This and That

As the title suggests...I have several little things in this post, very much unrelated!  That is sort of how my pea-brain works some days.  It's been a blur of 2 weeks, with more snowy days than not. Today we once again got 4-5"!

If you are interested how silly I look and sound, here is a clip of a Quilt Alliance video that was done in Houston last October.  I am describing my 2014 quilt "Springtime in the Geisha's Garden".  I kinda wish they'd posted the hearing impaired/subtitled version!

Today was Block that Quilt day here. I need to get the binding machined onto this quilt next week at the latest, so there was no more delaying.  I did presoak the fabrics so I wasn't really expecting any bleeder surprises.  Nevertheless, blocking is time consuming and no fun.  It is cold, especially when you are handling a wet quilt!  Here's my play-by-play...

...the trimmed quilt, awaiting the bath.

...OK, clearly the first order of business was removing the filth from my big bathtub.  Nobody should have a screen in their tub during blocking (but it did need removing from the window to rid the roof of snow!).

I draw a tub of cold water.  Cold limits the bleeding if it is to happen.  If it is summer, I use ice too, but in February, trust me -- that water is frigid!

 I ill-timed the blocking because I happen to have all of my show quilts home right now (and they usually lay on the foam-core boards that I block on!).  Should have, intended to have done this last month, and didn't!  So...my studio is littered with no less than 9 show quilts laying about on every horizontal surface!  Good thing I don't need the tables immediately because I am still up to my eyeballs with Jackie's quilt.

 If you are curious about my blocking process, subscribe to Machine Quilting Unlimited magazine.  I have an article on this very topic in one of the summer magazines!

Here is the wet and managed beast, all pinned and squared onto my boards, drying.   Sure will be glad when this is done!

 In my spare (choke!...like I really have spare time) time, I am contemplating a new quilt using this lovely aqua gradient.  It's not my typical palate, but I am intrigued about doing a blue and white quilt, with lots of applique (that's the part I want to start on...soon as that binding is done).

Next week I must ready 1 quilt for AQS Lancaster, and 2 for Mid-Atlantic.  The next round of shows is right around the corner!

Just to prove I have been hard at work on this Neimeyer quilt for Ms Jackie, here are a couple more peeks.  I can't wait to see it off of the frame!

 There is so much dense quilting, and so little space to get really creative with sub-designs.  I am doing my best with the limited space and time.  Golly I need this done in a couple of days!!

Next time, I promise...Ladies of the Sea.