Long time no blog...

It's been awhile...

In the meantime, I've cut the long skinny untitled project into about 4 pieces. I decided to do that because all together I thought it was a little flat. In pieces, I like it better, but since I have ad a chance to live with it for awhile, I am not as in love with it as I once was. Again, it seems flat. I think it's definitely savable, with some overpainting that will give it some life and dimension. I will eventually get to that, I think.

Beyond that, I haven't had any projects going really, and a big part of the reason for that is I haven't been feeling well physically and mentally for awhile. I haven't had the mental energy to do much of anything. I also picked up a freelance web design job, so that took a little of my time as well.

But the big thing I've been doing is overhauling the back porch to make it really my studio. I've done a lot of painting and cleaning, and when it's done, it's going to be spectacular. I've had to paint the floor in sections, and with two coats, it's been really slow going, taking days at a time, but it will all be so worth it eventually. It is SO important to have a good place to work, and the studio is perfect, amazing views of the backyard and cove, and two walls almost completely windows, so PLENTY of light. I can't wait for it to be done. I can't wait to have a space I can work in where I don't have to put everything away every time I'm done working. I am itching to get out there.

My next idea for a quilt is to do something with the asterisks pattern I posted. I am going to go to the thrift store and buy soft gray fabric for the background, and pale, buttery yellow fabrics for the asterisks. Sheets, clothes, tablecloths? Whatever I find that works! I'm looking forward to finding something interesting to work with. Something with a little more character and history than the brand new cotton fabric I can buy at the fabric store.

I do really miss having something to work on while watching TV at night, some kind of handwork. Right now I don't have anything like that. Marisa's baby quilt has kind of stalled out. It's big enough now that it's kind of a pain in the butt to work on, so I have it folded up n my book case. Once I get my room done out back and can set up my sewing machine set up, I will probably bang through the quilting and call it a day. I love the idea of completely hand sewing it, but now I just kind of want to get it done. One thing I learned from that quilt is that it is just a little too big to be fun to work on by hand. It's probably the largest one I've made (not saying much, they've all been throw quilts or baby quilts). Just goes to show, they are ALL part of the learning process.

Anyway, I do have the bird fabric I bought to make the quilt for my more, I can get started on that by hand, I just have to come up with a pattern. I'm having art day tomorrow with Lisa, maybe that's when I can get started working on some ideas. The asterisks quilt is done on the machine (because it requires cutting through seams, over and over and over.) That'll be fine once I get the studio workable, but until then, I'm not even going to start it.

So there are a lot of plans in place, just need to bust through the set up portion before I can get my hands dirty. That's ok, the end result will be totally worth it.