Trash N Borders; Contemporary ArtQuilts

C an someone PLEASE tell me why doing borders is so bloody exhausting .. seriously .. by the time I’m done them, I feel like I’ve been pulled and shoved thru the ringer at the same time!! They are the easiest part of the quilt to do for the most part .. straight line sewing (well straight-ish 😉 but seriously! You’d think that putting all the itty bitty pieces that we do together would be ‘harder’ or more work .. pfft I just don’t get it

Oh what brings this on you’re wondering?? I spent yesterday and last nite doing the clues for my mystery .. it’s all ready to go .. I am having the list owner do a quick mock up so if I really ooboo’d on the fabric calculations, only her and I get dinged .. altho I cut my material from what I wrote soooo .. I think it’s going to be okay .. It’ll be getting tested during this week and I’ll be running this with daily clues starting Oct 13 for 5 days with the weekend being used for catch up on the clues 😀 😀 It’s a small wallhanging, so it’ll make up super quick ..

I showed it to Reg this AM when he got up and he goes “I LIKE that .. I REALLY like that” coo!! He generally likes what i do and tells me one way or the other, but you can always tell when they really like it 😉

So with this being done (finally), I can start to concentrate on other things .. There’s my Rhododendron wc wallhanging, Gran’s quilt, my quilt, our 1800 quilt to quilt and September’s abstract piece .. This month’s concept is “moon and stars” .. I’ve had a few ideas skitter across my brain, and will take pencil to paper to sketch them out to see if they still appeal to me . Maybe I can get finished stuff up on my walls instead of blocks and bits n pieces of stuff 🙂

In the June / July issue of quilting arts, there was an article on using your thread trash .. you know, the mangled stuff that you get off fabric when you wash it no matter what you do. Well Connie Fahrion wrote an article how she uses thread trash in her art quilts. She uses thread trash to create texture and add depth – and you would never know what she used if she didn’t tell you .. awesome stuff. Heh .. I’ve saved a bit of thread trash and haven’t thought much about it until now .. So I’ve got an idea percolating in the back of my head about using thread trash for my September piece. We’ll just have to see how it goes .. I got some lighter colours in there so those will work well with the moon and stars ..

While putting together my mystery quilt, I have been working on the borders for my hopscotch quilt .. I cut the pieces out for this at the same time, so this is moving along at least .. I won’t break any land speed records, but as long as it’s being worked on .. I’m content .. and while I’m doing this, I’m thinking about Gran’s borders .. i might do a piano key border for hers or just make up some crumbs and make them into borders 🙂 .. we’ll have to see what way the spirit moves me on this one.

I picked this book up today .. this book is more for collectors of art quilts. There’s no how-to’s, patterns etc .. but it is packed with gorgeous pictures, whole huge sections on some artists. This is a great book for inspiration and will definitely get my creative juices flowing.

From the publisher’s site

A lavish portfolio of exquisite quilts, with a guide for collectors
“The book exudes a conservative and distinguished spirit, offers impeccable print quality, and is crammed with information for quilters and their cultural community;
thus it merits inclusion in any quilt library!” —Textile Forum

“In quiltmaker/author Kate Lenkowsky’s ‘Contemporary Quilt Art,’ she educates readers with remarkable verbal and visual dexterity; she alters our perception of quilts, converting us to the religion of quilts as art. It is a revelatory experience. . . . The accompanying vivid color photographs of the artists’ quilts is enough by itself to make you want to own this publication: Each photograph vibrates with crispness and saturated color. Indiana University Press deserves praise for what it has put together.” —Deseret News

Well I’m off .. my eyes keep roving over to the thread trash

But first .. a prayer for safety for all that are in Ike’s path ..

“Oh my God, by the power of Your Most Holy Spirit, I beg You, cover Your people with the Precious Blood of Jesus, Your Son, thus keeping us safe from the hideous snares of Satan and all his followers. Protect us from all evil in these days of sins darkness.
We seek protection for our families, our children; safety in storms and from Your wrath Dearest Father. Shelter us in the palm of Your hand and save our homes from all storms.
Keep us close to Your Heart. Mark us with Your Sign sealing us to You forever thus assuring Your children of Your Fatherly protection as the tribulation increases and our chastisements quickly approaches.
We love You and consecrate ourselves to You as we wait in faith and trust with hope in our hearts. Thank You, Beloved Father, Son and Holy Spirit, our One Triune God, for Your constant Mercy and unfathomable Love for us, Your unworthy, humble servants.” AMEN