May Longarm Quilting Day

Day number 5 at my friend's longarm studio a couple of weeks ago was productive--after I needed a little 'remind myself' time as I had been away from it for a few weeks. One thing that helps is starting with something small & uncomplicated to warm up to the process again. A community quilt is just the thing--and it feels good to get them done & on their way! I did three projects--but only two are here today. The third is a gift for someone that will need to wait a little while to be 'unveiled'--so it will have it's own little post later on.

The black & white quilt was on my UFO list, and I'm pretty pleased with how it came out. In a bold move (at my friend's suggestion!) I quilting it with red thread to add interest. But it's also noteworthy that with a thread that contrasts so much--every little 'wrong' move becomes quite apparent, so the '6 foot rule' definitely applies! Despite the picture, the quilt squared up very nicely at 65 x 81! Besides my poor photography, I don't have a wall large enough to hang big pieces successfully... I added the binding at our weekend retreat so it's good to go.

The pieces were cut out long ago for a (large) quilt that was a disaster from the beginning. The pattern was incorrect--and after fighting through three blocks to see if I could correct the problem, I just gave up, put it back in the box & told myself that's why I 'cut as I go' when I make things, rather than do all ahead of time. (That's not necessarily a good trait to reinforce!) Truth of the matter is: there are probably two more quilts worth of blocks still in the box--but I'm moving on for now.

This little happy guy is a community quilt that I added the binding and sent on it's way after quilting. Hope it finds a happy home!

Getaway!

One way to cope with a 'to-do' list that keeps getting longer:

run off to a three day retreat with a dozen of your closest quilting friends to La Conner!

My round robin group started this annual tradition a few years ago because we thought going from February until October for our guild retreats was too long--we needed something to tide us over. LaConner is such a quaint, interesting place but also close by. It's become a really special time with LOTS of laughter, good food, a fun town for walks--and of course, lots of quilting!

Back soon!

30th Anniversary

This week has included a broad showcase of the Mt. St. Helen's eruption as it's the 30 year anniversary. I have to say--I've learned a lot more with all of the special coverage, articles, and films.

Most any north-westerner can tell you where they were when it happened. I don't have that perspective as I was still in Arizona. I had been accepted to grad school & was set to move in August. My phone started ringing that day--and continued for several days--as local friends were sure I would reconsider my plans; and if I didn't I should have my head examined!

One of the pieces I liked best is still available on-line. It's a Nova segment "Back From the Dead" that does a great job of 'then & now'. It covers the remarkable learning that's taken place as studies have continued. It also includes the eruptions that have taken place since then--which are almost as dramatic & unbelievable.

Local coverage has tailed onto the Mt. St. Helen's focus with special highlight of Mt. Ranier--also a sleeping potential. The outcome from a similar event in that location would be so much more devastating due to it's proximity to urban areas. May she continue to slumber for a few more centuries!

Another Day of Longarm Quilting

These were the results of day #4 (in April!) at the longarm studio:

The first is a kid's quilt, about 40" x 50"--one of three using these blocks. One was a 'hurry up finish' for a friend's grandson, and the third is due to be quilted when I can work it into the que. I'm usually not big on preprinted cloth graphics, but there's just something very endearing about these. Framed them in black, and then arranged them. Isn't the background fabric wild?

The Pyramids quilt started as a pile of leftover pieces from a kaleidescope quilt class (Julie has a version of one from a long time ago!). Anyway, I was asked to do a class a few years back at a friend's quilt shop--but the class never came to pass. The pieces went in a box for 'some other time' and then got drug out for various retreats. I am not a good repetitive piecer--same task over & over (can you say boring?), which is one of the main reasons I seldom find myself doing traditional patterns. After enough appearances at retreats, the top was actually near completion and floated to the top of the pile. It's a nice size: about 60" x 60" The pattern is sometimes called '10,000 Pyramids', but this one is only about 500 pyramids--plenty for me!

So Many Books, So Little Time

I'm just now reaching a place that I can start articulating the 'leaving my job' phenomena. I think it just takes time, but by definition the process has you in the middle of it--or you are in the middle of processing--so any ability to be objective or find insight, is limited at best. I've just passed three months since I've stepped away from the desk. I have been guilty of helping with some small projects, answering questions, hearing out some problems, but for the most part I am no longer of that world.

I'm not going to dwell on it, but I am starting to talk about it a little. Here are some beginning observations:

Except for two occasions (plus one vacation to California) I have not been out of jeans in three months. That may not sound like much, but it is to me. It's so great not needing to linger in the closet, bleary-eyed at o'dark thirty, wondering what magical wardrobe combination will suffice today. It's so simple.

I'm gaining on the vice scorecard; not perfect, but better.

I think that has helped contribute to the the next item: actually sleeping with some success. Not working has certainly impacted sleep--and I've had several of the silent conversations with self asking "is it good that you're sleeping more? and more soundly? maybe it's really because you're depressed? do you feel depressed?" You get the idea...jury is still out on the sleep factor (plus I must confess I think it's just a waste to sleep more than six hours).

I am once again in love with reading. Truly. I had a major reading injury occur when I entered grad school in 1980 & can't honestly say I ever recovered--until now. Don't get me wrong: I've read forest's worth of material in thirty years, but it was mostly work-related. Pleasure reading had become primarily an anecdote for insomnia (that does work!). But increasingly I feel like I'm devouring things.

Plus--perfect timing--the newly remodeled/expanded (beautiful!) library in town reopened about six weeks ago. It is a dream. My new candy store. I can order anything I want on line--and it just appears on a shelf waiting for me. I can check in/check out without needing to talk to a soul unless I want to. I can just wander & peruse--and bring home anything I want! I feel like I did in third grade when my friend Jeanine & I were like caterpillars eating our way through the neighborhood library. It was a race. It was miraculous. It's addicting! (but the jury wanders into this arena, too, from time to time: "You know, you're spending an awful lot of time reading! Add the reading time to the sleep time & you may have a time wasting problem!") I've taken some tips from friends that use library sites--and I added my list to the blog, just for fun.

For now, I'm working on giving myself permission to just 'be' for awhile--and hold back on any criticism or judgement as best I can. It's only three months. I don't think I've been damaged too much so far.

More about refocusing life some other time. I think I need to get started on that book....

Creative Mail

I recently mailed another postcard I made for a friend. They are fun--as you use up little tidbits of things & they're finished fairly quickly! Put them on the list of 'things to do when I have time!'

UFO's--That Pesky List

It's been quite some time since the issue of UFO's came up, with help from my quilt guild. Thirty months to be exact. *sigh* I thought it would be a helpful to reminder to see what's been done & my batting average so far (no pun intended!). You likely remember that UFO=unfinished objects.

2008 UFO list had 41items listed. By year end I finished 8 (not quite 20%...).

2009 UFO list had 40 items listed (because you see, it's not simply carrying the 'old' list forward. For all of the reasons identified, new UFO's accumulate while you're sleeping!

By year end I finished 8 more (exactly 20%).

The 2010 UFO list has 40 items listed. 18 weeks into the year, I've completed 11 with several more very close. (Amazing what happens when you're not working 60-80 hours a week at a 'real' job!)

It's important to note that I found four unaccounted for UFO's last year that were added to this year's list--and this year I've found two more (that won't show up until next year!).

One thing I've not done is keep track of the number of projects that never made it to a UFO list in the first place. There are not alot, but they are important, too. (Can you say positive reinforcement?) They don't become UFO's because they are planned, started, & completed during the same year. Woohoo!

It's worth noting that the number of UFO's completed by the group in almost 2 1/2 years is staggering. I don't know a number, but they are the majority of show & tell items and easily could be 20-30 items a month! Way to go, guys! It is also worth noting that a few members have never participated. Why? Because they conceive, plan, start & complete one project at a time. Never more than one thing going at a time. I'm sure they have as many problems understanding someone with a list like mine, as I have understanding how they can be so completely single minded in their focus!

All in all, a beneficial undertaking--and I can't tell you how many great laughs we've had at the monthly meetings over UFO's. I may have more items--but some people have items way older than mine. You forget how much fabric styles & color choices have changed until someone drags in an item circa 1970's--oh lordy, cover your eyes!

Besides the feeling of accomplishment as things are checked off the list, it has also helped with one of my other annual goals of using up fabric on hand & refraining from buying new. I will never be able to say 'I don't buy fabric'. I can say--for almost two years, I've almost exclusively purchased only 'gotta do's' for a project assigned to me, or bargain sale items. It's become almost a game with myself--although I fall off the wagon now & then when some batik fat quarters just jump into my bag! Then you have to start all over:

"Hello, my name is Judy & it's been 30 days since I've purchased new, full price fabric..."

"Hi, Judy..."

For those of you non-fabric people out there: one of the major impacts of the bad economy has been the jump in yardage prices. It's difficult to find anything less than $9/yard and prize items are now more like $10-$12/yard (we're talking cotton, not other exotica). Hiking prices have helped keep me focused on the 'sale' approach If you pay attention, you can come up with great finds for $4-$5/yard!. Anyway, the works in progress continue. By year end we'll see where I am, as I make up the 2011 list!

Applause for Hearts & Hammers

One of the things that helped me get behind with timely posts was the looming deadline of the 2010 Central Whidbey Hearts & Hammers workday on May 1st. Despite a poor weather start in the morning, about 120 people gathered for assignments, worked like crazy all day on 16 different projects for homeowners in need, & wearily returned at the end of the day for a great meal and a sense of satisfaction for jobs well done!

Because I had time to offer, I helped with a lot of the behind the scenes communication & paperwork organizing in advance of the workday. There has been some of that to do after the fact, too, so things are better organized for next year. As a friend said, they have big hearts, but not the best organizational skills. In their defense, though, organizing that many people--many of which are not necessarily skilled laborers--for a one-day blitz is a pretty amazing feat to watch!

This was only the second year for the central group. The south end group has been around much longer & they had even more people on more projects the same day.

Whew! Take a bow, everyone! Get rested up for May 7, 2011!

Hambones Round Robin Project 2010

My monthly round robin group has once again launched a big project in common. After taking a couple of years 'off' doing other fun things, we are once again doing a true round robin--and this time, rather than divide into two or three smaller groups, we will all be doing something on everyone's project! That makes 11 hand-offs before the project will return to us. We have some new members since we did this the last time, & sadly have lost one as well (she passed away this winter). I think because we are all so aware of how precious we are to one another--because we have become such good friends over the years--we made the commitment to have a project that would have input from everyone, as a special treasure. There are some logistic issues with that idea--not the least of which might be size. As we continue building on, the piece can become pretty large unless we watch what we're doing/adding.

Anyway, I look forward to starting again, as it does challenge the old creative juices (for some it's too much pressure & they don't like to do it...). It's always so much fun to see what everyone comes up with--as our projects are very different from one another. I'll give some examples in a few months, so you get the idea. Meanwhile, here's the little solo center block (8") that will be mine after many hands have done their magic. Good luck, little fella!

Adventures in Longarm Quilting Continues

Wow--can't believe that I've missed posting for almost eight weeks! I have some catch-up to do!

I haven't posted the results of my third day of quilting with my friend's longarm until now as it was a surprise for a special young mariner in our lives. But it's been handed on now so thought I would share my first large piece--took me most of one day to quilt, with lots of new 'learning' in the process (translation: well that didn't work, now what do I do?).

In the end, I was pleased with the way it came out, and I'm finally starting to feel like I might be able to control the machine rather than the other way around!

In the effort to use up pieces that didn't make it into the front, rather than have them languish in the scrap bin I pieced several strips for the back--it was fun & felt like a good 'recycling' effort! I took the quilt to my four day retreat & did the binding there--and that was about the only place I could find wall space big enough to photograph it.

I definitely need to improve my picture taking skills! Jim got me a new camera for my b-day & it was like starting all over again with the digital confusion!