My "Free" Time

What I sew in my "free" time (like I can gauge that anyway!) is usually a mystery even to me. Some days I like to sew like a robot...triangle to triangle, square to square, miles of machine quilting. Actually my favorite is machine quilting. I am not the greatest skier on my feet but in my mind I ski like I machine quilt, swooping and soaring across the canvas of my work. Of course, with my BSR (Bernina Stitch Regulator), I just do my thing and it does its thing keeping my stitches in similar length.


While I was at Kaye England's event, Kaye's College in Indianapolis, we had a checkerboard challenge. That was a lot of fun. While I didn't "win" the top viewer's choice, my option was popular. More importantly it was a lot of fun. The circles in my challenge piece were designed for people who like to make yo-yos. I don't really like to make yo-yos so I re-designed mine into fun circles that I appliqued. So, what do you think?
At our next VIP at the store, we will be having a challenge you will want to participate in. Make sure you register to come to VIP. It is the most fun you can have for FREE just about anywhere. At this month's VIP, we are going to be announcing WHO our guest presenter is for Be There 2009. Plus, we will be offering up our Challenge for February. You can find out the details about VIP at our web site.

The other thing that we did this last week that amazed me was to DESTROY traditional threads and made them amazing. We worked with fiber capturing and slash and trash techniques. It was fun just trashing the thread and fabric but even more fun to use it for embellishing. Working with Cathy Franks, she taught us these fabulous thread techniques. Ashley will be working on a new event in February and March, and I have to show her how we did this! Cathy has fabulous work that goes beyond traditional thread painting. Yes, we did machine quilt over this stuff. We were working in a hotel banquet room. You should have seen the cleaning staff come in and study the carpet after we worked this technique. Mind you, they didn't vacuum up after us each night. However, after this particular day, I think they were concerned as to what their machinery was in for over the next few days. The room sparkled everywhere. If you were wearing black this day, you look embellished like a Christmas tree!

Now, I understand that lots of you are reading my blog but some of you don't know how to post a comment to the blog. I know it might feel like you are giving life blood to know how to post a comment. That said, please know and trust that you aren't too old or too computer-shy to post a comment. It may take you a few screen readings, but you CAN do it. Let me know you are listening in.

All the Best to You, jill