Archive for April, 2010

Quilting the Longhorn-Denver Award

Friday, April 30th, 2010

I’ve been quilting off and on all week and have the piece less than half finished. As usual I am putting an insane amount of quilting on it.

It is still in the machine so I had to get close to snap this photo which seemed a little washed out so I adjusted the intensity and don’t know how accurate it will look on other monitors.

The dishwasher decided to die and the repair man said it would be cheaper to buy a new one than to repair it so that entailed a couple of trips to town. My appliances are Bisque – decisions, decisions – upgrade to Stainless? Our kitchen is small and dark so we decided to stay with Bisque. The salesman said some companies are phasing out Bisque, so we decided to go ahead and get a new refrigerator too while we still could. Probably should replace the stove soon as well! Then we should be good to go for another 10 years which unfortunately seems to be the predicted life span of new appliances these days.

I’m running out of Coneflowers patterns, so had to take the time to update that and get it to the printer – that’s a couple of hours trip – and today we have to go and pick them up. So it’s been a crazy week and again today I will not get to quilt very much.

Mon Grand Pere is showing at Denver National and won second place in the wall hangings! The two quilts arrived home yesterday in good shape from AQS along with the ribbon from Lancaster. No judge’s comments, which may come separately.

Busy Weekend

Monday, April 26th, 2010

It’s been a busy weekend, starting Friday afternoon with a trip to Lawrence to deliver quilts for the Kaw Valley Guild show. That’s over 90 miles, round trip.

Then Saturday I taught a Coneflowers workshop. I always look forward to the workshops as there are always enthusiastic students excited to learn a new technique! After that, a nice visit with a hospitalized friend before heading home to unload the workshop stuff and crash.

Sunday afternoon, back to Lawrence to see the show, shop the vendors and collect the quilts to return home. It was a lovely show with lots of interesting props reflecting quilting over the past century or so, numerous vendors where I spent more than expected and a silent auction and boutique to tempt more spending! Not to mention a wonderful array of quilts from antique to brand new. I have not been able to show there, or even attend the last few years due to my busy schedule so it was fun to be there once again. I showed “Watermelon Wine”, “Bittersweet Memories” and “Lazy Afternoon”.

Between these activities and rain showers I’ve fitted in some weeding which is getting out of hand with all of the rain lately – but the moist earth makes weeding easier so it’s a mixed blessing. As I get the weeds out I apply the Preen mulch and cross my fingers that it will help!

I hope to get started on quilting the Longhorn piece very soon and have been doing a little on-line research as to how the growth lines appear on the horns. Around and around apparently, as opposed to linear.

Longhorn Top Finished

Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

It took all day, but the top is done and the paper is removed, ready to layer and quilt.

This is a scene that I saw driving to Arkansas last summer. My camera was not handy enough to grab a photo – really, it was only a second in time- so even if the camera had been already in my hand, the moment would have been past. So this is from a sketch from memory, and captures the scene as I remember it.

I had been searching for a speckled fabric for the Longhorn for awhile, even bought a piece of hand dyed  in Lancaster but the one I ended up using was already in my stash! A combination of 5 or 6 different fabrics make up the water.

At this point the piece measures 51 X 36″. I’m having a hard time coming up with a name and decided to read Prairyerth for inspiration – nothing yet!

New Work

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

In looking back over the month’s entries, I see that I started this piece I am working on now, on the third of April. I felt like it was going slow, but less than three weeks working part time is not so bad. I think I will finish the top today! Then I will show it to you, so stay tuned!!

Chicago and Stuff

Saturday, April 17th, 2010

The Chicago show is on now and you can go here to see pictures. Click on Exhibits in the side bar. All of the entries for “Celebrate Spring” are shown with the winners noted. Nothing for “Spring Burning” this time around, but it looks like a nice show!

Meanwhile, I got the books to a point where I could do the sales tax yesterday, planted four azaleas (Conversation Piece) and worked some more on the Houston entry.

I’ve never had good luck with azaleas, but these were on sale for a good price and healthy looking, and now that I have a shade garden I thought it was worth a try.

SAQA Journal

Thursday, April 15th, 2010

The Spring issue of the SAQA Journal has arrived and it contains a wonderful article about Del and The Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection, entitled “Growing a Contemporary Quilt Collection”. Congratulations, Del, on the nice article and the recognition!

I am happy to say that the collection owns several quilts by me and one of them, “Early Birds” is pictured in the article!

Also in this issue is a photo of “Burlingame Fire” in the Members Gallery of Pieced Quilts!

Nature

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

The wild violets are blooming,

The redbuds are out,

There should be mushrooms in the woods, but we haven’t found them yet!

Thin Envelope

Monday, April 12th, 2010

I’ve made good progress on the new piece in spite of only having had maybe two days of uninterrupted work on it. I’m at an impasse though right now- not being happy with any of the choices at hand for background. Today with a fresh eye, I will revisit the stash and hope I will not have to shop elsewhere.

Saturday’s mail brought a thin envelope from AQS and the sinking feeling that my entry had been rejected – but NO! – my last entry was the fawn quilt and it is already gone for Paducah. The envelope contained my prize money check for Burlingame Fire at Lancaster. Now that’s a good kind of thin envelope!! (For those of you who are not entering shows – no one wants the thin envelop that only contains a rejection letter; the desired envelope is the one that contains all of the paperwork of acceptance, shipping instructions and a contestant’s ribbon usually. The FAT envelope!)

Spring!

Thursday, April 8th, 2010

This is an amazing time of year for a gardener! Everyday brings new surprises. The weather changes from day to day, sometimes hour to hour. We’ve had temps from 80 to below freezing in the last week. Some plants thrive on it, others suffer and get set back a bit.

The daffodils don’t mind at all, they love the cold. I can’t remember the name of these pink ones. I also have white Mt Hoods and cheery yellow ones blooming in different beds.

The Hellebore White Lady that I planted last year is doing great, eight blooms! The 80 degree days took a toll but I think they will only get better with time. As I understand it, they spread and that’s my kind of plant!!

This is a view of the lower pasture through the ornamental pear tree. Spring burning makes for lush green grass.

Program Trip

Wednesday, April 7th, 2010

Yesterday I went to the Blue Valley Quilt Guild in Overland Park, KS to do a program; I love to go places that are close enough to drive because I can bring plenty of quilts to show. It was a nice group and they seemed to really enjoy seeing the quilts. Driving home, I was heading right into threatening weather, hoping to beat it and nearly succeeding. The weatherman on the radio said there was quarter sized hail pretty close to where I was heading but I didn’t run into rain until about the last 5 miles and the hail only started as I was in my own driveway! My lucky day! I took a few pictures of the interesting sky, but DUH–I didn’t take the lens cover off!!

Most of Monday was spent getting the quilts sorted and packed along with the patterns and other things that need to go along on these trips and today will be taken up with putting everything away and doing the accounting and paperwork.

I’m itching to get really started on the new piece!!