Quilt Quatastrophes

Quilts and scrapbooking

2009-07-28T11:12:00.000-07:00

So we just got back from a week long vacation in Colorado. Amazing time. Took 212 pictures and printed all of them. Bought way too much scrapbooking stuff. I find piecing scrapbook pages similiar to piecing quilts.

City Dump

2009-06-04T14:07:00.000-07:00

Iwent on a pilgrimage through my city with some friends. The first stop was the city dump. It was a large awful smelling place. We could not get close enough to take pictures. It was like an ancient tel, with smoldering methane seeping from the ruins. What will archeologists of the future think of us as they dig through it? Everyone in every city should see where their trash lands. I have never been more motivated to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Yes, it takes a few more steps to separate the trash for recycling, but the smell of the dump motivates me.

Paintings for sale on etsy

2009-05-27T17:00:00.000-07:00

Follow the link on the side to my etsy shop to view these paintings for sale.

You may purchase the paintings but I hold the copyrights to all my images.

Piles of fabric

2009-05-15T13:56:00.001-07:00

So I have piles of fabric and a few ongoing projects...what to do next? Ideas?

Oklahoma Food Coop

2009-05-13T20:46:00.000-07:00

Hey friends
If you are interested in organic meat and other home grown items, and you live in Oklahoma, check out www.oklahomafood.coop. There is a one time joining fee of $50. You make your orders online, once a month, can pick up at several local sites...and you can pay with paypal. I am ordering almost all my meat from the coop now...prices are comparable to stores, and no growth hormones...and you support local farmers. Everyone wins.

Ecoearthfriendlygreeninthehomeandparties

2009-04-23T10:55:00.000-07:00

Yes I ran all the words together on purpose. Yesterday was Earth Day. I saw more advertising for GREEN than I ever have. So I thought I would spout some of my own green practices.

1. No more paper towels. I buy a pile of white washclothes once or twice a year and use them til they shred. I especially like the larger ribbed terry cloth "barmop" clothes. They are between the size of a wash cloth and hand towel.

2. No more paper napkins. I put my foot down even for birthday parties this year. I keep a pile of cloth napkins in a drawer. No, they don't all match, and some of them are not even hemmed. But they work to wipe chocolate off your face and they don't kill trees.

3. No more "disposable" plastic tablecloths. I keep a pile of tablecloths in various colors. Some of them are "vintage" thanks to my great grandmother's linen collection. I love the wrinkled look. It's "shabby chic" but really I just hate to iron. Besides, ironing wastes electricity.

4. Yes, I still buy toilet paper. There were times in my childhood when we were too poor to buy toilet paper. A pile of soft rags, a bucket, and hot water and bleach work. However, as long as I can afford toilet paper I am buying it.

5. I am currently hunting some clothesline posts. Occasionally I hang clothes over the fence in the backyard, but am hoping DH will put up some lines for me soon.

6. Did you know old underwear make good dusting rags? Whatever happen to a rag bag anyway? My mom always kept one. Old t-shirts make for good dusting and window washing. They don't have lint. Moms used to save cloth diapers for such things.

Reduce Reuse Recycle

Checkerboard baby quilt

2009-04-13T12:43:00.000-07:00

These squares are 1.5 in. Sewn by strip piecing method. The blocks are 12 inch square and the borders/sashing are 6 inches wide. .

Dick and Jane Quilt Top Finished

2009-02-19T16:09:00.000-08:00

It is a twin size. 9 x 8 blocks with 3 inch borders. No, I'm not old enough to have used the books as readers in first grade, but I still love the art and the nostalgia.

I now have an etsy shop!!

2009-02-04T12:49:00.000-08:00

www.quiltquatastrophes.etsy.com

View my items for sale by clicking on the link.

My store is called Quilt Quatastrophes

Dick and Jane Quilt

2009-01-23T07:40:00.001-08:00

I have been collecting Michael Miller's Dick & Jane fabric for about 2 years and finally got enough to make a quilt. This is it so far...still haven't decided if I'm going to add enough to it to make it a twin size or leave it as a wall-hanging size.

Remy caught hiding under the new quilt on the bed. He thinks it is for him.

Flannel Monkey Baby Quilt

2008-12-11T20:11:00.000-08:00

I made this quilt for a precious baby boy due Feb. 14. It is done in 100% cotton flannel. Monkeys and jungle animals everywhere. The back is done in solid brown flannel. His name was embroidered on the back also. Crib size. I may never handquilt again after using my new free motion quilting foot! What fun!

Dog outfit for my doggie niece

2008-09-21T13:42:00.000-07:00

This is my doggy niece, "Fancy Pants" although she is usally called "Panties" Note the ribbin that says "Meow." She looks so cute in pink!

Another fleece "rag" quilt

2008-09-21T13:39:00.001-07:00

I made this for a friend. It's a lap quilt size. He says it is very warm and usually makes him go to sleep. I put magic in each quilt, you know! ;-)

A day in the life of Princess Marie

2008-09-21T13:21:00.000-07:00

I was really hoping to avoid the camera here in the bathroom closet, but the paparazzi won't leave me alone.

"Will you just leave me alone? I'm sick."

"Hmm I wonder why Mommy has a picture of Remy on the screen and not me. Maybe if I sit here she will notice me."

Lots of Bibs for a very special drooler

2008-09-21T13:15:00.001-07:00

I did buy a new sewing machine this summer: a Brother ES 2000. My first computerized machine. I love the one touch stitch selection and the drop-in bobbin. These were my first projects on the new machine. The baby I made them for went through all six in one day. She's an adorable spitter-upper and drooler. ;-)

OK so not much quilting going on this summer

2008-07-22T20:25:00.000-07:00

I have sewn a total of one thing since I last posted: one shirt. No quilting. I am on the search for a new sewing machine cause mine is on the blink. It is a cheap Brother bought at Wal-mart for $89.00 about 4 years ago and it was never intended to sew as many long hours as mine does.

Suggestions for a machine that will sew 4 layers of denim, quilt, embroidery, one touch buttonhole & costs less than $200?? Laugh, I know. I'm willing to buy used and refurbished. Someone point me to the right website (other than ebay...I'm searching there already).

I've also been battling health issues this summer: mono for the SECOND time in the middle of June and a migraine of migraines this past weekend.

Wear 'em to shreds, my friends

2008-06-16T20:31:00.001-07:00

Yesterday when the recipients of the quilt below opened their gift, 3 other friends just happened to be standing there. One of them said, "I have one of Kelly's quilts."
"So do I."
"and so do I."

I don't remember feeling so happy about something I had done...not even when I received the ol' sheepskin when I graduated from college.

One said she was keeping hers for her daughter when she grows up. I said, "No! That's not why I made it! Let her have it!" Maybe I made a mistake making that one so perfect...with straight lines and new fabric and embroidered name & date? That it became a keepsake instead of a quatastrophe? For everyone who receives one of my quilts, please use them until they are worn to shreds and then use the shreds.

I have made 3 "taggies" for a friend's baby who HAS to have one to sleep. He has slept with all three and hugged them and dragged them around until they are almost in tatters, and he is only 2. (A "taggie" is a small blanket of about a foot square with ribbon tags sewn around the outsides. Babies love them).

Quilt Quatastrophes ARE MEANT TO BE LOVED TO SHREDS!

The biggest Quiltingest Quatastrophe of them all!

2008-06-13T14:55:00.001-07:00

This is a true quatasatrophe. What started as a simple desire to make a lapquilt for a couple's wedding shower turned into this queen size (shown on a king bed) monstrosity of 100% recycled materials quilt. The bride is into recycling and is into anything "green." She even put "Please recycle" on her wedding invitations. I got the inspiration for this one when I heard they were engaged.
I started with the center...6" rag style quilt squares. Then I decided to place a border of dark denim. Finally I ended up at a garage sale buying 6 pairs of jeans to finish it in queen size.

It took 440 yds of 100% cotton quilt thread, and about 8 needles. I have to buy a new sewing machine! My poor cheap Brother can't handle this volume of heavy fabric even with heavy needles.

Remy likes it.

Monarch Chrysalis

2008-05-31T09:18:00.000-07:00

Finished yesterday.

Monarch and Caterpillar

2008-05-26T16:25:00.001-07:00

These are my latest projects. Took about 4 days each. Both are 18" x 24"

Monarch Caterpillar on milkweed. Oil pastel on paper. NFS.

Monarch Butterfly Oil pastel on paper. NFS.

Arts Festival

2008-05-26T15:55:00.000-07:00

Today I went to the Paseo arts festival in OKC to hear my favorite band Grandpa Griffith.
http://www.grandpagriffith.com/

What do I want to be when I grow up?

2008-05-25T21:33:00.000-07:00

So I'm 35 and still trying to figure it out. Call me crazy. Call me non-decisive. I thought I had it all figured out esp. after 2 college degrees. BTW I paid off my student loans last week!!! Sallie Mae won't let me go. She keeps sending me emails, but hey, now I can ignore them.

12 years ago I graduated with a Master of Arts in Religion with an emphasis in practical theology.

I just finished my first semester as an art student. I learned a lot from my professor even though he gave me a "B" for my "A" effort. It's hard to be a student when you've been a teacher.
Anyway, lately all I can do is draw/paint. Oil pastels. Some call it drawing some call it painting with pastels. Whatever it is. I can't stop. I have a muse. I want to be an artist. I want a studio. I want to earn a living with my art.

Finished Baby Quilt

2008-05-06T11:25:00.001-07:00

Finished the flannel pastel baby quilt & gave it at the baby shower which I also hosted. Got some close ups of the quilting. I ended up doing some applique/quilting on it to make it more interesting. Most of the quilting, however, is by hand. Fluffy, thick batting and a flannel backing makes it very soft for the new baby girl that should arrive in late June.

Flannel Pastel Baby Quilt

2008-04-03T06:50:00.000-07:00

I attend a prolific church...there are at least 2 baby showers a month! It was time to make another baby quilt, so I started hunting ideas. This pattern came from American Patchwork & Quilting Magazine this month. It is called Sun-Drenched Strips. Obviously I altered it a little...but I love the pattern & will try it again.

As soon as I put it in the frame for quilting & set it down, Princess Marie had to see if she approved of its softness. She approves. I will post a picture when I complete the quilting.

Top 10 to do before I die

2008-04-02T06:21:00.001-07:00

1. See Garth Brooks in concert
2. Train trip across Alaska
3. Publish a novel
4. Biking trip across Europe
5. Open an art/sewing studio in the Paseo District of OKC
6. Drive up the Pacific Coast highway from southern California to the Canadian border
7. Own a 1966 Mustang
8. Put my kids through college w/o student loans
9. Go on a Sierra Club wilderness survival weekend
10. Refinish the wood floors in my house