The reason I started this blog was due to my need to express my creativity and my recent foray back into quilting. Where I live, there aren't a lot of "modern" quilters and I am, unfortunately, one of the only "crafty" people I know! I'm also an immense fan of many internet blogs and read them every morning!
That being said, I don't think I've ever made an "about me" post, so here's a bunch of random facts:
1. I live in sunny, humid Galveston, Texas, and I am definitely a proud BOI (born on island) and Texan! (Although I lack the accent, because no one in Galveston really has one).
2. I'm the fourth of six children, and the only girl. My youngest brother and I are very close and when we go out, everyone seems to think he's my son! (We're only six years apart, so that's some major BUNK...)
3. I watched my mom sew things, as well as my grandmother, and my childhood was full of colorful, well-loved quilts that I cherish to this day. I got into quilting in high school, kind of let it go, and then got into it again. I'm officially hooked now.
4. I love to read advice columns like Dear Prudence and Miss Manners.
5. I have three dogs: a Pit mix named Little Man, a terrier mix named Manny, and a little furball named Mage. (None of the "M" names were intentional. Even though my last name starts with an "M", I really don't names that start with it all that much! Two of three of the dogs were named by someone else; we adopted them).
6. My favorite genre in books, in movies, in television, in etc is HORROR. I seriously love it! I don't know why, considering that I am, at times, the most paranoid person around. Japanese Horror is kind of my favorite, but I love zombie and ghost movies, too. It should be, because "The Thing" is seriously my favorite movie of all time EVER, and the short story it's based on, "Who Goes There?" is my favorite novella. :)
7. My favorite fabric designers are Heather Ross, Anna Maria Horner, and Joel Dewberry. I tend toward modern, simple designs now, where when I started quilting I just grabbed anything. You can definitely tell when it comes to the things that I destashed!
8. I am a COOKIE MONSTER. All your sweets are belong to me.
9. I have never made a bag, or a dress, but I definitely intend to learn!
10. I'm fluent in Spanish, the result of many years of working in restaurants and living in Southeat Texas, where I feel it's a necessity to know the language. I feel like being bilingual is an extremely important asset, and Spanish is such a prolific language in this country I feel that it does nothing but good for anyone to learn it, and they should. It doesn't hurt that it's an incredibly beautiful language, either :)
Monday, February 28, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Words of Wisdom from a Skull
"It's really not so good to have time. Rush, scramble, desperation, this missed, that left behind, those others too big to fit into such a small space - that's the way life was meant to be. You're supposed to be too late for some things. Don't worry about it."
The Last Unicorn was my favorite movie as a child. And, honestly, it's my favorite book as an adult; beautiful written, a true fairy tale if there ever was one. And the quote above - spoken by the Skull - is one that's been in my head since I first perused it. Because isn't it true? We spend our lives rushing, running, and yet we're still late for so many things - but it's okay. It's okay to be late; sometimes, we all are.
I, for one, am late for several occasions! My boyfriend's birthday is in a week - literally a week - and I haven't finished or even begun a present for him. My gift is a quilt - but I think that, to accomplish this, I'm going to have to work every day and night on it! (I do not, I repeat, do not, have that kind of time). But I'm going to try anyway. Maybe he'll like it half finished :) The fact that it'll be quilt as I go makes it easier, but I'm still behind. His favorite color is green, so I'll be doing it in green - mostly solids, some plaids and some prints. Trying to keep it manly here :)
Tomorrow we're off to Joann's to gather solids for it - not too dark, nor too bright - and some more cotton batting so that the process can begin!
Here's to hoping I'm done in time!
The Last Unicorn was my favorite movie as a child. And, honestly, it's my favorite book as an adult; beautiful written, a true fairy tale if there ever was one. And the quote above - spoken by the Skull - is one that's been in my head since I first perused it. Because isn't it true? We spend our lives rushing, running, and yet we're still late for so many things - but it's okay. It's okay to be late; sometimes, we all are.
I, for one, am late for several occasions! My boyfriend's birthday is in a week - literally a week - and I haven't finished or even begun a present for him. My gift is a quilt - but I think that, to accomplish this, I'm going to have to work every day and night on it! (I do not, I repeat, do not, have that kind of time). But I'm going to try anyway. Maybe he'll like it half finished :) The fact that it'll be quilt as I go makes it easier, but I'm still behind. His favorite color is green, so I'll be doing it in green - mostly solids, some plaids and some prints. Trying to keep it manly here :)
Tomorrow we're off to Joann's to gather solids for it - not too dark, nor too bright - and some more cotton batting so that the process can begin!
Here's to hoping I'm done in time!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Fabric-y Goodness
It seems like everyone else in the world is going on a fabric diet, but I've definitely been doing the opposite ... and yesterday (also today), I've got in some real goodies!
I've been in love with Kei dots forever, but I haven't been able to get ahold of any (partially due to budget, and partially due to not knowing -where- to find them), but I finally bit the bullet and bought a few last week. I got honeycomb dots in blue, yellow, pink, orange, green-on-white, white-on-green, and cocoa. I also picked up Martiza's Queen Street dots in periwinkle, aqua, and pink - these look deceptively like Kei dots, and it's enough to make me happy!
I also got some purple linen dots, and a half yard of Kokka trefle's new "Snow White" in blue - this one is seriously cute, and I'm so glad I found it! Not to mention...and this one has me seriously excited ... a fat quarter of brown underwater sisters from Mendocino!
Oh yeah!
I was looking for all the underwater sisters, and for the life of me couldn't find this one by itself...but I snagged it the other day, and I am SO glad I did! Off to the hexie quilt and Heather Ross quilt it goes :)
I've been in love with Kei dots forever, but I haven't been able to get ahold of any (partially due to budget, and partially due to not knowing -where- to find them), but I finally bit the bullet and bought a few last week. I got honeycomb dots in blue, yellow, pink, orange, green-on-white, white-on-green, and cocoa. I also picked up Martiza's Queen Street dots in periwinkle, aqua, and pink - these look deceptively like Kei dots, and it's enough to make me happy!
I also got some purple linen dots, and a half yard of Kokka trefle's new "Snow White" in blue - this one is seriously cute, and I'm so glad I found it! Not to mention...and this one has me seriously excited ... a fat quarter of brown underwater sisters from Mendocino!
Oh yeah!
I was looking for all the underwater sisters, and for the life of me couldn't find this one by itself...but I snagged it the other day, and I am SO glad I did! Off to the hexie quilt and Heather Ross quilt it goes :)
Friday, February 11, 2011
the best laid plans
So I had this great, grand plan for my new bed quilt. I was going to use Modern Meadow by Joel Dewberry (which is one of my favorite lines) and I was going to do a pattern similar to Ashley's Rubik's Crush quilt. Because there was no pattern, I decided to embark on a pattern on my own; I'm not the best at math, so I was in the process of testing it out. I got the last print I needed in Monday (Napsack in Berry), and I was ready to go.
Until I saw that she'd made a pattern for it, and it's coming out in 101 Patchwork Projects in April.
So, being the lazybones (and perfectionist, what an odd combo), I decided it would be a much better idea to see how an experienced quilter would do those blocks. And while I wait...I would dig into my "Innocent Crush" stash.
Which has got the be my best idea ever. Every time I look at these prints, I fall in love! I even went so far as to order the voile (which is gorgeous), because my favorite print is "Maybe", and I decided that I needed it in every color. I'm not going to order the velveteen - partly because I feel like I already have enough for this quilt, and partly because I feel that it would be difficult for me to piece and quilt with. Not impossible, mind you, but difficult, and I'm all about ease and fun.
Having recently bought Elizabeth Hartman's new book, I decided to try out the "Valentine" pattern. I don't intend to have my separated by color - I do that enough, and I'm kind of tired of rainbows. So it'll be a mishmash of every print and so far I love it. It's my first string quilt - but I'm really, really excited! Strips of fabric? Check! Paper piercing? Check! I'm in.
So I ironed all my fat quarters (voile excepted) and have since been cutting. I cut my hand right off with the rotary cutter - paying too much attention to Glee, most likely, which I watched all day Wednesday - and had to resort to scissors. But I'll tell you - even though I like the rotary cutter, scissors will always be my choice method of destruction. I'm still getting the hang of rotary cutters, but me and scissors are like THIS, son!
So I'm off to finish cutting. And probably work some. And then I'm going to watch a movie and cut some more and hopefully begin piecing these soon :)
Until I saw that she'd made a pattern for it, and it's coming out in 101 Patchwork Projects in April.
So, being the lazybones (and perfectionist, what an odd combo), I decided it would be a much better idea to see how an experienced quilter would do those blocks. And while I wait...I would dig into my "Innocent Crush" stash.
Which has got the be my best idea ever. Every time I look at these prints, I fall in love! I even went so far as to order the voile (which is gorgeous), because my favorite print is "Maybe", and I decided that I needed it in every color. I'm not going to order the velveteen - partly because I feel like I already have enough for this quilt, and partly because I feel that it would be difficult for me to piece and quilt with. Not impossible, mind you, but difficult, and I'm all about ease and fun.
Having recently bought Elizabeth Hartman's new book, I decided to try out the "Valentine" pattern. I don't intend to have my separated by color - I do that enough, and I'm kind of tired of rainbows. So it'll be a mishmash of every print and so far I love it. It's my first string quilt - but I'm really, really excited! Strips of fabric? Check! Paper piercing? Check! I'm in.
So I ironed all my fat quarters (voile excepted) and have since been cutting. I cut my hand right off with the rotary cutter - paying too much attention to Glee, most likely, which I watched all day Wednesday - and had to resort to scissors. But I'll tell you - even though I like the rotary cutter, scissors will always be my choice method of destruction. I'm still getting the hang of rotary cutters, but me and scissors are like THIS, son!
So I'm off to finish cutting. And probably work some. And then I'm going to watch a movie and cut some more and hopefully begin piecing these soon :)
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
i've got my heart set on anywhere but here
Today is one of those days.
A day where you wake up thinking you've got a half day, but end up working all day.
Because your team member, who is always sick,
happens to be sick again.
When your older brother needs a ride, and "five minutes to get a shower",
that, obviously, takes thirty minutes plus the twenty there and back.
And you hit every red light from Here to There.
Where taking deliveries annoys you -
but you do it anyway -
and then sit outside for twenty minutes -
and they never show up.
(you have to go back later).
And you hit every red light from Here to There.
Where the prospect of picking up your brother to bring him to work annoys you,
and the prospect of taking him home even more so,
and you wonder why, at 23, you have to act the parent.
To a 17 year old whose infectious laugh and sweet personality means you can't say no.
(Even though you're sure you'll hit EVERY red light, from Here to There to Home).
And your boyfriend, whom you invited to watch a movie, will have to wait until Nine,
when you're sure to be Home,
to watch that movie.
(Even though -you- had to ask -him-, and for some reason that agitates you.)
And there's all this delicious fabric sitting in your backpack you can't Touch,
and hexagons you can't Baste,
and The Thing to be watched but you're Working and that's Bad.
Where the assistant who helps you isn't happy about the prospect of coming back a five,
and gave you a look that Told You So,
and is undoubtably going to be late, because she always is.
It's one of those days where you go "ugh"!
A day where you wake up thinking you've got a half day, but end up working all day.
Because your team member, who is always sick,
happens to be sick again.
When your older brother needs a ride, and "five minutes to get a shower",
that, obviously, takes thirty minutes plus the twenty there and back.
And you hit every red light from Here to There.
Where taking deliveries annoys you -
but you do it anyway -
and then sit outside for twenty minutes -
and they never show up.
(you have to go back later).
And you hit every red light from Here to There.
Where the prospect of picking up your brother to bring him to work annoys you,
and the prospect of taking him home even more so,
and you wonder why, at 23, you have to act the parent.
To a 17 year old whose infectious laugh and sweet personality means you can't say no.
(Even though you're sure you'll hit EVERY red light, from Here to There to Home).
And your boyfriend, whom you invited to watch a movie, will have to wait until Nine,
when you're sure to be Home,
to watch that movie.
(Even though -you- had to ask -him-, and for some reason that agitates you.)
And there's all this delicious fabric sitting in your backpack you can't Touch,
and hexagons you can't Baste,
and The Thing to be watched but you're Working and that's Bad.
Where the assistant who helps you isn't happy about the prospect of coming back a five,
and gave you a look that Told You So,
and is undoubtably going to be late, because she always is.
It's one of those days where you go "ugh"!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Hexagon Update
I took stock of my hexagon quilt a few days ago, after I recieved some more charm packs to add to it (Just Wing It, Le Petit Poulet, Modern Workshop, Buttercup, La Petite Ecole, and Whimsy), not to mention a jelly roll of Momo's Wonderland.
I sat myself down, watched some "Dawn of the Dead" (the 2004 remake, seriously an awesome movie) and counted basted hexagons. I separated them into bags of 100, and counted 1100 basted hexagons, with some left over (approximately 30, soon joined by twenty more that I basted).
So my current count is this:
504 Hexies basted
1150 (approx) basted but not attached
600 (approx) 2.5" squares ready to be basted
That's 2254 hexagons (at least). For the time being, I've decided to cool down my ordering of more charm packs (and fabric in general). I need more time to baste together the ones I've got on my "plate" already - in the beginning, the piecing of hexies into larger parts was easy, because I had them all finished. Now, I'm spending all of my time basting...which means the piecing has to take a backseat.
My goal? To finish all the hexies within a month, and then piece together another 504 part hexie piece, and attach it to my current one. Then do the same for two more, and piece those together to create a basis for the quilt with 1016 pieces. After that, I'll sew on to those edges.
Off to baste hexagons now! Later days!
I sat myself down, watched some "Dawn of the Dead" (the 2004 remake, seriously an awesome movie) and counted basted hexagons. I separated them into bags of 100, and counted 1100 basted hexagons, with some left over (approximately 30, soon joined by twenty more that I basted).
So my current count is this:
504 Hexies basted
1150 (approx) basted but not attached
600 (approx) 2.5" squares ready to be basted
That's 2254 hexagons (at least). For the time being, I've decided to cool down my ordering of more charm packs (and fabric in general). I need more time to baste together the ones I've got on my "plate" already - in the beginning, the piecing of hexies into larger parts was easy, because I had them all finished. Now, I'm spending all of my time basting...which means the piecing has to take a backseat.
My goal? To finish all the hexies within a month, and then piece together another 504 part hexie piece, and attach it to my current one. Then do the same for two more, and piece those together to create a basis for the quilt with 1016 pieces. After that, I'll sew on to those edges.
Off to baste hexagons now! Later days!
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