Here's what I made

Last month I posted a picture of the challenge fabric I had to use for my guild's show challenge. This is a photo of my challenge entry. (Rules: use the bright pink fabric, make it small - within a certain perimeter limit, try to use a diamond theme if possible.) Viewers at our quilt show will vote; someone will win a viewers' choice award.

Here's an off-topic comment: I think that "Apprentice" ad on TV is so funny, where Trump suggests to the "Medium" that on Monday nights they'll go from "Huge [Trump] to Medium." I get a kick out of that one!

Why I Named This Blog "Giraffe Dreams"

Several years ago I read the book Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen. A section on giraffes touched my heart and from then on I have been a lover of giraffes. Here in my blog I wanted to reprint the section of the book that moved me, but the publisher denied me permission. Here's a chance for you to read a good book. Pick up a copy of Out of Africa, and look in Book 4, the chapter entitled "The Giraffes Go to Hamburg." Read it and tell me you didn't fall in love with giraffes as well. What a piece of writing that is, to convey so much emotion that I remember it for years!

I call my blog "Giraffe Dreams" in honor of those giraffes who still dream of Africa, and also in honor of my own dreams of "gentle amblers of the great plains." (Dinesen, Out of Africa [1989] pg. 288)

Found Objects

OK, I must admit that the things I lose "mysteriously" eventually get found under some pile or in a ridiculous place around my house. I'm not the best organized person in the world.

The blocks I lost a few postings back? They had been in my hand and apparently as I turned around, I bumped a pile of fabric while simultaneously dropping the blocks. They were instantly buried under the fabric pile. I didn't think to look for them in a deep spot, because I had them in my hand only minutes before. Recently I lost a book and a similar thing had happened. I put it on the table and then it got buried under a pile of mail. Well you know how fast that junk mail piles up. In just a couple of days you can easily lose a book under the junk mail.

Confession time over. I'm not a klutz in all areas. I get a lot of quilts made! Today I finished another one for Wrap a Smile (WAS). [See http://www.wellsrotary.com click on Wrap a Smile] My online group donates a lot of quilts to WAS which gives quilts to kids following surgery. Guess what... this weekend the founder of WAS is receiving a special award for exceptional service toward the mission of Rotary International. (WAS is related to Rotary.) And over the years since its inception in 2001, WAS has donated nearly 6,000 quilts!!! That's 6,000 little kids all around the world who have a home-made quilt to snuggle up in and think warm and happy thoughts. That makes me feel great!

When my dad died in 2002, friends from all over the country donated 66 quilts in his memory. He was a hard-working and dedicated Rotarian. I'm proud of my dad and proud of Wrap a Smile!

It snowed this afternoon and made roads horrible. I decided to skip the meeting I had planned to attend. My presence wasn't crucial, and I'm warm and comfy inside my house where I intend to stay until morning.

BTW, my local guild has put up our quilt show that will stay on display until early March. As always, the quilts are impressively beautiful. Such talent in my guild!! (Mine are the simple, unimpressive yet utilitarian quilts.)

TTFN.

Photo of my Quilted Runner

Here is the table runner that I made and finished today. I decided that I will donate it to my guild's small quilt auction. They really prefer non-Christmasy ones as the sale is in Feb., and buyers like to think ahead to spring. I think it will sell anyway. Most people remember how quickly time flies and how soon Christmas will be here again. You think so, too?

A Quilty Weekend

Friday night after work I started quilt projects, and worked straight through Sunday evening. I am trying to finish some UFOs (unfinished objects) and made great progress!

I made a baby quilt that will go to ABC Quilts - for at risk babies and children. First I'll send it in for their quilt contest... not in expectation of winning, but just to join the fun challenge. After winners are announced, the quilt will be returned to my state and given to a child here. So that is all put together and ready for quilting. There is one section that didn't turn out as nice as I had envisioned. Now I'm puzzling over whether or not to do that part over again. It would be an improvement, but would also be a hassle. What do you think??

I put together a larger child size top made from "ugly" blocks. My UFE (ugliest fabric on earth) challenge resulted in some cute blocks made by others and a nice quilt that some child will enjoy. Another Ugly Duckling transforms into a Swan.

Today I put together three donated blocks and made a Christmas table runner. It's quite pretty! It was a challenge as the three blocks were all different sizes. I solved that problem with simple borders to make them all the same. My plan was to donate this to my guild's small quilt auction. I didn't know I would like the end result so much! Now I'm giving myself time to think about where and when I will donate this table runner. Sometimes after all the work put into a quilt, it's hard to part with it!

Back to work tomorrow morning! Hey, could I start working part time, please?

The Case of the Disappearing Blocks

Tonight I made about ten small blocks. They had to be squared up. I moved the blocks over to my cutting mat while I looked for my squaring ruler. This is a distance of about 4 feet from sewing machine to cutting mat. Voila! I found the ruler. Turned around to start working on the blocks, and I couldn't find them! I've been searching around for hours and still can't find them. What on earth did I do with them? Or did they grow legs and run off on their own? It's a mystery.

the challenge quilt

This is the fabric I have to use in the challenge quilt (mentioned in my "Surprise Sunday" entry). It'll hang in my guild's quilt show in Feb. '06.

Surprise Sunday!

Last week I was searching on the net for something fun to do, and I came upon an annoucement of a free concert of the MN Boychoir. I thought, "hmm.. sounds fun, and the price is right." My husband, son and I went. Surprise! There was my cousin's husband working as an usher! Oh!! Is THIS the choir your son is in that you mentioned last fall? Cool -- so my cousin's son is in the choir, two of my cousins and their families were there, my aunt and uncle were there, and as an added bonus, four friends from church also happened to be there.

What a great concert! The music was just fantastic, heavenly, and the building had great acoustics. Definitely worth a bit of time on a Sunday afternoon.

Today I'm trying to finish my guild challenge quilt. I want to turn it in on Tuesday. First I have to make a run to the LQS to buy the fabric I ran out of. The project I'm making is a secret as it is going to be posted anonymously at our quilt show, and then a vote for "viewers' choice" will determine the winner. Wish me luck! (Ha! I don't have any illusions of winning, but it's fun to play the game.)

It's the weekend!

I am so happy it is Friday evening! This weekend I hope to do a lot of sewing. Today I received some very nice fabric that I ordered from the site www.fabricbycotton.com
All fabrics there are $2.99/yard. The two I ordered are very soft and cute. I plan to use them for backs of baby quilts.

Have a great weekend, everyone! I'm about to get friendly with my sewing machine.

Civilization

I am reading an excellent book, Chief Joseph and the Flight of the Nez Perce, by Kent Nerburn. I highly recommend it for understanding American history more fully than is offered in history textbooks. It's also an interesting story and very easy to read. Read this and marvel that we (people of European descent, as I am) called ourselves "civilized" and called Indian people "savages." Too bad we didn't have a mirror to take a good look at ourselves, and that we didn't think it necessary to walk a mile in their mocassins. Think also about how relations between the two groups are still strained and imbalanced. We still haven't learned sensitivity toward those we consider "other" than ourselves.

On a quilty note, I went to a big fabric sale and had a coupon for 50% off. I need 9 yards for a big project I am going to undertake. The fabric I picked out did not have enough left on the bolt. Rats! I still managed to find lots of other nice fabrics on sale, but didn't get what I "need."

quilt in progress

Here's a winter wall hanging I hope to finish soon.

Copying Janet

I liked Janet's idea of creating a blog, so I am doing one, too. This will be a place to discuss my quilty life and my daily/weekly/monthly musings.