Box Checked

Bruce's new quilt, Late Summer Garden, is finished - I now have an empty sewing table, so I can get onto the next project!

I used the new bamboo batting for this quilt.  I really love the drape and weight of this batting for "family" quilts.  It's lightweight and soft, perfect for summer use.  So far, its only drawback is that it is very "linty" and gets all over everything until you get the binding on.  It doesn't appear to beard, though, which is good.

Here's a closeup of the quilting - simple.  I love the way quilts pucker when they are washed.

Yearning...

Getting myself into trouble by visiting the Art Quilt Tahoe page and reading about Sue Benner's Landscape class. Realizing that I already have all of the class supplies in my stash and wouldn't need to cart my machine (hence, more room for fabric!). Figuring that I could probably go "on a shoestring" for $3,000. Wondering where I can dig up that amount in this impossible economy (no gallery sales as of yet, this year), and whether I could actually get the time off, since I've already used up/accounted for my vacation time this year. UGH.

I was the very lucky recipient of the AQT scholarship award in 2007. It was a fabulous experience - so much so that I'd love to go back some day. And in that regard, I encourage all of YOU to apply for the scholarship HERE.

Sue Benner is such a dynamic person and teacher! Everyone I know who has taken her classes raves about them. She was also one of the jurors for Quilt National this year.

Counting my pennies...

I Have Plans

I find that title slightly amusing, since I can't remember a time when I didn't have plans, but I feel like these are different!

I just got home, a week ago today, from attending the Studio Art Quilt Associates conference and opening of Quilt National, in Athens, Ohio, and from a brief, restful vacation in Cody, Wyoming. I hit the ground running on Tuesday because I had to go back to work, and this weekend was spent catching up on the household stuff that doesn't go away...vacation or not!

I have tons of inspiration to share from the SAQA conference, which will take me in new directions this summer. Now, if I can just find the time to sit down and quietly gather my thoughts.

One of the biggest plans is to take the focus of this blog in a more artistic direction, keeping the family and cooking and other miscellany to a minimum. But because I like to write about those things, too, I think I may need to create a "homey" blog to pick up the slack. I'll see.

I hope your summer is off to a positive start!