Hot and Hot in the Cold.

It has been a very long week. 

The robotics competition in Peoria (finished with the fourth alliance thank you very much). 

The ice storm delay. 

The travel through the ice storm in a state that doesn't seem to know how to plow or salt.  Huge chunks of frozen snow pushed kinda sorta to the edge but close enough to throw the cars and trucks around if they hit it.  Watched a salt truck dump about 6 inches of salt in one spot at an intersection.  Add in the freezing temps and black ice and it was an adventure. 

Then the trip to Birmingham to pick up the car at the airport.  At least we planned so that we could have dinner out.  I had ripped a page from one of my cooking magazines listing restaurants in Alabama.  We decided to choose one and try it out.  Really.  With no more research than a name and town we googled the address and went.  No idea what to expect.

When the GPS said we were there, all we say was a Valet parking attendant.  Hmmm...  A few cars honking at us and a trip around the block and we found him again.  Left our car in good hands.

We were early for dinner but that gave us time to sit at the bar and sample the martini menu.  It was one of those places where the bartender talked about making the rhubarb tonic and freshly squeezing the blood oranges.  The blood orange martini was amazing. 

I can't even begin to describe the menu.  Everything was fresh and local.  The attention to detail was incredible.  Everything fit perfectly. 

And all of my photos have disappeared from my phone so I have nothing to show you.  Weird.  I will have to see if I can figure out what happened. 

The restaurant is the Hot and Hot Fish Club. Turns out the chef is a James Beard award winner.  It was a wonderful treat. 

3 Yard Minimum or the Answer Really is FORTY TWO

Note to self:  If you LOVE it, buy THREE yards.

Because you will discover that TWO yards is not enough.

You will discover this three quarters of the way through your project.  When you realize that in addition to TWO 10 inch squares, each block also requires FOUR 6.5 inch squares of the same fabric.

You will also discover that every other fabric you pulled that might work only has enough fabric for TWO 10 inch squares.  And you have FOUR more blocks to complete

After remembering where you bought the too short fabric you also remember that you have been working non-stop using up said TWO yards of fabric, are still in your jammies with your hair sticking up.  (And you probably smell bad as well.)

So you shower and then discover that you have no clean clothes.  (You would have done the laundry but you needed the machine to wash that last quilt project and were so excited to take pictures you forgot about the laundry.)  Eventually, you find a shirt that isn't disgusting AND you remember to brush your teeth and hair.

Only to discover that you have no cash and the car is out of gas.  Of course gas has gone up THIRTY cents over night and that ATM number ONE is temporarily out of service.

Finally, with what gas remains after driving around looking for a functioning ATM, and with what cash remains after paying for another tank of gas, you head to the fabric store.  Which is not the one TWO miles down the road but rather the one that is TWENTY miles away.

Arriving just in time to see some blue-haired teeny bopper on assignment from her pattern making class (seriously!?!) take the LAST spot in the parking lot.  Never have you seen the lot that full.  You brace your self for a long wait at the cutting counter and start the long trek in from the hinterlands.

Realizing in short order that you both a.) forgot to take your advil and b.) neglected to wear your brace for such a short trip to get ONE yard of fabric.

Amazingly enough,  most of the drivers of said cars occupying ALL of the parking spots are in club and will likely remain there for another TEN minutes.

You rush to the back of the store (as fast as your pained, over taxed, un-braced knee will allow) to see without much surprise that the fabric you came to get is gone.  There are ZERO yards available.

Using up SEVEN precious minutes deciding the best blend was either fabric A or fabric B you decide to grab TWO bolts and get ONE yard each.  Brilliant.

Making it to the counter just ahead of the rush (you see THREE ladies wondering out of the club room with more soon to follow) you ask for ONE yard of each fabric and use up the last of your cash.
Thank you no bag necessary.

Only to realize once you are half way home that FOUR more blocks will require TWENTY inches fabric to cut EIGHT 10 inch squares and that you will need an additional NINETEEN and ONE HALF inches to cut out the 6.5 inch blocks.  TWENTY plus NINETEEN and ONE HALF equals THIRTY NINE and ONE HALF inches with some trimming and squaring room lets just say that you need FORTY TWO more inches of fabric.

And you just spent your last cash on TWO pieces of fabric that are THIRTY SIX inches.  Not FORTY TWO.  There is no way TWO - THIRTY SIX inch pieces of different fabric will ever add up to FORTY TWO inches of the same fabric. 

So...  If you LOVE it... buy at THREE yards. 

The Cost of Quilting

This article was posted on the Sew Mama Sew Facebook page today.  It is on the Mollie Sparkles Blog.  She meticulously costs out the labor materials, shipping and intellectual value of making a quilt top.  You have to go read the whole thing to get the total. 

It is a 72 x 72 inch quilt.  The real cost is staggering. The materials cost is high but certainly what it would be if we truly added it all up without some congressional grade accounting tricks like already in stash is free! 

What we truly under-value as quilters is our time and more importantly our creativity.  If you think about it, what does a consulting firm get for designing a new logo?  What about the cost of designing a webpage.  Creativity is not cheap. 

Quilters likely don't do the sort of statistical market research a logo consultant does.  However, we do survey market trends (read blogs, search on-line patterns, visit fabric stores, consult with the client or carefully consider the recipient).  How many times have you tried to use a piece from your stash only to decide it is out-of-date or doesn't fit the vibe?  How many times have you gone back for a different piece because the color doesn't play nicely or the contrast is too high or low?  It is all time.  Time well spent but seldom counted in the value of making a quilt. 

And like web-page design, making the design look good is just half the battle.  We need to do the back end construction to get all the parts to function properly.  A great design only goes so far.  The seams need to be solid and the project needs to be finished. 

The bottom line is that materials x 2 or even x 3 just doesn't cover it in terms of the real cost involved in making a quilt. 

I bring this up, because as I make more quilts I have more quilts I am ready to send on to a good home... for a price.  I've donated a fair share.  I've gifted plenty.  But I would like to sell some of them.  I want to get a fair price for them.  I tend to price them high.  (No where near where I should based on this calculation) but higher than seems seemly.  I always figure out a price at which I am willing to see them go.  Or as my husband says would you rather have the quilt in your closet or $ in your pocket.  Some of them have a price.  Some don't. 

So what do you think?  Do you sell quilts?  Make them on commission?  Do you only give/donate?  What are your quilts worth? 

Welcome Fall?

It is the first of October and I am enjoying a lovely Caprese Salad, thanks to my friends named Mike who garden and share. 

Well, That's Embarrassing.

I knew the dust bunnies were out of control but I had no idea they had their babies in my sewing machine. 

A Wee Bit of a Rant

I had a birthday a while ago.  I received some birthday money.  I decided to spend some of it during the sales going on right now. 

I do most of my clothes shopping on-line.  I like the search functions that allow me to only look at things that I can afford and that will fit.  I shop at several national chains and greatly appreciate their service, quality, reliable sizing and pricing.  I'm not going to mention any names in this post because I really have no complaint against the company. 

One chain I shop at regularly has a great return policy.  I can either package it up and leave it on my porch for the mailman to pick up or I can take my purchase to the local store.  I typically go to the local store to avoid worrying about whether or not it will arrive at its destination. 

Now, I shop at this particular store a lot.  In 'flusher' years, I've even managed to become a preferred customer.  I'm in their computer.  The closest store for returns is a lovely place but it carries a very limited range of sizes.  It does not carry my size.  That is quite all right with me.  I understand they have done their research, (although I always wonder how they can say they don't sell particular sizes if they never reliably carry them.  But that is a question for another time).

On this particular day as I was making a return of a small portion of larger order the clerk started telling me about all of the sales and suggested I look around for an exchange.  Pretty typical fare.  Nothing I didn't expect.  I said, "No thank you.  You don't carry my size."  She then started to tell me about all the other sizes and particular styles that I could try on to see if they would work.  I told her that I didn't want to waste my time looking at things I that I could not buy today.  I really wasn't trying to criticize the store, I was just trying to state a fact.  I hate looking at things that I KNOW come in my size but aren't available for me to purchase.  It is annoying and I can find what I want and order online if I want to wait a week for delivery. 

I was set on relieving my wallet of some of my birthday money right then.  I didn't want to wait.  I didn't want to pay shipping or make another trip to the store.  I wanted an outfit to wear now.  It happens like that some days. 

So I completed my return with a rather huffy salesclerk and left the store.  I walked two doors down to the store that carries a full range of sizes.  The friendly clerk helped me find the right size and never once suggested I try things that clearly would not fit.  I spent a fair bit of my birthday money. 

As I was walking back past the original store with my rather full garment bag I wanted to go back in.  I wanted to say, "Look. I came out to spend money today.  If you carried the full range of sizes your company produces, I would have spent it here.  If you had suggested I could order from your catalog kiosk, I might have considered that as well.  You did neither, so the lovely Lisa two doors down, received a hefty commission instead."

I didn't because I am certain it would have been perceived as cranky criticism rather than an opportunity to learn from a loyal customer.  I really wanted them to know that I would be happy to spend money in their store, have done so in the past and would do so in the future if they would make it easy for me.   I really wanted to.  But I didn't. 

Well, I've shared it with you, so I feel a bit better.  Would you have said something? 

I Can See Clearly Now

When I first left the gray sun deprived upper-ish midwest (Hey SAD isn't a disease it is a CULTURE!)  I discovered that I needed sunglasses.  I also discovered that I had a sorry tendency to step on, sit on, misplace or otherwise render my sunglasses unusable.  As a poor grad student this was not consistent with purchasing good sunglasses. 

Besides

So for mmphty years I've stuck to my cheap sunglasses until this summer.  My MIL gave me a classy pair of grown up sunglasses.  What a difference! 

Sssshhh It's a Secret

I have just finished two quilts, but they are both have to stay a secret.  So I will have to leave you with this wintery picture from a few years ago.  I must note that not only have my jonquils been above ground since the beginning of January, but the little short sprouts have giant buds on them today.  I had assumed with the cold, we'd have a late Spring.  I might be wrong about that. 

Overwhelmed

I am sitting here trying to compose my thoughts.  So many things going on around me.  So much to be done.  And then some very sad news.  A family with a great gaping hole.  A life cut off too soon.  Not close but close enough to leave a lasting ache.  Understanding the magnitude of emotion but unable to process their future.  Unable to process the reality.  Unable to process. Too far away to lend a hand or a hug.  So I will hold those close to me and pray. 

There but for the grace of God... 

Light Snow

This was the scene out my front door at 11 pm last night.  It was actually quite dark in a bright, snowstorm kind of way.  The digital camera compensated. 

We ended up with 4 inches of snow.  Not bad for a forecast of light snow. 

What is that Smell?

A couple of my larger cuts of fabric from my last visit to the remnant table.

If you have been to Hancock's of Paducah you know all about the remnant tables.

Well first, let me say that HoP is an incredibly utilitarian store.  Almost all of the 'shoppers' in the building are employees filling internet orders.  The fabrics are ordered by designer, collection and manufacturer.  There are little street signs to guide you to your favorite.  They are not laid out to inspire creativity or to showcase the shop's creative bent.  They are set up to be found, cut and returned with speed and precision.

As a casual shopper it is almost overwhelming to wonder up and down the rows in the warehouse setting.  You have to have some sort of strategy or you hit overload and can't find a thing.  Now that I have been there a few times, I usually try to make a plan first.  I decide I am going to look for purple and yellow or I need to coordinate a focus fabric or I am looking for polka dots.  Then I wonder up and down the aisles looking for specific colors or patterns and do my best to tune out the rest.  Usually my plan involves spending time at the remnant tables.

These are huge tables piled high (sometimes neatly and other times a total mess) with remnants of everything.  I always try to fold and stack as I work my way around the table.  There are always hidden treasures to be found.  Pieces of fabric I have ogled and adored at a price I can afford.  I have fallen in love with the bright colors of Kaffe and I almost always find a few pieces.  Here, as with the rest of the store, I try to have a plan.

The last time I was there, I was by myself.  No impatient spuds chomping at the bit to get back on the road making me rush.  I approached the remnant table with joy.  There was a cute older couple working both sides of the table along with me.  It was clear they had a plan.  It was also very clear that he was as involved in the fabric selection as she was.  I struck up a conversation with them.  Sharing bits and pieces that seemed to fit with their search.  In the course of our conversation I mentioned to the lady that she was fortunate to have such a treasure in her husband.  His patience and participation was remarkable.  We continued to chat a bit and when asked, I said that my husband did the cutting for most of my quilts.  She commented that she could use that sort of help and then said "if only I could find some one to baste and pin for me...."  Another shopper at the end of the table commiserated.  I simply said "spray glue".

The sweet lady stiffened her spine and said "I hand quilt".  The kibitzer said "well I never".  Both of them quickly walked away.  You would have thought I made rude noises and emitted noxious gasses!  I don't think I've ever cleared a room faster.

Yes, I use spray baste.  I love the stuff.  For the record, I also use starch!  I think I have said before that the "original" spray baste in the big white cans truly is noxious and horrible and gummy.  If that was my first experience with spray baste I would never pick it up again.   Today there are lots of different versions.  I've used the 505 spray from my embroidery projects, the Dritz version and now Spray and Bond.  I like them all.  they don't gum up my needles and they hold really well.  If I still had to baste or pin, I probably wouldn't quilt.  And I hand quilt too!

At any rate, my little admission of indiscretion left the field clear and netted me several large cuts (3+ yards) of fabric, a bit of a Dear Stella pattern I needed to coordinate with a project and some more Kaffe to add to my collection.   

If you want to think less of me as a quilter, that is OK.  I respect traditional quilters.  We can still talk designs and fabric.  If you really want to be picky about it just remember, while you are holding your nose, I might just be working efficiently and finding the only 4 yards of American Jane fabric on the table.  

Oh My (Random Thoughts)

I have no idea where this week has gone.  Nor am I exactly sure where the summer has gone.  Here is one last look at the lake (admittedly from a couple years ago.) 

The weather has certainly turned colder around here.  When I went to the Post Office at 4 pm,  (to send out Christmas Coal...) it was 82 degrees.  When I got in the car to take Spud 3 to scouts it was 48 degrees. 

It has been so warm around here for so long that I am right out of the habit of cooking.  Sandwiches and salad don't heat up the kitchen much.  Nor do they create much in the way of dishes.  However, I think I am about ready for some variety.

The annual chili cook-off and pumpkin carving is at our church this weekend.  The cold weather is making the idea of cooking chili much more appealing than it was a couple days ago. I have to decide if I'm going traditional this year or if I continue my streak of entering odd-ball chili recipes.  

We don't have any pumpkins yet.  I'll have to see if the spud wants to carve one or if he just wants to hang out help the younger ones.  I haven't even managed to decorate for Halloween.  I think that at this point decorations are highly unlikely.

I had the opportunity to join with a group of people from around the country at the Mississippi River Network meetings this week.  It is so exciting to meet them and to learn all about the amazing things they are doing to protect the Mississippi River Watershed, otherwise known as the Louisiana Purchase.  The first thing we did, by way of introduction was to tell of our first experience with the river; to answer the question, what draws you to the river.  Let's just say there was an awful lot of wading, swimming, caving, climbing, catching and general mucking about when mom wasn't looking going on.  It certainly renewed my belief in the need to bring as many people as possible to the river. 

The meeting was also another opportunity to catch up with the Quapaw Canoe Compay crew.  While I have still not met John Ruskey in person (I'm beginning to think he is an imaginary, no legendary figure!) I did get a chance to catch up with some of the guys.  Here is a picture of the mighty Quapaw in the Junebug, a canoe they built, taking some folks out on the river at the Race for the Rivers Festival this summer.  You really should check out the fine work they are doing down in Clarksville on the river and in their community.

I am making my last few preparations for a craft show on Saturday.  This is the first time I've actually set up my booth space ahead of the show.  I've taken some time to not only map out the space but to physically place the items and displays on the tables.  I've chosen to go with black tablecloths as they won't stain and they won't compete with the bright colors of the sunpaint fabrics.  I even managed to make a banner this time.  I still have to make some signs and either find or re-print my cards so I need to get busy.  I'll try to remember to take pictures and post them when I get a chance. 

100 Days!

Yesterday marked the start of the 100 days of holidays.  I just love posting that milestone each year.  I don't know why. It always inspires panic and ire.  It is dreadful to know how close the holidays are and far away from being ready I am.  I am determined to do some decorating around the house.  But... these first cold days in September are too early for Halloween and not long enough for Fall before Halloween, but I could start with some Fall that I could convert to Halloween and then if I put greens in the Thanksgiving.... and ....  And yes.  I'm already behind, paralyzed with indecision.  I can't even post the start on the start!  This candy corn patch is the closest I've come to getting anything done for the holidays. 

 The new Science Series of Badges.

 bleeding or speeding heart

 na na na na na na na.....

question!

and a few old school computer patches

Now that I have my machine back in full working order, I am spending all my time on it and still not so much on the bloggy end of things.  I have a couple more events for the Fall and then I can slack off for a bit.  My speeches were OK.  At least I didn't embarrass myself or my organization.  We are doing some tree planting and water quality testing in a couple weeks.    Then.... I can get in gear for the holidays!  Or better yet, I can actually finish one of the quilts in my huge pile of WIPs... and I only count as WIP the ones where I've actually cut into the fabric.  If it is just sitting there with an sketch or pattern or just a collection of fabrics it DOES NOT COUNT as a WIP.  I have to measure progress in little steps. 

Falling Silent

The change in seasons seems to have left me in a funk.  You may not have noticed I've been absent.  But I haven't been myself lately.  I have not been upholding my part of the conversation.  I read your blogs.  I am as amazed and inspired as always.  I think in superlatives when I see your projects.  I laugh at your funny stories.  I relate to your troubles.  I smile.  I sympathize. 

And yet I cannot comment. 

I type but have nothing to say.  It has all been said.  So I delete. 

Perhaps it is the looming speeches that have my words twisted up unable to be free.  Perhaps it has been the long slog through the summer of events and issues.  Perhaps it is all the words coming at me.  Perhaps I am overwhelmed by the need to catch up.  Perhaps it is just time for a rest.  Perhaps I simply need to take a moment to catch my breath.  Perhaps all I need is a thesaurus. 

I don't know where my words have gone. 

I do know that I am missing them.

I am looking for them.  If you see them shuffling about under the fallen leaves, tell them to return home.  I have things to say.   

Church in the Round

Another shot from our weekend retreat.  This is the children's sermon.  It is an amazing service.  We have church sitting around the campfire in the woods. 

Camping Retreat

 Here is my little cabin in the woods.  It was a beautiful setting on the ridge overlooking the river. (I did sacrifice a bit of scenery for the luxury of being next to the brand new shower house and potty!) 

Most of the buildings on site were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 30's.  There is beautiful stonework all through the park.  The spud and his friend occupied the lodge next door.  It has a fireplace facing in and another one on the screen porch.

Unfortunately, economic woes in the State have prevented a lot of maintenance and many of the buildings need some work.  Although the dated graffiti in this cabin goes back a lot further than the current budget crisis.  Although it looks pretty nasty, most of the writing is simple names and dates, people staking a claim on wonderful experience.  I can't really complain about that too much.  After all, I've been seen Independence Rock and petroglyphs.  It is an interesting question.  When does it stop being vandalism and start being part of the historic record? 

Camping

I have been neglecting my blog and my bloggy friends this week.  It has been one of those weeks when I have been working non-stop but I don't seem to produce much of anything.  Now I am preparing to go on our annual weekend retreat: an opportunity to pick apples, sit around the campfire and find salamanders like the one in the picture above.  I will take my stitching with me and hopefully I will have some things to show you next week.  Too bad some of the spuds will be left behind.  It is great that they are doing their own things.  I will miss them

Skipping September

An altered image of one of the spuds from a few years ago.  A perfect day on a September beach.  I call it "Skipping September".  I recently had it printed on canvas by cafe press.  It turned out OK.  

National Knife Day?

Who knew.  In celebration, here is an artsy picture of the knife Spud 1 (otherwise known as boy blacksmith) made for me.  It is over 12 inches long and mirror finished.  You can sort of see me with the camera in the reflection.

Lists

I always thought I was a list maker and list crosser-offer.  I always figured I relied on my lists and could find whatever was necessary from my lists.  I have also, always known that I am organizationally challenged.  Finding my list, filing my list, remembering which pad I wrote my list on was a challenge.  Heaven only knows how many clip boards that say C's STUFF have floated from booth to booth, table to table, finally found and retrieved by whichever spud is driving the golf cart this year.  It is truly a challenge.

Over the past few months I have been working hard to learn to delegate.  What I have learned is that the lists are all in my head.  Writing them is really just a means to cement them into my brain.  The paper is pretty much irrelevant to the final memory. 

Fortunately, or unfortunately as the case may be, the folks to whom I am delegating have discovered this as well.  That the paper lists aren't really the real list.  There is always more.  Some detail or relationship that needs to be attended to.

The long suffering Mr D has finally decided that he is going to extract all of the lists from my head and put them into electronic documents that can be sorted, prioritized and understood by any who access them. His lists are a thing of beauty.  No really,  there is nothing so beautiful (at least today) as an excel spreadsheet that has all the relevant information laid out in order.  No random notes.  No bizarre columns off to the side with weird shorthand and unidentified calculations.  Yes, I am trying my best to help him.  But it is infinitely clear to anyone who looks which ones are mine. 

The thing is, I am greatly afraid that once Mr D extracts the last little bit of information from my brain, categorizes, sorts it and commits it to electrons the vacuum left behind will cause my head to implode. 

Well, we'll see next week.  Pray for good weather and safe passage for all of our racers and riders and festival attendees.  And perhaps a wee one for my poor head, soon to be empty of all but the most trivial of details.