Happy Thanksgiving!

Blessings to you all!

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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.




Nice, isn't it.



I can feel my soul healing....ahhhh



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....




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



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



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?)





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




Much better.

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.
 
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.

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!

DQS 13 is Up and Running



 

This is the last quilt I made for the famed Doll Quilt Swap (DQS)  on Flickr. 

 

 

and this is the one I received!

 

Isn't it amazing!!

 

DQS #13 is now accepting applications for participation.

 

 

The swap activities will run from now until February 2013,

 

 

Culminating with the mailing and receiving of minis in mid-February.

 

 

You don't have to have swapped before to join the fun...but you do need a presence on Flickr.  That is, you need an active photo stream with pictures of quilty stuff.

 

 

Really, it is a ton of fun!!

 

 

Won't you join us!!