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Thursday, November 29, 2012

While I wait....

Sweet Pinnie from CASharp
 
I am participating in the Fab Little Pincushion Swap - FLiPS - on Flickr.  Some weeks ago I sent my creation off to it's new home.
 
Now I am waiting for the one made for me to get here.


WAITING,
WAITING,
 WAITING,
 WAITING,
 WAITING,
 
While I am waiting, I am dreaming about what it might look like.  Here are some images that have captured my imagination.
 

Pin Cushion, Halloween Dog Parade 2011, Tompkins Square Park, East Village, New York City
I hope my partner has sized this for my Great Dane/Pyrenees Pup!!

little waves pin cushion
 
 

Yellow Angry Birds handmade felt plush Pin Cushion
I'd have to throw one like this.
Penny - Pinnieasaurus
Cool huh?!
pincushion
My kind of burger!!
Truck Pincushion
Love this....maybe with an evergreen in the back.
Halloween Mummy Cat Pincushion Kitty-Hotep
LOL!  My kitten keeps steeling my pins....really.
Pin Cushion Love.

I'll let you know how it turns out....any day now.....

Advent

advent calendar

It is my favorite time of year...and no, it isn't because I love little boxes (although I do), nor is it because I am anxious to receive a gift (although I do like getting them).

advent socks


I love Advent because it is filled with joy....and to some extent a delightful spirit of adventure.  I'm not about to drag out my OED to look up roots and derivatives, an ant would need glasses to read that print, however a quick peek at Merriam-Webster on my I-pad (I can control the size of the font on this one) suggests that the words are related.  Both are related to things to come....like Christmas, and birthdays, and surprises.

advent bags

During Advent I spend inordinate amount of time thinking about the people I love, enjoying the gifts of friendship, and plotting ways to make known, on no uncertain terms, that my heart belongs to them.  I want them to know that.  I love them.  I want the best for them.  And there is nothing that they can do, or neglect to do, that will ever change that.  My gift giving is NOT dependent on my gift getting.  It doesn't work that way.

Advent week 2 - Peace

Sometimes these activities keep me stuck in my head....I always have thought too much...and I don't stop to participate.  This is NOT a good thing.  I neglect to enjoy the wonderfully intoxicating joy of anticipation.  I suspect that I don't really believe that I matter, that my love and loving could ever be returned.   There is a part of me that thinks I will forever be the kid on the outside of the window looking in.  It is all hogwash.  (Anyone know what hogwash is?  Really...why do we use that expression.)

The First Christmas Window

I have publicly shared that I am a Christian.  It is no secret.  I KNOW without a doubt that my God loves me.  He wants the best for me, and there is nothing that I can do, or neglect to do, that will ever change that.  His gift giving is NOT dependent on my ability to give something back to Him.  It doesn't work that way.

I don't understand why He does what He does, nor do I understand His timing.  If consulted, I am sure I would do things differently...  be very glad that I wasn't consulted.  God doesn't see any differences between people.  He made us all.  Could a father love one son more than the other?  Really?  Okay a human father could, but my heavenly Father doesn't.  He is perfect.  There is room in his mansion for all of us.  Short, fat, tall, thin, black, white, blond, brunette, ginger, male, female, young, old, quilter, banker, inmate...all of us. There is a gift under His tree for everyone who enters the house.  There is love overflowing, unending, and intensely personal for anyone willing to accept it.  No strings.  He loves us, all of us.  He wants the best for us, and there is nothing that we can do, or neglect to do, that will ever change that.  His gift giving is NOT dependent on our ability to give back.  It doesn't work that way.
 
advent calendar 2

One day soon, the days of Advent will be over.  People all over the world will celebrate Christmas day.  It will get here.  As will the day when my Lord returns to gather His own....and then it really will be Christmas. 

Oh what a day that will be....I can't wait to greet you there.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Medicine for the Soul

Sometimes I wonder what the heck is wrong with me.

I live in a beautiful city, in a lovely home, and have plenty of everything that I could possibly hope for;  I have three wonderful sons, a loving husband, and enough family close by that they actually make me nervous when we are all together (there are around 20 of us);  I belong to a BIG GOD who takes great pains to care for me....even when I don't care for Him; and still there is a bitter little grouch living inside me that is just itching to get out and bitch at someone, anyone.  What in the world could I have to bitch about?

I need to get a life.

In keeping with that theme...get a life....I will now divert this tirade to some pretty pictures.


Rainbow Smitten Quilt

Nice, isn't it.

"The Button Tree"

I can feel my soul healing....ahhhh

FLQS- Birds Fly Over the Rainbow

These are some of the photos that I chose from Flickr to represent myself to my partner in the next DQS swap. 



That must be the grumpy troll inside of me....


Camellia japonica

This is what my God has to say to him......



Hello Nosey Parker...I love your pink nose.

Santa Fe Christmas-3

The sign ups are now closed for the swap...and the mamas are busy behind the scenes sorting out the bebes.

(wouldn't the colors in that picture look amazing in a quilt?)

Snow Dance - DQS8

windmill sun

Bring on the sun.....that grump is beginning to smile.

"Just Hangin' Out"


Much better.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

On carbs and copies

Have you ever had these? 
 
 
If you haven't DO NOT, else you will be captured by their crunchy, addictive goodness.  I love these things and could easily sit down and eat a whole bag...all by myself.
 
Aside from the pleasant flavor and incredible crunch they are great as a sewing snack.  Not greesy!  Nothing stays on your fingers.  The same can be said of Twizzlers...however
 
Twizzlers have a bunch of sugar in them that pita chips do not. 
 
Oh, carbs, why oh why do I love thee so much?!
 
 
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
 
Wasn't that a nice bit of randomness for a chilly Tuesday.  (Really the chips are that good.)
 
 
I've been thinking a lot lately about quilts and patterns and originality.  (Not surprising is it.)
 
 
I have recently completed several projects that can easily be linked back to my source of inspiration.  I've written directions for them and shared them via Moda's Bakeshop.  No one is making any money off of the patterns directly - they are free to anyone who takes the time to go get them.  I am quite certain that the powers that be at Moda desire to inspire us with those patterns....inspire us to purchase their fabrics.  I don't really think they care what we make with them. 
 
As I wrote the directions I tried to give credit where credit was due.  I tried to give you a hint at where my mind was when I was making the quilt.  I did my best to be both honest and entertaining while sharing my recipe.  I did however, occasionally wonder where the line is.  At what point does inspiration become plagiarism, and time relegate something to eminent domain?
 
 
I believe the answer has to be more complected than a quilt block pattern, and  I suspect that the following list might be a good place to start....
  1. Is the item an exact replica of something else?
    1.   Does it use the exact same fabrics, dimensions, and techniques displayed in the "original"? 
    2. To me this would be called a copy.  It would be fair to call it plagiary.
 
 
These two blocks are copies of each other.
  1. Have the dimensions been changed? 
    1. In the world of quilting everything revolves around the size of the pieces.  If you change the dimensions you pretty near have to change everything.
    2. If my source of inspiration is a mini and I make a king sized quilt I don't think it can be called a copy....even if I used the same fabric lines.
  2. Have the fabrics been changed?
    1. If all that has been changed is the fabric - leaving relative color values the same - I'd have to call this a copy too
    2. If the values have been moved around, changing the impact of the blocks I'd have to say no.  It is an original work.
 
 
These blocks, although both nine patches, are not copies.
 
  1. Has a new technique been used?
    1. If everything about the quilt appears to be identical, but the quilt was made in a different way, I would have to say that this is a new item and not plagiarism.  This would be like two people taking a trip to Alaska, one takes a cruise the other goes by land.  They visit the same sites, take the same pictures, and come home with the same souvenirs.  They didn't take the same vacation.
    2. A nine patch created by English Paper Piecing is NOT the same as one that is made from 9 squares sewn together, nor one that is made by strip piecing.  The directions for each of these would be very different.
    3.  
  2. Is the item elemental?
    1. After all of the other questions have been asked (Is it a copy?  Has it been re sized?  Does it use color differently?  Is it a new technique?) I have to decide if the project is basic enough to belong fairly belong to the mythos of quilts.
    2. There are probably thousands of blocks that belong in this category; however the most basic,  nine patch or half square triangle definitely would be common property.
    3. Like wise there are probably thousands of settings that fall here as well.  If it is common enough to have a name that most everyone recognizes than it is probably public property.
 Do you have any additions for my list?
 
 
 Please do not take my ramblings as legal advise.  They are not intended to be.  They are only my thoughts on the topic.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Nough Said HST's

Hello again!

Today one of my favorite quilts is on display over at Moda Bake Shop.  Directions to make it are too.


I've made it twice. 

and I still can't figure out how to piece the red corners without wasting a bunch of fabric.  However, in the hopes of making lemon-aide out of lemons....here are some ideas for what can be done with the 128 "wasted" hsts.

The following designs are each made from 64 hsts.  That means, if you made the 128 hsts suggested in the pattern, you can also make two minis or two pillows, or make the front and the back of one quilt....although please add some fabric around the edges of the back to make quilting easier.

I'm liking the pillow idea.  What layout should I use?


Barn Raising
 
 

 
Broken Chevron
 

 
Broken Dishes
 

 
Butterfly Boxes
 

 
Chevrons
 

 
Dispersal
 


Fenced Pin Wheels
 


 
Fenced Pinwheels - negative
 

 
Flock of Geese
 

 
Harlequin
 

 
In and Out
 

 
One Way
 

 
Plus 


 
Quartet on Point
 

 
Radiant
 

 
Spin
 

 
Spiral
 

 
Tire Tracks
 

 
Zig to My Zag


Are your eyes bugging out yet?  Mine are.  I think I will make two pillows that are inverse of each other....how cool would that be?!  I like Dispersal and Radiant the best....but I think I will let my eyes rest a bit before I attempt them.

Play with those pieces and see what else you can make.



When I made these I added a 2 1/2" border around each block before I quilted it to match the quilt.  It made them perfect for a 20" pillow form.

I'd love to see your projects made from my patterns.  Please feel free to join my Flickr group, Tops to Treasures!