Merry Christmas everyone

Merry Christmas everyone
with the love of my life, George

What am I doing writing a blog?

Quilting is one of the few places in my life where all the corners meet and stay put. On this blog I plan to ruminate about quilting and life, the quilted life, cat and quilts, and any old thing that falls in and out of my brain. I'd be pleased to hear from you on all of this or any topic of interest!

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Sunday, September 12, 2010

It's hell having a disagreement with your quilt



After three weeks of sullen silence and uncooperative piecing, the quilt and I have struck a compromise. You see, I wanted this multicolored strip border and the quilt kept insisting on a very complicated 48 piece log cabin star. I just knew I didn't have the energy for the stars, especially since I hope to finish this by Thanksgiving so I can give it to the Bride and Groom then (thanks, guys, for being so patient!). So after placing one multicolored strip border on (and it just didn't sing guys),I finally gave in and made one of the intricate stars. My friend, Phyllis stopped over and mulled over the dilemna with me and then my loving spouse came home and once he had dinner started, threw the star into the space where the border and body meet and voila! Magic!

So here is a picture of that result. I only have to make three more stars and can still use the strip borders. I am a happy (quilting) camper tonight. Time for bed!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

There's a hole in the quilt!



Good morning Campers!

Here I am back on line after a summer of NO QUILTING and lots of exciting news to report. First off, I am happy to tell you all that George and I will be grandparents for the first time in Spring 2011. Daughter Jamie and her husband Jeff are expecting. We are over the moon! And just when you thought life couldn't get any better, Daughter Becky and her sweetheart Todd got engaged this past weekend. Our blessing overflow! We are twice over the moon now. Can life get any better, I ask you?

As you know from my previous posts, we are having an art quilt exhibition at the Museum and since I have the opportunity to talk to lots of quilters/shoppers who visit the exhibition and then the Museum Shop, I printed out Laura and Rob's quilt so that I may share what I am working on. Well, the other day, I was looking at the print out of the quilt and noticed that one square is in upside down. So last night, after my hour swim at the YMCA pool, I sat on the porch and ripped out the square and turned it around. As I was giving that area a nice press when finished, lo and behold - I found another square in backwards! So glad I caught these two oop's before I went any further.

After making the necessary repairs, I started cutting out the fabric for the borders (or corners, however you want to look at it). Once again, I was so grateful for the gift of the rotary cutter and other necessary equipment from Pam Allmendinger, my friend and sister (I would say sister wife as she is married to my first husband, Mark, but that sounds too much like BIG LOVE). The cutting went so smoothly and quick! Now I am ready to start stitching! Ironically Mark called me as I was cutting fabric (and listening to the President on the radio, announcing the end of the Iraq war - God, please make it true!) He wanted to know if I had any clue as to when Becky's wedding would be! I think he will need to go to the source there! We had a nice conversation and I was able to ask him to thank Pam again for the rotary cutter stuff.

More later. Have a super first of September day!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Sitting on the porch last night I realized, hiatus is over!

It was a beautiful evening last night and my sweetie made us a delicious summertime meal, steak and corn on the cob which we ate on the front porch. After dinner, not wanting to leave the beautiful breeze (it had been a 90+ degree day), we decided to take it easy and enjoy porch sitting a little bit longer. We worked on a couple crossword puzzles together while I starting sketching quilt designs for the rest of Laura and Rob's quilt. By 10:00 PM, the borders were decided and planned, the crosswords were done and it was quite dark!

I am happy to report today that besides being very relaxed from such a great evening and a good night's sleep, I am also officially off of "quilt hiatus." Quite honestly, I was never really totally idle. I know I am working on the next step of the plan in my pointy little head even when I do not look like I am working (or thinking) about it at all. I think this part of quilting has always confused my very rational husband! But then again, maybe not. He is a philosopher by trade so he spends a great deal of time just thinking about things as well.

I have accomplished the re-organizing of the quilt studio and come up with a plan for this quilt so this weekend, I begin sewing again! There is no way I will have this quilt done by fair time (next month) which was my original goal but I should wrap it up this fall rather quickly.

People always ask me, when I show them a quilt picture, "How long did it take to make that?" So much of the time is spent pondering or waiting for the quilt to tell you where it wants to go, that it is a very difficult question to answer accurately. I guess the answer is it takes as long as it needs to....

More Art Quilts to view!

Here are some more art quilts from the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum!





Rooted in Tradition: Art Quilts from the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum



Those of you who know me or know something about me, know that I am the Museum Shop Manager at the Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.



As Manager, my job is to purchase products for sale that relate to the Museum's collection and to the traveling shows featured in our transitional galleries. I have been very busy this spring and summer getting ready for the exhibition which starts Saturday night, July 24, 2010 called "Rooted in Tradition: Art Quilts from the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum." As a quilter, you can image how fun this was for me. Tomorrow I will bring my camera in and take pictures of the great merchandise available. Until then, please enjoy some pictures of the art quilts you can see here at the Westmoreland from July 24 - September 19, 2010. Enjoy!




Sunday, June 27, 2010

How will I work these into future quilts?








A few beauties I picked up at a neighborhood yard sale this weekend. I will try to work them into future quilts!

It's nice to visit an old friend






While in California on vacation in June, I visited with a quilt I finished in 1999 for my mother, Ramona. Here are some digital pictures, compliments of my sweetie George. The pattern is Boston Commons with a Card Trick border and it is an over sized queen.

The quote on the back is Alfred Lord Tennyson: Oh tell her life is short but Love is long.

My mom's last name is Tennison so I thought it worked well.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

a long time gone


I have been away for awhile and am finally back posting. Did you miss me?

A few things have happened since my last post. Remember the quilt I made for my friend, Melody in January (Post: My most recent quilt, January 31, 2010)? I am sorry to report that Melody died on June 8, 2010. She is finally at peace and I am so glad I finished her quilt in January so that she could enjoy it for a few months.

Life is eternal and love is immortal and death is only a horizon. Rest in peace, Melody. You will be sorely missed by your family and friends!

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

On hiatus

Those of you who follow this blog may have noticed it's not had a new posting for a few weeks. I am on creative hiatus, working out the next part of Laura and Rob's quilt in my little pointed head. At the same time, I am busy in the garden and with home projects. So stay tuned. I will be back!

Saturday, May 8, 2010

My Mother's Day tradition






One of my Mother's Day tradition has always been to plant the flowers I have both purchased and that my daughters have given me as Mom's Day gifts. Since 2000, we have not spent Mother's Day together, the girls and I, as we all now live very far apart physically (but not in our hearts) - Jamie in California, Becky in Texas and me in Pennsylvania. In 2003, George and I added a son, Atilla Yucel, our AFS son from Germany and this Mother's Day, he is even farther away in Istanbul finishing his college thesis. So, no family dinner on Mother's Day this year but plenty of love going back and forth over the miles and around the globe.

Not one to readily break with tradition, however, I did go get some plants and flowers for the gardens and the front porch this morning. It is a cold, windy day here in PA with temps in the 50's after several days in the 80's. George is at graduation and while I am not out gardening right now, I am thinking flowers as I write this. My neighbor, Verna went with me this morning to three flower procuring locations, Lowe's, Home Depot, and our local Agway. It did not take us long to fill up my blue CR-V!






I also bought hanging baskets for the front porch but it is so windy, I do not want to put them up yet. More pictures to follow of them.

The last pictures I want to share with you are the reasons I am a mom. I cannot imagine my life without you guys. Thank you for conferring parenthood on me. It's been a real adventure and I love you guys with all my heart!






PS. The lovely orchid is from my first husband and friend, Mark Allmendinger and his wife and my friend, Pam for Mother's Day. Parenting was a team effort with us all and I appreciate them so much. Thanks, guys!

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

The center is done! woo-hoo!








Just a quick post before I jump in the shower and get ready for work. Happy to report the center of Laura and Rob's quilt is done and I love it! Ya know ya make me wanna shout.... put my hands up....shout....

Friday, April 30, 2010

Buster on the prowl (or know your own cat from 20 paces)

Buster, our supposedly geriatric cat, took off after Brutus, the neighbor's cat this morning and George and I ended up on a wild "cat" chase. We walked all around the neighborhood, calling "kitty, kitty, kitty" and shouting promises of chicken, when George spotted a orange cat and followed him across Ridgeway Avenue, a part of the neighborhood way too far for our old guy to go.

Well, we chased this cat for a few minutes when it occurred to me that this feline was moving like a young guy, not like our old guy so I told George, "I don't think this is Buster." Sure enough, we walked back home and there was Buster waiting for us on the sidewalk, wondering where that promise of fresh meat was. When we got inside (all three of us), we discovered Vinnie had eaten both his own breakfast AND Buster's (of course). Just like Vinnie to take advantage of the situation and fill his tummy!

What a cat adventure it was!

Monday, April 26, 2010

Summer Reading list


Now I start sewing the 15 rows together


Once the quilt squares are laid out and numbered, I start pinning the blocks together and sewing long rows of 15 blocks in each of 15 rows.




Using a really hot steam iron, I press open all the seams. Then I sew the two strips together. By the time I was sewing the two strips together last night, it was 11:00 and I sewed them on wrong and had to rip it all out and try again.

I have today off so I will continue sewing strips and adding them to each other. Maybe I can get the center done by tonight????

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Laying out the 225 squares in a spectrum pattern

Now that all the squares are finished, it is time to sew them together to make the center of the quilt. Here they are (progressively) as I lay them out on our bed. Buster decided to help at the very beginning.







In the last two pictures, you can see the number tags on each block, just to keep me from screwing up the design while I sew it together. For a few hours today, I thought I had lost a block but I found it when I pinned all the tags to each individual block. Whew!