Friday, July 10, 2009

Interesting observations

I have saved enough Arnie fur to use it for batt in a small quilt. I think it would have nice oomph, yet stay soft and drape-able. I know it is washable and will be nice and fluffy when air dried.

When you have been quilting awhile and getting into it, finding your Zen rhythm, feeling confident, even feeling a bit like bragging to yourself how fabulous you are…THEN everything starts to fall apart right before your eyes. I know now when this feeling starts tendrilling its way into my thoughts as I quilt, it is time to stop for a short break. I have reached the zenith. The only way now is down. Don’t wait for disaster; know when it is likely to appear and head it off at the pass. If your quilting starts deteriorating at this point, chances are you keep right on, like you are having an out-of-body experience, watching weird designs and mistakes appear in front of you. Stop. Prevent the madness.

We have embraced clover as ground cover. It is great – all the benefits of mulch, no expense or work, it blooms and keeps moisture in and weeds out, and I’m not allergic to it as I am mulch, which tends to be very mold infused. Give clover a try, and oh, I do have a nice collection of pressed 4-leaf clovers.

I realized I have this interesting feature on my machine called a “needle threader.” I’ve never used it, as my #60 needle is easier to thread manually, but I know I have one for the future.

And there is a thread cutter too! But I still use scissors.

But oh that great light, it’s fabulous and I can’t be without it.

Kittens can levitate from a standing, stationary position. They suddenly “ping” and go straight up in the air, eyes wide, fur on end, and then scamper off in a wild and wooly fashion.

I don’t like cropped pants on me, even though they are cooler than long pants. Somehow it looks as if they are regular pants that shrunk. And I’m short. Enough said. If you see me wearing them, it is probably in some hot steamy place like Paducah in August.

We seem to have sparrow-sized mosquitoes here in Wisconsin that divebomb my ears at night when I read in bed. They sneaked in with Arnie perhaps.




I have quit collecting dishes, sigh. They are lovely and always have a place in my heart, but they take up room, clutter the house, get dusty, and are sooooo heavy. I plan on dispersing them to good homes soon, or maybe next year.

Some helicopter pilots like to machine quilt.

Keep quilting! Your work gets better every day.

Diane




7 comments:

Elaine said...

Wait a minute! You tell us that "some helicopter pilots like to machine quilt," and then just leave us dangling in mid-air? Can you tell us more? Where did you learn this obscure fact?
Mystified in Arkansas
Elaine

Diane Gaudynski said...

Elaine - Ah, many quilters lead interesting "other lives," so yes, I do know a helicopter pilot who was in one of my classes and operated her machine with pilot-like control. Sorry to mystify so early in the day....!

Jocelyn said...

Great advice! Thanks.

Jean said...

What a lovely blog you have. I have just developed an interest in quilting, or at least admiring it and look forward to reading your posts.

MH said...

I agree with the pants thing ! I like the pedal lenth myself. It is much more attractive
Don't you think ?
http://theleotardcompany.com/pant_length.cfm

Diane Gaudynski said...

Thanks Jean - hope to have many quilt related posts to keep you interested. Boopie - yes, the shorter length is much better. I actually have some of those. I've seen taller, chic women wearing the cropped ones with high wedges or something equally tortuous and they looked nice. But not I, alas.

Karen said...

Why is it that when quilting a design which I know is wrong after starting it that I have to finish it completely only to have to rip out the full design rather than part of it? Why oh why didn't I listen to that little voice that was screaming to me to stop? Boy, can I relate!