Monday, July 31, 2006

Stitching is so relaxing


I've got one of those nasty summer colds. For a couple days, I felt so rotten, I just sat with my sewing in my lap, never taking a stitch. It's just comforting to have it near me. I remember several years ago, I was hospitalized with a bad reaction to a medication. My husband told me on the phone that the new Quilters' Newsletter had arrived. I asked him to bring it to me, and he asked, "Why? You can't read it!" I just pleaded with him, and he was right, but I just held the magazine and looked at the cover. It was certainly encouraging when I felt well enough to start turning the pages.



I feel this cold letting up somewhat and with that my interest is recharging. I was asked to post the pictures of my project in progress. This is a Blackbird Farms design, as interpreted by Labors of Love. I'm just thrilled with how it is coming along.

We're to the real countdown for Guild Retreat now. I have a number of hand-outs written, and a few more to prepare. We'll all be shifting into high gear, soon. I'm going to go through my "quilt top collection" for examples of scrap quilts to display. Our "lessons" will cover rotary cutting various components. Primarily, we are looking at the snowball block because our theme is "Snowbound", but will hit on half-square and quarter-square cutting techniques, trying to encourage just cutting them, and not mess with the so-called short cuts which make one prisoner to a singular pattern. I find those so frustrating. In trying to draft a pattern for my sister-in-law, I can't find a resource which gives the math formula to even introduce them into use! And, though I don't think I would suffer in the event of a cotton shortage, most of those techniques waste so much fabric . . . up to 42 percent according to Judy Martin in one of her past newsletters. She has a great website, and her books are the best!

5 comments:

Laura said...

Sorry to hear about your cold Linda, hope you are feeling a little better today!

I love these blocks, they are looking great!

Quilts And Pieces said...

Wow your blocks are wonderful! Of course I would love the darker more primitive type fabrics, but this is such a fun look! I love the holly and house! That is a really fun block!

It is almost camp time!!!! I'm sooo excited!

Melanie said...

Get well quick...take care...Sip the nyquil ...You need to be on the mend for your retreat.
Melanie

Marlublu said...

I happen to bump into your blog and think your blocks are beautiful. I love the black background.

Shelina said...

Hope you get to feeling better soon. There must be something going around.- or it might just be the smog from all this heat.
Those blocks are really pretty.
There are many different ways of making half square triangles and other shapes, and I don't agree that they take more fabric. I think it depends on how many you are making. If there are a lot, triangle paper, or drawing the grid is faster. If making a few, I use squares and sew on the diagonal before cutting.
There are some techniques for making blocks - the flying geese method that Beth Ferrier teaches for example, that are really confusing for a beginner. Much easier to see squares or triangles and be able to think through where they belong, rather than the convoluted piecing.