When Exactly Did I Loose Control??

That's the Question I've been Asking Myself. 


Was it when:

1. I started saying, give me whole bolt, rather than I'll have a fat quarter please.
2. I started working on ten projects at once, rather than one at time...come to think of it I never did work at one project, at a time.
3. I started living in two different provinces.
4. I set up two sewing studios.
5. I started collecting quilting books and magazines by the truck load....that has been going on for a number of years.
6. I sort of started knitting....and of course needed every colour, when I saw a yarn I loved.
7. I became a grandmother.
8. I found Flickr
9. I started blogging.

I can't really say exactly when, but all of the above, definitely contributed.

Overflowing Containers

Overflowing Piles

Many, Many Works In Progress Containers

Hidden Buckets

Towering Containers of Yarn

There are those paragons of virtue that completely clean up, after finishing a project.....I know, I know, it would be a good thing.

And then, there are the organizational books, that tell you to  empty the whole room....what planet are they from, have you seen all the stuff in here?? And then, they only want you to put some of it back, only some of it!!!

I think all the buckets and piles are a reflection of all the ideas racing around my brain...they are sort of out control as well....note to self, the brain could use a little organizational make over as well.

Anyone else out of control? How do you manage it all??

The Beauty of Improvising....is Just That

There is a lot of freedom in improvisational type quilting, if you can get over the initial fear of "making a mistake".  Sometimes "mistakes" bring the most wonderful surprises.

I do a fair bit of improvising in my quilting, but this project is the first time, that I've just put an inspiration photo, in front of me and just started cutting and sewing. My goal is not to make an exact copy but a sort of "free form" copy if you will.

There's the photo.....from the Montreal Metro on my ipad

A little cutting and sewing......

and here we are.

The beauty of this method is there are no drawings to make,  free hand or otherwise, no paper piecing (to finicky for me), no templates, just cutting and sewing . It's sort of like jumping into the deep end, of the pool, if you don't drown you actually swim. 

Since it's only fabric....just how dangerous can it be!!

Free Bee Block for February Finished

A little applique and I finished my Free Block for February.  

 February is my month in the bee. We are all working from our own fabrics and I'm going with an urban, industrial type theme.

Here is my block, based on a photo, I took in the Montreal Metro



Ethne of Flaming Stitches made me the most fabulous block...her work is amazing.


Here is a peek of the block she made for me.

All of the blocks will be different and I'll have the lovely challenge, of putting them all together, in one fabulous quilt. I'll keep you posted, as more of the blocks are made.

Free Bee Block...I Just Started Cutting

I've been anxious to start on my February block for the Free Bee. I've had my Inspiration Photo for a while but haven't had the time to start sewing. So true to form, I threw all caution to the wind and just started cutting and sewing and glancing at photo now and again. After all it's a "Free Bee" and I'm all for improvising.

 

Just the circle left to go...I haven't quite decided what to do yet, so I'll let it sit for a little while.

Inspiration photo

Dual Purpose Sewing Spaces

My sewing room, here on the west coast, definitely has more than one function. When we have house guests, which happens fairly often, it becomes a bedroom. 

 Since, the room is highly visible from the main living area, I've chosen to go with hidden storage, rather than open....totally opposite from my sewing space back in Alberta, which is downstairs away from the rest of the house.

As you can see, I have a sofa bed, rather than a regular bed, which would take up precious space...not quite as comfortable, but well worth the sacrifice.

It suddenly occurred to me, that I could use my four decorative metal pictures, as a bulletin board, since they are magnetic. I've owned these for a number of years and that thought just came to me last week....I'm a little slow some days.

The desk also serves as a night stand...it has an adjustable reading lamp as well, how convenient.

Every Sewing Room needs a cutting table. This is actually a bar height dining room table that has a drop leaf....again a great space saver. It's the perfect height for cutting.

These little dark shelves are actually CD holders.  By hanging them horizontally they have a new purpose....look, they can hold my rulers and who knows what else.

When all cleaned up it still looks good.

The TV stand is actually a dresser  made out of reclaimed lumber....looks great and is wonderful for storage. See all those delicious fat quarters.

All kinds of stuff hidden here.

I also have this fabulous trunk under the window....how perfect this is, for larger pieces of fabric, which of course I have no shortage of. When the lid is down it acts as a bench or  table top.

The only piece of furniture, in the room, that I bought specifically for sewing, is the desk. Sometime it pays to look around the other rooms, in your house, when you are setting up a sewing space.  Moving from one condo to another made me rethink the function of some of my furniture.

I also love the fact that the room can switch from bedroom to studio so easily.  

Right about now, I'm getting pretty sick of the tools.....I really need to get some actual sewing done.

Fragments of Line and Colour....My Process

Just drinking in a little urban inspiration. The sunshine beckoned me outdoors today. I love letting the fragments, of line and colour, dance in my head, like notes in a symphony.

Eventually slivers, of today's walk, will end up in my work......this is a huge part of my process.

I'm going to be working on my urban inspired block this month, but the photo is from last year. I thought a walk would give me a little renewed spark. 

 As long as I don't get side tracked by the new photos.....hmm

Free Bee Block.....A Change of Plans

I've changed my mind on my Free Bee Block for February.  As much as I love my first choice, I feel it's to complex, for this particular project. I'll probably save it for a whole quilt, rather than just the block or two I'll be making, for the Free Bee.

 The word simplify came up a few times in the discussion, amongst the FreeBees....and I am in complete agreement.

I have chosen two of my favorite photos, taken while visiting my daughter, in Montreal last year.

Here are some fabric choices I pulled out of the closet.