By now I think most of you may suspect I may be a bit flighty.  I prefer to call it a bit of controlled, OK sometimes uncontrolled, brain chaos.  However, like a lot of you, I too suffer from a short attention span.  No one ever believes me at shows when they see my quilts but it is true! I am not as methodical as you may think, I am just good at faking it.

I went to the big Sewing Expo in Puyallup Washington last week to check it out since I haven’t attended since one of the first ones.  I went with my mom and we stayed in Tacoma.  Of course it is the hotel just beside my all time favorite restaurant (take note those of you going up for the show in August) the Pacific Grill.  The food truly is my definition of heaven. sigh

So what did I buy?  Well, we shopped up the interstate and again down the interstate with a little expo thing of vendors in-between.  I am always on the look out for the items that are hard to find or really new to me.

Obviously I found and purchased lots of fabric for the upcoming Titmouse kits when it came to fabric. However, at the Expo I ran into a familiar name, “Barbara Willis” of Barbara Willis designs.  Picture me excited!

Some of you may know that before I started quilting, I loved making the cloth dolls.  I had that same attention to detail early on in making the costumes of my dolls that I show in the detail work of my quilts. Quilting took over my time and life and I put away my doll-making urges and supplies. I just did not have time for both.

I am dating myself, but when Barbara first started releasing her fabulous small doll patterns, I was mesmerized by the fabulous detail.  I think I can attribute her doll creativity with sparking my imagination as to what is possible with fabric and thread.

I had a delightful time talking with her at the show and thrilled to finally meet her in person.  I get star struck too you know!  To me, she is a star.  I never did gravitate towards the high voltage celebs in any industry, just the quiet unpretentious ones.  I always found those to have the most interesting ideas and personalities one on one.

Barbara Willis Designs

I am still star struck by Barbara.  She had the most beautiful (the pattern cover does not do it justice) pattern for a small dressmaker form pincushion.  You know I instantly thought, “Jenna!” for her Parisienne boudoir.  It was perfect.  Well of course that led to a full on shopping excursion for the right fabrics and materials. I could no longer suppress my urge to make a “doll”.

I did not plan for that in my spending budget–oh dear.  Of course it did not stop me and as always, a book purchase was in order….

 Cloth Doll Artistry

I am not sure the Expo trip was a good thing as I am unsure if I will be able to pack up my love once again for costume design through doll-making.  Fear not though, I have a strong work ethic and the priority is to get the next Naturalist’s Notebook done and ready for you.  The doll should only take me a day.

Inspiration can come from many places.  Being able to talk with Barbara reminded me of another area and passion to draw inspiration to create what I love and how it can directly influence my other creative endeavors.

Every now and then a diversion provides fresh inspiration and usually results in something lovely to look at when all is done. Oh and my dear friend Boop? your projects also had an influence here as well.  Bring on the diversions.

I was really pleased with it and found my focus being less than what it should be for my priority projects.  The block was so fun I wanted to continue to make a whole quilt for the sample.  Obviously time was against me as well as being ill for a month.

I really enjoyed the student’s reaction to the new pattern and I was really inspired by their fabric choices.  So many different fabrics and yet each one was very successful.  In other words, no matter what the fabric choices, they all worked!  I saw a Christmas themed palette among them and it was really cool.

The workbook was made up like a recipe book and you can choose the “recipe” of your choice or all of them.  This is just one of the pages from the “Recipe Book”.

Oh and for those students, and anyone else interested, the background fabric I am using is Moda Sunkissed by Sweetwater Style #5446-11 (Limeade).  There is a gray writing version that is very similar so be careful.

Some Links:  Hollyhill Quilt Shoppe; Fabrics and More Etc.,; Cindy’s Quilt Shop; Heavenly Stitches Quilt Shoppe; Honey Fork Fabrics

This particular cupcake recipe is a derivative from my Tea with Miss D. quilt and is just a smidgen different than the pattern in the book.  I added some “sugar” beads for a little bit of sparkle and added detail.

I am working on finishing up the sample block which means a border etc. and quilting.  I am playing with a new toy I had bought awhile ago and hadn’t had time to play with it until now.  It is Susan Cleveland’s Prairie Pointer.  Once again she has come up with an awesome easy to use tool.  Every single prairie point was perfect and added another layer of fun to the block design.  I will show you the completed version in the next post.

I am also going to test out the Bohin Transfer Tissue I showed you in the last post.  I am going to see if it works for transferring quilting designs.  Fingers crossed it will be the answer to my problems.

The final design is a mystery to both of us, but at least I can see the vision in my head that unfortunately, you are not privy too.

Earlier, much earlier, I showed you a preliminary layout of the “bones” of the quilt.  As I complete each block I will add it to the layout so you can see how it progresses too. I think it is fair to say, this is shaping up to be a beautiful quilt.

The quilt will be approximately 50″ x 50″ (probably a little bit longer by a few inches).  Ten surrounding blocks, one central block.  There will be other little surprises, but you will have to anticipate those like gifts.  I am wicked aren’t I?

Now that I have your brains sufficiently percolating ideas, let’s throw in thread selection to the mix.  I commented on how I had this fine silk twist thread in my stash.

This is what I was talking about: Gloriana Threads.  Talk about luscious!  These are hand dyed threads that come in different weights and are to die for beautiful.

You know how you have fabrics that you have purchased and you hesitate to use them–cut into them that is?  I have threads that I hoard just like some fabrics.  They are only brought out to touch and sigh over.  However, I think that Peony could just about make me use some of this thread.  The funny thing is, these threads are available and I can always buy more.  So why do I hoard them like gold in a down economy?  Anyway, before I digress further, back to the threads…

You all have brought up wonderful ideas for re-creating the center of that Peony in fabric and thread.  I woke up in the night with a Eureka! idea.  I have always been trying to innovate on the Turkey Knot.  Actually I think this will work on any dimensional style stitch that is long in nature.

I am just about all caught up re-printing and packaging patterns and kits (thank you for such an overwhelming response to my patterns!) and I will have some time to get back to my own projects and experimentation in my “cave” (as my family calls my sewing room).

I am going to test out my Eureka idea and if it works?  I will share and if it doesn’t?  No one needs to know how badly it failed. Riiiiight?

I don’t think I have to tell anyone where I find my design inspiration. I took a few moments on Sunday to do a little puttering in the garden.  I wanted to get some pictures of this Rhododendron in bloom before I left for a week.  By the time I get back, the flowers will have faded and I will need to pinch off the expired blooms.

I have always wanted to create Rhododendrons in one of my quilts.  The variety of colors and beautiful greenery always get my brain percolating.

Along the Shade Garden walk is what I call the little waterfall.  In the mornings it sounds so peaceful and wonderful as I sit on the deck and drink my morning coffee or tea and figure out what I am going to try and accomplish during the day.

This year I will build the big waterfall in another area of the garden along with a new Pergola.  I am also going to figure out how to connect the two with a stream.  That is the plan anyway.

Milo and Daisy, my two needy assistants that follow me everywhere I go.  We jokingly call the rock Daisy is standing on (which you can’t see very well) ”Pride Rock”.  It overlooks the pond and waterfall.

Everything is just starting to open up and shake off winter.  I have some trimming and pruning to do when I return from Asilomar, but I think the garden is going to look great this year and fill me with inspiration going forward.