Awesome Amy!

My friend Amy has posted another beautiful Crazy Shortcut Quilt on her blog. Take a peek!

Your Way

I just watched a video of a quilter who insisted a quilting technique is bad and wrong and doesn’t make any sense.

BLEH. This “video quilt show wanna-be” has been quilting for just a couple of years, at best. I’ve been machine quilting, teaching, professionally quilting and been published for fifteen years – and I teach the technique that she disparages.

I sure wish the world were less filled with people who insist that their way is the only way and that everyone else is wrong.

I hope that you do things YOUR way and I know that I will be happy as I continue to do things MY way.

Finishing Up

I spent some time sorting out fabrics and unfinished projects this morning. The unfinished projects pile is now larger than my “stash” pile of fabrics. That’s good about the fabrics, but now the projects are nagging me. I am a member of the “Stashbusters” group on Yahoo and every day I read about the quilters who are successfully using their stash of fabrics. It has been good for me to be a member of that group – the messages are very inspirational and motivational

But, they talk a lot too about finishing up projects. The acronyms used just crack me up! PIGS (projects in grocery bags); WHIMMS (Works I have in my mind); and so many more. Believe me, I have lots of those too.

I had never collected enough fabric to open a shop, like some of the quilters I know, but I had collected more than I want to be saddled with and it’s time to use them up. I still have lots of “Whimms” that I want to make, but like so many other quilters, I am making a vow: Finish one (or two) before starting something new. Oh, and stay off eBay for a while (wish me luck on that, it probably won’t happen

Meet Wendy….

…and her Crazy Shortcut Quilt

I love those colors, they remind me of spring. I love how she says her backing reminds her of watermelon!

Great Visits

I had some fun this morning, surfing the Quilt Designer’s Blog ring and I would like to share a few posts that I just loved. My friend Margaret has a post on smiles, I just love every single thing on Valerie’s Blog; I fell in love with Susan Pennoyer’s Heart Strings Pocket Purse; the beautiful pieced backing on Kate Conklin’s blog; I want Nancy Rink’s new quilt “Something New, Something Blue“; every time I visit Gudrun’s Blog I drool over her layout, designs and quilts; I love Anita’s Lone Star and the story behind it and I was totally cheered up on a dark morning by reading and looking at Ty Agle’s journal and paintings.

Christmas Songs

My friend Denise, who lives in Hawaii, sent this video link. It’s just wonderful and the singer has a superb voice. I love the dual language version! Do you have a favorite Christmas song on YouTube? Would you post a link to it in the comments? I love listening to different languages and new interpretations and I hope you do too

Here’s one of my absolute favorites, Jose Feliciano, singing Feliz Navidad, but look at the comments on YouTube - you have to go to YouTube and see what people are posting!

Really Great Inspiration

I love reading Seth Godin and so of course I downloaded his (free!) new ebook as soon as I could. It’s called What Matters Now.

Since I am sharing things I love, this video really speaks to me. It is on TED and it is William Kamkwamba talking about how he Harnessed The Wind. I want to do what he has done.

Meanwhile, I am quilting away, writing and thinking of new projects I can create for Crazy Shortcut Quilters; helping a few friends with their blogs (do you need help? Just email me….) and of course, taking videos! I hope to have another ready for you soon. Meanwhile, I put one up about the adjustment of Pressure on the sewing machine Presser foot. What a tongue twister!!

Audio Books!

I am having such a surprisingly good time listening to books. I never thought that I would enjoy this and that’s why I’ve taken so long to try this just because I was sure that I wouldn’t like it. Ahhhh, I admit that I was wrong

My local library card lets me download a surprising number of excellent books and I’ve been listening to them while sewing and quilting. I either let them play on the computer speakers or I download them from the computer to a little tiny MP3 player that I had actually bought for another purpose.

After figuring out how to connect to the Library, then downloading the right software to be able to listen to books, and decoding the compu-speak that talked about security but really meant that Microsoft (as usual) wouldn’t let their update pass through my browser (Firefox) {Bleh!!!} I finally started listening to a book that I was desperate to “hear” after reading two others by the same author. I didn’t even want to wait the few days it would take to buy the book online.

After listening for a while, I realized that I couldn’t just sit there and listen (in front of the computer) so I dragged the exercise bike closer to the computer and actually worked out for a while!

Then I needed to leave for a while but didn’t want to give up my book! So I searched out my little MP3 player and connected it to the computer, dreading another “this software doesn’t work” battle but WHOOOHOOOO! Guess what! The computer said “…it looks like you want to transfer your audio files to your player…” and I shot out of my chair in surprise and happiness!

I have been walking around town, sewing, quilting and shoveling snow, all while listening to book after book! HEAVEN!

T-Shirt Quilts and more :)

I love quilt stories and Judy sent me hers:

Here are pictures of the two quilts I made using your quilting method with tee shirts that club members gave me. The two pictures with the yellow corvette in the center is the one Bob won and we donated to the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY. The other is also made by your method and won by a club member. I made these two quilts an three afghans, which we raffled off at our club picnic. We raised $245. that day and Bob, husband, added another $5. The club matched the money and we donated $500. to our local Ronald McDonald House in Danville, PA. Your method worked very well for this project and everyone loved the quilts. If you happen to get to Bowling Green and stop at the museum, I hope they have it displayed somewhere for you to see. If we ever get to Alaska, we’ll look you up! I’d love to meet you and your videos are great too by the way. Judy

I also added two quilts to the Gallery – one from Jan and one from Jennifer and both just gorgeous!

Oklahoma and Arizona quilters, some questions for you :)

Hi Quilters, I have been on a whirlwind trip for the past 3 weeks and I am looking for some help! First, I have a quilter who wants to take a Crazy Shortcut Quilts Class in northwest Oklahoma. I am looking for shops info, classes, teachers, anyone with info that I can share with this quilter to help her out – -can you help? Do you know anyone in that area who has made a Crazy Shortcut Quilt or who is teaching the class nearby?

Second, after 31 years of living in Alaska, I am ready to throw in the (frozen) towel. Traveling to Arizona and then coming back to the beginning of winter in Alaska was my tipping point. I am ready for change. I would LOVE to hear from quilters in the northwest of Arizona or southeast Nevada area. This would be a major life change for me and I’d love to chat with anyone else who has made that transition!

Next Page »