Welcome Casey

I'd like to say that the Christmas cards have been sent, the shopping finished, and the presents wrapped.  I'd like to say that I've been a quilting machine and that for once, I won't be binding on Christmas Eve.  I'd like to be humming Christmas carols and baking in the kitchen.  And I'd really like to be writing a post that is remarkably witty and subtly inspirational.  But alas, the Daly family has grown by one and today I'm running around after a puppy with a bladder the size of a thimble.

Casey joined our family on Friday.  I haven't cared for a baby for almost 10 years and it's been twice as long since I've had a pet other than our fish Jaws and Schmoopie.  After the chaos of the past weekend, I'm beginning to despair that I will ever be ready for Christmas, much less make it back to my sewing room.  But despite the fact that I'm typing this post one-handed because Casey wants to be held again, I can't deny that she is very sweet.  And of course my husband is smitten and kids are already in love.  We may not experience the peace of Christmas this year, but hopefully (fingers crossed) we'll have plenty of joy!

May your homes be filled with peace, joy, and love this holiday season.

Be Not Afraid: Part 2

Well, I did it!  After years of wanting to paint, but being afraid to try, I just finished a 6-week painting class.  Here's what I learned:

• As a painter, I make a better quilter.
• Big white canvases scare me.
• Being the only beginner in a 3-student class is very intimidating.
• Painting is hard work.
• I can not create with someone standing behind me watching.
• I can survive 3 hours a week of humiliation and still go back for more.
• Let your brush do the work.
• Painting with a palette knife can be a liberating experience.



My instructor really liked this still life of random objects
that I did with a palette knife on day 3.  He told me that I
wasn't experienced enough yet to understand some of the
good things happening in this painting.  I'm still confused.



• I babble and giggle when I'm nervous.
• I don't know who my influences are.
• Other painters are nice enough not to laugh at your creative missteps.
• If I could do it again, I would take more Studio Art and Art History classes in college.
• People can tell by your brush strokes if you are confident.  I shudder to think what my brush strokes say about me.
• Don't get too precious about your work.
• Don't think, just paint.
• Mixing paint to make the color brown is tough.
• Every painting has the color brown in it.
• Buy brown paint.

Midway through the 6 weeks, I realized that, sadly, I don't appear to have a hidden talent for painting.  There were moments when I mixed a color I liked or accidentally made an effective brush stroke, but I think painting, like any other worthy endeavor, takes a lot of practice.  With three kids, a busy life, and my little quilting habit, it may take me a long, long time to become a better painter -- not to mention, I'd still like to try rug-hooking, stained glass, the piano...  But I'm still happy I took the class.  There may not be enough time in my life to be good at everything, but hopefully there will be plenty of time to try it all.  The medium and the end result don't really matter as long as you keep on creating. 

This, at least, is recognizable,
but I still have to add the wick.

Quilt Therapy

After a weekend spent trying to squeeze in a celebration for my husband's birthday, selling Christmas trees for a hockey fundraiser, and driving my sons all over the state of New Hampshire for their 5 hockey games (yes, I'm a hockey mom), I awoke on Monday morning to chaos.  My husband was out of shaving cream, one son had run out of his flavored toothpaste, the other couldn't find comfortable pants to wear on his field trip (the horror!), and while writing a check for school lunches (one week late) I discovered that I had neglected to make note of the last 4 checks I'd written and that I had absolutely no memory of writing them.

We left the house late and had to follow a bus all the way to school only to discover upon our arrival that my youngest had forgotten his saxophone.  I did manage to remember my dentist appointment (don't know what I was thinking schedule a cleaning on a Monday morning), but during the drive there I came to the shocking realization that Christmas was less than three weeks away, that I had yet to send out Christmas cards, that I'd barely made a dent in my Christmas shopping, and that I'd made even less progress on my Christmas quilting projects.  After my appointment (and the scolding I received for not being more consistent with my flossing), I drove home for the saxophone, delivered it to the school and finally returned home to start my day at 10:30 with absolutely no energy, a pounding stress headache, a to-do list the length of my arm, and only 4 hours before it was time to pick-up the kids, supervise homework, and get to hockey practice.  Pretty standard stuff.

I managed to call my sister (I'm a master procrastinator), clean the kitchen, and start a load of laundry before the panic began to set in and I found myself roaming the house asking:  What should I do next?  How am I ever going to get it all done?  Why doesn't my family help more?!?  And then in a brief and unusual moment of clarity, I decided to sew.

The minute I plugged in the iron and sat down to my sewing machine, I could feel myself beginning to relax.  My breathing and heart rate slowed, and instead of running in circles like a headless chicken, my mind grew quiet.  As I focused on the pieces of fabric in front of me, I finally calmed down and the horrible feeling of being overwhelmed began to recede into the background.

Forty-five minutes later, the phone rang and the spell was broken.  It was time to get back to reality.  I still had more to do than I could possibly accomplish in a single day, but everything was different.  Just a few minutes of quilting had stopped the downward spiral that would probably have ended with me drowning my sorrows in ice cream and wine (post 5:00 pm, of course) after having accomplished nothing all day but talking on the phone, surfing the internet for crock-pot recipes, and plucking my eyebrows.  My little session of quilt therapy helped me to regain my footing and I was able to return to the demands of my life with renewed determination, a sense of humor, and maybe a bit of optimism.  Not bad for a few minutes of quilting.

But I still can't remember writing those checks!

'Tis Better to Give...

Finally!  At long last it’s time to put away the autumnal colors – yes, I’m officially a little sick of orange now – and time to pull out the red and green!  It’s time to unabashedly listen to Christmas music while decorating the house and eagerly searching the sky for snowflakes.  It’s time to fill the house with the good smells of baking and the magic of secrets.

And it’s time for my annual debate:  to make gifts for my mom and my sister Vicki, or to buy them.

The pros of making gifts:

1. Making gifts is the perfect excuse to spend the month of December sewing – guilt free.
2. Making gifts is economical:  I save the gas money that I would otherwise spend driving from store to store looking for the perfect gift and I don’t have to pay for shipping (unless of course I drive around looking for the perfect fabric or find the perfect fabric on-line).
3. Making gifts reminds me of how productive I can actually be when I’m not procrastinating.
4. Making gifts often helps me come up with new and inspired ideas because I’m creating for someone with different tastes and because I’m so strapped for time that I don’t have time to over-think the process.  Me over-think?!?
5. While creating, I get to anticipate how my mom and sister will respond to their gifts.  Because they are both crafty (and especially nice), their reactions never disappoint.
6. Making gifts enhances my Christmas spirit.  I would so much rather spend a Saturday in my sewing room creating “wholesome” gifts rather than fighting for a parking spot and elbowing my way through the throngs at Wal Mart, frantically trying to buy the latest electronics at the lowest advertised price, only to discover that they sold out just before I got there.  Yes, I went Black Friday shopping this year and I may be a little bitter.

The cons of making gifts:

1. Spending the month of December sewing keeps me from doing housework, shopping, wrapping, Christmas cards, etc. – although is this really a con?
2. Making gifts tends to take a bit of time.
3. It can be a little difficult to give away one of my creations.  By the time they are finished, part of me wants to keep them and run out at the last minute on Christmas Eve for gifts (except by then, the only gifts available are flashlights, 5-Hour Energy, and windshield scrapers).
4. It occurs to me that my mom and sister might actually be tired of homemade presents and are too kind to tell me that they’d love a nice sweater or a pair of earrings or even some oven mitts. 
5. I’m always sewing binding on Christmas Eve.

If I’m not mistaken, the pros seem to outnumber the cons.  But because I know my mom and sister are among the readers of this blog, I probably shouldn’t disclose my decision.  Oh, and Mom and Vicki, if you’d like a new pair of oven mitts for Christmas this year, now would be the time to tell me.

Give Thanks

The countdown to Thanksgiving has begun and like many of you I'm expecting a houseful for dinner.  That means only 3 days to clean my house, redecorate a room or two, and prepare myself emotionally for the big day.  Clearly today is a good day for a short post.  But for once I planned ahead and for the month of November, and in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I've been making note of some small moments/things in my life for which I'm grateful.  Here are some of the highlights...

• Listening to my two sons singing "Moves Like Jagger" in the kitchen every morning while they get ready for school.
• The unbelievably cute turkey that my daughter crocheted for me (without a pattern!).

Mr. Gobbles

• Encountering my neighbor who had esophageal cancer and having him remark to me, "Looks like I may be one of the lucky ones."
• Walking downstairs after tucking my youngest into bed and hearing him say "goodnight Jaws" to his fish.
• Drinking my cup of tea every morning with my oldest son snuggled up against me on the couch.
• Having my teenage daughter inform me that she suffers from "chronic happiness."
• That my 3-year-old nephew finally ended his week long hunger strike -- and that my sister survived it!
• Dunkin Donuts pumpkin muffins.
• Walking through the woods with my daughter and listening to her plans for the future, including:  designing portable water purifiers, going on a cruise, and becoming a "Mythbuster."
• Discovering that my 11-year-old son had created a suggestion box thinking he could actually change the way my husband and I parent him.

• Stepping out from a nice, hot shower to find that my youngest son had written "Brian was here" on the fogged up window.
• Having my rock-solid husband reassure me that he is "sound as a pound."
• Living close enough to Keepsake Quilting that my mom and I were able to drive there today (yes, we may have listened to Christmas music) and load up on fabric, even though I should have been dusting, painting, baking, mopping, etc.  Priorities!!

So there it is, a glimpse into my small but very rich life.  It's amazing how quickly my list grew once I started paying attention -- I do believe there's a lesson in there!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Best Quilts for Fat Quarters - Chance to Win!!!

Strap yourself in.  This may be a longer post than usual because today I get to tell you about Quilters Newsletter’s special issue, Best Fat Quarter Quilts.  On newsstands now, (or follow this link to purchase) the issue is chock full of beautiful projects created with everybody’s favorite pre-cut, fat quarters.  Even better, two of my quilts are featured in the magazine!

On page 79, you’ll find my quilt Autumn Leaves.  Autumn Leaves is made with only 5 fat quarters and a few extra scraps from Deb Strain’s “Saltbox Harvest” collection.  I originally ordered the fabric for my mom for her birthday and naturally had to order some extra for myself.  When the fabrics arrived, I thought the colors were stunning, but I wasn’t quite sure how to use them.  I knew I wanted to keep them together in a project and it clearly needed to be fall-related, but sadly the fabrics sat on the shelf for almost 6 months while I hemmed and hawed (yes, that’s right, “hemmed and hawed”) about them.  But when the call came from QN to submit a design for a fat quarter quilt, I knew exactly what to use.

Autumn Leaves



The "sunflower" center.

Autumn Leaves is my ode to fall, but I may have gotten carried away with the whole leaf theme.  The tree of life blocks are made of “leaves” in red and orange, the corners of the quilt feature maple leaf blocks, and the borders are adorned with simple appliqué leaves.  Even the pattern on the fabrics is, you guessed it, leaves.  This quilt wasn’t exactly difficult to name.  My favorite part of the quilt is actually the star block in the center because I think it looks like a sunflower.  Autumn Leaves looks lovely as a wall hanging in the magazine, but I actually have it displayed on my kitchen table – perfect for November.



My table runner Pansies is found on page 92 of the magazine.  I’m always looking for ideas for seasonal quilts and last spring I was inspired to design the block for this quilt by the pansies I planted in one of my flower beds.  I love pansies because of their brilliant color and I thought the petals of the flowers would be easy to translate into geometric shapes. 

Pansies



The original Pansies.

While shopping for the fabrics for Pansies, it occurred to me that I should try making the quilt with batiks.  For years I’ve been resisting using batiks because I was concerned that my fabric budget wouldn’t extend to both traditional and batik fabrics (so much fabric, so little cash).  I decided to make the quilt with traditional quilting fabrics and simply mention to the folks at QN that I thought it would also be beautiful in batiks.  To my surprise they responded “We’d love to see it in batiks!”  So I actually made this quilt twice – should have listened to the little voice in my head.  But having made this quilt twice, I can attest to the fact that it’s fun and pretty simple.  The other great thing about Pansies is that it can be made with as many pansy-colored fat quarters as you like (designer’s tip:  buy more!).  By the way, I LOVED the gorgeous colors of the batiks and yes, my batik stash is growing.

So there you have it, the stories behind Autumn Leaves and Pansies.  And for those of you who have been patient enough to read to the bottom of this post, here is the good news:  you have an opportunity to win a fabulous prize package courtesy of Quilters Newsletter and its partners.  Included in the package:

·         A copy of Best Fat Quarter Quilts

·         Wonder Clips from Clover

·         A selection of appliqué and quilting needles from Clover

·         Simplicity Studio Simpli-EZ 30-degree triangle

·         Simplicity Studio Simpli-EZ Jelly Roll Ruler™

·         Sidewinder Portable Bobbin Winder from Wrights

Wow! What a fantastic prize package! To enter to win, go to the Quilters Newsletter blog and in the “Comments” answer the question related to this blog post. Enter by midnight Mountain time, Sunday, November 20. The winner will be notified by Quilters Newsletter. Good luck!!

Waste Not, Want Not

I've been suspecting it for a while, but today it became all too clear.  I am a hoarder.  No, not the kind you see on reality TV, but a fabric hoarder.

I think it all started back when I used to scrapbook.  I hadn't yet begun to quilt and for a couple of years scrapbooking was my craft of choice.  My favorite part of scrapbooking (other than the photos of my kids, of course) was the beautiful papers.  I loved the colors, the textures and the patterns, and I bought as much as my small budget would allow.  They looked so pretty stacked up and ready to go that I didn't want to use them and if I did, I saved all of the scraps.  When I discovered the joys of quilting, my interest in scrapbooking waned, and now I'm left with a ton of paper and a big plastic bin full of scraps.  I should probably give it away or at least let my kids use it up, but I don't.  Someday I plan to make a dent in that 9 year backlog!

I'm even worse with my fabric.  I love some of my fabrics so much that I can't bear to part with even the smallest pieces.  And when I'm cutting, if I end up with a scrap bigger than 1" square, I throw it into a basket to save.  After all, I make a lot of scrap quilts and I paper piece and you never know when you might be able to fit a small scrap of fabric into a quilt.  Unfortunately the volume of my scrap stash now threatens to surpass my fabric stash and it is so disorganized that I don't know what I have, I can't find what I need, and if I do find a scrap I can use, it's crushed almost beyond repair.



A sampling of my scrap baskets.



 

The small triangles in question.



I love my scraps, but this morning, while tidying my sewing room, I made a discovery and it occurred to me that my little habit might be getting out of hand.  Last spring I made a quilt using a fat quarter bundle of fabrics in blue, red, and cream.  The quilt had a lot of star blocks and after trimming the seams I was left with hundreds of triangles which I promptly threw into yet another basket.  Over time I inadvertently covered the basket with fabric, wool, and pattern ideas and there it sat for months, until I excavated it today -- I really must tidy more. 




Very small triangles.


The problem is that these triangles are small, really small, so small even I can't believe I saved them.  The smart, time-saving, healthy thing to do would be to throw away the triangles and maybe even some scraps from the bottom of my first scrap basket (circa 2003).  After all, I've got mountains of laundry and bathrooms that need cleaning, not to mention two Halloween quilts that I need to wrap up (still working on that whole finishing thing) -- honestly I don't have time to mess around with these tiny scraps.  To the garbage can!  Hurrah!  Freedom!

But, oh, they are so pretty!  And now I'm getting an idea for a miniature Flying Geese quilt.  What to do, what to do?  If I commit to using them on my blog, I have to follow through (rationalization)... I can always do the bathrooms tomorrow (procrastination)... besides, if I use the scraps, I'm not a hoarder, right? (rationalization)...

Okay, I'm keeping the scraps.