Another Quilt Show

WARNING -- LOADED WITH PICTURES !!

I woke up to thunderstorms this morning.  Pretty heavy rain and lots of lightening.  Nothing like the terrible weather they had down south, though.  Today Sue and I headed out to Ortonville for a quilt show at the Ortonville United Methodist Church.  The church women's group along with the Country Quilt Guild put the show on every other year.  I've been going for 20 years -- wow, did I say that out loud??  I actually learned to quilt when I volunteered to help with the show in 1990.

This was probably one of the best shows that they've ever put on.  So many fine pieces and so creative.  There were pieces that dated back to the mid-1800s right up to works completed this year. 

Many of the quilts are draped over the pews in the sanctuary.

This year's featured quilter was my friend Colleen who is so modest and shy, she took down the signs that touted her work.  She was scolded and the signs were replaced.  Here are few of her wonderful pieces:

Hand embroidered Harry Potter scenes:

And finally this masterpiece:

This amazing 9 patch quilt was made by Colleen when she and our friend Cathy decided to challenge themselves to make the same quilt at the same time.  Cathy's version inspired several of the Chickens to do a swap of these tiny 9 patch blocks.  I wisely decided to just watch from the sidelines.

Cathy had several quilts at the show too:

Be sure to click on this one block -- it's got the teensiest-tiniest half square triangles!

Truly amazing work!

My friend Brenda, who owns the Mabelena's quilt shop in town, made this wonderful piece to honor her dad, Bud, who passed away a few years ago.

He was a real treasure and was so kind to my kids when we lived out there.

I snapped a lot of pictures of quilts that I thought were well made and creative.  Some were very old like this next one from the 1800s:

Others were made very recently like this one:

This one was done as a whole cloth challenge, quilted the design, then inked the colors on -- amazing!

Here are a few that I really enjoyed seeing today:

A Giant Dahlia quilt finished on the day her niece, Dahlia, was born!

The next three pictures are quilts that were made by Ruth who has been inspired by the Gee's Bend Quilts.  She just picks up fabric and sews it.  She calls it 'Freestyle quilting'.

This wool applique quilt was part of a Sue Spargo workshop taken at Mabelena's.  Look carefully -- there's both wool and cotton fabric in this folk art piece.

Here are a few more:

Isn't this one amazing -- taken from a photograph of her husband's first car.

Here's a picture from a child's quilt.  I loved the silly goat:

And a token Chicken quilt:

Kind of how I feel most days....

After filling our bellies with delicious food prepared by the Methodist Women's group, we headed over to Mabelena's for more eye candy.  I love Brenda's shop.  She opened it several years ago after her beloved husband died from cancer.  It's in the former Ortonville Post Office and couldn't be cuter.  She has a huge array of samples made up and so much variety that any style quilter could find what she needed here.  I have to hold myself back and not get too carried away.  I reminded myself that I haven't worked on the last projects I bought from there. 

I would have taken pictures of the shop but it was so darned crowded -- good for Brenda.  Sue found several fabrics she had to have plus some new bag patterns.  I was fascinated by the clothesline bowls and decided I have to give it a try.  A couple of years ago fellow Chicken Diane tried to the get group to make these and we poo-pooed her.  Big mistake!  So here's what I bought while there today:

The plastic project container is meant for quilt blocks but I think it will be great for my needle felting supplies.  The books all have inspiration for my needle felting designs and I can't wait to get started on Wool Coat #4!

Sue and I stopped at the local A&W for a quick root beer -- hit the spot, and headed for home.  Such a fun time and I really enjoyed seeing all the creativity.  There are so many talented quilters in our area and we need to remind ourselves there is greatness among us by showcasing their accomplishments.

I'm writing this post with the window open and fragrant aroma of my lilacs wafting into my room:

I wish they lasted longer.

Phew -- 33 pictures -- is that a record for me??!!

Certainties

Besides death and taxes, I can now add one more certainty -- my job is definitely going away.  Today we got the dreaded email from our VP that Delphi has selected another company to manage the health care benefits for their employees.  The target date is 1-1-11.  Kind of an odd looking date don't you think?  Maybe it's a lucky date, we'll see.

Time for all of us to dust off our resumes.  Several of us are scrambling to get them updated, even though the projected date is months away.  How easy is it for you to describe in articulate ways, all the things that you're capable of doing at work?

Anyway, these transitions have a way of getting extended, especially once the new company realizes all of the intricacies of Delphi's benefits.

I managed to make it through the day without crying, mostly because I was so busy learning the new jobs I'll be responsible for from now until we're done for good.  I would be satisfied doing what I'm doing for ages but that's not in the cards for me.  Now I have to really explore ways to cut back on spending and pay off debt.  Bad news for the local yarn shops!

I did make it to Home Depot where I picked up a new weed whacker.  I'm ashamed to say that I currently have 4 others in the shed.  None of which really work (I hope), except for the expensive gas-powered one that is A. too hard to start and B. too damn heavy for me.  Maybe I'll trade it in to the mower guy in exchange for some service on my lawn mower.

I put the new weed whacker to work tonight and it did a great job of cleaning up my yard.  I also tried to whack the hair off of my right calf.  Ok, not really but it sure did smart when it whacked my leg by accident.

I'm going to finish my beer (good thing there's only one), pop a Motrin and get to bed.  Tomorrow I'm heading out to Ortonville for a quilt show with my friend Sue.  I could use a diversion right now.

Thursday Thoughts

If ever there was a thankless, endless job (motherhood notwithstanding) it would be pulling weeds.  I no sooner get the bulk of the weeds pulled when more pop their way up through the ground.  When I got home from work tonight I decided the weeds had to go.  I could stand them no longer.  Some people might like Snow on the Mountain but I detest it.

I know what you're thinking -- just till up the bed and start all over again.  I did that years ago, right after I moved in and there was nothing but Snow on the Mountain in my front flower beds.  I tilled them up, added more topsoil, planted various things like Gertrude Jekyll roses.  Kevin and I worked until it was too dark to see, laying the treated timber to edge the beds. 

Some plants have worked well and some have not.  Now that my Japanese Crimson Maple is so big it prevents the sun from hitting the beds on the left side of the porch.  I've got Hens 'n Chicks, Primrose, Speedwell, and roses that do okay there.  But it seems like there's too much shade for much of anything to really flourish.  I think I need to switch to shade plants -- begonias, maybe?

I hate ditching plants that are still living.  Maybe I'll just shift them to the beds in the backyard, once I'm done weeding back there .....

This and That

This morning I didn't feel like taking the bus to work.  Truth is I needed to take a couple of Motrins and lie back down for an hour.  Kind of crampy if you know what I mean. 

I decided to take Wool Coats #2 and #3 in to work to get some feedback.  It's always good when you're starting off in a new direction to make sure you've got an idea that others will find appealing as well.  And they loved them.  But again, they are my friends so I know they'll be kind.  My friend Martha suggested checking out the garment bags at IKEA.  Trash bags over my 'Signature Coats' (thanks to my sister Denise for that title) aren't exactly up to snuff.  They deserve something much more appropriate.

When I got to the office building today a man entered the elevator car before me and then he did the unthinkable.  The unforgiveable.  He did NOT hold the door for me and it closed right before my eyes.  Just before the doors slammed shut I uttered 'thanks'.  I hope he had a swell day.  Geezer.  Apparently he was raised by wolves because if he had a mother, surely she would have brought him up better than that.

After work I met my Mother for dinner in Rochester.  Unlike me, I don't think she's the sort of person to go to dinner by herself.  Her dinner, had I not rescued her, would have been a frozen Boston Market something or other that was no doubt salt-laden, something she does NOT need.  We met at the Knapp's Dairy Bar and had a delicious hamburger and seasoned fries.  Mom also treated herself to a vanilla milkshake.  Oddly enough, my co-worker Kirstie walked by us.  I called to her and we talked for just a second.  She was there to help celebrate her nephew's birthday.  It was Kirstie's daughter who actually inadvertantly got me back into knitting, 7 years ago.

Mom told me all about her doctor visits and how they think she might have PAD.  More tests tomorrow should help the doctor decide.  Kirstie was able to provide Mom with a restaurant to go to near the doctor's office.  She has to get there early after fasting (not a good thing for her - she loves her breakfast) and have some tests done, go away for an hour and then come back for more tests.  She can have breakfast at the restaurant Kirstie recommended to fill the time between tests.  As long as they have eggs, bacon, and tea Mom will love it.

Pretty Flowers

I snapped a few pictures of my Bleeding Hearts the other day.  I love my Bleeding Hearts.  I wish they would stay in bloom alllllllll summer long.

Wool Coat #3

Sometimes it's the simplest things that work the best.  I struggled with the lapel decoration for my latest coat to be needle felted.  Originally, you might recall, I wanted to do some snazzy Japanese words, except I don't know any Japanese words and could easily botch anything I attempted.

I ran my dilemma past several knitting friends, coworkers, even Kevin.  In the end, I came up with the result via what else, the internet.  After ruling out a pagoda, Kyoto, fans, Koi, and sushi, I decided on ~~

Yes, In-Yo.  I know what you're thinking.  Idiot, that's Yin Yang.  But alas my friend, in Japanese it is referred to as In-Yo.  Again, that's what the internet is good for. 

Here's a larger shot of the front of the coat ~~

I think the lapel decoration is just enough given the velveteen collar.  The Japanese part is important because of the design on the back of the coat.

If you said 'those are ginkgo leaves' you are correct!  Here's a close up of the work~~

Now here's where the tricky part comes into play......both the design on the front and the back could be either Japanese or Chinese.  So I guess it's the buyer's preference when they tell others about their coat.  I had it in my mind that it was Japanese themed but that's just me.  Either way, I think it's a snappy coat and I'm glad it's done.  It sure is a heavy one.

Bleh!

Do you ever have days when just the right combination of things makes you feel lousy?  I started out the day feeling crappy from imbibing in too much wine last night.  Nauseous, headache-y, just plain bleh.  It is such a stupid thing to do but at least I did it at home.  Didn't feel like eating much of anything today, except for some pretzels.  

I wanted to embellish another wool coat today, choosing the red one with the black velveteen collar.  My friends at Right off the Sheep suggested that I make it a Japanese themed coat.  Nice, I thought, but I really don't know a lot about Japanese culture.  I took one of their suggestions, a Ginkgo leaf, and looked up examples on the web.  I found one that I thought would work and got busy needle felting the leaves.  They look great on the coat but it needs more.

I thought I might do Japanese symbols for things like Love, Happiness, etc.  Big problem -- pretty darn complicated and I would need to be sure they're executed exactly or risk offending someone unintentionally.  So I'm putting that concept aside.  Maybe something black -- what about a little scroll work?  Squiggly lines?  A temple?

If you've got an idea throw it my way.  But for now, I'm finishing a load of wash, looking for a Motrin, and heading to bed.