Ring Out the Old, Ring In the New

I guess the changing of a year is a good time to look back, see what's been accomplished and look forward and see what's yet to be done.
Hands down the most important event of 2009 for me was the birth of Amit. Nothing I create will ever come near.
That said, I have had a productive year, creativity-wise.
I participated in three exhibits, two with my "FAT" (FibreArts Toronto) Ladies, one-month long exhibits at two branches of the Toronto Public Library and one of mezuzot with the Pomegranate Guild which displayed at Baycrest, and is now a travelling exhibit.
I made two chuppot for two family (either biological or considered family) members.
And numerous other pieces, both utilitarian: Inbal's quilt, Rotem's quilt, a ton of baby quilts -- it's been a good year for babies in the Erez family!, oven mitts, placemats, etc.; and wall hangings.
Blogging has allowed me to post about the experience and conundrums of designing and making these pieces. And the uploaded photos give me a visual record of what I have accomplished.
And I did sell some of my work which is always a boost for the self-esteem.
While I create, I have time to think. And with classical music in the background, what could be better?
So that's looking back.
And looking forward? I'm just going to plug away at creating. It enriches my being. And if I can sell some of it, even better.

Spurt of creativity

So this weekend was busy but fun.
Friday night, we had family over for the last night of Chanuka. It was laid back and nice.
Saturday, I didn't do much of anything. Also nice.
Sunday morning, I started on a new piece, using bits and pieces from other projects.
Then Yunkie, Alanna, Jeremy and Michelle came over for lunch and the kids and I got busy making fabric portfolios.
Also a lot of fun.
Now if I could get the photos to go where I want them, I'd really be happy.

Last blog enty in 2009? Maybe yes, maybe no...

I can't believe it's been two months since my last posting. First we were busy getting ready for our road trip to NYC to meet up with Carmit and Michael. We had a lovely visit, even though Menachem was laid up the entire time we were there with back pains. Carmit and I did manage to do part of the Garment District walking tour. Some of the fabrics were to die for, as well as the trims, buttons, beads, etc. But I was a good girl and only bought 5 spiral buttons and one spiral charm.
Upon our return, we were busy getting ready for our trip to visit Mitki (and Inbal and Rotem). Then we spent three wonderful weeks with them, during which time I did no fabric shopping nor quilting related outings (if you don't count the birds for beading I bought, but not very many of them...) Since we've been back, I've been battling jet lag and fatigue.

I did finish my FAT challenge 12" x 12" "Wash, Rinse, Repeat" and was quite pleased with the result. I am not sure that it can be called an art quilt. I'm thinking of redefining what I do as "fabric collage". Anyways, it inspired me to do more. And since our January FAT challenge is "Graffiti", I have another one which I'm pondering.

Yesterday I got back into my studio to prepare "canvasses" for these 12 x 12 challenges. I cut up all of my quilt batting leftovers into 14" strips and pieced the strips together to make 14" x 14" inch squares. I got 21 squares made up! No pressure, eh? Since I am planning to use only fabric I already own (ha, ha, who's heard that one before?), I am also trying to take stock of my fabric samples, bits and pieces, etc. I have some lovely duppioni silks which I should just cut into and use as well.

Someone on the QuiltArt list has suggested using December as month zero of 2010, thinking about where we're going, setting goals in place, etc., sort of pre New Year's resolutions, so we can hit the ground running in the new year.

So right now, I'm doing my thinking and we'll see where it takes me.

Machine down

I've got all six quilt tops ready to go, backing fabrics washed and ready for pressing, batting cut.
This morning I pinned my first baby quilt and as I was about to get ready to quilt, I went to fill two bobbins and the bobbin winder stopped winding. I can see that there's some thread wound around the winder underneath the thing the bobbin sits on. My attempts to gently pull it out failed.
I put in an S.O.S. call to my service person. If I have the machine at his place in Newmarket at 9 a.m. tomorrow, he will fix it on the spot (and maybe fix the automatic threader as well). So I'll try to be patient and perhaps press and pin another quilt or two while I wait for my machine to return home safely. I guess I should really have it serviced in general but there's a waiting list for that. Maybe while we're away...

Long weekend, busy weekend

Middle day of three day weekend. 9 a.m. I have finished Missed Deadlines I, II and III. The labels were a pain to do but the hangings turned out alright. The stitching on the back of one of them didn't look too hot so I took a magenta Sharpie and went over the stitching lines. The back looks great but when I flipped it over, I saw that the stitching on the front, originally white, is now slightly magenta in some places. But the effect is nice so I'm not obsessing. Not my best work, but finished.
Yesterday we went to Sew Sisters to buy batting (half the price of Fabricland's...) so I can progress on the baby quilts. I still have to go to Fabricland to buy backing materials. Hopefully at noon-ish so I can continue sewing until then and we'll probably combine the trip with a visit to my mother.
So the sewing plan for today is to finish ripping out stitches on an unfinished quilt in preparation for requilting, making journals and fabric journal covers for Jordie and Eli, and maybe placemats or a tablerunner for David and Judy.
But first a bite of breakfast.

Second pink baby quilt top finished

Once the strips are cut, sewing them together takes really very little time. I now have to figure out how to do the same cutting strips from my fat quarters...

Baby Boom

My relatives and friends, here and in Israel, are dropping babies at a fast pace. And I'm trying to keep up with baby quilts. I have one baby boy who was born in Israel while I was there but I didn't get around to finishing anything then. And this past week, my aunt and uncle had a new great-grand-daughter as did Menachem's aunt and uncle, both babies in Israel. Also, a pupil of my father's is having a baby boy next month and a friend's daughter is having a baby girl in January.
I bought some pink and green fabrics for baby girl quilts while in Israel and with a little bit of fabric I purchased at Fabricland earlier this week, I had enough to do four quilt tops. I cut the fabric last night into eight 4.5" strips. I sewed the strips together this morning and then recut into nine 4.5" strips and sewed those together. All this between 6 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., including shower and breakfast, before I left for work.
I have one top finished with 4" finished squares which repeat in a diagonal pattern. Very pretty in pink. I will lather, rinse and repeat twice more and that will take care of my baby girl quilt tops.
I actually have two more tops ready from leftovers from other projects which could definitely be suitable for boys.
I need to buy backing, batting and then quilt. I will either free-motion in the one stitch I know, use my machine's serpentine embroidery stitch or stitch diagonally through the corners of the squares.
I had cut some 1.5" or 2" squares from previous quilting projects and had started sewing them into rows but found it too tedious. I ripped out the seams (not that many) and will make the squares into 9 patches which I will alternate with solids or softly patterned neutrals to make more baby quilts.
I am really trying to avoid purchasing what I don't need to. I have fabrics which don't really go with anything else so I may need to purchase stuff to be able to use them but I am trying not to buy anything just because it's lovely...
The original reason I went to Fabricland was to buy one spool of thread for one of my "Missed Deadlines" pieces. I will try to finish them off this weekend so I can concentrate on not missing the baby deadlines.