Welcome to my blog

Please don't remind me that I'm poor; I'm having too much fun pretending I'm simply "living green" like everyone else these days.


Pages

Monday, March 2, 2009

Busy, busy week

I'll tell you about the finished quilt then fill you in with what else has been going on. This customer brought bamboo batting. This is the first time I've used this batting. It worked very well with the machine.



The quilt had several issues to deal with. I really should call these "considerations" instead of issues but I like issues better. Considerations are the areas of a top that require special techniques to get them to behave nicely. Issues are not a problem for me; they just require planning before quilting. Here's an example. Fullness next to really tight border next to extra fullness in the outside borders. This quilt is made of several drapery and upholstery fabrics along with cottons.



Here is the quilt all finished. I worked on it each morning before leaving home and each evening after getting back.

This is the center area.



Since it's a family tree quilt I decided to do different types of leaf designs all over it.



This is what I did in the white area where it had the extra fullness.





A view of the brown border around the center which was the tight border.



I couldn't quilt on the tree trunk because of the thickness of the fabrics inside. I did a meander on the inside border.




A leaf vine on a tiny inside border and meander on the corner blocks.



The pieced blocks got a holly leaf design. You may have to look closely to see the leaf. The vein is in the center going around and there are three of them.



One quilt doesn't seem like a big accomplishment over the last few days. I've been in and out so much though. Mostly out.
.
My mother is going to stay at the nursing home for now. I had a meeting with her doctors and with the director at the home. Mom is going to be on a different type of medicine for awhile. They will give me advance notice if it appears Mom is not doing well and they will work with me about finding a place close enough I can visit.
.
My brother is doing better. His knee is in a brace to keep him from moving it while it heals. I spent quite a bit of time sitting and waiting so I looked through some magazines. I happened to pick up an advertising booklet with furniture in it. I decided to tear out some of the pictures of what appealed to me. No, I won't be buying anything. I see these pictures as pieces of cardboard furniture I can make in the future...... IF I ever get ahead of the quilting schedule.


Waiting time also gave me an opportunity to start planning out some pieces of furniture. Just as it is in quilting.... if the math is done first, it doesn't take long to create. So I started myself a sketchbook with places to write the size of the pieces to be cut. Instead of a quilting idea book, it's a furniture idea book.


Yesterday I decided it was time to remove the baby crib from the studio. Ladybug is walking very well and refuses to be confined to a small area for play. Now the area contains a few of her toys. This will be her small toy area for awhile. It still needs some refinement but will do for now because I have to figure out what to do with the stuff I remove.



Hopefully this week will not be so hectic and I can get more blogging time.


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You should consider writing a book
about making cardboard furniture.
I think it would sell very well
especially during these hard times.

Anonymous said...

Anita, you did an AMAZING job on this quilt!! It is wonderful. I get a lot of "issue" quilts, too.
I have loved your posts on organizing your quilting, I can really learn from you on that!!
I'm sorry I have not even had a chance to comment lately... SO busy (or maybe just disorganized!!!)
Of course, I babysit, too, and can't quilt every day anymore. Mostly over a 4 day weekend.
Anyway, I always am reading and appreciating your wisdom.
Now, to hop over to your other blog....
Have a great day.
diana in Illinois
(quilt4u@verizon dot net)