Working with Children

OK, you're right. I haven't been blogging. But, I have been busy.

Recently, I had the most wonderful time in Appleton, WI at The Building for Kids. I was asked to be an Artist in Residence for their "Fabrics and Family" focus and had a delightful time sharing my love for fabric with the children. We made simple fabric crazy quilts (glued, not stitched) which were framed and went home with the proud children.

The Building for Kids (Children's Museum) is an amazing place, full of terrific exhibits to explore, a place for fun and learning. The staff is friendly and helpful and I did see the adults having as much fun as the children.

Thanks to The Building for Kids for inviting me and thanks to Westminster Fibers for sending us great kid-friendly Free Spirit fabrics for our project.

When It's Time to Say Good-bye

Peepers

29" x 26"

Sharon V. Rotz

What do you do with your quilts? Do they decorate your home? Are they to keep you or your loved ones warm? Do you give them for gifts? Do you offer them for sale?

When I exhibit my art quilts in a gallery, they are for sale. Often, they come back home with me for another day. But, there are sale days as well. Then it's time to say good-bye to a part of you. Each piece that you create has a story. It is full of your life at a moment in time. You have connections to the fabric, the subject matter and each stitch and bead that you've placed on it.

So there is that bittersweet moment when you part.

Today, I am saying good-bye to my peepers. There will never be another just like you, but I know you will now be a part of the lives of others and they will enjoy you as I have.

Done but Not Done In

October Skies

19"x 43"

Sharon V. Rotz

I'm sure that you thought I was "done in" by my quilt after the little problems I had along the way. As you can see, I won!! and the quilt is finished. I had a fun time machine quilting clouds and more clouds.

I'm not sure where this quilt came from because it is quite different from other projects that I have been working on. I was, of course, inspired by another of God's beautiful sunsets. How can we not admire the grandeur of the world around us?

When I showed this project to my mother, she told me that as a child she loved lying in the grass and looking for shapes in the clouds. Now this memory will always pop into my head as I look at "October Skies".

Who Took a Bite Out of my Back?

Well, I'm past the melting sheer and on to sandwiching the quilt top, batting and backing. I dug through my stash looking for an older fabric that has lived in my closet long enough and could be given a useful life on the back of my quilt.

There it was. Color-wise it was good and it looked like the piece was large enough for a backing. Or was it?

Who cut that corner off? Why? Why? Why?

Wasn't I thinking ahead when I last used this fabric? Did I really need that extra 1/2 strip? Didn't I think that 10 years later, I'd want to use the rest of the fabric for a quilt back?

We all know that quilters are not easily deterred and are creative in using every bit of their fabric. Yes, I did use the piece cut off the edge to "patch" the back and make it large enough to be used as the quilt back.

Since this project was been moving along so smoothly, I wonder what adventure awaits me as I start the quilting?

Overheating Lately?

Overheating, that is an problem that many women deal with some time in their life. Well, it happened to me yesterday.

But it wasn't me overheating (We'll save that for another discussion!!), it was my iron. Who

thought irons went through menopause? Mine certainly had a menopausal moment right in the middle of my quilt.

Needless to say the next second, I was scraping sheer fabric off the bottom of my iron. It left a lovely messy spot of goo in the middle of my quilt top, which I desperately tried to finish scraping away before it completely dried.

I wasn't fast enough and I certainly wasn't thinking about photoing the melted spot so here it is after I repaired the damage. Of course, I didn't have a bit of the pink left.

Should you be thinking ahead and save extra fabric, just in case something goes wrong. Then, there is the question of how much to save? Too much to consider, I guess I will continue living on the edge.

I did have a bit of the lavender left and carefully replaced the melted spot with the lavender. Fortunately, problem solved. What's next?

Too Good to Cut?

If you are inspired by fabric, then you will certainly connect to these fabulous fabric collections. These are Radiance silks by Robert Kaufman Fabric Co.

Aren't they irresistible? I am definitely attracted to the rich, earthy colors. So often, fabrics in these colorways are toned down and muddy, muddy, muddy. Not my taste. I love these because of their pure, rich color.

The next question is "Will I be able to cut into them, or will I be caught in a web just touching them, "petting them", and admiring the colors?"

How many fabrics do you own that you have not cut into yet because you love them too much? If you use them today, you may find a better idea tomorrow and your fabric will be gone. Tell me you haven't been caught in this trap.