Thursday Oct 27, 2011
Oct 1 was the day that I participated in Iron quilter. This is a challenge were you work for six hours and go from nothing to a finished quilt with selected theme, a sleeve and binding the allotted time.
This is the set up before the six hours of work began.
This is how it looked after two hours when I came back from lunch. I started to work assembling at a fever pace at this time. I felt a little rude to the folks who came along and talked to me as I could/ did not look up and see their faces as I stitched along. I had all the parts put together with an two hours to go. Then I stared quilt drawing. I heard the announcement that I was the first to start that step. Keep your head ti the grind stone!
I hurried to the end of the process and felt like the quilt really needed more quilting- but the time was up. So I pinned it to the board and breathed. I was impressed with the wide range of work that was created in such a short time by my fellow quilters. Then as I tided up my space the judges made their decisions.
Much to my surprise I won the Viewer’s Choice Award! What an honor! 
Ideho
The major reason there has been no entries for the early part of this mouth is the fact that I have been traveling for the last two weeks. I had a wonderful trip to Idaho and enjoyed the time I spent with my friend Marty. In two week a couple of gals like us can really get into trouble. We visited the mountains and I took tons of photos. Our visit to the big Cedar area was amazing. I get so inspired by the textures and colors of it all. The size and age of the trees made me stop and think about time in a long slow flow process as opposed to the frantic rush our time seems to demand.
I loved all the textures!
It was so peaceful an enjoyable.
Then we painted tennis shoe. . It took two days to create all the texture that finally
When I wear these I really feel lighter in my step. So joyful!
We went to visit one on Marty’s friends and had a great time. Getting three creative minds like ours together and we created a bit of a challenge for our each other. There are only five “rules”.
- Three colors- crimson, dark turquoise and blue green
- You cannot change the geography of the color( we will each arrange the colors as we see fit and pin them down before shipping- Nov 6)
- One side needs to be irregular
- The final size of the three quilts will be 18”X24”
- If you want to try something -“Do It”
The process now has a title- DMC project. So now I need to get my fabrics. They are Crimson, Dark Turquoise and Blue Green. We all selected one. I have done a bit of shopping – but I am not happy with the color choices yet. It is exciting to be on this new path for me.
Then getting home after being away always means lots of catch up to do.
Class this week with Leslie was on Creative Block. The creation of work has never been a problem for me. I love the process and look for every opportunity to keep at the creating process. It is the “Championing of the work” has been and continues to be the challenge. So I will work away on that part of the equation.
Progress Report: Curling Coils is done now. I like the flow of the work.
X’s and O’s will be the first thing that I work on when I get the Blog done this morning.
I did put pin backs on five of the Spirit Dolls this week.
They are so much fun to make even though they do take a long time.
The Tyveck beads got hit with the heat gun. I have mixed feeling about them. I tried heating the felt too- but that really did not do much at all. So I sprinkled the 1inch felt squares with sequins and Angelina. I love the glitz but I do not see where I will use them.
Talking Totems
I finished the quilting on this work this week and I got the facing done as well. It is all ready for the world. I enjoyed using the rubbing plate that I had created two summers ago. Susan’s encouragement really helped me with that project. The machine drawing of similar heads was also a fun thing for me. I like to make the lines come to life!
I worked on one more piece this week- Wampum.
It has lots of hand quilting and I have been slowly doing that part of it over several mouths. It is good to have it completed. I do happily have a home for that work. I will give the finished quilt back to the gal who gave me the beaded sections. They mean so much more to her than me. I see them only as texture and she has memories of wearing them. It will be a good match.
The Egyptians is now finished. I like how it came out and feel that it needs a second unit to complete the idea. I will have to work on that idea…
Keep Creating
Hugs
Carol