A Funny

I am a part of a Flickr quilt block swap called Scrapbusters.  You use your scraps and project leftovers to put together true scrap quilts (as opposed to those where specific fabric is purchased to achieve a scrappy looks.)  Here are some of the blocks I made:

(personally, I thought they were really ugly, lol!)

I made 30 blocks to share (16" blocks cut into 4-8" parts) so I was to receive 30 different ones back from the other participants.  I get focused on the 'making' or my part and forget that there will be a return prize.

This is the first I have participated in this kind of swap where I was to receive more than one block at a time.  When I got the mail and there were 30 (THIRTY!) blocks in it, I couldn't wait to see what they looked like together.

I posted them on my design board.  As with most scrap patchwork, some of the individual parts were just plain ol' ugly, but together they are lovely! (suppose there are any metaphors for life there?)

I put the blocks on point.  The layout I chose didn't require a lot of thought of how to place then when piecing.  So, I grabbed up a row and started sewing.  By the evening, I was almost finished piecing!  As I sewed, I started thinking about how I would quilt the piece.  I decided not to make a true quilt, but one I could make quickly and easily by myself.  I would put a backing on it, stitch it together a little and use it for a picnic tablecloth.

By the time 24 hours had passed since receiving them, the blocks were transformed into a tablecloth and it was finished!

i thought it looked like a kite or many kites

while positioning the quilt, i noted how it looked a little like
stained glass from the back so i took that pic too

Here's the funny part: I thought I had gotten a nice shot of the quilt blowing in the wind, but somehow other photographers on Flickr did too.  Late last night, they started leaving nice comments about the picture.  I got invited to add my pic to a group called "The Gallery of Fin Art and Images."  This morning when I got up, there were notes saying, "Congrats on Explore!"

Whu?  One commenter was kind enough to include a link to this "Explore."  Apparently it's some recognition forum for photographers.  My serendipitously crisp shot from my $100 craptastic Kodak One Shot has gone viral, bahahaha!  Not really, but you get the gist. 

SWAP-A-LICIOUS!
(OR Overcommited, depending on how you look at it)

In January, I signed up for FTLOS2 and Hoop Up! swaps I wrote about below. After I threw my name in for those two, I was asked to join the Doll Quilt swap AND there was the Nubees monthly quilt block swap I forgot I had signed up for.

I confess I panicked for a minute when I realized what I had done.  I had a lot of projects to pull together, as well as a long list of deadlines to keep straight. UGH!  Being an 'early retirement' person and empty-nester, I live a pretty unstructured life.  I have a lot of flexibility.

This is my Mod Mood quilt I was working on when all of this started.  

It just needs hand quilting but has been shelved for a bit.

I decided that--though a bit challenging to order--getting the deadlines lined up on my calendar would be a good thing.  The slight fear of missing the deadlines would keep me on task to finish up these projects on time, and perhaps early.  At least most of the deadlines were a couple of months out.

I made this for a quilt for Alyssa, thinking I might make it for the NuBees swap.  

It proved too stressful to make 6 like this, but will be fine for Alyssa's quilt

After I sifted through all of these details, I told Byron what I had done.  As I was talking to him, I remembered the ATC (artist trading cards) and ALFALC monthly swaps I had in addition to these new sign-ups.  That was a total of SIX SWAPS in the next weeks and months, YIKES!

ATC and ALFALC swaps have been going on for months, so they are part of my routine.  I jumped on the Nubees block, since that was my next deadline.  Here are those, with 3/4 of a month to spare...CHECK!:





(oops, the last one 'spins' a different way than the others!)

Then I started working on the FTLOS2, which is a large and small project. I am making a tote bag and a wallhanging.  Here's a pic of the embroidery that goes on the totebag and the design for the wallhanging.  It's still in process, but I have until March 10 to finish:

Shhh! It's a pic of my secret partners hometown!

I got really excited for the Doll Quilt Swap (DQS12.) While we were waiting for partner assignments, we were challenged to make a polka dot pig mug rug for a contest... CHECK!

When I got my partner, I was rather obssessed and the small 18" quilt is done...CHECK! I have to wait until the middle of March to mail so I get to look at it for a month:

"Time Squared"-- four New York beauties lit up.  Shhh!  Another secret swap

Since I didn't have anything to do... nah, I felt bad for a couple of days and couldn't machine sew, therefore, I embroidered.  I sewed these freaky trees from Urban Threads:

Somewhere in here, I mailed the ALFALC package off... CHECK!

I got an email to participate in making some small baby quilt blocks.  Fortunately, the tutorial was good and the blocks were easy... CHECK!:

I have yet to start on the Hoop Up! embroidery.  I have two partners am to make a design for--I am waiting for their fabric to stitch on for them to arrive in the mail.  Here's the design I made to give my partners and idea of what to make for me:

It's kinda wild, eh?  I modeled it after Takashi Iwasaki's designs... CHECK!

I'll make the ATC today (that's easy!)  My big projects that are left are the two FTLOS2 items.  I might start assembling the totebag today.  Here's a pic of the wallhanging I am making (not sure whether I am going to TRY to paper-piece or just do raw-edge applique:

At some point, I should stop to organize, stow and regroup in my studio--it kinda looks like a bomb went off in here!  Maybe I will take some time off when all these things are checked off... CHECK!

whew...

FAB SWAP OP!
(Two more days to sign up)

Last summer I participated in Round 1 of For the Love of Solids quilt project swap at Flickr.  When I signed up, I was anxious for a couple of reasons.  I was new to the whole Flickr swap thing and I am such a print junkie and use very little solid colored fabric.

I wasn't sure about my ability to successfully make a project that was 1-made of only solid colored fabrics and 2-do my own straight-line quilting.  I still feel a little lacking, but I am learning.  That's what counts, right?

And I have learned so much about color and values because I am stretched to use colors only and not patterns.  This swap was so. much. fun!

So, if you want to join in on the fun, you still have a day or so left to sign up.  If you have questions, leave me a comment or email me and I will try to help get you on board.

Here are some pics:

the mosaic wallhanging i made for my swap partner
(we make 2 items, this is the large one)

a "buttercup bag" i made for my partner
(the 2nd item, which was a small item)

i received this wallhanging from my partner

this is my 2nd item and other goodies received

this is my inspiration mosaic for Round 2

C'mon!  Join in the fun! 

Blockheadz Block Stories

For me, the most fun thing about running the BlockheadZ quilt block swap was seeing all of the creativity of the members.  Some girl's blocks were traditional and some were modern.  There were a couple of interesting notes:

Carrie said she felt lazy with her project so she sent out various squares from a layer cake and asked the girls to make "quilter's choice blocks" (whatever two blocks they chose.)  Again, the variety was fun:

(the colors really match, 

they just look different due to various cameras)

Jennifer has us make star blocks for a quilt for her first child who is on the way.  What fun to be part of a baby's first quilt!

Jennifer made these star blocks for our examples

(she has added the border in these)

What fun prints!

Jenny G. sent fabric and simply said to make wonky stars, adding however many we chose to our 12" blocks

Here is a mosaic sample of the everyone's various blocks. FYI, the first pic on the top row is Lara's blocks where she almost has her top finished!

Blockheadz Wrap Up

All the BlockheadZ girls have had their turn and made their blocks in our block swap at Flickr.  We were small, but it was a fun swap (I also learned a lot about being a swap mom!)

I promised drawing for a quilt kit, given to one of the gals who completed the swap.  Here are the numbered names:

1. Heather
2. Lara
3. Anita
4. Jenny
5. Carrie
6. Patricia
7. Jennifer

And the winner is... (drum roll, please!)

#5 Carrie G! Congrats, Carrie, your kit goes in the mail today!

For the Love of Solids
(a modern swap)

UPDATE: There are still spaces available, if you are interested in joining up!
There's a new Flickr swap open for membership. The swap is two projects, but you only have to make the large project (tablerunner, wallhanging, etc.) from only solid colored fabrics. Sign up for this round is June 13 but you can already join the group.

While looking for inspiration on Flickr, I found this great 9-patch variation:

Here's my inspiration mosaic for this swap:

I'm excited for the new venture and to meet a another far away quilter friend. The sign up for this round is July 13.  Hurry over because there are over 50 new members and there will only be 100 slots in the swap.  Be there or be square! :D

Bullet Blog



Tractors, travel trailers, trucks and trains!

Hitting highlights:

• 4th Fun and Byron's birthday: baseball game, rain delay until 9p, firewerx after game and after midnite, home around 1a.
• Took all day to recoup yesterday, lol!
• I have SO much to do... pulled out UFO's yesterday
• Finished a UFO baby quilt top (not perfect, but done)
• Granddaddy's 'transportation' quilt top is 2 seams from done!
• Also finished the baby painting.
• I'll get to use Kim's longarm AGAIN in August (I might get good at this!)
• Drawing and learning Zentangles like a fiend.  I am smitten again! (blog about them is next.) 

  Slumbering August

  
• Need new Sakura markers for Zentangles.
• New partner for ALFALC is Megan.  What a fun swap, I can't wait to get started putting things together!
• Found this fab tutorial from Megan: Toiletry Bag made w/ oilcloth
• BlockheadZ is going along smoothly.  Let me know if you'd like to join us in the fall!
• Off to finish Blockheadz blocks for Anita and Jenny.
• OMG, Jeffrey is getting married... on Thursday (I've know him since he was 6 y-o.  Doesn't seem possible for him to be a married man!)

ZENTANGLES!  These designs are formed by "mookas"



Chocolate?
Fabric?

It's time again to sign up for the Flickr group swap called A Little Fabric, A Little Chocolate. 

If you are interested in swapping a few FQ's and some chocolate with another friend you don't know yet, sign up here,  YOU HAVE TO SIGN UP BY 7/2!!

This are the goodies received from Junebug in May

ATC's
Artist Trading Cards

Isn't this beautiful?  I received this beauty from Mandy in Surrey, England.  She does lovely work. 

And here is the ATC that I sent to Becky. 

I'm loving this ATC swap so far.  It's one item per month, though I might make others just because I can. :) 

If you don't know what an ATC is, go here.

Quilt Show and Art Cards

The Quilt Symposium in Raleigh was just a guild show (we somehow thought it was a statewide show) but it was great fun.  The best was meeting Anita and Diana.  Here are some of the highlights and my fave quilts.

These first pics are of the quilt that was BEST OF SHOW.  It's so big, I couldn't get back far enough to  photograph the whole thing (sorry the description is blurry--phone cam!):





 This quilt has a great story:



The girls: Diana, me and Anita. 

You can see the rest of my quilt show pictures at my Picasa Album.

I just joined an Artist Trading Card Swap.  Our swap is online at StitchTalk.  It's such a good idea to share a little of one's art with others.  Here is what they are. 

"Artist Trading Card (ATC's) are miniature works of art created on 2 ½ x 3 ½ inch card stock.

"They are originals, small editions and, most importantly, self-produced. anybody can produce them.  The idea is that you trade them with other people who produce cards, either at TRADING SESSIONS or wherever you meet another ATC trader in person.

"The main purpose of this performance is the trading session and the personal meeting.   It's not about money: participants in trading sessions and editions should not be charged any money: the point of the project is the exchange of cards as well as personal experience.

"There are monthly TRADING SESSIONS at different places (zurich, calgary etc. see EVENTS) and you can start your own Trading Session wherever you live.

"The project was initiated in 1997 by zurich artist m.vänçi stirnemann. since then several hundred people from all over the world have traded ATCs during TRADING SESSIONS (see GALLERY), through mail or by participating in COPY-LEFT EDITIONS and SISTER TRADING CARDS (STC)."

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

I got my ALFALC Swap goodies from June today. 

Isn't this the cutest fabric ever?  I *love* the mermaids!!!

Look at all this loot, heh!  We are suppose to make our partner feel special.  Well, I do!  Besides fabric and chocolates, there's extra fabric, thread, 2 patterns, AND a handmade rainbow purse and a handmade card...  AND everything is my fave colors and rainbows (we both heart rainbows!)  THANK YOU, JUNE! :D

Quick Update

Over the weekend, Byron and I went on a day trip to Raleigh.  First we visited the NC Museum of Art.  It's been completely revamped since we were there last.  If you haven't been, the new display area is amazing!  You won't believe how light, pretty and airy it is.  There are also several fairly new permanent exhibits.

Silly Byron appearing to swing on
the 30ft. tall stainless steel tree at the museum

We also visited The Durham Arts Council Art Quilt Show.  In between stops, I popped into Thimble Pleasures.  What an incredible quilt shop--lots of modern fabrics, as well as super, trendy staples.  I'll be returning when I have more time and money.

It was a fun day.  We always enjoy our state capitol.  I took lots of pictures and will post more them as soon as I get them ready to upload. 

"A Little Fabric, A Little Chocolate" Swap will  be finishing up for the month of May soon. I'm working on one last thing for my partner, June.  She got excited to give mine, so she put it in the mail already, LOL!  I am also excited to get it!

Sneak Preview of June's ALFALC Package =]

I just got notification that the Mug Rug Swap Adventure has begun.  FYI, a mug rug is sort of like a coaster, but it's quilted, rectagular having enough room for a snack as well as beverage.  Swap partners are secret, so don't tell! ;)  I started working on the project today.  If you want to know more about the swap, you can look at the photo album for the group here.

My WiPs: I am working on getting BlockheadZ orange blocks made for Lara and putting my packets together to mail May 27 for my part in the swap.  Also still embroidering... and handsewing hexies.