I hope everyone had a great holiday yesterday. Friends had us over for dinner so we didn't have to try and make a do with only a few pots and pan (honestly it would have been a restaurant holiday!) I did make a pecan pie (only one since I only have one pan unpacked) and a pan of "New Orleans" stuffing (I bought a new pan at Tuesday Morning....)
So it was a very minimal sort of holiday...I got a lot of rest which is good since the big shipment of furniture and "stuff" arrives on Monday. In some ways I am really excited for it to come...the computer is currently precariously perched on a cardboard box, the keyboard is on my lap and I am sitting on a borrowed folding chair. Yup, my shoulders will be grateful for our computer desk!
(Add to that grateful list a real bed...my body is getting too old to spend this many days on an airmattress!)
I have finished unpacking the boxes that were in storage while we were gone. About half of that has gone to the Goodwill. What was I thinking?! I did find a box of quilts! They are fine for their many months in the dark. I'll take some photos later today. The photo above is of some of the CW blocks that I made during my last months in the UK...They will be the first blocks up on my new design wall....
On a totally different but more quilty topic...is anyone else sort of disappointed by the quilt magazines right now? Books-a-million has a huge magazine section and it used to be I could almost always find a quilt magazine that I wanted to bring home. Last week I think I opened every issue and nada...not one. Most of them only had very simple (and not very interesting) quilt tops. What happened? Are they driving by the large graphic prints that are so popular right now? And another beef...just how many bag patterns do we need? They all sort of go together the same way don't they?
Boy does that sound grouchy...oh, well.
20 comments:
I am with you on the magazine issue. It seems that the current trend is fast, faster, fastest. Simple designs, plain blocks. I have decided that I am going to do "slow quilting" and design my own stuff because what I find out there seems to be perfect for the background for applique. Just my 2 cents worth.
Glad you had a nice holiday. I know that being unable to find anything during moving makes me nuts and I've moved 22 times.
I rarely stop to look at quilt magazines as I have plenty. But it seems when I do, there's nothing new or inspiring.
American Patchwork and Quilting is still my favorite though and they work very hard to include a variety of projects in each issue including wool items, which many seem to love.
And yes, I agree with you . . . how many bag patterns can there be!
I've seen one or two quilts that are interesting in the magazines over the last few months but I agree, most of them I don't care for.
I'm so thrilled you had a minimal holiday. Post moving and travel and prior to the next shipment - you needed this, not to mention your shoulders.
Okay and just on the quilty front - I don't have much feedback on the magazines but I can say that your blocks inspire and for me, that's kinda like flippin' thru a magazine.
No help for you but an enjoyable visit for *karendianne. ;)
How exciting that you are going to get your furniture...then things will start to feel like home again.
I totally get what you are saying about the magazines..I get Quilt Mania which I find is different and offers some good patterns and American P&Q...but the last issue of that wasn't all that thrilling and if the next one is just as bad I will be stopping my subscription.
Enjoyed your post. It's been a long time since I made a move; used to move around all the time. Yes, the magazines seem a little disappointing, but I'm with the others, Quiltmania is awesome with SO many inspirational ideas and my only subscription is AP&Q. You're right about the purse patterns, they must sell well since everybody's doing them.
What a lovely blog to read and to admire. This is my first visit to your blog and I want to read more. How many interesting things you've posted - and it appears you have only (just) left England! - please come back! (joke) I love your quilts and although I am a TOTAL beginner, I really would like, when I grow up, to produce something near as beautiful as yours. I have discovered the love, passion, harmony, happiness and emotion of quilt making a month ago (what was I doing my entire life?) and I have posted my first attempt - please be gentle with your comments! :)
Kind Regards
Gina
http://www.quiltingenargentina.blogspot.com/
Will be so wonderful for you to finally be all moved in. Don't do it all yourself though - DH might not be much help but see if some of the quilters can come help. I can only imagine how miserable I'd be sleeping on an air matress - oooow. I'd have problems with my knees just trying to get up. yup, quilt magazines are booooring.
Lovely blocks! Some are so wonderfully intricate. I am often tempted to do a CW quilt, but then I remember I have LOADS to finsih first!!
I agree about the magazines, but that ai rmattress may just be making you extra grouchy LOL.
Hi Siobhan.
I am glad to hear that you have survived the air mattress- Like Tonya, it makes my knees hurt thinking about it. It will be nice to have your belongings and your home all set up.
I like the Australian Patchwork magazine and the December Fons and Porter is pretty good. I have gone to buying books from Connecting Threads - you can view some of the quilts in the books by clicking on the images - the prices are great even with the difference with the American / Canadian dollar. What surprises me is how much they all look alike - you will open one magazine and see many of the same ideas in other magazines.
I guess I will have to go and look at old issues to be inspired- or better yet come and visit my blogging friends- that is one place I often find inspiration..
Hope the end of the move goes well and that you are taking care of yourself.
Be well,
Regards,
Anna
good luck with the unpacking. It's hard to live in chaos. I agree with you on the quilt magazines -- it seems to be all about the fabrics, and not much about building skills. Every once in a while I give in to temptation and buy one, but later I wished I had saved the money and bought fabric instead.
Oh I am so with you on the magazines. I kind of feel lost with no good quilt magazines lately. I"ve actually started looking for good japanese books just for something different!
I agree with the magazine comment. I think there are not enough interesting quilts being shared with the magazine publishers, so the authors are probably forced to make their own displays-thus very simple quilts are made to sell the fabric that the advertisers want to see in them, so they'll advertise, its a viscous cycle. Like a quilt shop, everyone wants to buy the material in the sample on the wall.
I really enjoy the articles in Quilter's Home although I can't say anything about the patterns since I don't make many quilts anymore.
I love your blocks they are looking so nice together
Ditto! You hit the nail on the head, I have quit subscribing to all of the quilt mags I used to. They have gotten smaller and more expensive and I seem to just flip through and toss! I still look at them at the store but haven't picked one up for over a year. Soon, they will go the way of a lot of the quilt stores and I hate to see that. Here in So. WA. we have only 2 stores left and one is so unfriendly you have to know when to shop as to who is working. The owner is a grump and usually never speaks to you at all. OFF MY SOAPBOX
Carline
totally with you on the mags! I have only one subscription now and may let that one go. Everything is "quick and easy", I'm with Paula, we need some "slow and sort of challenging and interesting"!
glad the unpacking is coming along. bet you'll be glad when everything is in place.
My favorite quilt magazines are AP and Q, they work hard at having quilts for different levels of quilters and they always have antique quilts in there! which I love!
quiltmania I love for thesame reason the pictures of the homes with the antique quilt collections in each issue is wonderful
they might not give you the pattern but you can draft it up your self or be inspired by it.
just mho!
Love the blocks in your picture, can't wait to see it as a little quilt.
Welcome back to the USA!
Kathie
ME TOO!! I don't have ANY subscriptions to anything right now because it just becomes fireplace fodder. HUGE pieces...BIG PRINTS..hey...I'm doing what I can to submit scrappy stuff,but even the magazine editors want to push fabric lines. My latest one? I have to send in the center so they can match me a border from NEW fabric..to promote it. It is just NOT what quilting is about for me. PFffffffffffft!
I am hoping your stuff arrived!!! I'd love to sneak away for a visit sometime soon!
Bonnie
Love the blocks and yes, I agree with you about the quilt magazines.
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