Saturday, September 6, 2014

Happy Blog Birthday to Me!

One year ago (plus a couple days), I started my blog (here) with a post about driving out to Sioux City for S's birthday. Well, last Saturday I did it again, with no Greta-made clothes in hand, but (even better) with longtime friends and admirers of S., Bob and Franny. (I love the colors in this photo.)


Then, on Monday, I drove with my husband out to eastern Iowa and bought this, and he set it up in our living room!


That's right, I now own a long-arm quilting machine. My quilting blog is 1 year old. And this is post #50. And I just turned 50. So, a big "Happy Blog Birthday" to me. Welcome to middle age! Let's make it a quilty season of life!

Perhaps that's why I've been so frustrated with this darned crazy quilt I've been piecing. I have two other quilts to machine quilt, but irrationally, I want to quilt this one first. It's inspired by this amazing decorator fabric that I bought on ebay at a ridiculous bargain, $3 a yard or so (yes, this was during my supposed "fabric fast"--oops!). So many colors and so much fabulous artsi-ness.


The inspiration was mixed up with a dream in which I gave three books to an unidentifiable friend's three children, but she gave them back to me because the inside binding was covered in tire tracks. Something needing resolution. When, in the early stages of creation, I sensed beauty in the offing, lo and behold I discovered I'd been using this fabric:


That was a "high." After many downers and hours of painstaking revision, here is what I came up with. As a 36" x 36" centerpiece, it's okay; it will do; it's not hideous. I'm going to slap a big wide border on it and call it a day.


Actually, it's not that simple. I've had a very specific idea of what kind of border I want on it all along, and it looks something like this:


Who can explain these irrational mandates? I sure can't. I just can't wait to use my big machine!

1 comment:

  1. There are a lot of Birthdays and they all sound, look happy! Congrats on everything...you proud owner of a longarm machine!! I like your crazy quilt and especially how you want your border to be. It looks like it will go perfectly...though I cannot explain the irrational mandates. Keep the posts coming friend. It's always a joy to read you.

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