Magazines

OK - so we all got them. We all got LOTS of them. I LOVE magazines, but my biggest problem is that I buy them and then I don't read them. Hmmmmmm - what is the point of that?????   It is almost like I THINK I will absorb what is in the magazines simply because I OWN THEM.   Well - we all know that is a fallacy!!!!!    

I have been lazing around and not that motivated to work - I have no idea why that is. You would think I would be fired up????   But today, I HAD to stay home because DH arranged for something to be delivered TODAY (AH - today is MONDAY and I am NEVER home on Monday????? - it is only 10 years that I have been going to Monday Motivators????)   Anyway - that makes me feel trapped and I don't work well when confined!!!!  OK - so yes - I could have done anything I wanted, but that is NOT the point!!!!!!

I finally decided that today I would tackle some of the magazines. I am still going through the stack of The Quilter magazines that I started at the beginning of the year.

When I used to go through a magazine, I would come across tons of patterns that I LOVED and would love to make. I used to flag the magazine with a sticky note. And YES - years later - the sticky is still attached and I am no closer to making the item. I hate to rip the pattern out (I know - that magazine is mine, but still - can't do it!!!!!)   SO here is how I went through the magazines today...............

Patterns - while I did find some (maybe one or two) that I thought were really nice, I did NOT copy them, rip them out or otherwise flag them. I have so many quilts to make BEFORE I could even get to one of those - what is the point. So NO PATTERNS. Whew!!!!!

Articles - The Quilter has a lot of neat articles on historical fabrics/quilts.  While the articles are interesting - how many times will I refer back to them?????   Hmmmmmmmm - I just checked out the author's web site and all the articles appear to be on her web site. I guess that answers that question - if I ever want to do research on any of those items - I'll just do a WEB SEARCH and there they will be. Much easier to find than searching through a binder. The web site?????   Quilter's Muse by Patricia L. Cummings

Interesting books that I would LIKE to own - well - don't have a budget to buy all the neat books that I see (OK - so I don't need them either), but I added them to my Amazon Wish List. Then when it is time for someone to buy me a present - let's say at Christmas. I can pass on my Amazon Wish List and they can pick and choose. Now how cool is that!!!!!!   Of course - by that time - I may have culled the list as well. And I may find that the price of some books (by then - they won't be current any more) will be discounted. OK - these magazines were from 2006 - 2009 era - so the books are probably already discounted!!!!!

Interesting designers or ideas - in most cases - all the information is on the designers web page. A simple matter of adding a bookmark and VOILA - all the information is available. Free of charge and will be MORE up to date than the magazine article.

OK - so I did photocopy ONE page of a quilt design (it's an antique one) and I like the setting and the fact that it was made from half square triangles (a small pet project of mine).


But I did learn some facts that I thought I would share with you. My big problem is that I read these things and then retain NOTHING!!!!!   But that is OK - I was entertained for the day or two that I did remember.

So you all know this quilt that was made by Sharon Schamber..........

The quilt is called Scarlet Serenade. It won all kinds of awards. She even wrote a book about the applique techniques used in the quilt. You can check out her web site at Sharon Schamber.

Anyway - can you guess how long it took her to quilt the above quilt?????   It measures 97 inches square.

Did you come up with a number?????   Well.....................


Somewhere between 800 and 1,000 HOURS just to QUILT the quilt. We are NOT talking about the piecing or the applique - JUST the quilting. Now that is a bit obsessive?????  She did it on a long-arm machine. Incredible!!!!


Here is another award winning quilt by Nancy Prince.

It is called Life in Holly Ridge

Again - LOTS of awards. Nancy is famous for her thread painting. Any idea how many yards of thread were used in this quilt?????   LOTS - but think of a number.

Ready?????


50,000 - that is FIFTY THOUSAND yards of thread. Have a look at her web site for more info...

Nancy Prince



Other fun facts that I learned - can you believe that it has been SIX years since Laurel Burch passed away????   Yes - she died in 2007. Does NOT seem that long ago!!!!

Did you know where the name C&T Publishing came from????   The original owners were Carolie and Tom Hensley. C&T - makes sense!!!!!



Ooops - back to more magazines. Might as well - I'm on a roll and each magazine I put in the donate box is one less that I have to deal with EVER AGAIN!!!!!


Found a couple of other interesting books that I put on my Amazon Wish List and I did photocopy ONE more quilt that I liked. Not the pattern - just the picture. That will go in my inspiration book.

I did see a couple of other neat small patterns - a sunflower table runner, a nice Halloween wall hanging and a Christmas one by Pearl Louis. BUT - I did NOT copy any of them. I have so many similar patterns - what would be the point? More paper that I have to deal with.


Aren't you proud of me?????   I am proud of myself and now to do the same with MANY MANY more magazines.


One of the things that I HAVE to do - is STOP buying the magazines. And for the most part I have - I browse them in the store, but I don't bring home many. So much of the stuff is just regurgitated with new fabric lines and I won't make the stuff anyway.


And according to the magazine - most of their readers have been quilting for 5 years or less. That means that I have outgrown this magazine. I knew that - so that is why I don't buy it anymore!!!!!   But if I would have been reading it on a regular basis - then I would have known that a long time ago!!!!!!!!!!!   DUH!!!!!   I am sure that is the same thing with some of the others that I am reading. My tastes/styles change, my experience level changes and I need to change my reading/buying habits!!!!!!

Well - onto the next bundle to see what treasures I can unearth. Wish me luck and let's hope that I can keep this up until I at least get through this magazine - The Quilter. Then I get to pick another one and go through that stack.


On that note - have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!