Another guest post today...

I did a guest post for my friends Wendy and Nick on their handwriting blog Brown Ink.  

A little bit about my LOVE of lists!  

Guest Post: MMQG

I did a little guest post over at the Minneapolis Modern Quilt Guild blog today about digging into the "good stuff".  It's about fabric but can apply to whatever is "good stuff" to you!

On Wandering

I guess I didn't get the quote exactly right, but you get the idea.  I made this pillow a while ago and it has not found it's owner yet.  

All that is gold does not glitter,

Not all those who wander are lost;

The old that is strong does not wither,

Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,

A light from the shadows shall spring;

Renewed shall be blade that was broken,

The crownless again shall be king.

-J. R. R. Tolkien

Bits and Pieces

Well, that was fun!  

I made up a few blocks for our Bento Box swap with the MQG in Baltimore.

Here's how it works. Make a block...

and cut it into pieces.

I will keep these three and add the nine pieces that I get from the swap to complete a whole quilt.  If you look too-closely you will see that the seams don't all match up perfectly.  I hope those folks in Baltimore don't employ the quilt police!  

Some of my favorite words on the Walker Art Center

Bento Beginnings

I work in a fantastic new space.  I work for myself.  I am my own boss AND my own assistant.  I don't have to answer to anyone!  I am so grateful to be in this position, but one of the few things I miss about my teaching job is being part of a community.  So, one of my goals has been to create my own community. 

 One of the ways I have done that is to be an active member of the Minneapolis Modern Quilt Guild.

We are doing a bento box swap with the Baltimore Modern Quilt Guild.  It is an example of why I love being part of a Guild (especially the Modern Quilt Guild).  I would never have been motivated to give this a try, or even known what a bento block was otherwise.  Three cheers for being pushed out of my comfort zone!!!

I am going to attempt three blocks using this tutorial, and we'll see which ones turn out well enough to head to the swap.

If life gives you lemons...

 ...make a skirt.  I have had a "helper" in the studio for the last couple of days.  My Birthday Girl was feeling a little under the weather and didn't make the trip to Grandma's house with her sister.  The trip was a gesture from my Mom in order to help me get caught up on some work.  So... we have been getting some quality time together.  She has been a very good sport and was even really helpful in packing up orders!   But, none the less, I wasn't getting caught up on anything.  Then the walking foot on my machine broke in the middle of trying to finish up a custom quilt that needs to be done for a soon departing college freshman!  After a few curse words, I decided to throw in the towel and have some fun.  After discovering her love of a beautiful corduroy fabric we worked together to make a VERY simple skirt.

I never knew how happy a simple elastic skirt could make a-now-eight-year-old.

 We used some Amy Butler corduroy with a little ribbon accent from Ana Maria Horner.

Then the UPS guy dropped off a box with some pretty Orla Kiely soaps.  Things are looking up and maybe I will get some work done tomorrow.  In the meantime, I have a happy girl and clean hands!  

10 Years Later

I started quilting in 1999.  At the time the only other quilters I knew were my Mom and a few of her friends.  I had no idea what I was doing, so I did as I was told (except for my "overuse" of solids).  In 2002, I was told to enter a quilt in the MN State Fair.  "It's what quilters do".  So I did it.

 I entered this little wall hanging that I made with broadcloth remnants and some sheer embroidered ribbon. 

As a first time entrant and novice quilter, I didn't expect to win a thing.  I was just along for the ride.

 Imagine my surprise to find it hanging in the display.  I hadn't won a prize or a ribbon, but it was hung up for everyone to see!  

After noticing the absence of  Modern Quilts at last years fair, I decided to enter again this year.  Again, I don't hope to win a prize for my less than perfect quilting skills, but I do have a goal.

I contributed something in a non-traditional style (A.K.A Modern) in hopes of letting the "powers that be" know that WE ARE HERE and we love to quilt too.