Adventures in fabric therapy...

When I was on my anti-cough campaign a few days ago, I did some mindless chain-piecing of bright and novelty scrappy strips and chunks.  REAL fabric therapy!  I've had an idea for a scrappy string-like quilt for a long time.  I was looking at a guitar a few weeks ago and noticed the fretboard structure of the guitar neck.

When I look at these scrappy strip sets, I see each strip as a fret board on a guitar neck (once a musician, always a musician...).

Instead of just doing the basic "piecing strings on the diagonal" block idea, I knew I could come up with some way to make and use these "fabric fret boards" in a bigger block.  These little stubby strips were really piling up in the quilt cave, and it seemed like a good way to use them up without too much handling and re-processing of them.

I didn't take time to trim them...just kept grabbing pieces that were approximately the same length.  With some of the novelty pieces, I tried sort of "fussy-piecing" them so that I would end up with the desired little picture in place once I trimmed the strip set down to the final width (this will give the finished project the additional whimsical surprise of an "I spy" quilt that I love...).

I settled on a a final block design that would feature this strip set centered on the diagonal of a finished 8 inch block, and the strip set would be about 3 inches wide.  I'm sure someone else has done something like this before...

I decided to set this diagonal strip apart from the remaining block components with scrappy black strips on each side.  This will be the one unifying feature for the top, and help contain all that scrappy, crazy loveliness.  The first strip was easy...I just lined it up and sewed it down.  When I was chain-piecing the initial skinny scrap strips, I pressed all seams in one direction.  As I sew on the black scrappy strips, I sew in the direction of those pressed seams so that everything will press nice and flat as I go.  Since there will be so many pieces in each block, it is important to do neat seam pressing maintenance as I go so that the top will lie really flat and nice for either hand or machine quilting.

After sewing the strip down, I trimmed away the leftover edge of the strip set.  If that strip was wide enough (and it usually was after sewing down the SECOND black strip), I actually SAVED IT thinking I could do something funky with the leftovers later...am I a nut, or WHAT?!?  I just trimmed with scissors instead of the rotary cutter.

Then I pressed the strip to the outside.  As I work, I have a 8.5 x 8.5 square ruler handy to make sure that what I am doing will "cover" enough fabric real estate to be able to trim the resulting mess down to an 8.5 x 8.5 block.  I'm paper-piecing without the paper!

Then, I "eyeball" where the second black strip should be placed in order to end up with the skinny strip sets  between the black strips measuring about 3 inches.  I was intentionally a little loosey-goosey with this 3 inch measurement.  I want the finished product to look a little accidental, or liberated.

I use my ruler just as a guide only, since I'm not looking for accuracy here.  This is really a liberated, or pattern-less project.  "Wonky" and "inconsistent" are key elements of liberated quiltmaking.

As I prepare to sew down this next black strip, look at that nice, FAT leftover strip I will cut off...I will definitely save THAT for later consideration...

(some of THIS leftover pieced strip is too skinny to keep...bummer!)

So I end up with a nice diagonal piece for my final block puzzle.

I'll show the next step of this adventure on Friday.  Happy Thanksgiving!

In stitches,
Teresa  :o)

How to suppress (or at least distract) a cough...

"Take 12 bobbins and call me in the morning..."  I love filling bobbins on my new machine, and I filled a dozen in anticipation of doing some serious, mindless chain-piecing.  And look what I got done...another 83 scrappy green and neutral log cabin blocks to go with the 37 I finished a few months ago.  Now I have 120, and I can play with them and decide how I want to arrange them.

They will finish 9 inches and each log finishes at 0.75 inches wide.  I'm thinking a barn raising setting, but maybe I will change my mind when I start playing with them.

Even though I have been sick for almost a week, I have managed to get a little sewing done between the coughing and the moaning and groaning.  My husband was out of town, so the moaning and groaning has been mostly for my own benefit (and further research on the topic "do cats and/or teenagers show sympathy toward the pain and suffering of mankind" - hmmm...I'll let you know when I see some...).

I ended up in urgent care over the weekend for a chest x-ray and a breathing treatment.  These things always tend to turn ugly for me and now I am on antibiotics, etc.

It's a good project to work on while sick, especially since I choose to cut all my "logs" to the proper size rather than sew, trim, sew, trim, etc...then I just mindlessly feed pieces through the machine, while moaning and groaning.  Too bad I didn't cut ALL the logs before starting the piecing a few months ago.

I would be finished with this project if I had practiced patience and cut ALL the logs first, BEFORE starting the orgasmic chain-piecing sessions.  But no, I had a weak moment, and jumped in without thinking only to be hit by "piecus interruptus" when I had pieced through the last full set of log cabin logs.  Then the project "slept" until I had time to drag all the scraps out again (a couple of days ago) to cut the remaining strips needed.  Another nice thing about cutting them all out first?  I can use BumbleBeans' concept of "15 minutes of play" to get something done.  I realize that this takes all the spontaneity out of the process, but I have made this log cabin quilt before in another color, so the process becomes just that...a process.  So now I am playing catch-up.  It is amazing just how much chain-piecing you can do in only 15 minutes!  (It reminds me of the question, "how can you possibly eat a huge elephant?  one bite at a time.")

So, I have found that mindless piecing is a great way to suppress a cough because, 1) it keeps me quiet/keeps me from talking (the machine is hard to talk above when your voice is weak), 2) I make a game of it ("ok...you can cough after THIS piece," then of course, I don't give in and say the same thing a micro-second later), and 3) I am concentrating so hard on the perfect, consistent quarter inch seam...it's easy to ignore the urges to cough.

Now I have to make a decision about the setting...then there's a part of me that would love a little border of scrappy, red, crazy-pieced hearts, since it is a quilt for our bed.  It's already going to be 90 x 108 with just the 120 nine inch blocks, but I think the red scrap tub needs a little pruning...

My friend Mary J. recently shared her quilts at a local craft show.  Look how pretty her booth was 5 minutes before the show opened.  (Machine quilting by Rhonda Loy, Marilyn Lange, and Mary Jones).

I wish there had been time to take more close-ups, but the doors were opened and TONS of people appeared out of nowhere, ready to shop for the holidays.  I didn't want to discourage THAT!

While I was mindlessly chain-piecing, moaning, groaning, and trying not to cough, I was thinking about everything I was doing 3 months ago before the concert took over my life.  I am very excited about something I started designing.  I can't wait until I can share some of it with you.  Thanks to everyone who suggested books, software, etc. to help me "launch" a pattern designing adventure.  Then there are all the quilts, started or not, that I want to make.  I have been making a few more of my appliqued baskets...I need to round them up and see where I stand with that project.  Ahhh...it is good to have my mind in the cotton once again.

In stitches,

Teresa  :o)

Like falling off a log...

Yes, a picture of actual sewing about to happen on my sewing machine...FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 5 WEEKS!  I'm happy to report that I still know how to drive my sewing machine...it was like falling off a log.  All the stress of the past 3 months just melted away as I pieced blocks today.

Those of you who know me are thinking, "Teresa doesn't usually sew with those fabrics!"  Bingo.  These are blocks I owed to my fellow Bee Balm quilt bee stitchers.  I have been such a scoundrel and they are VERY tardy.  These modern, funky, scrappy log cabins are for dear Lizzie.  Sweet Sue is going to assemble them into a top for Lizzie, who has her hands full right now. 

These two blocks are for Vivian...can you believe I had no Kaffe Fassett and very little modern and bold in my stash?!?  Good excuse to go fabric shopping, agree?  I found a local place with both, and then it was 'Katie, bar the door!'  I wanted ALL the Kaffe Fassett!  I think I don't own these fun fabrics because I'm scared of them...don't know what to do with them.

I really am alive, although right now I am sick and have been sleeping for two days.  The concert was last Friday night, and as usual, my body just gave up when it was all over.  I was a huge target for getting sick, as exhausted as I was.  Three out of four of us got sick...the drummer is far too cool to get stressed...

BUT, the concert was great!  The four of us raised a lot of money for the music program...here are some pictures (taken from the side, where my husband wasn't in the way), but I think they will give you an idea of what went down...

This was the instrumental opener, "Blue Bosso."  Then Jill came out and the four of us did "Hallelujah" (K.D. Lang).

Then we did "Send in the Clowns" (Barbara Streisand), "The Rose" (Bette Midler), "Amazing Grace" (my arrangement), "Wade in the Water" (traditional Spiritual), and "Fever" (Peggy Lee).

Then we did another instrumental, "Spain" (Chick Corea), followed by "People" (Barbara Streisand), "Sway" (Michael Buble, Dean Martin),"One and Only" (Adele), and "Happy Days Are Here Again" (Barbara Streisand).  The lighting makes it look like I was appearing with The Blue Man Group, doesn't it?!?  The drummer's cute, shiny head beautifully displayed each color beautifully.  The color was constantly changing, thanks to some great professional LED lighting...it's so dark it's hard to tell that I am sitting at a black grand piano.

Steve got one picture of me by myself...and a not-too-flattering one, at that.  Note to self - keep mouth shut while playing, unless I am singing, and make sure people take more than one snap of each pose.

I'm happy to get back to my dull (by comparison), little life and I look forward to lots of sewing and pattern designing.  I can only take so much of that stuff in the spotlight.

What else happened in the past 6 weeks?  Mr. Fabric Therapy and I celebrated 18 years of being hitched.

We continued our tradition of REALLY doing up Halloween right.  Here are half of the pumpkins we carved (mine - Steve and Riley's are inspired by pretty obscure references - it's no fun to me when I have to explain them to the confused parents of trick or treaters...).

Oh wait...Tonya of Lazy Gal Quilting will get this one of Riley's (you have to be a Dr. Who fan to get that it is a representation of the TARDIS)...2 people in the neighborhood recognized it...it seems that most parents of small children do not have time to watch BBC America...

Anyway, I am excited to catch up on blog reading and projects, projects, projects.  Christmas is coming and there are a lot of exciting things going on in my local quilting community right now.  It's good to be back!

In stitches (finally...),
Teresa  :o)

I was captured by aliens...

OK...that's not exactly the truth.  I'm so glad I found my way back home to Fabric Therapy!  This is the longest I've ever gone without posting, and I've sure missed it!  I kept thinking that I had no business posting without something very, very quilty to share, and there has not been enough fabric therapy going on in the quilt cave lately!

First, we got away to celebrate our anniversary and do some Octoberfest-ing on the west side of the state.  We were in the Saugatuk/Douglas area on the first colorful weekend and enjoyed these Alpine horns playing in downtown Douglas, after the harvest parade.  Hey, they can play more than the "Riccola!" song!  They were playing difficult brass band marches and such, and the nice lady in the group and my daughter hit it off (both French horn players...duh!), and she let Riley play her horn!

These horns are beautifully carved and are only made in Switzerland and, until recently, the "Canadian Alps."  They do come apart, I was relieved to find out.  Either that, or all Alpine horn players drive vintage 1970's station wagons to haul their horns to gigs.

We listened to Alpine horns, ate a Bratwurst, drank a good beer...yep, it was a real Octoberfest.

Saugatuk and Douglas are art colonies, so we enjoyed looking through the shops and galleries.  Great towns...but no quilt shop.   :o(

Then, the block of the month I was administering and kitting for the local quilt shop arrived at the final month.  There were many evenings of sorting out little pieces of cut fabric and interesting buttons for forty kits.  All of that went into several small baggies for each kit.  Weasley found this boring, especially since I wouldn't let him "staple" the edges of the ziploc bags (does anyone else's cat have a thing about ziploc bags and plastic sheet protectors?!?).  I had said "no" so many times, he was pouty and refused to smile for camera.

This was a fun quilt to come up with and sponsor.  The center blocks are from the Halvorsen book, "Count On It" (we made them larger), then we designed the outer border using the letters in that book and designs from some of her other books.

Then, I volunteered to design and make the samples for the upcoming Holiday Dash at the shop.  Oy!  Each participating shop is featuring a different block for a holiday or season.  The blocks can stand alone as wall-hangings or be made into a large quilt.  Here is our Halloween block, the Pumpkin Watcher, now all hand-quilted and bound, featuring my "bowling pin kitty" (start with a sketch of a bowling pin and just add ears and a tail...grin)..

Julie Hale of Bits and Pieces, one of the participating shops, came up with the design for a "Celebrate!" quilt that will hold each small holiday quilt.  You might say it's a "wall-hanging wall-hanging."  I call it DONE, as I got it hand-quilted and bound this week as well.

But mainly, the bad economy has been affecting me greatly, but not in the ways you might guess.  FUNDRAISING is eating my life!  It seems like every group, every love, every interest is struggling for funds right now.

I'm writing arrangements and playing piano for a fundraiser concert at the church in a couple of weeks.  It will be fun, but it takes a lot of time on my part, listening to CD's, then transcribing those arrangements for piano, bass and drums.  I have a good music writing computer program, which is much easier than writing them out in manuscript, but it is still a time eater.

My daughter is going to a new school this year...really...the first year of it's existence!  It is a public school, but follows the International IB curriculum.  A brand new school has no music library, which means the band, choir and orchestra are sort of living hand-to-mouth...you guessed it, MORE fundraising to purchase scores, equipment, etc.

I don't submit all the hours I work doing things for my local quilt shop, so that seems like fundraising, as well.  Some shops are really hurting in this economy.

There's a disturbing trend here...we are losing the arts...music and art in school, music in church, quilting.  State education budgets are taking a pounding, as are teachers.  Good thing I am hand-quilting Steve's boxer shorts quilt (Boxer Rebellion)...I need lots of fabric therapy right now!  Quilting on a quilt made from old underwear seems very appropriate in this economy!

I also took some quilts to the Ypsilanti Heritage Museum for their annual fall show.  They mix quilts in with their regular displays, and people attend the show for a small donation...yep, more fundraising. 

I aired out The Bride and also took All Around the Town.  I always love to see what people bring in.  LOVE this one with the music fabric...

This one really spoke to me...the owner made it from his grandfather's flannel shirts.

 

Sorry to be so rambling...I won't be a stranger.  I've missed you!

In stitches,

Teresa  :o)