Many of you have requested that I create an email version of my blog posts for those of you who do not receive RSS feeds.

To be honest, I was rather fearful of what that would entail even though I taught myself HTML etc.

I am a one woman show here and although I am married to a high-tech engineer who is very knowledgeable on any kind of program coding, well…… you know the story of the mechanic and his own car right?

Basically he tells me to read the manual. That is a problem because I don’t DO manuals as I have told him on multiple occasions throughout our marriage. I am a visual person.  If you draw me a picture, I got it nailed down, but to read a dry manual? not going to happen without a tantrum.

I also know from experience that if I start down that road of figuring anything HTML, PHP, etc., it is going to eat up time in large amounts.  That is something I do not have.

Oh what the heck, I went there anyway. I have been whining on and on about no time for years now and I do not see anything happening in the future to change that.  Just do it.  Uh oh, I hope I didn’t step on Nike’s toes with that statement.  Is it enough to mention Nike?

Once again, I am digressing.  eh hem, the email updates……….

On the far right sidebar, you will see a new header, “Email Updates”.  Enter your email in the box and hit the “subscribe” button underneath it.

Next, check your inbox and you will find a “confirm your subscription” email.  Click on the link included in the email and then, that is it!  You are subscribed.

I am creating two lists:

email blog updates: When I update the blog, an email version will also go out to those who requested to subscribe to blog updates via email.

Newsletters (or miscellaneous updates such as class info, new pattern ready, etc.). When I have news, information or other things, then a newsletter will go out to the people on the newsletter list. The newsletters will not be on any calendar time for sending, only when I have news to send out.

Right now I will have to manually adjust your subscription if you want one or the other and not both.  No problem, you just have to let me know via email though. If you do not specify just one version, you will receive both.

When I update the blog, an email version will also go out to those who requested to subscribe to blog updates via email.

When I have news, information or other things, then a newsletter will go out to the people on the newsletter list. The newsletters will not be on any calendar time for sending, only when I have news to send out.

You can unsubscribe at any time via a link at the bottom of the blog update or newsletter.  Your email address is secure and private to me and I certainly will not sell your information or give it to a third party.

Oh and I have added a “printer friendly” button at the bottom of the posts so now those of you who like to print out the tutorial posts or whatever, can do it much easier without all the gobble-dy gook on the side eating up paper, ink and real estate.

Phew, did you get all that?  I have spent two days on this stuff and now it is time to get back to the Titmouse block.  My eyes are fuzzy and my brain hurts from too much thinking.

This is a head’s up since it is that time when those of you registered for the 2012 Asilomar Empty Spools workshop start gathering up your supplies. I have made a tab at the top of the blog for any update information and the general supply list so it is available until after the workshop has concluded and when this post has been replaced by another. 

BASIC QUESTIONS ASKED

Question 1:

“Do I have to work on the Goldfinch or can I work on another of the Naturalist Notebook (NN) Blocks?”

You can work on any of the blocks you choose from the series and are not required to work on the Goldfinch block.  They only take one photo for the brochure and the Goldfinch was the one I had at the time of submission.

Question 2:

“What if I already have a fabric kit and pattern, can I bring that and work on it?”

Absolutely! I will have the new Titmouse block available and you can choose that pattern for the required ”lab kit” to work on at another time. An optional fabric kit makes it easier when it comes to fabric selection for some and if you are traveling by plane, sooooo much lighter.

Question 3:

“Do I have to buy a kit or can I bring my own fabrics?”

I would LOVE to see these patterns made up in a different palette of fabrics!  You are not required to purchase a fabric and/or embroidery kit.  These are always optional for those who prefer this convenience.

Question 4:

“Can I bring a different project from home I am working on?”

This workshop is planned to help grow applique skills that are applicable to more complex designs and layering so the workshop projects is planned specifically for the technique(s) and skill level covered in the workshop.

Although we have a choice of patterns for the NN blocks, they all have techniques and applique skill level in common and everyone in the class is on the same page.  Having one or more students on a separate adventure takes away valuable instruction time from the majority of the students who signed up for the specific techniques and skill level.

Question 5:

“Will you have kits available on site for purchase?”

Yes, I will have a few but I make it a policy not to push product in the classroom.  If you want them, they will be available and just ask me when I am not busy with instruction.

Question 6:

“Do you accept credit cards for classroom purchases and lab fees?”

No. However, I do accept checks and cash.

I hope this is helpful. and of course, you are always welcome to contact me with any other questions.  I am looking forward to a second year at Asilomar and seeing familiar faces and some new ones!

This is the Pacific Northwest for crying out loud and yes it rains, but in wicked amounts? And then came the SNOW in late March???  Not since 1917 I believe they said it had been.

You Midwestern and East Coasters may be laughing at us, but seriously you are used to it. Get a bunch of drivers etc., that rarely see snow of any measurable amount and then let them get into cars? Craaaaaziness.

Then came the floods. I am on high ground and yet I had standing water covering the entirety of my back garden. All of this weather madness and I had to drive into the next town over for a battery of doctors appointments and tests over the last two weeks that lasted the majority of the day(s).  I am lucky in that my heart decided to behave itself and no surgery will be required. Meds will do nicely thank you.

Oh the backlog and catching up there was (and is) to do. Jason harping on me to get his pumpkin seeds started and into the greenhouse. I keep trying to convince him that we have a suburban land plot and that only three to four plants will thrive in his garden. Nope, he must plant lots and lots. sigh. I don’t think the ground is going to be dried out until July either!

I have been fitting in working on the Titmouse Block (first picture at top) so it can be finished up for the Asilomar Workshop that is fast approaching in May.  I love it when I read on a certain newsgroup that those of us who make these national show applique quilts, must have too much time on our hands, no life and are “obsessive compulsive”. Yeah riiiiiight.

Here is a close-up of the rose in this block. No false modesty here…I love it!  I am so excited to see it finished with the embroidery that, as always, will totally transform it.  Even the buds.  I have made a few changes since I admit I do not want to feel your wrath.

Some of the buds had such itty bitty pieces that I thought it would drive a pious woman to say words that she thought would never pass her lips directed at me in particular. I did not want to be responsible.

I will leave those to be “optional embroidery” areas, which I think will be much better in the end anyway.

OK Folks, you are all caught up, I have NO appointments clogging my schedule and I am off to work on the Titmouse Block. Wonderful!

I do not know if “bored” is the exact word I would use but it will suffice to get my point across.  Many of you know I have been trying very hard to get Jason’s Pumpkin quilt done by June.  Not going to happen.

I no longer have the luxury of working on one quilt with nothing else looming large on my to-do list.  Whether it be family obligations which has grown exponentially with each passing year, or other quilting commitments, my time is not my own to fill as it once was.

But…..I have also noticed since my tasks have grown to many, I don’t necessarily like just having one project on my work table for long periods of time.  Maybe this is why I haven’t had a large masterpiece quilt for a loooong time.

I admit it, I get tired of the same thing day in and day out for months/years.  I need some variety now!  I need those smaller projects here and there that give me a sense of finishing something as well as offering up something fresh and interesting to keep my interest and imagination sparked.

I realized late last night (while working) that I needed to desperately take a break from the break neck pace and stress of trying to get Jason’s quilt done.  It was becoming a job rather than fun.  This is where a quilt can take a serious turn towards less than my best so I take the hint and take a break.

I can, finally, after ten years of quilting give myself permission to do this.  I know I will return and the quilt will be the better for it.  Jason won’t let me take too long of a break anyway.  He is still checking up on me to make sure I have progressed every day after school.  Yep, my sewing room is the first place he goes to after walking in the door.

I have been itching to get the next Naturalist’s Notebook block done and I think I am ready to do that at this point.  I have finally got all of my fabrics together and am ready to pick the finalists.

Starting this afternoon, I am going to do a cut and paste mock-up in preparation to start stitching.  I am rather excited about it.  When this block is done (#4) then I will be reinvigorated mentally and eager to get busy working once again on Jason’s quilt.

I will also know that when I do get back to Jason’s quilt, the quilt’s quality will be much better for the break. As I have always told myself, when it becomes a job then that is the time to quit.  I want to be careful that this quilting love of mine never becomes a job.

I reached over and grabbed it quickly as one must do when the crowds of women hell bent on buying quilting stuff can easily carry you away.  I was holding this prized half yard close to my chest so it could not be intercepted and then realized my lunch hour was coming to an end.

Uh oh, I looked into the booth and only saw a massive throng of people so tightly packed into a small space that I was surprised they were still breathing.  There was no way I was going to attempt to enter the may-lay and knew I may not make it out on time to class.  I thought, “I will come back later and get this jewel of a fabric after class”.

I am guessing you are already ahead of me here.  Yep, the fabric was gone–all of it.  Had I been on my “A” game, I would have looked to see the fabric company and design style before I put it back.  I didn’t.

I have spent days trying to find that fabric online with NO success.  I am hoping (pretty please quilting gods?) that it is a new fabric that is coming out soon.

The lesson learned is, when I see it, BUY IT.  I can crowd surf with the best of them but I was there to teach and that was the priority.

The Purchases

So what did I buy you have been asking?  This should surprise you–NOT! Thread.  Lots and lots of lovely thread.

First stop was Superior for more Silk. Actually, I made two stops to buy in that booth.  Love love love this thread.  I use it to machine quilt and hand embroider with.

Then I needed to search for “nesting” threads.  Interesting threads in different textures, colors and weights to create a future bird nest(s).  I am very focused when I shop. The photo at top is of the Valdani #12 Perle cotton.  I see nesting material of course.

One booth I always look for at large shows is the Fat Quarter Queen.  Found lots of lovelies there and I am really jazzed about the new Kaufman Fusions Fabrics. Beautiful perfectly scaled tone on tones with great areas of contrasting value.  Perfect for Applique!

There are a lot more colors available, but I have to wait until they start showing up online I guess.  I also found some great candidates for my birds.  The scale is hard to see here but the prints are fairly small and will work well in small areas of the birds.  Animal prints always work pretty well.  It is usually just a matter of finding the right scale.

The Bohin booth was quite popular with me and my students this year.  The really cool new notion was this transfer pen and tissue.

I haven’t tried it yet but it looks really promising.  You lay the transparent tissue over the pattern you want to trace, trace with transfer pen, no need to reverse and iron on.  The tissue can be washed and used again.  Cool huh?  I am anxious to try this out.

I also bought some beautiful hand dyed silk ribbon and a fat quarter of hand dyed silk Organza and…and….and….

Road really did have some good vendors and in abundance so it was easy to find all kinds of new toys and fabrics and….well..a lot of stuff I didn’t “need” but had to have.  This at least should give you a taste of what I spent my savings on.  Now it is back to the huge pile of projects that need my attention like yesterday.