Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Birdie Stitches Block





I finally finished my block for Birdie Stitches...my daughter had a semi "medical emergency" which entailed picking her up from college, visit to the doctor, visit to a general surgeon, visit to pharmacy....I had alot of "sitting around and waiting" which gave me the opportunity to finish it.  I'm not too happy with the stitches....they seem a little heavy but considering my frame of mind (at the time) that is understandable.  This is the same daughter that I thought was being "lazy" over Christmas break...then we found out she had mono....oops(!).  More mommy guilt for me.

I also have a new quilt in the works with Sherbet Pips.  The top is almost done...
and I have an idea for the use of my Parisville fabric....oh baby!  More on that later!

Finally....I posted about the blind quilter recently.  Watching her work was amazing.  Considering how hard I think sewing can be..(threading the needle and the machine).....geez she does it all BLIND!  What an inspiration.



Wednesday, January 19, 2011

DQS 10 Partner Inspiration


DQS 10 Partner Inspiration, originally uploaded by Retromama61.
O.K. partner...here is my inspiration



I was recently accepted to participate in the Doll Quilt Swap 10 (DQS10)...after "stalking" my partner (!), I came up with the above as my inspiration mosaic...ideas are formulating here!

Friday, January 14, 2011

REALITY CHECK

I had originally planned to post on how "hard" it has been revising and editing my craft/sewing room...."how did I get so much stuff?"  blah, blah, blah...

Then this photo popped up on my Flickr page at the bottom

It really struck me and I had to investigate the origin.
It was taken in 1936 by Dorthea Lange entitled Migrant Mother.  The back-story is that the Mom and her family were migrant pea-pickers.  Before this photo was taken, they had just sold the four tires to their vehicle to buy food :(
They were living in this:
That rocker had to be handmade..what talent




Later that night, Places In the Heart was on HBO...


"After her sheriff husband is killed, a Texas woman tires to make ends meet for her family during the depression by raising cotton and taking in boarders, one of whom is a blind man."

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/4188369/places_in_the_heart_movie_trailer/

This is such a good movie...and if you can watch it without bawling like a baby at the end then you have no heart.

"Oh, poor me, my craft room is too full."  Gaaaahhh, I make myself sick sometimes!  I got a much  needed reality check.

And just so you know this is not totally off the quilting grid...what do you think about this?

Proud woman with her State's quilt....hanging on her clothesline.
Taken during the Depression....you know this was hand-pieced.
I wish I had a closer view of the quilt!

Friday, January 7, 2011

RUBY STAR RISING FABRIC-DEJA VU OF MY MOM

There has been so much hype about Melody Miller's Ruby Star rising fabric...for good reason... it's pretty awesome.







Photos taken from these websites:
 http://melodymiller.typepad.com/ruby_star_rising/2010/10/the-fabric.html
http://www.ohfransson.com/oh_fransson/2010/12/fun-with-ruby-star-rising.html


If you grew up in the Seventies you remember viewfinders, transistor radios, women with big hair and "mom coffee breaks." Although trying to explain these to my children would elicit this kind of response:

Q: What's a viewfinder?
A: Oh, it is the thing that you look through and you put a disc in it and it would show the picture in 3d.
Q: What else did it do?
A: Nothing....you just looked at the picture in 3d.
Q: ........silence....................ummmmm, lame Mom.

Q: What's a transistor radio?
A: Oh, that is a radio that ran on batteries and you could listen to a radio station anywhere you wanted (as long as you could get a station).....
Q: [confused look]....what do you mean if you could get a station?  Could you download a station?  Did you subscribe to a station?
A:  No, there were no downloads or radio subscriptions....you had to wait for a radio station in order to listen to music and you had to wait for a DJ to play the song...there....oh, never mind....go listen to your I-Phone and download your I-Tunes or turn on Sirius!


Q: Mom, why did women have such big hair back then?
A: Because it was sexy......it looked good....ummmmmm, I don't know.
Q: How did they get it so big?
A: Well....my Mother (your Grandma) would go to the beauty shop every week and have it done by a "beauty operator." While she was "getting her hair done" I would read all of the rocking 70s magazines.  That's where I first read about sex change operations. [cheerful voice here]
Q: So... grandma only washed her hair once a week? [disturbed look]
A: Yes...and she slept with a hair-net and on a satin pillowcase.
Q: But how did she exercise during the week?
A: Oh, honey, these Moms did not exercise!
Q: [look of incredulity by my soccer-playing daughter]....whatever.

Big Hair in 1973
  
My pretty 70s Mom....look at that snazzy red purse!
She had a "pantsuit" on underneath her coat.

Q: So why coffee cups?
A: Moms in the 70s were very into coffee drinking....no Starbucks here....we're talking Folgers baby!

My 2nd grade birthday party
Notice BIG HONKIN COFFEE POT on "birthday table."
 
So I think I will have to purchase some Ruby Star Rising...and make an appointment with my "beauty operator."

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

SEWING IS COOL...Just Ask Pottery Barn

Look what I found in Pottery Barn's newest catalogue


Ummm.....my sewing room is NEVER this neat!




http://www.potterybarn.com/products/found-sewing-maching/?pkey=e|sewing%2Bmachines|1|best|0|1|24||1&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-NoMerchRules-_-

Thank you Pottery Barn....for letting us know that sewing is cool....
But we already knew that, right?

Monday, January 3, 2011

SCORE WITH SUNBONNET SUE or The Underappreciated Crafter Part II

My sister gave me a gift certificate to Antiqueland http://www.antiquelandusa.com/default.aspx/MenuItemID/387/MenuGroup/AntiqueLandUSA.com.htm for Christmas.

Look at what I found waiting just for me....fifteen blocks of SUNBONNET SUES!!




Notice how even the blanket stitches are!






Look at the stitches....so uniform and precise!  The applique stitches are wonderful!


So....obviously someone was cleaning out a relative's home and these were relegated to the  "dispose of " bin.  Poor underappreciated, misunderstood crafter!

I can't wait to finish this into a quilt.  I love these Sunbonnet Sues.  I am thinking 30s reproduction fabric!?

Another block of the month I signed up for is Meadow Circles:



http://webstore.quiltropolis.net/stores_app/Browse_Item_Details.asp?Shopper_id=4194131546504194&Store_id=648&page_id=23&Item_ID=12173


And another BOM http://daisycottagequilting.com/


And I still have to finish my Annie BOM (which started May 2010)

daisycottagequilting.com




Annie June BOM

Anne May BOM
It's only January 3rd and I am already behind!!!!

Sunday, January 2, 2011

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The holidays were a blur....they went by too fast!  Sad to see my daughter head back to school....On the other hand, I do have a few resolutions....Be Less Scattered, Drink Less Diet Coke (!), Exercise More, Eat Healthier....yada yada yada....

I've signed up for quite a few Blocks of the Month and I love Allie's idea of finishing one present a month so that you are not frazzled in December.  Yes, I found myself really pushing to finish binding quilts for presents! 
If you are interested...go to her site and sign up http://allie-oopssweethappylife.blogspot.com/
...it should be fun!

And...as you reflect on your New Year, a post card (yes, I know it is a Christmas Card) to brighten your day:

A beautiful vintage Christmas Card


Umm, I think Clarence is in trouble!

As you can see from the postmark, this was sent December 11, 1909....and Lillie was exercising the sarcasm over 100 years ago.

There are soooo many unanswered questions to this card.  What was wrong with Clarence?  Why didn't he answer?  How did they know each other?  Do you think he understood Lillie's message?  Do you think she was always so sarcastic?  Ahhh, it's mind boggling!