Meet a Designer, Author, Teacher & Longarm Quilter!

Hey, I want you to meet my PT therapist assistant & fellow quilter/designer/etc. friend, Sheila Sinclair Snyder. We've actually been acquainted with one another since our kids were in elementary school, which is MANY years ago. "Thanks" to my impinged shoulder (GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR), I get to have one-on-one time with her for a little while. We mostly talk about how to improve my circumstances so I'll be able to avoid surgery & continue my inspired endeavors without significant interruption, BUT we also sneak in a little conversation about our families and arts.

See her kit for this very modern footstool as well as a smaller version in a pincushion: LicenseToQuilt.com & Connecting Threads

I've run into her a time or two at local quilt shows and quilt shops, & I've been able to enjoy a couple of her previous books, Pieced to Fit and Perfect Fit Pieced Borders. She has a new one out: Get Addicted to Free-Motion Quilting, Go from Simple to Sensational. She's available as a teacher and lecturer.






















Here's the link to her website where you can also find some free downloadable patterns to enjoy: LicenseToQuilt.com

Make sure you take the time to get better acquainted with her, just like I'm doing! I think you'll be glad you did.

A Tag Exchange: What's that?!

 

For "Works in Progress" Wednesday, I finally found a little something to share with you.    


I'm part of an online exchange group with other creative people who inspire me (like you)! So, in spite of the busy-ness of this holiday season, I made a commitment to prepare something "creative" to share with someone I don't know which I'm working on today. The only specifics for this exchange are that the tag needs to be made from cloth (simple!), and have a hole for hanging. No particular theme, so anything goes.

Tag front: a paper-pieced house (made a couple of years ago) combined with a block of words embroidered on my machine that mean house in 3 languages, Spanish, English, and Japanese.

Tag back: strip pieced block that I'd done several years ago. I might add some lace trim I made even more YEARS ago along the seams of these strips.

I stuffed it with fluffy batting and added some lavender to the inside to give it a gentle scent. Maybe I'll find a button or two for further embellishment!

Have a wonderful, safe & joyful holiday!

WestJet Christmas Miracle: real-time giving

I want to share some holiday creativity with you! Creativity is what we're about here, so I hope this inspires you. My dad used to read this story to my sister and I ("Twas the Night Before Christmas") every year the night before Christmas around the tree. This is a nice adaptation of an old sweet story, and the spirit of giving. Cheers!

Snow & "WIP" Wednesday: Fish Handbag Next?

It's probably not news to anyone, but SNOW hit our area last Friday. This truly had to be a blast from the Arctic--we've been BELOW freezing for several days now! Very unusual for this part of Oregon. I've never experienced a truly powdery snow like this, so light to hold or shovel (until it melts & freezes underneath)--our snows are usually sopping wet when we get them. I guess that's what happens when the temp is in the single digits!!

Norm, the chicken herder

Our poor chick-girls remained "cooped-up" for days, fearing to tread in this white stuff, which happened to be freezing to walk on as well! So my dear husband tried to coax them out yesterday to cluck along the shoveled path in the brilliant sunshine. They weren't real happy about it.

I've done some sewing & dreaming while keeping warm in the house. I've collected some fabrics (just like you). I dream about making these particular fabrics into a handbag, like the "Chicken Bag" I featured on Nov. 18, 2013. I'll make some modifications to the pockets, the top and the arrangement of fabrics. Please don't think I only like chickens. I like fish, too! I can't wait!

It's hard to see the gray and whites, but they're lovely!

"WIP" Wednesday: Red & White Table Runner to be Re-Quilted

Do you ever have times like this: you've already "finished" the project, but you're not satisfied? That's what I'm dealing with in this table runner: I'm not happy with my machine quilting, so I "un-sewed" and will do something different. I'm convinced I'll like it better.

Top: Bright, isn't it?

Back

Sometimes I can't leave "well-enough" alone. 

Tell me about a something that you technically "finished," but decided to take apart to bring it more in line with your expectations.