Block 2 of Quilts & More

Good Morning Friends,

 

Are you getting as much rain as we are in Denver? I grew up in Illinois and I remember days where it would rain all day. Not like the typical rain we get in Denver. If it does rain in Denver, which isn't common, it's a little afternoon shower, some of you would call it a sprinkle.

 

Back in Illinois, I'd hang over the back of the couch to daydream out the window to watch and hear it rain. It was hard rain. The rain that drenches you in seconds. My mom would say I could stay there for hours. For the last week, it's been a nice reminder of my youth. Some days, like yesterday, it rained all day and once again I caught myself watching and hearing it rain as I gazed out my front window.

 

About a week or 2 ago, my husband and our buddy built a porch daybed swing for the front porch of our house. We used old wood doors to frame a crib mattress and then hung it up on chains. While it's been raining, my daughter, husband, and I have enjoyed our time laying on our new swing as it gently sways from side to side, while we watch and listen to it rain. Last week after it rained, we watched a rainbow melt away from the sun breaking through the gloomy clouds. I wonder, will I forget these simple but happy moments in life? My daughter is growing up so fast. Will she remember the way I do about my childhood in this moment? I hope she is just as happy as I am right now. 

 

During a break in the rain on Saturday, I was planting our vegetable garden in the backyard, when my husband yells from the front of the house, "you have another magazine." Meaning, it was another publication. Of course whenever I have my name and quilt in a publication, it's exciting. This time, it was the summer edition of Quilts & More.

 

 

In this edition, it includes instructions for the second block for the quilt. The first block was discussed Sew Easy Sampler Block 1.
 



If you're making the quilt, I'd love to see your version of it. I have been batting around the idea of creating a Flickr or Instagram account. I like the idea of a place to share images of what we are all working on, but truly and honestly, will there be an additional time commitment for me to "manage" it and what privacy risk do I take on?

It's on my bucket list, but for right now, I'm focused on making beautiful quilts. Soon though, I'd like to give Flickr/Instagram more thought and decision.

 

 

Reminiscing in the rain,

Sandra

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Sandra Clemons

Playing with Patterns

Ya know. I had this goal. A New Year's Resolution. I had planned to make one surface design pattern per week, but the goal was to concentrate on it weekly. I wasn't supposed to spend, say a Sunday afternoon to catch-up on the weeks missed. Unfortunately, it has been catch-up mode. O well. At least I'm practicing, right?

 

Here's three repeat patterns. I've been practicing on layers. For example, I made stripes in the background and placed flowers on them. Or the strawberries, I have a polka dot pattern beneath them.

 

 

 

Repeat patterns are quite addicting. I'm realizing as I design quilts, I tend to have a color scheme already in mind and therefore, I'm looking for the right fabric line to fit my vision to make the quilt. Most of the time, I have to tweak my color vision for something available in the marketplace. Perhaps one of these days I'll start printing my surface designs on fabric. 

 

I wish I had quilting stuff to show you, but for now, I'm working really hard on making a number of quilts. Many of them I'll share this fall, but a couple of them, I'll share in about a month.

Pressing on,
Sandra

My First TV Appearance

Hello World,

 

I had a fun and exciting opportunity today and couldn't wait to blog about it. It's my first appearance ever for TV.

 

I was invited to be on the Quilters' Community TV Show to talk about inset seams (aka y-seams).

 

http://www.quiltersnewsletter.com/videos/index.html

 

To prepare for my segment, I had to prepare step-outs for a Lemoyne Star Block. I had 10 minutes to say all I needed to say for my segment, which isn't really all that much time, when I have so much to say about the topic.

 

My call time was 8:30am this morning. My husband accompanied me there. He drove, listened as I practiced speaking, and bought me a Starbucks, a venti Skinny Vanilla Latte. He even took me clothes shopping the night before, while also keeping our 3 year old entertained as I focused on what to buy. There's a man that's worth keeping.

 

Here I am. The quilt is for McCall's magazine, which I was dropping off at the same time. The box held my supplies and step-outs for my segment. I had to arrive with clean hair and face.



 

 

 

Here I am in hair and make-up getting pretty. Thank you for doing such a wonderful job.

 

Next up, I had to go over all that I prepared with all the behind the scenes people. There, way in the background is the host, Mary Kate. In the pink hoodie, Erin, who helped me get on the show. One of the camera guys at the far left and next to him, the head honcho. That's not all the people involved, but all that my husband got on camera.

 

As we reviewed my step-outs, we determined what to cut and what to keep in. We all agreed it was key to the segment to sew for the show. I was hesitant sewing on a machine I didn't know, which was a Viking and the sponsor of the show. I practiced one inset seam to get my bearings and then felt comfortable enough to go live. I'm of the opinion: the longer you dwell on something, the longer you'll wait, so go for it.

 

Here I am all dolled-up and ready to roll.

 

Here's a pic showing the three cameras of the set. It's show time, but you'll have to wait to see the segment when it airs. My final thoughts before we rolled, "o no, I forgot everything I practiced saying," but I knew I had all the quilting talk down pat. I told myself, remember to SMILE and don't say UM. 

 

This was a very enjoyable experience. I felt so nervous, but I hear I did alright. I'll take that for my first time. My husband said he was impressed with me, which meant a lot to me. Yah, I know, your loved one is supposed to say that, but boy, did it still make me feel special.

 

The segment will air in the summer. They shoot most of the season within a few weeks, then as they edit, organize, and meet sponsor demand, they arrange each episode. Once that happens, I should have specifics on the airing date and time, which I can't wait to share with all of you.

 

Thank you to Quilters' Newsletter, to all the people involved, and particularly Erin (erinrussek.typepad.com) and Susan (suzguzdesigns.blogspot.com), who helped me get noticed. I hope to be invited back.

 

Sandra



Getting Better

Hello.

I don't have anything to show this week, other than talk about my experience this past week.

My family was hit with bronchitis. Wow, I don't wish that on anyone. It started with my daughter, then my husband and hit me last Sunday night. I had fever for 4 days, climaxing at 105 on Tuesday night.

What makes bronchitis so bad? Well, it's the intense coughing fits that prevents your body from getting good sleep and rest. For most of the week, I would have a coughing fit every 1-2 hours. My husband had to go to our spare bedroom to sleep because he too was coughing and well, we didn't want to get less sleep by keeping either other up from the coughing.

By Wednesday night, I had good news. My fever came down to a mild 101, I got a solid 4 hours of sleep that night, and I finished off a box of popsicles.

I'm still tired and slow, but I'm back at work today. It feels good to get back out in the world.

And yet, I feel a mild panic to get stuff done. I took a week off.

I hope to show lovely quilting for next week's post.

Getting better,
Sandra