a week in the studio

Well, most days.   The rest of the time I have been packing and getting ready to leave for the Virginia Consortium of Quilters Celebration...Thursday morning and will be home on Monday.  Should be fun!

I've been experimenting (as usual) and playing with some ideas; some have worked, others have not.  But that's how you learn - right?

In the meantime, I found some old photos of quilts I made back in 1997-99 (ha - can I say the last century??)  I no longer have this quilt - have no idea what happened to it.  I have one strip of blocks left..

I scanned in the other photos; it's interesting to see pieces I no longer have and can't find.  This baby quilt went to somebody, but I have no idea who.  Made from my grandmother's scraps.  I think I really didn't understand the value of them.  Wish i had this now.

I was always challenging myself to make ONE block in a few different combinations.  All scraps.  I wonder if I took these apart and still have the blocks.  Shall have to look.

Another baby quilt 1997.  Was I crazy??  Actually, by a couple of years later, I had ditched traditional patterns altogether.  Hmmm...second from right in middle row looks suspiciously like left bottom row above.

Finally, where is THIS one?  I love it! trompe l'oeil.  Same era - mid-to-late '90's.  That wonderful yellow fabric is from Usha - Handloom Batik.  And I see a piece of Kaffe's early stripes.  Oh, my.  Even then, I have to admit I like my color choices.

Enough memory lane stuff.  I opened a trunk and it turned out to be a Pandora's Box full of vintage antique blocks I had forgotten about.  Oh, no!

Time to sleep - have to be up super-early tomorrow to get to the airport.

what is this?

I just ate the entire bowl. Have spent all week cooking for Passover (Friday night is the first seder) and not done yet. The brisket, stuffed breast of veal, and chicken soup are all done. This morning, the potato kugel.  Does this give you a hint?

 Was in the studio all afternoon till 7:pm and barely scratched the surface of my work.  Just got home, poured myself a drink, put my feet up, and am relaxing till I decide what I will REALLY eat for dinner.  This was just an appetizer.  I have to give credit to one of my must-read websites, http://www.thekitchn.com/5-delicious-uses-for-common-kitchen-scraps-167760. Do potato peels count as carbs?

Dinner might be avocado toast, which seems to be the next big thing.  Lots of variations, none of which I have tried -- but I have ⅓ of an avocado in the fridge that needs to be enjoyed.

I have been so happy to be in my studio since I've returned from Florida.  Was there almost every day last week and again, today.  I have space and light there, and have been using my little Brother machine which is the clone of the one I bought for Miss Emma. I hated it at first but it has grown on me and it is just fine.  Brought it home today because Emma will be here Friday night and part of Sat, and I want to see her sew.  I also figure I can unload a bunch of fabrics on her, gift her with piles of fabrics, which I will let her select.  I also bought an extra ¼" foot, which I will send her home with.

Those of you who have seen pictures of my sewing room will be happy to know that I have contacted a couple of space organizing consultants to see who can come up with a plan for an organized studio I can live with.This will take some time.  In the interim, I have filled a large trash bag and am thinking layouts.  Unfortunately, this is a very small room.

Tomorrow, I may work at home.  Or not.