The Stages of Life

Recently,

I have contemplated the stages of life

 as they relate to my quilting endeavors.

First, is the infancy stage...

I am so full of hope and vitality that
I buy multitudes of new patterns and want to make each one.

Just a few in my queue and
I am anxiously awaiting a few more from My Red Door Designs this week.

Then comes middle childhood, where my imagination and creative juices go wild,
 hence working on several projects all at once.

My Garden, by Kathi Campbell of Heart to Hand,
is a new BOM program at The Olde World Quilt Shoppe.

Another Kathi Campbell project, October Garden.

During my adolescence,

I have a great passion for the project and make good progress.

Just the binding to go on this wall hanging,
Home is Best by Norma Whaley of Timeless Traditions Quilts.

Then the project moves into early adulthood where I see it as a responsibility; 

but I want to make my mark,
so I actually finish a few things.

Heart Table Mat, designed by Norma Whaley.

 Flower Baskets, by Lisa Bongean.

Coxcomb Medallion, by Lisa Bongean.

In the midlife of the project,

I start to contemplate whether completing the project will truly enrich my life.

Scrap Basket Blossoms,
from Kim Diehl's book, Simple Applique.
Two of the side borders are quilted, but I doubt I will finish the other two.
I made this quilt while teaching Kim's applique technique.

As a benevolent, mature adult,

I consider donating the project to raise funds for a worthy cause! 

And in those last few years,
I am sure wisdom will help me let go of the projects that just don't matter.

Snowbound

I know...

another new project???  I just could not resist this one!

This is the first block for 

Snowbound,

designed by Pat Wys & BJ Laird.

You can find the pattern here.

Matter of fact, Silver Thimble Quilt Co. is running a Stitch Along, but I am doing my own thing.  This, along with It's a Grand Old Flag, will be my summer projects.  Both projects are a combination of cotton and wool applique.  

And I have good intentions of finishing up a few of those WIPS as well. My granddaughter's picnic quilt will be pieced in the next few days, so there will be one WIP I can take off the list soon!

I'll start piecing together Pennies from Heaven after the last meeting of the BOM group in June.  I am contemplating making it smaller than the original so it will fit on a wall.

A Finish!

Country Whig Rose
designed by Kim Diehl

Yeah, it is officially a finish!

Here are a few closeups of the quilting.

The class I am teaching starts Friday, so done in the nick of time.

I am hand quilting my Abundance quilt, and it isn't turning out as wonderful as I had hoped. My stitches are irregular and my lines are wavy. Inexperienced, but lots of lessons learned. I will share it when it is done.

However, Gathering Garden did perk up after the addition of the some berries.

Giving my fingers a little break, but I should have this one done by the end of the month.

Then I think I will take a break from applique and get back to some machine piecing!

Tackle completing one of my WIPS.

First flimsy of 2013

I have been possessed, but not to worry...no exorcism needed!

My head is not rotating around my neck, 

but my fingers are raw.

My version of Kim Diehl's Country Whig Rose.

Thank you to Lin and Dee at TOWQS for helping me select the perfect fabrics for the inner and outer borders!  I have an appointment with my favorite machine quilter this month, so I stitched morning, noon and night to get this one done in time.  

My blog friend, Mary, over at Quilt Hollow, has a darling little deer who visits her property frequently.

I know there are deer in our neighborhood,

but this is the creature who likes to visit me.

Three javelinas were in my courtyard, nibbling on my camellia early New Year's morning.  By the time I got my camera, they were already headed out.

Hoping your holidays were full of good cheer and that the new year brings you health and happiness.

Me, I am hoping it brings me organization!

Grandpap's Cards

Nothing like a weekend of French Open tennis and broken down internet service to get a small quilt pieced!  I don't have a good inner border fabric in my stash; so unless the LQS has something, Grandpap's Cards will have to wait until I get back to AZ and TOWQS to qualify as a real finish.

I drafted the Crosses and Losses blocks down to 3" and have the perfect spot for it on my bedroom wall.  I also think I will try tea dyeing to make it look even more antique.

On the subject of our LQS here in Pagosa Springs...it is a small cubby in the back of the local Mercantile, where hunting and fishing supplies seem to be the main fare.  The owner still manages to have a fairly good selection and carries mostly Moda fabrics, some reproductions, and a sampling of batiks.

I also spent some time getting block #3 of Autumn Houses done, sans the embroidery.

It still needs a little squirrel in the bottom corner, but I don't have the perfect fabric for that either.  That makes two things to look for at the LQS.  I use the starch and glue prep method for my applique and I am trying out a new archival glue from Jillily Studio called Appli-Glue.  Like it so far, especially the non-clogging tip; but the real test will be to see how water soluble it is.  I always rinse my applique after it is done to loosen and remove the glue.

We have been experiencing heavy smoke in the skies from the fires burning near Alpine in AZ.  I have several friends with cabins in the area and pray they are safe. 

Serendipity Found!

She's back!

You probably cannot appreciate the wonderful quilting; but after I get her bound, I will try a picture outside in the natural light.

The longarm quilter was a miracle worker, but now I am petrified to cut into her.

Maybe by Wednesday I will stop procrastinating and...

JUST DO IT!