Friday, March 30, 2012

Baby It's Cold Outside!!

Brrrr It's cold out there again.... Mother Nature is reminding us Mid-Michiganers that it is still March and after all it is Michigan!!!   Hummm let's see if I can insert a picture here........

 This is the view outside the window while it was sleeting ....oh joy freezing rain!!!!! NOT!!!

YEAH!!!! Doing the Happy Dance!!!! I did it!!!   Ummm okay ......... nobody saw that right?

Sooooo anyways.... I've been playing with "Charlie" my 1916 "Redeye" Singer sewing machine. 
And I sat down to work on one of my mini challenge quilts from my smallquilttalk.com yahoo group with author Kathy Tracy.  Feb's pattern was "Broken Dishes" with the option of embroidery for the center block.  I got to the point of rehearsing border fabrics.

My points aren't exactly the best but this is the first real workout on a machine that have a simple straight stitch, no reverse and no guide lines.... but I kind of like it. 

Once the top is completed I'll hand quilt it.  Oh yeah that center... was plain bright white muslin.... until I toyed with a little tea-dyeing.  I can't decide if I should have let it go for a little longer in the tea.

So as you can see I have been keeping busy today.  But I would like to hear what you think.  Too busy? Too Old-fashion? If you saw something like this for sale, would it grab your attention?  Or is soooooo ugly that the best thing I could do is throw in the back for the closet saving the world from ever seeing it? 

Toodles,
Tricia


Saturday, March 24, 2012

Hummmmm.... thinking with my coffee today

Helloooooooooo out there!!!!!
Well I'm still in the learning stage here but I have been thinking to myself as I'm sitting with my coffee trying to wake up the brain cells from their sluggish state of being.

One of the things I was wondering about ....What happens if I discover on this little techie journey that I'm undertaking that I Really don't have much to say?  I'm mean does anyone really want to hear the rattle of a couple of brain cells when they accidentally collide?  It's like playing with marbles, sometimes they hit but most the time they pass each other and figuratively giving the each other dirty looks.  LOL. 
Sometimes the planets line up just enough for me to play with the creative side of the brain while I'm quilting. It's not like  I'm  some special or famous quilter;  I'm just some stay-at-home 40 year old lady who is trying to self learn how to quilt ..... and oh yeah how to become a new blogger.

So I'm thinking maybe I'll  ramble on a little bit on what I'm doing.  At the beginning of the year, I decided that I would actually get serious about quilting. I started to learn about quilting somewheres of 5 years ago when I moved out to Pennsylvania.  I even got as far as joining a quilters guild. Man what an experience that ended up been!!!! First off, I was the youngest member of the group by a minimum of 10 years but so much closer to 20. I was also the least experienced quilter.  I'm mean here I am putting out my membership fees, for the privilege of been snubbed, treated like an outcast... which okay I admit.... I'm from Michigan to begin with introvert tendencies....but REALLY!!!!  They accepted my then boyfriend with open arms!!! But then Eddie always did have a way with the ladies regardless of age. So any hows ..... I did what I did best.........plied them ladies with FOOD!  I love to cook.... the bigger the crowd the happier I am.  Besides everyone needs to eat something in a 4 hour gathering...... so that opens a few friendlier faces. But sad to say I left that guild with a bad taste in my mouth and struggled along in frustration. 

Now after Eddie's death from Brain Cancer in Jan.'09, two moves later; I'm back in Mid-Michigan to stay.  Hence the reason I'm taking up quilting again.  Unfortunately there are things that hinder this process.... things like bills must be paid first and quilting is an extra.  Bummer!! 

But I'm learning that quilters are actually really friendly people in spite of what happened with the guild.  I have joined in some yahoo groups and I've actually had some wonderful ladies show me how generous quilters are by sending me little care packages in the mail of scraps, fat quarters,  and other things to start a newbie out. I have even gotten a few books and patterns to help me along. I was shocked!!! But I have to say I'm willing to adopt any one's scrap that might be heading for the recycle bin anytime, any place, any way...LOL.  They very much have a "pay it forward" philosophy when it comes to the next group of newbie quilters coming along in the ranks.  Thank Goodness for these wonderful ladies and the oh-so-positive vibes that comes with it.  Someday I too will be able to do the same for an up and coming newbie. 

Wow ..... just went back to read this over and thought....okay maybe I do have something to say after all.  At least for today that is.  

But Now I'm going to you ... my readers out there help me along with a question or even 2. 

As a new blogger....I think to know if you would like to hear only about my quilting or what ever bits of thinking that might bump together in a fashionable sentence ~ be what they may be?

What is your goal for the year?  Quilty or other wise?

I look forward to reading your thoughts and comments so please feel free to tell me the good, bad and ugly.
Toodles for Now,
Tricia

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Starting out....this is a test.

Well this evening I thought I would  try to join the many bloggers out there in the world.  I'm not sure where this might go but I'm willing to give it a try.  I'm sure for the most part I will seemingly be rambling on about my quilting experiences as they come along.  I'm kind of a confident beginner who for the most part is self-learning as I go along. I hope that I have something worth sharing as I fumble about for a while.  So I'll try and think of something and learn how to post photos too.
Toodles,
Tricia