Wednesday on Whidbey

Full moon rise.

Pretty in Purple

When I was in LA earlier this month, many of us enjoyed these purple flowering trees that seemed to be everywhere. Asked several people there: "what are those?"

Lots of shrugs & I dunno's.

Not to worry! My better half has lots of tree books--I'll just look it up when I get home. *sigh* Tree books are a lot like dictionaries: gotta have something more to go on than 'purple flowers' it turns out.

I had pretty much given up when a good friend here, formerly from that area, finally clued me in.

A jacaranda.

Mystery solved...

Be Kind to Our Fine Feathered Friends...

The continuing devastation in the Gulf is beyond words... and it's astonishing to me that there is ANY quibbling about the deep water drilling moratorium while this travesty continues to deteriorate. Holding back on about thirty-six wells when there are over thirty-six hundred already there (of all different ages, sizes, depths) just seems like fuzzy math. I could go on & on...

Occasionally,though, there is news that warms the chilled heart.

Check out Kelly Light's blog, Ripple, & the great things that come from small acts. As of Friday, Kelly sent out a message that so far (less than a month) they've raised enough to help clean about 570 birds affected by the spill. Her project will continue as long as the oil keeps spilling... way to go, Kelly!

It's a great way to contribute & get a one-of-a-kind card in the process. It's also a great link to many artist's websites if you have time & interest to explore!

Please check out the site, and pass it along to anyone you know.

Tis the Season, part II

Here's another sample going along with me to work today. Super fast & simple cover for floor size pillow.Holiday fabrics & projects are going to be featured in July (so people have time to get things finished up on time!)--and that's next week. Can you believe it?

We're still waiting for summer--even though Mother Nature gifted us with the longest day of the year when summer officially started this week. There's been some promising days of sunshine though, so maybe, just maybe, we still have a chance.

Fun Tuesday Class

Our local quilt guild has really done a great job this year with programs & speakers. Several times we have a program at our usual monthly meeting with the speaker providing a day-long class the next day at a very reasonable class fee for guild members.

This was the first time I've been able to attend one of the 'day after' classes. It was a very fun day with hand embellishment techniques; learning some new things--and revisiting some forgotten ideas. Melody Crust was the instructor--I've always enjoyed her books--and we had fun with the mini "Bead Candy" projects.

Here's my show-and-tell for the day--and I'm not kidding about the 'mini' part. We started by constructing a 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" little 'canvas' to work on. Isn't that the size of a standard business card? No sewing machine involved. (That's a BIG step for me! I would usually rather use my sewing machine for just about anything!) I took a sideways shot to get a little perspective on the third dimension.

Anyway--I won't be spending much time making many of these, but I did get a lot more of my questions answered about embellishment techniques and that was my goal.

Results of Long Arm Quilting Day #6

Here are the two completed quilts from the day of quilting last week. They've now been trimmed, bindings applied, threads trimmed & buried.

The first is a community quilt. I had been bestowed the 'left over' blocks & fabric from a large raffle quilt the guild did a few years ago. I pieced it on a recent retreat & then quilted it last week. It's about 48" x 60". Now it's ready to go on it's way...

The second is a 'one block wonder' quilt that has been languishing on one of my design walls wondering when I was ever going to get on with it! I had gotten side tracked months ago as I couldn't find a contrast border fabric that suited.

Even when I started again in earnest I had difficulty finding the 'right' fabric. After countless auditions, who would have guessed it was a lavender batik that was waiting for the final debut?! It actually is just the perfect match for the flowers. It's about 68" x 90". The outer border is the fabric that was used to cut the blocks originally.

This was the piece shown last week on the long arm. I really challenged myself to try some new approaches with the quilting & I think it came out pretty well. (Check off two more items on the UFO list! Yeah!)

They Scored!

Way to go, team USA! Advancing to Round 2--first time since 1938!

(And they said you would be home by now! They meant France...)

Wednesday on Whidbey

Mt Baker at sunset across Penn Cove

'Tis the Season?

Here's a cute little holiday table runner (about 16" x 40") that is going to work with me today & will be staying in the shop for awhile. It's a sample for some of the holiday fabrics that have arrived. It now has completed instructions to go with it & I even quilted it 'the old fashioned way'--as in, on my machine at home... 8-)

Just thought I would share!

Long Arm Quilting Day #6

It felt like too much time had passed since my last time at my friend's quilting loft--even though it was only about a month. I got a community quilt & a large quilt of my own done this week. I'll post the "finished" pictures after I have them trimmed & bound.

Meanwhile, I thought it might be interesting to show what it looks like when a quilt is loaded on the long arm & being quilted (which is the act of sewing the 'sandwich' together: the back, the batting, the top).

This is close to the widest possible set up on this machine--which is plenty big enough! This quilt is actually loaded sideways (top & bottom are at your left & right). It depends on a variety of factors as to which way to load the quilt, but it's more efficient to have it this way if possible. Each 'pass'--left to right, or right to left--is about one third of the quilt, so there is less need to start/stop with the quilt loaded this way.

To quilt, you stand, facing the machine, with hands on the black 'handle bar' controls which are adjustable. My friend is very tall (which of course I'm not!) so this table is about as high as I can manage--with my clogs on! (The work surface is about my stomach height.) It's hard to see unless you click on the picture, but the needle passes through the little round 'foot' that is right on the edge of the 'gold' hexagon in the photo.

There are many different machine types & appearances, but any long arm works like this.

I'm getting faster, but it still takes me about 1/2 hour to load a quilt this big & be 'ready to roll'.

In the above picture, the 'layers' are more obvious. The quilt top & quilt back are each rolled on to two rollers (front & back) and the bat is nestled in between (so it's laying over the front roller for the quilt back). There is a lot of pinning, straightening, clamping, initially to be sure the project goes smoothly. Once that's done, it's quite easy to advance the quilt, or back it up, as needed.

Wednesday on Whidbey

I'm Glad Someone Was Paying Attention...

I've really been enjoying my immersion into reader land. The volume just finished deserves special note.

Molly Ivins has always been a favorite writer (recently known for Shrub & Bushwacked in addition to her newspaper columns). This book was published after her death (due to the loving care of Lou DuBose) & prior to the 2009 election--which added to the darkness of the book. However, despite the gravity of the stories, there is always a delightfully comic way of approaching tragic things. I miss that voice.

Bill of Wrongs: the Executive Branch's Assault on America's Fundamental Rights (which she so eloquently points out, began well before 9/11.)

It should be required reading for every US citizen. Period. End of story.

I'm assuming you are one--so find yourself a copy & hunker down. Go to the library. Load your Kindle. Whatever. Just get it on your list. Let me know what you think...

I'm Back in the Northwest

A good time was had by all! There was, indeed, fun, sun & great girl time in LA this week!

Here we are, catching our last rays before airport shuttle time.

Quite the shi-shi hotel, inside & out. No star sightings, or at least that we knew of! (There were many photos of famous people around the facility, though, once known as 'White House West' during the Regan administration as he stayed there so often.)

I think just about everyone that waited on us was a famous-person-in-waiting, though. We almost asked one waiter for his autograph; tall, handsome, & a voice like James Earl Jones (only deeper!)--we're sure we'll be able to say 'we knew him when'!

Many hours to hang by the pool, enjoy the palms & flowers everywhere, soak up the sun, read & relax--in between lots of walking, snooping & yacking.

Gotta say, the descent into--& ascension out of--the most awesome smog layer was sobering. Can't imagine living with that daily--or with the cost of goods & services. (You know you're in trouble when the plane & terminal prices look good!)

Classically, it's "a nice place to visit but wouldn't want to live there".

One of the highlights was stumbling on The Annenberg Space for Photography hidden in the building right across the street. We were lucky enough to catch the final week of the 'Water' exhibit, highlighting National Geographic photographers.

Beyond description.

At the link provided (above) go to the film, 'Our Thirsty World'--I would highly recommend watching when you have time (about 20 min). Pretty profound. (Then imagine it on a 360 degree format, floor to ceiling!)

Here was my favorite sign of the week...

Girl's Week Out

I'm off for a fast four-day fun fest with buddy Julie in LA! She's coming from Pennsylvania for a national meeting & we cooked up this little plan to rendezvous for some fun, sun & catching up!

We're staying at the Hyatt on the Avenue of the Stars--which is supposedly in the heart of star-gazing territory; about the biggest oxymoron you could come up with for the two of us! With our luck we'll be right next to someone we don't even know is a star!! Wow--I don't have a thing to wear...

I am looking forward to a little heat, though--I hear that exists outside of Puget Sound. 8-)

See you at the end of the week!

Black on Beck

Just in case you missed it, this appearance by Lewis Black on John Stewart's show recently is not to be missed. He's always one of my fav's... thank you, sir, for putting words to my frustrations!

This is in keeping with the "I can't keep my mouth shut any more" train of thought, so NO apologies to anyone thinking open season on Glenn Beck is inappropriate!

Keeping Myself Out of Trouble

While I'm spending time deciding what to do next, what exactly do I want to be when I grow up, I've taken a part-time job at the local quilt shop in Langley! I'll be doing one or two days a week plus some additional days to help cover some summer vacations.

It's hardly a stressful job & what fun! I can tell that I'll be learning new things as I go, but hopefully know enough about the quilting world to be of some assistance. Once my orientation is over (that would be tomorrow!) I'll be working by myself. Will let you know how it goes from time to time...

Bring it On!

I've been trying hard to abide by the well-used adage of my mother's: "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all".

I'm here to tell you--it's not working! I tried to sit on my hands & not explode over the ridiculous trail of tears created by the health care reform debate--and in the end we got a marginal start. A start! That's all--despite the threats, bitten fingers, etc. I stuffed all of the easy comments the floated up when Mt. Vernon awarded the key to the city to the nonsensical, contradictory, inflammatory Glen Beck.

But I'm throwing in the towel--I'm not gonna make it through this jungle of mid-term craziness alive without speaking my conscious. I'll try to keep it brief & focused, but be prepared: I'm weighing in!

And let's just start with one of the most important local votes that will surface this year: re-electing Patty Murray.

Gotta happen. Period.

Dino Rossi has been a big, big loser--& we need to tell him, in no uncertain terms, he will be a loser again this year. Dollars will be flowing heavily in this state, as the national sources start pouring it on with hopes of ousting Patty.

It's such a waste! I'm glad to hear that Patty has a fairly good war chest started--but she will need our help. She will need our money, our time, & our willingness to speak out. Go to her website & sign up as a supporter.

Patty has been exemplary as a US Senator in so many ways--for women, for the uninsured, for the under privileged & under served, for fairness... the list gets pretty long.

I will never agree with every statement she makes or vote she casts, but she deserves to be re-elected (& Dino deserves to be shown the door for the last time...)

Get ready!

Dorothy's 90th Bash!

What a great Memorial Day weekend, despite the most amazing rain we've seen in awhile! The family arrived for a very fun 90th birthday celebration for mom--and a good time was had by all--or at least it seemed that way! I was so appreciative of travelers that came such a long way at a busy time of year--and offered lots of help, too, Mom will be talking about this for a long time to come, and it meant so much to her. What a little cutie she was at her 'open house' gathering. At one point, she was sitting & chatting with three other amazing women in their 90's--having a fine time. Couldn't help thinking they were ushering her into their elite little club!

Mom & two of her sibs in 1923. She's in the middle with their dog, Shep.

Mom & Dad about a year before they married (circa 1937). This was one of those little photo strips from the machine.

And here's the gang this weekend! Weren't we having fun?! Too bad you can't quite see the tiara that mom was happy to wear all day! (you can click on the photo to get a bigger view)

Probably the best gift of all for mom (besides having all of us here!) was from grand-daughter-in-law, Amy--and turned out to be a great gift for all of us. She gathered up many wonderful photos that allowed us to have a little slide show that ran all day and then gave mom a wonderful hard bound book of all the photos. She's almost worn out the pages already, looking through it! Thanks so much, Amy!