"And now for something completely different . . ."

This morning I was invited to participate in a Global Quilt Project. The project invites quilters from around the world to donate blocks to be sewn into a quilt for an auction to benefit Central Africa Republic.

"Shaking the Winter Blues" may have to take a backseat for a while . . .

I invite you to join me in this cause.


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I've been published (again)!!

I almost forgot to mention that I'm in the latest issue of Quilter's Home!!

Some time back (maybe a year??), I got an email from a freelance writer in Paris, wanting to know if I had any stories about my inspirations. Well, I did, and I told her so . . . she just had to find a magazine to buy the story.

Lucky Quilter's Home!!

My name is even on the front cover!!

If you haven't seen it yet, go out and buy a copy!! I bought five!!


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"Shaking the Winter Blues," revised . . .

A couple of weekends ago, I started sewing squares for my "Shaking the Winter Blues" quilt. I started with stacks of cut fabric like this . . .

I sewed the first two pieces to my muslin foundations to see how far they'd go. I sewed two different squares . . . I sewed eighty light blue and orange pieces (until I ran out of light blue), then I sewed 100 dark blue and orange pieces (until I ran out of orange).

I calculate that I can make twenty 4-patch blocks of light blue, and twenty-five 4-patch blocks of dark blue, for a total of 45 4-patch blocks. Knowing how many blocks I have to work with, I drew the quilt again.

I sewed red pieces to a limited number of squares for the border blocks.

Now, I'm sewing blue pieces to the remaining squares.

(I'll be at this for a while . . .)

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Has it really been two weeks since I've posted??

I could say, "my, how time flies when you're having fun," but I'd be lying . . .

It's been pretty much "business as usual" (until recently) . . .

Saturday, I started working on "Shaking the Winter Blues." I sewed the first two pieces to eighty foundations for one colorway, and started sewing the first two pieces to foundations for the alternating colorway (I just don't know how many, yet). Once I have an accurate count, then I can determine how big this piece will be (I'm determined to use up ALL that leftover fabric).

I hope to post some pics, soon . . .


Today, a friend on Facebook told me I'm on page 35 of the latest issue of Quilter's Home . . . now, I've got to find a local shop that sells the magazine.


Next weekend (Memorial Day weekend), I'll be attending the first International Society of African-American Quilters conference, here in St. Louis . . . I'll even be presenting design workshops. I'm pretty excited about that.


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Ketchup (or, Wow!! What a week!!)

Monday: I joined Facebook . . . I started with the people in my mailing lists who have Facebook profiles . . . then, I moved on to people with common friends . . . now, I'm being approached by people who I know (but haven't seen in awhile). I'm at 355 friends (with no end in sight). Monday night, I bought some more orange fabric for "Shaking the Winter Blues" (and now I need to buy some more yellow).

Tuesday: I took the day off so I could prepare for my lecture at Bits 'N' Pieces quilt guild. I spent the day stapling bundles of muslin foundations and gluing card stock templates to sandpaper. I packed the car, and picked up Ed after work, but had to make a stop before heading to the lecture because our new car was ready!! We now have an '09 Chevy Impala with 35,000 miles (and loving it). After signing the paperwork, we left the car on the lot (and picked it up after the lecture).

The lecture went well: there were about 90 people in attendance, and many of them told me how entertaining my talk was. One woman owns a quilt shop in Eureka, MO, and offered to sell me a copy of Electric Quilt 7 at a 30% discount if I plugged her shop in my blog: Susie Q Quilting, 131 S. Central Ave., Eureka, MO 63025 (636-587-2772). It'll be a couple of months before she'll have EQ7 in her shop.

Wednesday: My blog, Tessellation Nation, was chosen as "Website of the Week" by The Stitch-N-Frame Shop. Needless to say, the blog experienced the second highest number of views since it launched!! After work, Ed and I went to our usual microbrewery, Mattingly Brewing Co. to celebrate.

Thursday: Ed and I joined some of my fellow choristers for dinner at a posh French bistro for Dining out for Life. Restaurants throughout the city donate 25% of their proceeds to the St. Louis Effort for Aids.

Friday: At work, I was awarded a Justice Award from the Circuit Attorney's office to recognize my contributions to the office . . . I won't bore you with the details of their praise, but it involved taking on most of the work of my office-mate for several months while she recuperated from back surgery (and continuing the workload even after her return). There was a nice framed certificate, and a check for a couple hundred dollars!!

Saturday: This morning, Ed and I drove an hour west of St. Louis to have breakfast with my dad and brothers. Afterwards, we drove back to St. Louis to do our usual banking and shopping errands (I rewarded myself with a new mp3 player to download audiobooks). Late afternoon, we went to see The Clash of the Titans 3D. This evening, I downloaded my first audiobook, Under the Dome by Stephen King (over 34 hours of listening).

I'm tired . . .

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Facebook, here I come!!

Yes, I broke down and did something I thought I'd never do ("never" should never be used in thought, word, or deed) . . .

Yesterday, several attorneys were talking about the benefits of Facebook profiles . . . specifically, a defendant in a case they were working on had posted pictures and comments about the very case they were working on!! (is that Stupid or Arrogant??)

One of the attorneys turned to me and commented that she was sure I'd have a Facebook profile, with my quilting and all . . . I had to admit I did not, but it was a very slow day in the office and I'd check it out.

Now, I've been on other "social media" sites (which will remain nameless to protect the innocent: me), and I was less than impressed. But, in the spirit of adventure, I posted a profile, and allowed Facebook to comb my email address books (I have three) to find other people who have profiles posted on Facebook. There were so many profiles, I had to click "ALL" rather than send a friend request to each individual.

Hoo Boy!!

Twenty-four hours later, I have over 200 friends!! Someone asked me how much did I pay them . . . I told him that I paid them the same amount I paid HIM, LOL!! "Wow, they must really love you!!" he said. I guess he's right.

Now, I wonder what will happen if I invite those people in my address books who DON'T have a Facebook profile . . . but, first, I need to learn my way around a bit better, post some pics, make some comments, you know, "learn the lay of the land" (unlike those OTHER sites where I "learn the land of the lay" (my bad)).

There have been several new people join my mailing list, and a couple new followers of the blog . . . we'll see where this leads.


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Bidding Farewell to Quilt University . . .

After much deliberation, I have decided to withdraw from Quilt University . . .

I had been teaching there since before my appearance on "Simply Quilts" (I was not allowed to mention Quilt University on air). I held the double distinction of being the first male instructor, as well as the first African-American instructor.

My class was called Symmetry Play (a precursor to Beyond Symmetry). The first time the class was offered, eighty-one students enrolled!! Carol Miller, the dean, closed enrollment and offered the class again the following month (a rare occurrence). I've taught students from around the world.


Several years ago, around the time I started working on my book, Beyond Symmetry, I discussed updating my class. Carol said "fine," but the more I worked on the book, the less interested I became in the class. My heart just wasn't in it. Last December, I submitted a class based on my book; Carol was less than thrilled. I told her I'd work on the changes she suggested.

Now, four months later, those changes STILL need to be made (talk about procrastinating!!). I bit the bullet, and wrote Carol to tell her where I stood and ask if she'd remove me from the faculty roster. I told her that teaching is a learning experience, and I thanked her for the opportunity to do both.

Carol accepted my resignation graciously, and said if I ever came up with a new class, she'd be glad to look it over . . .at least, I haven't burned my bridge behind me.


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