Take a deep breath!

First I will exhale and catch up on the finding outs and the finishing ups.

I am happy to report I have edited out two pieces of furniture and I have some bare walls and better yet bare floors.  The dust bunnies that were reading my books have to find another library. lol  I dispersed the books to pertinent rooms, put brown paper covers on some to eliminate visual clutter and boxed up those who might better bless somebody else.

Disregarding the future of  'when we...',  I repositioned the stove for an outside vent,  made the fridge a bit handier and have commissioned a long rolling counter that the kitchen table can butt up to or run alongside.  Best event was adding some more colour.  Who knew the Rooster's red coffee pot would be so affirming!  I'll refinish the wee coffee bar and make a more colourful teacup wall hanging!  I'll leave some space between the upper cabinets and above the big farm sink (which is patiently waiting in the basement)  for a colourful apple or two! ;^)

I think I need a couple more glass shelves for glasses.  They aren't so handy to the fridge anymore but what the hey!  I can possibly spruce up the aqua paint on that old cafeteria table and refinish this old wood unit a similar red to the hutch or even an espresso stain.  I'm short and pouring water down into the coffee pot without standing on tippy toes is a bonus!  lol

I did work on the Irish Chain and as I was finishing up the straight line quilting I got to thinking that I might want to consider the less is more principle.  I think the curved echo in the coloured triangles would be too much.  But I went ahead and I practiced some free motion leaves.  When I drew in the actual area I saw how small it was.   Hmm, maybe a shamrock?  Four leaf clovers were too big and the three leafed clover was pretty tight.  Sew...

I bound it up. I'll throw it in the wash, add a hanging sleeve and call it done.  I have my fabric cut for April Showers so as to be ready for next week.  Perhaps it will more readily accept some free motion stitching but I'm thinking rain is kinda linear.  oops!  May Flowers are coming!  ;~)

The block of the month called for more little yoyo flowers.  Not.  I was checking out old shows on The Quilt Show and Judith Montano inspired me to do some silk ribbon flowers.  I'd forgotten how much fun silk ribbon embroidery is!  :)

I have been kinda busy doing the cleaning and not writing about it but the DYLP is caught up for this week.  It has finally dawned on me that the extra leaf on the right should be flipped to the next set of pages. Oh well.  I'm starting to get the hang of layering.  Phew!  Good thing because...

I started Sketchbook Skool this morning with much fear and trembling.  A waste of time because of course the whole faculty and the classmates are very affirming and encouraging.  I do think these next six weeks will be life changing!  :O  I may change my sketchbook to a soft cover and a lighter weight paper as we'll be near Staples tomorrow.  The size is good.  I learned cursive with a dip pen but if the skill needs revisiting I'll stick with the uniball or pigma pens.  Pencils are not allowed as we need to really commit to the line.  eek! 

There is a hint of spring in the air.  I'm hoping winter doesn't blow back with any kind of bluster. We had snow last night.  But I won't be holding my breath!  ;^)

WOW Its like riding a bike!

Once upon a time I did a lot of machine quilting.  I am having to relearn my skills.  I could blame a luv that matches quilting in mixed media art but...

One of my first quilts actually intimidated me. I scanned an old photograph, one of the two I have of this quilt.  I did quilting in the ditch for the improvisational pin wheel blocks and some free motion leaves in the corners.  Then I tackled the borders of this queen size quilt.  I drew in a double spine and then I free motion quilted every flower I could visualize and I clustered them like arrangements in a basket . They are in groupings as the spine curves from edge to edge.  I was in some kind of zone and it all happened wonderfully.  The quilt was a gift to my SIL and BIL for their 25th  (1997).  The show theme was seasons and it was called Life Through the Seasons.  It won a third at the guild show and then a first at the Red River Exhibition. I think the deadline for the show made me 'just' do it!  :)   I'm not sure if it even survived hard use as it was done in variegated rayon thread.   :O  But when I think of it I consider it a tough act to follow and perhaps that is why I have kinda avoided doing more.  Which is silly!  So...

I am climbing back on the bike.  I did some straight line and some echoing.  Not enough.  I'm going back and outlining in the ditch.  Not enough.  So...

I'll be doing a continuous free motion curve inside the triangles and then I'll take a big breath and go for a free motion vine in the valleys between those triangles.  I do like doing leaves.

Each of these monthly wall hangings will be a challenge to add more and more quilting.  Spring was a good start because I think of spring as a more simple, almost minimalistic season.  I also need a stiffer batting for wall hangings and this is a thermal batting that once was an ironing station.  I saw an idea for a envelope style finish so I hope it works as I'm feeling like the chains have no beginning or endings.  A few missing links but.... ;^)

The Needle & Thread Network is wonderfully encouraging and has fine examples of quilting that pushes the traditions in using the quilting stitch.  Actually my April Showers idea may need some hand quilting.  Now there is a real challenge as I been there, done it and got a stiff neck.  LOL It is also why I embraced machine quilting!  ;~)   Check out the links in the TN&TN chain, why don't ya!!!

Wow Clogging with the Irish

I had envisioned my modified Irish chain in the traditional setting but the pace quickened in the dance when I laid out the just sewn blocks in a closer knit pattern as I checked for obvious colour repeats.  oooh!

This is feeling like a very slow dance to me and frankly boring.  :O

This makes my pulse race and sets my feet a tapping.  :)  Not being able to quickly get this all sewn together is having its benefits. ;~)  I think I will recut those alternate plain blocks and pick up the rhythm of this dance.  My partner is up for the switch in pace. 

Happy St. Patrick's Day to my fellow Needle and Threaders.  hmm, sounds like a dance club to me!