No Quilt Police, No Quilt LAWs!

Elsie Campbell sure makes great quilts. She also said, "There's no law that we have to finish what we start."

With that being said, I have to confess.  I am a starter and I have a hard time finishing.  I use to think it was called procrastination or laziness or just something to make fun of, but I have so many ideas in my head and I want to get them started because I am afraid I will forget them.  Some are too hard to finish or some need a piece of fabric I don't have or some I just get tired of them.  And then there is the finishing of a creation that I don't like:  borders, backings, labels, sleeves and alot of quilting.  
What to do, It's a dilemma.  
But then I thought of my word of the year:   FREEDOM
Freedom to start projects and not finish them, Freedom to finish them in my own time, Freedom to start of a new project and put it away to "simmer".  THERE-I have newly found freedom.

This brings me to give advice to new quilters.  Accuracy is important and so is 1/4 inch seams, practice, practice, practice free motion quilting, Learn new ways of doing the same thing and find the one that you like best. A mistake is just that, a mistake that you can rip out and do again or leave it as it is because no one will know but you. You will learn from it and do better next time. Trust in yourself, you are the artist.
Just some of my unfinished projects:

A very nice gentleman came into the fabric shop I was visiting in and asked to see the manager.  He asked if anyone would be interested in quilting some unfinished quilts he found in the cottage he just bought.  They were in the attic in a very old trunk.  The manager said bring them in I will look at them.  Three black garbage bags later, numerous quilts were laid out.  They were all in different stages of finishing.  Some pieced, some just cut, and some ready for quilting.  In all he had 15 full size quilts, 20 partial quilts and many pieces.  In this trunk there was also included the paper pattern and all of her notes to herself.  I was truly amazed of all this woman accomplished and wondered how could her family just leave these in a trunk in a attic and walk away.  Was all her work for nothing?  Did her family get sick of all her quilts, did they have too many?  But here it was 60 years later, (I dated them by the fabric) and another family found them and cherished them enough to want to have them finished and put on their beds.  Lesson to be learned:  You never know where you artwork will end up and who will love it.  Just put it out there, Keep creating! 

   

What W

It is all coming together.

don't 'cha just love it: 
                       when your in the groove,
                       and it's time to move,
                       and you're not feeling blue.
don't 'cha just love it:

don't 'cha just love it:
                      When you're feeling free,
                      and you just want to be,
                            golly gee!

Don't 'cha just love it:
                     when you can jump up and out,
                     when you catch a wave,
                     when you shout!

don't 'cha just love it:
                   as the breeze flitters through your wings,
                   as the leaves dance in the wind,
                   as you jump for joy: Rippet!

don't 'cha just love it:
                        when you flit from flower to flower,
                        stop to smell the roses,
                        and just be you.  
don't cha!
(Please let a comment so I know you are out there, Thanks)
                       

Good things about winter!

Yes, it snowed again yesterday and the temp this morning was 10 degrees.  And it's March and there are robins, red-wing blackbirds, and ice still on the pond.  So it was said that Toledo, Ohio had the worst winter ever in it's history with largest amount of snowfall and low temps.


So guess what?  I made lots of quilts.  I dyed fabric, I painted on fabric, I printed on fabric with my HP printer; I played a lot. I quilted. I freemotioned, I flew with threads, I designed, I created.  So much fun. 

"Danger" Monochromatic wall hanging.

Snow and Quilting together.

"Freedom" Close up of Quilted Wall hanging.

Ashley's T-shirt Quilt 

Mom's embroidered t-shirt and sweatshirt. 

My Hand Dyed fabric Strips

Quilt in Progress

Natural Dying in Process

Natural Dying Results on Silk.

Quilting my Daughter in law's quilt.

I am building up my creative fiber art to sell on Etsy and two local shows that will be coming up this summer.  

WATCH OUT, I AM ON A ROLL- AN ART ROLL. 

What I'm not on a roll with is transferring pictures, so there are additional pictures on my Instagram,  please see here:  http://instagram.com/chaines7169 

The the cooler temps!!!!

What I love about Fall.  I love the sunsets.  Always the delicious colorways of purples, pinks and the silhouettes of shadows. I the love cuddling up under my own quilts to warm my soul and a grandchild or two.  I love the shorter evenings, time to go inside and knit or handsew a little.  The day is done.

I love the stillness, the quack of the geese and ducks, the glassy smoothness, the calming of the day.  

My cats are still, closed eyes, dreaming of mice and birds and sunny windows.  Don't wake them up, then all hell breaks loose.  Watch out, white cats can be just as bad as black cats. 

 My start of a Confetti Quilt.  Not a great start, I will work on it today.  The chill is in the air and it refreshes my soul.  I hope it does yours too.  

Finally- I got it back

Hip Hip Hooray  I am jumping for joy in my mind because my knees are not doing well today.  I got my Bernina Back.  It went to shop to get fixed Feb 1, 2013.  The embroidery  mode was screwing up then when I went back and tried to sew straight-line with Adeline's Quilt it starting clunking, choking, clanking, oh my!

I was so lost without it, yes, I have other machines.  My Sweet Sixteen took over for all of my quilting on my daughter in law's quilt and I was was able to do my doodle,  Just one so far. https://www.facebook.com/groups/378752315555196/  I am following Christine Pollhaus Doodle Group on facebook.  I really has shown me I need to step up my free motion.  It is not done yet, embellishing to come and background quilting.  I am learning alot from her.  It is a free group and tutorial is at http://www.patchwork-passion.de/bom-doodlekalender She is a great teacher from Germany I think, You need to translate her instructions but she explains things well.  Thank you Christine.  

I an sorry I am not able to show you Kate's quilt, my daughter in law.  It is a gift.  It is made from a dress this woman's mom wore.  It is from Hawaii. Sweet Sixteen!  I got it last year at the Cincinnati International Festival.  I love it.  

ART makes the world turn.

BEADING NECKLACE THAT DIDN'T SELL ON ETSY

FUN GLASS BEADDING BRACLET AND EARRINGS THAT DIDN'T EITHER

A QUILT MADE FOR AWONDERFUL YOUNG MOTHER WHO HAD A STROKE DURING HER THIRD PREGNACY

FABRIC PAINTING IN INTERNATIONAL CINCINNATTI QUILT SHOW 2012

 

GARDENING WITH BUTTERFLY BUSH AND BLACK EYE SUSAN

 

RAISING BABY KITTENS FROM 2 DAYS OLD SAVED FROM A BARN LIFE

 

ART, What is it?  Growing something from seed, helping life live, painting a picture, making a fabric quilt to keep someone warm and letting you know you love them,  designing jewelry to be seen by many or just you, cooking a new taste and texture in a meal by you, just for you or just for many. 

ART takes on many forms.  ART makes the world turn.  ART keeps a person sane.  ART lives on.  Just do ART! Anyway, anyhow, for anybody!



Yes, I'm still living my art.

Family Pizza Party, so much fun!

Dying class with the Fiber Arts Group at Stich. 

Watching sunsets, with a evening beer cocktail, of course.

finding turtles on the lake with my grandson and daughter.

Planting and Gardening. 

Decorating for Fall and the Rehersal dinner at our new home. 

Long time no write.  So much has happened this year.  New house, Elderly parent problems & son's wedding. My Sewing studio is still revolving.  It is a mess right now, I'm so unorganized, but I'm working on it alittle at a time.  No pics of my studio at this time but I will show you what I have been working on since the last post. With our new home and location has come fun family parties, fishing groups, swimming gatherings.  fabric dying, making quilts for Quilts of Compassion.  helping out a a new fabric shop, "Stitch" and shopping, shoppping, shopping for my new pad,  Loving life, it is too short, have fun, share with others, enjoy each moment and let the little things go.  forget the past and remember it is all small stuff.