Quilt As You Go, Simply Done

Simply Done

Marguerita

Finishing Up

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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 🙂

Great Visits

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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

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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

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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!

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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 :)

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Crovette Quilt 1I love quilt stories and Judy sent me hers:

Corvette Quilt 3

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 :)

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Me in AZHi 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!

Teach Crazy Shortcut Quilt Classes in Your Town!

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I really want to share our success with you, Crazy Shortcut quilters who enjoy making these quilts, and who would enjoy teaching this method in classes at your local quilt shops, community schools, sewing centers, guilds or privately.

I invite you to teach Crazy Shortcut Quilting! I’ve spent a major portion of the spring and summer taping video and writing a 45 page eBook about everything Sarah and I do when we are teaching and I’ve put it all together on one DVD and YOU are the first to have a chance to buy it, start teaching it in your town and make a little extra fabric money along the way 🙂

I want YOU to enjoy the same success that Sarah and I have enjoyed, and the thrill of teaching and helping others learn to quilt.

I am going about this in my own way too. This is not a professional “studio” taping – it’s done in my quilting studio and I am the writer, video camera operator, editor and packager and for that reason I can keep the price very reasonable – which is a major goal of mine. You can recoup the cost of the Teaching Kit and STILL make money in your very first class and every class thereafter is all YOUR money! There are no monthly membership fees, no licensing fees and no secret handshake.

There is, however, exclusive membership in my Teacher’s Group for each person who buys a Kit. This group is only for Crazy Shortcut Quilting Teachers and in it I will do every single thing I can to help you enjoy teaching success. You will have first access to all new designs, patterns and private videos showing how we make the patterns up and teach the process. If you have ever thought about teaching quilting, join me and I’ll hold your hand and help you all the way.

If you are already a quilting teacher and would like to add a super popular quilt class to your repertoire – buy the kit now and get it on your calendar asap!

If you are a quilt shop owner, you are going to love this Teaching Kit! Give it to your staff and let them take turns teaching it!

Sewing and Quilting Resources

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Hi Quilters,

I received a comment by Cindy of Sew Happy Designs and Nettie and I had to share my reply with you because of how excited I am about it all.

You know that I have just fallen head over heals in love with video (yes, I am a terrible show off!) and being stuck in the sticks of Alaska is part of the reason why. I just don’t get to teach enough; I don’t get out much, hehehehe 🙂

So, Cindy and Nettie asked about teaching sewing and video resources. Well, recently I have found myself collecting old sewing machines. I put them on the kitchen table and say lovey-dovey things to them while cleaning them and imagining who owned them before and picturing the garments and projects these wonderful old machines have sewn.

Then one day I had a brainstorm! But first, a confession. This is not my only blog/website/posting place. I post stuff at Squidoo, Instructables, YouTube and on another couple of sites called Quilt News and Quilting Videos. Each of these places is *very* different from the other and each has it’s own “internet flavor”. I love them all!

So, the brainstorm was this: how can I get other people to love these old sewing machines like I do? And get them to understand how valuable they are for learning to sew? I thought about it a lot, and then started writing. I knew that a lot of quilters read my blog and many of us love these old machines, so I didn’t think what I had to say was really noteworthy to you, as a post on my blog. I wanted to post it where it was really useful information, not just “what I’m doing today” so I went with Instructables. With 14,940 hits in just two weeks I can say that I definitely caught some attention. YAY!!

While I was writing and researching my piece for Instructables, I found Pam Cortese and her videos on YouTube – which are the most valuable ones I’ve ever found! I just love them! They were in a jumble all over YouTube and so I put them in order and put each series she made on its own page: a series of 5 videos about how sewing machines work and what all the controls mean and another series about how to clean and maintain them. I also have a page there about tips I’ve learned about making videos.

I am sort of on the beginning of a quest. I’ve been working on a project all summer and I’ve been thinking so much about how we all help each other and how rewarding it feels to do that. I want to do more about teaching young people who have never had the chance to learn to sew – – teaching them how to use a machine and get started. If you have ideas to share, resources, anything at all that you think would help in that goal I would sure love to hear it.

Cindy also asked about CASA, the program that Sarah and I support with our quilting. We have our favorite charities, and charity:water gets my money (as does the United Way & Salvation Army) and CASA gets my quilts. Cindy works with CASA in her state!! I just love making a connection with a quilter because with each and every one there is a feeling of “this is meant to be”. I just love it! 🙂