Archive for October, 2008

Look on the bright side

October 27, 2008 at 12:04 pm · Filed under Books, Fabric, Great Quilt Patterns, Quilts

Today is the last full day in Philadelphia. It has been long and it has been short. I’ve realized that this is a probably never to be repeated scenario (hopefully parts of it will never be repeated…), but has anyone else fantasized about being holed up in a hotel room with very few regular responsibilities? I mean, really. When does this happen (don’t hate me because I had free time)?

Some of you wanted to see some recent acquisitions. If I stay much longer, I may just own a small piece of everything on the fabric wall at Spool. It all looks so pretty together on their shelves.

I have a quilt in mind similar to one Spool had on its wall, some 45-degree diamonds. But I so love the color runs here that I may try to factor that in and come up with a different plan.

The Gee’s Bend quilts were amazing! I’m so glad I could see them. I’ve owned Gee’s Bend: The Architecture of the Quilt for a while, now I’ll be giving that a more careful read. Of course, after seeing the quilts, I wanted to sew immediately. So, I did:

The dresses are from Renee Plains’ Playing Dress Up pattern I mentioned recently. I have two more pink dresses that just need little wool pockets and cuffs. These make me giddy.

I also finished a pair of socks:

Well, time to clean up some stuff in this hotel room before heading out. I can manage to make piles everywhere I go.

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Home away from home

October 23, 2008 at 8:49 pm · Filed under Everyday Things, Field Trips

We have been in Philadelphia since Sunday evening and, man-oh-man, have I seen a lot!

I have also eaten a lot and feasted with my eyes:

Naked Chocolate
Pink Rose Pastry Shop
Capogiro Gelato
Reading Terminal Market

I’ve visited many a crafty place:

Fabric Row
Sophie’s Yarns
Loop
Spool
Rosie’s Yarn Cellar

Tomorrow, I’ll get to see the Gee’s Bend quilts at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. I am excited.

Up until last week, this trip was unanticipated and conceptually a little unnerving. DH’s eye doctor sent him out here to see some wonderful doctors.  I have made myself at home and have had nothing but great experiences in this super city. I am a walker and this city is eminently walkable with interesting things at every turn.

We do miss our girl who is being looked after by some of her favorite people on the planet. All in all and given the circumstances, this detour to Philadelphia is going quite well. And we’re here while the Phillies are in the World Series–another great reason to celebrate.

Let’s see what happens tomorow!

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Turnpike blogging

October 19, 2008 at 8:17 pm · Filed under Everyday Things

Well, life’s little unexpected turns keep things interesting, no?

I’m pushing my technological limits and am blogging from the Pennsylvania Turnpike. A little side trip on the road of life. And I’ve dropped a DPN down the side of the passenger seat and can’t continue knitting my sock until I find it. Oh well.

I’ll try to check in with any exciting times from the road. In the meantime, I hope I’ve spelled everything correctly. Happy trails!

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I don’t even wear dresses

October 14, 2008 at 7:09 pm · Filed under Books, Fabric, Great Quilt Patterns

Well, I don’t wear them unless absolutely necessary. But I am all set to applique some dresses:

Had to get Liberty Star’s Playing Dress Up pattern after seeing the dozen CUTE ones via Holly Holderman’s blog. This, in turn, prompted the acquisition of a Lakehouse Dolly Dresses Jolly Pack (rats, look, Fat Quarter Shop has fat quarters of it-NOooo). Of course, I had to have Nanette’s All Dressed Up pattern, having watched the progression of those lovely dresses for a while now (don’t forget her Tree Tops quilt too!). Sweetness abounds and overfloweth.

Again, I don’t know which thing to work on first and with what fabric. I’m thinking a person could make some elegant cocktail gowns with some Kaffe florals. But it was all I could do not to hit the “buy” button on Nanette’s Etsy listings last night when she had a set of vintage charms. Oh, it was painful. But, I think a version of Playing Dress Up might be just right for my partner in the doll quilt swap too.

Gosh, I feel like a squeal-y teenager trying to pick just the right dress and accessories for homecoming (ah, yes, those days are coming…).

Speaking of sweet things, have you gotten a copy of Glenna’s book yet? Not only are the quilts charming and fun, but also there are lots of great tips and methods used in Glenna’s patterns. Really great effective-use-of-time approaches. I really like how Glenna thinks.

Hope she doesn’t mind my posting a pic of my favorite pattern in the book:

It’s called Stripping in the Garden and uses a method that had me saying “aha!” out loud.

OK, after all that sunshine happiness, I’ll leave you with a spider web that is waiting for a spider:

Actually, I think a spider might be embarrassed by the asymmetry…ahem.

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Getting reacquainted

October 10, 2008 at 8:41 pm · Filed under Books, Everyday Things, Quilts

As festive as it has been to contemplate a new project from the new Kaffe book, I have been reuniting with an older project the last couple of days:

Ah, yes, the V&A museum sampler. How I’ve missed you. How I hope I can find all of your parts somewhere in this house. I’m thinking that most of the blocks are sewing room-adjacent at least. If I happened to have “stored” part of it in the basement, I’m in trouble. I’m sure it all seemed logical at the time. We live in hope.

In a different crazy mis-step, I seemed to have inadvertently fed one of these:

to each of two already-very-spirited girls who were fresh from school. I thought that’s what moms are supposed to do. The squealing and giggling has accelerated (and elevated).  Oops. No harm to anyone but me, I guess.

All righty, we are expecting glorious fall weather this weekend (for those who won’t be cooped up INSIDE). I hope yours is great!

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Imagine my surprise

October 8, 2008 at 4:25 pm · Filed under Books

Much excitement. This arrived today:

I do think this is my favorite book so far. I’ve been trying to figure out a logical approach to making all of the quilts in the book (um, except maybe the one with the giant bow…sorry, Brandon). Anyhoo, after taking the above picture, in my clumsy way, I fumbled to the contents page via the title page:

Shut. Up!

I have a couple of others with signatures, but this really tickled me for some reason. Maybe because I didn’t expect it and maybe because my other signed books are in tragic shape from over-zealous use (can you say “museum sampler?”). Does this mean I have to buy another copy that I can USE???

OK, so get yourselves over here. We’ll have apple cider and freshly baked pumpkin bread and go through the book page by page deciding what to make first.

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Doll quilt swap

October 6, 2008 at 10:23 pm · Filed under Quilts

Why don’t you join Doll Quilt Swap Round 5? Sign-ups are being taken through Tuesday, October 7, 12 pm PST. I finally signed up and I’m excited!

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You don’t want to catch this

October 6, 2008 at 7:22 pm · Filed under Everyday Things, Fabric, Great Quilt Patterns, Quilts

Since early last week, the household has had the icky cold that’s going around third grade. Can’t remember the last time we were simultaneously sick. Still using up copious quantities of tissues around here. The teacher has already requested classroom tissue reinforcements.

Between cups of coffee (must avoid caffeine headache on top of cold headache…), I drank cups of tea and started a new sock:

Rather than call it my “sick” sock, I’m going to call it my debate sock. I have to take a break from TV sock knitting this week so I can sew down some bindings:

You know, it’s tricky to quilt with a runny nose. And requires an extra factor of time. I think we’re all on the road to full recovery…until the next virus hits.

While I’m thinking about it, run over and visit the new QuiltSoup blog and give Barbara Jones a warm welcome to the blogging world. She’s such a sweet, talented lady. I will miss her at Market (again, I say!). ::sniffle:: She’s a participant in the Lakehouse Doll Dress Blogathon. All of those darn cute dolly dresses popping up in the blog-o-sphere are driving me crazy! Visit Liberty Star to get the pattern.

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