Breathing in & out

Well, the crate arrived safely and all has been checked in -- the next book is officially underway!

At my place, as soon as the crate was lifted onto the scales at FedX, measured and paid for the breathing in & out re-commenced.

Happily since that day I have been working on all sorts of things --
New things -- setting up workshops big & small & ONLINE!
and of course cleaning the studio...

but, the best thing has been taking some time to continue working on my Caribbean Boardwalk.

If you check in every once in a while or follow me, you may remember over the summer I gave a whole list of summertime words to inspire many a 5-minute sketch session.

Back in July I shared my boardwalk drawings and you got to see a bit of the quilt top I stitched together -- then tucked away until now.

We all tuck projects away -- sometimes for a week, a month, and all to often they may get so buried they may not see the light of day for years.

Do you have a project on the back burner?

Turning Up Poppies

Well, maybe not turning up poppies, but today I'll be sharing how I created the turned-fabric poppies for my entry into the Cedarhurst Center of the Arts, Creativity Redefined exhibit.

Yesterday the sun came out and it promised to be a glorious day, so Dave & I decided to take a drive to pick up my 12 x12 piece from Cedarhurst. The exhibit was wonderful.

The completed piece is pictured below, and is actually 3 layers. The first is the base quilted piece. The second is also a quilted piece but this one was wrapped around foam core board before it was mounted on the base. Lastly, the poppies were stitched separately then attached to the foam core mounted quilt.

The poppies started with the fabric -- here I chose some red silk and applied some iron-on lightweight interfacing. (I have been using the HeatnBond Featherweight fusible interfacing).

With a pattern cut out of paper I cut and stacked:
1 - square of light weight batting
2 - squares of the prepared red fabric right sides together
lastly, I pinned the pattern in place

Next, at the sewing machine I stitched all the way around the edge of the paper pattern.

Once stitched, remove the paper.
trim along the edge of the circle; then clip the curves every 1/4"
Now, carefully cut a short slit in the top fabric about 1" long, and turn the circle right-side out.

With the circles made, go back to the sewing machine and using decorative thread stitch up some fun. ( a bead or two works great too)

lastly, attach them where ever they will make happy!

It's another sunny day here in Kentucky so I'm off to get out and enjoy the day...
YOU TOO!

What Woke You up this moring?

With the bulk of work on my book now behind me I longingly looked forward to sleeping all the way through the night
Afterall, there was no question on my mind when I went to sleep that needed an answer before morning.

I was surprised as I was slowly awoken with thoughts/ideas for new quilts.

I rolled over, looked at the clock --- only 3:48.
But, the images would not fade.

I dragged myself up enough to sketch out the waves in my head....

Now, I'm going back to sleep until a decent hour to get up.

Here's one of the sketches...

whatta you think?
I see lots of possible ways to go.

Maybe this stack of fabric passed on to me by Carol Bryer Fallert who is packing up to move west might have had my mind working overtime.

Stitching On
(obviously)
~Rose

Please Stand-By

WooHoo!!!!!
I am marking this date on my calendar and planning to celebrate all week...

Why? 
Yesterday everything came together, to send off to my publisher, Martingale, for my 4th book. I have loved writing my books, and sharing my construction methods. It is one of those things that is totally time consuming -- tons of fun -- TONS of work, and in the end... it really is only the beginning.

Last week friends here in Paducah braved the cold and snow to help me in some of the final tasks. Binders pretty much knew that this 'had to be done', but some were surprised that there was soooo much to pull together besides the quilts and the manuscript.

Here Kristin is helping with photography -- 
(so pays to be tall)

The crate -- barely able to close,
along with everything else is now transferred from my hands to theirs... and the work of editing, photography artwork just begins as we move towards the January '15 publish date.

BUT, for this week...
it is HAPPY DANCE TIME!

come join in

Flight School Check List -- Survey

With our big move to Kentucky now long complete, and my latest manuscript almost ready to fly out the door to my publisher...

It is time!

Time for me to personally get working on some
of those ideas that have been collecting in my sketchbook.

Time to jump back into my role of flight coordinator
and find new ways to share my stitchy loves.

Leonardo da Vinci once said--
Once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes skywards,
for there you have been and there you will long to return.

It is time to create a new flight plan!
I'd love to hear from you...
please click over
and take my short survey.
Your answers will help shape the direction we fly off in.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2G38Q3W

Stitching On
to help your stitchy creativity take wing!
~Rose (your one and only flight coordinator)

The World Grows Smaller

You know all those piles of scraps and baskets of yarns and threads that I have been posting all over the place.

Well, the uptick for all those its and bits is they have all turned into wonderful quilts created especially for my newest book. Book writing is a long process. There is the writing, the creating new and exciting quilts and getting it all to your publisher by an agreed upon (contracted) date. Then the publisher performs their magic and a book comes out to YOU! This seemingly magic takes a bit of time, and this latest will come out in Jan/15. Hopefully, you will enjoy the wait with me.

In this latest book I fell in love with the idea of utilizing some of the amazing long arm quilters from all around the country. Today with my own deadline to the publisher just a couple of weeks away.... I am totally excited to have received the last of the quilting projects this morning. (yes, on Sunday.... hard to believe!)

Here's just a quick look back at those fabric scraps along with a hint at each of the quilters:

this one went to Missouri

these went to Pennsylvania

California got pulled into the mix!

these headed off to New York!

Tennessee

and Utah!

Anyone want to venture a guess?
More hints....actually a sharing of these great, wonderful quilters is coming soon.
I think I might even be able to get away with a peek at the stitches themselves..hmm

For now though I am pulling in all the binding help I can find here in Paducah and working towards that deadline.

Happy, Happy Sunday!!!

BIG Giant Hugs of gratitude being sent out to you all!