Success! For me, anyway....

That's 42 finished tree blocks for my scrappy Christmas quilt... I do want to put sashing on (I finally decided), and I think I might have decided on a color-- if I can find the right color of blue plaid, I think that will look cool. Perhaps... I wish I could "borrow" it from a store if I find some and lay all the blocks on it before committing to buying it, since it is going to take a sizable piece.

Oh well. If it doesn't work when i get it home, I'm sure it will get used eventually.

Here are the stars for the Block Lotto:

I got the first two done, and some of the lights didn't look so light anymore...

So, I made another block using just the "darkest light"... and now it looks light again!

Isn't it fascinating how color values change like that? I hope the three mixed blocks are ok, though, given this conundrum.

The Bears are frustrating me tonight.... 8 sacks so far!!! Really? MAJIDE???  Come on, Bears!!! Get it together!!!

11 months

I realized today while we were house hunting that today is 11 months since my dad passed away. It's also 1 year since I finished my first 60 degree star flimsy... I remember showing my dad, watching him smile. He didn't say much, but he smiled and nodded. The next month got busy in the worst kind of way. I didn't get that flimsy quilted until April, when I was laid up from the bone bruise (that still won't go away). I hand-quilted it, partly because my right foot had a giant boot on it, and partly because I was afraid to wreck what had turned into a symbolic quilt.

Dad's Snowflakes.

It took me about two weeks to quilt it, then another evening to bind. It came out 36" across. I recently got it back out since it is the perfect size to go over my feet now that the nights are getting colder. Dad's one comment was that it looked like snowflakes, so I named it Dad's Snowflakes. Waaaaay too symbolic, yet perfect. It needed to be made; I needed to get the turmoil we were all living through out of my head and onto something visible, where I could deal with it. This was how I started grieving. Anyone who has watched a loved one battle cancer knows the grief starts with the diagnosis, not with the time of death. It was his winter, and I was playing with black and white prints which included the skulls. I have gotten far enough from that day that I don't cry much anymore, and I try to focus on remembering the good memories.

Another thing that I love about this quilt is the sheer whim with which I made it. I love stars, so I designed a star quilt. Plain and simple. I didn't worry about any of the technical aspects (didn't even know that 6-pointed stars weren't easy), just went. Sometimes, I feel like I research too much now before starting a project. That's another joy of the EPL quilt (which I did work on for about 30 minutes, but I'm way too tired to be accurate longer than that!). I made a very rough sketch and I'm just going for it again. That's my style, with quilts, with life. 

I want to make another 6 pointed star quilt, but bigger. Not yet.... perhaps the first project that I'll start in the new house, whichever one we end up in (hopefully #1!). I think, to contrast the "Debbie Downer" theme of the first, I'l make something BRIGHT. Maybe Christmas colors, maybe just wildly vivid and cheery. That' another way I deal with grief-- Humor and opposition. If I start feeling down, I make light of it and find something happy, or at least not negative about the situation.

Tonight, as I start winding down early, I'm sitting with this blanket on my feet, and instead of a quilt compensating for poor circulation, it's like my dad is here telling me how proud he is of all the quilts I've made since he passed. My grandpa, his dad, who passed shortly after, would love them, too. He would have half-jokingly told me I should eat more if I'm that cold (humor came to me from both sides).

But hey, Dad, check it out: the Bears won again!!! 3-0, whoohoo!!!! My Monster of the Midway and I are so happy about that! Perhaps even the Bears operate under the mentality that things are easy until you've been told otherwise, kind of like me and my 6 pointed stars!

Dear Prudence....

Prudence, the bull terrier extraordinaire. 

How on earth is this comfortable? My dog is one strange puppy. She was laying like this earlier today. Right now, she's growling at an NFL commercial... she must know it has Eagles fans, not Bears fans in it (nothing against the Eagles... we're just Bears girls here!).

The Bears won today! And they beat the Lions (Mom's team). That made for a much more pleasant trip to Target with her afterwards-- she's a much more gracious loser than winner!

This is what she did for about an hour after her bath... clung to her towel like a barnacle. She doesn't mind baths; the evil eye is because I sprayed her with flea mist again. Grumpy puppy!

The pieces have been rearranged a little, but this was a reference shot.

While she's been watching the Redskins/Cowboys game, I've been working on this and listening to the game. This is for a new design of mine. I wish I had had more purples to make it look scrappier, but alas, I only had 4 shades. I still like it, and it should turn out to be pretty cool once it's done... The thing I love most about this project is how awesome my new rulers are-- for this one, I've been using the EZ Angle (I am in no way affiliated). It is making the cutting and sewing of the triangles so much easier. While I like sewing multiple triangles at a time like I do when I cut using those silly 7/8 measurements, this ruler is helping me eliminate fabric waste. AND it means I can use strips in sizes I normally cut anyway! Hooray all around!!! It was definitely worth the money- especially since I got it half-off on Labor Day weekend!


Off to bed soon. I need to get better rest tonight-- I have class again tomorrow.

Smiling again

Even though I did not win anything at the quilt show, I am very glad I entered. I enjoyed most of the experience, but it took me until tonight when I went to pick up my quilt to realize how much I enjoyed it. It didn't hurt to have the other ladies oooo over my quilt a little, either... Their admiration reinstated a little of the confidence that had been shattered. Those delightful women also reminded me of one very important thing: I am young, and have many, many years ahead of me in which to practice and perfect my work.
I also ran into Sally, a lady I had met when dropping off my quilt. I lost her card the first time so she gave me another. I need to call her so I can go see her studio... I was jealous just hearing about it, so I can't wait to see it!
I really love my fellow quilters. Sometimes, it takes some of them a minute to realize I am one, not some tag-a-long, but once they find out I quilt, too, there's this instant bond, this look that says, "I have a secret stash of fabric, too."
Switching topics 180 degrees... I am SO EXCITED right now because there is a Chicago Bears preseason game on tv!!!! Hooray, football is almost back!!! If we move 2 hours south, I hope it's not too far- We'll have to get cable if necessary so I can watch Da Bears!