Quilts With Heart

One Step At A Time

2009-08-10T18:57:00.001-04:00

As a blogger on the Design Style Guide Team, I was invited to write about my start in quilting, and how the process works for me. This is a copy of that article.

In 1977, I ordered a "Grandmother's Flower Garden" quilt kit from a woman's magazine. I remember the color scheme was Harvest Gold and Avocado Green, like everything else those days! When the kit arrived I was completely overwhelmed by the sheer number of pre-cut hexagons. At the time I didn't know any quilters, had never heard of a quilt shop, and had never seen a quilting-how-to book. I put the kit in a drawer, thinking that "someday" I would make it. Well, that project was never finished (okay, it was never even started!) but the desire to learn quilting persisted.

Then twelve years ago, during a particularly dark period in my life, I challenged myself to learn something new, something positive, something that might spark a little light in me. I saw a newspaper ad for a beginner's block-piecing class at a local quilt shop, and forced myself to register. That first day, when I walked into the shop, I felt immediately at home. Like many quilt shops I've visited since then, this one was located in the old part of town, in what we now call a "re-purposed" building. Whether in an old house, bank, inn or barn, these shops are invariably warm and cozy. Every nook and cranny is filled with fabric bolts, threads, patterns, and packets of "fat quarters." Sewing/quilting tools hang on pegboards, and sample quilts cover every inch of wall space. Shop owners and assistants never fail to welcome newcomers, and are happy to answer questions and offer advice. There is virtually no way to feel depressed in a quilt shop! I was instantly hooked. The photo below shows my small quilt from that first class, pieced and quilted entirely by hand. The bonus was that in the process of creating an actual, physical item, I felt powerfully uplifted. Since then I've heard similar stories from many fellow quilters. For us, quilting is a form of therapy -- almost a meditation. You can witness this on a mass scale during times of acute crisis. If you ever get the chance, visit the 9/11 quilts, or the AIDS quilts, or Hurricane Katrina quilts. In all of these, many, many blocks are submitted from quilters around the world, and assembled together to honor those who have died. On a smaller scale, most quilters donate quilts to a local charity, like a childrens hospital or rescue service.

My second class was hand-applique and hand-quilting, and resulted in the quilt below, which now hangs over a banister in my home.I also made a few baby quilts during those early years, still all hand work. It was the next quilt that marked some huge changes for me: I was gaining confidence in my ability, I joined a large guild for quilters, I started collecting fabric. I had previously bought only enough fabric for the project at hand. I had heard quilters talking about their fabric "stashes," but I didn't even know what that meant. Then my daughter asked me to make a queen-sized quilt for her. The block pattern she chose was a fairly simple star, but she wanted it to be a "charm" quilt. In a charm, each individual piece must be a different fabric; a queen-size charm in the star she liked would need over 1600 fabric pieces! I became a frequent visitor to every shop in a three state area. It took almost a year to collect enough to even begin piecing the first stars. Then I discovered online fabric sources, and became addicted to them. That sped the process up, but I was still piecing, quilting and binding entirely by hand, and Lisa's quilt took almost three years to complete. But I learned an important lesson with that quilt. In the beginning it seemed like an impossible task --- almost like the long ago hexagon kit that never got done. But this time around I realized this: I could only cut and piece one star block at a time. I did this regularly, and eventually I had enough blocks to make a row. I kept going until I had enough rows to make the main part of the quilt. Then I added borders and basted the top, batting and backing together. Finally, stitch by stitch, I quilted the layers together. Approaching the project as a whole was overwhelming. But breaking it down into achievable goals led to a really special final result. (See photos below.) This has of become my mantra, in life as well as in quiltmaking.

Lisa's quilt was the last one I made entirely by hand. After hers, I had a fabric stash to die for, and dozens of new projects dancing around in my head! There was no way to get them all done unless I switched to working by machine. I really resisted this for awhile, stuck on the idea that "real" quilters work only by hand. That was true back on the prairie, but few quilters work that way today. In fact, many only sew the top of the quilt, then send it off to be quilted professionally. The pro usually has a huge, long-arm machine, often computer-guided. They do beautiful work. But I like my one-step-a-time = finished quilt approach. Luckily the quilt world is now big enough for all of us!

I now have a sewing machine and a mid-arm machine on a 10 foot rack. No computers, but I can finish a large quilt in a week or two, rather than a year or two. Three years ago I started selling quilts locally, and then online. It's the best job in the world! I still can't live long enough to finish all of the projects I want to tackle, but hopefully most of them. I'm still learning something with each project, and continue to take the occasional class to update techniques and network with other quilters. I get inspiration from other quilters, workshops, books, and magazines. Most often, though, it's fabric that initially excites me; I especially like using the same fabric design in different colorways. Looking for the perfect block and layout to dramatize particular fabrics is what drives me.

You can find more of my work online at Quilts With Heart, or my Etsy shop.

Mid-Summer Update

2009-07-15T22:13:00.006-04:00

If you are a fellow quilter (or maker of other home decor items) you may want to consider joining the Design Style Guide to showcase your work. Read my post on the DSG Blog to learn more about our team.

Also, my work was recently featured in Felicia Kramer's blog, "Felicia Kramer Has Another Bright Idea." Thanks, Felicia!

Finally, visit the DSG Team's main site to see a collection of quilts by members of our team.

I hope you're having a great summer of fun in the sun, but don't forget the sunblock! We just returned from a short vacation in Indian River, Michigan. My sister and brother-in-law have a cottage there, on Mullet Lake. The picture below is my daughter's dog, Ozzy, after his very first (voluntary!) swim in the lake. Last summer, as a puppy, he wanted no part of it. This year Lisa couldn't keep him dry!

Ozzy Norton, Mullet Lake, 2009

Discover "Mystic Silks"

2009-06-16T13:59:00.003-04:00

One of my favorite artists on Etsy.com is also a teammate on Design Style Guide. Her shop is "Mystic Silks," and I'm featuring it on my DSG Blog post this month. It will be published tomorrow, so be sure to check it out. I promise you will LOVE her work --- see samples below!

On another note, for those who may be wondering, my recovery from back surgery is going veeeery slowly. I still can't spend an entire day at the machines without pain, and I tire much too easily. I'm done with physical therapy now, and I rarely take pain meds. The surgeon says I'm healing "as expected for your age," (which, unfortunately, is old as dirt!) Hopefully I will be able to get up to speed eventually.

Supporting The Home Team!

2009-05-20T14:47:00.007-04:00

The Detroit Red Wings are well on their way to another Stanley Cup. We could sure use some good news in this city. Besides, we are Hockey Town!

GO WINGS!!!

Speaking of red, check out my post tomorrow ( 5/21/09) on the Design Style Guide's blog. DSG is a team of artisans who produce handmade home decor items. We've joined together to support and promote each other as we build a catalog of home goods. Eventually the catalog will be targeted mainly to Interior Designers. But you don't have to be a designer to visit us and/or make a purchase! New items and artists are added daily, so visit often. And while you're there, check out my portfolio.

Baby Hero's Quilt

2009-04-24T12:08:00.002-04:00

It's always fun for me to see the little owners of my baby quilts, so I want to thank new mom Susan for sending this photo of her beautiful daughter, Hero. She could make any quilt look great. I hope this one will become her beloved "blankie," and that one day she will sneak a worn-out corner of it into her college luggage. Welcome to the world, pretty girl!

Surgery Sells!!!

2009-03-16T14:35:00.005-04:00

I had back surgery on February 19, and I'm feeling almost like myself again. But that might not be such a good thing, because I sold three quilts while I was drugged mindless! The drugs were legal and all, and there is still plenty of pain and indignity involved when those wicked surgeons put their masks on. But still: THREE QUILTS!!! I'm pretty attached to most of my organs, but there must be something rattling around in there I wouldn't miss....

Big Appendectomy Sale
Prices SLASHED!

Therapy In Session

2009-02-13T16:58:00.003-05:00

Self-Portrait
(In case you've ever wondered what I look like.)

I have to close the shop next week because I'm having back surgery. I've been putting it off for years, but now the time has come. For some reason this has inspired a need to get my "affairs" in order. For most people this probably involves paperwork, but to me it felt absolutely imperative that I sort and label my fabric stash. (It might take another quilter to appreciate that thinking!) I decided to empty a dresser and chest left behind when my grown kids moved out. You'd think they might have missed the clothes they left here, but it's been years and they haven't yet. Too late now! The Purple Heart will be well stocked in the very near future.

I then emptied the overfilled-and-breaking-apart drawers on the old fabric storage unit. Out to the curb it went. I dragged the other empty chest and dresser into the quilt studio and started sorting fabric by color and/or theme. I put it all away, complete with drawer labels. I gave the room a thorough cleaning, and even hung some wall art --- including the self-portrait above. I feel so much better now! Well, except for the back pain...but hopefully that will soon become a thing of the past.

There's still a lot of house cleaning I need to get done before Thursday, especially since they tell me it will be six months before I'll be allowed to vacuum again. (Boo-hoo, huh?) On the plus side, the surgeon said I can start quilting again in two weeks, gradually working up to a full day by six to eight weeks post-op. Quilting really is therapy, for every quilter I know, so the sooner the better. In the meantime, I can fantasize about quilting in my completely organized studio!!!

Treasures From The DSG Team

2009-02-08T17:10:00.007-05:00

Those of us who sell our creations online have found that networking with other artists is a good way to promote and market our work. Many of us link to each others' blogs and web sites, feature each other in our blogs, and often join ranks to advertise sales and specials. The paintings in the "Treasury" above are an example of one way we highlight our fellow artists. In this case, all of the artists are members of The Design Style Guide Team. There you will find more of their work, as well as that of many other artists. In addition to paintings, the DSG offers all manner of handmade home decor items. (Even, can you believe it, QUILTS!)

FINAL Logo!

2009-01-28T12:20:00.006-05:00

I should be quilting, but I've been hooked on updating my web presence for a week now. Yesterday I finished uploading my new logo to all the sites I use. But this morning I discovered a way to tweak the lettering, which led to the new logo becoming an old logo. The one shown here is now the newest, the best, and the final logo. Honestly.
That means I have to update all of the sites, so another quilting day will be lost. But, hey, there's more than "manufacturing" involved in running a web-based business, and designing logos and business cards and web sites is a part of that.

New Logo and New Legislation

2009-01-24T19:03:00.006-05:00

I spent today on the computer, updating my various sites and memberships. Mainly I needed to get my new logo posted everywhere I maintain a presence. You can find links to these sites in the column on the right, if you want to visit.

So, that's the good news. The bad news is that I may have to stop selling baby quilts. In mid-February new standards go into effect for testing lead levels in all baby products. The law is meant to protect consumers from the lax testing standards in some of the countries the U.S. imports from. I'm all in favor of that! But the way the law is written, every part in every product must be tested for lead, or it cannot be sold in the U.S.

Independent small businesses, including makers of handmade articles, will almost certainly be unable to afford the required testing. I've joined other quilters in researching the new requirements. If you have ever tried to read a legal document you will understand when I say: "Huh?" But we will do what we can. My understanding is that U.S. fabric manufacturers have not used lead dyes for years now, so I'm hoping that as long as we use U.S. fabric we will be exempt from testing. I'll let you know what we find out.

First Quilt of 2009

2009-01-10T10:12:00.002-05:00

This is a special order baby quilt, and one of my all-time favorites.
My husband says I say that about every quilt, but this time I REALLY
mean it!

Baltimore Album, Block 2

2008-12-12T10:05:00.002-05:00

I feel like such a slacker --- I haven't posted to the blog in such a long time that I forgot my password! More importantly, one of the reasons I didn't post is that I hadn't finished another Album block, which means I'm now officially behind schedule for the 2010 Ann Arbor quilt show. So much for my resolution to stop procrastinating. The good news is that I'm so happy with the new block that I might use it to design a new logo. Also, I'm about half- finished with block three, which is the same pattern, in shades of purple. Who knows, I might even make a Valentine throw using variations of this pattern!

Simplicity

2008-11-17T16:29:00.003-05:00

This special order baby quilt is about as simple as they come, per the Mom-to-be's request. The baby's gender is not yet known, and the nursery is being prepared in various pastels. I lobbied unsuccessfully for a more complex block pattern, something more "special," but in the end I dove into my pastel polka dot fabric collection and made this simple one-patch. I used a pastel plaid flannel for the backing, and the result is extra soft and cuddly --- made even more cuddly with the added stuffed koala and matching mini quilt. I guess simplicity can be special, too!

Super-sized Ozzy

2008-11-01T18:48:00.004-04:00

I got to puppysit again last night, and if you've seen my previous posts about "Grandpup" Ozzy you'll note right off that he's grown just a tad! When Lisa got him in mid-August he was about 9 weeks old and weighed 12 pounds; now he weighs almost 45 and is still growing. He loves his new back yard, with all it's mature shrubs and trees --- and all the squirrels who live in them. Well, maybe he doesn't love the squirrels, but he sure loves chasing them! The squirrels, for their part, tease and taunt him unmercifully, using the utility wires to travel from tree to tree. And there's poor Oz, literally barking up the wrong tree. He's going to Puppy School now, so hopefully he'll learn more productive ways to expend his energy!

Aqua and Brown???

2008-10-21T10:58:00.012-04:00

This is another special order quilt that stretched my comfort zone, color-wise. I was told that the baby's nursery was going to be aqua, with brown accents. I liked the color combination well enough, but it didn't say "baby" to me. My era (late Stone Age) favored the standard pink for girls and blue for boys, but it's a new world out there, people!

Fortunately, I was also told that the Mom-To-Be liked polka dots and stripes. I love polka dots, so we shared common ground there. And though I find striped fabric difficult to work with (because the stripes are often at odds with the grain of the fabric) it's easy to create a striped look by choosing the right block pattern. So now I had a plan.

After piecing the top I thought it looked too "boxy," so I quilted freehand spirals in the center of each block. This softened the squares and added a kind of funky look that seemed, to me, to compliment the color scheme. Anyway, I love the final product, and hope the baby will too! I like to think each baby quilt will become a child's beloved "blankee," a tiny scrap of which eventually goes off to college with it's owner.

Orange & Purple???

2008-10-19T09:17:00.003-04:00

A few months ago, Customer Brenda sent me fabric she wanted me to use in a Halloween throw for her. Individually, each fabric was cute. But they didn't add up to a color combination pleasing to my eye, and I dragged my feet for several weeks, waiting for a visit from the Quilting Muse. (Yes, we have our own Muse, and she's extremely helpful in cases of quilter's block. Pun intended!)

Eventually I settled on a design, and went fabric shopping in my stash (which you may recall is one of my favorite things to do!) I needed some medium values of orange and purple, to coordinate with the intense colors Brenda had sent. I also needed to just jump in and START the project ----- overthinking ideas is not at all productive. At some point you have pick up the rotary cutter, take a deep breath, and make that first slice. The neat thing about quilting is that there really are no mistakes; there are only design modifications!

The other neat thing: sometimes you get to surprise yourself by stretching your comfort zone. I ended up really liking Brenda's Halloween quilt, despite the fabric choice I would not have made on my own. Happy Halloween, Brenda!

Fall in Vermont

2008-10-13T20:29:00.005-04:00

We just returned from a train trip to New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire, to see the Fall colors. The colors were gorgeous, the weather was sunny and cool, and our sleeper compartment was teeny-tiny-tight! I'd like to meet the person who designed it. I can just imagine him/her getting the assignment: "Into this 6'6"x3'6" space you must install two seats that convert to a bottom berth, a folding table, a suitcase rack, a pull-down upper berth, a toilet and fold-up sink that double as steps to the upper berth, a covered trash bin that doubles as a side table." The entire roomette was dual purpose!

I was able to visit only one quilt exhibit, but I made up for it at numerous Ben & Jerry's! We also visited a castle, the Von Trapp Lodge, and rode a cog train to the top Mt. Washington, where it was snowing. I loved the ride back down; it was so neat being in the snow and seeing the red and orange and yellow trees spread out below.

It was a great vacation, but it's good to get home, too. So, tomorrow I start cutting a new baby quilt, and real life resumes.

Design Style Guide Team Blog

2008-09-17T00:02:00.000-04:00

Today is my day to post to the Design Style Guide team blog, so be sure to check it out!

Scrap Quilts

2008-09-08T17:23:00.005-04:00

I keep a basket on my sewing table, to collect scraps as I sew. I consider anything less than 1/4 yard to be a "scrap," and will save pieces as small as 2 inches square. When my basket is full, I organize the scraps by cutting the larger pieces into 12, 8, 6, and 4-inch long strips; I cut the longer strips first, and then finish up with the smaller strips. Width doesn't really matter to me, but it has to be at least one inch wide to be worth cutting. Depending on the size of the scrap, it may lend itself to being cut into squares rather than strips. Again, I cut the largest square I can, which is most often 6 inches, and work my way down to the smaller ones. I keep all the strips and squares sorted by size as I cut. This is the sort of task I do in the evening, as I'm watching TV or chatting with my husband, so it doesn't cut into my work time. (We quilters love to play with our fabric, so this is not considered "work!")

Once I cut all of the scraps in the basket, I have to decide what to do with them. Most often I put them in baggies, labeled by size, and keep them in the wire baskets in my quilt studio's closet. When I get a nice selection of strips and squares, they beg to be made into blocks. When I have enough blocks, Presto: I have a quilt! How painless is that?! Quilt teachers say that a "true" scrap quilt should be totally random --- just put your hand into the baggie and pull out the next scrap to sew to the previous scrap. As you may be able to tell, such total randomness is not in my nature. I have to arrange my strips and squares in a way that is pleasing to my eye. No clashing allowed!

Baltimore Album, Block One

2008-09-08T16:20:00.003-04:00

I finally finished a block that I like for my album quilt. This one is done in the traditional reds and greens, but I plan to use a lot of different colors in other blocks. I have three special orders waiting, but when I get those done I'll start my next applique block. I'll keep you posted!

Pseudo Grandma

2008-08-20T15:42:00.005-04:00

Every once in a while real life interferes with quilting, for better or worse. This time it's a good interruption! I know you probably have actual grandchildren, but so far the closest I can get to that dream are my daughter Lisa's two cats and, now, her 10 week old puppy. Is he cute, or what? His name is Ozzy, and so far he is the best pup in the world: Friendly, quiet, calm, playful, affectionate, smart and (almost!) housebroken. I say this as a completely neutral observer, just like a "real" grandma! We're going to my sister's cottage this weekend, and I can't wait to see the little fellow there. It will be interesting to see how he'll react to the other dogs, and especially if he'll follow them into the lake. He's supposedly an Australian Shepherd/Border Collie mix, though he has no papers to prove it. He shows no inclination to herd the cats (as if it were possible) but he did a perfect point when a flock of birds flew over! So, we think perhaps his heritage is more complex than advertised. It doesn't matter --- he's definitely a keeper.

Lisa just bought her first house, complete with a huge fenced-in backyard. I can't prove it, but sometimes I suspect she bought the house for the dog. (Not that there's anything wrong with that!) She can't move in until October 1st, but getting the puppy couldn't wait. So, for now, they are stuffed into her small apartment. The cats are not totally sold on either the move or the pup, but they'll adjust eventually. Maybe.

Design Style Guide Team Blog

2008-08-20T13:33:00.003-04:00

On the third Wednesday of every month, I'm the designated blogger for the official Design Style Guide Team Blog. Check out today's entry!

First Block Failure

2008-08-13T10:26:00.004-04:00

I had to buy a light box to trace the patterns for my Baltimore Album quilt. It's not a "professional" model (those were really pricey!) but for my purposes it's perfect. As I wrote in the last post, I wanted to start with an easy block. I'm working from books by one of America's best applique artists, Elly Sienkiewicz. Elly's favorite method, and the one she considers easiest, is called cutwork applique. (Or, in the case of the block below, reverse cutwork.) The first step is to trace half of a block pattern on freezer paper, then fold the paper and cut along the traced lines, sort of like making paper snowflakes, like we all did as kids. (Come to think of it, I wasn't very good at that, either!) The freezer paper cutout is then ironed shiny side down onto a fabric square, which is then pin-basted on top of another fabric. You cut the top fabric away on the traced lines, fold each edge under as you go, and sew this folded edge to the bottom fabric. Easy??? Elly, if you ever read this: I love your quilts, but you lied to me! Good grief, I found cutwork applique to be the most frustrating thing I've done since I started quilting. After the first few leaves I almost threw the block away and started over, but then I thought perhaps I should finish it as an practice exercise. I made it a little more than halfway around before I decided that I didn't even want to practice this technique, because I wouldn't make a quilt this way if you held a gun to my head.

The block actually looks kind of pretty in this picture. Trust me, it's not! It's full of frayed edges, visible stiches, and curves that don't properly curve. And it took way too long for something this poorly done. As my son used to say after I made him taste a new food, "I can't like it!" So, yesterday I cut pieces for a new "first" block, which I'll attach to the background fabric in the "normal" way. I'll have to rethink about half of the other 24 blocks I chose; if I can convert the patterns to attach in the old way I'll still use them. Otherwise, I'll either choose other patterns or make doubles of 12 blocks, using different colors.

One (Difficult!) Block At A Time

2008-08-07T09:31:00.020-04:00

Is this a gorgeous quilt or what?! I ceated only one block, second from the right in the bottom row (close up photo below.) This Baltimore Album style quilt was a 2005 charity project sponsored by the Elly Sienkiewicz Applique Academy, to raise money for cancer research. The Academy requested applique blocks made from a pattern in any of Elly's books, using a specific background fabric and to include somewhere in the block a specific pink fabric, both of which they provided. Each block was to be dedicated to a friend or relative who died of cancer. Mine was in memory of my cousin, Pam, who died at age 40. Quilters are empathetic and generous people, I've found, and enough blocks were collected to make five quilts! These were auctioned on eBay, and if I remember correctly, this particular quilt was sold for about $5,000.00.

I've been wanting to make myself a Baltimore Album quilt ever since. It's a huge undertaking, and I kept telling myself I needed to improve my skills before I could attempt it. I had purchased most of Elly's books, and I guess I'd hoped to absorb the art of applique via osmosis. (As Dr. Phil would say, "How's that workin' for ya?") Who was I kidding? There's only one way to improve a skill, and that is to practice it, over and over (aka: the hard way!)

Now that I've finished Brenda's applique quilt, I find that I miss having an evening project to work on while I watch TV or chat with my husband. I'm on the machines or at the computer for most of the day, but something about handwork is very soothing and relaxing for me. So... it's time to make the leap from wishing to doing. I spent the last few days choosing patterns for my 25 blocks. I'm going to alternate baskets of flowers with floral wreaths, except for the center block, which will be a peacock. The wide borders will also be appliqued, which is a first for me. If I can manage to complete one and one-half blocks per month, I can show it in the 2010 Ann Arbor Quilt Show. (How's that for not procrastinating?!) Yesterday I auditioned fabrics from my stash, and washed the ones I plan to use. Antique Baltimore Album quilts were usually done in red and green on a white background, often with accents of yellow. I prefer the more modern style, which allows the use of many colors, which is what I plan to do. I've cut out the first pattern, which is a heart shaped, reverse-applique wreath, and have basted it to the first block. I think I understand the next directions, and I'll start stitching as soon as I'm done blogging. I plan to post each block as I finish it, so you can follow my progress. I'm starting with the less complicated blocks and will work my way to the most difficult.Hopefully by the time I get to those I'll know what I'm doing!

Ann Arbor Quilt Show 2008

2008-07-26T20:34:00.003-04:00

My two show entries, shown above, were hung side by side in the first row -- a really great location. I was surprised and pretty pleased! Mostly, I was just glad to get them both done in time, after the fiasco with my sewing machine. By the way, that "Next Day Air" service that I paid $50.00 for was a bust. The part didn't arrive until the day after, and my sewing schedule was thrown for a loop. But somehow the quilts were finished in time.

Brenda's quilt got a lot of attention and favorable comments, and may stand a chance of winning the "Viewers' Choice" award. (I'll let you know!) The lighting was perfect for it, really making the circles pop out as you approached it. I've grown quite attached to this quilt during the long months of hand applique, and will be sorry to see it go. But it's rightfully Brenda's, and she has been patient enough. You should have it by the weekend, Brenda!

The quilt I made for myself (finally!) came out well, too, but it's more traditional and less eye-catching then Brenda's. My favorite part of my quilt is the fabric, which is a tiny rosebud print in several colorways. I've been collecting this for years, and have finally made the quilt. From a distance the print reads like a solid, so I like it best up close, where the tiny vines and buds are visible (see below.) The beige background fabric, as well as the backing of the quilt, is also a vine and flower print.

Next Day Air?

2008-07-22T08:28:00.003-04:00

I learned another lesson yesterday: Time constraints cause machine failures.

As I've mentioned here before, I'm exhibiting two quilts this weekend in the Ann Arbor Quilt Show, and I have to deliver them to the venue first thing Friday morning. It is now Tuesday morning, and only one of the quilts is complete! I put the second one (shown above) in the frame on Sunday, and quilted a couple of rows before bedtime. I was planning to finish quilting yesterday and today, which would still allow time to bind it, label it, attach the hanging sleeve, and wash and dry it before Friday. You can probably guess that my trusty Pfaff refused to cooperate; the free-motion quilting foot would not stay centered. Every time I crossed a seam the foot shifted position slightly, and eventually the needle would hit the rim of the foot, jamming the machine and making a frightening grinding sound. I broke two needles before I figured out what was happening, and then I couldn't find a way to prevent the foot from slipping. Buying a new foot seemed like the quickest fix.

It wasn't. I called three shops. The first one, where I bought the machine, was closed. The other two don't carry Pfaffs, but said if I brought in the broken foot they might be able to match it with another brand or a generic. They couldn't. They seemed puzzled that I hadn't thought to order the foot online. I had. But I also thought it would be faster to pick one up locally. It wasn't. So.....

I ordered one online, and paid $50.oo to have it shipped next day air. The foot only cost $24.oo. I couldn't sleep last night for worrying about the looming deadline and berating myself for procrastinating. (See previous post!) It's now 9:00 am, and the foot isn't here. I've never used next-day air, and am not at all confident that I will have the foot in time to finish the quilt. I'll keep you posted!

Coming Off The Frame!

2008-07-17T12:50:00.005-04:00

I did it! I was able to quilt the entire project without turning the quilt, and "floating" the top worked very well. I'm really happy with the way it turned out! Now I just have to finish binding it, add a label and hanging sleeve, and deliver it to the show site on July 25. GULP! That's coming way too fast, especially since I haven't even finished assembling my second entry yet! I may need to recruit some volunteers for the second quilt's binding and sleeve. I will never procrastinate again. I will never procrastinate again.I will never procrastinate again.I will never procrastinate again.I will never procrastinate again.I will never procrastinate again.I will never procrastinate again.I will never procrastinate again......

Framed At Last!

2008-07-11T22:37:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I finally got one of my show quilts in the frame and started quilting it. It has to be done by July 25th, and I have to quilt a second entry as well, so I don't have much time to spare!

This one is queen sized, and is the largest quilt I've ever done by
machine. I am "floating" the top and batting rather than rolling them on feeder bars, which is another first for me. I'm hoping I can finish it without having to turn it top-to-bottom, since I'm not sure how to do that! Luckily this quilt is going to be mine, so if it's a little off it won't matter too much. (And the back, where the mistakes are likely to be most obvious, won't be in view at the show!)

Quilts and Cats

2008-07-05T16:57:00.003-04:00

If you are a potential quilt buyer, please read no further! This post is meant for you quilters. You know who you are, and I know what you are hiding! Apparently, quiltmakers are not supposed to like animals. At least, most of the item descriptions I read proudly announce: "Made in a pet-free and smoke-free environment." Well, smoke-free I can believe. But frankly, quilts are cat magnets, and so are quilters, so I just can't believe all those "pet-free" claims. I imagine I know more quilters than the average person, and I know that most of them have pets. In fact, most of them can probably produce photos similar to those above! But still, those ads keep saying "pet-free."

I do try to keep the cats off the quilts-in-progress, but I don't ban them from the studio while I'm sewing/quilting. And, honestly, they seem very interested in all phases of the creative process. If only they had opposable thumbs, they'd be excellent assistants. And for me, one of the perks of working at home is enjoying their companionship. I wash and double rinse all my quilts upon completion,and tumble them dry. From that point on they are kept in a strictly imposed cat-free zone. (All of the quilts shown belong to family. None will be sold while I'm still alive! ) No customer has ever complained about fur or dander on my quilts, so I guess this works. I don't mention the cats in item descriptions, but I don't claim to be pet-free, either. Do you? Are you?

Strolling in the Garden

2008-06-22T20:48:00.003-04:00

I love flowers, and have always wanted to have an English garden. Unfortunately, I'd need an English gardener, too. I don't particularly like to work in the garden; it's too hot, it's too messy, and it hurts my back. (Other than that, I'd be okay.) Anyway, I enjoy looking at flowers in other people's yards, and buying bouquets, and using floral fabrics in my quilts. I have floral paintings on the walls, needlepoint flowers, floral upholstery and linens. And I love checking out the floral art of my fellow Etsy Interior Design Team members, examples of which are shown at left.

Lovin' the Craft

2008-06-19T11:45:00.003-04:00

The EtsyBlogger Street Team carnival theme this week is"Lovin' the Craft." Everyone on the team has an Etsy shop, of course. But our blog carnival post is supposed to feature crafts other than the art we sell.

Over the years I've enjoyed ceramics and needlepoint, but my favorite hobby was building miniatures. Starting in 1985, I built and decorated the dollhouse shown above, and made most of the furniture from kits. The project took almost five years, and I loved every single minute of it! Miniature building is an expensive hobby, so I'll probably never make another house, but I have this one on display in my home and I enjoy seeing it every day. You can read about the building process and see many more photos on my web site.

Featuring Alicia Mae!

2008-06-19T09:22:00.008-04:00

Alicia Mae is the featured EtsyBlogger Street Team member for June 2008. Alicia has three Etsy shops: AliciaMae offers jewelry, masks, and trinket boxes. AliciaMaePrints carries photographs, artwork, and bookmarks. RandomSupplies sells....well, random supplies, for the crafter in you!

Alicia ships worldwide, and combines shipping charges across all three shops. If you hurry you can take advantage of her big "Moving Sale." This week only, as Alicia prepares to move from North Carolina to New Hampshire, she is offering sales in all three shops. Then they'll be closed until she's settled again, in mid-July.

You can read more about Alicia and her artwork on her blog. Have a good move back to snow country, Alicia!

Pup & Duckies

2008-06-02T18:26:00.005-04:00

When I make a baby quilt I always use the leftover fabric to make a coordinating mini quilt, which I attach to the paws of a stuffed animal. I include these with the baby quilt. The puppy and mini quilt above mark the first time I've sold these separately. One of my steady customers requested it for a baby shower gift. The mom-to-be likes duckies, and the gift-giver loves dogs (she has FOUR yellow Labs!) So I used a rubber ducky print for the stars, and the puppy to hold the quilt. I think I'll make more mini quilts for the shop, just to have a wider spread in the price range. Probably more table runners and placemats, too, for the same reason. Also, these smaller items will be easier than quilts to transport and display at craft shows.

Floral Delights!

2008-05-26T11:40:00.002-04:00

I love this collection of floral items that I found from various artists on Etsy. It's fun to find items on the site that relate to a particular theme or color, and make them into what Etsy calls a Treasury -- it's almost like sketching a new quilt! In this Treasury I featured some of the newest members of the Interior Design Team.

EtsyBloggers May Carnival: Tutorial

2008-05-22T10:06:00.016-04:00

As a member of the EtsyBloggers Street Team, I'm required to participate in the team blog carnival at least once a month. I've been waiting for an easy topic, but the month is almost over so now I'm stuck with the final topic: Tutorial. I'm supposed to teach or demonstrate something that I do. Making quilts is pretty much all I do these days, so I'm doing my tutorial on SCUBA DIVING.

Just kidding. I'm going to show you around my work areas, and tell you a little about my quiltmaking process. There are two things every quilter collects: fabric and quiltmaking books. My creative juices usually start bubbling from one or the other of these sources. Often I fall in love with a particular fabric, and will design a quilt especially to showcase that fabric. I thumb through my quilt books and choose a classic block that seems fitting, and then sort through my stash of fabric (two chests of drawers full) and pull many other fabrics that coordinate or contrast with the featured fabric. This may take an entire day, but I don't mind, since "shopping" from my own stash is about the most fun I can have! I usually make piles of possible combinations (see top photo) and then start narrowing the selections down. For me, this is often the stage that determines the size of my quilt; it may depend on how much fabric I have in the selected grouping, or whether I can still order more if needed.

Next I move to the cutting table (2nd photo). There is some math involved to determine how to cut the fabric, and I humbly confess that this is my least favorite part of quilting. (I definitely should have paid more attention in Algebra class! Sorry, Mr. Vartarian.) On the plus side, specialized rulers and rotary cutters have made cutting fun. When I first learned to quilt I used templates to trace and cut each piece with scissors, like our pioneer sisters did. I can't imagine where they found the time for this, what with churning the butter and feeding the chickens and plowing the fields. Even with my advanced tools, depending on the size of the quilt and the complexity of each block, cutting may take another whole day.

Then, finally, I get to piece the quilt! (3rd photo) I think "piecing" (sewing the patches into blocks and the blocks into rows and the rows into a quilt top) is the part of the process that most quilters love best. This is where we finally get to see how the colors work together. Does the block need more contrast? Is the focal fabric overpowered, or enhanced, by the other fabrics? Now is the time to make changes if needed. My experience has been that if I don't like the total effect at this stage of the game, I'm not going to like it any better later on. Often the change that's needed is a small one, and yet it can make a huge difference in the quilt. Better to bite the bullet now and redo things so you'll be happy with the finished top.

Lastly, it's time to layer and quilt. Many hobby-type quiltmakers pay to have a professional quilt the finished top to the batting and backing fabric. These professionals generally use long-arm, computer-driven quilting machines, and the result is beautiful. Others hand-quilt their tops, which can take many months or even years, but again the result is beautiful. I used to do all of my piecing and quilting by hand, but arthritis and time constraints led me to switch to a "mid-arm" quilting machine on a ten-foot frame. (4th photo) It's not computerized, so I have to hand-guide it, but I enjoy doing that. The results are not as perfect as with a computer-driven machine, but they're still very pretty.

All it really takes to make a quilt is a quilting book, some fabric, and a lot patience. The great thing about quiltmaking is that if you approach the project one step (one piece, one block, one row) at a time, and keep repeating that process, you will end up with a quilt! And it will be warm and beautiful and full of heart -- a true testament to the artist in you.

Interior Design Team Showcase

2008-05-17T18:07:00.003-04:00

One of my Etsy Teams, The Interior Design Team, has created a new blog to showcase the work of it's members. Eventually we hope to use the blog to promote our furnishings and home decor items to professional Interior Designers. This is a great example of the value of using teamwork to accomplish a goal that would be much more difficult for the individual artisan. My sales are still not what I'd like them to be, but I'm new to this kind of marketing, so I'm hopeful it will make a difference. In the meantime, I'll just keep quilting. Think about it: Worst case scenario, I end up owning a bunch of quilts. I can live with that!

A quilt for me???

2008-05-16T11:10:00.005-04:00

You might expect a quiltmaker to have a houseful of quilts, but it doesn't seem to work that way. If you love quilts and want one for your bed, it's often better to know a quilter than to be one! I hope I can say this without sounding like a braggart, but every quilter I've ever met has been generous to a fault when it comes to her work. Or, his work, in the case of the lone male quilter that I know. (If you don't believe me, just read "The Quiltmaker's Gift.") I suppose that if your best friend is a quiltmaker and you don't care for quilts, this could be a problem. You might want to consider getting a different best friend, or maybe a shrink...I mean, how can you not love quilts???

In addition to gifts for friends and family, quilters' groups and guilds almost always have a favorite charity they make quilts for, often a children's hospital or a women's shelter. When not donating entire quilts, they very often contribute blocks for a communal quilt that will be auctioned for charity, or a huge quilt that will tour the country to commemorate a particular event, again with the proceeds going to research or charity. The AIDS Quilt and the 9/11 Memorial Quilt are perhaps the most famous examples of these. (I saw the 9/11 Quilt exhibit, and it was an incredibly moving experience.) I've donated several twin-size quilts to a shelter for battered women and children, and numerous blocks throughout the years for one charity or another.

So, it's taken me 12 years, but I'm finally making a quilt for me!!! The picture above doesn't do it justice, but I'll take more as the project progresses. In fact, I decided to enter it in my guild's quilt show in July, so I now have a deadline that will force me to finish it. Without the deadline, it would remain a low priority. This way, I may get to see it on my bed someday. Talk about excitement! (It doesn't take much to make me happy.)

Halfway Point

2008-05-05T16:27:00.006-04:00

I'm making this for my friend, Brenda, and have finally passed the halfway point: 44 of 80 blocks completed! The pattern is "Creme Brulee," by Linda Carlson and Linda Hohag, from the book Patchwork Pantry. (It's a pretty example of the Winding Ways block.) I love how the intertwining circles pop out at you! Brenda chose the pattern and fabrics, which as you can see are white on whites and various shades of pink. The block backgrounds are machine pieced, but the petals are hand appliqued. Luckily Brenda is not in a hurry, because I'm doing the handwork in the evenings, after I've spent the day at the machines on other projects. I'll machine quilt it, and I'm planning to have it done by mid-July so I can enter it in my Guild's Quilt Show. (I'm also hoping that Brenda will agree to let me borrow it for the show! Please, Brenda???)
Lately I've been doing all my work by machine, so it's been kind of nice to return to handwork. I can only do one block a night, though, and then my arthritic hands start complaining. One thing I'd forgotten about handwork is that, because it takes such a long time, I get much more attached to the project. It's going to hurt my heart a little to part with this quilt. But I know Brenda will give it a good home!

Featured Etsy Blogger for May!

2008-05-02T10:09:00.004-04:00

The beautiful scarf at left was made by Kathy Johnston, owner of the Etsy shop "A Cozy Life." Kathy is the featured blogger of the month for the EtsyBloggers Street Team. She now lives in Arizona, and says she has been a crafter for as long as she can remember. Over the years she has done needlepoint, embroidery, quilting, tole painting, sewing, knitting, crocheting and tatting. But she is happiest when she is knitting, crocheting or sewing.

Kathy reports that she started doing craft shows more than 20 years ago, but now prefers selling her items online. She has been an Etsy seller since 2006, and has also been a very active member of the EtsyBloggers Street Team. As an example of Kathy's unselfish promotion of other artisans, here's a quote from her Etsy bio: "I encourage you to look not only at my shop but the thousands of others here. There is something here for everyone, all handmade, from the heart by people like me who don't know how to stop."

You can learn more about this talented lady on her blog!

"My Mommy & Me" Sale on Etsy!

2008-04-29T09:05:00.009-04:00

The Interior Design Etsy Team is having a SALE, May 1 through May 11, in honor of Mother's Day. Each participating shop will determine it's own terms, so "drop in" on May 1st and see what's happening! The slide show below highlights just a few of the items on sale from each shop. Links to participating shops are listed below the slide show. Quilts With Heart is offering 10% off all items, plus FREE shipping!

LIST OF PARTICIPATING SHOPS:
TR Pottery
ME Pottery
Nicole Rae Photo
Quilts With Heart
Coconut Palm
Feel Design
Citrus Tree
Floradora Inc.
Stray Threads
Matechuk's
Diane Clancy's Art
Kat Hannah
Chaanda
Artenzie
Shaded Memories
Lightleak Media
Susannah Tucker Photography
Tiffany Teske
Pat's Pottery
Kristina Law

Interior Design Etsy Team Treasury

2008-04-27T12:33:00.008-04:00

Etsy offers quite a few different ways for buyers to search for items, and for sellers to show their items. One of these is the list of "Treasuries," each built around a specific theme, which displays items from different sellers. It's nice to make Treasuries of fellow Etsians' work, but it's more fun to be listed in someone else's Treasury! Either way it increases traffic to your shop, and gets your brand noticed, which hopefully leads to sales.
There's a lot of talent on Etsy, and the Interior Design Team can claim many artisans. Here's a screenshot of the team treasury I posted today.

Addicted To Fabric

2008-04-23T17:09:00.015-04:00

When I first started making quilts about 12 years ago, I bought only enough fabric for the project at hand. There were always leftover scraps, and I saved the bigger ones for possible use in the future. But that was the extent of my fabric "stash." I belong to a large guild in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and at meetings and classes I often heard other quilters talking about their stashes, and I thought I knew what they meant. Silly me!

My true stash was not born until 1998, when my daughter requested a queen-sized "charm" quilt. Each patch in a charm quilt must be a different fabric, and the pattern called for over 1600 patches! At the time I had, maybe, 25 or 30 "leftover" scraps, so I knew from the outset that the project would require some serious collecting. I started slowly, begging my quilting friends for a scrap here and a scrap there, and working out trades online. I graduated to buying 5-inch and 10-inch samples from various designer collections, and "fat quarters" from every fabric shop I passed. Each block required 32 fabrics of a particular color, in differing values, so I shopped by color and created a block each time I collected 32 fabrics. At the time I pieced and quilted entirely by hand, and the project took three years to complete. (You can see "Lisa's Charms" near the bottom of the sidebar at right.)

I consider the quilt my opus, and doubt I will ever make another large quilt by hand. But I love the finished product, and by the time it was done I had a fabric stash to die for!!! Sadly, I also had this monkey on my back, this addiction to fabric collecting. Fabric calls to me, ever so softly and seductively. It says, "I will make you happy. I will look fantastic in your quilt. Or, if you choose, I will live happily in your collection forever, until death do us part, and you can pet me whenever you want." Oh yes, it makes promises like that, and the whispers make my head spin and my heart pound, and soon I have another bagful of fabric to sneak into the quilt studio.

I will confess to you that I now have more fabric than my husband knows about. I probably, somewhere, have fabric that even I don't know about. I can't possibly live long enough to use it all. And still, it calls to me from every shop I pass, and from every fabric dealer online. I had to buy a sewing machine so I could try to use it up. Then I bought a quilting machine, for the same reason. Still, the collection grew. I started giving quilts away, and then selling them, all to feed my habit. I quilt full-time now, and still the collection grows. But I'm cutting back, I swear. I can quit whenever I want.

Interior Design Etsy Team

2008-04-19T19:44:00.003-04:00

As I've mentioned here before, one of the reasons I moved my shop to Etsy.com is the site's community of artists, who value and promote one another. Etsy encourages the formation of Teams, who are drawn together by region or craft, and who are a source of inspiration and information for each other. Many of us are new to selling our work, or to online sales. Others have sold online but never done a craft fair, or sold on consignment, or advertised their work. It's fine to read articles or books about these things. But it's even better to meet kindred spirits who have been where you want to go, or who want to go where you've already been. We can share our experiences, and everyone leaves the richer for it. We can pool our resources and accomplish more together than any one of us could alone.

The newest team I've joined on Etsy is the Interior Design Team. All members make articles for the home, from handmade furniture to original art work. We all sell on Etsy, as well as through other venues. The link above offers more information about the team, and instructions for joining. Hope to "meet" you there some time!

Bull Stuff!

2008-04-16T11:27:00.011-04:00

As a member of the "Etsy Bloggers Street Team," I have to blog at least once a month about a topic chosen for the weekly "carnival." I'm new to blogging, and to Etsy, and until now I had never even heard the term "blog carnival!" Why am I always the last to know?

The carnival theme this week is "Bulls." I know absolutely nothing about bulls, and I try to keep it that way, but some people do strange things with bulls. For instance, what would motivate a person to participate in the annual "Running Of The Bulls?" Plenty of Tequila, is what I'm thinking. As a natural born klutz, I was worried by this advice to entrants:

Beware of falling - Bulls are not the only danger. Mainly, it's the number of runners. The chances of stumbling and falling are very high. In fact, most of the people who are injured during the run have fallen and been trampled over by other runners. You have to look in front of you, behind you and on the ground. Once you are in the herd, it's safest to remain close to the bulls because there will be no runners in front of you. If you fall, just curl up and do not move until someone taps you on the shoulder. If you're near a bull and you fall, do not try to get up. If you curl up in a ball, the bull will evade you and continue running. Getting up will cause the bull to attack you. This is the most common mistake made by runners.

You know, I'm a quiltmaker. Jobs don't come much more sedentary than mine, and I admit that's one of the things I like about it. I don't "do" running. But if I did, I would leave the bulls out of it altogether.

If running with them is dangerous, how much more so is "fighting" with them? I know you get to use a cape and a big sword, and the bull is unarmed... Come to think of it, I'd root for the bull, who was minding his own business, just looking for some shapely cows, and suddenly thousands of people are cheering for some guy in a glittery outfit to KILL him. I'd be mad, too!

Lastly, if you don't want to run with bulls or engage them in a one-sided fight, you can always ride one. It looks fairly simple, until they open the gate.

Martha Would Approve

2008-04-13T17:48:00.001-04:00

My husband and I have been "empty nesters" for about a year now,
which has taken some adjustment. But we've gotten used to it, and now
get to enjoy things like having Sunday brunch today at our daughter's.
She did a great job; even Martha Stewart would have approved. She has
feathered such a cute little nest for herself, and she even keeps it
neat and tidy -- very unlike her former room at my house!

Seven days in a row!

2008-04-13T11:58:00.000-04:00

It must say something about the lack of drama in my life, but I'm
really intrigued by my visiting cardinal. Today marks the seventh
morning he's come and tapped on my window. What's up with that??

Feeling Blue

2008-04-09T19:37:00.002-04:00

Working from home has many advantages, but one drawback can be
loneliness. I don't miss anything about my previous job except seeing
my coworkers on a regular basis. Occasional visits are great, but
they just can't replace the daily conversations, kidding around, and
sharing the details of our lives with people who know us well.

That's why I like the way Etsy encourages the formation of teams and
makes it easy for us to contact each other, "heart" each other, and
join blog rings and message boards. All of these help alleviate the
isolation I sometimes feel.

I recently joined a group of local quilters who meet every week. I
belong to a large quilt guild too, but this new group is much more
informal. Mostly we just stitch and talk, admire each other's
projects, and share tips and encouragement. (As I've said here before,
I've never met a quilter I didn't like!)

Visitor to the studio

2008-04-07T10:04:00.001-04:00

This poor little cardinal has been pecking on my window for THREE
DAYS! I've never heard of a bird doing this, and I'm starting to
wonder if it's a sign of some kind. Anybody know? (Maybe she's trying
to tell me to wash windows!)

Have A Cow!

2008-04-07T09:34:00.003-04:00

This little cow was the perfect "baby buddy" for my latest quilt. The fabric is "Hungry Animal Alphabet" by Janet Frisch, and there's a cow in the "C" block. The buddy cow
has her own coordinating mini quilt. At baby showers it's always the
buddy who gets the oohs and ahhs! (You'll note that I still have to finish the binding.)

Etsy Blogger of the Month!

2008-04-06T16:05:00.010-04:00

I love having a shop at Etsy.com. There's a real sense of community there, with artists sharing information and supporting each other. One of the things Etsy does is encourage the creation of Teams to promote one another's work. One of the teams I've joined is the Etsy Bloggers Street Team. They select a "Blogger of the Month" and all of the team members link blogs with him/her. This month's BOTM is StormyDesigns! The photos above show just a few of the many beautiful items in her shop. Stormy is a polymer clay artist in Virginia, and she is very active on Etsy. You can read more about her on her blog. I hope being the featured blogger brings you lots of sales, Stormy!

**************************************************************************************

By the way, in case you're wondering, The tax guy turned out to be a woman this year, and the process wasn't as brutal as I feared it might be! The end result is that I can devote another year to Quilts With Heart. My goal is to at least break even this year, which sounds pretty pathetic, doesn't it? I mean, solving world hunger, now there's a GOAL! Winning the World Series, there's a GOAL! Then there's mine: breaking even in the business. How humbling.

Tax Time

2008-04-04T10:16:00.002-04:00

We see the tax man tomorrow, and I'm dreading it even more than usual. It's been one year since I left nursing and started my quiltmaking business. From the start I've treated it as a full-time job and have worked at least 40 hours a week. The fun tasks were shopping for fabric and designing, cutting, piecing, layering, quilting, binding and labeling quilts. The less fun tasks were creating and maintaining the web sites, blog, and virtual store/shop --- photographing items, posting listings, advertising, and tracking site statistics. The occasional sale was a rare but exhilarating event, though it did require the additional work of packaging and shipping, tracking the package, and leaving seller feedback (not to mention that excruciating wait for buyer feedback!)

So, okay, it's work, even if it is mostly enjoyable work, and even though friends and relatives consider me "retired." The only problem is that there's no payday. Whatever money makes it's way into PayPal stays there ever so briefly before making it's way back out of PayPal and into sellers fees, fabric stores, office supplies, sewing machine repairs, etc.

I didn't expect to show a profit in this first year, but I had carefully protected myself from knowing just how much money I was losing. I filed the receipts but never totaled them until a few days ago, when I started preparing for the tax guy. I had known I'd be discouraged by the totals, and I was. I had known I'd find it hard to justify all the hours I put in, and I do. There is a certain amount of joy derived by creating something beautiful and sharing it with others. But not enough!

So, tomorrow I will find out if I can afford to continue working at this for another year, or if I'll have to get a "real" job. Truthfully, I don't feel optimistic about Quilts With Heart's chances of survival.

Is It Spring Yet?

2008-03-30T16:24:00.007-04:00

The calendar says it is, but here in Michigan there's still some snow on the ground. I'm kind of nutty because I actually like winter (it is quilt weather, after all!) But I bowed to the majority today and finally took my "Christmas" quilt off the wall. As you can see from the photo, it's really more of a "Snowman" quilt, and I figure as long as there's snow on the ground I can still celebrate snowmen if I want to. (Do kids still make snowmen? I don't think I saw one in my neighborhood all winter, though there were gigantic plastic snowmen at Christmastime. There's something inherently wrong about plastic snowmen that are planted in real snow!)
But, anyway, my quilt and the matching placemats are back in the cedar chest for another year. Or, wait...only 8 months until November; that'll fly by!

New Bracelet

2008-03-29T09:30:00.002-04:00

Is this gorgeous or what? Sundaez Child designed it for me. I wanted a "Quilts With Heart" theme, in blues, and she nailed it! Notice the heart shaped links and crystals and even the clasp! (Those are probably not jewelers' terms, but you know what I mean.) I plan to wear my bracelet at shows, and I hope I can send some business Gay's way. I like it that Etsy sellers support and encourage one another; that was never my experience with my eBay store.
Anyway, I've never really worn much jewelry, but I think I may have found something new to collect! My husband will be so thrilled.

Finally, Some "Finished" Projects

2008-03-27T18:06:00.005-04:00

If you're a non-quilter, the term "UFO" probably means something different to you. But any quilter knows it really means "unfinished objects." These are projects you start in a burst of energy and inspiration, often during a class on some new technique. For one reason or another, the project lost it's charm somewhere along the line. Maybe the new technique was not much fun. Or the colors didn't work well together. Or you just bit off more than you could chew. If the project is far enough along to make throwing it away seem wasteful, you pretend you'll just set it aside for awhile. It's kind of like those leftovers in your fridge: Deep down inside you knew when you put them in there they would eventually make it to the trash, but you just couldn't admit it to yourself.

Some UFO's are put in a box and will never see light again. But some can be magically transformed into something useful! The secret word is "downsizing." That's an ugly word here in Michigan, but I don't mean it like THAT! Let's say you start a queen size quilt that needs 80 blocks, but after 40 blocks you are sick to death of it. Presto: a twin size quilt! If even 40 is too many to face, you can shoot for a 12-block wall hanging. You have two blocks left over? Hey --- a placemat!!!

So, that explains how I was able to list two wallhangings and a twin quilt today. And if I hadn't blogged about it, you would have thought I was quite prolific!

Tools Of The Trade

2008-03-21T16:37:00.004-04:00

Friends and acquaintances always tell me when area museums have a quilt exhibit, and I feel like a traitor to my craft when I don't enjoy these. But the truth is, I vastly prefer the vibrant colors of modern quilts, even though I love traditional blocks. Quilts from the Civil War era are just ... old. And musty. And depressing.

What I do appreciate about antique quilts is the time and work invested in them. I look around my well-stocked quilting studio and try to imagine giving up my two machines, my rotary cutters and specialized rulers, my huge fabric supply. Then I factor in the lack of electricity (and indoor plumbing!) and give thanks that I am not a pioneer woman. I think I'm spoiled rotten, and I confess I like it.

I Must Stop This Computer Stuff!!!

2008-03-20T15:03:00.003-04:00

Ever since I joined Etsy I have been spending waaaaaaaaaaay too much time at the computer. Every morning I promise myself I will just check my email before I start a new quilt. Then I decide I better check my Etsy convos... Oh, and I should see if I got any responses to my most recent forum entries... And I should probably see if I have any new friend invites on the "We Love Etsy" network. I DO! Great...I better respond before they think I don't want to be friends...then I'll just update the blog...

Can you see where this is going? It's going everywhere except the quilting studio! I'm addicted, and I can't afford another addiction! Help.

Mini Etsy

2008-03-19T17:37:00.001-04:00

Click on any photo below to see more photos and get detailed information on each quilt.

Spreading The Word

2008-03-16T20:47:00.006-04:00

I've been reading and posting on the Etsy.com Forums in hopes of picking up some marketing tips, and also to get exposure for my avatar (logo). A few days ago I learned about "Animoto" in the forums, and made my first video. I've remixed it several times now and then uploaded it to YouTube to draw more viewers.

I also learned about StumbleUpon.com, and listed my shop as one of my favorite finds. (I hope that isn't bad form!) I agreed to give a "thumbs up" to other Etsy artisans, and asked them to do the same for me.

Since I joined Etsy last month I've paid for space in the Main Showcase once, and the Quilt Showcase once. I also posted a three day Treasury list. I've only sold one quilt, but I'm encouraged by the number of people who marked my shop as a favorite, and by the positive comments I've gotten from other sellers. I'm already seeing MUCH more traffic on Etsy than I ever got on eBay.

Lastly, I'm trying to figure out how to use this blog to attract customers. I have no idea how to go about that, but I'll study up!

I can't take too much time away from quiltmaking, but I recognize the need for some attention to advertsing and marketing. Locally I can rely on word of mouth and repeat business; hopefully someday that will be true online as well.

First Etsy Sale!

2008-03-11T12:55:00.004-04:00

I sold my first quilt on Etsy.com, and have also gotten some nice comments on my work from other sellers. The atmosphere on Etsy is warm and welcoming, compared to my experience on eBay.

I also remixed my quilt video, adding more quilts and changing the music. (See post below.)

Now I need to stop doing bookkeeping/marketing/advertising tasks and get back to making quilts!

Art That Keeps You Warm III

2008-03-11T12:42:00.003-04:00

Nice Quote

2008-03-10T09:58:00.004-04:00

Laura, from "Over The Rainbow" fabric shop sent this quote in her latest newsletter:

"I wish that all the world were Quilters...we could bind our wounds, mend our differences, harmonize our colors and blend our borders." --Author Unknown

I have to say that I've never met a quilter I didn't like! They (we?) tend to be compassionate, tolerant, generous, patient, kind.... I've known quilters who don't even OWN a quilt, because they keep giving them away! It used to drive my husband nuts when I gave away my quilts. Now that I sell them, he thinks I don't charge enough. When I figure how many hours I spend on each quilt it does seem like a silly line of work! But then someone buys a quilt, and tells me how much they love it, and I'm suddenly glad to be a quilter.

My New Quilt Shop

2008-03-08T21:11:00.005-05:00

I just opened a new shop at Etsy.com to sell my quilts. (Click title above to visit shop.) I hope you'll visit to see my latest creations, and/or take a moment to watch the video I just made. I think I'm becoming quite a geek for such a "mature" (old!) woman. I've spent the last few days researching marketing strategies for the new shop, and I'm ready now to get back to quiltmaking. I should have some new items listed by the end of the week.

The Quilting Life

2005-04-03T11:43:00.002-04:00

One of the things I like most about making a quilt is the absolute necessity of taking things one step at a time. This is true for life in general, I think, but the desire to jump directly from point A to point Z (or at least M!) seems quite common in living Life. In quiltmaking, it's so obvious: You won't have a quilt until you decide on a pattern, cut fabric into the appropriate pieces, sew each unit of each row of each block, sew the rows together, sew the blocks together, layer the top, batting and backing, quilt the layers together, and add the binding. In time, you will have a quilt, if you have followed the steps with patience and diligence.

Sometimes, during this process, other ideas override your original plan, and the quilt evolves ---- but you must have a concept in order to begin, and you must take things one step at a time in order to complete the quilt. Sometimes a quilter loses interest in the project and the quilt dies, or becomes a set of placemats instead of a bed covering, but the process is not the problem here! The fabric is not the problem. The needle and thread are willing to do their job, whether by hand or by machine. It is the quilter who has decided, for whatever reason, to call a halt to the process. Unless the quilter has died or become incapacitated, this was his or her decision, nothing more and nothing less.
The decisions can be less obvious in the way our life proceeds, but to achieve any goal one must first decide upon the goal, then break it down into steps and proceed with patience and diligence, step after step, until the goal is reached.