Stuff and Nonsense

The tree is on the quilt. The quilt is quilted. I just have to do the leaves now. My sister, who is the final recipient of this quilt, loves it.

I made a couple of butterflies for a church banner. I need to do some daffodils next. I forgot to take pictures of the butterflies before I turned them in. I didn't like how the banner was going, so I kind of took over. I didn't think it should be just another flat banner, so I made stuffed butterflies and will make three dimensional daffodils. Really, people should not get me involved if they don't want me to change everything. I really have a hard time following patterns anymore.

I have been working on the trip around the world quilt. I tried to talk my mom into finishing it for me, and she just laughed. I don't know why it is so hard for me to work on it, but I am determined to finish it. The son-in-law of my mother's college roommate (I know that is a convoluted relationship) is a neurosurgeon at Walter Reed. I keep telling myself that one of his patients may need this quilt. But I think I am almost scared of it.

Thanks for all the kind comments about my chosen path in life. It really helps to know that people a pulling for me.

I started putting on the tree

Well, I decided to layer the quilt and put the tree on all three layers. I knew it needed a stabilizer, so I figured backing and batting would work. I didn't want anything heavy in there that might interfere with the quilting in the other part, where I have decided to put words. So the tree in half down. It is taking a lot of time. I was hoping to have it down by Monday, so I can make a trip to Nicholas Kniel for a yellow ribbon. Since I am at "New Teacher Institute" the rest of the week, it will be Saturday before I get there if I don't go Monday. This working stuff is sure getting in the way of shopping.

Speaking of working, I got some new shoes from Liz Claiborne the other day. One pair of black. One pair of brown. I also got a couple of tops from Ann Taylor. I haven't bought nice clothes in years, so this shopping has been fun. I am hoping to make a trip to Talbots, too.

Hope Piece Coming Along

I work so much better with a deadline! Here are the latest pictures of my Hope piece for the Fiber Art Fusion show.After tea dyeing the muslin for 24 hours, I dried and ironed it. I then fused it to some stiff craft interfacing. (I think it was Pellon weight 50.) I then cut out the tree using a little rotary cutter. That was harder than I thought it would be, mostly because I was afraid of cutting myself. I then sprayed spray baste all over the tree. I used 5 skeins of embroidery floss to embellish the tree. I couched it down using YLI clear thread. I really love that stuff.

Now I have to figure out how to attach the tree to the background. I also need to figure out a quilting scheme. I thought about just echo quilting around the tree. Then I thought about quilting words into the background. Anyway, no decision has been made, yet. I may quilt the names of the guys in my brother-in-law's unit.

Part of the challenge I have given myself with this quilt is to only use things I own to make it. So far, it has not been that difficult. I am also trying out new techniques. I really like how the embroidery floss on the tree looks.

What is a feminist?

I have met a lot of women my age (37) and younger who say they aren't feminists. So what is your definition of feminism? I think it is women having the choice to be and do what they want for equal pay and with equal opportunity. I would also throw in that women can and should think for themselves. I am curious to hear what other women have to say about this topic. My other question is, do you have to be liberal to be a feminist? I really don't think so, but maybe I am wrong about that, just like I wrong thinking that all women were feminists.

By the way, I asked my husband about this issue. He thought it would be boring to be married to someone who was not a feminist.

All right, back to playing with my tea-dyed fabric...

How do you like me now?

So, in the past week I have discovered that one acquaintance from high school has a movie, The Painted Veil, that he both produced and starred in, on my cable's On Demand. I have another friend from grade school through high school who was on "The O'Reilly Factor" about boycotting the new release of Hairspray. The best man from our wedding just returned from a week of rebuilding a church in New Orleans. (He is the tall one in the back on the left.) And what am I doing? I am teaching algebra to at-risk students. Not that it isn't an important job that I am very excited about taking on, it just seems a little lackluster at the moment.

In order to combat my feelings of inadequacy, because all three of these men would think that teaching algebra to at-risk students is important, I decided to work on my piece for Fiber Art Fusion's show, Messages of Hope. (I have also been working on my Trip Around the World, but I need some variety in my life!) I made the background piece and designed a tree. But then I decided I didn't like any of my fabric for the tree bark, so I decided to try to tea dye something to thread paint. I only have herbal tea, so I hope that works. The leaves of the tree are going to be made of camouflage and button onto the tree. There will be a yellow ribbon around the tree. (I get to go back to Nicholas's shop to buy his most fabulous yellow ribbon.) Here is what I have done so far...

And the tea dyeing...