Thursday, June 18, 2009

Sew Days

Hello Everyone,
I have often noticed that I seem to get a lot more done when I am spending a day or weekend away from my home, working on my Quilts.
I've given some thought to why that is. Conclusion: My house is filled with pets, my Husband, a surrounding yard, a telephone, a washer/dryer, dishwasher, stove & refrigerator and all of it demands my attention.
When I leave, I never take any of this with me.
I have made a decision. Every opportunity I have to go away for a Sew Day, I'm taking it!
Today, I spent the day at my friend Jim's house. We had the best time. I got more done there in five hours than I did working here all day yesterday. And I was with a room full of friends.
Jim has a wonderful home. Jim has never met a Treasure that he did not collect. Petite Point Purses, wooden spools, buttons, (and not just any old button) mini perfume bottles, Chrystal, antique furniture, China, antique Quilt tops, Mercy! The list goes on. Anyway, we chatted and I got so much done on that 'Fussy Cutting' stuff I've told you of in an earlier post.
My friend Linda, from Yellville, drove down early this morning. I met her in Conway and we drove to Morrillton. Got there by 9 a.m., toured the Jim Museum and then I got to work.
I've spent the past three weeks working on this 'fussy cutting', don't see any end in sight. You may all get to have me at your Sew Days and I'll still be packing this box with this 'fern thing' I'm cutting out. I love it, I think it is beautiful, and if ever finished, it will add a great deal to the Quilt it is intended for. However; it seems to be a great deal more work than I had first anticipated. The first one I cut out was too easy. So when I drew this one I added a few more flourishes, I made almost every leaf curve under five or six of its neighbors, and this one is three times bigger than the first one. What was I thinking? It's certainly not a two or three day job.
My motto, and I try to follow it in all things Quilt, is: "Whatever it Takes". I feel very strongly about this. I believe it. If it takes one hundred feet of 'racing stripes', that's what I do. If it needs to be doubled in weight by adding thread, that's what I do. And, if I must spend a month cutting out a fern for the lower right corner, that's what I will do.
Pay no attention to my 'mully-grubbing, I truly love what I am doing. It will just take me longer than what I imagined.
My Daughter In Law, Leslie got me a sign for me to put in my home, and I'll get it next week when we meet at a Lakehouse in Eastern Tennessee. Of course, you can now guess what it says:
"Whatever It Takes"! I was asked if it would go in my Studio; I think not. I think it needs to be in my Living Room. I'll have to pass it everyday.
"Whatever It Takes". Sometimes it takes a Sew Day!
We'll talk again later,
CAW, Quilter

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