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Friday, February 22, 2013

I Can't Keep A Surprise

I had to ask for a gift back.  This. 

 
Because I entered it in a quilt show

And as I found out, when you enter a project in a quilt show, there are submission guidelines as to how it's supposed to be presented.  Like a label.  Still have to do that.  Like a way to hang it.  Thank goodness this is a mini quilt, and L sewed two little rings to the back when she received it from me.

But it also needed a presentation bag.  Yes, a pillowcase would be acceptable, but it would be TOO big.  Plus, I wanted to surprise L as I'd had to ask for her gift back.  

And I knew EXACTLY what bag I wanted to make.  This one.  My favorite.  It's SO easy because Jeni's instructions are clear and precise.  Besides, I've made a gazillion of them now.  That's how much I love it.

But this bag had to be special.  I knew I was going to make improv wonky stars and I knew I had more than enough Halloween scraps.  I knew, because this is for my besty after all, that I was going to use black and gray, and that kitty-with-the glowing-eyes print.

Well, I can't keep surprises.  As soon as I this little wonky star block came together, I took a quick picture with the iPhone and sent it to her. 



So here it is.  Front.


And the back.



Together.  All ready for the show.


I really can't keep a surprise.  

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Playing

Now that I am the blogger for our guild, ECMQG, I feel the urge to put more here.  There's still something about putting my little world out there that unsettles me.  But, as I seem to keep pushing others to come out of their comfort zones, I have to do the same.  


Today I am pulling out my Halloween fabrics (not that they were ever really "put away") to make a bag for this little mini quilt I entered in a local show, the 2013 Emerald Coast Quilt Retreat and Show



Funny, when we were "challenged" to enter a quilt, I thought nothing of it.  Other quilt-y friends, found it uncomfortable. Not that I have any aspirations about winning.  Because I don't.  I'm just thrilled to have a chance to show what I love doing with others.  Others who may not be modern quilters.  Others who sew and quilt and who LOVE fabrics and color, but are not as apt to "play" like I do.  Others who may have taken a sewing class years ago, but haven't "played" with fabric in too long of a time.  Others, like me, who don't draw or paint, but can fill that creative desire, by "playing" with fabrics.  To me, it's all just play.

The little bag I'm making for this quilt to travel to the show in is none other than Jeni Baker's lined drawstring bag.  I love it (obviously).  It's super easy.

So while it's February and the predominant colors are white (snow), gray (clouds), brown (dead grass like where I grew up in Virginia), red (Valentine's), or pink (Valentine's again) I'm going to go play with orange, and black, and purple, and chartreuse, and gray.    

Friday, February 8, 2013

Convoy

I volunteered to help with administrative duties for our guild, ECMQG, during our last formal meeting of 2012.  Kelly S, who was doing everything - EMails, coordinating charity activities, writing our blog, posting pictures, communicating with the MQG, coordinating our meeting ideas, pretty much  every task necessary for a start-up - needed some help.  So now I'm the Secretary.  Which means I write the EMails and blog posts, take notes, and update our various social media sites.  Funny when I haven't written anything for my blog in months.  

In doing my duties this week, I happened upon a new friend in the quilting world.  A blogger.  A modern quilter.  And best of all, someone who lives in Pensacola!  So, we're driving to Crestview tomorrow.  Which is about an hour away from our side(s) of town.  I have this little song floating around in my head.  I remember when it was on the radio in the mid-1970's.    

'Cause we got a little ol' convoy 
Rockin' through the night. 
Yeah, we got a little ol' convoy, 
Ain't she a beautiful sight? 
Come on and join our convoy 
Ain't nothin' gonna get in our way. '

It's going to be a good day.  





This is Halloween! (WAS)

Well all of this would've been relevant if I'd pressed the publish button in October instead of February.  Such is life.

Queue The Nightmare Before Christmas.  This is Halloween, this is Halloween.  Pumpkins scream in the dead of night.


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1st set of Trick-or-Eek! lined drawstring bags.  Our guild, ECMQG is participating in a bazaar at the end of the month.  I won't be there as it's Fall Festival Day at my children's school, so I'm making these medium sized bags for our booth.  It's the weekend before Halloween, so these babies ought to sell, right?  Nope, none sold.  Bummer.   Fabrics for these are from stash (yes!), and recent purchases.  Back in May, (or was it June?), I fell head-over-heels in love with the ghosties, fabric during a visit to my LQS.  Had.To.Have.It.  



2nd set of Trick-or-Eek lined drawstring bags.  From Jeni Baker's tutorial.  Serious Halloween love happening in my world.  Some of these fabrics are from my summer road trip (FL to DE and back) buying spree.  I fell instantly in love with the monsters and the hearses.  Most of these are from the Eerie Alley 3 collection by Robert Kaufman.



A little something for my VGF (very good friend) who started me on this quilting journey. We both ADORE Halloween.  She's in Virginia where the weather is cool and crisp and where there are pumpkin patches.  I live along the shores of the Gulf of Mexico where 90° days in October skew the fact that  it is, indeed fall, and not summer.  

I hope you're being creative today.