tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24969990210824164382024-03-21T13:10:24.047-06:00Textile Traveler“Let your mind start a journey thru a strange new world. Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before. Let your soul take you where you long to be...Close your eyes let your spirit start to soar, and you'll live as you've never lived before.” Erich FrommMichele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.comBlogger308125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-61108709214603134812018-03-06T13:18:00.003-06:002018-03-06T13:58:45.709-06:00I'm BAAAAACK! Just Kidding.So. Don't you just hate it when you're following a blog, and suddenly the blog-writer just seems to disappear? They drop out of site and you wonder, did they just get tired of blogging? Did they lack stamina, commitment, or follow-through? Did they (heaven forbid) die??? I'll admit to feeling so connected to people through their blogs that I've even messaged or emailed them when they haven't posted in a while, just to see if they're ok.<br />
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Yet, here I am, popping up 6 years after my last blog post. So what happened?<br />
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Clearly, I didn't die. But I almost did. I almost died, and then I had lots of surgeries from almost dying, and then I had long recovery periods, and more surgeries, and then lingering and sometimes debilitating after-effects. And if that sounds pretty vague, it's because I was out for a lot of it, so I could probably describe my weird pain-drug hallucinations better than the actual details.<br />
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But I didn't die! And I feel terribly grateful for that small miracle. My career, however, did die. And then my marriage died. And then I went into a financial tailspin that meant losing my home. And suddenly I, who had grown roots deep enough to feel safe and secure, was upturned and tossed around like a tree in a hurricane.<br />
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Don't get me wrong: I don't in any way feel like a victim. In fact, in the last half-decade or so, I've learned more about myself and my beliefs and my talents and my faults than I had in all the many decades before that. But my roots are still not planted well enough to grow deep, or to feel secure. I'm less a mighty oak these days than a tumbleweed looking for a solid place to land.<br />
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So that's my story--or at least the highlights (lowlights?). And one of these days, I'll share all the details, and I'll find a rhythm that (I hope) includes regular blogging, because I miss that.<br />
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In the meantime, take care and be grateful for the miracles (small or large) in your lives.<br />
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And if anyone who used to follow my blog just happens to see this, know that I'm grateful to you for being part of my blogging life. And I'm sorry that I left you hanging for so long. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNANXTsEFyESX2RJ_NXPOlhphcS-8n4QRpHsqSRYgocB4gQ2jOJ26xHZ0XN2558knwdk7PtP0eFhUXED47YXpim8h1fiB4DJBzDXyDW8ZsKVI2gpLxp27ZSQlyRxJwY7PlO1bhyphenhyphenlD_r8kN/s1600/bg1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="237" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNANXTsEFyESX2RJ_NXPOlhphcS-8n4QRpHsqSRYgocB4gQ2jOJ26xHZ0XN2558knwdk7PtP0eFhUXED47YXpim8h1fiB4DJBzDXyDW8ZsKVI2gpLxp27ZSQlyRxJwY7PlO1bhyphenhyphenlD_r8kN/s200/bg1.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
<br />Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-46811293735804276042012-07-25T10:04:00.000-05:002012-07-25T10:06:45.493-05:00Organization Rocks!Well, I intended to show the horrifying "before" pics of my quilting space, but it appears I've lost them. However, I can say that, after spending weeks cleaning and organizing, it's a thrill to be in that room now!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHgmflnfG_eNSDcEmvYiVtQjCA68GmZjROdC_EtMWv4qBiH7-pdqzSfLSKM3YxXf-vZ3tNgtR0bQDNhJCTcjV_xCZR-fK27Z_11dAmm8Xp1-FDYJ__IpV7stVWLWJpoqJofbMGQljwVT6/s1600/organized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHgmflnfG_eNSDcEmvYiVtQjCA68GmZjROdC_EtMWv4qBiH7-pdqzSfLSKM3YxXf-vZ3tNgtR0bQDNhJCTcjV_xCZR-fK27Z_11dAmm8Xp1-FDYJ__IpV7stVWLWJpoqJofbMGQljwVT6/s320/organized.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's the basic organizing scheme: small scraps in plastic bins, sorted by color; fat quarters in storage boxes; anything between a small scrap and a
fat quarter rolled and tied and standing in a storage box; anything
larger than a fat quarter made into a "mini bolt" (<a href="http://smashedpeasandcarrots.blogspot.com/2010/11/mini-fabric-bolts-and-some-studio.html" target="_blank">find out how to make your own mini bolts here!</a>): </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaSECHVjIY40kthvXs6lspTAiesTC3IZsbMhDEsxFVKJ8s6JHhskjkYhcUL3o_Frg_vuuLTmm5m6_9GCoKuRWzDzSG8zuW1UATE4z66lXY8NcZJDdUNhcb_mTCjxUBTe0omIdNlrOJfRM3/s1600/organized5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaSECHVjIY40kthvXs6lspTAiesTC3IZsbMhDEsxFVKJ8s6JHhskjkYhcUL3o_Frg_vuuLTmm5m6_9GCoKuRWzDzSG8zuW1UATE4z66lXY8NcZJDdUNhcb_mTCjxUBTe0omIdNlrOJfRM3/s320/organized5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzo9mqWZfU9x80NXXsWJd3Ng39ljMObjRt51WUge1QF77UD4LUyE_oMjlTbqyj9pbtd372kVuEoyFXoOxdYo6-1mXJhMaM6hFFkeYZtdlFrC2FJZ8Sl1HWhdnz2TAu9yB2y4NFYEreYChs/s1600/organized3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzo9mqWZfU9x80NXXsWJd3Ng39ljMObjRt51WUge1QF77UD4LUyE_oMjlTbqyj9pbtd372kVuEoyFXoOxdYo6-1mXJhMaM6hFFkeYZtdlFrC2FJZ8Sl1HWhdnz2TAu9yB2y4NFYEreYChs/s320/organized3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I've always folded and stacked my fabric on the shelves, and that was a huge pain because every time I pulled a piece out, everything on top of it got a little more disorganized. Now I can slide a "mini bolt" out and back in with no problem, plus I STILL get to see (most) of what I have available.<br />
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At some point I will move all that fabric into a closed-shelving system to protect it from sun damage, but for now I'm inspired by it, and it's not in direct sunlight so it should be ok for a little while.Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-90177778318065748002012-06-12T10:03:00.001-05:002012-06-12T10:03:10.962-05:00The Canning CountPeaches are in season here in Central Texas, so it's time for some canning! This year I made spiced peaches for the first time (instead of peach preserves), and bread and butter pickles (which are AMAZING). I also made some chow chow (I think it's also called "picalilli") which I've actually never eaten before and I'm hoping tastes good :-)<br />
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This season's can count (to date):<br />
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Spiced Peaches: 4 & 1/2 quarts; Bread & Butter Pickles: 2 & 1/2 quarts:<br />
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Chow chow: 5 pints:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNDSGQap_EskfnLpcBPc7y1zDRoupEoyx3W1M2m119fB8lOzY7iJGbyowR6_mk1hC4C2nFEGshV6iRmm6gdjO6sosW2aRJmrXtoBVEF6Gr9eIMWZTRXUo3T7aIGXGC9cK7beRJitbGIOJ/s1600/chowchow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNDSGQap_EskfnLpcBPc7y1zDRoupEoyx3W1M2m119fB8lOzY7iJGbyowR6_mk1hC4C2nFEGshV6iRmm6gdjO6sosW2aRJmrXtoBVEF6Gr9eIMWZTRXUo3T7aIGXGC9cK7beRJitbGIOJ/s320/chowchow.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Still to come: more spiced peaches, peach preserves, and apple butter. Oh, and more bread & butter pickles, since we either gave them all away or ate them :-)</div>
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On the quilting front, I have way too many projects 1/2 done, so I need to finish those up. I'm also finally repurposing those paper towels I use to clean up when painting; I'll try to post more on this (and maybe a tutorial?) in the near future:</div>
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Oh, and Happy (early) Summer. We're definitely feeling the heat here in Central Texas, where we just experienced our first 100+ temperature day. I'm sure there are many more to come before Fall arrives sometime in October!</div>
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<br />Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-19436551865402264502012-05-18T08:45:00.003-05:002012-05-18T08:45:45.661-05:00She's Here!Our first girl grandbaby has arrived! We have two wonderful grandsons, ages 12 and 11, so it's been a while since we've had a tiny one around. Her name is Cali, and she's gorgeous! She was born Wednesday, 5/16, at 9:22 pm, is 19" long, and weighs 7 lb. 1 oz. I feel the urge to make pink ruffly things coming on . . .<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWWVlWQurb5goRpzJzd1wY5nBRmkc_Z3Task4u3BSmSz_rLfLWI566bMBgauSXQN5slIO87t6pZ7oTabtawdsclKlHkmBQUNNrZWBfPV-saZRTqB4_ZecB9LoilLdhCgcuYQpogO2mJl3Z/s1600/cali.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWWVlWQurb5goRpzJzd1wY5nBRmkc_Z3Task4u3BSmSz_rLfLWI566bMBgauSXQN5slIO87t6pZ7oTabtawdsclKlHkmBQUNNrZWBfPV-saZRTqB4_ZecB9LoilLdhCgcuYQpogO2mJl3Z/s320/cali.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
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<br />Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-68204159221045246002012-05-13T13:33:00.001-05:002012-05-13T13:33:55.749-05:00Happy Mother's Day!I hope all the mothers out there have a wonderful day. We celebrated with my mom earlier this week--she has the fortune/misfortune of having a birthday on May 9, so it frequently overlaps with Mother's Day. Today we took my partner's mother to lunch. Now the rest of the day is mine to play!<br />
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As usual, I've been too busy to blog, but here are a few of the things I've been working on. I used some of the painted fabric I talked about last time to make journals, and listed them on <a href="http://textiletraveler.etsy.com/" target="_blank">Etsy</a>:<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/99408225/hand-painted-and-screenprinted-tribal" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCUc7UQGZW3q5vjDHmrs4YDyVFapcUeUNokPnY438hq9iFik4IoSdm8aU5QYQmUkMu_ob__QwGG0hWHp4AVLIG8WxtSnDryWnBeI6FabJNUdsLpsO4F-Ikod4tuCc0I4Nf-6KBrp8b8v7/s320/fabric+journals1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/99506474/collage-art-fabric-and-recycled-paper" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_XlCBF3x019ynixA5U2snTCSgXz-aZXJN2LeGBqhYzN9Pd3JhKrPgHnW7tMOI0GMm1Xv-L_9lIqvTOt_kL9bneyNsE4NrJALqFPFJfYXqJMgwNNMKUuWxQe3KzXxQBeQ8S3wXhPSXZWAE/s320/fabric+journals20.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/99703400/hand-painted-and-screenprinted-fabric" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrlJ2VEP-s0OmyyMhOOYP91IAbzfYEx55XWAAvYRNAw3z-r5lu-ry0B50N7U8AVnNx7DsCGYWGOlpA948qt7YBJ8AjAKaI_HxNU9YPGri5w47zQzPCJIS-NO6-ZKY-QWP6vaLQRNoTnBvG/s320/hand+painted+letter+journal1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/99702429/hand-painted-and-screenprinted-lotus" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu2PF8ItHBhDFvcvjGy5ML5dg_JflCcDp9yrFfhWdgl9hhVxXC_Xe6Ui5bljZyHUvFPyJ_igdgNB_fZZJoeiyFQl-WhJ1XcgUlDBXV4WYbTFUbZHTWLBiaLQN_kkXH9_fIV9yePyoAaGAV/s320/fabric+journals34.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The rest of the time . . . well, who knows where it went! The creative ideas are flying so quickly through my head I can barely grab onto them, but I'm having a hard time executing on anything besides these small journals. I'm going to try to get into a better routine next week so I won't have excuses for not starting some of the bigger projects I want to work on.<br />
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<br />Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-45207962794098177692012-04-30T08:48:00.001-05:002012-04-30T08:52:13.212-05:00The Blogging DilemmaWhere do people find time to take gorgeous pics of their work, post them on their blogs, and write blog posts? More and more frequently, I’m faced with a choice: talk about working on my blog, or do some actual work.<br />
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Of course, there’s a slight possibility that too much of my time is sucked up by Facebook.<br />
At any rate, I’ve been happily tucked away in my studio painting fabric and paper. Now I just have to figure out what to do with it!<br />
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-mMloYBG5P8E/T56YKs3oaYI/AAAAAAAACxQ/JsHdPpe2bBU/s1600-h/painted%252520fabric001%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="painted fabric001" border="0" height="170" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-iAYMODZDCNU/T56YLLw5xcI/AAAAAAAACxY/BrwZcyLrBx8/painted%252520fabric001_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="painted fabric001" width="244" /> </a><br />
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WK68SvVq7AA/T56YLkFOe8I/AAAAAAAACxg/QA5bWNNMlxM/s1600-h/painted%252520fabric004%252520copy%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="painted fabric004 copy" border="0" height="177" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-YnDTSzWgwuo/T56YM2jZhKI/AAAAAAAACxo/JxQyKDnGxX4/painted%252520fabric004%252520copy_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="painted fabric004 copy" width="244" /> </a><br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Ww8MdF2SRa8/T56YNSfCNWI/AAAAAAAACxw/so4si5OTEFM/s1600-h/painted%252520fabric006%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="painted fabric006" border="0" height="168" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4AQdab9-sic/T56YN1ohgFI/AAAAAAAACx4/_yEJ79BO-hE/painted%252520fabric006_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="painted fabric006" width="244" /> </a><br />
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-oE6QoKD6iRw/T56YOqQ-0cI/AAAAAAAACyA/YfdM7yEnF8c/s1600-h/painted%252520fabric011%252520copy%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="painted fabric011 copy" border="0" height="128" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-npMNDsYoNSo/T56YPPy8OoI/AAAAAAAACyI/9jxaezosucc/painted%252520fabric011%252520copy_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="painted fabric011 copy" width="244" /> </a><br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-gX-I9xpxDFs/T56YP2Tin9I/AAAAAAAACyQ/aI5YEXStLi0/s1600-h/painted%252520paper007%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="painted paper007" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nYsHbiprnuE/T56YQTtsJaI/AAAAAAAACyY/auOjo6fqRBM/painted%252520paper007_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="painted paper007" width="189" /> </a><br />
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Guess how much I love my leaves thermofax stencil?<br />
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Back to work now!Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-89153124219921392172012-02-16T22:08:00.001-06:002012-02-16T22:08:20.456-06:00The Best Soup I’ve Ever Made!<p>Ok, I don’t usually post recipes on my blog, but I’m so proud of myself. I decided to make soup today, and somehow it turned out to be the best I’ve ever made—and maybe the best soup I’ve ever eaten. So, I thought I would post this for all my friends and cyber friends. Bon appétit!</p> <p>Sausage, Chard & Bean Soup</p> <p>2 T. oil (I used oil infused with cayenne pepper for a little bite) <br />2 small onions, chopped <br />2-4 carrots, diced <br />3-4 cloves garlic, chopped <br />1 large red bell pepper, diced <br />1-2 links sausage (probably 4-6 oz.) (I used smoked link sausage; the smoky flavor is REALLY nice in this, so if your sausage is not smoked, you might want to add a little liquid smoke) <br />2 t. dried Italian herbs <br />1/2 t. fennel seeds <br />pepper <br />4 c. stock (I used 2 c. vegetable & 2 c. chicken) <br />a big bunch of Swiss chard, stems removed and chopped <br />2 cans of navy beans, drained and rinsed</p> <p>Saute the onions, carrots, bell pepper, and garlic in olive oil. Add the sausage and spices and continue to sauté until sausage is cooked and vegetables are soft. Add stock, Swiss chard, and beans, and simmer for about 30 minutes until the flavors are blended.</p> <p>I served mine with cornbread, and we ate it for lunch AND dinner. YUUUMMMMY! </p> Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-76448995521113408392012-01-12T18:07:00.017-06:002012-01-12T18:23:19.992-06:00Me and Thou and A Can of Spray Paint<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></div><br />
I don’t know why, but for some reason gorgeous Central Texas weather makes me want to haul out the spray paint. I’m almost out of canvas anyway, and since Valentine’s Day is almost upon us, I decided to go with that theme.<br />
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Sorry about the pics; the harsh light outside really bleached them out, and I had too much paint on my hands to mess with the camera much :-)<br />
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UhBDZZrRK38/Tw91xWNYEDI/AAAAAAAACvk/6WDA9cU0CNY/s1600-h/vday_canvas1%25255B2%25255D.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--ibvw-xmHA8/Tw91x7YhEsI/AAAAAAAACvs/AUPgZtvqXXA/vday_canvas1_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="" width="244" /></a> <br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6BeBd-WYhDE/Tw91yYLxW4I/AAAAAAAACv0/hZhUOMdoDsA/s1600-h/vday_canvas2%25255B2%25255D.jpg">\</a><br />
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-S5stdNafVjI/Tw910GSn08I/AAAAAAAACwU/-AV0Y3J6u7M/s1600-h/vday_canvas4%25255B2%25255D.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-C96BHe2b-54/Tw910mT4L1I/AAAAAAAACwc/5i8mGc1cEKE/vday_canvas4_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="" width="244" /></a> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5c-psQebI2Ccpt1_qOCFZte9-jHWcrlMcZQiRLpVLn_jtTwEcwkbCfPMATFxDdK79fiHdg1l4qArNHiC-CQacgu-fmOvD2NqwTB5MfzUPRjKJXZ78-K9OWSDL7oAArXLgwLwEZUKmvX2r/s1600/vday_canvas_cu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5c-psQebI2Ccpt1_qOCFZte9-jHWcrlMcZQiRLpVLn_jtTwEcwkbCfPMATFxDdK79fiHdg1l4qArNHiC-CQacgu-fmOvD2NqwTB5MfzUPRjKJXZ78-K9OWSDL7oAArXLgwLwEZUKmvX2r/s320/vday_canvas_cu.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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A cold front is headed our way and it's supposed to be in the 20s in the morning, so it's back to indoor activities! At least I got a little Vitamin D :-)<br />
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Oh, and thanks so much for the comments on my poppy-seed heads piece! I'm definitely going to work on darkening those up a little, and maybe adding some shadows.Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-11585796503900638152012-01-11T15:58:00.000-06:002012-01-11T15:58:41.053-06:00Opinions Please?This is a piece that has just sort of come together a little at a time. I think I'm almost finished with it, except now I'm reevaluating whether I like the poppy-seed heads. I like the stitching for the stems, so I'm considering taking the heads off (these are made of wool) and just stitching the outlines of poppy-seed heads in their place. What do you think?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjagFPpcKDzwEAecrph9arqnji03RMjYd1h87Roq_g8V65lPI62jBeOTRMQEX2IQsqyKEMKIQu9gHS9VRmWf1NcDooV8lcOFW6X6jCM2gEmMZJlUyYCTApon9_Q7l7TyvNtWE0YUeKIKPV8/s1600/stitched_poppies_cu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjagFPpcKDzwEAecrph9arqnji03RMjYd1h87Roq_g8V65lPI62jBeOTRMQEX2IQsqyKEMKIQu9gHS9VRmWf1NcDooV8lcOFW6X6jCM2gEmMZJlUyYCTApon9_Q7l7TyvNtWE0YUeKIKPV8/s320/stitched_poppies_cu.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I guess I sort of think the current heads are a little cartoon-like. I would love to have your feedback!Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-61044258995992435182012-01-11T09:54:00.002-06:002012-01-11T09:57:34.900-06:00Hey Again, Valentine!I know it seems like Valentine’s Day is a long way off, but it’s not!<br />
Remember the stencil-painted & stamped fabric from the other day? It’s now a composition notebook cover:<br />
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<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/90266603/quilted-love-composition-notebook-cover"><img alt="" border="0" height="226" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-p6qvi6gMHp8/Tw2wvHBsmlI/AAAAAAAACu8/rSeGfHAznnU/love_comp1%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="" width="244" /></a> <br />
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And a couple of business card holders:<br />
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<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/90267412/stenciled-heart-notepad-and-business?ref=v1_other_1"><img alt="" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-f3h840GKilk/Tw2wvVn64tI/AAAAAAAACvE/pOKmVvIBnn8/winged_heart_card1%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="" width="240" /></a> <br />
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Here’s another comp notebook cover for Valentine’s Day:<br />
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<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/90266961/sweetheart-composition-notebook-cover?ref=v1_other_1"><img alt="" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-eE0IsewZ-AI/Tw2wv8ZwfiI/AAAAAAAACvM/l1R30qGuPo4/pink_heart_comp1%25255B9%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="" width="232" /></a> <br />
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This one has a strip-pieced heart that I made into a free-standing applique, then stitched to the cover.<br />
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I’m trying to become more efficient in how I make these items for my <a href="http://dreamwork.etsy.com/">Etsy shop</a>. Right now it’s taking a very long time to create anything, and I think my wage rate works out to about $2/hr.<br />
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The good news is, I’m having fun! But now it’s time to get back to work.Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-26359880978447162712012-01-05T07:00:00.002-06:002012-01-05T08:21:13.790-06:00Hey, Valentine!Ok, it may seem a little early to be thinking about Valentine’s Day, but I’m working on a few “sweet” things for the <a href="http://textiletraveler.etsy.com/">Etsy shop</a>. I thought I would share a tutorial with you on a quick and easy way to make your own sweet fabric.<br />
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This is a somewhat messy project, so wear gloves if you don’t like paint on your hands. You may get a few smears and spots and drips on your fabric, but that’s the look I was going for. If you want a cleaner effect, try applying the paint with a stencil brush, or use screenprinting techniques.<br />
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You’ll need the following supplies: <br />
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1. a stencil (mine is a cheap, store-bought stencil)<br />
<ol></ol><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-6JOBpmDaMPI/TwSzUiLNKAI/AAAAAAAACsM/xShG7Yg9Gwc/s1600-h/val_tut13%25255B2%25255D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="192" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-AX-aTT4Moq0/TwSzU-WymMI/AAAAAAAACsU/6O-DMQvQVwI/val_tut13_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="" width="244" /></a></div><br />
2. tacky spray (make sure it’s temporary adhesive, NOT permanent)<br />
3. white paint (I like the heavy-body paint in a tube, since it’s less likely to run under the edges of the stencil)<br />
<ol></ol><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-syT4I3M8hLc/TwSzVC4P9OI/AAAAAAAACsc/LT4alv_68sA/s1600-h/val_tut1%25255B2%25255D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="242" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-iKn7wJ8Ix-s/TwSzVp9uO3I/AAAAAAAACsk/ViHMc1fdZ5I/val_tut1_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="" width="244" /></a></div><br />
4. a squeegee or a plastic card (you know, a credit card or that ugly old driver’s license you sanded the numbers off of, or that newfangled, plastic room key you “forgot” to give back when you checked out of the hotel)<br />
5. rubber or foam stamps<br />
6. a foam brush or sponge<br />
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To get started, make sure your fabric is smooth; iron if necessary.<br />
Spray the back of the stencil with adhesive and smooth it onto the fabric.<br />
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Run a bead of paint along the edge of your card, then scrape it across the stencil.<br />
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Reposition the stencil and repeat the previous step until you’re happy with the number of stencil prints on the fabric.<br />
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Apply paint to the stamps with a foam brush or sponge, and stamp the fabric randomly or with a pattern of your choice.<br />
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Keep going until you’re happy with your fabric.<br />
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Embellish your fabric even more with fabric pens, foil, fibers, and thread.<br />
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Oh, and don’t forget to use the leftover paint in your art journal.<br />
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or on your “serendipity fabric.”<br />
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Have fun! I’m off to use my “new” fabric in a project.<br />
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Addendum: It occurred to me in the middle of the night that people might wonder whether the heavy-bodied acrylic changes the hand of the fabric. The answer is, absolutely. But I don't really find this to be a problem. Unless I'm making a garment or bed-quilt, it doesn't really matter to me what the hand of the fabric is. I've never had a problem getting a machine needle through painted fabric--and I've stitched paint on <i>canvas</i>. Of course, if you're hand-quilting painted fabric, you'll definitely want to use fabric paints, which will likely be thinner. Just make sure you're stencil is adhered well to the fabric, or go for the "blurry-edged" look!Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-64868830981058646762012-01-04T12:18:00.002-06:002012-01-04T12:24:30.658-06:00New MexicoDue to a series of miscommunications and interesting events, we were able to finally take a vacation over Christmas. Last time we took a vacation to Arkansas, there were deadly floods in that state. This time, we went to New Mexico, which just happened to get hit with a freak blizzard. I’m not even going to try to analyze that.<br />
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Anyway, here are some pics from our lovely vacation:<br />
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Roswell, and our 14-yr. old dog Maxine. She loved the snow several years ago in Colorado, and she loved it even more this time. She was like a puppy again!<br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-JCK5k03lsq8/TwSX-9pUU8I/AAAAAAAACqE/5PLyWFlbpo8/s1600-h/max%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="194" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-hkOPJeQGj4A/TwSX_RRHp6I/AAAAAAAACqM/ffPhi__dtLc/max_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="" width="244" /></a> <br />
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The grandson making his first snow angel (coming from Central Texas, we don't see much snow):<br />
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-wUfmT_QuMrM/TwSX_sBEbpI/AAAAAAAACqU/HeiXUbAKCeQ/s1600-h/b_snowangel%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="219" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-r36kGTSlrcU/TwSX_99A9mI/AAAAAAAACqc/qwoVu5Z6oyc/b_snowangel_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="" width="244" /></a> <br />
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Santa Fe Plaza on Christmas Eve:<br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-3IDocWPTpzE/TwSYAZpYPSI/AAAAAAAACqk/Nq8Ewv_BNRs/s1600-h/plaza%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-6MmlyjiCUa0/TwSYA60w1aI/AAAAAAAACqs/hRxCM0aTtDk/plaza_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="" width="244" /></a> <br />
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Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis Assisi:<br />
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-RbPm2b65spo/TwSYBCMcJ8I/AAAAAAAACq0/bVZAbtbdQ6o/s1600-h/cathedral_basilica%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Zl0IX-uXb9Q/TwSYBSRD1wI/AAAAAAAACq8/BOREjOEoATA/cathedral_basilica_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="" width="244" /></a> <br />
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The grandson caught making a snowball:<br />
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Cu9hdrDAdi4/TwSYBhfw_VI/AAAAAAAACrE/E9w5VysqJQc/s1600-h/b_snowball%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="216" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-51FElJUAYIw/TwSYB4kw2PI/AAAAAAAACrM/lsPdOzsDkyE/b_snowball_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="" width="244" /></a> <br />
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Embroidered boots spied while window-shopping (I know y’all will appreciate these!):<br />
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-OYTxSxv5aC8/TwSYCJU4o6I/AAAAAAAACrU/oyAVGRwLDfY/s1600-h/boots%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-rinq1G9xiLA/TwSYCujiQOI/AAAAAAAACrc/VvZm_bveupU/boots_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="" width="228" /></a> <br />
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My son & grandson ready for snowboarding:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mATi3C78144/TwSZIEk-aII/AAAAAAAACsE/3bl4TpF9ttY/s1600/jb_b_snowboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mATi3C78144/TwSZIEk-aII/AAAAAAAACsE/3bl4TpF9ttY/s320/jb_b_snowboard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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And finally, a walk through the neighborhood near our motel:<br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-2-qKpF1G0zM/TwSYC682joI/AAAAAAAACrk/uynx-YSAQsg/s1600-h/sf_house%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="142" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-1TCD_rR9D1c/TwSYDIcxJRI/AAAAAAAACrs/a_cBEsR4TnQ/sf_house_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="" width="244" /></a> <br />
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I feel refreshed & recharged, and ready for great things in 2012!<br />
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I hope everyone had a lovely holiday and that 2012 will be a wonderful year for you.Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-27366959358483009492011-12-21T07:09:00.002-06:002011-12-21T08:05:40.794-06:00Giveaway Winner!<b>UPDATE: Dolores has kindly passed the membership on to another entrant, due to time constraints. Fortunately, I still had the names on slips of paper, threw them back into the bowl and redrew: congratulations to <span style="color: blue;">marshaleith</span>!</b><br />
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<strike>Congratulations to Dolores, who won the 6-mo. membership to The Quilt Show. Thanks to everyone who entered!</strike><br />
<strike>There were too many entries to do a random-number generation, so I picked the winner the old-fashioned way: by drawing a name out of a hat (or, in this case, a fabric Christmas bowl, of course!):</strike><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-JMsBiYPGPxg/TvHadXeSpzI/AAAAAAAACp0/IeAO1wXqaso/s1600-h/TQS_giveaway%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="TQS_giveaway" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Evvo3eVwi2w/TvHadiXvwvI/AAAAAAAACp8/FQ1RyS9D2OY/TQS_giveaway_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="TQS_giveaway" width="139" /></a><br />
<strike>Sorry I misspelled your name, Dolores. It was early and I hadn’t had coffee :-)</strike><br />
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We’re headed to New Mexico for the holidays (assuming no more crazy blizzards and that we can get through!) so I hope everyone has a lovely Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, or other holiday, and a wonderful New Year! Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-85005318468575186362011-12-14T09:55:00.001-06:002011-12-14T09:55:45.723-06:00Giveaway!<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VZosFm3V7g4/TujG_Jlx93I/AAAAAAAACpQ/dHs4ojCUNqQ/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" border="0" alt="image" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-GGnX8pgmr4Y/TujHAG9NLUI/AAAAAAAACpY/UG58vPN5DOg/image_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="240" height="211" /></a> </p> <p>Once again, I’m giving away a gift certificate for a 6-month membership to <a href="http://www.thequiltshow.com/os/index.php">The Quilt Show</a> (a value of $24.95). Membership gives you access to shows hosted by Ricky Tims and Alex Anderson, to classroom lessons, and to tons of quilting information and other goodies. </p> <p>To be entered into the drawing for the gift certificate, simply leave a comment below. </p> <p>Want another entry? Go to my Facebook page and click the “Like” button: <a title="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Textile-Traveler/135028609925641" href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Textile-Traveler/135028609925641">https://www.facebook.com/pages/Textile-Traveler/135028609925641</a></p> <p>Want a THIRD chance to win? Visit my Etsy store and tell me, in a comment below, which item is your favorite (or, feel free to be honest if you don’t like ANY of the items! It’s all good): <a title="http://www.etsy.com/shop/TextileTraveler" href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/TextileTraveler">http://www.etsy.com/shop/TextileTraveler</a></p> <p>The drawing will be held first thing Wednesday, Dec. 21, so your entries must be submitted no later than midnight Tuesday, Dec. 20. </p> <p>Good luck, and Happy Holidays!</p> Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-90131000600380332032011-12-08T22:18:00.002-06:002011-12-08T22:20:35.546-06:00New JournalsI have been working SO hard to get ahead on the items for my Etsy shop that I haven’t had time to do any “fun” artsy stuff for myself. I think tomorrow is the day I’ll “play”--oh, who am I kidding, it’s all play :-).<br />
Here are a few of the journals I’ve created to put in the shop:<br />
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-c5PrnBUtlcM/TuGMDrS5PaI/AAAAAAAACog/-8mFV44FIMY/s1600-h/blackbirds1%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-NHs0l12bEYk/TuGMEDRuVnI/AAAAAAAACoo/0Aoi_SrDsQE/blackbirds1_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="" width="185" /></a> <br />
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9Xh_pgQe6PY/TuGMEjkxtPI/AAAAAAAACow/WppTGBvPdwk/s1600-h/runninggirl2%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-d8LsDWw1R_8/TuGME9ByTTI/AAAAAAAACo4/1qlPAtv5Vr4/runninggirl2_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="" width="190" /> </a><br />
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KMqw07ABk5g/TuGMFca4MmI/AAAAAAAACpA/beFdOVrjctM/s1600-h/street_graffiti_sketch%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="180" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-UvQly-nzYxE/TuGMFntafzI/AAAAAAAACpI/-OwKG-gCxY8/street_graffiti_sketch_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="" width="244" /></a> <br />
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The last one is actually a sketchbook that my son and I collaborated on. I created the spray-painted background, and my son “graffiti-ed” the fabric. <br />
Ok, back to work!Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-52653203971587210022011-12-06T14:12:00.002-06:002011-12-06T14:14:04.786-06:00Sweet! 16Ok, so I finally quilted something other than circles and stipples, thanks to my HQ Sweet 16. It’s SO much easier to focus on FMQing when you’re not wrestling the quilt around a domestic sewing-machine needle. Here’s the quilt (awful pic, I know; more on that later):<br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-agSoX5MsExc/Tt53Kk63UyI/AAAAAAAACm8/BuNpzzFMUpA/s1600-h/quilt_braided_cherry%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_UTXP0WaDIc/Tt53KzWGq4I/AAAAAAAACnE/FsEu7y4dCm8/quilt_braided_cherry_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="" width="166" /></a> <br />
And here are close-ups of the quilting:<br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Matzny7PYg8/Tt53Ler4bYI/AAAAAAAACnM/fI4NyOzAJxg/s1600-h/braided_cherry_closeup2%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="186" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-H-ZZeiP-SFg/Tt53MYrB7pI/AAAAAAAACnU/9Dd5w61cq9w/braided_cherry_closeup2_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="" width="244" /></a> <br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-wyi2gxVX2nQ/Tt53M3QkAsI/AAAAAAAACnc/XwjBoO8yIIU/s1600-h/braided_cherry_closeup3%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_4wtbBMNHl4/Tt53NJpfNFI/AAAAAAAACnk/rGYxc3J2n10/braided_cherry_closeup3_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="" width="244" /></a> <br />
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I did an all-over leaf pattern, with a flower pattern on the borders. It was fun (ok, yes, I’m a dork).<br />
I’m still having problems taking full-length pics of my quilts. I can get the close-ups to represent the colors just fine, but there are problems with lighting when I have to back up for the wider-angle pics. We’ve had rain in Central Texas (hallelujah! finally!) for the past few days, so no outdoor pics are possible. I’ll keep working on it, though.<br />
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Back to work now!Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-61206921672259724542011-12-02T11:49:00.000-06:002011-12-02T11:49:36.597-06:00Return to Etsy!I’ve been busy busy busy the last couple of weeks getting my Etsy store set up. As many of you know, I had <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/Dreamwork" target="_blank">an Etsy store called “Dreamwork”</a> before I got sick, but during my extended illness and recovery (almost 2 years!) I couldn’t deal with it so I shut it down.<br />
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Now I’ve reopened that shop with a few items, but I’ve also <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/TextileTraveler" target="_blank">opened a store under the “Textile Traveler” name</a>. This is my all-things fabric- and fiber-related store. Right now I have a few journals, a couple of baby (or lap) quilts, and a couple of pieces of hand-dyed fabric. I’ll be adding more items as time goes by.<br />
I’m thrilled that I’ve already sold 3 journals!<br />
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This scrappy journal is featured today; it’s got fun stitched papers made of recycled junk mail, scrapbooks papers, and other interesting things:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbRrJGsO1h-vFJgnv-hGuoebDuibl7wLb-otdHWrfQ1kIdkRvZ6_Qpz603y9g30pmtQacLxXVhdKlfi8mzor73s5-CnYF9fKv4mHuBX91XnDXvmtXcEbE2-fAdz-JGxRM7kSKNCCMRbITE/s1600/journal_rod_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbRrJGsO1h-vFJgnv-hGuoebDuibl7wLb-otdHWrfQ1kIdkRvZ6_Qpz603y9g30pmtQacLxXVhdKlfi8mzor73s5-CnYF9fKv4mHuBX91XnDXvmtXcEbE2-fAdz-JGxRM7kSKNCCMRbITE/s320/journal_rod_cover.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><br />
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I’d love any feedback you might have about the store or the items I’ve listed. Also, please follow me on Twitter (<a href="http://twitter.com/TextileTraveler">http://twitter.com/TextileTraveler</a>) and/or “Like” me on Facebook (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Textile-Traveler/135028609925641" title="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Textile-Traveler/135028609925641">https://www.facebook.com/pages/Textile-Traveler/135028609925641</a>).<br />
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Do you have an Etsy or other online store? I’d love to hear any tips you have or experiences you want to share. Please leave a comment and let me know how to find your store!Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-73633951760863606602011-11-22T08:50:00.002-06:002011-12-06T14:19:53.662-06:00Practice Makes . . . BetterA child’s quilt (but not a baby quilt, since the buttons could pose a choking hazard); the first thing I FMQed on my new Sweet Sixteen (woo hoo!):<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSRJiKYBsUoBnh0hQqDSIBgtsfMJBj22EfQRpf57MUuwc16HjJtNexFxeqtk9AmPslafOEft4sanK-QJdu51boDpXoPh6oYQD0o75n3Zpoyg5RbDHkptd7_qMXS4mL514ViUeKtpQ7AjWt/s1600/quilt_scrappy_button.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSRJiKYBsUoBnh0hQqDSIBgtsfMJBj22EfQRpf57MUuwc16HjJtNexFxeqtk9AmPslafOEft4sanK-QJdu51boDpXoPh6oYQD0o75n3Zpoyg5RbDHkptd7_qMXS4mL514ViUeKtpQ7AjWt/s320/quilt_scrappy_button.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRCnp9beAx2-evVHCmQ6PQObqFyHl7pedUiUv8f-yF3f9uuMM81yYhhESmA7ohRBnsurbji3BBLBb60Ljo0Bw5la5co0gUrQJ2CnwgXoS-FaJQLBUgPed__wGhQQQYBIhir9bWc_eFXeMY/s1600/quilt_scrappy_button1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRCnp9beAx2-evVHCmQ6PQObqFyHl7pedUiUv8f-yF3f9uuMM81yYhhESmA7ohRBnsurbji3BBLBb60Ljo0Bw5la5co0gUrQJ2CnwgXoS-FaJQLBUgPed__wGhQQQYBIhir9bWc_eFXeMY/s320/quilt_scrappy_button1.jpg" width="192" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLuPjzvQGatgMOQk1M9r6Bz2K_Suy7tjJH5ylcb9EnuJIl1fYuoFR9ZBxyDcN9GdcI0kIHHOxelIhIAK0_kMtyzcpvkntv11q_t0oJlgdp_qUdrdYoOL7WQjaOTh4eM7WhkjsrsypxAFs/s1600/quilt_scrappy_button4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLuPjzvQGatgMOQk1M9r6Bz2K_Suy7tjJH5ylcb9EnuJIl1fYuoFR9ZBxyDcN9GdcI0kIHHOxelIhIAK0_kMtyzcpvkntv11q_t0oJlgdp_qUdrdYoOL7WQjaOTh4eM7WhkjsrsypxAFs/s320/quilt_scrappy_button4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LRMSDCi47S0/Tsu2m6xADTI/AAAAAAAACmQ/1L6zT30HQ1c/s1600-h/scrappy%252520closeup%25255B2%25255D.jpg"></a> On to the next top that’s been waiting patiently for quilting. I’ll quit saying woo hoo! <strike>now</strike> soon.Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-38381437573098976392011-11-19T13:18:00.002-06:002011-11-19T13:19:16.352-06:00SWEET!<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-R2sQHBFzyaQ/TsgA6I7DQ6I/AAAAAAAAClg/XyixjMrSW2A/s1600-h/SweetSixteen%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="282" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-AiJgpggp8eM/TsgA6KUff_I/AAAAAAAAClo/3clrfZd0xPM/SweetSixteen_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px none; display: inline;" title="" width="352" /></a> <br />
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I just finished this scrappy quilt top; maybe it will be the first thing I FMQ! Woo hoo!<br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-d4cbbsj52mI/TsgA6jrdGTI/AAAAAAAAClw/Sa-oGOP9_aM/s1600-h/scappy_strips%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="305" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-lQpRUCzOwok/TsgA67TCKhI/AAAAAAAACl4/WoYjhZhCfGM/scappy_strips_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px none; display: inline;" title="" width="306" /></a>Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-57552721418303726702011-11-17T08:27:00.003-06:002011-11-17T08:34:10.287-06:00Reconfiguring the StudioThis is my small sewing space; as you can see by the packages at the bottom of the pic, I have to squeeze in a Sweet 16 mid-arm machine in a 36x30 ft. table:<br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-qaaNoI3ioco/TsUZ0LtCf_I/AAAAAAAACkQ/Nloxcsn57v4/s1600-h/studio_pre_HQ%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="152" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-c22PwmP2rqc/TsUZ0uoEMmI/AAAAAAAACkY/I2lO66T7x3c/studio_pre_HQ_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px none; display: inline;" title="" width="244" /></a> <br />
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I did have a little extra time to move everything around, since UPS managed to damage the table for my Sweet 16 and I have to wait for a new one. I can't imagine how that happened; even if they can't read "this side up," you would think the pointing arrows might give them a clue:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnSXewqpaQ0sHGXlpfROzHDXWP_w6rPM4aDumX1Trqdmurwg0_X6Ncvh6sz1O6BgWkw_c35AOzwdFZdijAOZrFZUzNZN5BWbnCyu1EqOiUIF6a6GV1mcqyvjJZPExtv4vN_3VZJ3inGWkz/s1600/damage9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnSXewqpaQ0sHGXlpfROzHDXWP_w6rPM4aDumX1Trqdmurwg0_X6Ncvh6sz1O6BgWkw_c35AOzwdFZdijAOZrFZUzNZN5BWbnCyu1EqOiUIF6a6GV1mcqyvjJZPExtv4vN_3VZJ3inGWkz/s320/damage9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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My stash is stored in the wooden armoire and some of the drawers of the chests; things like interfacing and fusible and spray baste and transfer paper are stored in the tall shelving unit on the right; and WIPs and scraps and miscellaneous “stuff” is stored on the wire shelves.<br />
So, I unloaded the wire shelves, moved them over to the left side (against the back side of the bookcases that face the tiny living room that’s left), added another wire shelving unit from another part of the house, and stacked all of my stash onto these units.<br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2v_7ccTSMAI/TsUZ08pvabI/AAAAAAAACkg/kh3yS1uYP3w/s1600-h/studio_fabric_shelves%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="196" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ZMh9Vnm_Reo/TsUZ1KysqQI/AAAAAAAACko/NjYvYCgTIPE/studio_fabric_shelves_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px none; display: inline;" title="" width="244" /></a> <br />
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That’s all my fabric! Everything! (Ok, except for fabrics other than cotton, such as silk, sheers, wool, etc.) It’s not as much as I would have imagined, and I was a little worried about my sweetie expressing shock at all the fabric I had accumulated. She glanced at it and said, “oh that looks nice.” Woo hoo! <br />
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THEN, I moved everything all the WIPs into drawers, all the interfacing, etc. into the armoire, and all the scraps into the scrap bins in the bottom of the armoire.<br />
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That leaves this space available for the Sweet 16 (once we carry that heavy tall shelving unit into another room):<br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-DTQ0hgcnTeQ/TsUZ1ddNRqI/AAAAAAAACkw/a_3DcjlvyWE/s1600-h/studio_space_SS%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pXzekSmbzSc/TsUZ18ixxYI/AAAAAAAACk4/ZQqqByxtSP0/studio_space_SS_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px none; display: inline;" title="" width="244" /></a> <br />
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And aside from getting my Sweet 16 (woo hoo #2!), the best part about fondling all that fabric—and getting it out in the open and right in front of me—inspires me to do lots of amazing things.<br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-LEwhaTn6iNw/TsUZ2FTyJaI/AAAAAAAAClA/uoOVn1xdHOc/s1600-h/studio_fabric%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="studio_fabric" border="0" height="148" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-icQyjs639h0/TsUZ2bnasgI/AAAAAAAAClI/XIor5Z_TD6Q/studio_fabric_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px none; display: inline;" title="studio_fabric" width="244" /></a> <br />
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Gotta go work!Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-5053995071580077552011-09-19T09:59:00.002-05:002011-09-19T10:51:14.040-05:00Sneak PeekJust a quick check-in to let you know I’m still here, and a sneak peak at something I’m working on . . .<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmMwBssj1VcV6EIM0HxAmLVne1GXTyGVzeNR4yifQ2RBivy7LoRApIQ8jX0yAXXIMwoyNpl2oDSnn38BKiUwlgNcyWCr8n5xoiDG6QqHqCtIE9mPWnMI4r8giNZdwGqM3y1eeGcO6yAD9m/s1600/thickened_dye_circles2_ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmMwBssj1VcV6EIM0HxAmLVne1GXTyGVzeNR4yifQ2RBivy7LoRApIQ8jX0yAXXIMwoyNpl2oDSnn38BKiUwlgNcyWCr8n5xoiDG6QqHqCtIE9mPWnMI4r8giNZdwGqM3y1eeGcO6yAD9m/s320/thickened_dye_circles2_ed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Have a great week!Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-56051399055053916442011-09-04T22:58:00.002-05:002011-09-04T23:00:07.306-05:00Moving ForwardLest you think I’m hiding away grieving for my old job, think again! I like to say I’m “examining my possibilities.” I really am, but it’s much more complicated than that. More on all that later.<br />
In the meantime, I’m getting around to some of those things I’ve been putting off for years, like airbrushing fabric. This is fun! I’m going to do more of it.<br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-F3SmUZUVWTI/TmRI7sTdCwI/AAAAAAAACi0/TODgxt9qK78/s1600-h/practice2%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="practice2" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-yozhD-95qw8/TmRI7x3JikI/AAAAAAAACi4/Kzea0mtUuZo/practice2_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px none; display: inline;" title="practice2" width="192" /></a> <br />
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Splotches are not fun, but learning to avoid things like that is all part of the process, right?<br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-sRze3oHod4E/TmRI8UDiZOI/AAAAAAAACi8/4GF0ADpJKmY/s1600-h/practice_multi_leaves2%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="practice_multi_leaves2" border="0" height="147" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mTg9Ryc9qcw/TmRI8np9uaI/AAAAAAAACjA/oAe-nllB6Nc/practice_multi_leaves2_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px none; display: inline;" title="practice_multi_leaves2" width="244" /></a> <br />
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Good news: Temperatures in Central Texas will finally be below 100 this week—maybe even in the upper 80s!<br />
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Bad news: The winds were furious today; combined with sparking wildfires that quickly spread across drought-ravaged areas. I’m thinking good thoughts for my friends, family, and neighbors throughout the area. Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-21187662961981484612011-08-19T23:24:00.005-05:002011-11-11T09:38:31.377-06:00A New BeginningToday was my last day at my “day job.” Like many who work in high tech, I was laid off. Actually, I was laid off twice: the first time was 8 years ago; I panicked, rushed into a job that wasn't right for me, and, and after a two-year stint in hell, came back to work for this one. I’ve been there this time for 6 years. I would have stayed, probably, for as long as they wanted me, just because that’s how I am. I’m easily bored with day-to-day activities, but at heart I’m a long-term gal.<br />
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I thought being laid off for the second time would be easier, but I was wrong. That sense of shame at losing one’s job runs deep in those of us who are optimistic romantics, who believe that if you work hard, life will treat you fairly and reward you accordingly.<br />
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This afternoon, I had a chance to review the projects I developed, pioneered, or worked on over the last 6 years as I gathered files together for my portfolio. I quickly realized two things: 1) I do some damned fine work; and 2) they were idiots to let me go.<br />
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I think it’s easy to forget our accomplishments, especially when it seems like no one sees or appreciates them. Often even <i>we</i> don’t recognize their value like we should. Perhaps our accomplishments, taken one at a time and spread out over months or years or decades, seem small or simple or incidental and routine, so they are easily forgotten, easily overlooked. When we pull them all together, though, those dull scraps suddenly become a colorful patchwork of value, a tangible reminder that we were (are) here in the world, engaged in living and working, even if no one--including ourselves--notices much.<br />
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Have you looked back over your accomplishments lately? Do you track your projects? keep a written or visual log or diary of your accomplishments? Even if you don’t, try flipping back through the photos you've taken of your work, the blog posts you've written describing it, the emails you sent announcing with pride and relief that you finally finished that project.<br />
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What do you see? What does the quilt of accomplishments that you’ve created over the last few months months or years or decades look like? Draw that quilt around yourself whenever you need a little psychic “hug.” And don’t forget to show it off; it never hurts to make sure others see and appreciate the value you offer.<br />
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As for me, I'm at the edge of the abyss, peering into the darkness to try to see where the path heads next. I'm going to go slowly so I don't trip over anything. I may need to stop and feel my way along frequently, and I'll probably rest often. And I'll carry my quilt along with me as a reminder that I'm capable of some damned fine work.Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-33870414011655635982011-08-13T18:26:00.003-05:002011-08-13T18:34:32.512-05:00Rose PetalsThanks to everyone for your kind comments about the Rose quilt that I blogged about yesterday: <a href="http://textiletraveler.blogspot.com/2011/08/roses-not-on-my-table.html" title="http://textiletraveler.blogspot.com/2011/08/roses-not-on-my-table.html">http://textiletraveler.blogspot.com/2011/08/roses-not-on-my-table.html</a><br />
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A couple of people asked this: how do you get the curved/wavy outside edges on the roses? Unfortunately, I didn’t take pics of the process as I went, so I’ve reconstructed the steps in (very primitive) drawings to try to illustrate the process. It’s harder to explain how I did it than to actually do it, btw.<br />
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As I mentioned in the previous post, I used a typical crazy-quilt type block. I started in the center with the pink or red fabric for the rose, then kept moving out until I switched to green and completed the block. At that point, I had a 5-sided “rose” that I wasn’t crazy about because the edges were straight:<br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-98nZrcywJUs/TkcIHzuFw3I/AAAAAAAACiU/RypqDAuYf4s/s1600-h/RoseBlockDrawing1%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="RoseBlockDrawing1" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-7jAeOkTy4qU/TkcIIFExn-I/AAAAAAAACiY/M0aDSyHpjp4/RoseBlockDrawing1_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px none; display: inline;" title="RoseBlockDrawing1" width="243" /></a> <br />
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To add a wavy edge to the rose, do the following:<br />
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1) With the block right side up, lay a piece of “rose-colored” fabric right-side-down against the block, along one edge of the rose<br />
2) Stitch the fabric down to the block along the straight edge of the rose<br />
3) Flip the stitched-down fabric back and press <br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-sxIAeLOh7Fc/TkcIIaLZTmI/AAAAAAAACic/4TWFhGFp6Q8/s1600-h/RoseBlockDrawing2%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="RoseBlockDrawing2" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-e1ypzXhLHSE/TkcIIvPrCMI/AAAAAAAACig/TA-fWE_-4Pk/RoseBlockDrawing2_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px none; display: inline;" title="RoseBlockDrawing2" width="229" /></a> <br />
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4) Trim the stitched-down fabric so that’s wavy.<br />
5) Sew the next piece of rose-colored fabric down along the next edge, flip, and press<br />
6) Continue to add pieces to each of the 5 sides of the rose<br />
<ol></ol><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5aSrmrGw5_I/TkcIIy6O13I/AAAAAAAACik/raAPhA9IQJE/s1600-h/RoseBlockDrawing3%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="RoseBlockDrawing3" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-PzfC8vS8T4o/TkcIJcL0qQI/AAAAAAAACio/Q0Rt5OekL8M/RoseBlockDrawing3_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px none; display: inline;" title="RoseBlockDrawing3" width="226" /></a> <br />
<ol></ol>7) Once all the rose-colored pieces have been stitched down, pressed open, and trimmed, sew the edges down to the block with matching thread. I used a zig-zag stitch.<br />
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pslO1i2ccuc/TkcIJsKtc9I/AAAAAAAACis/W2zoavj1JI0/s1600-h/RoseBlockDrawing4%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="RoseBlockDrawing4" border="0" height="243" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-JOX7gu2Dd1w/TkcIJ5gqxMI/AAAAAAAACiw/6iJax4Y5Uwc/RoseBlockDrawing4_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px none; display: inline;" title="RoseBlockDrawing4" width="244" /></a> <br />
<ol></ol>I hope that helps! There’s probably a simpler way to do this, but this method worked for me :-)Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496999021082416438.post-58856390255851071672011-08-12T02:54:00.002-05:002011-08-12T02:57:40.893-05:00Roses (Not) on My TableA while back there was a discussion on the Quiltart list about using scraps to make quilts. I’m a compulsive scrap saver, and sometimes when I’m too nervous to cut into that gorgeous fabric I bought, or when I’m not really sure what kind of quilt I want to make, it’s easier for me to start playing around with stitching scraps together. <br />
These blocks were made in crazy-quilt fashion. I initially moved right from the red & pink of the roses into the green, but the flowers looked too blocky. I ended up stitching another layer of pink or red to the edge of each flower, then flipping it open, trimming it into a curvy shape, and stitching down the edges. I like the softer, curvy edge of the flowers better than the original “crazy-quilt” block.<br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-l-NVXe2l5Io/TkTcPzsYVTI/AAAAAAAACh8/NRA4deEuVCA/s1600-h/rose_block%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="rose_block" border="0" height="243" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-uzFJY5Gnnqk/TkTcQaMwONI/AAAAAAAACiA/CKhUteC0Z5U/rose_block_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px none; display: inline;" title="rose_block" width="244" /></a> <br />
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I quilted each block as I went, then put them together using <a href="http://www.sewwequilt.com/2011/03/quilt-as-you-go-qayg.html" target="_blank">Fiona’s Quilt as You Go</a> (QAYG) tutorial. I love putting quilts together this way, because I don’t have to wrestle a large one under the needle of my small machine, but I’m still having some problems with the stitching. My walking foot a,nd feed dogs don’t really “grip” the multiple layers of fabric well and move them through the machine at an even rate, so any of the stitching that shows can look very uneven. I had a lot of this bad stitching showing on the back, and unfortunately it was white thread against a pink background, so I ended up painting the thread to match the fabric. You can still see the stitching, but you have to look more closely now :-)<br />
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-maaxzFmd7IA/TkTcQrRQYtI/AAAAAAAACiE/-wsLVe1BbvA/s1600-h/finished_quilt%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="finished_quilt" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--nUF5Jhn2bc/TkTcRGNvahI/AAAAAAAACiI/4SdCcuseqXI/finished_quilt_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px none; display: inline;" title="finished_quilt" width="185" /></a> <br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-rOvy_qbSyl4/TkTcRXL2pII/AAAAAAAACiM/MwnjF5VjXIk/s1600-h/finished_quilt3%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="finished_quilt3" border="0" height="159" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-3lW4cjgpJgY/TkTcRhHreqI/AAAAAAAACiQ/vBacEbQHLlg/finished_quilt3_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px none; display: inline;" title="finished_quilt3" width="244" /></a> <br />
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Not bad for a bunch of scraps, dont’cha think?Michele/TextileTravelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13358754619610633763noreply@blogger.com8