"Anything Worth Doing... Borders"

Becky's Judy Niemeyer Double Wedding Ring

Dorothy's 30/s Stars

  When I was a kid, I heard this phrase,  "Anything worth doing, is worth doing well!"  That idea was so ingrained in me that I have a lot of trouble with perfectionism.  Not all bad, but there is one area where I tend to fall short of meeting that standard...Borders!
  My attention span tends to be pretty short.  When I start a new project, I almost always dream of great things when it comes to planning my borders.  I think about chasing geese, applique, fancy block designs...oh, yes, I have beautiful plans.  Guess what happens?  By the time I get to the end of making my quilt, I want to be DONE!  All my grandiose schemes usually are for naught, and I end up either slapping on the traditional "stop" border plus one or two wider borders, depending on how big I want my quilt, or (GASP) lately, I have been throwing my binding on and calling it a day.  My quilts are definitely lackluster in the border department.
  I have been inspired of late by some of my customer quilts.  My cousin Becky brought me the beautiful double wedding ring, and I had so much fun quilting it for her!  Imagine that quilt without the applique border...it would have been pretty, but that border sent it right over the top in to "drop dead" gorgeousness!  It took her a long time to applique the border, but it was so worth it!  Don't you agree?  Another customer brought me this fun little string quilt made out of 30's prints.  I love the setting, but, again, the border is what truly "makes" the quilt.  If Dot had just done the Sandi method and slapped on a couple of borders, her quilt wouldn't be the stunner that it is.
  Here's a thought...maybe for my next quilt, I should make the borders first!  I will let you know how it goes!

The Great Quilting Race

Judy Niemeyer's Golden Harvest

Judy Niemeyer's One 

S,O.B.--Slap on borders.  This quilt is a piece of yardage that I loved and didn't want to cut up with a stop border and an outer border added.  Easy and pretty!

     When did quilting become such a "race to the finish"?  Quilting has a long and colorful history.  For most of that history, it was an art form that was rather slow and laborious.  Cutting pieces with scissors and templates, hand piecing, hand quilting...these are not quick methods!  Technology has afforded us the ability to create a quilt in a fraction of the time it took our fore-mothers (and perhaps forefathers).    That isn't a bad thing, right? 

  I have been thinking quite a bit lately about the trend toward what I like to call, "Wham, Bam, Thank you Ma'am Quilting."  Why are we in such a hurry?  What is the goal of my quilting?  Am I just in a hurry to get something done so that I can stack it in the closet along with dozens of other, easy quilts?  Where is the satisfaction in creating something special?  I would argue that in our race to the finish line, we have lost some of the joy in the process of creating.

  Now, I am not talking about the baby quilts, shower gifts, quick Christmas gifts for family, etc.  I get that most of those need to be inexpensive, simple, and quick to produce.  There is a time and place for those types of quilts.  I am talking about our projects in general.  Are they all simple and quick patterns?  Is our main focus to get them done quickly so that we can start a new project?  Once the top is finished, how are they going to be quilted.  Are you hand-quilting, machine quilting with a simple all over design, asking someone else to quilt your quilt "as cheaply as possible", or paying a longarmer like me to really make your quilt special with custom quilting?  

  So, that brings me to this question:  Where is your joy in quilting?  Is your joy in getting done quickly, or in the process?   Is your joy in piling up more and more easy quilts that, frankly, a novice quilter could produce?  Is your joy in choosing the fabrics, making your points match up, building a difficult pattern, block by block?

  More and more, I am realizing that the quilts I truly admire, the ones that I see at shows and think, "Wow, I could maybe do that if I had a couple of years to spend on it."---those are the quilts that I want to start making.  I don't want more and more easy quilts.  I want some quilts that really say, "Wow!"  I like to believe that my quilting elevates simple quilts to something above "mediocre" but the bottom line is that they are still simple patterns.  I need to challenge myself to try new things, work on projects that I know are going to take awhile to complete, take classes with teachers who can elevate my skill level, and enjoy the process of creating something truly special.  To that end, I took a Judy Niemeyer paper piecing class this spring.  It is a technique that I understood at a very fundamental level, but had never really done.  My quilt is not finished.  That's okay.  Someday, when it is...it is going to be a "Wow"!

Just Saying "No"--the Fine Art of Achieving Balance

 

My latest finished quilt--Radiating Star

A customer quilt that I finished last week.

A customer quilt for a teenager's fair project

  So, here's the thing...life gets hectic.  Even when you quit your full time teaching job to pursue, shall we say a "less stressful" workload by starting your own longarm quilting business, before you know it your calendar is jammed full.  At least mine is.  How did it happen?  I am asking myself the same thing.  All I know is this:  looking ahead at my calendar for the next two months, I don't have a Saturday free until October 2, and even that is iffy.  Then, not another one until November 2.  This is a problem, and a blessing.  How can it be both?

   Well, when I started my business almost 6 years ago, I was substitute teaching part-time, and working as an administrative assistant part-time to make enough money to supplement the quilting thing.  I was quilting 5 or 6 customer quilts per month. Gradually, I stopped subbing.  I cut back from 4 days a week at my administrative assistant job to 3, then 2, and finally 1.  Eventually, I took the leap and went full-time on my longarm.  I've never been without enough work to keep the bills paid and food on the table.  My workload has remained in a steady upward trajectory for the past 5 years.  It is truly a blessing to work at home in my pj's doing something that I really enjoy.  It is a blessing to be able to take time to help my mom at the quilt shop, to keep my grand-babies for a few days now and then, and to have time to teach, speak, and do trunk shows.  These are all good things.  However, when the schedule begins to run me, rather than me running the schedule, I have to wonder, "Where can I cut back?"  Immediate answer...nowhere!  Long term, though, I really need to learn to say "no" a bit more often.  My problem is that I just love teaching a class, even if I only have a couple of students.  I love travelling to Kearney several times a month to help my mom at her shop.  I love getting to events like Quilt Nebraska to fellowship with others of like interests.  Hmmmm...well, maybe saying "no" more often will have to be on my "to do" list for next year :)

Quilt Nebraska 2015

  Each year in July the Nebraska State Quilt Guild holds their annual Quilt Nebraska convention.  The location moves around the state, but the dates are always the last full weekend in July.  Convention starts on Thursday with Quilt History Day and opening receptions, and then continues through Friday and Saturday with lots of classes, lectures, and banquets with speakers each night.  The winning raffle ticket for the raffle quilt from the year before is drawn, and the new raffle quilt is revealed.  A small quilt show featuring quilts from the participating teachers and the year's challenge quilts, along with a vending mall, is available not only to participants in the convention, but also to the public.  All in all, it is loads of fun and there is always something going on.
  Part of the fun of convention is seeing and hanging out with friends and acquaintances from around the state who share a genuine love of the art of quilting.  The variety of styles, tastes, skill levels, and preferences is mind-boggling!  Those that plan the convention always do a good job of providing a wide variety of classes in an attempt to appeal to the many interests of those that attend.
  This year in Norfolk, I had the privilege of teaching a class at Quilt Nebraska 2015!  I had to send in a proposal for a class and then waited to be accepted or rejected as one of the regional teachers.  The conventions always bring in several national teachers from around the country and then fill in the rest of the schedule with regional teachers.  I was accepted and taught a "make and take" type class with my original design for "My Nebraska" wall quilt.  As those of you that follow my blog know, I had designed the center for the AMB solids blog tour sponsored by Clothworks last spring.  After the blog tour was over, I wanted to extend the size of my original 6 x 9 inch design and added a row of chasing flying geese to represent the many migrating birds that cross our state every year.
  I had 13 eager ladies sign up for my class, and they each made a great start on their wall quilt.  In a three hour class, they were able to completely finish the center of the quilt, and hopefully went home with enough knowledge to finish their little project at home.  I had a blast doing it!  I do quite a bit of teaching, but teaching at Quilt Nebraska felt like a real honor.  I may just apply to do it again in the future!
  Next year, the convention is being held in Lincoln at the Cornhusker Hotel.  I, for one, will be there with bells on!

It's Row by Row Time!

  As a former high school teacher, my year was governed by:  1st semester, Christmas vacation, 2nd semester, and summer break.  In fact, if you count all the years that I was a student myself, my life was governed by those terms for 35 years!  Often, I still find myself thinking of the year in that way.

  Nowadays, though, I am more likely to think in terms of "graduation quilts," "wedding quilts,"  "Christmas gift quilts,"  NIFS Spring Shop Hop, and now the annual Row by Row Experience.

These times of year determine my professional schedule and, I am tentative to admit, my vacation plans!  I have already been scheming to figure out how I can get my husband, who is extremely busy with construction season, to take me on a trip before September 8 so that I can collect some rows from out of state.

  As I ponder my plans, a light shines on me, and hubby says:  "I need to go to Kansas City for training on August 4.  Do you want to come along and we can make a weekend of it to celebrate our anniversary on August 2?"  DO I???  Now, the question is:  how many quilt shops in the Kansas City area are participating in the Row by Row, and how many can I legitimately get to in a three day period:)  The best way to figure that out is to explore the website, check for cute rows on Facebook, use my trusty atlas and GoogleMaps, and formulate  my plan.

  Last year, we went to Paducah, KY via Hamilton, Hannibal, and St. Louis, MO so that I could pick up rows.  With only 35 states participating last year, we covered a lost of territory that was "row free."  This year...all 50 states are playing!!!  If you are traveling ANYWHERE this summer, you can find rows kits, license plates, and free patterns.  The pictures on this page are of the row that I designed for the Quilters Cottage in Kearney, NE.  I made the row so that it can be made either vertically or horizontally.  On Facebook, all you have to do it type in the name of the state followed by rowbyrowexperience and you can see pictures of many of the available rows and where to find them in that state.  Genius!!!

  If you haven't yet begun, there's still plenty of time!  So, get out there and experience the fun of collecting rows for your own personal travel memento!

It's Retreat Time Again!

 

My 30's block for the drawing at our retreat this year.

So, the time has come for a yearly retreat with friends from our area and from Iowa.  This group was begun through Facebook by our common friend, Anna, and we try to get together once a year for a retreat.  Last year, we met in Creston, IA.  That was my first "overnight" retreat, and it was so much fun!   This year the retreat it being held in Kearney, NE.  We are so excited about having 40 women descend upon us for a four day quilt-fest!  I have only been to a few retreats, but I know the first time I went, I was completely clueless as to what goes on and what to bring.  I thought I might share my experience here:
  What to bring:
1. Sewing machine with feet, all cords, bobbins, and other notions.
2. Extension cord and/or power strip.
3. Personal iron and ironing surface, if desired.  Usually, those hosting the retreat provide two or three ironing stations for everyone to share.
4.  Personal cutting mat, rotary cutter, etc.  Again, sometimes there is a station set up for cutting, but I always bring my own cutting supplies.
5.  Snacks for yourself and to share with others.
6.  Drinks for yourself-the retreat location this year is providing us with water and tea.  They will also have other drinks available for sale.
7.  Extra lighting, such as an Ott light, if you think you may need it.

Other tips:
1.  Wear comfortable clothes!  This is the time for yoga pants, comfy shirts, and flip flops!  I would always bring a sweater, just in case it is too chilly in the room, but wear a short sleeved light weight shirt underneath, just in case it is too hot.  In a room of 40 women...somebody is going to be too hot or too cold!  Same idea for shoes--you may want some fluffy socks along.
2.  Bring at least three projects to work on.  You may finish faster than you think.  You may get bored.  I even bring handwork, just in case I get tired of sewing on my machine and want to sit and visit.
3.  Don't be so task oriented that you miss out on the social aspect of the retreat!  I am notorious for doing this...and, in the past, I have missed out on getting to know the others attending the retreat.  Walk around and see what others are working on.  Introduce yourself to those that you haven't met.
4.  Take time to get up and walk around for at least 5 to 10 minutes every hour.  Your body will thank you!  The retreat location this year is within a block of the Quilters Cottage in Kearney, so you can easily walk over to stretch your legs and see what's going on over there!

What goes on:
1.  Fun, fun, fun!
2.  An opportunity to see all kinds of tastes in fabrics and lots of different projects for inspiration.
3.  Demos--this year there is one on Thursday night, a trunk show and demo on Friday night at the Quilters Cottage, and a demo on Saturday night.
4.Fabric exchanges--we bring  10" squares with an assigned theme or color to exchange with everyone else.  Last year we did black and yellow.  The goal is to make a quilt with the squares and bring it to the retreat the next year for show and tell.  Our colors this year are teal and lavender.
5.  Block exchange-we each bring a 12 inch block, put our names in a hat, and the winner goes home with all the blocks!  Our theme last year was "Kansas Troubles" and this year it is "30's prints"--I hope I win!
5.  Flexibility of schedules--come and go as you please.  Go to the quilt store to do some shopping, go out to lunch and supper with others, stay and work away through meals, go back to your hotel to get a nap...you are away from home and the usual responsibilities!  Enjoy yourself!

On a more personal level...I always bring way more than I could possibly finish!  My attention span is pretty short, so I bring 5 or 6 projects to work on.  Some people bring one thing to work on for the entire time, planning to finish it at retreat.  Each to her own!

Here are some pics of the things I have been working on lately, and that I will bring to continue at retreat.  I am teaching classes on all three projects this summer, and giving a demo on Friday night using the Quick Curves Ruler from Sew Kind of Wonderful.

Metro Rings

Metro Medallion

Urban Candy

In addition to these projects, I have a hexi stack and whack, and an heirloom linens applique quilt that I hope to work on enough to make it worth bringing them!  I am so excited---Can't wait to see everyone!

April Activities

  April has been super busy!  I helped my mom with the annual NIFS Shop Hop which lasted from April 9 through the 19th.  In preparation for that event, I designed a pattern for our shop quilt and called it "Follow the Dots."  Our friend and super sample sewer Nancy sewed my pattern into the really fun solids quilt, and I custom quilted it in time to display it for our "hoppers"--Then, I decided to modify the pattern slightly, and use some of  the Shop Hop fabric, to create the black, gray, and Nebraska version.  I love both versions, and, actually, this pattern is so much fun that I have decided to self-publish and sell it now that the hop is over.  I create patterns for kits at the shop quite often, and I have decided that I should start making a little money from my creativity!  So, Lone Tree Designs is officially venturing into pattern sales:)
  A while ago, we had a Calendar club at the shop where we made these great little wall hangings.  I made all 12, but never got around to quilting and finishing them.  It seemed like a good month to finish small projects, so I quilted 8 of these babies so far this month!  I sew binding by machine on most projects of this type, and thus far, I have bound 5 of them.  My sewing room door is outfitted with a special ordered quilt hanger just the right size for these wall quilts, and I am looking forward to hanging one each month to brighten my hallway.  Even though these are small, it feels great to be finished!  I am continuing with our facebook group goal of working on and/or finishing a project each month.  This year, I have finished lots of projects and can't wait to look back at the end of the year at my list and breathe a long sigh of happiness that I accomplished so much!

Nebraska Shop Hop Around the Corner

  Every year when the weather begins to turn nicer, quilters all over Nebraska are thinking one thing: ROAD TRIP!  Each spring, the N.I.F.S. organization (N.I.F.S. stands for Nebraska Independent Fabric Shops, by the way) sponsors a statewide Shop Hop.  The member shops meet together several times a year to discuss and plan so that quilters will have an enjoyable experience.  Each year a theme is chosen, with much deliberation and discussion, and after the theme comes bag selection, dates, fabric choices, and lots of other details.  After the final pre-hop meeting in February where everyone picks up their bags and final details are ironed out, shop owners and their employees get busy getting ready for the excitement of the hop.  By the time April comes, all the shops are ready for the arrival of their guests.
  This year, the theme is "Follow the Dots to Fun"--personally, I think it is one of the more fun themes that we have had to work with.  Participating shops have been hard at work creating projects to show off "dotty" fabrics, or that follow a "dotty" theme.  Each shop is required to hand out a free pattern for their project to the 'hoppers' that come through their doors.  In addition to the free pattern, some shops get together and create projects with components found at several different shops.  All shops have "skinny bolts" on sale, and many even provide snacks for the "hoppers"!
  The bags this year are a super fun burlap with either white or black polka dots.  They have a lining, a zipper, and even an internal pocket. In addition, they come with a fun 2015 Shop Hop button, and (wait for it...) each shop will give a small pin to the "hoppers" to add to their bags.  The more shops visited, the more pins collected, the more fun the bags become!  Not only that, as is always the case, the bags have maps, stamp cards, and are good for discounts at the shops on every 5th Saturday throughout the coming year.  All that fun for only $15!  
  The N.I.F.S. shops are ready and excited to see you all April 9th through April 19th, 2015.  Shops do follow extended hours on Thursdays through Saturdays, and are open on both Sundays this year.
  To keep up with all the current information, check out the facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/NebraskaShopHop?fref=ts

Judy Niemeyer Paper Piecing Class

  Recently I had the pleasure of taking a paper piecing class with certified Judy Niemeyer instructor, Catherine Erickson.  My entire experience with paper piecing prior to the class was making a heart-shaped block for a sampler quilt, and doing some crazy quilt paper pieced mini blocks.  I had previously found the process a bit of a mystery, but have always wanted to do a Judy Niemeyer pattern.  If you aren't familiar with her work, please click on the following link to go to her website and be absolutely amazed at the variety and beauty of the things that she, and her son Bradley, have designed:  http://www.quiltworx.com/   As you may know, or can tell after visiting the website, these patterns look super intimidating and more than a little bit scary (at least to me!).
  We had decided to do a four day class at the quilt shop, beginning with a cutting day on Thursday, two sewing and instruction days for a pattern called Golden Harvest on Friday and Saturday, and then, for the true die-hards, an optional class on a leaf pattern called One on Sunday.  I learned a lot! The first thing I learned was that four days may be a little too long for me:)  More importantly, though, I learned that paper piecing the Judy Niemeyer way is not all that scary!  Happy Day!  The cutting was a bit hairy because everyone had chosen fabrics to go in different places than they were on the pattern, which, when you have 16 people taking a class can create a bit of chaos.  However, once everyone got into the groove, the cutting happened and we were all ready to go by Friday morning.  We started class bright and early, and Catherine walked us through one section of the pattern at a time.  Since there really is no way to finish a quilt of that type in two days, it was very important to pull units demonstrating each technique so that we would learn everything we needed to know in order to go home and finish.  For a linear thinker, such as myself, that was a little bit frustrating.  I like to work on one thing until it is finished, and then go on to the next thing.  However, I totally understand why it had to be taught in that manner, and now I feel comfortable enough with all the techniques that I know I can finish my gorgeous project on my own.  In fact, I am so comfortable with the methods that we learned, that I have already chosen and purchased my next Judy Niemeyer pattern, and can't wait to get started on it!  I have vowed to finish this one first, though.  Stay tuned for the finished product---I can't wait to see how it turns out!  In my next post, I will talk about auditioning and choosing the fabrics for my outer borders on this quilt.  Spoiler alert---the fabrics that I chose originally did not work at all, and had to be thrown into the stash for another day!

Practice Makes "Perfect" ?

  This is what I am thinking lately...why does machine quilting have to be so darn perfect?  Granted the work done by people like Judi Madsen and Margaret Solomon Gunn (and countless others) is fun to look at and is quite amazing.  However, it is just not practical in the real world for the average machine quilter who is trying to make a living through quilting.  Even Judi Madsen says in her book that there is no money in custom quilting.  It takes weeks for these artists to create their magic.  They plan and plan, then mark the quilt with chalk and disappearing markers so that every line and every circle is exactly perfect.  The end results are amazing...but, again, unrealistic for most of us.  The problem that I am struggling with is that because of the proliferation of quilting magazines, Pinterest, and internet programs, one could assume that every quilt should be treated to this "perfect" finish.
  I am confident that I can, given enough time and the desire to do so, create some pretty impressive quilting.  The problem is, no one wants to pay for that.  It takes so many hours to mark and execute such intricate designs that it is cost-prohibitive for the average customer.  Instead, I like to do what I call "perfectly imperfect" quilting.  I sometimes use rulers.  I sometimes use stencils to draw a few elements on a quilt top.  I do some very pretty free-motion feathers.  My quilting is not perfect.  I don't have a computer that I can program to do the exact same pattern back and forth across the quilt top.  I can't program my machine to quilt the exact same pattern inside of each block.  It's just not what I do.  Instead, I like to improvise, listen to the quilt and what it is telling me that it wants, and do what I feel will enhance the quilt without taking weeks to finish.  For the vast majority of quilts, "perfectly imperfect" is just right for finishing the quilt in a reasonable manner.  Free-motion custom work does make a quilt special, even if it isn't exactly "perfect."
  There are so many machine quilters out there.  Some do strictly pantographs by laser light.  Some use a computer to do pantographs across the quilt top.  Some do free-motion custom work,  Some do computerized custom work.  I say...each to his or her own.  For me, "perfectly imperfect" is just what my quilts need!

A Stash by any Other Name...

  The quilters stash...a place of mystery for most non-quilters!  Every quilter worth their salt has what is commonly called a "stash."  The word itself basically means something that you hide away and plan to come back to get later.  Its a pretty good description and an accurate name-for most quilters.  For me, though, its isn't quite right.  I think of my stash more as a "collection."
  You see, I do have a stash, but it is pretty small by most quilters standards.  I very rarely buy fabric simply because I like it.  If I do, I LOVE it!  It is a piece that I simply can't see myself doing without.  Here's my problem, I very rarely come back and use it later!  It just sits in a container waiting for a magical "someday" that doesn't come.  Hence, the word...collection.  A collection by definition is something that you buy just for the love of it, and it really isn't expected to do anything or be used for anything else.  Accurate, in my case.  How about yours?
  What I do, instead of building a stash, is I buy "projects."  If I find a fabric that I like in the quilt shop, I think to myself, "what would I do with this?"  If I don't know, which is usually the case, I look for a pattern right then and there to use that fabric.  Then, I go ahead and buy whatever I need to go with it while I have the focus piece in my hand.  I bring the project home, put it into a clear container, and place it on open book shelves in my sewing room.  That way, I am ready to make a project when I have time to work on it.  Its kind of like making my own kits for myself.  If I end up changing my mind or run into something unexpected I will dig through my "collection" for a little help.
  I generally do not make scrap quilts.  That's why this system works for me.  In fact, once a year, I give away most of my scraps and start the new year over with empty containers.  My method definitely would not work for those out there that love to make scrappy quilts.  I know that first hand from the times that I have tried to buy everything I needed to make a scrappy quilt!  I ended up with way more than I needed for one quilt.   Those occasions are where a stash would come in handy. Generally, my method works well for me, saves space, and probably saves me money in the long run. If you aren't a scrappy quilt person...you should try it:)

Starting the New Year Right!

Christmas with my two favorite people!

  So,  I have never really been much of a "resolutions" girl.  Resolutions are made to be broken...there, I said it.  You all know it's true.  How many long-term, tough to keep, resolutions have you kept?  If the answer is more than "none,"  I am impressed!  In lieu of resolutions, I like to think about the year that's gone by, and the year to come, and make a few goals for myself.
  On a personal level, there is the always made (and never followed) goal to lose weight; the obligatory "try to be a better person" type goals; and recently discovered "downsize" urges have led to the goal to take one pair of shoes "out" every time I bring a new pair of shoes "in."  I must admit, this last one has led to me buying a lot fewer new pairs of shoes because I like most of my old ones!  I have found that a specific goal such as, "Smile and make contact with people I don't know at quilt guild" is much more likely to be followed than the general "make new friends at guild"-type goals.
  Following that idea, I found last year that setting specific projects to work on each month led to my most productive year ever, when it comes to quilting anyway.  My Facebook friends had started this idea a few years ago where at the beginning of the year, they labeled 12 projects with numbers 1-12.  Each month, one of the members of the group posts a randomly drawn number, and that is the specific focus for that month.  There are no project police that will come to your house if you don't do it, but just knowing that I made the commitment seems to motivate me.  There is no pressure to even finish the project but just a goal to work on it and make some progress.   We then post pictures of our progress at some point during the month.  It is so much fun!  If you aren't a member of a Facebook quilting group, I highly recommend finding a small one.  The groups that literally have thousands of members really aren't great for this type of thing.  If you don't have a group, you should start one! Invite me!  I would be glad to join you:)
  Happy New Year, and Happy Quilting!