1930's Sew-A-Row Done

Two down, two to go!

I finished the 1930's Sew-A-R0w today and only have two to go before the June 5th meeting.

I added the bottom row to this one--the vintage puppies and kitten I found in an old pattern leaflet I picked up off the silent auction table at guild. I used them as the models for the embroidery on Alexander's baby quilt last year and love them so much that I just had to use them again.

In March I tried a new technique for machine applique on another Sew-A-Row and Angie suggested that I try using the basting spray that is used on quilt layers to compare efficiency, so I did. I have to say that the spray-basted parts did not "stick" as well as the ones I did using the fusible thread. In fact, they were so loose that I ended up using that Bo Nash 007 Bonding powder so I wouln't have to cut new pieces. I did have to cut a new cat because I ruined that one, so I just used Steam-a-Seam II to fuse that one.

My final opinion? I liked the method using the fusible thread in spite of its labor intensity because it left the applique shapes soft and supple and they'd have been easy to embroider over had I needed to do that. The SASII and Bo-Nash both left the pieces stiff hard to needle.

I'm really glad that Angie gave me the idea to try another method, because a quilter can never have too many ways get 'er done.

Quilting Bloggers

Mishka at Quilting Gallery has a new feature on her site called Quilting Bloggers and I urge you to check it out and get yourself listed!

Miniature Booty Swap!

My offering for Miniature Booty Swap hosted by Toni, The Quilting Pirate is now finished and just needs a label so I can pop it into the mail.

The pattern is a mini-tumbler charm quilt that I cut from 4-inch squares of fabric using the EZ Dresden template. I machine pieced and hand quilted the project, and the finished quilt measures about 17" x 22".

I loved doing this project and I loved these Katie Jump Rope fabrics by Denyse Schmidt and luckily, I have enough leftovers to make one for myself! They remind me of my beloved 1930's reproductions with a kick!

Now, to print the label and get this baby in the mail to "SOMEONE."

Sew A Row Done!

I finished one of my four Sew A Rows and have another almost ready to go--just need to finish the handwork embroidery.

Christine did the top (starter) row, Mary did the row in the middle and I did the row on the bottom row. Both Mary and Christine used three dimensional piecing techniques, which I tried and failed. I decided to call it good with simple pinwheel stars and to forget trying to make the while pinwheels stand out.

I've also almost finished hand quilting my Miniature Booty Swap quilt and I'm going to have to force myself to put this baby in the mail. I won't post the photo until it is received by.....someone.

Slackin' Blogger

That would be me.

My darling Greyhair has had a birthday, which resulted in a visit with his mom and her husband, so blogging time was non-existent, and then his Greyness was suffering from a mild anaphylactic reaction to one of his medications, and a massive case of poison oak. He is pictured making out with our Miniature Schnauzer, Gator.

Our home is on a hillside formerly covered with scrub, manzanita and poison oak and we've rid the yard of most of it, but some stragglers pop up every spring amid the ground cover on our side slope. I went on a reconnaissance mission with my spray bottle of blackberry and vine killer and found about 5 suspect plants and after spraying them I covered them with rocks to prevent the dogs from bringing the oil in on their fur--our most likely source--although our Greyhair did pull a "weed" while planting some fuschias that "might have been poison oak." Doh!

Long story short, sewing time has been at a premium for the last couple of weeks, but I am improving my time management and have finished up a couple of lotto blocks for Nancy and Moira and have one Sew-A-Row done with 3 more due by June 5th. Pictures to follow.

Our New Blog

My darling husband, Greyhair and I each have a blog to discuss our primary passions, mine quilting and his politics, but we wanted another place where we could discuss our other hobbies and family.

So, we've launched La Dolce Vita, Italian for "The Sweet Life." La Dolce Vita has always been our personal way of expressing our love of the life we share.

Now, I can devote this blog pretty much to my quilting and with that, I promise a picture of my Spring Fling Round Robin tomorrow. Today I finish the applique.

Today's quilt picture is the last picture taken of my Dad in 2002 at the age of 87. I made him a quilt when he had a stroke and it was newspaper print with black and white friendship stars. I called it "Black and White and Read All Over" after the old riddle, and because Dad was a retired editor and publisher of our local newspaper. Dad passed away on May 19th, 2002 and I miss him.

Go check out our new blog--we'd love to see you there!

Publish Post

Nothin' New Here...

I've been busy piddling around with little projects like the Spring Fling Round Robin and the Round Robin Bloggers project and miscellaneous Sew-a-Rows, so I'll share a picture of a quilt I made in 1975 as a commission for the Colorado Children's Book Award. I made a block to commemorate each of the 20 nominees, and it is hand appliquéd and quilted. I was paid a whopping $200 plus materials for it.

I purchased several of the books at the awards dinner and had them autographed and I have a paste on label with Dr. Suess' autograph that says "To my favorite quilter, Jan Gibson."

Last I heard, it was hanging in the children's library in Fort Collins.

Happy 30th Sarah!!

I wasn't there, but it was a glorious day! At the right is one of the only newborn picture we have of Sarah, taken 30 years ago with her Daddy-O, my hubby Greyhair.

Here she is on her first birthday in all her cuteness. She had a six-week old baby brother by then....(no comment, Greyhair).


Not much else to say, except that I'm very happy and lucky to have you in my life.








HAPPY 30th SARAH!

I love you,

Birthday Bash!

We'll be leaving shortly for the time-share in San Francisco where we will meet up with the girls to celebrate their 30th birthdays (Kate, last Tuesday and Sarah, next Tuesday).

I'd leave you with a few snaps of our girls at the various ages and stages, but Blogger is not cooperating and I must hurry to get this party on the road.

Greyhair and I are still trying to figure out where the last 12 years went, let alone 30.....

Until Sunday,

It Was Thirty Years Ago Today....

That Kate Aileen Gibson was here to stay....

A glorious 30th birthday to my daughter Kate, whose birth changed my life and hers forever. We were both extreme novices at the mother and daughter thing, but we muddled through it together and here we are.

Kate arrived two weeks before her scheduled due date, but given that this was in the pre-ultrasound dark ages, and all we had was the old-fashioned calendar for estimating arrivals, who knows?

Her grandmother spent a few nights and early mornings trying to console her so I could sleep.

She was a less than happy infant and spent quite a bit of her first 4 months doing this when she wasn't nursing. (See left)

Fortunately, baby-wearing was in it's first reincarnation and we spent a lot of time like this:

Thank heaven for the Snugli~!

In any case, the last 30 years have flown by and I just want to wish my darling daughter a

VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I Love My Postman!

Even if he does park his truck in front of my house for his daily nap, because today he brought me some wonderful and partly unexpected things.

First, as I was expecting, he brought me round 3 of the Spring Fling Round Robin, started by Luisa in Lisbon, Portugal and continued on by Liz in Brighton, UK. This baby has been all over, and if I could remember offhand where I'm sending it I wouldn't tell you because we're not supposed to, so there. Liz included a lovely FQ (metre) of this lovely fabric as a present for me which was very, very sweet.

As if all that wasn't enough, Sharon also known as The Quiltgranny sent me a couple of fabrics from her recent sojourn to San Luis Obispo county because she knows how much I love "The Day of the Dead," so she sent me these lovelies. I've been lusting for the black calaveras fabric for ages and I've never even seen the other one, so BONUS!!! Thanks Sharon!

Finally, after exhibiting an enormous amount of self-control and ironing Greyhair's (my spousal unit) shirts, I started work on the first of my Sew-A-Rows. I chose the 1930's project (duh) with Linda's propellers and Sandi's butterflies. I decided to add these guys, which you may remember from Alex's quilt last year.

Angie at Timberhill Threads suggested an alternative to my fusible thread applique, so I'm going to try it and will report on my success.

Blog Slacker

What with my trip to Pennsylvania, coming home to do the guild's newsletter and then going to Fresno to hang out with Kate and the boys while her hubby was camping, I've not done a lick of sewing in weeks. That does not make Ms.Jan a happy girl.

I currently have 4 (yes, four) Sew-A-Rows to work on. Luckily, they are not due until June. My next installment of the Mini Round Robin also arrived plus a couple of lotto blocks for Nancy, NP.

Guess I'm going to be sewing my heart out over the next week or so. Darn. I do have the Sew-A-Rows planned out and will post pictures and EQ designs tomorrow.

Before I left for Pennsylvania, I was cutting some celery from the Urban Garden on my deck and I was totally shocked to find a bird's nest with 3 eggs hiding in the plants. While I was gone, Momma bird (a robin) lay another egg and after my weekend in Fresno, all were hatched. I'm trying my darndest to keep my mitts (and camera) off of the family, but it is hard!

Happy Birthday Blondie!

Happy First Birthday to the youngest member of our family, Alexander who is also known (by his brother) as Blondie and Baby. During his short life, he has suffered more than one indignity at the hands of his warped Mommy and Auntie Sarah, but he will survive, I'm sure.

He is a very sweet boy and I can't wait to celebrate with him this weekend!

I love you Blondie,

NOTE: You can see official first birthday pictures from his Mommy here.

Out O'Here

From Santa Rosa on something like this:



To this, Lancaster County Pennsylvania where some folks look like this:






I'm hopping on Chicken Hawk Airlines (Alaska/Horizon) tonight and connecting in Los Angeles for a red-eye flight to Pittsburgh, PA.

In LA, I'll meet up with my Sistah Becky and in Pittsburgh we will be picked up by our Sistah Kat from Ohio who will already have picked up our Sistah Kathy whose flight arrived a bit earlier from Sacramento. We will then motor to Strasburg (Almost Near Philadelphia), for a four night stay at the White Oak Bed and Breakfast. During our stay, we plan to visit The Old Country Store, The Lancaster Quilt & Textile Museum, Sauders, Miller's, and who knows where else.

I can't wait to see my pals again and as a special bonus, Nancy, Near Philadelphia is going to come out and join us on Tuesday! Other than missing my Sweetie, which always happens after the first 48 hours or so, this is gonna be one fun trip!

Arrrgh, Pirate's Booty

Toni, aka The Quilting Pirate, organized a new swap for those of us who missed out on getting into the Doll Quilt Swap III.

Designing, quilting and swapping these mini-quilts has become addicting it seems as I'm now involved in the Mini Round Robin, The Spring Fling Round Robin and now this.