Quilt As You Go, Simply Done

Simply Done

Marguerita

“You Are What You Keep”

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I have been staring at that statement ever since I read it in one of my online quilting groups a few weeks ago. It was posted as part of an “Eliminate 2010 things in 2010” challenge from another group.

I have been on a quest to reduce my possessions for twenty years. That makes me sound like I own one of everything in the world, or am a total hoarder (well, I might be) but really all it means is that I am triply conscious of what I buy and why I buy it, and what I have and how long I’ve had it and if I’ll ever use it again.

Marguerita kayaking in Prince William Sound, Alaska

I think this mindset really started when I gave up kayaking about fifteen years ago. I loved my kayaks more than any possession I’ve ever had. But, I had stopped kayaking. The kids were getting older and were into things like being driven to events and all my friends had already been out kayaking with me at least once, and I’d kayaked all the places I had wanted to go. So, they sat for a couple of years while I slowly changed my priorities and how I spent my time, and then, because I loved my boats, I sold them to people who would use and love them instead of letting them deteriorate and take up space in my life.


Ever since that day it’s been easier and easier to look at “things” and say “don’t need it, let’s put it in the hands of someone who does”.


I do that now with my quilts, fabrics, books, magazines, clothes, and anything else of even the slightest value and everything I remove makes me feel like I’ve just lost about 5 pounds. I feel lighter, freer, more altruistic, happier and less stressed by my surroundings.

Eye Candy & Inspiration

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Quilters, I am not sure what you call it, but when I find a blog that makes me just scroll up and down, over and over, discovering something new, exciting and beautiful, I call that “eye candy”.

This blog is in Spanish, and was brought to my attention by my new friend Rita, who emailed me to tell me how much she likes my videos 🙂

Please check out Twinkle Patchwork if you are looking for something new, or just want a “pretty things” show. If you want to read it, and have Google translate the Spanish to English, consider downloading the Google Translator Toolbar – I love it and use it to help me communicate in several languages because I get comments on my videos from all over the world! Or, you can use this translation page to draft a message and then translate it to another language, which I sometimes do.

Either way, enjoy the site and if you like, comment and say “Hola” to Rita and that Marguerita sent you 😉

Cursed Fabric

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Sarah, my daughter, and I both make quilts. Lots of quilts. But, we seem to take turns – sort of. As she was packing her things to go back home this weekend, after staying overnight with us, she pushed the box of fabrics at me and then reached to take them back. We both laughed, but then things got serious.

“Are you keeping them?” she asked.

“No, you take them. Don’t you have something to make with them?” I asked back.

“No, but you never use them!” she said.

“Well…… I could make some thing if you leave them here………” was my reply.

“Who ever has this box never makes a quilt!” We both blurted out at the same time, and then laughed nervously, because we both suddenly realized it was true.

When she’s making quilt after quilt, updating her blog and Facebook with pictures of projects, I seem to be tied up with other (non-quilting) projects and all my fabrics are haphazardly stashed in bins and boxes.

When I’m head down and working, testing designs, fabrics and layouts, I can’t even get her to LOOK at a quilt with me. She’s busy with her daughter, her husband, her friends or all three and life in general. We NEVER work on quilts at the same time, and each one give the other one a hard time about it. There’s lots of snide remarks, mumbled comments and sticking out of tongues. Fabric snatching from the other person’s stash has been known to happen, as well as accusations of missing project pieces.

Maybe someday we will work on quilts together, but I am guessing not anytime soon. Meanwhile I have the cursed fabrics. That means she better get to quilting. 🙂

Project Linus Fundraiser – A Crazy Shortcut Quilt

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Karen contacted me to let me know that her group was having a raffle for a group-made Crazy Shortcut Quilt! Here’s her note:

We make items for a raffle and members buy tickets throughout the year with the prizes being awarded at the luncheon. The six of us on the luncheon committee got together and made one of your Crazy Shortcut Quilts. It was not only easy but it was a wonderfully fun group project. I’ve attached a picture of our raffle quilt and you can also read more about the luncheon and our chapter in our newsletter at:
Project Linus Chicago – Spring-Summer News

Vote for Vanessa!

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Quilters, you might have noticed that I am loving making videos and putting them on YouTube. I also *watch* a lot of videos there – in fact, when I want to figure out how to do something, like use a piece of software or cook something, well the first place I go now is YouTube.

Oprah Winfrey is doing a talent search and a gal that I’ve watched on YouTube is trying to get her own quilting show. Her name is Vanessa and you can see her “pitch” here.

If you like what you see, please give her a vote. I personally would LOVE to see some new, young, fresh representative of quilting on national TV and this gal just crush’s it! Go Vanessa Go!

Cleaning Up and Cutting Scraps

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I am a fabricaholic.

There. I said it.

I can’t throw away a single piece of fabric and I’ve been known to dive into the quilt room waste basket of others to retrieve perfectly good fabric!

I now have about 3 of these big bins of scraps. The trimmings of every Crazy Shortcut Quilt I’ve ever made including all the ones from the book, plus all the scraps from every other quilt I’ve ever made too.

I did a big clean up and reorganization this spring because I’ll be moving in the fall. Winter and I don’t like each other anymore and I’m headed for warmer climes in a few months.

That means, for me, “clean it up, use it up, or give it up” – including the scrap bin. So, I am trimming off the useable fabrics from my “trimmings” bin (and we won’t get into what I think is useable – hehehehehe). I want to make a few of those long draft stoppers and I’ll use the tiny bits of batting to stuff them with. Maybe I’ll make a stuffed animal or two for Audrey. 🙂

Bold and Bright Crazy Shortcut Quilt

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Judy in British Columbia, Canada, sent me pics of this quilt she made for her sister. I just LOVE those colors! Here’s her note:

She chose these fabrics….I know she will love it! I had so much fun doing this and can hardly wait to get back to the one I started months ago. I promise I won’t leave a Crazy Shortcut Quilt left undone again!

Have a great day,
Judy

Hehehehehe! I have succeeded in converting another quilter to “quilt as you go”!

For her sister's birthday