International Left-Handers Day - 8/13/13

Hello – my name is Kitty – and I’m A LEFT-HANDED QUILTER!

Now you guys say – Hello, Kitty!  ;))

Today - August 13 - is INTERNATIONAL LEFT-HANDERS DAY - 

SO - 

WELCOME to the Third Official Meeting of -

INTERNATIONAL LEFT-HANDED QUILTERS ANONYMOUS

Third Meeting - pretty much the same as the First - HERE-
and the Second - HERE - ;))

Just to see how far we Lefties have come in the last year - or not - ;))
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VISITORS ARE WELCOME - 
If you are Right-Handed -
Please sign in below as "Visitor" - and let me know what you think of the "Show".

LEFTIES SIGN IN - PLEASE
If you are Left-Handed - to sign in - please leave a comment below.
Please include –
Your first name (and last initial if you want) – we are anonymous after all -
The name of your blog (if any) – and a link to your blog - so we can visit -
The name of your dog – not really - just checking to see if you are paying attention - ;))
The name of your country – just how ”International” are we?

I would REALLY like a head-count of the Left-Handed Quilters out there in blogland.
I believe that there are more of us than ANYONE realizes!

And - just so you know - I was going to have a "secret" door prize -
but decided against it -
same as last year.

I think participation should be based on the love of quilting -
not the possibility of a bribe prize.
Maybe next time - but not now.

And - I didn't get a linky thingy set up -
too much trouble and not enough time to figure it out.
Maybe next time - if there IS a next time...


OLD BUSINESS

Button, Button – Who’s got the button?

If you have the “A Left-Handed Quilter” button on your blog –
or the "Right Handed Friend of A Left-Handed Quilter" button on your blog - 
please let me know in your comment - I want/need to update my "Lefties" list.

If you don’t have the button – you really should. 
Especially if you're on my "Lefties" list already - reciprocity and all of that. ;))

If you don’t have a blog – just tell me that you would have the button on your blog if you had a blog.
That’s good enough for me.  I can still add you under - "No Bloggie - No Button".


NEW BUSINESS

#1 - Third Annual International LEFT-HANDED Quilters Anonymous Online Quilt Show

Say that three times fast!

I know that we are truly International – because I know we have –

• Me – United States
• Julie – Japan
• Sue – Australia
• susanm – South Africa
• And who knows how many others!!

So - let this be our Third Annual Quilt Show –

If you would like to participate –

please leave a link to your blog post with a photo and the story of your
Most Original Quilt or Quilt Top.

We want our Third Annual Quilt Show to show something special, don’t we??

So show us what you’ve got!

This time it doesn't have to be a completed quilt -
because I wanted to enter a Quilt top -
and - so far - I get to make the rules - haha - ;))

My Most Original Quilt Top is “Ladies”

It was a “Process” quilt -
And I finished the top for Design Wall Monday - 5/9/11 - HERE -

If you type “Ladies” in the search box -
Or click on the "label" below -
You should get a list of the other posts -

ENJOY!!


#2 – PROPOSALS

And again - I would like to make the following proposals -

I propose that we form our own local "Left-Handed Quilters" (LHQ) groups.
If the “Modern” guys can do it – why can’t we?

I propose that we seek out other Lefties in the Local Quilt Guild - if you belong to one - and form our own groups.

I propose that we ask our Local Quilt Shop owner to post a sign-up sheet for Lefties –
or do it ourselves – on a bulletin board – at church - at the grocery store - or wherever they post notices - so that we can find out which other quilters in the community are Left-Handed.

I propose that we ask our Local Quilt Guilds and Quilt Shops for “Lefties Only” Classes - taught by Lefties.

I propose that – if we are Lefties – we offer to teach classes – for “Lefties Only”.

I propose that we help each other learn new techniques – cutting tricks – and share info – either in person or on the internet through tutorials on our blogs.

I propose that we add a page to our blogs – "Left-Handed Quilting" (LHQ) – with links to tutorials on “How To Do It – Left-Handed”.

I propose that we add the button – "A Left-Handed Quilter" – to our blogs – at the top where other Lefties can easily see it. Tell the world that we are Left-Handed!

I propose that WE MAKE SOME NOISE!!!

I propose that we all get together to do this again – real soon!

All in favor say “AYE!”

Left-Handed Quilting

I saw the greatest comment yesterday on a post - HERE -

Nice tutorial - ok right-handed people only - - I know, just do the opposite cutting. I would love to see a left handed tutorial and have it say, now if you are right handed, just do the opposite, lol

That's what I DO!! - ;))

My tutorials have my “LHQ blurb” -

============
Note - these instructions are written in LEFTISH.
If you are right-handed - just reverse the directions.
============

I had to leave a comment on that comment -

Haha - I do that ALL of the time - even have a page on my blog for Left-Handed Quilting - ;))

Unfortunately, the commenter had no blog or email listed on the profile -

So I have no way of contacting him/her directly -

I hope he/she sees this - ;))

AND -

Lefties -

Don’t forget that Tuesday is August 13 -

And you know what that means - ;))

August 13 is International Left-Handers Day -

And we will have the Third Annual Meeting -

Of the International Left-Handed Quilters Anonymous

And the
Third Annual International LEFT-HANDED Quilters Anonymous Online Quilt Show

The Third Meeting will be pretty much the same as the First - HERE-
and the Second - HERE - ;))

We want our Third Annual Quilt Show to show something special, don’t we??

So this year I want you to show us your -

Most Original Quilt or Quilt Top

This time it doesn't have to be a completed quilt -
because I wanted to enter a Quilt top -
and - so far - I get to make the rules - haha - ;))

My Most Original Quilt Top is “Ladies”
HERE -

Some of you may remember them - ;))

So, Lefties - get your posts ready -

Everyone else - join us on Tuesday - ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Design Wall Monday - 5/9/11

Design Wall Monday - 5/9/11

Worked on the ladies - for a long time -

I am a Slow Poke Quilter, after all.

I kept changing them - and changing them -

and then -

I finished them - yesterday.

Mother's Day - how appropriate is that?

They agreed to stay on the wall long enough for me to show them off. 

TA DAH!!

So - what do you think?

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OK - your turn.

You guys are into challenges - right?

So - send a fat quarter to someone you know - and challenge them to do something with it.

You can always blame me.  I don't mind.

Have fun!



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

P.S.  I'll tell you Wednesday what I got for Mother's Day.  Tomorrow is Two Questions Tuesday.  Gotta think up a couple of questions.

GOOD NEWS...

GOOD NEWS...

I have GOOD NEWS...

Make that TWO GOOD NEWS(es?)...

NEWS #1 -
I have a NEW Lefty Button!
Did anyone notice?
It's over there on the right - on the sidebar.
See it?
All Pretty and Pink.
If you are a Lefty - grab it for your blog - pretty (and pink) please!
Thanks!

NEWS #2 -
I have a NEW Follower!
Follower #10.
Amanda.
Welcome Amanda!
How did you find me?
Are you a Lefty?

Oh - and one more -

I guess that makes THREE GOOD NEWS(es)...

NEWS #3 -
The ladies are almost done!
Well - the top is almost done!
And I think they're happy now.
I made them skinnier.
Ladies like that.
I want to finish the top today - and post photos tomorrow.
Wish me luck.

In the meantime - 

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Design Wall Monday - 5/2/11

Design Wall Monday - 5/2/11

STILL working on the ladies -

I keep changing it - and changing it -

This is one of those quilts that keeps telling me - No! - No! - Not that way!
So -
I keep changing it -

Now it's telling me it wants to be skinnier.

Maybe I'll add a border to just the top and bottom -

Maybe that will make the ladies happy.



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew - gotta finish this one - someday soon -

Design Wall Monday - 4/25/11

Design Wall Monday - 4/25/11

Still working on the ladies -

Found some inspiration in my books and my stash - just need some wonky blocks -

and some fabrics -

Rats! - don't  have enough of the purple - just need a fat quarter - bits and pieces might work -
(Should have asked mainer for some of her purple before she used it all on her purple scrap challenge - oh, well, too late!)

Oh, wait!  Double-checked the stash - and found this (in the WRONG place) -
not quite a fat quarter - but close enough -  this should work -

So - here's what I got -

I'm not liking the orange/brown in the wonky nine-patches or wonky strips -
and next to the purple/pink/orange batik on the left -

or the really light beige - in the wonky four patches in the lower left - and wonky strips -
too blah - blends in with the design wall - can't even see it -

So - trade those out for some more pinks and purples and oranges ??

Yeah - much better -

I like the lady on the light pink background -
and that wild orange/pink batik on the right - 

OK - so now to "unsew" the light beige and the orange/brown - and replace it with new stuff.

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I LOVE MY STASH!!

I collected for YEARS - always saving for SOMEDAY to make SOMETHING SPECIAL.

Well - guess what -

TODAY is SOMEDAY and this is SOMETHING SPECIAL!!

Besides - they say you might as well use your stash 'cuz when you die -
your husband's next wife is gonna sell it for a nickel a yard at a yard sale - 
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!


Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta "unsew" -

Mail Call #2

Mail Call #2

Got my prize package from Toni (The Quilting Pirate) yesterday - Thanks, Toni!

The Hobo Bag pattern looks to be a pretty good size - 8" high (plus strap length ) x 14-1/2" wide - not bad.

And the charms are just too cute!  There were some duplicates - but look at all of those colors!  And the cupcakes - see the cupcakes in the bottom left corner?  And the ice cream sundaes right above them?  And the chili peppers in the top right corner?  And the kangaroo and joey below that?  And the paddle ball toys on the red background?  How cute!

Add these goodies to all of my UFOs and the ladies and the Cupcakes - and I'm going to be busy for quite a while!

Thanks again, Toni!


Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Design Wall Monday - 4/18/11

Design Wall Monday - 4/18/11

Still working on the ladies -

I spent a lot of time thinking about exactly how I was going to cut up this fat quarter.

I wanted to get the most out of it as possible, of course - and I really didn't want to screw it up.

So I kept it up on the wall - uncut - until yesterday - when I finally decided to just "go for it".

Here's what I cut -

the "two ladies" - got two of them and
the "single lady" - got one of them - whole -

and two "single lady" partials - a left side and a right side -

I tried to layer them to see if I could get one more "single lady" -

It actually worked!

You can hardly tell - (well, I can hardly tell)

I backed the "single ladies" with fusible and will cut them out and fuse them to another background later.  There simply isn't enough fabric around them for any kind of seam allowance.

I will have to decide which background I want for them - I'm kinda partial to this one - but it might be a little too dark -

Wonder if it's big enough?  Does it match the "two ladies" in size?
Hey - look at that!  Definite possibility!

But I don't want/have to decide right now.  I'm just going to leave the paper on for a while - and play.  When I do decide on the background - I'll cut them both out - fuse them - and go around them with a tiny black satin stitch.  Probably use the same background for both of them - or not - don't know yet.

And then I made these - for starters -

That's all I have - so far.  Lots more to do - lots more PLAYTIME coming up!  Stay tuned!


Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

What's On My Design Wall - Wednesday - 4/13/11

What's on My Design Wall - Wednesday - 4/13/11??

The Ladies are on the wall this Wednesday -

I forgot the BLACK - gotta have the black!

I want to cut out the two "two ladies" at the top and the "single lady" at the bottom for focus blocks in a fre-form sort of thing.

But you can see that if I do a straight cut - there is only 1/2 inch between the edges of the two sets.

That will be cutting it way too close (pun intended).

I want some background around them.

I don't want them bumping right up to the edge of the "block".

So I thought about - and thought about it.  Nothing came to mind.

Funny how stuff comes to you in dreams, though, huh?

Well - naps are good for that - dreams - and puzzle solving.

I dreamt that I could cut the two "two ladies" out as large as possible -

And then back the one "single lady" with fusible - cut her out - and then applique her to a similar background.  That might work.

So - these are my choices for background.  I'm kinda partial to the first (yellow) one on the right.

or maybe the second (peachy) one next to it - 

Then I saw the partial "single" ladies on the left and right edges - down toward the bottom.

WHAT IF - I fuse them, too - cut them out - and try to layer them to see if I can get another "single lady" block?   Don't know yet if it will work - but I'm going to try it - stay tuned.

Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Mail Call -

So - I've been messing with drafting my next bunch of posts.  I was working on a showing you how I do my quilt bindings.  First I was going to do one on how I prepare my binding using JELLY BEANS as an example.  Then I was going to do another one on how I actually attach the binding to the quilt (I can think of a couple of different ways).  Then the second one got REALLY long - and I had to make up a practice quilt - and stop every two seconds to take a photo - and try to hold the camera while I was trying to SEW - and it wasn't working very well - and then I forgot to do the part about how to join the ends - so now I have to go back to do that - and then I figured it was going to have to be four parts - and then - I said screw it - I'm taking a break - (and a nap) - I'll work on it some more tomorrow - 'cuz -

The mailman came today.

Actually we have a mail "lady" and I got one of these last week - but you get the idea.  (I never promised to be politically correct - or totally accurate.)  Besides, the package I got last week deserved a special post - and I was in the middle of drafting my "LHQ - Scrap Management" - so decided to wait to show you what I got.

Then this came in the mail - and I got it today - MY PRIZES!!

from the Weekly Themed Contest - (St. Patrick's Day) - sponsored by Rocking Chair Quilts. And a nice note from Lisa from Rocking Chair Quilts.  "Congratulations and Enjoy"....Lisa

I won the Star Hanger and the Cupcakes Galore pattern. (I tried to do a link for the hanger at Rocking Chair Quilts - but it doesn't appear to be available.  So the link goes directly to Joined at the Hip - the hanger is way down at the bottom.) 

The hanger is dark blue/navy - and goes real well with a slightly larger red one I got for Christmas - so I should be able to hang any size wall hanging with no problem.  I just have to make them first!  And this Cupcake pattern is so darn cute - I might have to make it real soon!  Another project - oh, goody!

But then -

the other thing I got in the mail - last week - was my fat quarter as promised - from  mainer-mainca for sending her a photo for St. Patrick's Day.  I asked her to send me her "ugliest" fat quarter - just for fun.  She didn't have any "ugly" fat quarters - so she sent me this!! 

Here's a close up of two ladies

And a close-up of their baskets - beautiful bright purple and orange - (the photo makes the colors look faded and dull - but they're not - trust me - they are bright and beautiful)

-

I just HAD to check my stash to see if these ladies had any friends living at my house!

YES!!

Purple - orange - and pink batik!  Perfect match!

and then I found some more friends -

They're going to have a great time together - don't you think?

 

I have no idea what I'm going to make - but I'll sure have a good time making it!!

So - if I don't post for a couple of days - I'm either trying to finish the binding posts - or playing with the ladies or making cupcakes!!

Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY EVERYBODY!!

Today is all about being IRISH and the wearing of the GREEN!!  GREEN RULES!!

Meinca-mainer - did a post asking for photos of GREEN quilts - and I sent her some photos of one of mine - Noriko's Bear Paw.  (I'll post the story on Saturday because tomorrow is "Five Question Friday".)  Check out her blog here - and - on my sidebar.  She's making some really pretty stuff!!

In exchange for photos - she offered to send a fat quarter to all who responded.  I asked her to send me her "ugliest" fat quarter - just for fun!  Can't wait to see what I get!  One person's "ugly" is another person's "not so bad".  So we'll see.  Should be fun!

And - while I was looking for any quilt that I had made that was GREEN - you will never guess what I found -

This is the "second" thing I ever made - A Green/Pink Apron and Matching Potholder - in 7th grade Home-Ec class.  I even have the pattern - it takes only one yard of "material" as it was called back then.  And yes, I am that old!  I don't think they even have Home-Ec classes any more - do they?  That's too bad - they really should!

Here's a close-up of the pocket - not bad for a kid - huh?

What fun!!  Almost makes me want to make another one - well, almost - not quite!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!



Talk to you later -