Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Quilting

Except for making the two Australia tree blocks last week, the only activity in my sewing room has been quilting. Depending on my mood, I'm hopping between the same two projects: hand quilting grandma's vintage quilt; and ruler and free motion quilting my 2019 temperature quilt.

It's been slow-going, stitching little pearl cotton X's on the vintage quilt. This picture shows what's been quilted - the space between the lines.

I thought I was making good progress on the temp quilt, until I decided to count how many blocks I've quilted, and how many remain. I'm only 30 percent done. Sigh.

I'm customizing each block by quilting lines in all the concave curves - that's the ruler work - and different designs in each convex curve. Most of the curves are quilted with the use of an echo foot attached to the ruler quilting foot. 

Whenever convex curves connect, I treat them as one design. 

This is taking a long time, which may also be due to changing thread colors often - on both the top and bottom.


This is the quilt back You can see why I'm changing bobbin colors too. This Hoffman wideback rainbow ombré is perfect for a temperature quilt. In case you need to know, I bought it at PineappleFabrics.com.

I was surprised to see this picture pop up on Instagram last week. The Broward Quilt Expo (Pembroke Pines, Florida) has contracted me to teach walking foot and free motion quilting... on Saturday, April 10, 2021, and they've begun their publicity already!  

Another instructor who'll be at the Broward Expo is Alaskan quilter Maria Shell of Tales of a Stitcher. She is extremely talented in her use of color and graphic design in quilts and is teaching a Linear Blocks workshop on Friday, April 9. I hope to squeeze in her workshop for myself!

I've also recently agreed to teach Beginner Quiltmaking again (for the first time since the Lifelong Learning College closed in 2016), through Quilting Guild of The Villages. Classes are April 15, May 20, June 17, July 15, and September 16. I'm updating beginner patterns to reflect a more modern look. 

Today I went to the weekly Big Cypress Quilters group and had to stop to take a picture. How often do you see such pretty blooms on January 21?! Though the high today was only 52, the sun was shining. I'll take it! 

My sewing room arrangement changed last September after Hogan died. He was always a companion, laying on a covered bench in the window. I moved out the bench because I didn't want that reminder that he isn't here anymore.
With that spot empty, and such a pretty view from the bay window, it seemed to need to be filled by a comfy chair. In November I ordered a Four Seasons swivel-glider called "Sarah," and it arrived Monday. It's exactly what I wanted. The entire chair is slip-covered, so fabrics can be dry cleaned, or switched out. I can't tell you how comfortable it is - cushy-soft with reversible seat and back cushions. And check out that fabric color! "Spa Pool" is perfect in this room. 

Last evening I found myself not wanting to move from my Sarah chair as I hand quilted and listened to an audiobook. Watching cable TV, with a dearth of entertaining programs, holds no interest.  

Now I have a couple more audiobook reviews for you.

The Bright Unknown by Elizabeth Byler Younts takes place in Pennsylvania, in the 1940s, at the Riverside Home, an asylum for crazy people and others deemed insane by their parents. A patient gives birth to a daughter, Brighton, who is raised and cared-for by a nurse. When an albino child comes into the asylum too - Brighton names him Angel - Brighton realizes she has a friend with whom she can face the challenges of growing up in such a place. Escape becomes paramount, yet even with escape, the perils of the outside world seem worse for these protected children. I appreciate the story, and though barbaric, a glimpse into formerly acceptable treatments for mental illness.

Linda's score: 4.2/5.0
The Dream Daughter begins in 1970, when Caroline Sears finds herself widowed and pregnant with a baby with a heart defect. The future looks grim. However, a possible solution to her problem comes from an unexpected source - her brother-in-law - and in an unimaginable way. I don't want to give away more, but the supernatural is involved. This is the kind of story I enjoy, though I usually have a difficulties wrapping my mind around such logistics. Caroline's experiences are definitely poignant. Regretful. Sad. I was completely engaged. 

Linda's score: 4.5/5.0

Linda

8 comments:

  1. Your quilting is absolutely stunning Linda. That quilt back is going to be just as spectacular as the front. I used your (excellent) spiral quilting tutorial the other day to quilt a small improv curve quilt.

    Your chair looks super comfy and I just love that colour. Many happy hours of stitching await you and that chair :)

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  2. I agree... your quilting is so amazing. I honestly can't even imagine doing what you do. And with all those color changes....whoa. I couldn't even handle using two on my Begonia quilt! So hang in there! You are doing beautiful, inspiring work! Oh, and yay for your new chair!

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  3. Your temp quilting is just amazing and so worthy of the time it's taking to do it. It's going to be fantastic Linda! Glad to hear you're busy with teaching as well as quilting. Enjoy sitting in the new chair with your books and handwork.

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  4. Your vintage quilt looks positively gorgeous draped over your new chair! Your quilting on the temperature quilt is amazing! And that backing fabric, so perfect to highlight the gorgeous quilting patterns! I love that rainbow ombre, wonder why I didn't notice it when I was ordering a couple wide backings last week!

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  5. Your temperature quilt is gorgeous!! Your quilting on a DSM just blows me away!! Your thread collection for your quilt reminds me of myself when I'm quilting...all the cones I'm using are lined up on my longarm table!

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  6. Your quilting is superb Linda. No wonder you were asked to teach! I love reading your blog, it's always so interesting. :-)Your temperature quilt is just lovely, especially with your great quilting. Your Sarah chair looks super comfortable, and ideal for hand work. :-)

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  7. I LOVE everything about your temperature quilt! The color, the quilting, the backing fabric, the fact that you're changing thread color!

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  8. Two more good books to listen to! Thanks! I don’t watch t.v. I think your temperature quilt is going to be a magnificent! I sense, between both projects, your patience is being tested! I so applaud you for teaching. I tried again and held a class for a group last winter and just didn’t enjoy it. Methinks my teaching days are over. One on one, one on two....even three, is okay. But a group?

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