What's new is NOT really new!!!!

I was checking out some e-mails this morning and of course still sifting through those Quilter's Home magazines.  That magazine ran from 2006 to 2010. It was certainly a different style of magazine from all the rest and while there are good bits to it, I am thinking that if I had actually read it when I bought it - that I may not have continued to buy it!  Or perhaps my place in the quilting world has changed - I was still a relatively "new" quilter when the magazine first started publishing.

In Quilter's Home, there are so many references (and other places as well) to hiding your stash, selling your fabric so you can buy more and getting rid of ugly stuff.  This drives me absolutely CRAZY!!!!   I know there are women out there who do those things, but here is the thing. WHY ARE YOU BUYING SO MUCH that you have to hide it, sell some so you can buy more or get rid of stuff you bought but didn't like?????   OK - I admit - I have a big stash and MANY MANY UFOs.  So many that we don't count them anymore.  BUT I would NEVER consider selling my fabric so I could buy more. What is the point of that????   And get rid of a UFO????   Why - I only start to make things that I like!  And the intention is to finish them so why would I give them away???  And as for getting rid of ugly stuff??   Yes - there may be some stuff that I probably won't use as is, but it can be used for backings, bag linings, scrap quilts.

The quilt marketing industry has done a bang up job of feeding our buying frenzy.  "New this", "improved that", "a ruler for EVERYTHING".  Quilter's are so caught up in this frenzy that they can't help themselves.  I have frequented two fabric shops THREE times since I have been on the island. In all three cases, I purchased what I needed to finish off a project and yes - I did buy a couple of patterns but I did NOT go crazy and buy fabric because I liked it.  Perhaps I am beyond that point?????

Anyway - this "rant" was triggered by an e-mail advertising a NEW pattern and I am certain I saw that same pattern in one of the earlier issues of Quilter's Home.  So buyer beware - just because they say NEW - it isn't new at all.

Oh yes - here is the real kicker.  When I was in Charlottetown, I turned the corner and BAM - there was Value Village.  I must stop to check out stuff.  I did and look what I found.

Strip quilting by Diane Wold

The book was written inn 1987!!!!   Oh yes - WAY BEFORE jelly rolls were heard of.  Let's just say that there are some very interesting patterns in the book that would be fun to do with strips!!!!   That is why I stop at Value Village - to find treasures like this.  Now I know - you are saying - why bother - I don't need another book. Ah - but some of those older books are way better than the newer books. The newer books are based on fluff and flash and rulers to dazzle. The older ones focus on basic techniques - something near and dear to my heart.  I always say - having new tools is awesome (like a rotary cutter), but if you don't know how to work without those fancy tools - you are screwed!!!   I equate that to back-up cameras in cars. If you can only back up using one of those cameras - what do you do when you are in Amazing Race and need to back up FAST????   Or your stolen get away car from the quilt shop heist doesn't have a back up camera???   See what I mean. You have to learn the basic skills - then keep using them!!!!

Speaking of older books - when I was in Charlottetown - well another reason I went to Charlottetown is that they have some FABULOUS used book stores. I remember that from browsing around a couple of years ago and was wishing I could come back with a car so I didn't have to worry about carrying any books home. I only got to one store, The Bookman, but there are four within minutes of each other and look what I found at that one store.

Four great used quilting books.  

I like the historical kind - with pictures and stories about quilting of a specific genre or from a specific area.  They weren't cheap - cost me $60 for the four of them. While my Value Village find cost $3.00


One of my goals while I am here is to finish up some stuff.  My new policy is to try and finish more things (thanks to Pat for all her help in that department!).  I try to do that at home, but I get pulled in so many directions that I tend to do what is critical and the rest gets left until it becomes critical.  Ah - if we had all the time in the world!!!!

Well - I needed to finish up that Pioneer Spirit mystery. Yes - the top was done - but I could make the binding since I had the fabric with me.

I did not bring a long ruler because I was afraid it would get broken in the car and well - who thought I would be cutting so many strips!!!!!  So against my practice of ONLY folding the fabric once to cut, I am having to fold twice and use my 6 by 12 ruler.

GASP - cutting with TWO folds

When one is deperate - well flexibility kicks in!  I thought of borrowing a ruler from Robin or going to the quilt shop, but what is the fun in that!!!!

If you are careful - the strips will come out straight. But you have to be careful!!!

Perfectly straight strip

Claudette is going to be MAD at me.  Look at that cool selvedge on that fabric and I am wasting it!!!!

Cool print on the selvedge

I still have half a meter left - perhaps that little pen image will be on part of it. Anyway - it will be MINE anyway for my selvedge project. Sorry Claudette.

And so another project goes in the "finished until I get home" pile. I just need to find a backing and get this on the long arm as soon as I get home.

Top and binding - DONE

I think I mentioned that I had run out of a particular fabric on my Tonga Rhapsody quilt.  This is one of the ongoing projects at The Hobby Horse. I am bound and determined that I will finish the quilt when the class does.  If I do manage that feat - it will be the first time that I finish one of those projects when the class does - or maybe there was one other one.  Anyway - while out shopping, I found this batik on the left - a bit lighter than I would have liked - the original one on the right is darker, but the tone/colour was PERFECT and well - I am not likely to get much closer - so I bought 1/4 meter.

The substitue fabric on the left

 In addition to working on the homework for Tonga - yikes - there was a LOT of fiddly sewing and it has been strewn across the tables almost since I got here. I was getting tired of it. Time to get this DONE!!!!

Ah - I need a break - I remembered that one block needed to be fixed.

Block with the rotated square removed

The block is now fixed

Funny how that rotated block bugged me more than the close value of that same square. In hindsight, I should have made sure that every block had some orange, some green and one of either of those two purples and the brown. But no - I went with what the pattern said!!!   The quilt is so busy - I don't think it is going to make much difference!!!!!   I will lay it out at home and see.

It was getting late last night as I tried to finish it up.  I am on the last part possible and CRAP - I sewed two pieces upside down. That meant I had to rip part of the block apart.  Instead of leaving it and picking it up today - NO I HAD to finish last night and I put a hole in one fabric.  I knew that was going to happen  - it was like I did it intentionally.  

Rip in the fabric

 Of course - this meant more ripping and by this time, I had finished off the enders and leaders - you remember - those little green/white/yellow half square triangles.

If you remember the other day - there was another project callling to me.   "Pick me for the enders and leaders - pick me!!!!!"   So I did knowing that this was truly NOT an enders and leaders project. I'll show you in a few minutes what I mean.

The PICK ME project for enders and leaders

And at last - way later than I anticipated, I was able to put Tonga Rhapsody in the "finished until I get home" pile.  There was an enormous amount of work to be done with this quilt and being able to find that substitue fabric - that helped enormously to advance the homework along.  I am ALMOST ready for the next class which is in July.

Tonga Rhapsody - DONE until I get home

OK - back to the PICK ME project. What was it?????  Oh just your run of the mill enders and leaders type thing.  Do you see how tired I was!!!!!!

My new ender and leader project - NOT!

Seriously - I did sew EIGHT blocks as enders and leaders. This is what it looked like when I took it out of the bag.

A big jumble of pieces!!!!

Actually it wasn't that bad as the pieces were already selected as to what part went with what, but I still had to rip off the paper and sew a CURVED seam.   I didn't say I make life easy for myself. But I am HAPPY with the results.

EIGHT blocks sewn together

Only one seam per block needed to be stitched. The applique was done and one seam.  I have twenty blocks with me, but for some reason, I think there are 30 in total. The others might need some applique.  While not my first quilt, this one goes way way back. And so can you see me giving this bright funky UFO away?????  I think NOT!!!!!    See - you have to do things that you like - then there is no reason to hate them as they age.

And just when you thought Pat had comletely won the other day - not so.  Guess what I cut out yesterday morning. Yup - that is Ronda's quilt!!!!!    The center of the quilt is cut - that is the fabric on the left. The stuff on the right is the leftovers!!!  Well it is supposed to be cut for the rectangles that form the borders. I am going to wait and once the center is done, then I will play with what I have left over to see how I can try and use it all up and make the quilt bigger.

Ronda's quilt - particially cut

This just proves a good point.  A while back, I was listening to a guild speaker. She said - you must NEVER buy kits. They are boring and do not allow for creativity.   HAH - I think I just proved her wrong. Already I have added two extra FQ which will be included in the center of the quilt and then what can I create for the borders?  Seriously people need to be careful what they say. OK - not that I am perfect, but that statement turned me off from that guild speaker and well, maybe I am just out to prove her wrong!!!!!


Last night after walking the dogs and coming back in the house to NO electricity - how as I going to heat up my cinnamon bun????   Well the power did come on shortly and I dug next this project out.

Actually what I did earlier in the day was to lay out all the projects that I haven't touched yet.  HA HA HA - if you think I am going to post a picture of that.  Seriously????   My dillusional doability is my own private thing and NOT to be shared with you. Sorry!!!!   Anyway - I picked this project.  Someone had very generously made a charity lap quilt for me that I had cut out for the Mississauga Quilter's Guild. I'll show you the quilt another day.  Anyway - I was a bit disappointed with the size, but that was all the fabric there was. However there were some scraps leftover.  Hmmmm the pattern calls for FOUR rows to a block, but there wasn't enough. But I bet I could add TWO rows and make the quilt a few inches longer.

The before pile of scraps

The two piles on the left are for the quilt and the two little piles on the right are true scraps!!!!!

I hope to be working on that later today.   OK - I have decided that silence is golden and don't even worry about the radio any more.  I just hear the birds or the sound of the ocean and the wind all day!!!!   It is kind of nice - we are assaulted with so many sounds - I think that is part of my problem. I can't take all the noise.  So this is bliss. Somehow I need to convince DH when he comes that he doesn't need to watch TV.   Hmmmm - I could unplug something, lose the remote?????

But here is my big problem. I am so damn addicted to that sewing machine. I need some serious help.  I am all alone in this beautiful house on a beautiful island (albeit with crappy-ish weather) and I have no meals to make, no one to answer to, no problems to solve. I can sleep in, I can have a nap whenever I want to, I can read, do jigsaw puzzles, or cross word puzzles, ride my bike or do NOTHING at all.  And is that happening????   NOPE - I have the same hours as at home, I have pretty much the same schedule as at home - walking the dogs - god forbid that they don't get walked at the usual time. And I just wanna sew!!!!!!   It is sad - is there a mental illness for this desire to create all day?????  I could have worse addictions so I am not complaining and we were out yesterday for a couple of hours taking a drive and I am well into my next book so I don't spend all my time sewing, but it seems like it!!!!   Of course - when I sew for QUILTSocial which I am also doing this week - I sew a seam - take a picture, Sew some more - take more pictures. That is very time consuming!!!!!

Already gone through one spool of thread

OK - that wasn't a brand new spool when I started!!!!   But it looks good!!!


In keeping with that horoscope that I mentioned the other day, I thought you would get a kick out of this.

My pet mat pillowcase by the cutting mat to capture those itty bitty scraps

A couple of selvedges for the selvede project and a couple of scraps to be filed when I get home. 

 And while I was marking those binding strips for the Pioneer Spirit quilt - I dumped my pencil case on the cutting mat. What a mess.  I bet half of those marking tools don't work any more. I picked out TWO - hey two is better than none!   They have been tested and will be hitting the garbage later today.

A mess from the pencil case

And there you have it - I'm a certified sewing machine addict!!!!   The beach looks rough again today, but the sun is shining although it is cool. I guess a walk on the beach will be in order later today.  Oh yes - I think I mentioned that I am getting over 10,000 steps a day - sometimes close to 20,000. But I haven't been checking my stairs.  Well I did yesterday and I think I did the equivalent of 25 flights of staires which is hilarious since I don't go upstairs in this house.  There is a bedroom on the main floor which I have claimed as my own and the two girls as well.  So it is just walks in the area, up and down the deck stairs and well who knows what else.


On that note - I am out of here. I have some crazy stuff planned for today - OK - not that crazy, but crazy enough. And since it is nice, we might go do some more geocaching once it warms up.

Have a great day!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!