YUK!!!

The colors looked so beautiful and saturated, but when I washed them they were just that "washed out". I checked my recipe and think I will go back to the process that I used last year. I also don't think this current process has enough soda ash in it. What I plan to do (after I clean a little and rest my foot) is to overdye and see if my colors are more saturated. I was going to share this batch with a blog friend but it seems that every time I begin to make something for someone else it always ends up not quite right. That is one reason I am so hesitate to quilt for others. When I am doing something for just me it is perfect! but the minute I do it with another in mind it messes up.

Oh well, back to the garage!

Dyeing Time is Here!!!!

I started my first dyes of the season last night (hence the kinda dark picture). The weather was perfect (see the condensation in the bags), so I should have nice colors this morning when I wash them out. I did blues/greens/oranges/and fuchsia. Some of the colors looked a little muddy, but then I have found that even these work well as a contrast with brighter colors so things are never lost. I am actually dyeing several FQ's of the same color this time since I have learned that I almost always need several fats of a color rather than just one. I am going to need to buy more fabric since I dyed about 14 yards last night. My foot still isn't healed and between training for the 5k and standing on my feet, I had pain throughout the night. Oh well, what we don't do for quilting.

Hugs and have a great day!

TA DA!!!!!!

I finished the Zig Zag (AKA Waste Not, Want Not II). This is a picture of it on my queen size bed. Yes, that is blue zag on a pink row. I intentionally put it there---I didn't have enough pink and so this was what I just reached down and picked up. I sorta like the "quirkiness". Anyway, I am going to load it and quilt it within the next couple of days. I will then need to put the binding on at least three quilts, which I will focus on. I feel so much better!!!!!!

Current Work!

I feel the need to finish something!!! There are so many quilts I want to start, but I seem to be unable to start something new without finishing something old--- BUT unable to finish anything!!! Clearly I am caught in a cycle here, so I have got to do something about it. You have seen this "Zig Zag" before. It is made from all my hand dyes that I haven't used. These are from my first attempt at dyeing and so for most of the colors I only have one FQ although I may have several shades. As a result, the quilt will truly be a scrap. I can't really match the colors, so some will just be in the same range. I really like it though---and am naming it "Waste Not, Want Not II", since I have a "WNWN I". I am going to force myself to work on nothing but this until it is finished. Too bad I like big quilts, since I think I probably need double what I have done. I am not being obsessive about the colors that I put together. Just look through my bins to find some like shades and cut them with the GO!. After I finish this one, then I am going to finish at least one more that I have pretty close to completion, and THEN and only then will I start another quilt. (right--famous last words, but I am really going to try to stick to this). I also need to put bindings on a couple of quilts I have already finished quilting, so maybe that will also address my "guilt" at starting something when I have something else that needs finishing).

I am also getting a bit down with blogging. I know people are reading it (I see the counts of people visiting), but because I don't get many comments, I wonder if this blog is interesting. Wish I could be like my "Blog Friend" Lane from "That Man Quilts" (see my sidebar). His posts are so interesting and funny---but I am trying to remember this really is a journal, so I guess it is okay. I am going to re-evaluate and may stop blogging for a while---maybe just post pictures---I don't know.

Anyway though, I am still blogging as of now---so thanks so much for stopping to read. Let me hear from you every now and then and let me know if you find what I post interesting...and if not, what you would like to read about.

Hugs!

What's Up?

Not one single thing is up in my life!!!!! It is really hot here---but even though this is the perfect weather for it, I haven't dyed one thing! I just can't seem to get my energy up :c( My foot is still tender and although it is better, it isn't BETTER! Often this type of injury heals slower than actual breaks do, so I am not surprised. At least it isn't as swollen as before and my mobility is better.

This past Friday and yesterday was spent at the University (for orientation) about two cities over, where my Granddaughter will begin classes this Fall. The day began with all the parents (and grandparents) getting a walking tour of the campus. We started at the football stadium, which was about 145 degrees on the turf. I think I walked for about 52 miles during the day. My foot held up pretty well, but by the end of the day, it was actually numb! We made friends with a sister, grandmother and their student who gave us a ride to our car. Both my Granddaughter and I are "directionally challenged" so after driving around for about 15 minutes unable to find the parking lot where the car was parked, we were dropped off where we began the day and we walked to the lot. Still a long walk, but much closer than across campus. Yesterday we got a tour of the dorm she will be in (well not actually the dorm, but a mirror-image of hers). I must say that dorms have changed a lot since I was in school. There are full service cafeterias in many of them (not in hers but in the one across the street), washer/dryers on each floor (they are free), a full service kitchen on each floor and of course Internet access. Although there is a common bath, each of the showers have locking doors so it is like you have a private bath (in a way). There are NO curfews and the dorms are coed. Boy I remember Mrs. Collier our dorm mother in my freshman year, waiting at the door to make sure we had made curfew. I remember her checking your room and if it was messy, you got demerits, and boys in the room. When the cleaning guy came on the floor he would yell "man on the floor". Things have changed a lot, some for the good, but honestly, in a way, it would be nice to have some of those things come back....like curfews. Kids leaving for school for the first time have a huge transition and sometimes, all this freedom make it difficult to make correct decisions. My little "honey bunny" is a smart little cookie. At this point she has made all the right decisions (it would seem) while still maintaining her innocence (it would seem) and having fun (clearly seen). I hope this trend continues. She began the process with a little apprehension but by the end of the two days she was feeling pretty good about going away to school. She registered for classes and got a great schedule (her earliest class is at 9:00 AM and her last class ends at 11:30 on Friday). It was cute to hear her try to compare college to high school, which of course we know you can't. She will be close enough to home to get to her in an emergency, but far enough so she feels like she is away from home. She could have been a commuter, but I really think living on campus is a great way to begin the process of learning to live in a greater community and expand your knowledge base. I am excited for her!

Now on the quilting front----I am working on my Guild Challenge. It is quilted and done and so now all I need to do is put on the binding. I sorta like it----I see lots of areas I would like to improve, but then I am always my worst critic. I can't post a picture since some of my Guild sisters read this blog and I want it to be a surprise. I don't think it will win anything, but it was fun completing it. It is due at the July meeting, so I will post a picture then.

I feel like starting something else, something that will be fast and fun to do, so I think I am going to get out my GO! and cut some circles for a circle quilt! My granddaughter doesn't know what her colors will be, so although I have completed her hex quilt, this one may be one she might also like. If not, since I think I will like it, I don't mind keeping it for myself.

Well, gotta fold some of the clothes on the pool table. My brother is coming for a visit next week and I want to give him the impression my house stays clean all the time :c)

Have a wonderful day!

No Energy!!!

I am sorry to have not posted for a while, but life has been getting in the way!

I mentioned in my last post my mishap with the stairs at my GD's high school graduation. My foot is getting better, but the effort to come upstairs to post was too great, so I elected to just stay downstairs. It is still a bit swollen and it is still difficult to walk at times (especially if I have been sitting for awhile and it gets stiff), but it is so much better. I will be so very glad though when it is ALL better.

I am without my usual email. The company was giving us an upgrade (they said) because we were such good customers. Well in the process they wiped out our email, along with the contact list and any emails we hadn't read. I have never heard of a company not having a back-up system! When I discovered we were having trouble accessing, I called and found out, not only had they erased it, but there was no way they were going to be able to retrieve anything. Needless to say, I am looking for a new Internet company! I didn't know how much I depended on email---I had folders where I put "important" emails---all gone! My suggestion would be to call your Internet company and see if they have a back-up system so if something happens you can retrieve the contents of your email account.

On the quilting front, I have been hard at work on the Guild Challenge. I took a break Saturday and went to a Karen Combs workshop. If you ever get the chance you should try to go. It was such fun and she is a wonderful teacher. I love her dimension quilts but although I will not be able to make them as nice as hers, she really provided some good instruction making the process doable. I remember one "famous" person's class I attended. We had to bring TONS of fabric with us and pay about $30 for her pattern. I didn't learn one thing---she played with everyone's fabric for the morning, talked about herself for half of the afternoon showing her quilts, and then when I asked if we ever going to work on the quilt, she sat at a sewing machine and did about a third of a block herself. I NEVER learned how to make that very complicated (at least to me) quilt and came away really frustrated. Karen was not that way at all! She was informative and I came away with a new technique.

Well just wanted to check in! Am going to clean out the garage tomorrow and start dyeing! It is in the 90's here---perfect for dyeing. I can't wait to try some new techniques and colors!

Hugs and have a great day tomorrow! Thanks for stopping by!

A Mishap!

I have been absent for a bit----I have certainly been thinking about everyone, but haven't been able to post.

This past week was a very busy one. Our first granddaughter graduated from high school (as a honor student). All our children were here---in addition to the three that live here, a daughter from Tacoma, Washington came, a son from Maryland and another from Oklahoma all were here. It was such fun since they all hadn't been together for over 20 years---one or the other is always missing.

We got ready to go to the graduation, all dressed in our finest and who would put a bit of a damper on everything----me!!! As I was going down the auditorium stairs, a group of people were blocking the way. I politely asked them to move ("excuse me") and they turned and just stared. I got impatient and went to move around them. The stair they were standing on was shorter than I anticipated and so down I went. I had such momentum going until I twisted my foot and ended up sorta "mooning" people behind me! Thank goodness I followed my mothers instructions to "always put on good underwear when you go out". :c) Anyway, I am now hobbling. My foot continues to be swollen and painful and although I can walk, it is with a very unusual gait. :c) No, I haven't gotten it x-rayed---I am a nurse after all, and we don't do sensible things like that preferring to "heal thyself". :c) It isn't broken but sprained and all I would do is incur bills that would seriously affect my ability to buy fabric, so I will rest my foot and move on. Seriously, it is getting better, I think, but this type of injury takes time, and there is nothing I can do about it really.

Moral of story----I must not get so excited that I become impatient with other people who are also excited; look before I step; wear fancy shoes but make sure the heel isn't slippery; wear pants to anything that has steps inside that I will have to negotiate; if I wear a dress or skirt, make sure it has a flare bottom like this one did (or I would have had not only a hurt foot, but needed pins to hold my dress together); and continue to wear good underwear. Oh yea, have an ankle brace or ace in my purse with some Tylenol, just in case.

The graduation was beautiful!!!! Such a lovely girl inside and out. The dinner we had was also wonderful---good food and lots of fun with extra chairs to prop my foot!

Hugs and have a great day!

Blogger is "Acting Out"!

For some reason I am unable to even get to my blog on my primary computer. The one with all the pictures. As a result I can't really post the pictures I want --- the ones that add interest to my posts, so this will be a sorta dull one, until things settle down.

I have been expending creative energy, but in a not so directed way. I am currently working on my Guild challenge. I drew an orange crayon; the pack also had a picture of the maple leaf quilt block, and the letter S. The challenge is to make a quilt with the exact color of orange in it; the maple leaf block and include something that begins with S. I started making a large quilt, but then didn't like it, so I cut down the blocks from a 12 inch block to a 6.5 inch block. I still don't really like it, but I am more comfortable with a wall hanging than a large quilt, since it isn't going to be my favorite. I have started though, and I am forging ahead. The problem is a cut all the fabric for the original size, so I am going to end up with a lot of little mostly unusable scraps---I hate the waste that resulted from my decision.

I think I might have shared that I purchased a couple of brand-new dies for my GO! at Paducah. The 2.5 inch multi-die came, but it didn't cut correctly. I tried everything, but I still ended up having to clip threads. I called Accuquilt and explained the situation, mainly thinking they might have some resolution, but before I had even hung up, they had put a new die in the mail. I have mailed the old one back, but I bet I receive my new die before they get the old one back. Great customer service! I will be glad to get it, since I have started a quilt that requires about 2000 2.5 inch squares! This quilt I like!!!!!! but I do have to complete this challenge first :c(!!!

Well, just wanted to update you and as soon as I can, I will post pictures! Still isn't staying warm enough to dye yet, but I have hopes for this week-end! At the very least I am going to get my space cleaned up and ready. Even if it rains, maybe I can still get a lot done and then just work with the garage door down.

Hugs!

Potato Chip Finished!!!!

I finished quilting the Potato Chip Quilt (AKA 1600 Quilt). Now I need to put the binding on and it will be all done!!!! I purchased the border doing on one of the trips Diane and I made to some local quilt shops when she was here. I didn't bring the quilt top with me, but just chose the color and type of fabric completely from memory---doesn't it fit well!!!!! I am so glad I remember color's well. The backing is also really nice---I didn't take a picture though, but will post a completed picture once I put on the binding and I will make sure the backing is visible.

On another note, I am very much behind on the UFO Challenge, and don't think I will catch up. This month's is #9 which is the scrap quilt I have been working on for a couple of years (I think). I am going to have to work on a Guild Challenge so I am not going to be working on that one either....so I officially have only completed one UFO on my list. Well, there are still a couple of months left, so hopefully I will be able to finish at least 2 more on the list.

Well, I just wanted to post this picture. Later!

I'm Back!!!!

I had a wonderful week! Diane got here on Tuesday and the fun began. It was raining here and given the weather in Paducah, we decided to stay home on Wednesday and try to make it to the show on Thursday. It rained all day but that didn't stop us from going to the local Goodwill, me to shop for shirts (I found three light ones), and her to shop for silk ties (she got a LOT) for a quilt she is making.
On Thursday we made the trip to Paducah. Things were really spread out! There were buses to all the venues, but at least to me, the routes were a bit confusing. In the end, we just asked the drivers where they were going, and almost always, even if they weren't specifically going to the place you were requesting, they took you anyway--particularly if it was within the general area. There were the usual vendors, but this year, Diane and I were very discriminating. It is funny and we laughed about it---the first shows we went to, we spent like crazy. Every gadget we saw we purchased and some of them are still in the packages!

I LOVE rulers, but since getting my GO!, I really pick and choose. This time I got a Marti Michel kite ruler. I think it will be very useful in making the spiderweb quilt. That essentially was the only ruler I purchased. I got a couple of GO! dies (my mommie's day gift from DH). I did get some FQ's for several quilts I want to make and some dyes to dye my fabs (if it ever gets warm and stays that way), plus other various things :c). Doesn't seem like a lot, but I still pushed my budget to the outer limits. Good thing this happens only once per year.

I only got two pieces of fabric from Hancock's of Paducah. There was absolutely nothing there on sale. The "back room" only had 3 tables of flats and none of them had anything interesting. There were no charms, few jelly rolls. One of the ladies there said she had come on the first day of the show and that they had much more, so maybe it was because we didn't actually get there until Saturday.

The quilts were beautiful (of course) and once again Diane and I have vowed to make a quilt and submit it for consideration. We went to the museum as well and they and had an exhibit titled "20 years of quilts" (or something like that). It was very interesting to see how the quilts had changed over the years. The earlier quilts actually were quilts that I would consider in my expertise range. The newer ones---well, I can only look and say beautiful, NEVER, I "might" try that".

I have no pictures since my camera was in my bag, but------------. Well, just wanted to update you. Have a great one!