Rags N Quilts

I’ve decided I no longer need a website.  I  don’t have the time, energy or the need to keep up with it all any more. I just need an easy spot on the web to share my work and the kitties when I’m inclined to do so.

That means I’m going back to a simple free blog that you’ll find here.  So if you are so inclined, you can follow what I’m up to there and on Facebook.  :)

And not solely with quilting.  I’ve been on jury duty this month, and assigned to a trial.  I can’t talk about it, but it is taking up all my time right now.

I still have my dream quilt for the MQS auction on the frame in the midst of being quilted…still a bit left to do, but jury duty ends next Tuesday, so I’ll be back at it then.

On another note, my friend Cathy turned me on to this optical website for glasses…really inexpensive.  Since I have aged…and need both far and near vision correction, I tried the progressive lenses a few years ago.  I had a terrible time adapting to them…never really did.  Come to find out, you need a larger frame so there is room for the transition of the lens powers.

The site is Zenni Optical…and one of the cool things is that you can upload your own photo and” try the frames” on before buying. It’s simple to type in your prescription info and them e-mail or fax your hard copy from your doctor.   They are inexpensive, and the prescription in my experience is perfect.  They ship reasonably fast…I received mine within 10 days of my order. I ordered two pair to start, using middle range frames. Even with the extra cost of progressive lenses, an optional anti-glare coating, and clip on polarized sun glasses to fit the frames, my costs came to $109 for two pair.  Amazing, since the last glasses I got from the alleged discount place “Eyeglass World ” were $600 for one pair.  Imagine, 2 pair with all the extras plus clip on sunglasses for $109!!  They come with a plastic case and lens cloth. Also included are anti-scratch and UV coatings.

I’m sold!  At this price I can have a pair to match each outfit colorway :)

So, just so you can see...here are the two I ordered…I like them both…DH prefers the second one.

It’s sorta like shoes…you need a variety   And at these prices, I can!

Just to say, I’m not affiliated…just a happy customer.

Now that “The High Priestess” is finished and starting her show journey, it’s time to start working on the next one…”Les Barons”.  This will be the second in my Voodoo/Tarot series.

One of the early steps in the creation of my quilts is to develop a color palette.  I use Joen Wolfrom’s color tool initially and then paint chips.  Then I can use my paint chip chart to paint, dye, or purchase my fabrics.

This is my paint chip palette

I then sent it to Vicki, and this is what I got in return

These are going to make an amazing background!

Add a few treasures from my recent Bead Shop foray…

And we have a good beginning… Stay tuned to watch this develop.

I was surprised when I saw how long it has been since I posted!  Lots of things have happened…some good, some not as good, but I’m still here.

My shoulder has improved, I have about 75% of my range of motion back now; that probably is as good as it’s going to get.  But that’s OK because I can do most things that I want or need to.

So what have I been up to since January?  Well aside from shoulder related stuff and the winter crud, I’ve been working hard to get my “High Priestess” quilt ready for the show season.  I finally accomplished that and she will make her debut at MQX’s New England Quilt Festival in New Hampshire next week.

This quilt combines a variety of techniques like painting, dyeing, hand piecing, machine piecing, machine applique, foiling, and beading to name a few, and of course some crystals.

The pieced fabrics are Vicki’s Twilight gradient… So rich! My hand dyed border and back, dupioni silk and silk charmuse…along with wool felt.  I’ll share some photos…

The front

The Back

And I also had two of my best girlfriends visiting me this past week…Candace and Cathy. We had a great time working in the studio, shopping and eating! I didn’t take any photos, but I pilfered theirs  so you can see how much fun we had…

Candace working

Cathy and I doing hand work

Shopping at  one of my favorite places…the Bead Shop

And at the best trim and fancy  fabrics shop…Jefferson Variety.  Eating at one of the best spots for oysters Dragos…those oysters were HUGE! And delicious.

And enjoying a day at the horse races for the running of the 100th Louisiana Derby

We had a great week and I can’t wait to see them again in a few weeks at MQS

My friend Lisa Calle, developed a great set of rulers for quilting close, straight lines.  I purchased a set and absolutely love them.  So when she told me she was working on a curved set, I was thrilled!   When the prototypes came in, she asked me to try them out. They are wonderful…a nice deep curve, perfect for the small spaces I  fill with close cross hatching.   So I did a little video to show them to you.   The set ” Quilter’s Groove ProCurve Rulers” is now available for pre order on Lisa’s website.  Get a set for yourself…you will love them!  And if you don’t already have the set for straight lines, “Quilter’s Groove ProLine Rulers”…get those too, you’ll be glad you did!

The latest joint venture with Vicki Welsh, two of my recent designs are ready and will be available as kits to include my pattern and  Vicki’s hand dyed background  gradient.

“Once Upon A Dream” features Vicki’s “Twilight” Gradient background.

And “The Watchers” featuring the “Rocky Road” gradient background.

Both include 1 yard of the hand dyed gradient and  all the full size pattern pieces in PDF format on a DVD. It’s easy to store and easy to print out your pattern pieces when you need them.

They will be available  very soon in Vicki’s etsy shop …she’ll make an announcement when she’s got everything ready to go.

Today is the reveal of the latest Fiberactions challenge.  The challenge required the use of at least ten colors.  With my current shoulder issues, I was uncertain if I would make this challenge, but I always have a few pieces laying in wait of their turn to be quilted.  I choose Harvey for two reasons: he met the color requirements, and he is fairly small.  That meant I was able to get him quilted in time.

Harvey

Harvey measures 20″ x 30 1/2″ and is the 5th in my painted wholecloth series of Fanta-Sea Fishees.  I used my usual batting: Quilters Dream Wool over Puff, and Superior’s Lava and Bottom Line threads. I have had a great time both painting and quilting these funny fish!  Just Cleopatra left to go.

As soon as I laid it on the floor to photograph, you know who claimed it…

The more I tried to more him to get the detail shots, Bouree just got silly.  So you’ll have to see the detail around him.

He’s cuter than the quilt anyway!

Be sure to head over to the Fiberactions blog to see the wonderful work from the other artists in this great group!

Well, it seems the world didn’t end last month and we have moved on to 2013. I trust you all had a safe and wonderful holiday season, we surely did.  Today was household chores and putting away decorations and such… generally just getting the house back in order after parties and dinners over the holidays.

Tomorrow will be back to work on the High Priestess…I haven’t touched that quilt in a while!  Deadlines are coming up soon, so no more goofing off.  I had taken photos early on in the quilting process but got busy and forgot to post them. So I’ll leave you with a couple.

Obviously, these were taken before I buried the thread tails.  I had 10 of these to do, so I waited until they were all done to bury.

And the back…nothing like dark variegated thread on a light back!  Takes forever because I go so slow with high contrast threads, especially when backtracking!

That’s it for now, have a great evening!

Today we lost a cousin…Mike.  Mike lost his beloved wife Mary, not too long ago.  Today, as sad as it is for those of us left behind; Mike and Mary are together again.

In this season of joy and renewal, take a moment to remember those who are no longer with us.

The older I get, the longer that list grows…but at the same time we have new little ones joining us.

So, we celebrate the cycle of life.

No matter what holiday you celebrate, take time to love the ones still with you, and remember those who have left us…they all make us who we are.

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate tomorrow. Happy Holidays to all the rest…whether Hanukkah, Kwanza, Winter Solstice, or whatever you believe. We are all in this together…May we have Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward ALL Men.

Yep, the backing has been dyed

The elements to be added during quilting have been prepped

The silk and Razzle-Dazzle threads have arrived, and the top is loaded on the frame

The stabilization process is well under way. The “fun” quilting is coming soon.

I really love this part of the process!