Quilting Arts magazine shop

I had a bit of quiet time on my hands this evening and spent some quality time in the Quilting Arts LLC online shop. All sorts of goodies will be winging their way to me soon. I got ALOT of stuff, including a cool Creative Textile Tool, which is kind of a soldering gun on steriods. It looks like a blast, and maybe won't heat up as much as the gun I have. It kind of turns some fabrics I've used into goo. More play with the soldering gun is needed. I ordered the two in print issues of Quilting Arts that I don't have, so that leaves my quest for 2,3,4 and 5 still on.

Books

Tilde Binger just gave me a great idea - I'm going to put a list of the books I've read on my blog. I'm really going to enjoy going back to see what I've read over the year, and finding out whether seeing a particular book's name sparks anything in other voracious readers. Let me know about great books!
No creativity this week, except I've started quilting my Dear Jane quilt. I've been helping Alex study for his first exams of high school, and getting my own reading done for the online accounting course I signed up for. I need it for my HR designation, which I really need to finish.

Crazy Quilting Workshop

I had a great time today at the Hamilton Quilters Guild. I gave a Crazy Quilting workshop, and this is such a fun group of ladies, I knew I'd have a great time. I may have had more fun than them.
Linda had purchased two fantastic CQ blocks in Paducah and brought them along for everyone to see. I'm so glad she shared them - they're wonderful! I asked her if I could take pictures of them, and she kindly allowed me to.

Look at the satin stitch in the middle block! That was done by the quilter - it's not a pattern on the material. It's a shame that some of the silks are deteriorating, but these aren't young blocks. The card on one says 1875The class did terrific work, and everyone got their bases complete and started stitching. We didn't do many stitches - you really can't get that much done in one day - but I hope they use the tons of references out there to play with different stitch combinations. I brought some of Judith Baker Montano's books to show and recommend, along with Christine Doak's, and Carole Samples' exhaustive work on traditional stitches. All terrific works. I also suggested they check out www.inaminuteago.com if they're on the web. Sharon Boggon's site is absolutely one of the best! Her stitch dictionary is wonderful and an endless source of inspiration.

The class allowed me to take pictures of their work, if not of them!

I never cease to be amazed by how different the blocks turn out. Same instructions, same basic idea, but then the creativity of the artists takes over, and you get wonderfully different pieces. This is one talented group!

I did these ATCs at a workshop I gave at the Ink Spot Shop in November. I'm really looking forward to the next one in January. I have lots of fun at them and I love seeing the creativity of the participants.

Another day of NOT doing anything creative. I did get some of the basement cleaned, though. It was definitely something I needed to do, and I'm pleased with the progress. I've started taking down the Christmas stuff, which I always hate doing. I like having the house crowded with beautiful, shiny things. I guess I need to start thinking about the shiny things I can put in the house for spring.

I'm looking for a cool mittens pattern - not the kind my mom used to knit with 3 inch cuffs. Maybe something to felt. I cut up 2 jackets and a skirt this week and felted them. They're just waiting for me to come up with a good idea for them. Maybe something crazy quilted and felted. Red coton perle stitches, then I can felt in some of the fibres I bought at Spun in Burlington this week. Not sure what I'll make, but I'm thinking of a journal cover, perhaps.

I found a felted mitten pattern on the spinderellas.com website. I'm off to find some needles and wool I can felt. I'm sure I have some upstairs.