Thursday, December 8, 2016

Winter's Silence


It is that time of year again, when the darkness of winter nears, the silence is all around.  Oliver waits at the windows for birds, and the festive lights of houses begin to glimmer and celebrate the holiday season.  Flocks of huge wild turkeys visit at least once a week, and the heavy feeling in the air means snow is on the way.

It has been a long time since I visited this blog; my days have been filled with things other than quilting, but recently my interest in it was nudged just a bit by several things.  In June I was asked to appear on a new Wisconsin Public Television program, "Treasured Quilts of Wisconsin."  Nancy Zieman of "Sewing with Nancy" hosted it, and she also invited me to be a guest on her program in the Nancy's Corner segment, below.

After the taping the crew gathered around me to look closely at my quilt and ask me excited questions.  It was so fabulous to see these young people so amazed with quilting, so interested in everything!  Plus, it was a joy to work once again with Nancy.  Our conversation takes place in her Sewing With Nancy program "Patchwork Patterns Inspired by Antique Quilts with Julie Hendricksen."  It has aired recently and will re-run nationally for three years.


The quilt I was holding is "Delectable Mountains," below.  Quilted with YLI Sparkle thread (silk and metallic), it still gives me shivers when I remember how difficult it was to do, how it was tossed onto the UFO pile for a long time, then I persevered and finished it, only to have the hand dyed mud color bleed in the center of the quilt, ugh.  In the interview Nancy mentioned my use of color, especially my term for dull fabrics (below in the large triangles) that I called "mud."  



It never made it to the auction, I made a different and better quilt with the challenge fabrics.  I had this poor little quilt hanging with the back showing for a long time, and finally tried it with the front to the front, and can look at it without reliving the agony of piecing and quilting it.  The monstrously thick seam joins with very heavy sateen caused some minor breakage in my presser foot assembly, springs flying or dropping every now and then, repair shop needed.  But....it's probably good for the soul to have to suffer through a project every now and then!
  



It also took me awhile to brace myself and watch the television shows I was in.  I was afraid I had said "ummmm" too much, or started every sentence with the usual Wisconsin "yah".....but no, all was well, and the editing took care of my wandering thoughts.  It was not easy "talking quilts" again after several years of retirement, but I found it all came back quickly and easily.  

This led to trying some quilting and I have to say even though my sewing room was a storage room and had boxes and stuff piled everywhere, I found my machine, and can still quilt well, and it felt good and looked beautiful.  Now I have to consider what I want to make, some small project that will let me experience that lovely contentment and joy that machine quilting can give. 

I'm teaching quilting to a great-niece, such a delight, and Oliver has had near escapes and great cat adventures, plus I'm still going through years of accumulated quilt things.  I found a fun article I wrote on color for Quilter's Newsletter Magazine a long time ago, and will share that with you soon, especially since Nancy Zieman brought up the whole MUD thing!

I think of so many of you often, the quilters, the classes and things that happened, the travel and the places quilting took me.  Going through my years of memorabilia has brought back so many lovely memories.   Stay warm, and more soon,

Keep quilting!  Your work gets better every day,
Diane  


19 comments:

Rebecca Grace said...

So nice to see your blog post pop up in my feed today, Diane! Glad you are well and that you are doing some quilting again. You are so talented! I have all your books and they are my first and best resource for machine quilting. Thank you!

Susan said...

The best quilting class I ever took was a three day workshop at the Paducah museum. I learned so much and I still quilt almost every day. Thank you for your devotion to the art.

QuiltShopGal said...

I'm thrilled to hear an update from you and sweet Oliver. I wish you both a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year, with plenty of time to enjoy and create. I still go back thru your blog posts, as well as your books and my notes from your class at Asilomar, to find inspiration and tips. I honestly think of you as I do any free-motion quilting. I'll never be as good as you, but you certainly inspire being the best one can be, as well as continual practice to be better.

I hope Oliver is snuggling with you to keep you warm and remind you are loved by many, from around the world.

QuiltShopGal
www.quiltshopgal.com

Jenny K. Lyon said...

I missed you! Glad to hear you are doing well and back to quilting- what a perfect activity as winter sets in! Your inspiration is still with me every day. I am doing a lot of traveling and teaching and things that I think you would be proud of. And I do "keep quilting" and my work does get a wee bit better every day.

margaret said...

good to see you back on your blog and once again you are quilting

Bouts Choisis said...

So pleased to see your post today! Have a lovely Christmas and all best wishes for 2017. I will look forward to the article about colour - fabric mud sounds interesting! (We know all about the real mud here in the countryside of Normandy, France!) Lynne.

Quilting Babcia said...

It was so good to see your post arrive on my dashboard last evening, and to hear that you're getting back to your beloved quilting! I'll be looking forward to seeing the TV segments with Nancy Zieman. Wishing you and your sweet Oliver a warm and cozy holiday season.

Jocelyn said...

So wonderful to see you post on your blog again. Glad to hear that you are doing well. A whole new generation of quilters are on the rise. It's wonderful to see the spark still flies at the sight of beautiful quilting. Take care and Merry Christmas.

Diane Gaudynski said...

Thank you all so much! I know that quilting is going strong, all the new quilters are doing great work, and progress marches on in quilting as it always has. It was an eye opening surprise when my 10-year-old great-niece asked me to teach her about piecing and quilting, and it has been so much fun re-discovering everything about it through her eyes. She loves fabric, color, threads, design, even running the sewing machine, just like I do. Ah, a new generation....!

Diane said...

As I was watching the PBS show, I kept thinking, "They CANNOT have a show about quilting in Wisconsin and not mention Diane Gaudynski!" What a joy to have you appear on my screen.

Over the years, I took several workshops with you. You were instrumental in opening my horizons and removing any fear of machine quilting, to the point where the MQing is my favorite part of the entire quilt-making process. So happy to hear you've rediscovered the joy!

KittyAnn said...

Was so lovely to see your post today! I will be looking for your segment with Nancy Z., sounds like you had fun! Oliver is still 'master of the house'? I'm sure he is, my three rule the roost here in NC. Have a blessed and peaceful Christmas, and a joyous New Year!

The Idaho Beauty said...

I always appreciate it when someone as experienced and talented as you shares stories of frustration, problems & near defeat. It's too easy for the rest of us to think our teachers, mentors and idols just breeze along with nary a bump in the road while we mere mortals struggle along never to be any good. I have always thought your best advice has been don't practice, make quilts! One really does quilt with more attention on a project than on a sample and there is nothing like repetition over a quilt top for getting better and gaining confidence. And as you discovered, even after an absence, that muscle memory kicks in surprisingly fast! So nice to hear from you again. Your instructions and support years ago really did change my quilting life and I am forever greatful for the opportunities to take classes from you and watch you in action.

Dar said...

Welcome back. I was just seeing on my blog that it had been a very long time since you posted on your blog. I wondered where you were all this time. I have several of your books and they are still great resources for quilting techniques and inspiration. Glad you are back to quilting again.

Bec said...

Diane...your quilt is gorgeous. I can only dream of doing such beautiful quilting. Thanks for the eye candy. :)

Jacqueline Bahí said...

¡Felices Fiestas! Me alegra saber de ti Diane. Eres una gran fuente de inspiración para mi y me gusta saber que estas bien. Un beso.

Mary said...

How wonderful to see your blog post! I have wondered what happened to you. Glad all is well, and I hope we will hear more from you sooner than later.

LuAnn Kessi said...

Diane......it is just wonderful to see you post on your blog again. Quilting is so very good for the soul now isn't it! Wishing you all the best in all you do.

LuAnn in Oregon
luannkessi.blogspot.com

TerryKnott.blogspot.com said...

It was wonderful to hear from you again!!!!! May quilting continue to be a light in your life and may you continue to share your journey with us. I missed you!

Laura T said...

I just popped onto your Blog to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and found a couple of posts! What a welcome sign:-) I would love to read more about the "muddy colors". Happy sewing with your great niece!
LauraT