Vermont Quilt Festival 2014 meet Thelma and Loiuse

As I have learned over the past month or so, it doesn’t take much to upset your plans. One week into my “retirement”, as I rushed from one task to the next, I managed to injure my foot. We are big walkers, hikers and bikers in this house, so an injury, especially one that keeps your feet up and out of closed toed shoes, sure can upset the apple cart. I learned the hard way that a pretty minor injury can keep you from your favorite activities and can certainly curtail all others. Driving a car is tough, especially a manual. So all those trips to the beach..haven’t happened yet. My trips to PEI...nope. Even quilting has been difficult because after a few hours of standing, the foot swells. A nuisance? Darn tootin!

As the healing progresses, there was one trip I have been able to take. Thanks to the lovely driving skills of my partner in many quilt related crimes, the Louise to my Thelma, I was able to get to the Vermont Quilt Festival In Essex Junction, Vermont. As we drove that long and at times, very windy road, me with one foot hiked up on the dash, we did solve a lot of world problems (well, quilt world problems). We also managed to find possibly the best maple walnut ice cream on the planet. Oh, and the BEST crab cakes ever. Go to Pauline’s, you won’t be sorry! And on the way home, the house special pizza at Pat’s Pizza won high marks, especially since it could also be ordered gluten free. But, I think Pat’s was in Maine. It was a long drive. We crossed three states..

While at the show, Nancy and I took two classes together, both very informative and enjoyable. The first day long class was Beginning Bead Embroidery with Fibre artist and beader extraordinaire, Lisa Binkley.

This was the class sample Lisa prepared for our day

Lisa was very patient, very organized, had great class samples, and was such a kind, pleasant person. She was extremely encouraging and although I recall her standing on a chair at one point to get people’s attention (there are always one or two in every class that never know when to be quiet), she kept a huge smile on her face. I have beaded for a long time, but it was great to get a refresher and just sit and play for a few hours. Seeing all the beautiful, detailed work she brought along to share with her classes was very inspiring. 

Lisa very graciously posed with me

The second day we took a class called Paint and Stitch: Peacock Feather with Susan Brubaker Knapp. Susan calls her technique thread sketching and we spent the day re-creating her peacock feather piece that adorned the pages of an issue of Quilting Arts Magazine. Susan uses a brand of paint that was new to me, so I was intrigued to give it a try while having her as my resource for any questions I had. It was great fun sitting and painting fabric and chatting with Sharon, a very interesting table-mate, also recently retired.

This is the piece Susan included in the Teacher Show

Once our pieces were painted, we started the process of adding the stitching. Susan is a very knowledgeable and organized instructor with a very sharing nature and she graciously answered many questions we had about materials other than the ones we were using in this class. She also brought along a huge selection of her pieces for us to ogle and somehow I managed to not take one photo of any of them!! Susan has just completed her first year as the host of Quilting Arts TV and I suspect her down to earth demeanour makes her an excellent choice for the position.

Susan also graciously agreed to a photo

A little project

In the few minutes I find here and there, I made a cover for the new sketchbook my friend, Nancy picked up for me at Barnes and Noble on our recent trip to Maine.

Since I had all these stamped bits and pieces to chose from, I decided to incorporate one of my stamped raspberries with some of my hand dyed fabrics. I wanted to embellish the cover a bit more, so I used Shiva Paintsticks to rub a leaf design on both back and front.

I made a pocket on each side for the covers to slip over and know they will stay put.

I also painted a one inch wide strip and fused and stitched it to the front for more interest. I used some shiny thread I had and finisheded by adding a charm and a bead.  And there would be no chance I would be sewing those on! I used my handy dandy E-6000 to glue them in place!

There won’t be any awards given out for my design and execution, but I like it and I think it adds some class to my stack of sketchbooks and moleskins.

And in our “Tomato Talk” corner, because I know everyone is simply itching to know how mine are doing, don’t these look yummy!

Stamping out those urges to clean!

I feel like my house is falling in ruins around me. I have piles of my “stuff”, my creative play tools and materials, everywhere. I have to be careful when I let this happen because eventually it eats at me and then I run in circles tidying and not accomplishing anything creative at all. I purposely refused to schedule any more paying work this week, just to let myself have some creative time. This is also the time when popcorn can be an entree.....

Although I am biting at the bit to finish a quilt on my longarm, I have been doing anything but. I have managed to fill my hallway with piles and piles and tubs and tubs of fabric, all in a feeble attempt to organize, or perhaps integrate the new fabric purchases. I like to mix my fabrics up. That way the newer is not playing so much on my conscience if I don’t see a stack of new stuff shining bright as a new penny (remember those? I loved pennies!). Maybe that is why I always rush to pre-wash my new pieces. Makes me feel like they have been here longer. For whatever reasons, I am organizing. Well, sort of. It should be organized when I am done. I hope.

I have sewn some bindings on so that I have some handwork, if I should happen to remember how to turn my TV on. Don’t ask. I am not technically savvy.

I also started some blocks that I have been wanting to try since my Mom gave me a lovely quilt book last summer. I have some 30’s prints and I love 30’s designs, so it seems I should get myself in gear. My biggest problem is that I am not so great at making repeat blocks. Case in point? I made one and stopped. BUT, I am planning on making more. Just not today.

I have also been sketching. I am a summer sketcher. Maybe it is the light. Maybe it is easier to sketch when you aren’t wearing 3 sweaters and gloves. Anyway, I am doing some of that. And when I was cruisin’ through my moleskin, I apparently was “drawn” to a little flower sketch I did two summers ago. Without really thinking about the process, I replicated it on a piece of Soft Kut and made a stamp. All of a sudden the morning had passed and I have a nice little stack of stamped bits and pieces.

I refined the stamp as I made prints until I was happy with my design. I decided to not carve the centre but will pop some little stamens in with paint later on. I know I drew this from a flower on my deck but it has a Hawaiian feel  to it to me. 

I also decided to try some other stamps that I had been carving in spare minutes. Good thing I did because sometimes I have a tendency to over carve my design and I had been considering taking the knife to them again. I learned I am happy with them just as they are. Well, for now at least.

Reminds me of a cartwheel. Must have been all that Americana influence on the weekend. And the one on the left is blurry because I overprinted it. The gold I used first was too light so I mixed some Green in and printed again. 

I really like using metallic fabric paints for stamping, especially on my hand dyed fabric. I tend to use two colors on each stamp although the ones above are just one. I used two with the odd star design.

I almost didn’t try this stamp, dismissing it as too simple. Ah, sometimes I need to step back and remind myself of that great creative advice: Simplify, Exaggerate, Repeat.....

Check out The Needle and Thread Network with me and see what’s up with Canadian fibre folk.

Thelma and Louise Ride Again!

I have been gallivanting!

This weekend the Maine Quilt Show was held in Augusta, Maine. My partner in crime, Nancy aka Louise, and I headed out early Thursday morning and surprised ourselves by arriving in Augusta with a whole afternoon and evening ahead of us! We booked into our hotel, had the best crabcakes at Joyce’s Restaurant overlooking the Kennebec River and then wandered the streets of the mini metropolis of historic Hallowell checking out local handcrafts and of course, a quilt shop.

Thursday evening brought us to the quilt show where I registered for a class on Friday and we enjoyed a champagne preview. Once again it was re-inforced to us that it is indeed a small world when two quilters from Fredericton joined our table as we drank and munched! The wheeled bags they pulled behind them told us they were very savvy, experienced shoppers and armed with tips from them, we made plans for future shopping!

I spent most of Friday taking my first long arm instruction from DeLoa Jones. I feel her rulers are exceptional and extremely user friendly and her class on continuous quilting will definitely be helpful in future projects. DeLoa is relaxed and casual and has almost 35 years of hand and machine customer quilting under her belt. 

I had hoped we would be working on APQS machines, but the local Gammill dealer graciously supplied the machines for this show. After using this machine for a day, I am so incredibly pleased with my Millennium and realize just what a great piece of machinery I own! I was also happy to make the acquaintance of Marcia, the New England APQS dealer. It is great knowing she and her husband are just a phone call, or a 5 hour drive away, should I need assistance! She patiently listened to my frustrations, answered my questions and offered help as well as a spot in her next beginner class so that I can take advantage of my free day of instruction that comes with the purchase of an APQS machine.

The show itself was interesting. It is not a juried show, so you see all levels of quilting. We immediately noted the quantity of machines quilted pieces, as opposed to hand quilted pieces. Even five years ago a lot of viewers were not so very accepting of machine quilting, whereas now they gush and ahhh as they examine the quilting with a close eye. The other interesting thing I noticed was the number of machine quilters. There have got to be soooo many more quilts being produced and completed with that many quilters owning these machines. No wonder quilting in North America is a multi billion dollar industry.

Amazingly, I only took one photo the entire trip! Not like me at all, I know.....

But, truly? I was all shopped out! 

Louise and I had very defined shopping lists! Except when it came to fabric. I am actually very impressed with her restraint, whereas me....well, its a good thing they didn’t weigh the car coming in and out. We did visit the merchants at the show and several quilt shops in the area and tried to do our part to help support the independents. But, I have to admit, when I find great quality fabric at Marden’s for exceptionally low prices, I quickly remember just how hard I work for my money and how nice it is to maximize my limited budget. And I did have specific projects in mind.....though a few extras did make it into my cart.....opps.....

So, I am back home, with a new wardrobe thanks to Kohls and am happily wearing one of my Vera Wang bargains!! It is still raining here, and I have numerous projects spread out and ready to get rolling! Nothing like a trip with a good friend, a change of environment and some fresh supplies to get those creative juices flowing!!