sleeping?

Ack! I really hate when my insomnia kicks in. It's almost 2 in the morning, Tuesday July 29th. Hard to believe this month is almost over. Skyler is home and it's great to have him here. Still trying to figure out if and when we get to meet the famous Alicia :)

My weekend in Long Beach/Anaheim was wonderful. I don't know that any of the quilts I saw were that inspiring - they were all lovely, but most of them were very "artsy fartsy" and nothing that inspired me to do something similar. I guess it comes down to what you find interesting or challenging about quilting. For me, while I can appreciate something painted on a piece of fabric beautifully and then quilting it . . . there's no real challenge there. It is much more interesting when someone takes fabrics designed and produced commercially and then uses that fabric to create new and interesting designs. That takes a special eye and a special way of looking at things - to make the ordinary more than what it is. I particularly like when a quilt takes a traditional block or concept and then puts a new contemporary spin on it, using color, value and technique to create something unique. So while I appreciate things that result from computer programs, painting, and embellishing with threads, when that is ALL there is to the quilt, it somehow just doesn't inspire me. I did see a small whole cloth piece that was beautifully hand quilted. I have to say that in spite of my definition above, when the quilting alone creates the art, that is beautiful to me as well. I understand that each person has their own individual relationship to the quilt and to the art. For me, it's in the process. I don't even care that much about actually owning the quilts because for me the challenge is in the process of making it. A quilt represents more than the hundreds of dollars in materials and hours and hours of time that goes into it because it's a way of trying to capture an idea and a feeling. I only wish that my quilts would come out looking the way I see them in my head!

I am delighted to report that, thanks to Lynda, I got excited about a wedding quilt design for Chelsea and Trenton AND I got the top completed. It will probably be awhile before it is quilted. It's much too big for me to quilt it and I will undoubtedly be on a long wait list for a longarm quilter. I want to send it to Bonnie Hunter in So. Carolina. She did Nick's graduation quilt and does beautiful work. The quilter in Iowa that I like isn't really quilting much anymore. There aren't a lot of people you can trust with a quilt so it's worth it to wait the time and spend the money for someone who will do a good job. The other good news (to me anyway) is that I have an idea for TWO quilts for my soon to come grandson. They are still in my head however, although I have the fabric for one of them. In other quilting news, I got an email from Mary Lou Weidman asking if I would be willing to create a very small storyquilt for a chapter in one of her new books. I have to complete it by October 10th, which is just around the corner so I have to think about it and feel the inspiration. The theme is "short stories" . . . I might do something about becoming a grandmother. I'm still thinking about it.

So besides sewing I also spent money at the quilt show. I bought a cool new thing for hanging quilts up, I bought some fabric, a new large cutting mat, some cool quilting threads, and a few other neat things. All in all, a good time!

On other topics: I'd like to plan a dinner here Friday night! This is a belated birthday dinner for Skyler. What shall we have? I want to keep it simple. And we need to invite the Dubrows. I'm accepting menu suggestions!