Today is World Toilet Day!! (no "potty" jokes, please)

I've posted in the past about the Global Quilt Project to benefit Central Africa Republic.
I'm sorry to report the bidding has ended on this first quilt, but you'll have another chance soon . . .


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Let the bidding begin!!

Some time back, I mentioned donating seven quilt blocks for the Global Quilt Project . . .

Well, the first quilt made from the donated blocks is up for auction on eBay!!

There were over 300 blocks donated . . . that means there are plenty more quilts to come.  I'm holding out for the quilt that has MY blocks in it!!


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Studio Tour, 2010!! (Part 2)

Earlier this month, I gave you a tour of my proposed studio space . . . the place was a wreck!!  Well, slow but sure, I've been working on the room:  moving boxes into the closet (mostly); and, setting up my worktable, sewing table, and ironing table (finally!!).  Here's what the room looks like from the stairs coming up from the 2nd floor:

Now, here's standing at the top of the stairs (my latest quilt top, "Winter Blues," is on my worktable):

Turning to the left you see my sewing area.  I've placed two long tables at a 90 degree angle; the table to the left is good for holding the quilt I'm feeding through the sewing machine.

To the left of the sewing area is my ironing table.  I made this table from a 3 ft. by 6 ft. sheet of plywood, covered with batting and that silverish ironing board cover material, stapled down.  The ironing table is supported by a pair of sawhorses at  waist height.  Of course, you can't see any of this because of the quilts stacked on top of it, LOL!!  These quilts are for an upcoming exhibit at a local gallery.  I want the quilts to lay as flat as possible (to ease out "folding wrinkles").

Here are a couple of shots of what's on my worktable.  I love this worktable because it's large (4 ft. by 8 ft.) and stands about 36 in. tall (waist height).  I can comfortable stand and work at the table without bending over (which can be murder on the back!!).

Here's a closer view of my pinning, marking, and stitching on this quilt.  Because I used foundation piecing, I only back the quilt with a layer of flannel.  I pin the top to the back with safety pins at the four corners and at the center of each square.  I am quilting a grid at a 45-degree angle, dividing the squares into thirds.  To mark the quilting lines, I lay my acrylic ruler where I want the line, then run the dull, back edge of a regular table knife along the ruler several times.  This leaves a depression on the fabric and a shiny line (kinda like a suit that's been pressed one too many times).  I pin across the line the distance of the width of my palm.  Then, I stitch.  The stitching lines never come close to the safety pins, which I'll remove once the entire quilt is done.

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Men and the art of Quiltmaking . . .

I went to the AQS quilt show in Des Moines this weekend . . .

I had Friday off, and I busied myself shopping, packing, cleaning the litter box, and taking out the trash.  When I picked up Ed from work, we headed northeast.  We listened to the last hour or so of "Abarat, Book Two" by Clive Barker, then started on "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larson.  We drove as far as Ottumwa, IA, and stopped for the night.

Saturday morning, after breakfast, we hit the road again.  We got to Des Moines in plenty of time:  we parked the car, got our passes, and found the hall where Joe Cunningham was gonna speak.  There were two other men present who were also included in Joe's book, Men and the art of Quiltmaking:  Mike McNamara and Erick Wolfmeyer.  The four of us did a round-robin of autographing each other's copies of the book, LOL!!  Then, we took the time for a "photo op."

Pictured above (from left to right) are Mike McNamara, Erick Wolfmeyer, Joe Cunningham, and myself.

Joe gave an interesting lecture, featuring many of the men in his book and their quilts, but it wasn't well-attended; there were less than two dozen people in the hall.  Afterwards, Ed and I went to see some of the quilts, particularly the display curated by  Joe of some of the male quilter's quilts.  This is me beside the quilt I had on display (which is also featured in the book).

Ed and I wandered around for a little while, looking at some of the other quilts, but I had seen who I came to see, and there were a LOT of other quilts to look at (it would have taken the rest of the day).  I still had a long drive ahead of me.  So, I had a twelve-hour drive for a two-hour visit, but it was worth it for me.

We headed back to St. Louis, stopping only for gas, and food (and chocolate).

I may do it again next year . . .

Des Moines, here I come!!

Remember I mentioned being interviewed for Joe Cunningham's book, Men and the Art of Quiltmaking??  I submitted three quilts for inclusion in the book, and prepared a pattern for one of them.

Well, his book is now REALLY a book (a living, breathing, physical thing)!!

AQS (American Quilter's Society), the publisher is gonna launch the book at their show in Des Moines, IA, October 6-9.  Joe will be there, signing copies of his book.  One of my quilts will be there, as part of a promotional quilt show, in conjunction with the book launch.

And, I'M gonna be there, to stand near and talk about my quilt . . . I'm thinking of driving up for opening day and driving back afterwards (or maybe find a hotel along the way and sleep).

I've never been to one of these shows (no, I've never been to Paducah, either) . . . what are they like??  If you've been to one, I'd love to hear from you.

Studio Tour, 2010!!

Alright, alright . . . I told you I found my digital camera some time ago, but I haven't taken any pics of the new studio space (until this morning).

Here I am, nearing the top of the stairs to my studio, and this is what greets me:

. . . a mess, huh??  Another step or two, and I'm at the top of the stairs and you can see more of the room:

I'm facing south.  To my right is the only unbroken wall in the place; it's painted brick.  Leaned up against it are the top and shelf to my worktable, and my ironing board.  In the far corner are the sawhorses that support the ironing board.

Now, I'll turn to the left a bit . . .

Here's more of the room:  bookshelves, boxes, and a computer table that holds my sewing machine (in the case) and microwave (for fabric dyeing).

Now, a little more to the left . . .

This wall faces east.  There are two windows in this wall (one holds the a/c unit).  The only electric outlet in this room is just past the window on the left.  I have a rolling secretary's chair (which rolled fitfully on hardwood floors and this place is wall-to-wall carpeting).  There are three white plastic tables and one sewing machine cabinet (which isn't for the machine I have).

Now, a little more to the left . . .

You can't see it from where I'm standing, but that dark vertical bar at the left of the picture is the opening to a closet (I'll have to move into the room to take a picture of that).

Turning left again . . .

The opening to the closet is at the right of the picture, now.  The closet is neither very wide nor deep, and there is no door on it.

Turning left again . . .

This window faces north, and overlooks the roof of the second floor bedroom.

One final turn brings me . . .

. . . back to the stairwell I just came up.  There's a little shelf level with the floor.  I put my "Road Hog" on it:  he's a plush pink pig dressed in leather cap and vest.  When you squeeze his hoof, he dances and sings a cute little song that ends, "c'mon baby, talk dirty to me!!"

Well, there you have it . . . the start of a beautiful relationship.  I just need to put things in order.

I'll keep you updated on my progress (I promise) . . .

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Is it Christmas, or what??

As you may recall from my last post, I moved last month . . . I promised pictures of my new studio space (once I unearthed the digital camera from the box it was hiding in). Well, I've found the camera (though I was looking for something else at the time)!!

I intend to take "Before" pictures of the room (even though it's full of boxes) . . . I'll also give you an inventory of what's in the boxes, too. Now, even though I have an idea of how I wanna arrange the room, I'd like some input from you . . . Think about it: how would you arrange your perfect studio??

On a different note, I received two packages in the mail: a new set of 3" templates from Ardco (I've been considering working in miniature), and "Head First WordPress," a book for my other blog, Tessellation Nation. There'll be more about them as I get into 'em.

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