What She Says About Knitting

Read This: Yarn Harlot: Almost until that minute

And then tell me that it's not about quilting or embroidery or spinning or weaving or sewing or wood turning or glass blowing or painting or sculpting.

Amen.

'via Blog this'

Finished!

Memories of MirrorA Tribute to the Mirror & District Centennial
July 1912 - July 2012
(C) G. Margaret Blank

With mixed feelings, I hung the freshly-washed quilt up on the wall in my bedroom the better to view it in its entirety.  For almost seven months this quilt has been part of my life -- first in my thoughts, then in e-mail conversations and research, then in fabric purchases, and eventually under the needle, both by hand and machine.

It's approximately 46" wide by 53" long -- not a bed quilt by any means, but a reasonable throw-quilt size.  However, given that the Board of the Mirror & District Museum has decided to keep it in its permanent collection, I installed a 'permanent' hanging sleeve (one sewn right into the top binding), and embellished the side borders with buttons.

Side Border Detail
(C) G. Margaret Blank

These were a whimsical last-minute addition.  While out jogging yesterday morning, I was listening to Sandy's podcast, "Talking Texture with Jay".  One of the items discussed was the use of beads and buttons.  Aha! I thought, just the artistic touch my quilt needs to create interest in the borders, which are fairly simply quilted to echo the corner pinwheel shapes.  As soon as I got home I poured my button box out on my cutting table.  What a blessing to find enough buttons of similar enough shape, colour and size to do both borders!  I think they complement the piece perfectly and create a different form of visual interest.They're not antique buttons, to be sure, but their plainness evokes a simpler place and time, and that works for me.

Tomorrow I pack this baby up and take her to Calgary to be appraised.  For the next few hours, though, she'll hang on my wall, reminding me of that which I'm capable of creating, and challenging me to go forward with The Next Big Thing.

P.S. The blocks, clockwise from top left: St. Monica's Anglican Church, est. 1985; "Dutchman's Puzzle", aka "Windmill"; Mirror Station, built 1912, photo ca. August, 1975; "Churn Dash", similar to "Hole in the Barn Door"; Locomotive 2076, built 1908, photo ca. 1928; "Double Nine Patch" or the foundation for a "Single Irish Chain"; the Imperial Hotel, built 1912; "Maple Leaf" (goes without saying!); the Canadian Bank of Commerce, moved in from the now non-existent settlement of Lamerton, 1912; "Ohio Star"; the Brick School, built 1913; and "Broken Dishes".

Sometime in the mid-seventies

My late husband and I went see the Bee Gees in concert.  They'd recently returned to the music scene after some years away.  "Saturday Night Fever" had just been released, I think, and disco was all the rage.  Though we never managed to match the moves of John Travolta in that movie, we were caught up in the happy sound and the infectious dance rhythms penned and performed by Robin Gibb and his brothers -- "Jive Talkin'", "Stayin' Alive" and the slower, sexier "How Deep is Your Love?" among them.  With the passing of Donna Summer recently, it seems that Heaven is assembling its own Disco Dance Band.  This side of the Veil, my generation will be dustin' off its dancing shoes, alive 'n jivin', survivin' -- as the beat goes on.

Borderlands

...where I've been hanging out lately, between the borders and my block-by-block quilt.  It's a new adventure -- designing borders for a traditional-style quilt centre that's already quilted.

Again, I'm very thankful for Ann Petersen, my online instructor (Craftsy.com's "Quilting Big Projects on a Small Machine") for her guidance and timely response to my questions!  She was especially helpful when I attached my first border -- one of the side borders -- and ran into a wee problem: stretching!

Oops!  Check bottom edge -- about 1/2" too long!

She instructed me to 'reverse sew' it (ahem!), re-pin it at the correct length, block it with steam (and a spritz of water if necessary), pin it thoroughly and join it from the backside (the batting side).  I did all this -- and it worked beautifully.  Thanks, Ann!


Next, to remove the bulk in the seams, I had to trim the batting.

Once the sides were attached, I laid out the top border. You can see why it was so important for those corner edges to match!

Satisfied that it's in the right place, I've pinned it within an inch of its life -- and I'm ready to sew!

Today's task: get top and bottom borders sewn on, batting trimmed and quilting done.  Tomorrow: label, binding and hanging sleeve.  Wednesday: wash and pack for the trip to the appraiser.  Photos to follow along the way.  See you soon!

About a Year Ago...

I was in Denver at the SAQA conference.  It was all about 'visioning' and the participants in the Visioning Project's first year (Oct. 2009 - 2010) were there in numbers, including these Creative Canucks.

Front - L to R: Mary Pal, me, Paulette Cornish
Rear - L to R: Teri Springer, Carol Howard Donati

I made new friends, some with whom I'm still in touch, and learned a great deal about art, quilts, quilts as art, creativity, quilt and textile art history, technology, the workings of galleries and museums -- and where I wanted to take my life and my work.

In this past year, I've slowed down to a pace I can manage, have dropped more than a dozen pounds, two clothes sizes, and a couple of bad habits.  I sleep better, have more energy and fewer pity parties.  I'm making less, but I'm taking more time, and enjoying the process.   I'm closing in on 1,000 blog posts, and many thousands more stitches taken by hand and by machine.  I have a milestone birthday in September, and the celebration of a decade of blogging coming in early February '13.  Life continues to be a 'visioning' process, sifting and sorting, thinking and praying, reflecting and acting intentionally to create a balanced design that invites others to take a second look.

Thanks again, SAQA, for that turning-point experience, and for being a place of learning and growth, friendship and support in my fibre art journey.

Quickly, in Passing

If you are able to see this Canadian SAQA Exhibit, please do!  I grew up near the Laurentians, travelled into them, camped in them as a Girl Guide, and drove into them on my honeymoon, so this exhibit tugs at my heartstrings...

*Photo Credit: FotoSearch Royalty Free photographs

At Last

 "The Brick School House - Built 1913" is finished and soaking in its bath.

When it is dry, sandwiched and quilted, it will join the remaining two pieced blocks ("Ohio Star" and "Broken Dishes") to create the last row of the Mirror Centennial Quilt...And then, the borders!

I'm delighted with the red sashing after all.  I hesitated to use it at first because there is so much red bordering some of it, but it turns out to be the perfect frame for the blocks and I like the overall effect.  There will be a narrow red border around the entire centre, and then borders.

Meanwhile, though cool and windy, there's been a break in the showers and the overnight lows are forecast to be reasonable, so I'm off to plant my bedding outs, which have been patiently waiting since Sunday afternoon!

Oh My

Reading the blogs I follow, beginning where I left off 2 days ago, as I put the last stitches in the red-work-block-to-replace-the-one-Someone-Else-was-supposed-to-do, when I found this.  If you're not on Ravelry, my apologies, as you may not be able to see what I'm talking about.  But if you're a knitter, you're probably on Ravelry, so that's okay.

Whatever.  I have to make one of these.  Soon.

P.S. Thanks to my Knitting Hero, the Yarn Harlot, for pointing the way to this beauty.

Coming Together

 My priority right now is finishing the Mirror Centennial Quilt.  This morning I got 3 of the four rows together, and I have to say, I really like this block-by-block technique.

Butt, butt, butt

Back sashing

The blocks are attached by narrow sashing on the front and by wider sashing, folded for a clean edge, on the back, which hides the butting-up of the already-quilted blocks.  Before hand-sewing the back sashing, though, I'll herringbone the edges of the butted blocks together for extra sturdiness.

Row Two - Mirror Centennial Quilt

After the hand-finishing, the rows will be attached to each other with long sashing in the same fashion.  Once all four rows are together, the unit will be treated like a 'medallion' and borders will be added.  (The Craftsy Class, "Quilting Big Projects on a Small Machine", taught by Ann Petersen, has given me such confidence to do this project, for which I am very thankful!)

My deadline is May 23, as I am taking the quilt down to Dawn Hunt in Calgary for appraisal, and I leave May 24.  Onward and upward!

840 Posts on the Wall...

at Blogger.  This one is 841...meaning 159 more to 1,000.  And 274 days to my Tenth Blog-aversary!!


Okay...so do I celebrate Post #1,000 separately from the Big Ten Years of Blogging?  Or do I stre-e-e-etch my posts out so they coincide and celebrate everything at once?

Watcha think, Gentle Readers?

How could I forget?!

It dawned on me late yesterday evening that I hadn't posted any photos from the Lacombe Art Show and Sale last month!!  These were taken by my daughter on her camera, and when she sent them to me I was out sick with that nasty cold.  I know: excuses, excuses... So without further ado:

My beautiful daughter with one of her photos, a glorious tulip printed on stretched canvas.

And here am I, standing next to my "Snippets: A Quilt Artist's Learning Curve".  

There was no way to escape the glare of the lights on the glass, but we did the best we could.  Each of us had 3 pieces in the show; none sold, but it was a weekend full of admiration, inspiration and appreciation for the wide range of creative souls who participated.  Next year, we're thinking of sharing a booth.  New textile pieces are under construction, and Gina will likely have not only photos for hanging but a selection of cards as well.