Has it really been so long?

How come every time I vow to be a better blogger, I blink and it's a month later?

I feel like I have so much to tell you, but now that I'm at the computer... I can't think of anything. Does that happen to you? Or if you run into someone that you haven't seen in years, and they ask what you've been up to... and you can't come up with a single thing? No? Just me?

Fine.

So I've done some sewing, I cut out these triangles and played with them. This is an idea that's been rolling around in my head for a while. The gradation isn't quite there yet, I'll need to shop for a couple more fabrics.

Oh darn!

I like the greys at the bottom, it's the yellows I'm doubting. So much so that I'm missing a row of yellow, second from the bottom.

So there's that. What else?

A friend and I went to Big Sur last weekend. If you're not familiar, Big Sur is where we keep all the beauty in California. Beach and rocks and trees and geese just walking down the road.

We went to the restaurant that restores both our souls.

Nepenthe.

Even the sound of it is magical.

Good, good food, good wine or beer, sun and breeze and views to die for, and bluejays that try to steal your french fries. It's amazing. One part of the outdoor dining area has benches cut into the hillside, with cushions and pillows. you could just hang out there all day.

You know what else makes Nepenthe a life-changing pilgrimage?

It's owned by the Fassetts.

Lolly and Bill Fassett.

What's that? Who's their son?

Oh that's right.

KAFFE FASSETT Y'ALL!!

So I had to take this picture. I can turn anything into something quilty!

The ladies room in the restaurant is painted in a beautiful mural. I didn't get a picture of the mural, because I was trying to time my shot perfectly in between "visitors" so that I didn't look like a crazy person taking pictures in the bathroom.

So there's the top of my head in the mirror, and Kaffe's signature below.

They also have a fabulous gift shop, where I bought Kaffe's latest book, and a tote bag SIGNED BY KAFFE, or, you know, someone else who can write his name with a Sharpie. But I choose to believe it's really his.

Annnnnd... I've made some progress on THIS quilt. It's a Jacob's ladder pattern, done up in some Simple Abundance, Mill House Inn, Aster Manor, and a dash of Patisserie.

Yes, that's my air purifier, that apparently needs to be in every photo. It's also the thing that causes my blocks to blow around the room at night, no matter how many pins I might stick in them.

These colors are closer.

I used different white on white fabrics for the background.

You know I pride myself on being a modern quilter, a lover of all things wonky and graphic and colorful, but I LOVE this quilt! I think it is just so darn pretty! Can't wait to see it finished, see what sort of border it wants to have.

Please don't make me turn in my Modern Badge.

Potpourri for $200 Alex...

Well, I had hoped to have a finished top to show you here, but if I wait until I'm done it'll be another month! I'm such a procrastinator. I should join a support group. Eh, maybe tomorrow.

I was on a roll, but then was sidelined with the need for this.

It hit me so suddenly; I felt perfectly fine right up until I didn't anymore.

But I'm feeling much better now, and have been slaving away on the batik quilt, like one of the Seven Dwarves, picking for gold. Were they looking for gold? They were miners, but what were they mining for? Hot babes to clean up their hovel, apparently.

But I digress.

So close!!

That white stripe through the center is where the two halves haven't been sewn together yet. I could go take better pictures, really, but once I got there I'd be distracted by bright and shiny things, and The Office IS on right now, I'm sure I'd sit down "just for one minute!" and then I'd never make me way back, and you'd still be sitting on the edge of your seat wondering about this quilt top.

I can't do that to you.

If you've been playing along at home, you'll notice that I had to add a couple new fabrics. A couple bright greens, and a beautiful orange print.

It needed some ZING!

But not too much. We can't be Liza Minelli all the time. Even she takes off her make up and puts on some PJs occasionally.

So here's the fabric I chose for the setting triangles.

It's a light purpley flowerish batik. Yes, I DID want that thread there.

Sigh.

I took my gorgeous Goddaughter to the fabric store with me, where we laid out a stack of blocks in the middle of the floor and auditioned various choices.

I didn't think it wanted to be purple, but once we got there, it very clearly did.

I've got a choice between a bright green and a purple stripe for the first small border, and a very dark speckled fabric for an outer border.

Wait until you see it.

This is how I made the first part of the block. I didn't want to deal with little 1 1/2 inch strips, so I sewed two three inch pieces together on both sides, then hacked them in half.

Presto!

I'm just lazy like that.

And I haven't shown you the pillowcase that I made for the Million Pillowcase March.

Ok, it's not a march. But that sounds better. Hmph.

My friend and I agreed to make pillowcases together, but this one came out wonky, so I'm keeping it. And her house(s) have been in and out of escrow, so she's a little behind too. But what's a deadline if you can't move it? They'll get made soon.

I do like my fabric choices though.

And then because this is a rather random post, here's me in a pink Lincoln.

'Cause that's how I roll.

Bollywood

I love Laurie Shifrin's books.

I especially love this pattern, out of this book.

Mmmmm... love it.

So a couple of Bali Pops later, and...

Howyalikemenow?

It's not laid out in it's final order yet. I have to make some more blocks.

But what do you think?

Ok, now I have to tell you that I was hunting for the Bali Pops, and I was calling them Bali, pronounced like "Balley" Pops. I never questioned why they were called that.

Then I went to a quilt shop and asked if they had them, and the very nice woman said, "Oh, the Bolly Pops?" and it dawned on me like a brick to the head.

Oh! BOLLY Pop!

Like LOLLY POP!

Now it makes sense!

We laughed, and I laughed some more at myself for never even questioning what I was calling them.

This is my favorite block.

It looks like a Chinese character in the middle to me.

I thought I wanted the "Green Tea" assortment, but when I saw them in person, I realized that I actually wanted the "Mocha Mint" and the "Cappuccino".

It's a little dark though, maybe I did want that Green Tea after all.

I was making it for a friend of mine, who then said to me, "Don't even give me anything unless it's blue!"

Hmph!

How rude!

Fine. With that attitude, I'll just give it to someone who will appreciate it!

MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

Spring's Busting Out All Over!

Sunshine!

I couldn't believe we actually had a sunny day, so I made the Sweet Baboo hang up this Fabfanatic homage for pictures.

Why did it look so huge in the sewing cave?

It's not that big. It's probably...75" x 56".

Hmm.

How strange.

Apparently it shrunk in the dark.

If you're wondering why it looks like it's hanging weird, it's because it is. I hung it on it's side to keep it out of the dirt.

This is what it really looked like.

If you're wondering why I didn't iron it, it's because I'm just that lazy.

Fresh.

Springy.

And I finished with this baby quilt too.

And the back...

And I used my fancy tags!

Sure, some people, when ordering custom tags, would have ordered something beige. Or taupe. Something that would go with everything.

I ordered black, with hot pink writing.

You know, goes with everything.

I made a little ensemble, with a matching bib and two burp cloths, but I didn't get pictures before wrapping them up pretty.

You'll have to take my word for them.

Or you could ask Princess Petunia.

She shed a few hairs on them.

She wouldn't pose for pictures either.

Diva.

I Say Happy - You Say Birthday! Happy! ---

Nah nah nah nah nah nah na na...

You say it's my birthday!

Nah nah nah nah nah nah na na...

It's my birthday too, yeah!

I had such a wonderful birthday weekend!

Good food, good friends, tonight is kinda special. Or something like that.

Look what the Sweet Baboo got me!

Ohhhhhhh yeaaaaaaah...

It's new, it's clean, it's not burned, or shredded, and it's BIG!

My old one was soooo beyond help.

It's been my main workspace for like, seriously, 15 years. I love it, it works perfectly for me.

But after that long, it was showing it's age.

(Thank goodness I'M not!)

The pressing side was burned, and disintegrating. I had covered it with a piece of fabric that I had pinned all around. But I could have probably lived with that, but lately the cutting mat side had given up on me.

It was so worn, when I tried to cut - the blade would just push the fabric into the grooves and not cut through.

I loved my old one!

But THIS baby... THIS!

This is HUGE!

My old one was 12" by 18".

This new one is 17" by 23"!

Have I mentioned that I love it?

So I spent a lot of time this weekend reorganizing my whole sewing cave to accommodate it, and then finished sewing this together.

Yes, it is hanging sideways on the wall. It's just that big. I'll take better pictures when I have light.

So... yeah! Yesterday was my birthday. I had a really good time. I'm spoiled. And old.

Have I left anything out?

Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon...

Here's that baby quilt I told you about.

With the "Wheels" fabric? By Riley Blake?

'member?

So this is what I decided on.

Yes, those two oranges in the middle of the third row irritate me. Not enough to rip them out, but enough to make me twitch a little.

Just a little.

Here's the back.

If I sound "meh" about it, it's because I am. Not the back. I like the back. But the front is just sort of... sort of... meh.

I auditioned borders, and sashing, in all sorts of colors and sizes.

Nothing worked, so I've decided no border. No sashing.

I hope the baby likes it more than I do.

But then I started something that I like much better!

Remember me telling you about "FabFanatic"?

I love them, I really do. So I thought I'd mix all the fabrics they've sent me into one quilt to celebrate.

I picked the "Posh" pattern from Moda fabrics.

Just something that would showcase large pieces. And after that red and white beast, something quick and easy sounded good too.

The design wall (flannel backed Christmas tablecloth, bought on clearance and stapled to the wall next to my bed) isn't big enough to hold the whole thing, so I'll have to put it up in sections.

But I'm out of white fabric now, so I think it's time for a movie and some popcorn.

It's a good way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon.

The Pup agrees.

Atreyuuuuu!! Atreyuuuu!!

DONE!!

Well, sort of.

I gritted my teeth, closed my eyes and powered through.

Two rows became four, and four rows became eight,

and before I knew it, (almost three weeks late) the whole top was done.

Ahhhhhhhh...

I've named it Atreyu, from the Neverending Story. It's the never ending quilt.

It still needs that border row, and then I have to think about borders, and backings, and binding, and bourbon.

But I'm calling it done for now.

I've gone to such extremes on this quilt.

I loved it, I hated it, I was indifferent to it.

I started out trying to pick fabrics that would look really nice next to each other, then graduated to not caring what went where. Then came the actively clashing stage. Maroon fabric? Clearly it wants to live next to the orangey one! And they both have apartments next to the pinky ones!

Mwahaahaahaa!

That's where the bourbon came in.

My dear friend asked what one does with a thing like this. Do you give it to charity? Or lock it in a closet for ten years, until you can look at it again?

I suggested wearing it as a dress, every single day.

It was a hard won victory.

This is my favorite block. No fussy cutting at all, this flower just ended up centered in there.

Dang, I didn't notice those two polka dots so close together... Maybe I should rip it out?

Nah. It looks perfect to me.