I have sewn up the first block of a new BOM from Pieceful Kwilter but I'm thinking it needs some reworking...just not enough contrast. A constant problem when working with batiks...but gosh...I really love batiks. The setting triangles around the block on diagonal are constant for each month and I think I will start by reworking them...I think the central block works.
I'll be tackling block #6 from the Layer Cake Quilt Along...another batik project. I wish I could just play all day in the sewing room!
My design wall holds the main body of a Debbie Caffrey mystery. The pattern calls for a 10" border of the theme fabric which is the green. In the past year I have rarely left a quilt with a plain border and this piece definitely feels like it needs more.
I'd like to incorporate this bear fabric into the border. I have been playing on EQ7 to try and work some ideas out but I just haven't found anything that clicks yet.
Try #1
Try #2
Just not any closer to what I want. I will continue to play.
I love playing with EQ7 but it sure steals time from my days.
Tonight's the big night for my son's appearance on the TV show,
"Alaska Wing Men - Explosive Cargo" on the National Geographic channel...can't wait!
I have a lot of little fires going and I've been working in EQ7 so time has just flown out the window.
First - an update on my son, John's TV debut. He is in the Explosive Cargo episode of Alaska Wing Men on Monday, National Geographic channel. Here's a 3 minute promo for the show with my son in it: Explosive Cargo My husband was so excited his float plane made the show...and it's in the promo...it shows his blue and white float plane (Cessna 206 - just in case you know airplanes) landing and delivering John for the Bush Pilot course.
I went fabric shopping Friday and had a grand time. One thing we have plenty of in the Anchorage area is quilt shops. I have 7 great shops within 30 minutes of my house. It's time for new classes to start at all the shops so I had new quilts to check out from the class samples. And when I got home I had a package of fabric in the mail. It was a great day! My husband asked if I needed any more fabric...
My husbands toys are airplanes and boats...
Not that it's a contest or anything but I think we spend a lot more money on his toys than my fabric.
...On to a few pictures of my stash additions
Hoffman batik fat quarter bundles...yummy...this is Sangria
Chamomile....so relaxing
Honeysuckle
I do have projects in mind for these sets...bought the book Fat Quarters Anonymous last summer and saw all the quilts at the Long Beach quilt show. It's a Cozy Quilt Design book so lots of easy designs. Now it's back to all those little fires.
There are so many reality shows centered around Alaska and there are only so many people in our great state so eventually someone in my family was going to make it on one. My oldest son, John, makes his television debut on Monday.
That's him on the right. He's only 19!
He will be on National Geographic's Alaska Wing Men
There are three, one hour episodes running back-to-back that evening. We don't know which episode he is in but I'm thinking it's the one titled, "Deadliest Skies," because he landed a plane on one of Alaska's few highways.
That is a real shot! That's my son landing on a highway with moving traffic...yes, the guy driving the RV was worried! My son did a "Bush Pilot," course for three days while the camera caught the action. I live in a family of pilots, my husband started it all and now both of our sons are pilots. I'm very anxious to see the shows...the piloting world is small and I'm sure there will be others we know in the series. (We love watching all the Alaska reality shows because every so often there is someone we know in one!)
If National Geographic does a show about the perils of walking dogs in Alaska I'm sure I'll be on that show. For now...back to quilting...not quite as exciting.
Yesterday I felt frustrated not getting to my Fun Quilter to work on the Good Tidings banner...I had to tell myself it's only January 5th...I have weeks to go in this month...and I'm sure I will finish this UFO on time. I love my Fun Quilter but working on it means having at least two free hours...it's not something I can just turn on for 30 minutes. Today I have a repairman coming so I probably won't get to it today either.
I am making progress on my Debbie Caffrey mystery. I googled the pattern name and found her website Debbie Caffrey Creative Moments where you too can check out a few of her patterns for free! This is the second mystery I've done of hers and she is so thorough. She has detailed instructions for pressing which makes it so easy to put it all together...opposing seams mean very little pinning.
Once again I find myself with a pile of triangle scraps. I am going to resist the urge to sew them all together and instead put them in a nice baggie where they can be found for later use...you know the price of cotton has gone up. I will make many of you feel better...I'm already paying $11.99-$12.99 per yard for Hoffman batiks here in Alaska...I can't imagine how much higher the prices will go with the rising cost of cotton. The internet is a wonderful place and I never count shipping into my fabric expenses...love those flat rate boxes.
