National Quilting Day

Did you know that the 3rd Saturday in March is officially National Quilting Day? So, that means you should be holed up in your sewing room all day, making some major progress on multiple projects! Yeah right, but we can dream!

Also, try to watch the CBS morning news tomorrow, Sunday. There is a segment filmed at Fall 2007 Houston Quilt Market that should air on the news program with Charles Osgood. I'm not sure which show that is, but probably the one that's on way before I usually climb out of bed on Sunday! Tomorrow, I will make an exception.

I was told that they have filmed footage and interviews from the market floor last Fall. So, if you see two ladies in the background, hiding their iced mochas in their Tutto bag and running around like two kids in a candy store, it's probably my mom and me!

Now, get back to quilting. Celebrate National Quilting Day with me!

Meet Martha

This is Martha! We picked her up in Salt Lake City, much to the complaints of Monte and my dad. Martha is modeling the Kitchen Trios Apron, made using the new fabric line, Posh.

Isn't Martha stunning?

Faster Fusible Applique

Many fusible applique projects include multiple pieces of the same shape. When fusing multiple pieces of the same shape, such as the sunflower petals in the Garden Friends border, there is a faster way to cut out the shapes. In this case, I had to make 90 sunflower petals (5 per flower, 18 flowers). Instead of tracing the shape 90 times, I only trace it 30 times, using this method.

First, divide the total shapes needed by 3. In this case, I need 90 total, and 90/3 is 30. So, I trace 30 petals onto the fusible web instead of all 90.
Next, determine a square or rectangle size that each piece will fit into. For example, each sunflower petal will fit in a 4 x 2 rectangle. Now I know I need enough fusible and fabric to cut 90 4x2 pieces.
Fuse the fusible to the wrong side of the fabric in one large piece if possible, or in several smaller pieces if easier. Then, using a rotary cutter and ruler, cut the fabric with fusible attached into the rectangles. In my case, I'm going to cut 90 4x2 pieces.
Now, you are ready to cut out your fusible shapes. Remove the paper backing from all rectangles EXCEPT the ones that actually have the shape traced onto them.
Layer the rectangles into groups of 3, wrong sides up. Each pile of rectangles will need the top piece to be one of the traced pieces, with paper still attached.

Now you are ready to cut out your shapes. Being careful that the under pieces don't move and slide around, cut the pieces out, using the top piece with the paper attached for a pattern. NOTE: for intricate pieces, such as snow flakes, it is a good idea to only cut 2 at a time to prevent sliding.

When you're done, you will have all of your pieces cut out, but have only done 1/3 of the tracing and cutting normally required.

Please leave me a question if this doesn't make sense!

Important Things To Pack

I just came across Kylee's list, written out by Bailey for Kylee to copy, of things to pack for the trip to Salt Lake City. Here it is, exactly as written:

Important (triple underlined) things to pack

toothbrush
underwear
Mariposa Movie
Baby Doll
clothes
toothbrush
slippers
lotion
Jami Valentines
shoes

At Water's Edge

You might notice that I've moved "At Water's Edge" up into the Current Projects list. I am still working on my sunflowers, but the new line came yesterday, and I've decided to start it too.

Use the link from the list at the left to view the kit for At Water's Edge. It is a really unique quilt that was elegant and stunning in real. So much so that I have thought about it since Fall Market in October. I am cutting kits for it, with the pieces already cut to size. This allows me to sell the kits for $30 less than I would have to charge if I included yardage, because some fabrics only require one small piece, yet call for a fat quarter. It also means you can start your quilt without any cutting. Who doesn't love that?

Viscious, but Entertaining, Rumors

If you read my blog because you're my friend, or you find it entertaining, thank you and disregard this posting. If you might be here to lurk around finding tid-bits of info to pass around and warp into rumors, read on!

It seems there is someone out there telling stories about Monte and I. What's even more annoying is that my mother-in-law feels the need to call us and probe for info, trying to "innocently" find out if any of it is true. It's insulting, to say the least, since the the rumors are so ridiculous they are comical.

Thank you to whoever starts these rumors, for reaffirming our decision to move away from Potlatch, and providing us with some good laughs.

Our moving doesn't seem to have stopped you from continuing your slander. It's really quite entertaining, listening to the stories you've made up. We don't care what you do with your free time. However, there is a section on gossiping in "The New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose" that you should read. I have the audio book and would be happy to let you borrow it. If that doesn't do the trick, maybe you should read my post on finding a hobby?. Clearly, you have too much free time.

Just to set the record straight, as if I need to, I am happy to inform you that we DO NOT throw darts at our children. It's more likely that they throw them at each other when we're not looking. Our garage has been a scary mess for a couple months now, making any kind of dart playing next to impossible anyways.

As for your report that I am taking a Jamaican vacation by myself, while Monte stays home and "gathers his thoughts" because we're considering divorce.........well, I wish I had known that since I could have saved a ton on airfare! Who goes to Jamaica alone anyways? Thanks for the laughs, we've gotten quite a few jokes at the thought of Monte "gathering his thoughts."

Monte has a great job, I have a quilt shop business which it turns out I'm pretty good at. We have a beautiful new house and 3 beautiful children, and we are loving life right now. It's too bad you can't handle our success without trying to bring us down. I'm sorry your life is so boring that you feel the need to drag us into the mud with you. Find someone else to gossip about. Better yet, stop gossiping and fix your own problems. I'd say we'll be thinking of you as we relax on the beach in a couple weeks, but we won't. Find your own life, and quit talking about ours.

Bye, bye, Simplicity & Christmas Lights

Since the idea of me finished the Simplicity quilt in this decade is utterly ridiculous, I passed it to my friend Susie. I'm hoping to have it done for a quilt show in April, and if anyone can do it, Susie can! I'd love to be greedy and try to do it myself, but seriously, how long has "Garden Friends" been the only project on my list?

I am working on it, I swear! I'm down to the outer sunflower border, and it's looking awesome. I have to get it quilted before I leave on vacation, along with about a million other things, and the clock is ticking! Not to mention that I keep finding more fabrics and more patterns to make. Sleep, housework, cooking, what are they???

I did reach my Christmas Lights limit yesterday, and finally attempted to finish taking them down. You might remember that I can't stand stale decorations. (You people that still not only have yours up, but TURNED ON, what are you thinking? You missed the memo: CHRISTMAS IS OVER!)
We were unable to take them down in January because they had frozen in ice to the gutters in many places. Finally yesterday, after pulling into the driveway and catching sight of them hanging off the house, I had had enough. So, the first thing I do is climb the 7' mountain of snow beside my porch, pull on the lights, and cut my lower lip with a broken bulb as they fell down. It's not too bad of a cut, but it did bleed a lot and make me look like I had been in a fight.
When Monte got home, all I had to say was "Go finish the lights. I cut my lip," and he had them down in 5 minutes. If I had known that was all it would take, I would've cut myself 2 months ago!

So, it's back to quilting today. Finishing Garden Friends is top on my list!