Submission

So I decided to participate in a call for entry over at Sandra's Studio.  Basically we were to pick a mineral of Canada and adapt it into a quilted wall hanging.  I wasn't sure if I was allowed to post my submission to my blog, but I have been given the go ahead.  So here is what I created.

I was inspired by my new province of Saskatchewan, so the mineral I picked was Potash... Which I realized wasn't a proper mineral.  So during my research I realized that one type of Potash is Sylvite or K-Cl (potassium chloride).  Breaking down Sylivite we get Potassium (K).  Potassium is very important to the healthy growth and life cycle of plants.  Potassium helps plants by regulating gas exchange, helps grow stronger stalks and stems, assists plant metabolism, assists photosynthesis, and has been associated with resistance to disease.  So in tribute to the mineral Sylvite (Postash) I have incorporated the molecular structure of the mineral (top right of work) in tribute to the science behind our food.  Whew, alright enough with the chemistry/biology lesson.

 The technical points:

-raw edge applique
-wonder under stuff
-free motion quilted with simple micro stiple (I didn't want to obscure the background fabric)
-the word 'Sylvite' is stitched in the center of the piece (just through a normal piece of loose leaf paper)
-Approx. 28 inches square






So mystery revealed and onward to the next projects.  I have been working on some designs for a series of fun cute applique baby quilts (everyone loves cute animals).  I have an artist friend helping me with the basic sketches and I'm adapting them to fabric.    I have spent an appalling amount of time on the computer scanning/drawing my first design.  Ahahaha I feel a little like a mad scientist because 'It's ALIVE!'.  I've been constructing the first trial of my pattern and I must say I'm extremely happy with the results.  Obviously there are quite a few steps left in the pattern life cycle before I can reveal the outcome (I'm not entirely certain what they are... but it'll be fine).  I have one question to pose to the wonderful world of quilters who have read this far into my post; What is your favorite technique for applique?

I'm linking up to the Needle and Thread Network.  WhooHoo lets quilt the heck out of this winter!

Tag!

I have been tagged to participate in a fun little blogging game.  Thanks to Christina over at Passion Quilting (angry face :P just kidding). If your here because you were tagged, don't feel the pressure to participate if your already rolling your eyes.

The rules are:
- Every tagged person has to tell 11 things about themselves.
- The person who tagged you asked 11 questions over at their blog, answer these questions in your post.
- Ask 11 questions of the people you tag (any quilting blogger with under 200 followers).
- Mention the person who tagged you (but don't for goodness sake tag them back!)

11 Things About Me

1. I'm into outdoor survival.
2. I have two daughters who are more like me than their father, and it's frightening.
3. I've been to Mt. Everest.
4. My quilting aspirations are extremely high and I hope I don't disappoint myself
5. I've moved my family 9 times in the past 6 years (new town almost every time)
6. I'm really tired of moving (I have half a truck load of boxes I haven't unpacked in 9 years).
7. I used to play rugby and I have numerous awards.
8. I used to love philosophy but now I find it kind of trivial compared to child psychology.
9. I think it would be unfair to get a puppy for my kids at Christmas, because I don't want a dog           and it will ultimately be my dog.  I don't want any more children so I will not be adopting a dog.
10. My esthetic is modern and artsy, without the fartsy.
11. My name Sam actually came from the acronym S. (short) A. (annoying) M. (midget), which I picked up in elementary somehow (it wasn't bulling because I was all of these things lol).

My Answers to the Questions

What is your most favorite quilt you have ever done?
-My favorite quilt was an untitled heron quilt I completed a month ago.

What is your favorite quilting technique?
-Whichever one is going smoothest at the time.

Applique, yay or nay? 
YAY! You just can't argue with the results, practice makes perfect.

Which piece of fabric that you have, or had would you do almost anything to get more?
-I just haven't found the right fabric.

What do you listen to when your are quilting?
-Audiobooks, all the way.

Are you a Spring, Summer, Autumn, or Winter colour scheme lover? 
-I'm actually none of the above, I am definitely influenced by whatever colours are trending.  But I will also just do what is in my mind when I plan a quilt.  I plan a quilt before I find fabric for it, so I don't really go any which way.

You are stranded on a deserted island, you only have a book of needles, what your wearing, and whatever resources the island has to offer, what are you going to quilt? 
-Damn, I don't know.  I would probably find a way to make poison and use the needles as killer darts to find food.  I would use the tendons of said food and make thread where in I would sew myself some styling island threads to be rescued in.

Is there a project you have admired but never had the courage to attempt, what is it?
- I will make a whole cloth quilt, probably in the next year.  I scared but ready.

Where is your favorite place to be?
- A happy place... but sometimes it's fun to be in the righteous angry place just for a change.  Or to be more literal... on a river, any river, in a canoe, with a beer.

My 11 Questions For You

1. Did you have an artistic background leading up to quilting?
2. What would you change about your quilting studio/space?
3. If you could describe you quilting style in one would what would that word be?
4. Fess up, how many UFO's do you have? (LOL you don't have to answer that if it hurts)
5. What inspires you to quilt? (show and tell, daily objects, dreams, blogs etc...)
6. What kind of information quilt wise, have you had trouble finding on the internet?
7. What is your favorite organization technique? (quilt wise)
8. What colour would you like to paint in your quilting studio/space?
9. If you could visit any country or place where would you go?
10. What is your favorite meal right now?
11. Where do you buy your fabric?

Dun, dun, dun, the tag list is as follows... although I recommend not to feel pressured into doing this if it's not fun for you, it's just a game not everyone has to play.

Michelle @ From Head to Fabric
Heather @ I'm Here, Might As Well Win
Liz @ Liz's Quilt Adventures
Michelle @ Lovatt Quilting
Michelle @ Love Chinook Winds
Colleen @ Colleen Quilts Too! 
Trish @ Compulsive Quilting
Gloria @ Country Garden Quiltworks
? @ Grandmas - Bits and Pieces

A Winter Rant

I would like to express my gratitude to all the men and women of Canada who have fought for our country.  Lest we forget.


I believe that as of late I have been rather lazy in my writing.  I wonder if this is winter getting the best of me already?  Almost everyone in my quilting group is working on Christmas stuff right now, and to be frank it makes me want to hurl.  I LIKE Christmas, but I have such a hard time getting into this proverbial 'spirit' everyone talks about.  I'm genuinely not a fan of snowmen, I don't really see that many artistic merits, especially since my first grader can make a better one than I can.  Or perhaps I'm doing everything I possibly can to avoid the panic rising in my gut telling me that I need to go... dun, dun, dun, Shopping.  I feel this frenzie just under the surface of my conscious mind, when I smile at passers by, see an advertisement, or the blur of Christmas lights on the side of the road in November!  This general distaste for the upcoming festivity is not helped by my young children being bombarded with Christmas crap and in turn harassing the heck out of me! [deep breath]  Alright I think that considering its only half way through November perhaps I should just chill out with the Christmas rants (how ironic).  So needless to say I have not been working on a Christmas project of any sort, not a gift to be had.

 I have been working on a very special project.  There is a call for entry over at Sandra's Studio .  The idea is to pick a mineral of Canada and create a piece of quilt art representing said mineral for a show in Toronto this coming spring (see link for more details).  I'm uncertain if I'm allowed to blog about my project or if it is supposed to be an exclusive thing, so for safety's sake I'm going to keep the whole project under wraps for the moment.  But here is a little peak.

I'm also working on yet another commissioned baby quilt of my own design (which I hope to keep precise notes on and maybe work out a pattern (dreams of a quilter eh!).  I have met many talented quilters over the past year and my friend Suzanne said to me once that she could have written many books by now if she had kept track of what she was doing.  Suzanne creates awesome original quilts (that really do read more like art to me).  I am not proposing that I will write a book, but I will keep track of my projects 'just in case'.

My husband and I have been making progress in my studio, it's going to be a while and it's cutting into my quilting time like you would not believe.  If your interested in renovation blogs feel free to check it out.  Renovation 800

Of course I'm linking up with the lovely and talented people over at The Needle and Thread Network.

I apologize to all the wonderful Christmas people out there who really do make the season magical, I don't mean to rain on the parade, I was just expressing my panic that turns to terror at the thought of all the stuff that 'needs' to be done.

When 3 AM Strikes Again

This past week has found me in a couple of strange mental places that I wasn't expecting to be.  I have been over joyed with some of the ideas that have been beating on my brain at 3 am, and drug through a chaotic minefield of armature mistakes.  Some times I think  a person needs to be humbled by those "oh crap!" moments to help reorient themselves and move forward with confidence.  Anyhow I have been doing just that and moving forward, mostly with a simple finish that has been coming down the line for a while.  A cool disappearing nine patch.

I'm linking up with all the talent over at The Needle and Thread Network.