crippled by indecision

Dear Anne, I live in your world and have for five years. I took up quilting to save my sanity. It's okay not to be able to do anything but sit and mold for a bit. But getting into your fabric will make you feel better.

What if you did something that took no thought or effort or required thinking about measures and straight cuts? What if you get a piece of batting, put a pretty piece of fabric in the middle and then start stitch and flip pieces around it? Or along side it. Or..... anything really. And if you get to a hole and can't stitch and flip, well that's what they make fusible for. Or just glue. I like to use Elmers. When you have it all covered with random pieces of fabric, fuse a backing piece on the back and put a little edging on it. Maybe binding or just put a satin stitch around or maybe couch ribbon around the edges. I'm thinking you started with a smallish piece of batting. When you've couched the ribbon on ( I really like that idea) then take more ribbon and make some little ties at the "top". If you feel like it, cut out a pretty shape or a bit of design from some fabric and fuse that down. couch some more ribbon or fat sort of thread around that. Or satin stitch. Or let it be raw edge.

There, you've finished a pretty wall hanging. Give it to a friend with your name on the back. She will treasure it. You will have gotten back into the creative flow and you will feel better for it without starting anything overwhelming.

Love, a fellow "traveler" Sunny

I have hopes of moving out of "this world", I'm actually a lot more active than I have been for a while, I do ballroom dancing and pilates, it hurts a bit, but generally is better than not doing it, but unfortunately some activities that I can't avoid really bother me, like driving and the combination of pain and fatigue from the medication is stinky. I feel like I lose a couple of hours at each end of the day, my DS in is preschool in the mornings, my average morning with DD used to be a mix of pottering around getting a few things done and an hour or so of sewing, now it seems like being dressed in time to pick him up is a struggle! Same at the end of the day, I used to sew at the end of the evening, even if only half an hour, now I just go flop!

It makes sense, but it's not really my style - we all enjoy different things about quilting and for me design is a huge part of my enjoyment, as is thought and effort. After I posted earlier, I headed to the art store, I got a huge pad of graph paper (previously had June Tailor 12*12) and some other bits and bobs. I need a pair of mirrors, but they have them in JoAnns and I should be able to use a coupon. What I am going to do is start very simple, it's easier to play with embellishment techniques on a small piece and if it all goes pear shaped, I won't have wasted much fabric!

Thanks for encouraging me,

Anne

Taria, I'd have to agree with your guild members -- she's one terrific teacher. Anne, how about an Oriental flavor? There are some gorgeous Oriental fabrics out now, and choosing one gorgeous one could lead you to the palette you would need.

Does your Dr know what this combo is doing to you? IF you don't get any help there, talk to your Pharmacist. they may have a few suggestions: on a diff combo or taking it at DIFFERENT TIMES than what you are doing. And I take the Pain meds at a diff time than before...3 times a day of fewer MG's instead of 2.

It took me a while to get on the diff schedule but this is what I ended up doing. Made a HUGE diff as I'm not so wiped out by Mid AM, and in bed by 9 PM sharp like before...now, I mostly am able to make it until 10 PM.

HTH Butterfly (For the longest time, I could only sew in 10 min increments, BUT I got the 10 Min Quilt done by doing so : )

I have hopes of moving out of "this world", I'm actually a lot more active than I have been for a while, I do ballroom dancing and pilates, it hurts a bit, but generally is better than not doing it, but unfortunately some activities that I can't avoid really bother me, like driving and the combination of pain and fatigue from the medication is stinky. I feel like I lose a couple of hours at each end of the day, my DS in is preschool in the mornings, my average morning with DD used to be a mix of pottering around getting a few things done and an hour or so of sewing, now it seems like being dressed in time to pick him up is a struggle! Same at the end of the day, I used to sew at the end of the evening, even if only half an hour, now I just go flop!

It makes sense, but it's not really my style - we all enjoy different things about quilting and for me design is a huge part of my enjoyment, as is thought and effort. After I posted earlier, I headed to the art store, I got a huge pad of graph paper (previously had June Tailor 12*12) and some other bits and bobs. I need a pair of mirrors, but they have them in JoAnns and I should be able to use a coupon. What I am going to do is start very simple, it's easier to play with embellishment techniques on a small piece and if it all goes pear shaped, I won't have wasted much fabric!

Thanks for encouraging me,

Anne

Sunny, I meant to mention this to you ages ago, and ... forgot! When I read about your preferring non-precise 'stuff' etc, I thought immediately of a wonderful quilter in Wales who has completely changed her style in the last couple of years. What she does now might very well appeal to you. Her name is Dilys Fronks. She has written several books (I'm pretty sure they're available all over). She used to be know for the black wrought iron 'gates/panels' over 'gardens'. I loved them

- but couldn't really get to want to do them. Now, she has gone right away from this painstaking needle-turn appliqué (of the wrought iron) and has gone into colour. She cuts small pieces - varying colour, shape and size - with either pinking shears or a pinking blade? and 'sticks' them (I think she sticks them) to make her picture. Then she quilts fairly densely all over the picture. You can't really see the edges of the pieces unless you look very closely. She has a website:

I just checked, and she does have some examples of this work in Gallery

1. 'Pansies' is one I have seen. It really glows. . In message , Sunny writes

So why not purple and green? Go for it! Not every project needs to have an ultimate purpose. I have found a nice way to use "practice" pieces, making little zipper bags. Good as gift bags too. Roberta in D

"Anne Rogers" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news: snipped-for-privacy@m73g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...

Ann, this isn't an answer to your question, but rather a new question for you. Possibly I'm supposed to know the answer to this but can't remember! Is the Baby lock quest the one you got rid of? Mine is giving me fits, driving me to tears, and am 99% sure I'll be trading it in. Skipped stitches, even after having it cleaned and adjusted for 65.00 just last week! \Musicmaker

nope, different brand, bought it at a local sewing machine shop and they handled it pretty well, there has been no cost to me and they gave me a 50 dollar gift card when I got the new machine. You should definitely contact the people you bought the machine from and if you don't have success there, then the manufacturer, let us know how you get on.

Cheers Anne

because most of the green fabric I do have is earmarked for a log cabin!

What do you do to them to turn them into bags, I'm curious...

Anne