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So, I am making my first quilt with a curved pieced pattern, which means I am cutting out lots of wedges. I don't normally do a lot of hand cutting when I sew. I usually use a rotary cutter (it looks a bit like a pizza cutter) and cut straight lines. When I made little e's elephant quilt, I just trimmed after I sewed a bit on. (You can do that with foundation* piecing- cut as you go along.) But on this quilt, I am tracing a paper pattern, and then cutting out my shapes. This is the way my mom has always made quilts. When I was a little girl I would go to the fabric store, and sit under the cutting tables and listed to the sound of the heavy scissors on the fabric. There would be this fabulous thrumming, humming, zipping sound as several shears sliced there way through cotton on the heavy wood tables. If the woman cutting simply slid her scissors along, slicing the fabric it would make a soft hissing sound. If the woman cut with the whole length of her scissor the sound would be more like "Shrrrump, shrrrrump". I love those sounds. The fabric store was within walking distance of our house, and I remember choosing fabrics for my dresses. One Easter my mom made me a dress with little flowers which looked a bit like eggs, and the green on it was the exact color of a green M&M. That material made me very happy.
The pattern I am using is foundation pieced, so the cut wedges don't have to be exact. This is a good thing. I am not a good tracer or cutter. I tend to shift the pattern, and I have never been good at straight lines. This is why I don't normally make quilts this way. Still, I am enjoying the meditative process of tracing, cutting, and piling my little stacks of fabric. (Just don't remind me of this when I start to gripe in two weeks time because I've run out of cut bits, and have to start cutting again...)
*Foundation piecing is a form of quilting where the pattern is traced on lightweight polyester foundation (or paper) and is then the fabric is sewn directly onto this pattern. If you use paper, the pattern is usually torn out afterward, but in foundation piecing you can leave it be to stabilize the block.
It is a bright foggy morning. A diffused light that makes you squint is coming in through our windows. So I was able to take a few photos with natural light (gasp). I need to find a way to photograph blues and purples. The quilt I have begun is rich blues, purples with a bit of green, but the purples all photograph as dirty blues (sigh). I think my orange dining room, which is so apt for taking photos of my bright oranges, yellows, and reds, doesn't care for these cool colors.
Today the girls and I are going to a friend's 5th birthday party. Will this display of presents and 5 year old fun persuade little e that turning 5 is a good thing? Probably not. We are to bring a used book for a book exchange. In our house, where books are sacred and hoarded, this mean either a trip to the used book store, or an investigation of the Closet... I am glad to say I survived the closet, and have found 2 suitable books. Hurrah!
Ah the teatime wisdom dispensed today. Such great gems as, "What comes out of a snowman's nose?" Answer, "Snot-cicles". And a great discussion about what snowman farts look like: white powdery puffs. Snowman poop was not mentioned, but perhaps tomorrow's teatime will hold that great answer. And, despite all of Big E's efforts, Sweetheart G did not shoot milk out of her nose.
This very cool collaged piece of mail art was sent to me from Maikki in Sweden. There is a lovely note about mail art on the reverse. It is my first piece of international mail art! So Very exciting. I have it hanging up above my sewing table with K's 3D photography and my collection of Sweetheart Art.
Sweetheart G presented me this collage that she made with my sticker maker. I love how wild she is with her shapes, and that she has started to add dialogue to her art.
I am so very lucky to be the recipient of so many lovely things! Thank You Maikki, K, and Sweet G!
Can making a baby quilt feel like sneaking Valentine's chocolates while on a diet? Well, that's how this baby quilt felt to me. It was a sweet treat while I was supposed to be doing something else, but when I saw Khadija's Blanket Drive I wanted to contribute to the cause. So here is my offering. It is small and simple, but it makes me happy, and I hope it makes someone else smile too.
The uber talented K sent me this fabulous 3 dimensional photo card. Isn't it grand?! She takes two or more of the same photograph and cuts out choice bits to layer to make the card POP! See in the side view how some of the bits stand out? First, I love the photograph she took. Its got Color! And then I love the way details jump off at you. So much fun. Ah the Mail Gods are good to me to bring me such treasures.
In the more mundane news, Sweetheart G has finally gotten the Cold. Yes, after little e suffered before Christmas, Big E suffered during Christmas, and I succumbed after Christmas. Now, in the first week of school after the break, Sweet G has it. Really, it is a marvel she lasted so long. So it's a day in bed for my big girl, lots of liquids, and some movies.
Some completed sewing projects for a special order:
It feels like ages since I posted any sewing projects. My sewing machine celebrated my return to production by blowing its bulb. The nerve! Of course this bulb is over 10 years old, and was the one original to the machine, so I guess I shouldn't gripe. But, without the little bulb I keep turning the darn thing off and on. It is a total Pavlovian response.
Light is off, machine is off.
Flip switch.
Machine doesn't work.
OH! Machine was on to start with.
Repeat again, and again.
I think I am smarter when the lightbulb works in my sewing machine. QED: This increase in intelligence must be why sewing machines have lights.
Ah the glory! Look upon the vision that is bliss. Cast your eyes upon my new Faucet. (Hear the angels singing??!) Notice that the faucet is not dripping. I feel like Laura Ingalls felt when she rode on her first train and discovered the little water tap in the back of the train car. "Ma, you turn a little handle and water comes out!" Oh the sweet marvel that is a working faucet.... And look! You can see my reflection in it! Happy Christmas to ME! Thank you Big E!