Persimmons on my Design Wall

top with Smokey

This is a quilt that I made when I lived in California.  One of those that the top was finished but the back wasn't.  I decided it is time.  I hope to do this several times this year that is to say, get those backs finished. 

Template cuts on top

Since the top is finished it is the back that is on my design wall.  As you can see from the pictures I had made a lot of strata and cut with a template the shapes.  I had a lot and I do mean a lot of waste from the strata.  This fabric was not cheap and I was not about to throw away all of that waste.  I made a border for the top by putting the strata together in different directions.  I have also used some of the strata on the back.  I named this quilt Persimmons: food of the gods.  The botonical name in Greek means food of the gods.  So I thought that will do.............

"waste" border on top

Notice in the "top" picture sittting on the corner is nosy Smokey.  He just looooves to be checking out what is going on. 

It is a gloomy day in southwest Lousiana.  Temps not bad, but oh so gloomy.  We did have sunshine over the weekend.  It was a nice break.

Back - not finished

"waste" on back

Hope all is well...........Click on pictures for a better view...........

A SNEEK PEEK

I have created a pattern for a quilt that I plan on entering in the Des Moines show in September.  So you get a sneek peek and probably won't see it again until later in the year.  It has 180 blocks. I should be in my sewing room working on it.  I have lots to do.  I actually would like to do this one and another that I have started.  I posted it in 2010 and it is barely started.  It has many more pieces then this quilt (I am guessing since I haven't actually counted them).  I think I could probably get this one finished, there are time limits that must be met and I am not sure I could do it with the other one.  If I really work I might be able to get both of them done, wouldn't that be nice. 

It is a gloomy day but the temps are not bad.  Everything looks so dull.  If it wasn't for the awful heat of summer I sure would like to see some green and some flowers. 

Hope all is well...................

HEATED SEATS............. SPINNING STARS

In 2008 I bought a new Toyota Sienna Limited.  It literally has everything but the kitchen sink.  It has heated seats.  I bought the car in Iowa.  In Iowa you need heated seats or at least they are really nice to have.  I have not  thought over the past 2 1/2 years of using them and even forgot that I had them.  I had to leave the house early a couple of days this past week.  In the previous week, one of my quilting buddies was talking about heated seats.  It clicked, I have heated seats.  It has been rather cold (down right cold) in the south the last few days.  I got into my car, onto a frozen seat, and thought, "now where are the buttons for the heated seats?"   Right in front my nose is the little buttons.  I pushed it up and almost immediately I had a warm tush.  So nice, I probably paid a fortune for these things, I might as well use them.  Technology isn't it wonderful?

Now. to quilting.  I have signed up for a workshop with our guild.  Dot Collins is coming over from Beaumont, TX to be our instructor.  The project is Spinning Stars [Starring the Waterlilies] (it is on her website).  I have decided to make all of my stars different.  You need 2 1/2 inch strips.  I have lots of left over strips from doing the Bali Wedding Star quilt. The biggest problem is that their is four colors for each point of the star.  You need 2 strips alike for point 1 and 2.  Point 3 and 4 only need 1 strip each.  Bali Pops usually only come with 1 strip of color the same.  Sometimes you will luck out and get 2.  I do have a large stash of Batiks and I have been digging around in it too.  In the pictures, notice that I have a little piece of paper pinned to each grouping.  The little code means - yellow, I need a strip of the lightest to match what I have for the lightest color - pink, I  need a strip of the medium light to match what I have for the medium light color.  If you notice, I only have one group that doesn't have a code on it.  I have a long way to go.  I am going to talk to my friends who have made the Bali Wedding Star to see if I can nose around in their stash of left over strips.  I still have a couple of weeks to find fabric that will work.  The dark fabric is my background.  It is a brown/black and very nice.  Fun, Fun, Fun............

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME.........

Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me.................Oh, lordy, where does the years go.  It seems like I just turned 40 and in reality that was many many moons ago.  It is a dreary day.  It is cold (37), windy  and blah.  I am off to Curves this morning, then to lunch with a couple friends, do some sewing, go to the grocery store (if I want to eat, the cupboard is bare) the bank (money) and then home again.  A busy day ahead.

I have started to work on a new quilt.  I hope to put this in a show in September.  In the meantime I must make decisions on fabric.   The log cabin quilts I have two different blues, one teal and one blue and then I have four strips hanging.  The teal is actually more teal then the pictures shows.  I love the color but the problem being the teal is too close to the same color as the green.  In the picture the green really doesn't show up the beautiful green it is.  I am going to bring up EQ7, find my design, change the teal to blue (the darker one) and see how the whole quilt will look if I change the color from teal to blue.  I will let you know what happens.  




Have a great day.................

CURVES

Do I need Curves???  Well, it probably wouldn't hurt me.  I joined yesterday.  I did it for my osteoporosis.  I am hoping that it will build my body and it would be nice if it changed my body.  Since I have been lazy over the last few years I guess everything is falling apart.  It is time to do something about it. 

We had a doozy of a storm last night.  I woke up and it was thundering and the lightening was awful and it was pouring.  I looked out the window to see if the wind was blowing.  I could not tell, so I crawled back into bed and hoped for the best and went back to sleep. 

I am off to the shop to sew this morning.  We are working on the Bali Wedding Star.  \Everyone thinks it is the quilt from H____.  Actually, so far, it has not been that bad.  I have only put one block together, I am still making pieces, and I can see where I need to make corrections for it to come together the way it should. 

I entered a quilt in the Paducah show.  First it has to be accepted.  Then if it is accepted and that is all I am hoping for, I will have to send it.  I should know in February sometime if they want it. 

I guess I best get off the chair, out from in front of this computer and get going.  Catch you all later....

HAPPY NEW YEAR...........2011

It is hard to believe that today is the beginning of a new year.  The last one went so fast.  Last night being New Year's Eve I spent it at home, doing some sewing and watching House Hunters.  I think that is the name.  It is interesting to see all these houses and what you can buy for the money.  About 10:30 I decided it was time for me to go to bed.  The fireworks had been going off all evening but just a little bit.  By midnight it was rather loud and it was loud until 1:00 a.m.  When I woke up this morning I was still tired.

This morning I went to a funeral.  The funeral was for a dear friend and an outstanding quilter.  She was absolutely amazing.  And what made her amazing and probably more amazing then any quilter you may know, is the fact that she not only was very talented but she only had one full arm.  She was born missing her arm from the elbow down.  She belonged to my Dear Jane group.  She made her blocks and they turned out beautifull and anything she made turned out beautiful.  The Dear Jane blocks will be put together and the quilt finished for her family.  Pat Bailey will be missed.  She was one of the former owners of The Quilt Shoppe in Westlake, LA. 

And to all, I wish you the happiest of New Year's.