Some of my favorite quilts hanging on the walls.

Fewer quilts but thousands of photos taken this year. The sunsets have been glorious, the water never bluer and the sky, a big WOW. Getting out almost every evening has helped. I am excited to finish a couple of quilts before the end of July. No, they're not the only UFO's (unfinished objects) but all in due time.

Wall Hanging

Machine Embroidery Designs  

Love the border fabric so much. Should have bought the whole bolt.

Stack and Whack

All 80 Blocks

I couldn't stop stitching because it was so much fun.

Hangs in the Living Room.

This is "Our Moonbean Quilt." Art would wake me in the middle of the night and catch a moonbeam bouncing off the quilt hanging on the wall. One of the last times he was in his bed (not the hospital bed) he caught a moonbeam and we held it together. That, my friends, is a very special memory. The quilt is machine stitched and I quilted it on a long arm quilting machine at my LQS. I did, however, hand stitch the sashiko designs. It still hangs on my bedroom wall.

Bow Ties in Motion

Hangs in one of our favorite rooms, the Garden Room. You got it, four windows with a view of the garden. The ties are not stitched down. We thought it needed a little more motion and decided on the dancers in the black squares. I machine embroidered with gold metallic thread. Not one breakage which was a miracle.

OK, you talked me into one of my almost favorite 

After sunsets, June 17, 2015.

There was no color at sunset but this happened afterwards. 

Lesson to be learned is the "afterglow" or "bluehour" comes later.

People were actually giddy and stopping their cars and talking to me. I was the only photographer on this street. Neighbors came out to talk and Mickey dog enjoyed all the attention. 

A glorious gift from God!

This was taken within walking distance and in "My Neck of the Woods."

I call in the "Sun Star."

Keep on Quilting y'all and take a few shots.

Would love to see them.

Quilts and Photography; a blend of two worlds

Perhaps an explanation is in order. The last five months have been very quiet in my quilty world. Yes, the passion is still there, however I needed to get out and explore. That doesn’t mean the whole world but my home territory. Isn’t it amazing how we live in an area and our day to day stuff keeps us from seeing the beauty that surrounds us? Well, no more! A decision was made that outside I must go at least once a day.

Let me back up. When I was about 10 years old my Christmas present was a Kodak (?) camera. Yes, a camera just for me. I grew up with that camera and it went away to college with me.  Then on my 21^st birthday a real live Kodak 35mm was given to me by my aunt and uncle. Can you imagine the world that was opened? I carried it to every beach, family and friends gathering, etc. I loaned it to someone and it was stolen on a beach in Mexico. I grieved over my camera because it was like a death in a foreign land.

A few years went by and the rectangle thingies hit the market. Convenient, yes, but not something on a daily basis.

Then the Pentax K1000 entered my life to ease the trauma of putting my son on a plane going to Purdue University in Indiana. A mother has to do what a mother has to do……perhaps more lens would help. It did. We lived on Vashon Island for 23 years and oh how I loved our water and mountain views of the west side passage. Of course Mt. Rainier felt the shutter almost daily until my daughter told me that we lived on the Rock and no more pictures were needed. We’re still talking about a camera that uses film. Did that stop me? Not on your life because that’s all I knew.

Life changed as we knew it when the digital point and shoots hit the market. Yes, of course I had several and still do but it didn’t calm the flutter of the shutter desire of my heart. There is no comparison over grieving over a camera stolen on a beach and a husband of 40 years. By the time I had been a widow for 14 months I purchased a Canon with a couple of lens. Not an easy decision. My son has shot with Nikon since he took a photography class in summer school in elementary school in California. (Oops, we’re transplants from CA, FL, NC, MI, WV. Should I go on?) Do you realize how many states I’ve had a driver license? Since I go on photo shoots with my daughter who has a Canon, I decided on a Canon also. Plus it fit my hand perfectly. I’m willing to go with my son but we’ll be blended shooters if we do. OK with me. Son, call or text your Mother.

What’s this got to do with my quilts? Absolutely everything! I’m constantly taking quilts to the mountains, beach and parts in between to take pictures of them. I have one quilt, “Summer at Woods Cove” that has been to Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic Mountains and also to Nooksock Falls in the Cascade Mountains near Mt. Baker. One quilt has draped on the guard rail with a ferry boat docking. A quilt doesn’t always have to be on a quilt rack or a bed, at least in my neck of the Woods it doesn’t. Some of my Asian quilts will be taking a trip to the Japanese Gardens as soon as this wind stops. They love field trips.

Waiting for the Sunset at Chambers Bay

Temporary buildings up for the US Open in June.

 Sunsets never disappoint.

In the meantime, Mickey dog and I go out almost every night for sunset shots at Chambers Bay, a little over a mile from where I live. Each time I meet such interesting people and of course, their dogs. and sometimes their kiddos. Yes, and some are photographers too. We’ve been to Owen Beach, Ruston Way Pier, Titlow Park/Beach (all within a few minutes of home) and all points east, west, north and south. I am, however, this little lady with her tripod taller than she is and the pooch.  We are never too busy to say hi and arf.

Yes, I do have a few quilts almost finished.

Carpe Quiltiem friends and keep on shooting.

Woodie

17th or 18th Century

Greetings from my neck of the "Woods."

One day last week was a double special day. Now every day is wonderful but my cousin, Julia sent me a card that had this picture on it. 



It is a Skirt Cloth Patchwork from the Coromandel Coast, 17th or 18th century. It measures 223cm x 422cm. Now I did the conversion and that's 88" by 166". No, it isn't a quilt but if it were it would be huge. I've pieced and quilted king size quilts but not this big. Julia and her husband travel a lot and her cards are so interesting since they visit places I've never been. They just returned from a month in Indonesia, beginning in Singapore. She is not a quilter but loves textiles and museums. Yes, it runs in our blood.                                                                                                                      Now, lets go and Quiltify the World. Woodie                                                                                                                                                     

Oh, that 1/4" seam allowance. Yes, it does matter.

This link is such a good tutorial, short and simple. She explains is very well.

http://www.keepnuinstitchesquilting.com/see-why-it-matters-to-you-to-use-a-scant-14-inch-seam-allowance-2-videos/2/

Sometimes we struggle with getting that perfect seam allowance. There are presser feet for each machine and if not, there's always the masking tape trick. Well, why settle for just any tape. Color coordinate with your project or a color/pattern that makes you happy.

The happier we are, the prettier the quilts are. That's what I believe and I'm sticking to it.

Another thing that makes me happy is taking pictures of family, our beautiful Northwest and of course, quilts.

Mickey Dog and I love to walk at Chambers Bay and yes, I know that the US Open Golf tournament will be held there in June. I tell you the whole county and probably western WA is very excited. That means that Mickey Dog and I won't be walking there during that time in June.

This is Sunday night's sunset shot from the upper path at Chambers Bay.
No, I haven't forgotten about my quilts. I will cutting binding for one today.

In the meantime, let us Quiltify the world. I'll do my part here in my neck of the Woods.

January, looking back to 2014.

I will not whine about the fog, I will not....One redeeming thing about not being able to work outsie in the garden is that I can be inside by the fireplace and my project(s). Yes, of course, there's always more than one.

I belong to an on-line quilty group and they're always wanting to know how many UFO's., WIP's, etc., etc. Today I'm focusing on the finished quilts for 2014.

In January I started my first mystery quilt. It was only a mystery if you did one clue each week. I waited until all the clues were published before starting because I used two different fabrics for one clue and I wanted to make sure it was eye pleasing. Actually, not just any eye, had to be mine. You see I can be spontaneous, but I have to plan for it. (I hear you laughing.) I pieced the quilt and even quilted it on a longarm and it's gorgeous. Most of the fabric came from my collection. I miss it but know it's happy, happy being in a quilt.

Cat's Meow 

When batik fabrics hit the market I thought "who in the world would...." Well, me for one loved them. I made this quilt from"my collection" and didn't have to buy any fabric. The pattern is Fat Friday. Now you tell me, what quilter wants a quilt with that name. Since I finished it on a Wednesday its called.....drum roll please.

Wowsie Wednesday

Blue and yellow make me smile and especially if the fabric is in "my collection." This was a tutorial from the Missouri Star Quilt Co. and was so fun and easy. It hangs in the powder room.

The Big Yellow and Blue Star

The most favorite person in our family has to be my dear Aunt Sylvia. I believe most every kid in the family has lived with her and her husband. They were role models that anyone would want. She loves the quilty items I've made for her. This summer I made a table topper. I did a scalloped border and it was so easy with that nifty Eleanor Burn's tool that I got from Missouri Star (MSQC). No, I didn't have a pattern. Just took some five inch charms, added some fabric with glitz and made disappearing nine patch blocks. You sew a nine patch block, slice and dice it like a cross. It now is a four patch. That's why I call it a "Deranged 9 Patch." It's not easy living inside my head. I made enough blocks that looked just right, quilted it and packed it for my trip to Michigan. Since I would be gone for six weeks I sure didn't want to run out of projects.

My Just Right TableTopper that found a home on the back of the Sofa or Bench.

One of my most favorite places to go to is the Library. Art and I would go at least once a week and made friends with almost everyone there. One young librarian and her hubby had their first baby in December. When I found out about her expecting I ran home and gathered flannel from "my collection." Didn't have a pattern but made some four patch blocks and fussy cut some others. After the precious baby boy was born she and her husband and baby met me at the library and I gave them the quilt. It's bigger than a baby quilt and he'll be able to use it for years.

Sophie's Baby Boy's Quilt

I had the privilege of making quilt blocks for Quilt of Valor. I mailed my blocks to a quilter in Colorado and she sewed them together, someone quilted them and they are given to well deserved veterans. God bless them.

My heart aches for the sweet little ones in Mary Bridge Children's Hospital. I've only made one for them but will make more. I'm still making kimonos for Tandala Hospital in Africa. Our Helping Hands ladies  group at church has help support them for years. The ladies still roll bandages, make different items for the staff and of course the babies.

Well, dear ones, Have a Blessed 2015 and GO SEAHAWKS!!!

This picture was taken by Stephanie Sinclair Photography. You'll find her on Facebook.

Let's Quiltify the World.
Woodie