On to the binding

I finished quilting the linen quilt and got the binding cut and pressed. I had to draw lines around the quilt for the binding as the edges were uneven. With linen there is no sense straightening the edges beforehand since the linen moves a lot during the quilting process. It is just easier to square it up after quilting.

High Art Prize winner and the UFO

I had one crazy busy weekend. Saturday I had to drive to Dover to the credit union to sign the paperwork to refinance my car. By the time I got back home I did have much time to do anything as I had to get ready to go down to the award ceremony for the High Art Prize.

The winner of visual arts - the carved stick by the same guy who won in 2015. I guess he recruited his fellow church member to vote for him again. Let's just say I am not the only person that was disgusted by this. I think they need to revise this rule:

•Artists who have won and received the first place prize two consecutive years may enter but cannot win first place three consecutive years

As far as I can tell, unless someone at the High Arts Prize decides he has broke this rule: •The High Arts Festival may disqualify any Entry if it determines, in its sole discretion, that (ii) an Artist acts in a manner that is not fair or equitable - I guess they are stuck with a guy that will be the first place winner of $5,000 if he is entered.

I noticed that the amount of professional pieces was a lot less than what I have seen in past years and I think this is due to the stick fellow's actions. Many artists including the students from the local college, don't have the amount of people needed be to recruited to ever win this event. I believe this fellow's actions have shown a lack of integrity, fairness, and a disregard for the spirit that the event was designed.

I know going into this event that what I do will never win and I am fine with that. I just think it is so sad that there was work that artist's had entered that was deserving to win more than the carved stick.

Sunday I had two tote bags I need to make to hold birthday presents. Of course I forgot to take pictures of them. They turned out so cute. I then got ready and headed over to pick up my R.E.M., picked up my SIL, then headed to a birthday lunch at one of those places where the fellow cooks your meal on a flat top. It was a lot of fun as the chef would toss rice for you to catch in your mouth and squirt sake in your mouth. The food was so good.

Once I finally got back home I sat and quilted on the linen quilt waiting for the ballgame to come on. I am 90% done with it.

High Art Prize

Thank you to everyone for your kind words about my very bad day. It was all I could do to force myself to get out of bed this morning.

Yesterday I had to go downtown for a meeting which was cattycorner from the venue for the High Arts Prize. I went early to the meeting so I could go to the venue and look at everything. Here are pictures of some of the art.

Prgress on the linen quilt

I am at least 45% done quilt the quilting. It is going very quick.

It's a bad day. Someone has ruined my reputation, dirtied my integrity, and trashed my trustworthiness. I have been betrayed.

Wednesday quilt offering

Today's quilt is one I picked up at an auction in Dover, Ohio. It was filthy, but I bought it anyway. It is 60 1/2 x 51", entirely hand pieced and quilted. Some of the fabric looks like feed sack. The squares are not quite all the same size, but it seems the maker was aiming for 1" finished squares. There are still some brown stains on it and there is one place where the binding is wore at the edge. Otherwise, it's is good condition.

I have no idea what to sell this for so I will entertain offers. I ask for $10.00 for shipping in addition. If I know you a check will be fine, if not, I ask for a cashier's check or money order. Let me know if you have any questions.

I finished pin basting the linen and Essex quilt. I am looking forward to getting started on the quilting.

Next! and R.I.P.

I noticed last evening that there were several butterflies and lots of bees enjoying the lavender I planted in June. The plants have quadrupled in size and are covered in flowers. I wish I had planted more. It seems not to mind the heat and dry conditions that have been going on for the last couple of months.

The wife of the man I made the feed sack quilt for called me last night to thank me for the quilt. She loved it and thought I had done a wonderful job.

My next projects will be to fix my nephew's equipment covers and stitch up a seam in a t-shirt

and to finish another UFO. I made this quilt with the linen and Essex I printed when I took a workshop at QuiltCon 2015. The linen I added is a mix of pieces I had and a Irish linen plaid pair of pants that I got at a garage sale my neighbor where I use to live was having. It is beautiful fabric. I have it almost pin basted. This will be a fancy baby quilt!

I was horrified with what happened in Las Vegas. My heart goes out to those killed, injured, the survivors, and their families.

Then Tom Petty passed away. I saw him once in an interview that cause me to have a paradigm shift about getting older. Tom said "If your not getting older, then your dead." Thank you Tom for such a profound statement. R.I.P.

14th finish for 2017

The feed sack quilt is done! I delivered it to the fellow this morning - he is one of the construction workers helping to do the site work - and by headlights of his truck he looked at it. He like it very much and was excited to take it home to show his wife. He asked me if I would consider to do another one for his Mom for Xmas. Of course, I said yes. The quilt turned out 65.25" x 84". I used warm & natural for the batting and cotton thread from Connecting Threads and King Tut to quilt it.

The binding is vintage too! I have a stash of feed sack fabric and dyed it to grunge it up a bit. Here you can see the change in color.

I sure hope his wife likes it.