Friday, January 31, 2014

Dragon Quilt

Being snowed in and going a little nuts I decided to get out a new project.  I went out to my studio and found a box where I had started putting fabrics together to make a small quilt.  Using the book:  Prairie-Point Pizzazz by Karen Sievert this is what I made. 




Close up of the 120 prairie points that I made from 2 different fabrics:





After I was all done it dawned on me that I have an embroidery machine and that I had recently purchased a design package full of dragons.  Why not put those in the corners? 




I made this on a separate piece of cloth to see how well it stitched up.  I was impressed and have 3 other upright dragons picked out.  I will probably carefully cut these out and applique them on.









Thursday, January 23, 2014

Author Blog Tour

I have done my first author blog tour.  If you would like to learn a little bit more about me head on over to: http://wp.me/p40rbA-57.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Sewing

Serendipity --

The dictionary says that this means: an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident.  Have you ever had one of those times?  

I have had them when I'm writing.  Far down the road it will hit me:  so that's why I wrote in there about that.  I had no idea why I did that but now I do.  That ties it all up.  I have read where other authors say they have done the same thing.

On a more material level I can remember the time ages back when my sewing machine broke and I took it in for repair.  A few weeks later I picked it up.  Right away I noticed that the top was not the same.  It was a dingy yellow compared to my white one with the crack and chip on the top.  I did check the sewing machine and found my sticker with my name and address.  Alright.  I at least had the right sewing machine, forget about the case.  

But it bothered me.  I felt there was no yin to my yang.  That my sewing machine was missing something.  And this was silly.  I had a much better case now although the color wasn't the greatest to my way of thinking.  

Flash forward 10 years.  My friend who has the same type sewing machine takes hers in for repair at the same place.  They no longer give out loaners so she buys a used sewing machine, same kind.  Some months later I ask to borrow it as mine is broken again.  I get it home and look at it.  Isn't that funny, it has a crack in the top.  Oh, look, a chip.  Just like mine had.  But that's not possible.  

I popped the top off and flipped it over.  And there was my sticker with my name and address.  

It had been to some strangers house for years
Traded in for a newer sewing machine
Shortly after my friend walked in with her broken down one
She picked that one out among all the other used models and bought it
The one and only time I have ever asked to borrow anybody's sewing machine

Yin had finally come home.