On Monday I went back to the fairgrounds to pick up my quilts. I left home about 10 am and got back home just after 3 pm. It takes that long for me to travel there and back by city bus. 2 transfers each way. Needless to say I didn't get much done in the studio on Monday.

Yesterday I finally got this quilt finished. I think it turned out pretty nice.



Micro stippling is not something I would want to do everyday. Don't look too closely or you will see my backtracking mistakes around the design.

I think I would hate having to make all those tiny micro stitches all the time. I'm glad I was able to do line dancing on the star part.

The stippling did take up most of the fullness in the top.

There are still areas where there was so much fullness it couldn't be stitched out.

I have another vintage top on the machine and ready to start quilting today. Last evening I made phone calls to the next people on my waiting list. I had to giggle after making those calls and I also felt relieved. It seems I'm not the only one behind schedule. Some of my customers asked to be moved to January's list or February's list because they hadn't finished their tops. Some said they hadn't even started making their top yet. Moving some work to next year has actually taken some pressure off me and put me closer to getting back on schedule.

Hmm.... maybe I'll have some time for making my window quilts before winter after all? I can't see that I'll have time for making all of them but one or two is now a possibility if I quilt pantos on whole cloth. Window quilts don't have to be pieced.... just made for warmth.

A big day ahead of me so I best get started.

I went back to the fair yesterday. I had had several people tell me there were ribbons on my quilts. My daughter took me there so I could take another look. I swear.... when I was there on opening day there was not any ribbons on my quilts! Or at least I didn't see them. These quilts were hanging in different places on opening day too. Originally this quilt was next to my friend Yvonne's quilt... not next to a round rug.



This quilt didn't have a ribbon either on opening day. Or at least I don't think it did. I'm beginning to doubt my own eyesight now.

This next picture is of the winner of best of show in the textile department and also received the LAFTA award for ? I'm not sure what the award is for. Somebody's idea of "quality" art. The award was supposed to be given in the art department and wound up being given in the textile department instead.

I entered a quilt wall hanging in the art department for the first time because I was asked to enter a piece as support for the LAFTA efforts to improve that department. (Louisville Area Fiber and Textile Artists) I'm also a member of this group. Right this moment I'm almost afraid or ashamed to admit I'm a member. I believe in the concept of the group but I also find the internal politics of the group very troublesome for me. Thank goodness there are other members who feel the same as me about the internal politics.

LAFTA offered a special award of $100 to entice entries in the art department. Believe me.... I've tried getting into some of the LAFTA sponsored art shows. My quilts are not the "quality" of art work the powers that be want in the shows so I stopped trying. They always keep the entry fees even if the entry doesn't get accepted into the shows. I can't afford to keep trying when I know it's going to cost so much to be turned down.

I see no reason to enter a piece in the art department next year either. If the LAFTA award is going to be given anywhere in the fair; why would anyone be enticed to enter the art division? I'd rather take my art work to the textile department where it feels most comfortable. My art quilts feel best when they get entered into either the original design or the open technique classes. At least in the textile department my art quilts will have a chance of winning a ribbon. And..... my quilts are appreciated for what they are..... my art and my techniques.... not somebody's idea of "less than quality" art.

Hmm... as I sat here type-talking; I remembered something I had come to realize many years ago. It goes back to the history of quilts and textile art. The art community doesn't consider quilts as anything but something to cover a bed. One day someone in the art community decided that a textile art piece could be considered a quilt if it contained three layers stitched together. But not the other way around. Quilts cannot be textile art because quilts are not artsy enough.

So the art community started entering art pieces into the quilt shows for the prize money offered. Over the years the quilt shows have accepted these and created separate catagories just for textile art type quilts. At the Nashville show I even saw one piece of painted artist's canvas that was quilted. But; to my knowledge and years of visiting art shows.... no actual quilt has ever been accepted into a textile art show. The art community still does not consider a bed quilt as a piece of art. No matter how skillful the technique and no matter how beautiful the maker does a design.... a quilt will remain just a quilt in the art community.

Ok, I think I've type-talked enough this morning. Once again I'm going to work hard at getting back on schedule. Before I start in the studio though, I'm going to put pictures in webshots of the fair quilts. I didn't get pictures of them all. Only as many as I could before my daughter got "bored" and wanted to leave.

Lone star quilt

Anybody want to see what I've been doing the last couple of days? I was bent over the machine table squinting at these stitches. I had to keep reminding myself to stop tensing up and relax.



A bit of micro stippling and a bit of small stippling to make the design pop out.


The design started out looking like this. Lots of bias fullness in the fabric.



In a post a couple of days ago; I showed this top on the machine. I wanted to practice some "quality" quilting on it even though I couldn't figure out what "quality" meant. Something in the back of my mind kept telling me to mark a design before quilting. I decided to listen to my subconsious and take it back off to mark a design. It took me almost a full day to draw the design on the fabric then get it back on the machine and basted together.

I very rarely mark a quilt before quilting and it's usually my own. I prefer freehand work on customer quilts. The second day I got the star part quilted and the design stitched in the white areas. I'm hoping to have it completely quilted in about 4 or 5 more days.

I'm so far behind on my waiting list that tackling a design like this is sort of crazy. I could have used a faster design to get it "done" and out the door; but, that wouldn't be the type quilter I am. I prefer to give the quilt what it tells me it needs regardless of the time table. Do you know what I mean? It's very hard to explain but I'll try.

When someone brings me a quilt top that they inherited; it's my job to look at it and figure out what the maker might have had in mind when she created it. Using my imagination; I can almost see an angel standing at my side with a big smile on her face knowing her UFO is about to get completed. If I choose a design that's not quite right; it's almost as if the angel is telling me she wants more choices. My desire to make the top look really good becomes stronger than my desire to do a fast design to get it done. When I finish putting the last stitch in the binding; my imagination sees an angel saying thank you.

Imagination is a good thing.... it's what really good writers use to write best sellers. It's also what gives quilt pattern designers the ideas for the new designs we all love to buy. For me; imagination is what makes me a good professional quilter. I will probably have several other toppers wondering why their top is not quilted yet; but, the angel will smile knowing her family will get to enjoy her quilt after all. I'm smiling too.

I need to get off the computer and back to work this morning. Hmm..... now where did I put the ben-gay?

I'm back from my trip to Nashville. We got back on time the same night. We didn't get a ribbon on our guild challenge quilts but we are all determined to do better next time. A one day trip from here to Nashville and back is exhausing for me.



I saw lots of things I wanted to buy but stayed within my budget of $100. Going to quilt shows is very hard on will power. Sooo many new things to see and drool over. I was very tempted to buy some other items! I came home with only these things though. These cost me $95 and were things I planned to buy already.

I met up with my friend Sherry from SC and her new quilting friends. It was so good to see her again! I wish I had time to visit with her longer. I'm always sad when friends move away.

Yesterday I decided it was best I get back to work. I have this one on the machine. It's another inherited vintage top. I put my absolute favorite vcr tape on machine quilting in the recorder for inspiration.....

and this happened. Now I'm really moaning the blues. This is the tape I watch more often than any other. I learned all the techniques on the tape long ago. It's the things said on the tape that give me inspiration. It's a Marcia Stevens tape and cannot be replaced because it was out of print long ago. Is that what one says about a vcr tape.... out of print?

If I knew of some place that repairs these and puts them onto disk I would pay to have it done. Boo hoo.... I'm gonna miss that tape!

When I started to work on the current quilt top; I set my mind to practice "quality" quilting for next year's fair. I figured if I start practicing now; maybe by next year's fair I'll have quality practiced enough to win a ribbon. Then I wondered..... just what is "quality" quilting? Is it pantos? Is it freehand? Is it heirloom? Does quality mean expensive or can it be lower cost? Is quality quilting simply well done? Who's idea of well done.... mine, the customer's, or a fair judge's?

Well dang! If I can't define "quality quilting" how am I going to know if I've practiced enough and achieved it?

Later......

I'm going to be leaving very early in the morning. My ride is picking me up about 5:30. I thought I would go ahead and make a post this evening so I don't loose track of time in the morning.

As promised here is a picture of the quilt with issues that I finished. See... it came out pretty flat didn't it? Not all that straight but better than it was.



The owner wanted tulips in the solid blocks.

She wanted something swirly on the pinwheel blocks.

Then she wanted her name on the border.

She wanted leaves on the rest of the border.

Here is a view from the back.

Then I finished this one. There wasn't much I could do with it except a serpentine line along the seams. This one was very "delicate" from age. The silks are already showing signs of deterioration. I had to be extra careful not to let the machine pull at any of the seams which is why I used a serpentine line. I could go around all the hard fabric intersections.

Here is a closeup of the seams

and a view of the back.

I have the next one loaded on the machine ready for when I get back from Nashville. These two quilts and three (or 4) more will need binding done. I'm going to finish quilting the others then take a whole day for doing the bindings.

Well I've got a dozen batteries ready for the camera, the cell phone is all charged up, I packed a few snacks, I have my hand work in a bag, I have a few books to read, and the coffee mug is ready to be filled. Nothing left to do now but get some sleep.

Type-talk to you when I get back. Hopefully with lots of pictures to show.