Thre's a world out there...

Another favorite from the Charleston Show. She used lots of Kaffe Fasset fabrics that I love...both the semi-solids and stripes. The purple border is great!Soem of the inner corners are pieced and some jsut use dthe stripes to create the effect. Simple but beautiful
Yikes, I didn't realize how bad my eyes had gotten until the steroid teatment kicked in late yesterday! Life is good! Better living through chemistry from a woman who only a few years abo wouldn't take more than an aspirin and a vitamin! I was convince cranberry juice could cure anything...
Spring has hit Augusta early this year. We are still a few weeks away from the big event - Masters Week - and some folks are getting nervous. If it stays warm the bushes may peak too soon but on the other hand we could get a cold snap and the buds will freeze...all in the name of looking good on television! I hate to sound cynical...the course is drop dead gorgeous and it is run so civilized even non-golfers can have a good time. (What other sporting event can you get pimento cheese sandwich, a beer, and a bag of chips for under $5.)Of course it is almost impossible to get a ticket without planning at least a year in advance....personnaly I'd prefer to go to the Quilt show in Houston.
I got lots of fun fabrics in Charleston that I am slipping into the house each day. Makes no sense since I have piles of fabric to give away that I bought years ago but who needs to make sense when it comes to fabric anyways! I'm not being quite as strict on my fabric culling as I first wanted. I was tougher with the books since I can get so many ideas from the internet. Most of the books will go into storage...it is funny how I seem to pull the same ones out all the time anyways! The ones that are beside the bed come to England with me - obviously they are my comfort/inspiration reads!

Beach time

Since getting back from the show in Charleston I've had another MS episode. My face feels like a crazy dentist attacked it with novicane...sometimes I can't feel it, sometimes I can't hear, most of the time my nose feeles like it is running, and I make twitching movesments like the guy on the Pink Panter. Needless to say I've stayed home the past few days. Wierd as it may sound it is better than the times I'm lost my sight. This disease has a way of helping you appreciate little things! Like playing with the photos I took down at the beach while we were hunted for shells, neat rocks, and fossilized shark teeth! We also called it excersise...

I also posted a quilt from the show that I loved how they set the blocks on point with a variated pieced alternate blocks. It makes the quilt glow! I apologize for not including the maker's name...I can't find my show booklet right now.

Well today I am going to go into work for a little while to pick up some performance review materials so I can work on them at home. I am also giving my notice that my absolute last day will be mid-April. We will leave for overseas in early June and I need some time to get this house together!

Quilt Show Mavericks

The show last weekend was a lot of fun. Some great vendors (I was very bad!) and I got to see Bonnie and other quilter friends. Though, like most of the quilt excursions I wore myself out!

The photos is of Bonnie with a quilt made by members of our night bee - Wonderful Woman Who Quilt (WWWQ...The initials sort of makes it sound like a wrestling channel! Anyway, it was designed by Maggie Hunt and quilted by Bonnie in time for Rachel's 50th birthday. It is a great quilt! The colors are ones Rachel loves but doesn't use...sounds odd but it worked!

I drove down on Friday with a friend from out group. A good thing since we used two lane roads the entire way and unless there were two of you there is no way you would find all the turns! We stayed at Maggie's family's beach house in Edisto, SC. There were 8 of us staying there so of course that means we stayed up late in the evening reading quilt magazines, quilting and knitting. (Oh ya, and a few glasses of wine....) The next day we had lunch at a Middle Eastern Restaurant called Saffron...the service was poor, food was good the desserts were excellant! I'd go back...no skinny little high-school girl is mean enough to stand between me and great chocolate!

The high point of the trip for me was a visit to the People, Places and Quilts's booth and little shop in Charleston. They are one of my favorite shops on earth...and since I've gone through a fair many that is saying something! They have beautiful and unususal sample on the walls, great selection of fabric, and they are friendly. I love the way they package things...I got a basket of fabric that could be used as a centerpiece it is so pretty! Anyway, since I was in Charleston I got some of the Charleston reproductions that just came out and picked up the PPQ pattern they made to go with them. I don't usually use patterns with my reproductions but this will have good memories!

Antique Charity Quilt

Since I helped with the quilt exhibit at our local museum I have gotten a call a week from someone with a qult that they would like me to look at and tell them either how to take care of it, how was it made, and what it it worth. Most of the quilts so far haven't been too exciting. Friday was different.

The quilt in the photo was dropped off at a charity thrift store a few months ago. It was at the bottom of a box with several other quilts. The others were from the early 1900's and not in the same league at all as this one! I found several names for the block pattern - Whirling Wheel and Full Blown Tulip to name a few. The color placement is a bit different but these are the closest. The fabrics are pre-civil war. The quilting and piecing is excellent. Unfortunately the black dye in the red print is popping, it is very dirty, and there are a few paint, nailpolish, or some other red hard substance on the quilt. Combine the dirty and the popping and it makes for a difficult quilt. The setting of the blocks however is striking and the yellow fabric in the centers is beautiful. No provence on the quilt hurts its value as well.

It is a very fun qult though...but I am supposed to be downsizing not acquiring! So unless someone jumps in an buys it at the store this week you will see it on ebay in the near future. Sigh.

Finding Time

First I had to post a picture of Goldie...she was feeling left out since both Brownie (her sister) and Macbeth had made it into cyberspace...

As I've made my way through blogs I've noticed lots of UFO lists. I've even considered posting my own but am too nervous my husband would see it! I'm really good at starting projects but not at finishing. Sound familiar? So, I have a choice to make - this weekend I can stay home and finish at least one project (most likely my king-size log cabin) or I can go spend the a few nights at Edisto Beach, S.C. and visit the quilt show in Charleston.

Having read the first sentance you can guess I'm heading to the beach....I'm declaring this "freedom from UFO guilt" weekend. I will not make lists. I can buy fabric. I can start as many new quilts, necklaces, sweaters, journals, jackets, or anything else during the next three days. (It helps tomorrow is payday!)

Promise to bring back lots of photos from the show.