LaVieEnRosie

Time flies...

Wait a minute... shouldn't that mean that I've been off having fun?

I am.  Except that I'm also working.  A lot.  But that's fun.  Right?

You know it is.  And, really, the truth is that I know it is.  If it wasn't, I would be doing something else.

Instead I get to do this.

Route 44.  Simple Abundance.  It went to the quilter a few days ago.

(Can I tell you a secret?  I don't know why I'm asking because it isn't like I'm not going to tell you anyway.  I've seen a tiny sneak peek of "the next one" and oh my gosh, are you going to love it!  It's sublime!  Splendiferous!  Resplendent!  Yeah, I pulled out a thesaurus to find more, better words to tell you how wonderful it is.)

Brown-Eyed Girl.  It's done too.  It goes to the quilter later this week.

I've got three more projects in various stages of progress on the cutting table and I've written a couple of new patterns though I don't actually have the quilts for those yet.  They're "in the works".  I've also been "schnibbling" ~ both planning and getting things cut out, started and written.  And I'm trying to get ready for my trip to Utah next week.  Ready or not, Scrap Apple Quilts... here I come!   

Whew.  I think I need a nap. 

 
Sorry.  It's a birthday card and when I saw the picture, I just had to have it.  What's wrong with buying a birthday card for yourself?  So what if my birthday isn't for another six months!

The most important thing to come out of all this sewing is that I've had to come to terms with my advancing age. 

I'm old.  And I can't ignore it any longer.  Okay, I haven't been able to ignore it for a long time but now I'm getting hit with the reality in a very hard way.  Kind of like being hit with a 2x4 on the side of the head.  A lot.  Hard.

I have to wear glasses when I sew.  Those little readers.  I've needed them for more than a year for threading needles and un-stitching seams.  I was able to rationalize that by reminding myself that I was sewing with a 60wt. cotton thread.  It's very fine.  Super fine.  And when I use the 60wt. thread, I use a smaller size needle.  And the resulting stitches from the fine thread and the fine needle are very tiny.  Anybody would need glasses to un-sew those stitches!

But now I need them to sew.  With my machine.

It's very depressing.

Or it would be if I hadn't decided to embrace the positive and consider the upside to this new condition.  It's a shopping opportunity!

If I'm going to have to wear readers with increasing frequency... why not get something fun?  Something funky.  Something silly.  Or all of the above.

 
I've been collecting these for a few months... I could see the writing on the wall.  At least I think it was a wall.  (The best part is that they were all on sale... not more than $10.00 for any of them!)

If you see any with polka dots, let me know!

And if you're wondering why I bought so many, it seems that my advancing age has also resulted in my not remembering where I put things.

That's all for now... I have to go rest after 24.  While I'm very sad that this is going to be the last season, I'm also kind of relieved.  I'm not sure my heart can take too many more years of this kind of excitement.  For those of you who watch ~ while I anticipated the Taran-twist, I didn't see the most recent Dana-twist coming.  Though really, it continues to boggle the mind.  Didn't CTU learn anything from the whole Nina experience?  Plot twist or fall-back-we-can't-think-of-anything-else-to-do plot device?  I'm thinking the latter.

I'll be back later this week ~ it's almost Schnibble time. 

Though it means I'm back on April Fool's Day... that timing seems just a little too conveniently coincidental to me. 

I think I've been set up.     

This and that...

[I'm starting to think that coming up with the names for quilts is easier than thinking of a "title" for a blog post.]

How do you know it's been too long between posts?

When Typepad asks you to sign in.

While I haven't gotten to do nearly as much of it as I would like, I did get to do some sewing this week!

Don't laugh... I already know that there is a lot going on in this picture so let me explain.

I like sewing on a table but I also like having my sewing machine tilted forward a bit so I use a rolled up piece of batting to do the job.  It's held tight by wide masking tape ~ I had the painter's tape handy at the time so that's what I used.  I tried those tilted-table things but I also like pushing my machine back so I can organize, arrange, clip and trim right in front of me... so the tilted table kept getting in the way.  This works for me. 

Those little stacks on the right... when I'm cutting the strips for four-patches, I stack a couple of strip sets so I can cut a couple at a time.  They're offset so that the seams aren't all on top of each other.  When I cut, I just criss-cross the stacks of strips to keep them in groups.  Then when I'm sewing, I just grab the two stacks of strips off the top and match them up as I chain piece. 

I know... what would a mental health expert say about that?

The bobbins?  I wind four or five bobbins at a time.  When I'm winding bobbins, I clean and oil my machine ~ a very old Bernina 830 that I wouldn't part with for anything... A.N.Y.T.H.I.N.G. ~ and put in a new needle.  Then when my bobbins are all empty, I do the whole thing again.  There's no science behind it, it's just the process that works for me.

The Bright Light?  Oh my goodness... I love these things!  If you don't have one, get one.  I have lots of light but I need more.  And if there is one thing I would change about my wonderful old 830 is that it could be retro-fitted with a flourescent light.  And, yes, I would still need the Bright Light.

The drawers behind me?  I have a row of Elfa drawer-units in my sewing room.  (Yes, you'll get to see pictures eventually but seriously, the room isn't "done" yet.  And, no, I'm not waiting for a "camera crew" to show up either.  I have been asked but I nixed that... after all, it used to be a "crime scene"!.)

My chair?  That was my absolutely wonderul, way-too-extravagant Christmas present from my absolutely wonderful, way-too-extravagant brother a couple of years ago.  I love it.  Him too.

I think that covers it... oh, what am I making?

I started this quilt last Fall but got sidetracked... or would that be "displaced"?  Anyway, the strips were cut but that was as far as I got before I had to pack everything away.  But since I love this Simple Abundance fabric and the quilt is essentially a scrap quilt, I really wanted to finish it.  And the quilt already has a name ~ a good one! ~ so I have to finish it!

I started with this...

 
Long strips cut into small strips = more combinations for these... they're all one-of-a-kind!  (I'm kind of compulsive that way... like you didn't know that already.)

Four-patches.  About a 100 of them.  They eventually became these... plus some.

I'm hoping to finish it and get it to the quilter later this week... then on to the next one. 

I also had a good week mail-wise...  

This is by Renee Plains ~ Liberty Star Designs ~ who I have known for years and years... though I never see her.  We both taught at The Quilted Apple "back in the day" and while we both live in Phoenix, we're on opposite sides of it so I only see her at Market.  This is her beautiful new book from Kansas City Star.  It's filled with lots of terrific projects, quotes and neat "stuff".  If you like folk art, I think you'll like this book.

 
If you like the Where Women Create magazine, you'll love this book.  While many of the studios featured in the book have been in the magazine, the book is wonderful and there are lots of pictures and people I don't remember seeing before.  It's pretty and it's beautiful and it's inspiring. 

Except now I want to redecorate...

Okay... maybe not.  Been there, done that... akmost.

And then there was this...

The lovely folks at Martingale sent me flowers and a book... with my name on it. 

It still doesn't seem real... although I'm not sure who else could have written it.  What other quilt book has a section titled "mise en place"?  Or refers to the Fourps... a lovely but somewhat scrappy people?  Yep... I definitely wrote this one.  And to think Mary Green and the editorial staff still sent me flowers...

It's been a pretty good week.  And with the sun shining today, I think it's going to be a pretty good day. 

I hope you're having one too...

Ketchup...

Do you ever wonder why it took the ketchup companies so long to come up with the idea of a squeeze-bottle with the "top" on the bottom? 

It seems like such a no-brainer.

This isn't really about ketchup or catsup, it's about catch-up... as in, I'm a little behind schedule. 

(On a side note...  Did you know there was a landmark Supreme Court case, Ketchup v. Catsup?  Not really!  But there is a really funny "story" about it on Uncyclopedia.)

The Year of Schnibbles winners!

From Sinta, the randomly chosen winner was Carol of Carol's Crafty Creations.  I've heard from Carol and her Layer Cake is on the way.

Sherri's bevy of beautiful Bests produced another randomly chosen winner ~ Jayne of Jayne's Quilting Room.  I still haven't heard from Jayne so if you're Jayne, would you leave a comment so I can e-mail you for your mailing address?

 
More prizes... this time from the Creative Talk Radio show with Pat Sloan!

As for the radio show ~ that was fun.  Tiny glitch at the beginning notwithstanding, it was a lot of fun and much easier than I thought it would be.  It was exactly as Pat described, we could have been hanging out and just chatting.  If there is one thing I don't like about Market, it is that there is never any time to just visit.   

And I know I don't really sound like Lena Lamont... I just know that my voice can get a bit higher when I get nervous.  Actually, I can do a little bit of a Lena-voice.  I was also practicing a low, husky, sexy voice but that's for another show.

Loris and Joyce ~ I'm so glad you called in!  Thank you ~ you made it even more fun!

I promised to answer questions that were posted... so here goes:

Betsy asked... What started the trend for your Schnibbles?

Moda Lissa did.  She kept "dropping hints" that I really ought to do something with Moda's charm packs... except that I didn't make small quilts.  It wasn't my "thing".  But she kept sending charm packs and since they were piling up and I wanted her to stop pestering me, I decided to make a couple.  Couple ~ one, two.  Can I just interject that nobody ever told me how much fun it could be to make a small quilt?  Ten days and eight quilts later, I had my first set of patterns.  That was three years ago.  Now I've got forty-four little quilts and some Tuffets.  And I have at least six more in the works...   

Judy Knorr asked... What are your color inspirations?

Those come from several different places.  Some definitely start with a fabric collection that I really like and want to use for "something".  Others come from a whim or a mood, or just a desire to do "something different" than what I've been doing in the months before.  For quilts that start with a fabric collection, the quilt often comes about from the "feel" I get from the fabric, and that's definitely a matter of personal taste.  For scrap quilts, that's when it becomes more of a mood thing.  I love red in scrap quilts but if my recent scrap quilts have been a little bit darker overall, I will usually try to make something lighter "just because".  

Linda P. asked... Does the pattern come before the fabric, or does the inspiration for a pattern come from the line?

Both!  Sometimes the idea for the block/quilt comes first and then it's a matter of finding the "right" fabric for it.  Other times it comes from the fabric collection ~ I've got this many pieces in this many colors, what can I make.  I think of them as MacGyver quilts.  Can I make an airplane from this little piece of string, a tin can and a torn Hefty bag?  The pieces in the collection dictate what I can and can't do.  And this is absolutely where it's about personal taste and what I like in a quilt. 

E.g., If there are lots of small-scale, tone-on-tone and solid prints, I prefer smaller pieces in the quilt or a design that tends to be a little more "graphic" ~ something where the design stays strong throughout the quilt top.  But with medium and large-scale florals, paisleys, etc., I like to use those in places where the "edges" of the pieces are blurred a little bit.  So I really like using those sorts of prints in larger pieces.

Sue B. asked... How do you come up with the names for the patterns?  Do you have any PIGs (projects in grocery bags) or a TGIFs (thank goodness its finished!)?

PIGs?  No, but I've got PIBs.  Projects in Bins.  Projects in Baskets.  Projects in Boxes.  TGIF?  Absolutely!  Most quilts become that at some point because I've always got the "next one" in mind.  Right now, I've got 64 stars pieced and the rest of the pieces cut for a quilt made with Aster Manor that I started last September.  I love it but I just haven't had a chance to finish it ~ and there were parts of it that I kept changing and I did rennovate my sewing room!  It's "on the list" but it's anybody's guess when it will be done.

The names... those come from anywhere and everywhere.  Some names come from the fabric ~ e.g.,  Toulouse.  The fabric was Maison de Noel.  Hmmm... something French.  But I don't want a "Christmas" name.  The quilt has flying geese and Goose in the Pond blocks.  When I Googled goose and looked for a foreign language translation, the word "toulouse" came up.  It's a variety of a French goose.

Joanne asked... Was I surprised by the popularity of the Schnibbles patterns?

Absolutely.  Since most of the questions I would get about my other quilts/patterns was how to make them larger, it was a complete surprise.  But it just goes to show that everyone else already knew what I didn't ~ I'm kind of slow that way ~ small quilts are a lot of fun!  I can make the quilt top in a day or so.  I can play around with new fabric without making a huge investment.  They're terrific gifts.  And they're small enough that you can hand or machine-quilt them if you want to ~ they're also perfect practice pieces if you're new to hand or machine-quilting. 

Sheila C. asked... What is my favorite technique or block?

Whichever one is working for me right now ~ or whichever one I'm using right now. 

For blocks, I've written so often about how I love this block or that block that it probably is hard to say that I have one favorite... except that I do seem to make a lot of quilts with stars.  It's probably the triangles... I do sort of like triangles.  (Geez, Sherlock... ya think?)

As for technique, it really is whichever one I need on whatever it is I'm making.  Clipping seams, collapsing/fanning seams, Fit to be Geese ruler, pressing seams open... whatever gets the job done. 

Beverly in WA asked... What blocks do I use The Angler on the most?

Snowballs, Bowties, anything with that little connector corner thing.  It's a terrific little "tool" and I do use The Angler quite a bit ~ Lincoln, Roundabout, and Sunday Best all used The Angler.  I also use it quite a bit for making half-triangle squares as it lets me do the "stitch on both sides" without having to draw the line... kind of nice when you're making a couple hundred half-triangle squares and you want them to be as scappy as possible. 

Chris asked... If I could have only one tool, which one could I not live without ~ other than ruler, scissors, machine?

Corny answer... my imagination. 

This is so sad... a seam ripper.  I know.  I'm devastated too.  I wish I had a more clever answer.  But the truth is simple, I have never made a single quilt without using one... and there are quilts that I would swear I've made twice because of how much "un-sewing" I had to do.  From outright mistakes to things I want to change, from tiny glitches to places where I need to make an "adjustment", I can't live without my seam ripper.  It also makes a fine little stiletto in a pinch.  And I like those Clover seam rippers with the white handle ~ it's the right length for me and it's easy for me to hold and manipulate.  I buy them by the box. 

I'll answer more questions this weekend... I promise!

But if I don't get this posted now, it might have to wait until tomorrow... I'm on call at Williams-Sonoma later today so who knows what my day will be.  And if I don't have to work... I think I'm going to sew!

Wish me luck...

 

Almost time...

Oh my gosh! 

What am I going to say?

This is the problem with leaping before you look - the problem with saying "yes" before you consider all the aspects of what you've just agreed to doing. 

You've been warned... I sound like Lena Lamont.  (For the youngsters, she was the silent movie star with the "unfortunate" voice and accent in the fabulous musical Singing in the Rain.  It's one of my all-time favorite movies ~ even at my age, I can't see a puddle of water and not want to splash around in it like Gene.  Good morning, good morning!  It's great to stay up late... good morning, good morning to you!) 

Make note ~ try not to go too far off tangent while speaking with Pat. 

Where was I? 

Pat Sloan's Creative Talk Radio!

Should I totally mess with Pat and give her one-word answers? 

Or worse...

Pat asks intelligent question.  Carrie answers, "I dunno."

Pat asks a thought-provoking question.  Carrie answers, "Yeah, maybe."

Pat asks an insightful question.  Carrie answers, "Uhhmm, probably... but not much." 

Or, maybe I should give your question a one-word answer...

That's right, you read that correctly.  YOU can ask a question.

Option 1.  You can call in your questions LIVE at around 4:30 pm EST ~ 877.864.4869

Option 2.  You can leave a question on Pat's Radio Monday blog ~ Leave a question here.

(And if you leave a question there that doesn't get answered... I'll answer them here by tomorrow night!)

Did I mention that there will be prizes?

Three prizes.  Three winners. 

That's it for now ~ wish me luck!

And at 4:00 pm EST ~ be HERE or be square!

Or at 3:00 pm CST ~ be HERE or be square!

Or at 2:00 pm MST ~ be HERE or be square!

Or at 1:00 pm PST ~ be HERE or be square!

If you're in Hawaii... it can wait.  You can listen after you get back from the beach. 

Later...