Happy Mother's Day

It's been just a few days over a year since my mother passed.  And I think of her a thousand times, especially now that there is a new addition to the family.  But today is to honor mothers and not mourn, so I rejoice in that my baby has her own baby now and is beginning to experience the ups (and downs) of motherhood.

I also celebrate the joy my daughters have brought to my life.   I could make some statement about how they are my 'light', but actually I wanted to show off my Mother's Day present.

 This little Moroccan lantern is one that I had wish listed on Amazon.com.  I had seen similar ones and was really enchanted by them.  So Savvy had one sent to me for Mother's Day.  And it is every bit as pretty as I thought it would be.  Now I want more, in all different colors and shapes. 

I apologize for the slight blurriness of the picture taken with the lights out.  But Texter and I were in my room last night, pouring over patterns and I didn't take the time to get out the tripod to take the picture.  My mother taught me to sew and now Texter is taking an interest in sewing.  She wants to make things for Lady K.  Fortunately, or unfortunately, Texter has caught the fabric bug from me.  I don't think it is curable.  

So to all the mothers out there, past and present....thank you for the job you do and the light you bring to our lives. 

Playing Catchup

I am part of a quilt block exchange group on Facebook.  With the move I have not been getting my blocks out in a timely manner (but I did advise the group this would happen).

Now being in 'quilting land', I have caught up with my blocks.  Most of the group seems to have those "fancy" sewing machines which do embroidery and stitch designs on their blocks.  I decided to stay, for speeds sake, more traditional, and let the fabric speak for the theme of the month.

April's theme was black and white, May's is flowers and to get a little ahead, June's  is books.  I used a really simple and traditional half square triangle for the pattern.  Of the three blocks, I love the fabric in June's the best.

One side is a white background with ravens and pens and writing and bird cages on it.  The other side is a grey background with writing and numbers on it.  The grey was just a fat quarter, but the white side I bought a yard of and plan on doing 'something' with it.  A piece of it, with the raven, will probably go to a friend who is a 'raven maven'.  Maybe a journal cover would be an appropriate use. 

So I am caught up and will be ready to go for July.

Belle Is Complete!

Savvy and her friends are going as the Disney Princesses in every day clothes this year at Animazement.  So during the move, I have been sewing and getting her outfit ready.  Once again we did one of those "send me your measurements" and "what picture am I copying" jobs being anywhere between 2400 and 1700 miles apart.

So "Belle" is finished and in a box, ready to be dropped into priority mail for shipment back to North Carolina, where it will await her arrival next week. 

I did add an extra touch on the apron, which you can't see in the picture.  I stitched, in white, one of the fancy stitches on my simple little Singer sewing machine.  I figured the apron at least can be used for more than just the costume.  Of course, she might use it at work this Halloween too.

But it's done and I'm on to the huge pile of quilts I am wanting to make.  There are a couple of 'Batman' themed ones for Texter first, and then onto some fun ones for me.  Once my stash gets here from North Carolina, there will be 2-3 Asian inspired quilts I will be working on.  And a 'manly' blue and cream quilt for Savvy's significant other.

These days I'm just an old sew-and-sew.

Falls Quilt Guild Quilt Show

Actually, this post could go both in "Montana Life" and "Arts and Fibers", but I decided it needed to be on the 'front page', so to speak.

This past weekend the Falls Quilt Guild held their biennial quilt show.  Of course, since  I am here now, I was thinking they held it in my honor.  So Texter, Lady K and I loaded up last Friday and trooped off to the show.  I took a ton of pictures of the quilts entered in the show and have more than enough ideas running through my head to keep me occupied for the next 10 years (at least).  And once again, I had a chance to check out just how nice everyone here in Montana is.  

Here is the 'haul' from the first day (yep, I went back, but that is another story).  

I picked up two table runners, which will probably be turned into quilts, both from my "favorite" quilt store, Big Sky Quilts.  One is based on log cabin squares set at angles and the other is a spiral.  I will show more in another post when I get started on them.  I also picked up two patterns for quilts, one which will be used on some geisha fabrics I picked up for Savvy.  The other is "Science Fair" and I can see it being used to highlight fabrics.  



This is the finished quilt.  I have never worked with hexes before and purchased a hex ruler also.  But I can see it being used on a collection of fabrics.  Finished size is for a generous lap quilt, which we need a ton of here in Montana.  Those of us with thin blood are suffering a little from 30's one day and snow showers, to 60's and sunny with 60 mile an hour gusts of wind.

I purchased a few books to really upgrade by quilting library.  Actually, I don't have much of a quilting library, but that is changing.  Since the only official quilting lessons I have had were back in the 1980's when it was almost a sin to machine piece the top, not to mention there was no machine quilting being done (without being arrested by the quilt police).  And you had to find heavy plastic to make templates or use cardboard.  There was no strip piecing, no acrylic rulers and all your fabric was from dress making fabrics.  Definitely things have changed and for the better.

Quilts Without Corners and Modern Patchwork I was familiar with from blogs.  I picked up One-Block Wonders because she takes fabric and turns it into a kaleidoscope piece.  With my obsession with mandalas, this was a must.  Material Obsession 2 is a large book (quilting-wise) and has tons of quilts I want to make it in.  Nothing 'traditional' quilts here.

I also picked up a book on totes and purses which Texter was eyeing.  As we have a large piece of Batman-themed fabric, one Batman tote is on the way to Texter shortly.  

But my favorite part of the show was ogling all the finished quilts. I will show more of them later.  Unfortunately, they only verified I HAVE to make a Judy Niemeyer  quilt.  I will have to save my pennies to take a class with her in 2014.  This is a must as she lives in Montana too!  I think it was meant to be.  A quick 4 hour drive to her retreat site.

The top right quilt is not a Niemeyer quilt, but similar in style.  She uses paper-piecing which I have only done for a tiny, tiny bit for a crazy quilt block.  I need to make several Niemeyer quilts actually.  Problem right now is which one to start on.

Back to the Quilts Without Corners, there was one quilt in the show done based on this book.  And the vendor I purchased the book from had done one of the quilts (actually the butterfly one) and set it into a square quilt, which I really, really liked.  

The technique, from what I am reading, might be a little labor intensive on the cutting end, but relatively simple to do.

To prove I am not completely out of my gourd with respect to what I want to stitch, I also liked these to use up scraps.

Just blocks surrounded by a solid and then just plain squares, but produces a really dramatic quilt.  The one on the left was made with Civil War reproduction fabrics.

Then, back in North Carolina and awaiting to be moved to Montana, is a whole stash of Asian fabrics with geishas on them.  I had picked them up to do 'something' for Savvy.  I got some ideas from the show on how to use them and an actual pattern I am going to use for one of them.  I have enough fabric to make 2-3 quilts (well, I will have to get fill in fabric, but have the focus fabric). 

I think the kimono quilt is my favorite and might have to design something similar (and get more fabric!), but the top right one is my second favorite.  

So this is my trip to the quilt show.  Actually, Lady K has a play mat with an arc with toys hanging off it for mental stimulation.  Unfortunately, it also has music and plays a really bad rendering of "I Went to the Animal Fair", so that song has been in my mind this weekend, instead I keep singing "I Went to the Falls Quilt Show".

Now, I have to finish up Savvy's cosplay outfit (about 1/2 done) and then I can play!  I will show off the fabric I purchased at the fair in another posting.  Mainly purples I am getting for a 'purple' quilt.  More later, sewing now!

Mandalas from Saturday

These are a couple of mandalas I created out of a picture of the trout and birch trees I took on Saturday. If you look at my other posting in "From My Camera" you can see the originals.

Birch Tree Mandala

Trout Mandala

Vastness

One thing I have noticed about the area of Montana around the Great Falls area is the feeling of vastness and emptiness.  It is hard to describe the feeling.  Knowing you are just minutes from a large town and yet this incredible feeling of loneliness.   Part of this comes from the fantastic cloud formations we get.

These are scenes from Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge.  Hopefully, you will see what I mean about the vast emptiness.

Pelicans in Montana

I am still trying to wrap my head around sea gulls and pelicans in Montana.  Bison, eagles, yes.  Pelicans....no.

So here is my pelican mandala.

I seem to be getting in a bird and water mode lately with my pictures and mandalas.