Connie

A six week blogging break was really nice, I won't lie. I have a ton of VQB blocks to catch up on, and I feel really embarrassingly bad about it. But I'll get there.
Meanwhile, a lot of sewing has happened around these parts. I just finished a commissioned quilt using Pashmina, and really, I didn't like this quilt at all until I created the back. Why is it that so many quilters like their pieced backs better than the fronts? Here's the front of the whirlygig quilt:Here's the back:
And here's a close up of the four sisters again, just like Carolyn's quilt:

I've cut into my Heather Ross stash and have finally started on a quilt for ME. More tomorrow!

ripping seams

Oy vey, I can't wait for this quilt to leave the Sweat Shop.
I've spent about 3 hours stippling the quilt, and have broken 4 needles. I re-threaded the machine, changed the bobbin, got all the dust out, and took a break. The front looks fine, but the back has tension problems.
Also, I did too good of a job picking out the green thread: it blends in exactly with the front of the quilt, so I can't see where I'm going. Here's a horrible picture of some of the worst quilting I've ever done:

So, I'm ripping out all of the quilting, and I'm going to quilt it in straight lines. I'm putting this on here to show myself that I can remedy this problem. Wish me luck, it's going to be a long, thread-covered day.

June blocks

For Shorty's block, she gave me everything pre-cut with a very simple diagram to follow: a nine-patch with two borders. How did I manage to do this? Hmmm. I'm hoping she sends more fabric, I'd be embarrassed to send it back missing a side. And here I was, thinking this was going to be the simplest of all quilting bee blocks to make. Silly me.

Then, I made a spiderweb block for Stephanie:(Apologies for the bright pictures. It's been raining, and the flash needed to be on)
The gingham is so cute. She sent a lot of different fabric choices, and I feel like I met a stash twin-- we have a lot of the same stuff. I'm also really curious what fabric she chose for the kites because it was wonderfully heavy, but looked like a linen. Love.

And, if those weren't enough, I got Kat's blocks in the mail the other day. They're even more gorgeous than the pictures!

One quick request: if any of you are in southern California, or are familiar enough with it, can anyone recommend a good quilt shop? I'll be in and around Huntington Beach.

reneged

In the rush to get everything ready before my glorious six days away, crafting fell by the wayside. Therefor, I renege on my previous goal of getting my bee fabric out early, and showing you cute pictures of the matching blue and white seersucker dress (it hasn't been made yet). I will, however, show you the cutest pair of pants I got at Anthropologie on supersale ($19.99!)

I will be at the beach with no internet access. I'm very excited for Memorial Day, and the excuse to wear cotton and white again. Leave me lots of comments to let me know I'm missed!

Zanzibar

Yesterday, while trying to remember the name of the coffee fabric Mary selected (Bistro by Deb Strain), I went to Moda's website to jog my memory. I looked at all the new collections coming out, and one made me pause: Zanzibar by Sentimental Studios. What you guys probably don't know is that I honeymooned in Zanzibar, one of the most magical places ever.
Zanzibar is a small island in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. When most people hear that I've been there, they assume-- as Sentimental Studios does-- that if it's sub-Saharan Africa, it must be a place to safari. Not so.
There are no giraffes, rhinos, big cats or elephants, as Moda's collection would like you to believe. It's an island with a strong Indian influence. That means rich silks, overdyed cotton, kangas, and bold prints. It's called Spice Island, as they grow and export spices like cinnamon, vanilla, and pepper. The main animals we saw were the colobus monkey (below) and amazing sea life.
So, I'm sorry for the kvetch. But really, I know there aren't too many Westerners who have experienced Zanzibar, and it's just a huge misnomer for Moda's collection. I ought to make my own Zanzibar-inspired quilt, no animal prints necessary.

why, hello.

I craft often, and subscribe to about 80 craft blogs, so I decided to join in on the fun. Really, I should've done this sooner. I won't promise too much-- that way, I can't get called out later for not following through-- but I will have pictures of my finished projects. That's saying something, because I am a very reluctant photographer. So far, I've finished two quilts for 2009. More on those soon!