Quilting...for The Rest Of Us

Another Creative Bytes, followed by Sandy Update, a book review, and listener feedback. I review Intuitive Color and Design: Adventures in Art Quilting by Jean Wells. By the way, much of the information in this book would be useful to any kind of quilter, not just art quilters! Join the Flickr group "Bonnie Hunter Easy Street 2012 Mystery Quilt Group" and hang out with a bunch of us podcasters and listeners and friends who are all doing the 2012 Easy Street Mystery Quilt by Bonnie Hunter.

Welcome to episode 109, in which I announce a new feature of my podcast, do a little Sandy Update, and share what listeners have said about perfectionism in quilting.

My account of continuing progress on the 9-Patch Pizzazz, but a change of purpose for it; I also announce my winner of the Banned Book Challenge giveaway, give a brief retrospective of hurricane action in these parts, have some shout outs to Aussies, and do some listener feedback.

As I post this episode, the wind is starting to whip and my windowpanes are rattling with the rain. Yes, Hurricane Sandy is starting to move into my area, so I decided to post an episode quick quick before I lose power like so many of my eastern buddies have now done. The good news is, I finally made some progress on quilt projects! The bad news is, it could all come screeching to a halt depending on what happens in the next 24 hours storm-wise. Meanwhile, listen to my updates on my Banned Book Challenge (including a reference to moving the deadline) and my guild's Untouchables Challenge, and some listener feedback, and a bit about peppermint oil. And now I'd best get back to my sewing machine while I can still run it...

Catching up with y'all! I give a brief update on life in general, remind you of the Banned Book Challenge I'm co-hosting with Tanesha of CraftyGardenMom this month, talk about designing fabric on Spoonflower, and do some listener feedback.

I begin with a little Sandy update, plus an announcement of a new giveaway/challenge I'm co-sponsoring with Tanesha of CraftyGardenMom Podcast: The Banned Books Challenge Giveaway. Listen for the details! The fun then continues with another installment in the design series with Jaye--this time, we're talking about shape. For Jaye's supplemental blog post, visit http://www.artquiltmaker.com/blog. For the Banned Book Challenge Flickr Group:  http://www.flickr.com/groups/2136152@N22/

We're on a roll! Two episodes in a row in the design series. Yippee! In this episode, we follow up our discussion about shape with conversation about form. And we leave you with some more existential questions to keep you awake at night. I also talk about some new apps I've been trying out, my trip to Keepsake Quilting, and do some listener feedback. For Jaye's supplemental blog post, visit http://www.artquiltmaker.com/blog. Apps mentioned in this episode: My Inventory (Droid) Itemizer / Itemizer Jr. MyStuff2 Lite iStorage--when I downloaded this app, it was called iStorage. It has since changed its name (since there's an iStorage app that's cloud storage), and is now called Items & Storage & Inventory Lite. MyMemoir

Jaye's back! Woot woot! Finally we're able to return to our series on design. In this episode, we tackle "shape." That's not quite as straightforward as it may seem, so brew yourself some coffee or tea and get ready to dive in. Jaye has, as always, created a fantastic blog post to go with this episode with all sorts of pictures and recommended resources. Check it out here. For previous episodes in the design series, click here.

This is a NON-QUILTING episode. If you've tried BigTent and aren't sure quite how to use it, I give a fast overview of the highlights, mostly focusing on how to adjust your email and privacy settings, and what parts of BigTent you can largely ignore. Make BigTent work for you! It would be best for you to be sitting at your computer, with BigTent open, while listening to this episode. (It would be pretty boring to listen to on a commute--sorry!) Back to our regularly scheduled programming in my next episode.

Turns out AJ and I were taking the same Craftsy class at the same time! So I thought it would be fun for the two of us to talk, compare notes, and make suggestions of things we had learned along the way. Also included: Listener Feedback, Announcements, and a little bit of a Sandy Update. In this episode: AJ's blog post on her Stitch n' Slash finish: http://iknitnquilt2.blogspot.com/2012/07/too-many-projects.html And her blog post on her Stupendous Stitching and BOM finishes: http://iknitnquilt2.blogspot.com/2012/07/happy-4th-of-july.html My blog post with my Stitch n' Slash finish: http://quiltingfortherestofus.blogspot.com/2012/09/finally-finish.html Stitch n' Slash on Craftsy: http://www.craftsy.com/class/Stitch-and-Slash/68

And so we begin our second hundred! Woot! In this episode, I share my current mistake-ridden project and use that as a springboard to share listener's stories about their own work-my-last-nerve projects. I also talk about my discovery of the circular sewing attachment, a review of #LDSI, and an announcement of upcoming fun and frivolity! Listener Laura shared this link to her own blog post with a story of a mistake-ridden project: http://sewingoutofmycomfortzone.blogspot.com/2012/04/coping-strip-blues.html.

The real episode 99! I'm back from vacation and have some quilty updates, life updates, and a whole lotta talk about books. In this episode: Colleen Morris-Wilson, fabric artist, quilt show at the Art Scene in Atrium Gallery, City of Ottawa, Canada, October 27-November 26, 2012. Ben Franklin Place, 101 Centrepointe Dr. http://ottawa.ca/en/rec_culture/arts/gallery_exhibit/atrium/index.html Craftsy classes at www.craftsy.com. Books I've been reading: The Help (Kathryn Stockett) A Trick of the Light (Louise Penny) Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (Jamie Ford) Death on Beacon Hill, Nell Sweeny series (P.B. Ryan) The Cat, The Quilt, and The Corpse; a "Cats in Trouble" series (Leann Sweeney) The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie; Flavia DeLuce series (Alan Bradley) Chicken Boy (Frances Dowell) Ties that Bind (Marie Bostwick) Falling to Pieces: A Quilt Shop Murder; Shipshewana Amish Mystery #1 (Vannetta Chapman) Eat, Pray, Love (Eliza

I recorded this one while on vacation so forgive it's skeleton-esque qualities! However, it's got very important and exciting information about the giveaway celebrating my upcoming 100th episode! Enter the giveaway here: http://quiltingfortherestofus.blogspot.com

When recording this episode, I was under the mistaken impression that today was August 2. Ignore that. I was really recording it on August 4. Oh well. In this episode I just catch up on everything that's happened, quilty-wise (mostly!), while I've been AWOL. But now we're back on track and should be getting back into a regular schedule again! I talk about some fabric-y gifts and winnings and purchases, so it's just a textile extravaganza! Mentioned in this episode: Summer Gatherings by Lisa Bongean and Carole Charles Primitive Gatherings Quilt Shop

My report on the Ricky Tims Super Seminar here in Rochester this weekend. In a nutshell: Great time! But listen to the episode for more detail. I've also posted some pics on my blog.

A short episode to let you know what's going on at the moment and to say thank you to everyone who has commented! Also, a bit about a guild challenge for donation baskets for an upcoming silent auction.

I got to play on a longarm and loved it! In this episode, I describe my experience playing with a longarm machine at my LQS. I also talk about a great Etsy purchase, review two books, briefly update you on my quilting life, and do some listener feedback. In this episode: Quilted Cupcake Etsy Shop. Here's a direct link to jewelry roll travel organizer. Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in Sweden (Taunton Press, 2011) The Art Quilt, by Penny McMorris and Michael Kile (1986 edition reviewed; link goes to an edition published in 1996)

It's been a hey of a week, but I'm back. In this episode, I review three books and talk about my most recent finish, "Joy." Thanks for listening! Mentioned in this episode: Design Magic for Paintstiks, by Shelly Stokes Quilting for Peace: Make the World a Better Place One Stitch at a Time, by Katherine Bell Adventures in Design, by Joen Wolfrom 3-in-1 Color Tool, by Joen Wolfrom

In this episode I review three books (listed below). I also catch you up on my WIPs, talk about #MDSI, and announce a new addition to my blog: Total Color Tuesdays. I hope you'll play along! Mentioned in this episode: Quilting Retreat Report (with photos of all my WIPs): http://quiltingfortherestofus.blogspot.com/2012/05/retreat-report.html (Ignore that the first picture doesn't show--it's a weirdism I can't fix. That's just a picture of the back of my car packed for retreat so it's not significant.) Canal Country Quilters Blog (the blog for my guild): http://canalcq.wordpress.com/. The Quilter's Book of Design, Second Edition, by Ann Johnston Jelly Roll Dreams: 12 New Designs for Jelly Roll Quilts, by Pam and Nicky Lintott Color Magic for Quilters, by Ann Seely & Joyce Stewart

Charlotte's back! Woot woot! You may recall meeting Charlotte Hawkes, the scrap quilter from my guild, from episode 51 In Which We Get Scrappy Again. Some of you asked for more detail, so I invited myself over to her house and set up cameras and all sorts of equipment to go step-by-step through her process. As I mention in the episode, the originally-planned video episode didn't quite work out, so after listening to this audio podcast, please go to my blog for pictures of her system and her quilts. Educational, and eye-candy to boot! Also mentioned in this episode: Amherst Museum Quilt Guild's 2012 Seminar. Information at www.amqg.org.