Finding Fun!

Approximately TWO SECONDS after arriving home from Peru, I decided to cut up some flannel for a new quilt. 

(Aaannndddd, through the magic of television . . . a finished quilt!)
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Came home with a bronchial affliction that caused constant coughing (which is as exhausting as it sounds). In reality, it took a couple of weeks between piecing and finishing this project.

Here's what it looked like in progress:

Looks kinda ugly here - just had to trust my choices and keep going.
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I quilted the bottom portion of the quilt with a pantograph and custom quilted the top portion to give the characters some charm.

Looks much better in natural light!
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Once I recovered enough to quilt, I was so behind schedule! I loaded and basted a custom project, but was trying to "hurry", which is absolutely the best way to kill creativity. I wasn't feeling the usual "flow", so I stopped and took it off the frame again. 

Sometimes a person has to calm down and take the pressure off in order to proceed, so I shifted the custom quilt forward in my calendar. It means my client will have to wait a bit longer, but I feel certain she'll be happier with the result. Sometimes ya just have to do these things.

Meanwhile, I've enjoyed humming along with some pantographs. For me, quilting pantographs is a form of moving meditation - such good therapy!

Fresh off the Frame

Client quilt - modern twist panto
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client quilt - modern twist panto
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client quilt - bountiful feathers panto
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client quilt, machine bound and completely finished - lounge lizards panto
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client quilt - drunken feathers panto
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With a few client deadlines met, I can now go back and focus my attention on that custom beauty!

And in my Spare Time . . . (ha!)

I had this crazy idea that I'd get more fun things done if I had to squeeze them into my calendar, so I made a bunch of (both paid and unpaid) quilt-y commitments. Maybe it's working?

• Took a "four day weekend" to do some visiting and shopping in Edmonton. {Definitely fun!}
  Also picked up this needle felting machine - because I need another obsession!
  
  

  

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• Threw some Q of V Hug blocks at the design wall to find a balanced layout ("frames" will be used to calm things down and add visual impact.) {also fun!}

Planning in progress
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• Pulled thread through this small quilt sandwich. Repeatedly. {more fun!}
  It's an experiment in texture that will eventually become a zipper bag like this one.
  
  I forgot to take a "before" shot of this portion of the project, but came to my senses and grabbed one of the remainder. The whole point is to notice and compare. Must remember to take the dang photos!

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• Sorted and documented a handful of quilts I'll longarm for Quilts of Valour - have to write things down or I lose track. {similar to work, but actually kinda fun!}
  
  
• Finding my legs as Canadian Quilters' Association's new Northern Alberta Rep.
  Not that I needed another thing to do - BUT - if we want the benefit of organizations, we have to volunteer! {not fun yet, but it will have it's moments, I'm positive!}
  
  
• Prepping needle felting workshops for Fashion Studies teachers (as part of their ongoing Professional Development goals). {work-fun!}
  
  

Look at all that fun! 

Good thing I'm a night owl. I get lots of fun stuff done after my husband hits the hay!

Try, Learn, & Grow!

Carole