false spring

False Spring
True spring only lasts ten minutes
before the summer heat
browns the shrubs and grasses

But false spring
tantalizes with equal parts
rain and snow

with equal parts
snow and cold

One day short sleeves
the next day coats

Soon summer will camp
in our valley
and we'll dream of false spring
Cyn Bagley



Actually most of the snow melted as it fell...too icey for snow cream, not enough for snow dyeing.
But the flakes were BIG and pretty. [I didn't take any photos of it falling.]

This weeks wip:


and a better picture of last week's top:


Next week is Mid Atlantic Quilt FEST...hope to see you there.

See what everyone else is creating at; OFF THE WALL FRIDAY: http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

daffodils? in February???

I picked two dozen daffodils two weeks ago, before we had sleet, and here are more popping up!
They are a month early.
I even saw a flock of robins.

Not a very good picture, but this is the first in a series of improvisational log cabins:

I'll try for another photo after it's quilted!
before that I need to get my two gallon challenge quilt finished.

Check out OFF THE WALL FRIDAY atK:
http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

giveaway winner and valentine tutu

the Grow your Blog winner is:
Shane, who wrote:
I'm about to venture into the world of quilting so your giveaway is really making my mouth water!!!
I'll keep my fingers and toes firmly crossed!!!

I've only got a few fat quarters so far so any extra bits are such a bonus and I already love Moda fabrics.

I'll have to try the library for a Moda book to check out - any others you can recommend for a newbie would be much appreciated.


Hugs
Shane ♥
http://roseslaceandbrocante.blogspot.co.nz/



AND THANK YOU VICKI for a wonderful blog hop!
http://vicki-2bagsfull.blogspot.com/

I made these fun tutus for Hannah, Haley and Leah:

http://www.allfreesewing.com/Valentines-Day-Projects/Valentines-Day-Tutu-Shirt/ml/1


and check out Off the Wall Friday:
http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

I've been tagged!

Thank you Hilary!
PLEASE visit her blog too:
http://www.threadedlife.net/

The rules:

1. You must post 11 random things about yourself.
2. Answer the questions that the nominator set for you
3. Create 11 questions for the people you nominate
4. Choose 11 blogs with less than 200 followers and link them in your post.


1. You must post 11 random things about yourself.

1. My birthday is 11/11.
2. I graduated from NC State, with majors in Textile Chemistry and Biochemistry.
3. When I don't get enough sleep [often], I am short tempered and impatient.
4. I'm a lazy gardener.
5. I wanted a little sister, not a little brother, so I made him, play dress up with me, until he refused.
6. I believe we must preserve our natural spaces and the creatures who live in them. I am fearful that we will not.
7. Technology sometimes drives me crazy: it can't be fixed when it's broken, and it was out of date yesterday.
8. I like snow, in limited quantities, for brief periods of time.
9. I am both a beach and mountain person.
10. I am hoping to get a puppy this spring.
11. I have two cats: http://blueheronquilts.blogspot.com/2006/09/rascal-aggravating-ragamuffin.html


Answer the questions that the nominator set for you

1. What's your favorite book and why?
books by J.R.R.Tolkien, C.S.Lewis, Laurie R. King, Shirley Rousseau Murphy

2. Give me your all-time favorite quote.

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye." The Little Prince

3. What's your favorite animal and why?
cat, wolf, whale, blue heron
no reason
4. What do you collect?
antique quilts
5. Who do you most admire and why?
Hilary CLinton, Michelle Obama, Julia Child
strong women
6. What's your worst vice?
spending too much
7. What's your best trait?
generosity, loyalty, determination
8. What's your favorite sport?
college hoops: go wolfpack!
ice skating
9. What's your favorite color and why?
I can't pick a color: today it's green, tomorrow red, next week purple.
I love color! I love monochromatic too!
10. Name one of your pet peeves.
Technology: see above.
in particular, at work, it interferes with actually doing what I used to love about practicing medicine
11. What makes any particular day special for you?
being thanked
feeling like I have really done something to improve someone's life or situation

ELEVEN QUESTIONS FOR MY NOMINEES:
1. Favorite author(s):
2. If you won the lottery, the first thing you would do:
3. Share a childhood memory:
4. Live concert you would like to attend:
5. Dream vacation:
6. Where would you like to live:
7. Favorite pet:
8. Favorite ice cream:
9. What famous person/fictional character would you like to get to know?
10. What would you like your autobiographer to say about you?
11. What was your first car?

THE NOMINEES ARE:
http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/
http://designerann.blogspot.com/
kellyartist.­blogspot.­com
kathyinozarks.­blogspot.­com
cariboucrossingc­hronicles.­blogspot.­com
nestlingsbyrobin­.­blogspot.­com
periwinklequilts­.­blogspot.­com
sallysburrow.­blogspot.­com
rothequilter.­blogspot.­com
quilterbeth.­blogspot.­com
fiberluscious.­blogspot.­com

of course, there is no obligation to participate, but I enjoy your blogs!

the perfect storm

As you probably know, quilters are about as demanding and fussy over their irons as their sewing machines...needless to say, we are always in search of the perfect irons.
I admit, I have almost as many irons as sewing machines.
I have a titanium plated Panasonic [in the box] especially for fusing.
I have a cordless iron, convenient, but not a great presser.
I have an old Rowenta, BUT my go to iron is currently a Reliant Digital Velocity iron.
Now you could use this thing to lift weights!

Why am I telling you this you ask?
well...I have started pressing seams open, which actually does require pressing with an iron.
I purposely set up my sewing space, so that I have to get up and cross to the ironing station [move around more, stretch].
Anyway, getting up to go turn on the iron, I pulled/dropped the iron on my foot.

OW!!! ***!*!
you can believe I saw stars and was nauseated for about 15-20 minutes afterwords.

I broke THREE bones in my foot!

Finding a shoe to fit is the hardest part of getting around now. I have a surgical boot, but it's height is different from all my shoes which makes me waddle and limp!



I think, at least temporarily for a month or two, I will set up a portable pressing station next to the sewing machine. In the spring a redo of the sewing room is in order.



SO this is what I was working on:

A Valentine inspired collage quilt using one of the older French Journal fabrics from Michael Miller. Of course it still has to be quilted...and maybe beaded or embellished.

Please visit Nina Marie to see OFF THE WALL FRIDAY:
http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/2013/01/is-it-summer-yet-off-wall-friday.html

GROW YOUR BLOG

VISIT Vicki at 2 Bags Full for a complete list of participating blogs: http://vicki-2bagsfull.blogspot.com/


I'm a quilter.
I love all types of quilts: antique, art, modern, colorful, kids, flannel, batik.
This blog is mostly about quilts. You'll find a few other things too: wildlife, nature, cats and dogs, buildings, friends and family. SO have a look around. I hope you enjoy what you see.

I'm giving away a charm pack from Moda: SHARE THE JOY, by Deb Strain and a copy of Quilt Sampler Spring/Summer 2011.
Please leave a comment for a chance to win. I'll pick a random winner at the end of the blog hop, so make sure I can contact you.

Thanks for stopping by,
Katherine

MCAC FIBER SHOW AND ABOUT TOWN

THE MARTIN COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL FIBER ARTS SHOW RUNS THROUGH JAN 26.
this show is a mix of new, not so old and antique.

And since it was such a beautiful day, I took some quick photos about town:

Be sure to visit NinaMarie at http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/
to sse what's going on OFF THE WALL FRIDAY!


Come back tomorrow for a link to the GROW YOUR BLOG party and a giveaway!

Friday!

TGIF!
does the entire world have the flu?
It's time for OFF THE WALL FRIDAY!
http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/
my creative endeavor is below.

stay well!

EMERALD MOSAIC

Rachel At Stitched In Color has a blog about EMERALD the 2013 color of the year.
http://www.stitchedincolor.com/2013/01/emerald-mosaic-contest.html

What a grand color!
of course I'm Irish[+]...and to celebrate, my background is changing to emerald!

I put together a mosaic:

but this weekend I think I'll search my stash and come up with fabric for an Emerald quilt....
?Emerald City?
?Green with Envy?
?it's not easy being green?
?green acres?

Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises.
Pedro Calderon de la Barca

When the green woods laugh with the voice of joy, And the dimpling stream runs laughing by; When the air does laugh with our merry wit, And the green hill laughs with the noise of it.
Lord Byron

All theory, dear friend, is gray, but the golden tree of life springs ever green.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver.
Martin Luther


The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way. Some see nature all ridicule and deformity... and some scarce see nature at all. But to the eyes of the man of imagination, nature is imagination itself.
William Blake


By reading the scriptures I am so renewed that all nature seems renewed around me and with me. The sky seems to be a pure, a cooler blue, the trees a deeper green. The whole world is charged with the glory of God and I feel fire and music under my feet.
Thomas Merton

My coming to faith did not start with a leap but rather a series of staggers from what seemed like one safe place to another. Like lily pads, round and green, these places summoned and then held me up while I grew. Each prepared me for the next leaf on which I would land, and in this way I moved across the swamp of doubt and fear.
Anne Lamott


Yosemite Valley, to me, is always a sunrise, a glitter of green and golden wonder in a vast edifice of stone and space.
Ansel Adams


and lastly:
Okra is the closest thing to nylon I've ever eaten. It's like they bred cotton with a green bean. Okra, tastes like snot. The more you cook it, the more it turns into string.
Robin Williams

WINTER WHITES, wildlife, and more

WINTER WHITES:
still needs to be quilted, and I think some surface design also...
elegant, but simple.

and on the way to my artquilt group meeting yesterday, this was the second and closer group of wild turkeys:

Finally Leah's quilt:
I love the outer border,unfortunatley I didn't buy any extra.
the back is a Laurel Burch flannel, with monkeys , of course!

Don't forget to checkout OFF THE WALL FRIDAY:
http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/2013/01/word-of-2013-productivity-off-wall.html