Apparently it's a good time for taking a blogging break, the dog days of summer and all that. I am so tempted, but keep having one more thing I want to blog about first! I feel like I've been working in very 'slow mo'. Homebody that I am, traveling every other weekend starts to feel very emotionally draining. Especially the extra long days of driving where an eight hour drive unexpectedly takes ten or more hours.*ugghh...
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| Improv. Wheels getting a little hand quilting done... |
Why is it that family always has a good reason for filling up our vehicles coming and going. Oh, you'll be in close vicinity, why don't you just go pick up some exercise equipment for me as a favor? And all of a sudden our leisurely trip is taking a detour straight through a traffic packed Portland, Oregon on the way home, instead of being able to skirt the edges like we normally do. That's when I get my hand work bag out and start stitching like a crazy woman. Deep breaths Audrey! Coming from a town of minus 700 people, traffic in places like Portland and Seattle make me a wee bit stressed.
Laundry and other assorted necessary, {but time consuming} chores pile up quickly of late, and of course quilting often gets shoved way onto the back burner at the least provocation. It seems that all the quilting getting accomplished here is with the quilt in the hoop or maybe a little bit of applique. Grab and go kind of stuff. I was so excited and looking forward to working on Improv. Wheels, but now it's feeling a little flat. The time spent with the hoop has been really broken up and something feels weird about the quilt now. Makes me compare it to what having a brown eyed child after having a passel of blue eyed children would feel like. Oh, it's definitely all mine, but still, I'm having to reconnect every single time I pick the hoop back up! It's probably just the normal chaos of winding down the end of summer. I'll feel better after a good week or two of normal quilting routine.
On a side note, take a look at this gorgeous quilt below! A reader of my blog, Denise St. Sauveur, said that she unofficially followed along with
Quilty 365 and then looky, looky what she did with the border! This is the flower block from my
Vintage Red quilt just finished up this Summer. Oh my goodness, what a seriously creative streak this gal has. Wish she had a blog to see other work, 'cuz I love this so much!
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| A quilt made by Denise! |
I am, as always, amazed and humbled when someone finds creative inspiration from anything on my blog. It's such a boost to open our email and find a picture like this or a note that says 'thank you' for sharing our quilting journeys in such a public way.
Completely made my day. Thank YOU Denise!, for so generously sharing your lovely quilt and allowing me to post a picture showing this wonderful creation with other readers too. It's how we're all inspired, day after day, seeing different quilt ideas merge, blend and grow. I would have never come up with this on my own, but now want to make my own Vintage Red border in a brand new quilt project! Ooh, but there's just never enough time for all the ideas is there?
Well, isn't that thrilling!? It is such a lovely quilt and that border makes it even more special!! You are a very inspiring blogger and quilter!
ReplyDeletelove that border - when just glancing through the photos I thought it was your quilt - then I go back and read the whole thing after I look at photos' -- I'm with you on city traffic we usual go around if it doesn't make it way out of the way to get where we are going. Our closest towns (we are in the country) are 1200 and 27000 so Little Rock is big to us and some of the other city's are more than I want to drive in for sure - Little Rock is doable for me but hate rush hour!!
ReplyDeleteI love your flowers, too and with the circles on this quilt they just look so right...I live right near I95 and the traffic is miserable most days and impossible on Summer weekends..I avoid that highway at all costs...
ReplyDeletei am in a slo-mo mood myself...this heat and humidity has really made me grumpy...and unable to "settle" into anything...Autumn is around the corner and hoping for some nice crisp, clear days...hugs, Julierose
I love the border and it is perfect with the circles. I go regularly with the bus van from Sparta to Athens. It takes 3 hours and I take sewing projects with me. Mostly English Paper Piecing hexagon flowers or stars. I am in Athens before I realize it!
ReplyDeleteI am also working in slow motion because of the heat over here!
The Quilty 365 challenge keeps on giving such beautiful quilts! Denise, this quilt is lovely, and Audrey, thank you for your inspiring challenge. Your many quilts are always perfection.
ReplyDeleteI think the weather this summer has zapped a LOT of peoples' energies. What a great border for her 365 quilt - and I agree that sharing photos with those who inspire us is SUCH a good thing to do.
ReplyDeleteYour wheels quilt is gorgeous! It fits really well with your story about the traffic! The 365 quilt is also gorgeous! How wonderful that she was able to take inspiration from you not only with the circles, but with the border as well. I might have to up my game and think about border options. I'm not anywhere near there, although I have been thinking about circles again lately.
ReplyDeleteI think summer find most of thinking that we should take a blogging break. Glad you had "one more thing" to post as I love what is in the hoop! And, I am so thankful that you posted Denise's quilt. I have been wanting to steal that border design since you first posted it. So happy to see you have inspired someone to actually do it! I just love that happy flower border!! And don't worry, if I ever get around to stealing from you I will certainly ask you first!!
ReplyDeleteYour blue-eyed/brown-eyed comment made me laugh. My first child was blonde with ice blue eyes. When his sister showed up she had dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. Same mother, same father. It took me a while to adjust to the change. . . I am appliqued out and am having a hard time getting interested in much of anything. It was so fun to see the border on the 365 quilt. Your wheel quilt looks great BTW.
ReplyDeletePortland and Seattle traffic can be a nightmare. Glad you were able to do some lovely quilting to relieve the stress.
ReplyDeleteThe quilt was lovely when I previously saw it here; however, on the bed, WOW!
ReplyDeleteI'm feeling tired of the summer and ready for cooler quilting weather!
ReplyDeleteDenise's quilt is delightful with all those circles surrounded by brilliant flowers. Thanks for sharing one more post. Before you take a break?
ReplyDeleteI keep a hand work bag as well. I cannot believe how much hand work I am able to get done in those moments when I can't be at my machine.
ReplyDeleteI also love what she did on the border of that gorgeous quilt!
Denise’s quilt is fabulous - love that border! Hope you find some “me” time to relax and stitch or whatever you feel like doing x
ReplyDeleteThis is a slow time of the year. I know many Europeans go on vacation in August. Didn't realize so many of us Americans are out of pocket, too. Enjoy your work. And thanks for sharing Denise's beauty. Aren't you a proud grandmother to have inspired this quilt? In two ways. Doubly exciting. Congratulations to you both.
ReplyDeleteWell I love your Improv Wheels Audrey but sometimes we do feel as if we have reached an impasse with our present quilt, a wee break could help, I do hope you can carry on with the quilting soon.
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