Grab a cup of tea and go to the Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival in Japan. These quilts are beyond amazing!! Click on an image to enlarge it and see the slide show. Thank you Del, for the link!
Yesterday it was 76 degrees on the thermometer! Most all of the snow is gone so I went to look and see if the Lenten Rose is blooming but no, some critter had nipped off the shoots! That is supposed to be deer resistant so I hoped that would extend to other creatures as well, but this is the second time it’s happened. It bloomed last year but I had a wire cage around it. The snow drops are blooming though, I know some of you are used to seeing things bloom in Feb., but it’s a big deal for me, here in cold Kansas!
The bird feeders have been extra busy this year, and recently there have been a couple of Carolina Wrens and Purple Finches joining the regulars. They all enjoy the waterfall at the water garden/fish pond and they have been VERY messy. littering the water with seed husks and droppings. I took advantage of the nice weather to vacuum a lot of it out yesterday. The fish should be happy about that!
Now we are back to cold and wintry snow forecasts and we plan to go to the garden show which opens today. Spring really is not so far away.
The past two days have been so busy with other things, I have not sewn a stitch! There is progress though since the last time I posted. As you can see, I’ve gone with the foxglove fabric!
Sometimes I have a name in mind before I even start a piece, sometimes I struggle with finding a name even after it is done. But usually it names itself somewhere along the way….This one wants to be “Foxglove Fairy”!
Yesterday was such a pretty day, 50 degrees in the afternoon, so I HAD to take a walk. The trail through the woods with snow untouched except for a few animal or wild turkey tracks was beautiful, I wish I had taken the camera.
I did some more on the fairy quilt:
I have had this red foxglove fabric for quite some time, purchased it with a certain quilt in mind that is still on the back burner. I may be able to fit some in this piece, though it will drastically change the idea in my head, it does brighten it. Time will tell!
I only had time to work yesterday morning:
I noticed right away that I had colored one breast wrong, thinking that piece was arm! Fixed, it looks better.
A few other changes and a few more fabrics added. It will be good to get some section seams sewn – maybe today?
We did get the snow – about 6 inches. Light compared to areas to the south, but enough to keep me inside and working! I ended up cutting and sewing the binding to the landscape, but still have the handwork to do. Preparing the freezer paper pattern and marking the tic marks for the next pictorial, and pulling more fabric took the rest of the day.
The next theme for the Topeka Art Guild Gallery is “Imagine” so I thought what better to imagine than another fairy? I had a look at my “Fairies In My Garden” pattern which was also my inspiration for “Don’t Piss Off The Fairies”. It’s an applique pattern but I enjoy adapting it to piecing.
I’m working at about 42 x 44 inches so as to finish at at least 40″ which is the size needed for some of the competitions.
Here’s the beginning:
I like to get the eyes in early but this time I started with the hair. I had pulled several choices but his one turned out to be perfect. It’s hard to know for sure until the pattern is prepared so you know the scale. I needed the hair to make the decision on eye color and eyebrows and lashes.
The pissed off fairy was blond with green eyes and a greenish cast to her skin. I wanted this one to have blue eyes but this batik with blue shading to green appealed to me. After the central face seam is sewn I will add the dark irises to the eyes with Pigma pen. I hope that will make her expression softer, as I don’t want to be known for only angry fairies!
Click on the “fairies” tag to see “Don’t Piss Off The Fairies”.
Yesterday I managed to get all of the shopping and errands done, plus met Mary for lunch and a movie – “The King’s Speech”. It was good and I imagine it will win awards.
Before I left I pulled fabrics for the next piece, can’t wait to get started today. This is the exciting time – before the frustrations set in!
The predicted snow has not yet arrived but it is coming! I have an order to get shipped before it does, so that is next, then I can play!!
Saturday I wanted to bind the landscape but couldn’t get to my fabric for all of the stored furniture in front of it so we spent much of the day moving things back to the living room instead.
You can’t imagine the grout dust all over everything!! I’ve had to dust, vacuum or wipe down every surface, both horizontal and vertical, and every item before setting it in place. Even the insides of cabinets is covered, as well as the walls and woodwork. Even the clothes inside my closet with the doors closed will need to be washed!
Bright side: Spring cleaning will be done early this year!
We are expecting another storm tomorrow so I need to get into town today to ship “Spring Encounter” to the Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival in case I can’t get out tomorrow. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been shopping, with all of the snow we’ve had. It will be good to get out again! Maybe tomorrow I can sew.
The floors are finished and they look good! It’s been a long haul but it was worth it. We need to give it 24 hours and then we can start moving back in. Can’t wait!!!
Also, yesterday I trimmed the new wall hanging and it is ready to bind, so soon that will be finished, too. Things are looking up!
It’s already February! What happened to January? We are in the midst of a blizzard, snowing and blowing and bitterly cold on top of yesterday’s ice it is treacherous out there with 5-10 ” expected.
The tile men did come yesterday to work on the floor, but I hope they don’t try to come today. Our dead end road may very likely drift closed and I sure don’t want them to have to spend the night!!
Yesterday’s mail brought an acceptance letter from the Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival in VA for “Spring Encounter”, three for three so far this year!!
