Saturday, February 13, 2016

Saturday Stories 02-14-16

Periodic tales from the past.

"Chocolate Covered Cherries"

Diane’s sister is three years older, so they were both in high school at the same time.  Her sister was dating and chose the dorkiest guys to go out with.  Since their mother wouldn’t let them go unaccompanied they had to stay in the living room and listen to music and talk.   Or someone had to go with them on their date.  The couple was forced to take Diane with them to a drive in movie on the theory that they wouldn’t do anything they shouldn’t if someone else was present.  The dorky guy tried to buy some silence with a one pound box of chocolate covered cherries – Diane’s favorite candy.   Senselessly she ate them while watching the movie (and the moves in the front seat!) and finished almost the entire box.  She spent the night in the bathroom and didn’t eat another chocolate covered cherry for fifty years!  Her sister married the dork.   

Thursday, February 11, 2016

A Recuperation Day 02-11-16

I haven't even unpacked by workshop box - it will wait until tomorrow.  I have KoKo for a few days and he was willing to sleep most of the day away.  It was hot again, probably in the 90s, but we went outside several times and the breeze helped.  Here he is sitting on my feet while I am on the computer - so I can't get away without him knowing!. 


I have been rethinking my scrap quilt and think I might be changing to a coordinated scrap, which means I will have more cutting to do.  I'll make a few blocks and see what it looks like before I take on another cutting project. 
 
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Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Workshop with Bonnie Hunter 02-10-16

 
Today was the workshop with Bonnie Hunter offered by Surfside Quilters Guild.  There were 35 students, but the classroom (a community room at a mobile home park) was more than adequate with good lighting.  We were working on Bonnie's pattern "Texas Tumbleweeds" which is composed of two blocks - one that makes a chain and the other makes the "tumbleweeds".  Bonnie had us put down all of the (36) blocks we finished in class - I was fortunate that I managed to make one of each of the blocks.  Some of the students were doing what I think of as coordinated scrap, where the colors are limited, such as the three blue/neutral blocks across the  bottom or the two red/black & white blocks at lower left.  I purposely chose a mixed color palette and I wonder how successful it will be.  For some years I haven't made a quilt that required precision piecing and I struggled with sewing an accurate seam.  By the end of the day I had improved some, but it is one of the skills I have lost while doing contemporary quilts that don't require precision.  I do hope this project doesn't turn into a UFO.
 
I enjoyed the class which included some students who are not SQG members, so we met some new quilters who seem to be Bonnie groupies.  Lots of sharing and lots of laughter.
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Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Bonnie Hunter and Sashimi 02-09-16

Today was the February meeting of Surfside Quilters Guild and Bonnie Hunter was our speaker.  We had 164 in attendance, including 29 guests who all came because of Bonnie.  She did a great program showing about 20 full sized quilts and shared some of  her quiltmaking theories.  I'll be doing her workshop tomorrow making her quilt design "Texas Tumbleweeds".  The squares and rectangles are all cut and the sewing machine and all equipment are in the car. 
 
This is one of the quilts she showed today.  What I would call a coordinated scrap quilt because the color is limited.  Of course, I love this one because it is yellow and blue, my favorite combo.
 
This evening I took myself to dinner at Fish in a Bottle and had the tuna and salmon sashimi.  It was extra good - my hunger and the fine quality of the fish.  It was served on a bed of finely shredded raw beets - yummy.  The sushi chef kindly cuts it extra small for me because I have a hard time getting the usual size pieces in my mouth.

 
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Sunday, February 7, 2016

Quilt by English quilter Olga Norris 02-07-16

This tiny quilt has been in TCQC since 2012, but I missed putting it my blog. There are several Olga Norris quilts in the Collection - all tiny, but with exquisite stitching.  Look at this blog post for more explanation: http://www.delquilts.blogspot.com/2015/04/quilt-by-english-quilter-olga-norris-on.html 
 
"Coffee Futures"  Olga Norris - England  2010  11.4"W x 7.5"L

The black outlines and lines in the background are the black base fabric exposed.



 
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