even storing it away until then. She's using and enjoying it now...which is exactly what I wanted her to do!
Why wait for special occasions? Every single day is a special occasion in itself!
Honestly though? It was not initially the environmental aspect that I was most concerned with. It was more the fact that I just could not wait for my sweet recipient to open her quilt! I wanted to see her reaction immediately.
She LOVED her red and black and white quilt! And I was tickled pink.
I pieced it very simply. That seems to be my life's mantra these days: Simplify.
I just bordered 8 1/2" squares of red and black/white fabrics with 1 1/2" strips of the opposing color. Stitched them all together...sans any borders. Longarm machine quilted the top with my Freehand Fancy Feathers. Machine sewed and hand stitched the binding. And voila`...a love lap sized quilt for an even lovelier young woman...on her way to college this fall.
And she is not even storing it away until then. She's using and enjoying it now...which is exactly what I wanted her to do!
Why wait for special occasions? Every single day is a special occasion in itself!
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
oh...but chocolate and water do mix!
Two of my many favorite things. Water (blue). Chocolate (brown). Oh, but then there is coffee, too. Hmm...perhaps this brown represents coffee?
Do you do that? Tend to be inspired by food? The color...the texture? Or perhaps it is nature that inspires you? Flora and fauna...water...rocks or mountains or sand dunes.
Where am I going with this? Nowhere, really. Just things that I tend to think about daily. How about you?
Just how many chocolates...or...umm...browns do you think were consumed...or umm...used in this quilt?
The girls at my favorite little quilt store -- the Comforts of Home -- pieced this quilt. I machine quilted it with my Swirls...the hand guided, template followed pattern that I absolutely love!
But you knew that, didn't you!
Do you do that? Tend to be inspired by food? The color...the texture? Or perhaps it is nature that inspires you? Flora and fauna...water...rocks or mountains or sand dunes.
Where am I going with this? Nowhere, really. Just things that I tend to think about daily. How about you?
Just how many chocolates...or...umm...browns do you think were consumed...or umm...used in this quilt?
The girls at my favorite little quilt store -- the Comforts of Home -- pieced this quilt. I machine quilted it with my Swirls...the hand guided, template followed pattern that I absolutely love!
But you knew that, didn't you!
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
celebrate, celebrate...dance to the music
Good news! Good news!
The October's Child ArtFire Studio is now...OPEN!!!
Oh, I agree. It is very humble means right now...but please be patient. I will be getting more items uploaded.
I have to tell you. I have all new -- ALL NEW! -- respect for online merchants, whether big or small. It's quite a job!
But for now...celebrate with me!
The October's Child ArtFire Studio is now...OPEN!!!
Oh, I agree. It is very humble means right now...but please be patient. I will be getting more items uploaded.
I have to tell you. I have all new -- ALL NEW! -- respect for online merchants, whether big or small. It's quite a job!
But for now...celebrate with me!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
you ain't seen nothin' yet
You haven't already forgotten the snippets of this quilt from yesterday's post, have you? Here it is in its entirety! Well...nearly, anyway.
Fabulous quilt, don't you agree? It was pieced by Mary H...longarm machine quilted by me...and was then given to her daughter as a graduation present.
I just love Mary's mix of batiks and prints...and some blocks with photos and some with four patches. Oh...and don't you just love that every single photo is framed with solid black fabric? Very rich, in my opinion!
Mary had seen my work in my sister's quilt store in Jamestown. And she loved my hand-guided, template-followed Swirls! So...that is what we both agreed upon for this special quilt.
I stopped and started the Swirls design at every photo on the quilt...and then later stitched in the ditch around all of them. Yes...still hand-guiding my longarm machine! Lots of starting and stopping...but the effect is quite lovely, don't you think...and well-worth the efforts! (Go ahead and click on the photo if you'd like to see a closer view.)
This season of graduations always brings a joyful tear (or two) to my eyes. Such promise. Lots of challenges. So much to look forward to! Life is just beginning....
Fabulous quilt, don't you agree? It was pieced by Mary H...longarm machine quilted by me...and was then given to her daughter as a graduation present.
I just love Mary's mix of batiks and prints...and some blocks with photos and some with four patches. Oh...and don't you just love that every single photo is framed with solid black fabric? Very rich, in my opinion!
Mary had seen my work in my sister's quilt store in Jamestown. And she loved my hand-guided, template-followed Swirls! So...that is what we both agreed upon for this special quilt.
I stopped and started the Swirls design at every photo on the quilt...and then later stitched in the ditch around all of them. Yes...still hand-guiding my longarm machine! Lots of starting and stopping...but the effect is quite lovely, don't you think...and well-worth the efforts! (Go ahead and click on the photo if you'd like to see a closer view.)
This season of graduations always brings a joyful tear (or two) to my eyes. Such promise. Lots of challenges. So much to look forward to! Life is just beginning....
Friday, May 29, 2009
knot so fast
This little guy? He rests on the top of my longarm quilt machine...every minute of every day.
Isn't my turtle pincushion adorable! He was a gift from a dear blogging friend -- click here and visit Linda's blog -- that lives thousands of miles away from me.
My turtle usually holds a couple of pins...and he always holds my very well- and often-used hand sewing needles. He keeps them nice and sharp so they're handy for me at a moment's notice.
Why would a longarm machine quilter need hand sewing needles? Well...I am one of the few -- or so I've been told -- that, when stopping and starting my stitching with my longarm, knot and bury my thread and then snip the tail at the quilt's surface.
Other longarmer quilters? They would do, what I call, a stutter start and stop. They would stitch very small stitches for just a very short distance, back and forth. This would create a knot-of-sorts...and then the quilter would snip the thread close to the surface of the quilt.
The outcome is very similar...yet very different. And being knotty is what I've always done and am most comfortable with...so that's exactly how I'll continue.
The picture below shows my tails. Of thread, that is. One thread tail would be a start...and the other would be the stop. I will knot the tails together...thread my hand sewing needle...and then run my needle through the layer of batting...come up through the quilt top again...and snip!
Just like the picture below shows, prior to snipping....
So just think...how many times do I knot my thread tails in any given quilt?
NOT counting!!!
Isn't my turtle pincushion adorable! He was a gift from a dear blogging friend -- click here and visit Linda's blog -- that lives thousands of miles away from me.
My turtle usually holds a couple of pins...and he always holds my very well- and often-used hand sewing needles. He keeps them nice and sharp so they're handy for me at a moment's notice.
Why would a longarm machine quilter need hand sewing needles? Well...I am one of the few -- or so I've been told -- that, when stopping and starting my stitching with my longarm, knot and bury my thread and then snip the tail at the quilt's surface.
Other longarmer quilters? They would do, what I call, a stutter start and stop. They would stitch very small stitches for just a very short distance, back and forth. This would create a knot-of-sorts...and then the quilter would snip the thread close to the surface of the quilt.
The outcome is very similar...yet very different. And being knotty is what I've always done and am most comfortable with...so that's exactly how I'll continue.
The picture below shows my tails. Of thread, that is. One thread tail would be a start...and the other would be the stop. I will knot the tails together...thread my hand sewing needle...and then run my needle through the layer of batting...come up through the quilt top again...and snip!
Just like the picture below shows, prior to snipping....
So just think...how many times do I knot my thread tails in any given quilt?
NOT counting!!!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
is there a pot of gold?
If you've got yourself a small handful of extra time...please, please do read this poem. Although simple and perhaps childish to some...I think that we all have felt the very same feeling that this little child, mid-way through the poem, is feeling. And then we see the light.
Do you remember me giving you just a teaser of a peak...back in this post, this past April? Turns out...I can show you the finished product!
Ta-da....
Well...finished...by my definition: Top pieced, finished. Not quilting and binding attached and labeled, finished. (Play along and nod your head in agreement with me, would you please?)
The reason that I had to -- or thought I should, at least -- keep it secret from you for awhile? Well...I was submitting this little paper pieced project as a teaching proposal at a local quilt show in this great state of North Dakota. (Just how many prepositions can you use in one sentence?!) I just received an e-mail notification that I was not accepted.
And I am totally at peace with that. I'm not discouraged at all. That's just the way these things go. There will be other rain storms (which I happen to love)...and sunshine...and rain clouds.
And there will be more rainbows!
Do you remember me giving you just a teaser of a peak...back in this post, this past April? Turns out...I can show you the finished product!
Ta-da....
Well...finished...by my definition: Top pieced, finished. Not quilting and binding attached and labeled, finished. (Play along and nod your head in agreement with me, would you please?)
The reason that I had to -- or thought I should, at least -- keep it secret from you for awhile? Well...I was submitting this little paper pieced project as a teaching proposal at a local quilt show in this great state of North Dakota. (Just how many prepositions can you use in one sentence?!) I just received an e-mail notification that I was not accepted.
And I am totally at peace with that. I'm not discouraged at all. That's just the way these things go. There will be other rain storms (which I happen to love)...and sunshine...and rain clouds.
And there will be more rainbows!
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