Sneak Quilt Inspection!

I only turned my head for a minute!

Alternations

I decided the beads were too " regular" so they are gone - I like the sequins but someone please remind me that I don't ever want to do a large sequin project - those people who sew on sequins are nuts - its too much work - I am not talking about the kind on a spool that you attach with a cording foot - I'm talking about the gorgeous sequins from http://www.ccartwright.com/ (sorry I had the wrong URL) they take friggin forever to sew on - the look wonderful but it would be easier/faster and less frustrating to do the entire thing in beads - and I'm not even going to consider doing that - the good news is this has become apparent before I commit to doing the entire body in sequins - I think I have just decided that my new stash of ultrasuede and some of the fancy fabrics I have might be better for my sanity~ I am totally undecided about what to do for a binding - any suggestions? Right now I'm leaning towards fused binding but I might go nuts and do lame! hahaha

Rising from the ashes

I have been home from work all week with the flu - normally being sick would suck but... It especially sucks because I am trying to make sure I am well enough to have a sinus operation on Mar 1, so I'm fully well and healed in time to travel in April. I know I'm getting better, but this damn thing is traveling around my body - sinus headache (no neti pot for me thanks), throat that feels like I'm gargling with glass, coughing up a lung and today's treat is nose which is acting like a broken hose. Deeep sigh through my mouth ! Anyway, Thursday night I decided that since Pandora was in the mail, that I needed a project to start - something that would be finished faster than the 2 years she took. I am involved in a swap with 4 people and we are doing an element block swap. I have fire and decided to do a phoenix. I drew out my design and on Friday I blew it up to 200% - My plan for the large quilt will be to make it as a single piece and then cut it apart - so that everyone gets a sample of the bird (light meat and dark)! After getting the design blown up - I thought - the small original image looked pretty good and was only 12" and there is that SPUN show which has a deadline of NEXT Friday and shit - that's a whole week away and its only 12" - how long could that take right?

So, I hope to rise from the ashes of this damn thing and find some new wings... Sounds like a goal I could live with!

WINTER in CT!

See for yourself!

Truly, Truly (no really) done

I have beaded for the last 2 days, upclose it looks great - of course it doesn't' photograph very well, but here are some photos of the beading -I hope they are worth all the trouble - I guess it will depend on how the lighting is. Sigh... Tomorrow she starts her journey - NJ here she comes!

Do you think Tom will notice?

Do you think he will realize this is right in front of the TV? I brought the free-standing frame home to try and take some photos today. Pandora now drags on the floor when I have her hanging on the design wall, so I wanted to see her hanging up. The light was pretty good and these are not photos shot with tripods and special lighting - they are just for me (and you). Both are clickable - One is a distance shot to show the size, and the other shows just how interested the dog is on being a quilt inspector - unlike the cat who must sit on top of everything and inspect each thread and bead!

Beads, beads, beads... Just the beginning!

Both of these images are clickable. The stuff coming out of the box are blue/green AB colored beads. The beading actually is quite a bit faster than I thought it would be! And this is a good thing! The photo on the right shows the Diamonds and buttons - I'm still stunned that these buttons cost so much, but I have 2 more that I am keeping in case I need to put them in the middle of the side diamond-shape or at the top and bottom. I'm happy with the way they looked - I just can't believe they charge that much money for a cord-wrapped hunk of plastic!

Pandora Needs To Pack!

Starting her travel at NJ Quilt Fest - she will be heading off next week, to her debut at the Mancuso Show. WHOO HOO! Of course this gives me a few days to add some finishing touches. So over the weekend I finish sewing the binding and sleeve to the back - and my fingers still ache - what was I thinking using a teeny tiny beading needle? Oh well its done and I am happy to have this chore behind me! The rhinestones were totally uncooperative. The self-glue would not attach itself to the quilt top, and even using Fabri-Tac didn't work - I let the stones dry on a sample overnight, but they easily plucked off the next morning. I'm guessing between the layers of tulle and Angelina - there just isn't anything stable to grab onto. I decided to add some beading where I would have added the rhinestones. I have number 6 and 8 sizes and think this should go pretty quickly - all things being relative! I guess I could try and do this with size 11 - well I'm not that nuts! I went out on Sunday and bought some buttons - OUCH - $15 each for a cording covered plastic base! But they look very good, if I do say so myself, and lets face it - I DO! I'll post some photos tomorrow of the buttons.