Last Friday of the Month Flaunt

We're settling into a routine with our daughter and family living with us until around August 15. Thus far it's been Jill, Celina and Tay. Beginning Saturday, Maher, their husband/dad will be here too. Then, if all goes well, the family will move into temporary, furnished housing in Overland Park, Kansas while their house (don't know if it's really theirs yet or not!) is being updated, and Celina starts middle school (sixth grade) on August 17. That start date seems terribly early to me. In Iowa, schools wouldn't dare begin to have classes until the Iowa State Fair is over! That's August 22.

Because we're in a routine, I'm getting a little creative time during Tay's naps. I managed to finish stitching July's seventh block in Willowberry Design's (Cheryl Goss's) "Under the Sea" BOM. As always, it's cute, and easy to color and stitch. I've finished it just in time for the release of the August block on Sunday!

Eleven year-old Celina likes spending time in my basement sewing room. Who wouldn't, what with bins of colorful fabric, and bits and bobs of this and that to create anything one's heart desires?! She's scrabbling together strips and scraps to make a collage-y thing that she's yet to determine what it will be.

While she's busily playing, I'm in the same sewing area, digging through a large box full of a decade of saved blue jeans. I've decided to upcycle old jeans to make Marie-Madeline's Route 66, 12-gore skirt. Twelve gores means picking out jeans with a backside large enough for the flare of each gore! Who would ever think that it's desireable to have "big butt" jeans!
Celina suggested I could ask my larger girlfriends for their old jeans. We dissolved into giggles trying to figure out how I would diplomatically make such a request. Thankfully, I discovered that Mr. Flourishing Palms' old jeans have just the right backside width.

That's been about it for creative productivity this week. But it's worth the sacrifice of my time when it comes to this adorable little guy. This is what I get to see, Tay in his travel bed, when I'm the one who gets him up from his nap. He awakens so cheerfully!Disappointingly, this is the guy who's been our challenge during the family's stay. Six year old Hogan is a mixed breed (beagle-chow-chow) dog Jill rescued from a shelter in Kansas City. Hogan's been with us since Jill began working in Australia about three-and-a-half years ago. We love Hogan to pieces, and he's generally pretty friendly... except when it comes to very small children. Knowing Hogan had been abused, we speculate that at one time he was mistreated by a child. As much as we have tried to gentle him into accepting Tay, it hasn't happened. This fence is one of two barricades that separates him from crawling Tay.

Let me leave you on a happy note... This is one of the comments received as an entry in my recent giveaway. Agus from Argentina offers this funny:

I went to buy some camouflage trousers the other day

but I couldn't find any...

Periwinkle Stars Progress

Because I'm taking my own "Ten in '10" Challenge" (see right menu bar) very seriously, when I traveled to Florida recently, I opted to take along my Periwinkle Stars quilt project, instead of the traveling Candied Hexagon quilt that has been to Australia with me twice. Periwinkle Stars is on my Ten in '10 list; Candied Hexagons is not.

This is the Periwinkle Stars hand-pieced quilt center measuring 80" X 90". It has been this way for more than a year.
I've been hand-appliquing four borders that will bring the quilt top size to a whopping 92" X 102"!

As you can see, two appliqued borders are ready to be hand-pieced to two opposite sides of the quilt center. I'm liking how this is going to look.

In more than 30 years of making quilts, this is my first try at adding hand-appliqued borders. This is also the first time I've designed my own borders. I can see problems ahead!

Getting the vine to wrap prettily around each of the four corners will not be easy to figure out. Also, I started hand-appliquing the borders using the needleturn technique. Since then I have discovered how much more I prefer back-basted applique. So I'm now making excuses not to work on it.

Anyone have some corner inspiration, or motivation for me?

Friday Flaunt - Another Quilt for Austin

I've been making quilts for 34 years. After such a long time, I've learned two things about myself: 1) I can't get enough of making quilts! I don't do well with just one or two WIPs going at a time. By today's count, I am "simultaneously" working on six different projects.

And, 2) I have made so many quilts that I'm sometimes able to look at one I like and figure out how to make it. Of course, there are exceptions for intricate quilts, but simpler designs suit me best anyway.

This week has been one of those when I thought, "I'm tired of working on the same, long term quilts, and I'd like to 'whip-up' something just because I can."

So after seeing a particularly nice quilt on the Internet, I whipped it up. On Wednesday I cut out, pieced, layered and pin-basted. Thursday I machine-quilted, and finished with binding. Well hey. Why not have a personal quilt retreat in my basement sewing room? With our unseasonably hot weather, reaching 90F (32C) this week, it was the coolest place to be (pun intended!).

The quilt is 41" X 52". The focus fabric is a monster - or dinosaurs? - print selected by my DDIL Lyn for their baby, Austin. I had only to raid my stash for 20 different bright tone-on-tone prints and white sashing fabric. (Click to enlarge.)This white bulls-eye print - which a few of you may remember seeing on another WIP, my Snowflake Medallion quilt - is a favorite that's made by Timeless Treasures. The last time I found it at Prairie Star Quilts in Elkhorn, Iowa, I bought five yards. I also have it in black.

You observant Aussies might notice the orange starburst print that's from an Australian fabric designing team, Prints Charming.

The quilt back is pieced from my stash too.

The rainbow print binding fabric is a design that's printed on the bias. When strips are cut on the cross-grain, they look spiral on the quilt. I love that candy-cane effect.

Though I've already made a baby quilt for new grandson Austin, this quilt is also his, for "tummy time" when he's a little older. The bright colors should attract his attention.

And here's three week-old Austin, who I have yet to meet. In a couple weeks, I will go (big gulp, I'm flying again) to Tampa, Florida, to help take care of him. I can't wait!

While I'm blustering about grandsons, here's the latest photo of eight month-old Tay, in Sydney. I adore his curly-top head, and just want to nuzzle those chubby cheeks!

As long as I'm yammering about family, let me share this photo of two new Australians. Last week, our SIL and granddaughter, Celina, were officially sworn in as citizens of Australia. Good on ya, mates!

Friday Flaunt - Under the Sea

You know... I'm so enjoying stitchery! After digging into Australians' perspectives on stitcheries, and writing the article about it for "Quilters Newsletter" magazine, I've gotten hooked on it.

I've always liked looking at the close-up photos designers take of their stitches, admiring the way the threads seem to lay like uniform beads across the surface of the fabric - linen, cotton, or whatever it may be.

That prompted me to photograph my own stitches in the same manner, and I have to say that surprisingly, I like what I see! This is the waterline along the top of the May block for "Under the Sea," by Cheryl Goss of Willowberry Designs.

These sea snakes make the fifth block in the series.

The June block of a seahorse has already been released.

And just how quickly did I get this piece stitched-up? In less than one week. Ya gotta love jet lag for gettin' stuff done. How 'bout that 15 hour time difference!? (Australia to Iowa)

Now I need another good bout of jet lag to get going on the next block!

Friday Flaunt - Stitchery Article

I'm quite chuffed! This Quilters Newsletter arrived in the mail. On page 28 begins the five-page article I wrote about stitchery quilts (quilters) in Australia!

It was so interesting and enjoyable to interview the stitchers for this article.

Stitchers and quiltmakers are:

• Julie Donovan
• Cheryl Goss (Willowberry Designs)
• Di Jobbins
• Gail Pan (Gail Pan Designs)
• Jan Quigley
• Jenny Reynolds (Elefantz)
• Carol Richardson
• and, Vicki Tucek (Tozz's Corner)

Gosh, nearly everyone in Oz is a blogger too!

American Carrie Pippin stitched Cheryl Goss' "Verandah Views" BOM, and that quilt is featured too. Part of it is the stitched trellis and vines on the left-hand side.

One of Gail Pan's designs, "Little House" is included with the article. So, if you haven't tried stitchery, it's a great beginner project. Click here to see it on-line.

It's exciting to see one's articles in print. I'm hoping for the opportunity to write more about what stitchers and quilters are doing in Australia. Trends are different there, and it's great fun to share them with American quilters.

Since just returning from Sydney, I found that it's hexagons that seem to be dominating the scene. Everyone's working on some sort of hexie quilt. They're even offering programs on "Hexagon Madness." Now wouldn't you like to read a story about that?

Friday Flaunt - More Candied Hexagons

It's a good thing I had lots of time for handwork during my flights to Australia! Family has captured all my attention since I arrived in Oz last Friday morning. But certainly traveling is the best for handwork! Just pop in iPod earbuds for a listen to a good book and pick up your hand project. Hand sewing while waiting at airport gates and sitting through interminably-long flights... a bit of heaven.

One of these row pairs came with me to Aus, already joined. The other two joined pairs of rows were stitched over US western skies and the Pacific Ocean! Interestingly, Kerry Dear, whose Candied Hexagons pattern instructions I'm following, has you sew together a row of hexies, then join a second row of hexies to the first. Makes complete sense.
Then, she says to put down those two rows and pick up another row of hexies to join and add a second row to. So it's pairs of rows for now. After row pairs are made, they're stitched to one another.

Perhaps Kerry was also traveling when she decided to assemble the quilt top this way. It's lap size hand-piecing - just the right size.
Please pop by the Stitchin' Mission blog for a look at my Thursday afternoon activity. It was wonderful. I am blessed to have such very special friends in Australia.

Friday Flaunt - Fifth Ten in '10 Finished!

Since I didn't flaunt last Friday (due to the giveaway), I have this finished 34" X 37" wall hanging quilt to show you. I will donate it to Riverside Lutheran Bible Camp in Story City, Iowa. The annual quilt auction - the camp's largest fundraiser - is Saturday, July 25, and this quilt will be among those sold in the silent auction, prior to the live auction.

Last year's event happened on the most gorgeous summer day. It was simply beautiful to see the quilts pegged to clotheslines among the trees, wafting in a gentle breeze.

Quilting this was a treat because it fit so easily in the 7-1/2" throat space - the area between the sewing machine needle and the machine body.

See the quilted trees?

Though I know a quilt rarely sells for an amount relative to the quantity of time put into making it, I hope this earns a lot of money for Riverside.

You may have noticed this is my fifth completed Ten in '10. While this is very encouraging to me, the pace of finishes will doubtlessly decline as I switch to handwork for project #6.

And now, for something completely different...

I made a denim, embroidered fabric skirt! It's the one on the left. When I found the material at Joann's I knew immediately I wanted to make a casual skirt like the khaki embroidered skirt I purchased last October while in Australia. So, the skirt on the right from Aus was the pattern for the skirt on the left. Mine doesn't have a tie (I don't tuck in my top), but the rest of it is the same even to having an invisible zipper. Wow, I can still sew a garment!

Aussie friends: Don't be surprised to see me wearing this when I'm there, in just a few weeks!

This afternoon I'm off to a weekend quilt retreat. Six of us in the Batting Buds group are retreating from 2 pm Friday to 2 pm Sunday... sheer bliss! I will tell you all about it on Monday. Have a great weekend.

P.S. While on retreat, on TV we'll watch a NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) basketball play-off game. Our beloved, and #9 nationally-ranked University of Northern Iowa (UNI) Panthers - who in a huge, unexpected upset beat the #1 ranked Kansas University (KU) Jayhawks - will play Michigan State.

Go Panthers!

Friday Flaunt - Candied Hexagons

This is an unfinished flaunt, but a milestone nonetheless. All the hexies for my traveling Candied Hexagon quilt (from an out-of-print 2005 issue of Australian Quilters Companion, designed by Kerry Dear) are pieced... by hand, I might add. Mind you, they're not yet sewn to one another, but this is the intended layout, following the pattern diagram.

I'm not sure I like it very much. But I'm hopeful that after adding the small inset pieces that fit along the edge, and a restful border, its appearance will improve.

So it's much more hand piecing, and much more traveling before there's much more progress!

In the meantime, to keep the rows in the arrangement I settled on, I needed something to separate the rows. I came across an old Quilt Art calendar that I thought to throw away, but decided to put the pages to use.

I labeled each row of hexies, layering them between calendar pages, and stacked all 11 rows in a shoebox...

...with clearly marked instructions for the next step.

So, the traveling hexies are at a rest stop for now..

Photo taken in Victoria, Australia, 2009

...until my next trip, wherever that may be.

Each Friday, bloggers who belong to Quilting Down Under chat group post a flaunt of their productivity. Visit Cinzia's blog to find links to all 24 Friday Flaunt-ers.

Friday Flaunt - First Ten in '10 Finished!

When I selected projects to include in my Ten in '10 list, I tried to be reasonable, looking ahead to life's possibilities during the upcoming 12 months. It caused me to select a few projects that were relatively do-able, and several that are more intensely demanding.

From the "do-able" side, I'm pleased to share my first completed project! It's grandson Tay's 32" X 32" Noah's Ark wall hanging. What a wonderful learning experience it was! Not only is it the first piece of stitchery I've completed in years (much of it sewn while in Sydney), but it's my first stitchery ever that has been colored with pencils. It was a delight to make and I'm looking forward to seeing it hung in his bedroom.

There was a bit of learning curve free-motion machine quilting it. I knew to straight stitch along the sashings to secure the layers, but it was a difficult to know where to quilt the rest of it. I settled for giving the animals a bit of "ground" to walk upon, and quilted close to some of the backstitches around the ark and animals on-board. You might also see where I added quilted ocean waves, and a few extra clouds in the sky.

Ever aware that I won't be around forever, I add a label to all of my quilted pieces. If you're wondering... names have been blurred "to protect the innocent."

Another big effort this week was playing catch-up on the "Season of Grace" Christmas stocking BOM hosted by author Emilie Richards and quilter Pat Sloan.

Since I was out of the country for five weeks last fall, and then traveled to Florida for nearly three weeks, it was long past time to complete November, December, and January BOMs. If you recall, I'm making two identical stockings for each month, swapping one of them with my friend Mary.

November: Gingerbread Girl

Mary will make the gingerbread boy.

December: Selvage Stocking

Mary's stockings will be green selvages.

January: Going Dotty

I'm pumped with accomplishment! Now I've begun a donation quilt. This is one I will stitch and make into a quilted wall hanging to be auctioned in July at Riverside Lutheran Bible Camp's (Story City, Iowa) annual quilt auction. It's the camp's largest fundraiser that annually raises around $50,000 for the camp.

This design is called "Northwood Memories" and comes from Wellington House Designs in Minnesota. The original pattern makes into a 7" X 9" block, but a friend enlarged it to about 10" X 12" so I can use it for the center medallion of my wall quilt. I'm planning to stitch it with DMC #8 perle cotton.
All this on top of spending many hours email-interviewing and working to write an article for the June/July issue of Quilters Newsletter magazine. It's such a blessing to write about something I love, and know a little about. In this instance, the article is about Australian stitcheries, and Australians and an American who stitch them. Hopefully it will give non-bloggers a look into the world of possibilities with stitchery.

I guess that being housebound - due to this week's ice storm - does have its benefits, but those are wearing thin! We're ready for some thawing around here!

Friday Flaunt - One Joseph's Coat Block

Free time this week involved dabbling a little bit in four different projects! Just enough effort on each to make a little progress, but not enough to deem any of it flaunt-worthy.

During last weekend's Hope Quilters retreat (see post below), Kim, Michelle and I spent time fine-tuning our Quilt-Along projects. Kellie Wulfson who's leading this through her blog, makes it look so easy! I can't say that's been my experience thus far, but the three of us are determined to persevere. We compared the shapes of our plastic templates; compared how we're cutting petals pieces from Floriani Stitch N Wash Fusible; inspected one anothers' applique stitches, and decided we're on the right track.

My first, imperfect, Joseph's Coat block is appliqued. It was a good warm-up for getting the hang of gluing the fabric over the petal-shaped Floriani, and learning how to create sharp points.
After trying several glue sticks, I've decided the Elmers Washable School Glue Stick works best for me. The next dozen petals ready to be appliqued have sharper points than my first effort. Practice, and lots of rejected petals, makes perfect.
I hope you'll forgive this long-distance Nana's grandson flaunt. Tay is 3-1/2 months old now. After spending five weeks with him in Sydney, Australia, beginning when he was just three weeks old, now whenever I see him via Skype I yearn to pick him up. He looks so huggable!

Instead I sing and motion "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" song to him. We're also learning sign language together. Tay seems intent as he watches me on the computer screen. We're learning "Nana," "big boy," and "see you."

How ever did we communicate with our children 30 years ago!?

P.S. Friday Flaunt

In my previous blog post I mentioned this weekend's church quilting group retreat at Riverside Lutheran Bible Camp. Well, I couldn't flaunt the item below on Friday because I didn't want to give away my secret before Saturday's retreat.

Retreat-goers will each get a kit to make this travel tray.

It's a very special travel tray because it's made from a custom-printed fabric. The round design is part of our church logo, a circle of four quadrants representing aspects of life in Christ.

The fabric was ordered from Spoonflower. It's an on-line company that allows you to create your own designs, upload them to their website, and order them as fabric. Check it out!

Since I don't have, and am not familiar with graphic design software, a very generous Minnesota graphic artist, Tammy, offered to create what I wanted.

You should see the other beautiful fabrics she's created. You can order her fabrics, and those of other designers, through Spoonflower. How cool is that!?

See more of Tammy's great stuff on her blog www.artalphaadventure.blogspot.com

Thanks, Tammy!

Friday Flaunt - A "Hole-y" Flimsy

This week has mostly been spent making plans for Stitchin' Mission #20 that begins next Tuesday, and this weekend's church quilting group retreat (I'm a co-chair) at Riverside Lutheran Bible Camp in Story City, Iowa.

But, I've managed a little sewing to piece Noah's Ark stitchery blocks for a wall hanging, for baby Tay's bedroom. Thanks to Skype (I couldn't live without it!), I was able to show my daughter a couple block layout possibilities. Between us we worked out this one.

Now it's an almost-complete flimsy (I love using that Aussie word!). Do you like the sashing/border fabric? It's a sort of after-the-storm print with a few weak light rays shining through. I think it nicely compliments the Noah's Ark theme and is a good boy color.

Perhaps you noticed the hole? That blank space right above the lambs and camels? That's where I'll stitch and insert one last block, a rectangle piece with Tay's full name, his date of birth, weight, and place of birth. Then, when the last bits of sashing and borders are sewn, the flimsy will measure 33" X 33".

I like it! That pencil-coloring made all the difference in the looks of this stitchery. I can't imagine how plain it would be without it. Learning how to color and set the color is all thanks to Helen Stubbings whose Colourque technique was the feature of a DVD in issue #39 of .Australian Quilters Companion Good stuff!

Friday Flaunt - Stitchery and 2009 Finished

Happy New Year 2010!

On track to keep my Ten in '10 resolution, this past week I spent every free moment on this Noah's Ark stitchery that I began in early October. It will become a quilt for Tay. Below is the finished large portion of the project, the largest, focal point stitchery. I finished the smaller stitcheries several weeks ago.

As you can see, I colored this piece in the same way I colored the smaller stitcheries. Using Derwent Coloursoft pencils to add depth, some places are fully colored-in, and other places (ark, clouds, and water) are just shaded. I really enjoyed doing this! I felt like a kid with a coloring book.

After coloring, I brush-painted those areas with FolkArt textile medium. It's a clear coat that will protect the colors, making the stitchery and the quilt it will become, washable.

If you're a devotee of anything related to a needle and thread, I hope you're on track for a quilting-filled, stitchery-filled, sewing-filled 2010. There isn't much that's more fun than spending time doing what you love to do - that God has blessed you to be good at and enjoy.

Ecclesiastes 9:7 tells us:

"Seize life! Eat bread with gusto, drink wine with a robust heart. Make quilts, make stitcheries, and sew for all you're worth. Oh yes - God takes pleasure in your pleasure!" (The Message) Italicized words my own.

Hogan adds, and demonstrates so well, "Keep your head down and nose to the grindstone."

Here's wishing you the most blessed, and most productive, 2010 possible. Go with God.

Each Friday, bloggers who belong to Quilting Down Under chat group post a flaunt of their productivity. Visit Cinzia's blog to find links to all 24 Friday Flaunt-ers.