Eye opening experience

Why is it that when things spin out of control for a day or two, it takes two weeks to recover. The out of control started in thinking that I could clean my sewing room up in a couple of hours and after 2 weeks it is more of a disaster than when I started. With things all over the place I seem to not be able to sew. Then I came down with a sinus infection and strep throat, that laid me out for about 4 days. One thing after another seems to be getting in my way with finishing my charity quilt. I have 4 braids done and the dark purple bought. So if I have a couple of hours to sew I might be able to sew the top together before Thursday, which is when it needs to be done.
The one thing that I have been looking forward to for a long time is taking a classes at the guild retreat from Harriet Hargrave this last weekend. Oh my gosh it was a eye opening experience that will stay with me for a long time. In the quilting area of sewing I have felt that people where missing something in the quality or lack of knowing the correct things when it came to small things in the quilting area overall. Like the proper thread, and needles, how to lay out the fabric to get a straight grain cut. Since my background comes from the garment construction and heirloom sewing, quilting people always did it differently just because someone that quilted said so. That the two worlds of garment and quilting where not to be intermixed. Ms Hargrave has the idea that you have to have a good understanding of the correct basic, not the idea of what is new and neat gizmo that will do the magic trick and everyone is quilting. She was saying things that I learned from my mother and aunt 40 years ago, I just take it for granted that others learned it also, but the case is not so. Several people that I have meet have only quilted and pieced for only about 5 or 10 years, when it started to become popular to quilt.
The things that you need to do is get back to basics, have a good sewing machine, turn off the automatic buttons, and practice. Find the speed and hand rhythm that is comfortable for you, may it be slow or medium, not fast and quilt away.
She has a new book series out that is called quilters academy, you work through the book step by step and understand the ideas and basic to know the correct way to do things. I am hopeing that my daughter Angel will work through it with my help. That maybe I can start teaching classed on this series in the local area. My hopes are looking up in that there is a place in the quilting area that will satisfy my need for my last career.

Design Wall 1-18-2010

Well here we are again. Another week gone in the year of 2010, and before we know it it will be Christmas again. Isn't that a scary thought in the middle of January. I did a fair share of sewing this weekend. Dh wasn't feeling very well so I stayed in my sewing room while he rested. By Sunday he was feeling better. I got two braid strips done on my charity braid quilt. Its a fun technique, not much to think about, just the color placements of the braids. I turned under the edges to get a better idea what the braids will look like after I trim the sides.




Since I don't have enough pieces to sew the braids next to each other to make a twin size quilt. I'm going to sew a long strips in between the braids. I found a couple of fabrics that I thought might go with them, but I'm not sure if I like either one of them after I put them next to the braids. Thinking maybe a solid tan or dark purple color between the braids and borders. If you have any ideas or if you can tell me which fabric or neither you think goes with them, I would love to hear it.
Till next week, and hoping I will have all five braids on the design wall and have a better idea. Jump over to Judy's blog to see every one's design walls.

Design wall 1-11-2010

Well here is the first design wall post of the year for me. Last month I said that I was going to do the Monday design wall from Judy L. blog. Last week I did not have my stuff, (mind) together to post a picture. I did read and look at the other post on the link from Judy's blog post. Everyone blogs and designs walls are looking great. So keeping this short so I can get it posted and linked.

The design wall is the start of a quilt that I am trying to start, and finish before February 11th. This quilt will be a charity quilt for one of the guilds that I belong to. As a group we are donating about 15 quilts to a local children's home. I wanted to play with all the 2.5" strips that I have been exchanging with a guild group. Most of the strips I pulled from my stash, I only had to buy about a half dozen other fabrics. I was short on the green and lighter color purples. So shopping I went for more fabric. On the wall is only two strips of a braid quilt that I found on the web. I will look to see where I got the pattern from so that credit to the pattern is to whom it is properly credited to. Hopefully next week I will have all 7 strips up on the wall and starting the borders.

So if you have a few extra minutes jump over to Judy's blog and look at all the wonderful blogs and links. Have a great Monday.