Quilt: 8 Days in May

So it's taken me a few days to get the photos snapped...but if I am being honest, I will blame it all on Mother Nature.  We've been having such damp and humid weather lately...and it seems like we finally saw the sun late this afternoon for the first time in ages – or at least since Sunday. 

As soon as I got home from work tonight, I quickly grabbed the quilt and the camera, went back outside and snapped away....carefully laying it in the grass, running up and down the stairs to snap and adjust.  Of course things are rarely so simple.   Imagine my surprise when I came inside and tried to download all of my carefully snapped photos.....and there were none!  Now I will admit that I noticed the "no memory card" flashing on the screen, but I also kept hearing the camera 'snapping' the images...and assumed that the photos were being stored on some internal memory.  Note to self (and anyone else who is a foolish as me): no memory card = no memory card.   Even if the camera sound effects are identical to when it is actually taking photos.  Even if you think it might should be working.  Even if you are just too much in a hurry to take 20 seconds to come inside and grab one.   Get. The. Card.

So what to do?  After I had inserted a SD card, I headed back out....and not wanting to repeat everything a second time, I changed locations and layouts, and here are some of the actual snaps.  I have no idea if they are better or worse than the first lot...but they are okay.  And the whole episode has had zero effect on how much I love my quilt.  Nor has it managed to put a halt to all of the fantasy quilt planning and piecing I've been indulging in for the last week...

Random Details....

• The front was based on this tutorial (with modifications, since I didn't really have pieces fabric wide enough to begin with complete squares).  Blocks were 10" finished, so dimensions are 100" by 80" wide.
• I made all of the wonky cross blocks and pieced the front first, before starting work on the back.  The back is totally a improv, fly-by-the-seat of my pants creation.  But it worked!  :-)
• I had purchased 3-4 fabric bundles and three .5m pieces and a larger 2m piece (the dark grey floral paisley) of Tana Lawn right at Liberty, on my trip to London in Fall 2011.  Of all of the random pieces in the bundles I only avoided using one (waaay too white - and even though I am learning lights are my friend, this piece was 'lit from within'). 
• Most of the bundle leftovers were used up in the gradation on the quilt back.  I have still some larger pieces of the cut yardage remaining and a few scraps of the dark grey remain (I also used it for binding the edge).  
• When I decided that I wanted to use all Liberty, I did some research online and discovered that the most practical (and cost-effective) source was the Workroom in Toronto.  I called to inquire about their current inventory (in May - there are some truly gorgeous prints that arrived recently) and picked the cream/grey/sage Pepper for the light half of the back (which ended up being about as perfect as thought I had planned it IMHO).  Very pleasant to deal with, speedy service, and a very fair price (£22 = $36.08 at current exchange rates (UK price at Liberty store) vs. $32 (Cdn price at the Workroom).

binding my first bed quilt

For 8 days in May, I immersed myself in the bliss of cutting, pinning, stitching, and pressing, of my lovely Liberty Tana Lawn...and when then marathon was over, I was left with a finished quilt top and a pieced back.  Granted it was a bit of an impulsive beginning (I just decided on Victoria Day weekend* that that I was going to get started, and five minutes later I had my rotary cutter in hand), but I came to the realization that I was probably never going to love those fabrics any more than I did right then and there.  I'd been crushing on them for as long as I'd been back from my trip to England (2 years ago this month).  And while I didn't see that love fading any time soon, I realized that I didn't want to risk waiting until it had before I started using them.  Because sometime that happens - you use up all of your love for something in the imagining, the dreaming, the playing in your mind.....and when it's all said and done, nothing can live up to all of that imagined potential.   And that is never good!  Especially when you really $plurge -- and I think few would argue that making an entire quilt out of Liberty Tana Lawn is anything short of insanity a major $plurge.

For the last three months, my quilt has been sitting and waiting at the long-arm lady's to be quilted (machine quilting is not in my repertoire), and I was excited to finally go and pick it up a few days ago.  My first reaction was "I can't believe how light and airy it is....", which is because of the fabric itself and also the silk batting I chose (why stop $plurging at that point!?!?). 

I still had the binding left to finish, and I carefully pinned it in place and sewed it onto the front with my machine, yesterday.  Now, I am a novice quilter....and while I have sewn lots of binding onto hotpads, etc., recently, I have never had to bind something so large as a bed quilt, so I was more than a little nervous to begin. 

When I picked up my quilt, Sue had trimmed away the excess batting and backing about 1/4" from the edge of the quilt top.  I was curious about whether or not I should do further trimming before I attached my binding, and she recommended that I did not - the excess will help fill and firm the edge.  I was a bit skeptical at first, but decided to heed her advice.  I lined up the edge of my binding (2 1/2", folded in half) with the edge of the quilt top and pinned in place.  When I started sewing, I initially used a 1/4" seam allowance.  After I sewed several inches, I removed the pins and wrapped the binding around to the backside.  What I discovered was that the edge wasn't quite as full as I was expecting – or desiring.  So I quickly switched feet on my machine and changed the seam allowance to be a bit more generous, and re-sewed the same section over again.  A quick flip later, I was much happier with the results. 

Because I know that this is something I will be doing infrequently (and thus easily forgetting), I took a quick picture to remind myself of what I did – and which foot I used for the job.  And, posting it here on the blog just means that I will be able to find it more easily in the future!  :-)

I've hand-sewn about 2/3 of the binding onto the backside of the quilt so far.....and when I am finished, I will take some proper snaps to share.   I can already say that the promises of silk being as warm as down appear to be true – having the quilt on my lap while I was stitching quickly had me turning on the A/C!  ;-)


*I don't know what it is about Victoria Day weekend, but just realized that this is also the weekend I started working on Jumbo three years ago.....!?!?!

handles are here!

It's been a while since I've shared snaps of the leather purse handles.  With a few new colours added to the mix, I thought it was time to post them.  All of the handles are the new reintroduced (the same as the original, from waaaay back, when I first started using the leather handles) saddle leather...which is a bit firmer than the softer drum-dyed leather that was available for a few years 1+ years ago.  They are still handmade in the USA...and still very easy to attach to your project (both styles come with pre-punched holes for sewing in place).

So without further ado, here are the colours....

 L --> R:  Black, Brown, Grape, Turquoise, Emerald, Olive, Hot Pink, Red

Please note that not all colours are available in both styles.  At the moment the Single Urban handle (with the buckles - $38 each) is available only in Black, Brown, Olive, Red, and, for possibly a limited time, Emerald (apparently it was a dyeing oops - but I hope they decide to keep making them.....).   The Long Rolled handles ($54 per pair) are available in all of the colours, except for  Emerald. 

My selection varies (you can always send me an email and I will let you know what I have on hand at the moment), but here is a peek at my current offerings....

 *the colour is pretty accurate on my screen - the background really is grey, not white!  ;-)

If you are thinking about making a purse and want to use these leather handles, I strongly encourage you to get your handles first and then plan the rest around the colour of your handles.  Otherwise you might be disappointed.  There are infinite colours of wools and fabrics to choose from, but just a handful of colours of handles available....and even so, they vary between shipments. 

Sunday morning...

It's been a great summer for camping at The Campsite. We've been enjoying our new outdoor kitchen, and our new propane coffee pots are the bomb, too. They definitely help us have happy mornings - even when it's chilly. LOL!

I've been up most weekends, and often bring projects to work on while I'm here. My favourite and most suited so far are the stockings. I like the limited amount of supplies required, the simple pace, and the ease with which I can pick it up, put it down, and look around to what is going on around. With an ever-changing group of people and kids, there is usually something happening to distract me a little... :-)

It's hard to believe there is just one week left until Labour Day...

I've had mixed success with my summer project plans. No failures, just less accomplished than I was hoping for...but hopefully this wee post will be the beginning of my return to blogging. It's been far too long. xxoo

Welcome July!

May and June just zoomed right on by.....and it's hard to believe that it's already July!  In just two short months, it will be Labour Day.  Fall will follow, and the desire to burrow at home with my hook and frame will be strong.  I have already picked out my Fall project - and I am very excited about it.  I was up visiting artist/friend Bobbi (R.W.)  Haviland a couple of weekends ago and fell in love with a big canvas painting.  The dimensions are about 3' by 4', and I am planning on adapting and hooking it the same size, using a mixture of yarns and various fabrics.  So in between the summer camping, crazy-busy work life, and preparing for the Farmer's Markets and Fall workshops (more on those upcoming events below....), I am going to be planning the project...gathering up supplies...and trying to draw an outline for the pattern.  If you are in the Huntsville area over the next couple of weeks,  she currently has a show mounted inside the Algonquin Theatre (until July 30th).....and it includes the painting I will be adapting (with permission, of course!), Borodin Ponders.

LOCAL FARMER'S MARKET...
Despite the quiet on the blog, things have been busy for the last several weeks.  Neighbours have organized a new Farmers Market on Saturday mornings, and I have committed to having a booth on July 20th (Cancelled - sorry!)and August 3rd, from 9am-1pm.  Depending on how they go, I might add another weekend or two.  I have been busy making Ewe-Fuse hot pads....and I am going to start making more jewellery this week.  I figure I won't know how it will go, unless I try.  I also want to try to set up some sort of an online shop, but that will probably have to wait until the markets are over.  I will keep you posted....

TEACHING THIS FALL...
I have had amazing response to the jewellery I shared here a while back.....and several inquiries for workshops (thank you! ;-) ).  Some of the details and dates are still being worked out....and some of the classes will be exclusively for a particular group, but there are a few that are 'open'.  I will share what I know now, and when more are added, I will update here on the blog. 

I am thrilled to announce that I will be heading East this Fall....for more than just feasting on seafood!  ;-)   In mid-November, I will be teaching three different one-day classes in Deanne Fitzpatrick's Studio in Amherst, Nova Scotia.  Coin Purses on November 15th,  Hooked Jewellery on November 16th, and Christmas Stockings on November 17th.  All of the details, including registration information can be found on Deanne's site here.   It seems like ages since I was last there, and I am really looking forward to going back for a visit.

But just before that, I will be teaching at Hooked in the Mountains, to be held in beautiful Stowe, Vermont, again this year.   This will be a three day class on all sorts of small-scale projects (jewellery belts, etc.) ....and there should be ample time for everyone to finish at least a couple of projects over the course of the weekend.  The dates are October 31st to November 3rd, and more information can be found here. 

VENDING THIS FALL...
The next R.U.G. will be held on October 5th,and I will be bringing some of my wares to sell.  I have also been invited to have a table at the Powassan Hook-In on October 26th.  

random housekeeping

::  Guatemalan Textiles @ the Textile Museum of Canada
So exciting to know that three rugs, hooked by three lovely ladies I met on my trip will soon be on display at the Textile Museum in Toronto.  Definitely a road-trip worthy event - and one I will be making!

::  OHCG Kingston Annual
Sadly I will have to skip out on attending (and vending) at the Annual this year.   I had already decided that I wanted to be able to ride the creative momentum that was undoubtedly going to surge following my travels earlier in the year (and did!), and I was planning to take a year off from vending, so that I didn't have to focus all of my energy and spare time on getting products ready for market....but I was still hoping to be able to just go, see, chat, and hang out with my peeps.  Sadly, the %$^#&*@! day job is getting in the way again and I can't get around working that weekend.  So I am feeling a little bummed, but in the scheme of things it's a very minor.... ;-) 

::  R.U.G. on May 4th
Yes, I will be vending again at R.U.G., this upcoming Saturday, at the Simcoe County Museum.  As I am not going to be at the Annual this year, and I would really like to reduce a bit of my inventory and free up some space in my hallway.....I have decided to offer a rare sale of 10% off all in-stock and available items.  Discount available in person and at R.U.G. on May 4th, only.   Hope to see you there!  ;-)

::  May is Making up for Lost Time Month for me
For the past couple of weeks, I've been trying to tackle the growing list of things I've been waiting and wanting to do, but just never seem to get around to it.  So far I have finished a purse, made 2 pieced Euro shams, hemmed two pairs of jeans, caught up on my business paperwork and figured out my taxes (admittedly at the 11th hour, so it barely counts...LOL!), and other, more trivial matters.  I will share some snaps of the fun stuff soon.....and hopefully continue adding to the list.

:: Cool video site
I found a link to this site on someones blog - sorry can't remember where, just that it was a non-rug hooking one – to little scraps of paper.  The site contains many short little documentaries of various artisans, their studios, inspirations, glimpses of process, and bits of wisdom.  A great way to distract you from things you should be doing....and hopefully inspire you to get back to them!  ;-)  
I have watched quite a few, but am trying to draw them out a bit...to savour, rather than gorge.  Enjoy.

newest experiments in jewellry making....

For many months now, making some 'bib' or statement necklaces has been on my list of things I've wanted to do.  Maybe even years.  After much brainstorming and imaginary problem-solving, it was finally the right time to just sit down, try out some of my ideas, and make (it work).  Of course, creating a self-imposed deadline, by way of offering it up as a potential class*, certainly helped!  LOL!  Regardless of the why, the how and the when finally combine to start creating the what a few short weeks ago.  Easter weekend, to be precise.

I find, for me, the best approach to working out a completely new project is to make sure that I have a big chunk of available time when I finally sit down to start playing.  Regardless of how many potential process kinks I work out prior to starting - simply by spending a lot of time thinking, there are always some rude surprises along the way...and for me, I know that the absolute worst time to stop is right after enduring a disappointment.  So by setting aside more time than I know I will need, which in this case worked out to be a whole day/evening, with nothing else to do, on a long weekend...I was able to make some real progress.

Usually with new techniques and processes, there is a bit of a learning curve.  For the first time in a long time, I was able to witness a fairly quick evolution of my own ideas, practically right before my eyes...modifying, revising and fine-tuning my techniques along the way.  Such is the charm of a small, quick project: there is little time to forget what you learn before you finish the next one, and another, and yet another!  ;-)   It's actually a little bit addictive, to be honest.  And it certainly helps that I am so excited about the possibilities.....

I've even experimented with making belts...and soon hope to expand and play with the idea and basic techniques to incorporate them into other functional items, too.  Stay tuned....

Frequently, over the course of the last few weeks, I have been reminded about how important amazing it is to have a little stash of inspiring supplies on hand, at all times.  I've also been having a great time revisiting some of the trips where the various items were acquired – and let me tell you, some have been lying in wait of an opportunity to shine for years!  Many years....   Some items purchased with a project in mind that never came to pass, some things just because I thought they were interesting, and others just because they might come in handy, someday.  Jewellery disassembled and reinvented, breaths of new life into old beads, and merging memories with new possibilities.   Wow!  It's been so much fun to create something brand new and totally different, and using all stuff that I had on hand already.  Kinda scary, but also kinda great to be able to pull some things out of hibernation and use an eclectic mix of ingredients.  All were hooked over two 24-hour periods (including sleeping, but not including the assembly....LOL!)

So this is just a little glimpse into what has been exciting me and occupying me of late....back soon with more new projects.... ;-)

* I will be teaching class on these in Vermont this October/November.  All of the details available here.

the seven year itch?

For the last many weeks (months?) I've been spending quite a bit of thinking time pondering this blog and blogging in general.  It seems like many people are a little less committed to updating their blogs lately - at least a lot of the blogs that I seek out.  I've been stuck in a bit of rut of my own lately and feeling unsure about how to get out - and where to go from here.  A wise friend said that I should just share where I am at, here on the blog, and explain a bit how I am feeling.  Basically stop ignoring it and hoping that it goes away.....LOL!

Over the past 7+ years that I have been blogging, the blog has undergone many transformations... changes in themes, purposes, and intentions.  I've been very happy to have it as an online presence....and it's been a great way for me to share information, ideas, and current projects. 
I've also found it to be highly motivating - encouraging me to create, make and share.  In spite of all of the good,  there seems to have been a bit of a shortage of energy here lately for me.  Stupidly Naively, I tend to operate on the assumption that I know everyone who is reading my blog - because, when I am writing, I am writing it directly to people I actually know are reading (friends, family, former students, etc.), and as a result, maybe sometimes I am a little more familiar or open than I should be in the sharing. 

Just in case I missed the fact that I don't know people in all of the 47 different countries listed on my Google Analytics page – or even people in 47 countries, for that matter....ha ha! – recent events have proved that there are many 'strangers' lurking in my midst, and visiting my blog.  I'm not going to really get into what has transpired, but suffice is to say that it's left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth and zapped my blogging mojo.

Despite all of this, I still want to be here in this space.  I want to make it work.  For me.   I haven't got a firm plan yet, but I have decided a few things.  Baby steps.  So here is the plan, for now....

1.  Bye Bye Comments
I've come to the conclusion that the Comment feature was/is just dragging me down.  Too much spam.  Too few comments.  Bothersome snarky comments.  Too much guilt about reciprocating and feeling obligated to reply.  And, really, why does any of it matter, anyway?  I don't want to care about the comments or have to worry about them any more.

So this morning I changed my settings and turned off/hid all of the comments.  You can always contact me via email (fisheyerugs AT hotmail DOT com) if you want to share your thoughts or have questions.  I welcome real comments from real people, at all times - and I promise that if you email me, I will email you back....just maybe not for a day or two... ;-)

2.  More pictures, less text?
Writing blog posts takes a lot of time - at least for me it does!  I probably spend an hour writing a typical post.  And well it might be time well spent, it also pulls time away from all of the other things I have going on.   I have the same 24 hours in a day as everyone else, and I am finding it's just not enough to do everything I should be doing - not to mention everything I want to be doing.  So blogging has become an easy sacrifice.  If a picture is worth 1,000 words, maybe I should spend just a little more time on taking pictures - instead of the explanatory text?  Plus, it will be more practice for my new camera.  Win-win. 

3.  No commitment to post
I'm tired of feeling guilty about not posting regularly.  Tired of feeling behind in sharing projects or ideas.  From now on, I am going to try to give myself the gift of freedom to post only what - and when - I want to share.  Whether this translates into posts on back-to-back days or weeks apart, that remains to be seen....but I am really intrigued by the whole idea of "slow blogging".  So setting up feed reader (to alert you to new posts) might be a good idea, if you want to avoid the frustration of returning here to no new content....

Apart from the comments that I have hidden (this is the only way I could find to permanently turn them off - any other ideas?), all of the old content and pictures will remain here indefinitely for now. 

So this is where I am at.... ;-)
See you when I see you, and hope you are well.
xxoo

Some Guatemala Links....

I cannot say enough about the wonderful and amazing trip I took to Guatemala in February.  I hope the photos and text I've been sharing along the way have helped to convey this....but really, it's just but a small glimpse into the trip, and a somewhat superficial one, at that. 

If you are intrigued, want to learn more, and maybe even thinking about going on the trip yourself, I would have no problem talking one-on-one about my own experiences, and no hesitation at all in recommending it to those who have a sense of adventure, compassion and love of textiles. 

There are some great places online where you can see some photos and learn more about some of various programs and groups at work in the country.....

 Oxlajuj B'atz' - Thirteen Threads
(pronouced Osh-la-who-bats)....organized the tour, but that is but a small part of what they do.  With projects in health, artisan and product development, small business, democracy and team building, the focus is on empowerment by increasing knowledge and skills.  "The mission of Oxlajuj B’atz’ is to facilitate processes for Maya women artisans to bring about change, through their own efforts, that will alleviate the adverse effects of poverty and improve their quality of life. Our mission is guided by the principles of harmony, democracy, and sustainability."
 
Cultural Cloth
Is Mary Anne and Jody's business, based in Wisconsin, that collaborates with artisans around the world to promote women's economic empowerment and environmentally sustainable practices.  You can purchase Guatemalan rugs directly from them.

Robert Egg's Photos
Robert own Casa Kachiquel, home to Oxlajuj Batz in Panajachel.  He took quite a few photos over the course of the week, especially during our farewell gathering.

Rachel's Photos
Rachel is an American who is presently volunteering with Thirteen Threads.  It was delightful to meet her.  She took some fabulous video (and, unlike me, has figured out how to share it online....), including this one....you can see more on the Oxlajuj B'atz' Google + page.



After being home for seven weeks now, I think I am slowly starting to get a bit of a handle on the impact this trip has had on me, personally.  It's going to take a little more time, though.

Some Chichicastenango Market snaps....

Have I told you lately how many pictures I took on my trip?  Well, it was over 2,000.  Yes.  Many. Many.  Photos.   Here are just a few of the dozens I took on market day – eye candy everywhere you look...

 (Interesting procession.....)

 I love belts!  ;-)

 (weaving and loom parts and tools)

(patterns for huipiles, etc.)

 shanks of coloured threads for embroidery and weaving....

Asociación Maya de Desarrollo

On our way back from Chichicastenago (day 8), we stopped in Solola at a women's weaving co-op.  Luckily we arrived right in time to be able to watch part of the dyeing process.  Here are some of the snaps I took....

You can find out more information about the project here and it looks like you might (soon?) be able to purchase items here.  Plus, I was happy to discover this wonderful video today by accident that shows the whole process - from start to finish.  It's great!

Guatemala Day 10 - Panajachel + Antigua

My apologies for the delay in getting back to the Guatemala posts....I really didn't anticipate that it would take me this long.  Enjoy!

+     +     +     +     +     +     +     +     +     +     +     +     +     +     +     +     +     +    

Saturday morning was our last full day, and the final day for spending time with our buddies.  Everyone took full advantage in the morning, working hard together with their buddy to plan the remainder of their rug.  I really wanted my project to reflect Zoila, so we dumped out the whole garbage bag of used clothing (that we purchased earlier in the week at the Pacas), and started picking and choosing.  Along the way, we added some details to the design, incorporating some repeating motifs and also mixed up the colour placement a bit to balance the colours (mostly having opposite corners matching) over the rug, but still allowing more variety.  

One benefit of using inexpensive materials like the tshirts (cost in US$ ended up being less than a quarter per item), is that you can feel a bit more care-free and cut odd shapes to 'test' your plan prior to hooking.  Knowing that it was impossible for me to hook all of our ideas, we cut out shapes of the various colours to make a mock-up.....

Knowing that I didn't want to fill precious luggage space with all of the old clothes....I cut strips of all of the various colours for the motifs.  Hopefully I made good guesses about how much I will end up needing,  but only time will tell.  I did not bring anything home for the background....but I am sure I will be able to find something suitable and similar here. 

 In the late morning, we did a final show and tell....

...and everyone packed up their stuff to head home.....

And after lunch, it was time to 'hit the road'.  I was pretty photoed out.....and only took a handful of snaps on the drive back to Antigua.   This is one of them....still shocking to see after a week of similar sights.....

Although we didn't leave until the next day, fittingly this next snap ended up being the last photo I took with my camera....

(Elaine and I had both just woken up right before I took the snap - we were all down for the count.... ;-) )


It is hard to believe that I have been back now for seven weeks already.   Everything is still so fresh in my mind, it could easily have been just last week that I came home.   It was truly an amazing, life-changing experience....and I sincerely hope that the changes I have noticed that it has made in me last indefinitely.