Last Thursday she brought them to me and I have been loving them!!! No more cold tootsies.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010, Warmth for cold feet!
I mentioned at quilt group one night that no matter how tired I am after work, if my feet are cold, I can't sleep. I always have to wear socks to bed. So, my sweet friend Diane said she has been on a kick knitting wool socks and she would make me a pair. 
Last Thursday she brought them to me and I have been loving them!!! No more cold tootsies.
Last Thursday she brought them to me and I have been loving them!!! No more cold tootsies.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Thursday, February 18th, Sorting this enormous gift
Back on November 16th, I talked about my co-worker's mother-in-law who passed away and said that she wanted me to have her stash. Well, with some other things that happened, it looked like I would only get some items and some books. Then it turned into all of the books, and last week it turned into the entire stash.
Chuck and I picked it up on Tuesday. I totally underestimated the enormity of this gift. We filled the van to the ceiling and Chuck unloaded it yesterday, so when I got home from the workshop, it was all in the basement awaiting me. It is so much stuff that I can only take it in small increments.
So I unpack a box or a bag a day and sort by color or type. It's a good thing that basically I am the only one that uses the basement, because I am running out of places to sit down there.
So I will take you on a little tour of my sorting:
This didn't need to be sorted, but it is the first thing you see when you come down the steps. It is a Horn sewing table. I had been eyeing one at Libertyville Sewing center before they closed, but they were way too pricey. Chuck didn't believe me that this particular model sells for slightly under $1000.00, but when I found it on the Internet, the MSRP is $788.00. It is truly wonderful and there is no more jiggling under me as I sew. As you can see, I have already started using it as I am in project finish mode at the present. I love that I can make the sewing area level with the table top. I think that will help with the pain I have right under my left shoulder blade.
Next on our tour is the couch sorting area. Here we have fabrics with "bling", novelty fabrics and Christmas fabrics. On the table are yellows, grays, blacks, greens and blues. 
The Foosball table is still against the wall both from project day in November and from Thanksgiving when I had a basement full of sleeping people. The large ironing surface that I had already gotten fits perfectly on top and here you will see neutrals, browns, thread, (which I am not nearly finished sorting and multicolors which still need a place.
Next, there is my old sewing table covered with orangey browns and marbles. My cutting table has solids and reds. Under the cutting table are all of the cuts that are 4 yards or greater. I am having Joanne's and the local quilt shop save the cardboard inserts from bolts of fabric so I can re roll them. 
Then we get to the areas that haven't been sorted yet. On the desk and next to it on the floor are tons of notions, triangle paper, foundation papers, sketch pads, thread, starch, basting sprays, etc. I sewed a binding down last night at quilt group and I know that there are binding clips in this mess somewhere, but yesterday, danged if I couldn't find them!!
This is the area that all of the fabric comes from. I still have two huge boxes, a Rubbermaid container and about three more bags to sort. Like I said, a bite at a time!! All of the batiks, hand dyes, Asian and brights are going on the day bed to be sorted later. That was what she loved the most, so that is the largest chunk to sort. You can see the Rubbermaid containers that are flipped over with the lids on top and all of the books....those are the books that I have deemed "give aways". But every time I go through them, I find more that I want to keep.
I also found several projects that she had started, so I am putting those in my finish pile. One of them will be perfect for Deb and Stewart.
Chuck and I picked it up on Tuesday. I totally underestimated the enormity of this gift. We filled the van to the ceiling and Chuck unloaded it yesterday, so when I got home from the workshop, it was all in the basement awaiting me. It is so much stuff that I can only take it in small increments.
So I unpack a box or a bag a day and sort by color or type. It's a good thing that basically I am the only one that uses the basement, because I am running out of places to sit down there.
So I will take you on a little tour of my sorting:
This didn't need to be sorted, but it is the first thing you see when you come down the steps. It is a Horn sewing table. I had been eyeing one at Libertyville Sewing center before they closed, but they were way too pricey. Chuck didn't believe me that this particular model sells for slightly under $1000.00, but when I found it on the Internet, the MSRP is $788.00. It is truly wonderful and there is no more jiggling under me as I sew. As you can see, I have already started using it as I am in project finish mode at the present. I love that I can make the sewing area level with the table top. I think that will help with the pain I have right under my left shoulder blade.
Next on our tour is the couch sorting area. Here we have fabrics with "bling", novelty fabrics and Christmas fabrics. On the table are yellows, grays, blacks, greens and blues. 
The Foosball table is still against the wall both from project day in November and from Thanksgiving when I had a basement full of sleeping people. The large ironing surface that I had already gotten fits perfectly on top and here you will see neutrals, browns, thread, (which I am not nearly finished sorting and multicolors which still need a place.
Next, there is my old sewing table covered with orangey browns and marbles. My cutting table has solids and reds. Under the cutting table are all of the cuts that are 4 yards or greater. I am having Joanne's and the local quilt shop save the cardboard inserts from bolts of fabric so I can re roll them. 
Then we get to the areas that haven't been sorted yet. On the desk and next to it on the floor are tons of notions, triangle paper, foundation papers, sketch pads, thread, starch, basting sprays, etc. I sewed a binding down last night at quilt group and I know that there are binding clips in this mess somewhere, but yesterday, danged if I couldn't find them!!
This is the area that all of the fabric comes from. I still have two huge boxes, a Rubbermaid container and about three more bags to sort. Like I said, a bite at a time!! All of the batiks, hand dyes, Asian and brights are going on the day bed to be sorted later. That was what she loved the most, so that is the largest chunk to sort. You can see the Rubbermaid containers that are flipped over with the lids on top and all of the books....those are the books that I have deemed "give aways". But every time I go through them, I find more that I want to keep.I also found several projects that she had started, so I am putting those in my finish pile. One of them will be perfect for Deb and Stewart.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Wednesday, February 17th, A fun workshop
Celia and I have been looking forward to the workshop with Robbie Joy Eklow for months now. Celia used to subscribe to Quilting Arts magazine and Robbie writes a column for them. Also, the fact that Celia is an art quilter far more than I am increased the excitement factor. I wanted to take it to connect with her as her son Josh and Catie were in school together from Kindergarten through Senior year of high school and Josh was a friend of Catie's. Her work is phenomenal, which can be viewed at www.robbieeklow.com. You would think that because it is just fusing, that it would be easy, but we found it is very challenging!! Not a whole lot got accomplished in the 7 hour workshop, but we laughed quite a bit because she should have been a stand up comedian!!! Oh, and by the way, the neck brace is because she just had cervical spine surgery three weeks ago and she has to wear it kind of like a cast for the next three weeks.
Sunday, February 14th, Smooches and hugs for V. Day!
Chuck was out of town Friday and Saturday and I am working all weekend, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, so there is no Valentine's Day celebration in this house. We did exchange cards and gifts. I guess after 28 years together, we are starting to think alike. I got him homemade truffles from a local chocolate shop and he got me Ghiradelli chocolates. But even more than the fact that we got each other chocolates were the cards that we exchanged:
His to me is on the left, mine to him is on the right....see any similarities????
His to me is on the left, mine to him is on the right....see any similarities????
Saturday, February 13th, A family reunion for Norma's homegoing.
Dad's cousin Norma died this week after a long battle with lung issues. She had whooping cough as a child and at that time, they removed part of her lung. In the past 5 or so years, she has been in and out of the hospital and nursing homes with every complication imaginable. On Tuesday night, her body had had enough.
It was a wonderful celebration of a life well lived and honoring to God and her family.
Since the funeral was in Lockport, on my way home I took a small detour and went to the quilt shop in Downer's Grove that Denise owns. She was the crazy one that was at retreat last weekend. You should have seen her face when I walked in!! She screamed really loud and all of the customers were in a bit of shock that she should display such behavior. She said, "I knew you were going to come and visit me, but I just saw you on Monday!!".
It's a really cute shop, but very small and packed to the ceiling with fabric!!! I must go back there with Celia and Beryl sometime.
Friday, February 12th, An art show
My neighbor Tracy, who is a professor of African American Studies at Northwestern University was asked to put together an art show showcasing the works of AfriCOBRA.
The following explains AfriCOBRA much better than I could:
In Chicago 1968, a group of artists came together and began to define a uniquely black aesthetic in visual arts. They sought to make art that spoke directly to the needs, aspirations and experiences of black America, and that celebrated what was beautiful and heroic about black culture. The seed of what would become the AfriCOBRA collective was planted at the “Wall of Respect,” a mural on a Chicago building that depicted black heroes and leaders. The wall became both a meeting place and the community’s visual affirmation of African American cultural, intellectual and political heritage.See AfriCOBRA art and watch videos on the AfriCOBRA.
I went to the opening of the show at Tracy's invitation and was blown away by the beautiful colors and images. All of the pieces in the show are owned by an art dealer in Chicago. Unfortunately, with all that I had to do today, I was too late for the lecture.
Enjoy the following, which in photographs, does not do it justice.
This was the image on the postcard invitation, "Queen Candace". The colors are so vibrant and the angles so pronounced that I thought it was a quilt. It is all dots of color.
The gentleman on the right of the piece which is fiber, is the artist.
This is called "Hip Hop dancers".
If you have a chance to see it, I think it will be there until mid March. It is in the Dittmer Gallery in the University student center. (and tucked behind the Starbucks)
The following explains AfriCOBRA much better than I could:
In Chicago 1968, a group of artists came together and began to define a uniquely black aesthetic in visual arts. They sought to make art that spoke directly to the needs, aspirations and experiences of black America, and that celebrated what was beautiful and heroic about black culture. The seed of what would become the AfriCOBRA collective was planted at the “Wall of Respect,” a mural on a Chicago building that depicted black heroes and leaders. The wall became both a meeting place and the community’s visual affirmation of African American cultural, intellectual and political heritage.See AfriCOBRA art and watch videos on the AfriCOBRA.
I went to the opening of the show at Tracy's invitation and was blown away by the beautiful colors and images. All of the pieces in the show are owned by an art dealer in Chicago. Unfortunately, with all that I had to do today, I was too late for the lecture.
Enjoy the following, which in photographs, does not do it justice.
This was the image on the postcard invitation, "Queen Candace". The colors are so vibrant and the angles so pronounced that I thought it was a quilt. It is all dots of color.
The gentleman on the right of the piece which is fiber, is the artist.
This is called "Hip Hop dancers".
If you have a chance to see it, I think it will be there until mid March. It is in the Dittmer Gallery in the University student center. (and tucked behind the Starbucks)
Tuesday, February 9th, While she is away.
As I may or may not have said, Candice is now living downtown Chicago while she is doing her internship. She has never had much luck with plants, especially in a dorm room as there have been many disasters, like flying pillows, lack of moisture, lack of or too much light....but when she moved back home in December, she brought home her orchid, which had the promise of a bloom. Well, today, while cleaning her room, I was rewarded with a lovely show....
There are at least 6 more buds ready to pop. Come home Candice, so you can see it.....and your momma, too!!!
There are at least 6 more buds ready to pop. Come home Candice, so you can see it.....and your momma, too!!!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Monday, February 8th, another successful retreat
This was my 6th time to go to quilt retreat and every time I come home, I say it was the best one yet!!! We always go the day before and this year Celia and I decided to stay an extra day at the end. I never thought I would say it, but I am a little tired of sewing at this point. But, upon taking a serious inventory of active projects, things that need to be quilted and what I want to do, I better get at it if I want to start anything new. I spent quite a bit of time piecing this time and only saw two projects to a level of near completion. One of the things I worked on is a Bonnie Hunter scrappy quilt and the majority of Saturday was spent making 104-4 inch blocks. We adopted a new friend from guild this time and she fits right in with our silliness! Between sewing, laughing and eating, the weekend is very exhausting!!
The fabulous group!! There were 6 in our group, 7 from Downer's Grove, (new friends for us) and 4 ladies that we have been with at retreat in the past. We all got along great, which makes for great times!
We shop hopped on the way up and back, which I always love.
These are my purchases. The poinsettia fabric is for the backing for the Christmas quilt. I got it at 60% off and I finished the bolt!!
My "big" purchase was this thimble for hand quilting:
After using on Sunday night, I decided it was too big, so Celia and I stopped at Millhouse Quilts in Waunakee on the way home for me to exchange it for a smaller size.
On Saturday, Jenet, Celia and I took a break from sewing and went to Reedsburg to Quintessential Quilts. It has traditionally been the "destination" shop, but it has severely declined since we were last there. The shop samples are exactly the same as a year ago and there is absolutely no new fabric. So, to kill time while Jenet was shopping, Celia and I had an ugliest fabric contest in the "blue and green" room and Jenet was the judge. As you can plainly see from the picture, I definitely won!! I am reminding Celia of this every chance I can!!
I made this cute table topper for Valentine's day:
Also, I pieced this top, which has quite a bit more hand work to do before it gets layered and quilted:
Some of the show and tell from the weekend:
Pat and Marlene tend to make the same or similar quilts while at retreat. I got this pattern from them, because I love the scrappiness!!
Kathy, aka the General, got a ton done...she pieced two tops and quilted the above top for a wedding gift for next weekend.
Deb, aka the Admiral, pieced three tops which were all happy and bright!
Jenet, our first time, but not last time retreater worked on some little projects and showed this incredible Grandmother's Flower Garden that she has pieced from actual feed sacks that she bought at antique shops and flea markets. 
Enid worked on a very complicated Batik quilt the whole weekend and showed this cute snowman wall hanging.
Celia paper pieced this stunner! Aren't the colors incredible?
Ann only quilts at retreat and this king size quilt has been in progress for a year. She finished the top on Sunday morning. She is true artist.
Patsy has been able to give up the Saturday cooking to someone else, so she sat and sewed with us on Saturday. She made these cute aprons for her sister and her sister's niece.
Denise on the left is the owner of "The Quilt Basket" in Downer's Grove. She was so much fun and came up both mornings in some of the clothes that Patsy uses for decor. 
In the same spirit of silliness, I found these vintage hats and the five of us wore them on Sunday night. We also sang along with Celia's Ipod and some great 70's tunes.
Celia and I left on Monday morning and shopped on the way home, but were kind of ready to go. What a great time we had. Sunday night we made a fire and I brought my computer and we watched "Up". A great ending to a great time.
The fabulous group!! There were 6 in our group, 7 from Downer's Grove, (new friends for us) and 4 ladies that we have been with at retreat in the past. We all got along great, which makes for great times!We shop hopped on the way up and back, which I always love.
These are my purchases. The poinsettia fabric is for the backing for the Christmas quilt. I got it at 60% off and I finished the bolt!!My "big" purchase was this thimble for hand quilting:
After using on Sunday night, I decided it was too big, so Celia and I stopped at Millhouse Quilts in Waunakee on the way home for me to exchange it for a smaller size.On Saturday, Jenet, Celia and I took a break from sewing and went to Reedsburg to Quintessential Quilts. It has traditionally been the "destination" shop, but it has severely declined since we were last there. The shop samples are exactly the same as a year ago and there is absolutely no new fabric. So, to kill time while Jenet was shopping, Celia and I had an ugliest fabric contest in the "blue and green" room and Jenet was the judge. As you can plainly see from the picture, I definitely won!! I am reminding Celia of this every chance I can!!
I made this cute table topper for Valentine's day:
Also, I pieced this top, which has quite a bit more hand work to do before it gets layered and quilted:
Some of the show and tell from the weekend:
Pat and Marlene tend to make the same or similar quilts while at retreat. I got this pattern from them, because I love the scrappiness!!
Kathy, aka the General, got a ton done...she pieced two tops and quilted the above top for a wedding gift for next weekend.
Deb, aka the Admiral, pieced three tops which were all happy and bright!
Jenet, our first time, but not last time retreater worked on some little projects and showed this incredible Grandmother's Flower Garden that she has pieced from actual feed sacks that she bought at antique shops and flea markets. 
Enid worked on a very complicated Batik quilt the whole weekend and showed this cute snowman wall hanging.
Celia paper pieced this stunner! Aren't the colors incredible?
Ann only quilts at retreat and this king size quilt has been in progress for a year. She finished the top on Sunday morning. She is true artist.
Patsy has been able to give up the Saturday cooking to someone else, so she sat and sewed with us on Saturday. She made these cute aprons for her sister and her sister's niece.
Denise on the left is the owner of "The Quilt Basket" in Downer's Grove. She was so much fun and came up both mornings in some of the clothes that Patsy uses for decor. 
In the same spirit of silliness, I found these vintage hats and the five of us wore them on Sunday night. We also sang along with Celia's Ipod and some great 70's tunes.
Celia and I left on Monday morning and shopped on the way home, but were kind of ready to go. What a great time we had. Sunday night we made a fire and I brought my computer and we watched "Up". A great ending to a great time.
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