Color studies

I'm blaming it on the heat that I started three new projects over the weekend rather than finishing anything already underway. Quarterly Quilters met last Saturday and I decided that I needed a small project to work on during the session. So how did I end up with two? - you might ask. I couldn't decide whether black or white would be more interesting so I went with both. The black top was complete early Sunday morning. It's not entirely Amish since the setting squares and borders are a print - little tiny dots of color on a black background - hard to see in this photo.

I just need to decide on the borders for the white top. Unfortunately I don't have enough of the setting square fabric to use it in the borders. This picture shows the two Kaffe Fassett fabrics I'm currently considering so tell me what you think.

I'll bring them to S&B this weekend because I don't think the photos do them justice.

Trip to the Midwest

Yup, I started a new project while on my whirlwind tour of the Midwest. I think I'll call it "Midwest Whirlwind" since it has a spinning look to it. It's very Thimbleberries in color. I had these blocks up on my design wall as you can see them and Dad commented on how much he liked them - the first time he's done that. So now I'm in the process of making enough blocks to make two twin-sized tops. One will go to my friend who just moved to West Virginia; the second one to Dad. The block is really easy to make so I'm up to 32 blocks now of the 96 I'll need. Fortunately I have several Thimbleberry fabrics from previous projects; the trick is finding good combinations. I've tried a couple of large scale florals and while I plan to use the blocks, I won't be looking for more large scale florals to use in this.

Comentary on Lori's Quilt

I guess I should have posted more of a description. This was a UFO that Lori had for a few years. The print fabrics are Laurel Burch. The colors are beautiful. This picture does not do them justice. The background fabric is a muted pink & lavender sort of batik looking print. We were all very happy to see Lori finish this top. She bought a very nice olivey green & gold metallic for the backing. We did the pinning at S&B Sat, JUL 24. Can't wait to see it when it comes back from machine quilting.

ttfn :) Yuki

Look at Lori's Quilt

Just for fun

I finished this quilt up about 3 weeks ago using some 9-patches I'd made from 2" squares as threadsavers. I also used some really fun Alexander Henry prints that I've had for years as the setting squares. The borders are a Kona Bay fabric that I bought on sale and intended to use for a quilt back; I enjoy the fabric so much though that I find myself using it in other ways. I pinbasted the quilt last weekend so hopefully I'll get it back from the quilter later in July.

NYC Garment District

Hi Everyone - I got home from NYC last night. I went to the Garment district on Saturday a.m. I liked Pacific Trimming where I bought a couple of yards of soft "ribbon" flowers that I will use to embellish t-shirts - my new favorite clothing choice. They had a very large selection of handbag handles for about $4 each.
I also bought a few yards of "braid" to embellish hand towels at M&J trimming. I like to buy plain white towels and then trim with braid to make them look custom. I even bought some fabric to make sundress, now I need to find a pattern. I used a document from Paula Nadelstern's website to figure out what to look at. One place I wanted to go (Handloom Batik) was no longer in Manhattan, so sad. Nancy even went with me to Purl Soho, but the warehouse in Orange County was way more fun. I didn't buy anything there.

Nancy and I went to see a Nora Ephron (and her daughter) theatrical piece (not a play) called "Love, Loss and What I wore." It was fun, but not very deep, even if there were mentions of divorce, breast cancer, and death. One of the funniest bits (I thought) was about women's purses, and another about bras. I think it is quite a good idea as a way to start thinking about writing an autobiography. We also could draw a favorite piece of clothing. I drew my wedding dress, maybe because I was watching "Say Yes to the Dress" on cable TV in the hotel room. I am so happy that I spent $79 (I think) on my dress, at an outlet store in Dallas-Ft Worth during a Planning Applications conference. Too bad I can't fit into it anymore. I find it quite appalling that people on that TV show have $3,000 - 7,000 to spend!

We had a wonderful dinner a block away from the theatre at a place called West Bank Cafe. Nancy had some kind of fish, and I had a black pepper pasta with duck and mushrooms. It was delicious.

I'll be in Wash DC in mid to late July. See you soon.

Bento Box: Tracey Brookshier

On Tuesday night, I went to the Quilters Anonymous monthly meeting to hear the talk by Tracey Brookshire about quilting in Japan. Quilters Anonymous is the overarching quilt group with over 400 members, of which the Ballard Stashbusters is just a "satellite" group. Tracey has sold over 50,000 copies of the Bento Box pattern - she says she is sending her son to college on the money she has made from that pattern. Too bad I didn't have photographs of ALL the many bento box quilts I have made!

Her talk was about spending 9 days at the Quilt show at the Tokyo Dome. Her slide show was FABULOUS. I am ready to go! I think it is typically the same week as TRB, so I might have to wait another couple of years, but I am thinking that January 2012 might really be a possibility. Do I really need to go to TRB annual meeting EVERY YEAR? I am not Kim! One of the interesting things she talked about was the "sensei" and student relationship in Japan. This is how the brush painting that my mother studied, and of course, Karate and other martial arts are organized, but they have extended it to quilting as well. She would show a full image of a quilt, and then a close up, showing the meticulous work, especially with applique and hand quilting. She didn't talk too much about different color choices, except for the use of beiges and browns (like the Daiwabo taupes). She asked someone about it, and they said they were going for the "American country look." It is still a mystery. Maybe they saw a faded b&w photograph that looked sepia, and they thought that is what the quilts looked like in real life?

So, start saving your money for a trip to Japan! I am READY! It doesn't bother me that I will never do that kind of quilt making. I think I can just marvel in the fact that they do it, and I am happy to piddle around to maintain my mental health. Frank is building me a shelf for the closet in my sewing room, to help me get a little more order (I hope!).