crafting for good.... (and -mild amounts- of evil!)

Strange title, I know... but let me explain. The weather here in Asheville has been unseasonably warm and sunny, well, during the weekdays that is. The weekends, that's a different story, especially the last one - rain, rain, a little snow, and more rain. All that precipitation does make for good crafting weather, and I have been quite productive. Which brings me to the "good" part of my title. Our Asheville Modern Quilt Guild is creating a charity quilt. We're all string-piecing blocks like these:And now for the evil... my nearest and dearest friend is having her 30th birthday this Saturday. I simply couldn't let the glorious occasion pass without making something silly for her...and then requiring her to wear it...out on the town...all night long! If you can't dress your friends (or kids or dogs or spouses) in silly handmade stuff, who can you dress up? And in case you're wondering, her nickname is Tortilla Mae (long story!). Got my March birdy in the works... hope to share him with you soon!

quilt market recap (etc.!)

Wowza! It's been a crazy couple of weeks! First, we went on vacation to the Outer Banks (complete with 2 dogs and the sewing machine and the disc catcher and countless other toys). That truly is a magical place! Then, back in Asheville and the office before heading to.... Houston! It's really hard to sum up the whole quilt market/festival in words, but I've managed somehow, over on the Lark Crafts blog. Click:

• Here (Read about Tina Givens' magical goose and my monoprinting experiments!)
  
• Here (Read about my sashiko class and creations - I'm totally addicted! Plus highlights from the Husband's Lounge!)
  
• Here (Read my recap with some images of my favorite quilts from the exhibit, definitely through the lens of a modern quilter.)
  
• Or here (For a chance to win 500 Art Quilts and Masters: Art Quilts, two fabulous gallery books! Apologies for the shameless plug!)

What an experience! And then, of course, there was the monumental, glorious, and glutinous HAUL! Click here for a more detailed explanation of my finds. Fancy threads (for said sashiko), an innumerable amount of fat quarters (such a weakness), and some lovely vintage fabrics.

It was such an overwhelming, inspiring, and exhausting experience - what a lucky gal I am! It was also exciting to be there as a representative of the next generation of quilters. And I got to meet some of my Flickr friends in person - another level of awesomeness! I must admit that there were times throughout the week when I felt a bit out of place, but in general, I was met with warmth and acceptance - and lots of folks who were interested in learning more about the Modern Quilt Guild! It was also wonderful to see so many women investing time, energy, and financial resources into their continued learning, their passion, and their creative outlet... really inspiring!

And, of course, I found myself skulking around the Bernina booth for far too long - which means I'm definitely in the mood for an upgrade...I can't wait for Cincinnati to roll around!

march of the quilt blocks

I apologize for the backlog here, but it really is necessary. Two rounds behind, and I was starting to feel the pangs of guilt. But here they are: red cross blocks for Jacquie and some mixed-bag blocks for Nadia over at Common Threads. I'm loving the way these blocks look on this big wooden buffet at work!






And drumroll please.... April is my month! I've been round and round on the design, but I think the red cross blocks really tipped me over the edge. And dang... I better get to the fabric store. But not before I head out of town for a quick vacation. This winter has really kicked my butt on the weather front. How bout you? Time for some beach camping con family and margaritas! Be back soon with a post on the newly formed Asheville Modern Quilt Guild!