It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

This weekend we had our first snowfall in Litchfield, Connecticut! Not enough to shovel, just enough to make everything pure white. My husband and I went for a ride early in the morning to get some photos before it melted, but by nightfall the snow was still on each little branch. It was only 24 degrees. That's why the photo below was taken from inside the car! Isn't it beautiful?

Advertising on Sidewalk Columns

Are these creative advertising ideas, or what? The photo on the left was an ad campaign in Germany promoting inflatable beach toys for Toys-R-Us. The other two are more self-explanatory! To see more ads on comums, visit:

http://www.toxel.com/inspiration/2009/11/24/creative-advertising-on-columns/

Have a very creative day!

What's Jill Up To? Cornices.

Jill in New Jersey is starting a new selvage project and she wants you to guess what she's up to.
Take a guess and tell her on her blog:
http://cre8fmomquilts.blogspot.com/2009/12/anyone-care-to-venture-guess.html Jill will have a prize for the best guesser. I've already entered and I have to say I'm feeling very good about my guess.
UPDATE: JILL IS MAKING CORNICES FOR THE WINDOWS IN THEIR PLAYROOM.
She'll send photos when she's finished.

Quilts in Times Square!

Here's the (abridged) scoop from The City Quilter in NYC:

Quilts are back in Times Square, courtesy of Panasonic's 28' X 38' foot Astrovision screen! The quilts will appear four times each hour from now until New Year's Eve. So quilts will be visible in Times Square during the Macy's Day Parade (I can only hope for a network camera shot!). I'm amazed and pleased...I was just so struck by how great it was to see these giant quilts in this American nexus of arts and culture.

The quilts are: Judy Doenias' "Carmen Miranda," Anita Solomon Grossman's "Key West Beauty," "In Our Time" by Judy Doenias, Diane Rode Schneck's "Dear Jane," Ellen Yamaguchi's "New York City Lights," and Cathy Izzo's "Batik Schoolhouse." - The City Quilter

The photo above is from a previous year. The quilt is called "Kitschin Jane," by Any Ronis. I hope to visit Times Square this month and update the photo. I can't wait to see it!

Visit The City Quilter at: http://www.cityquilter.com/.

Field Trip Part 2: Utah

The first three photos were taken at or near Zion National Park in southern Utah. The trees here are so different from what I'm used to.

This is the view from the porch of our hotel room (below). We checked in after dark and woke to this breath-taking scene in the morning.

These sand dunes are in Death Valley National Park. We got up before sunrise to take photos here. I'm not a "morning person," but for this, it was worth it!

Field Trip to Death Valley!

My husband and I recently visited Death Valley National Park in California. Out in the middle of nowhere we saw an intersection called "Teakettle Junction," and I had to stop and take this photo to show you. Unfortunately we didn't have a teakettle to add to the collection. Some people signed and dated their contribution. Evidently someone had a spare pair of shoes to add to the mix!

I haven't seen one of these in a while! The cell coverage isn't very good out there, so a "real" phone comes in handy. These were in the "town" of Stovepipe Wells. I like the names.

The Salt Flats area (above) at Badwater, is 282 feet below sea level. It's the lowest spot in the western hemisphere. Also noteworthy is the complete silence here. Just an occasional airplane.

In the summer it's blistering hot, but it was very comfortable this time of the year. We even had a little rain! Very rare indeed. Oh yeah, we got a flat tire way out on a dirt road, but my very capable husband saved the day. Yayy, Jason!

See Part 2 tomorrow.

Jewel's Selvage Tumbler Quilt

Jewel is a quilter in the South San Francisco Bay area of California. She made this stunning selvage tumbler quilt using batik precuts that she bought from Jackie at Canton Village Quilt Works: http://cvquiltworks.blogspot.com/. I love the bright colors, and the color windows stand out nicely too. Great job, Jewel! See her blog at: http://jewelsarmcandy.blogspot.com/.

And thank you to Judith for telling me about this quilt! If it's got selvages, we hear about it pretty fast at the Selvage Blog. :)

Do you want to read more about folks who live waaay up North? Take a look at this blog from Alaska: http://alaskaatlast-rach.blogspot.com/ Thank you to rainylakechic for this link. And of course she has a blog too. I think you'd like it: http://rainylakechick.blogspot.com/

Do You Know Anyone at the North Pole?

Other than Mr. and Mrs. Claus, that is. Ros at http://rosa-munda.blogspot.com/ who lives in London, emailed me about "Arctic Mum," a blogger who lives close to the North Pole. I didn't know anyone lived there! Mum blogs about the Arctic lifestyle, the Northern lights, family, craft projects, etc.

And look at two of her photos (above) - aren't they beautiful and interesting? You have to check this out: http://arcticmum.blogspot.com/ Let's all say "Hi!" to Arctic Mum on her blog today.

Northern Lights

This photo of the Northern Lights in Alaska is from http://www.alaskastock.com/. I'd love to see this in person. Isn't this breathtaking?

Would You Write a Review on Amazon?

If you've enjoyed my selvage book, would you write a review on Amazon? I'd really appreciate it. (Nothing fancy, just tell what you liked.) Thanks.

Here's a quick link: http://www.amazon.com/Quilts-Selvage-Edge-Karen-Griska/dp/157432957X/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top Click on "Customer Reviews" to the right of the stars, or scroll down and look on the right for: "Create Your Own Review."
(I think you have to have purchased something in the past on Amazon for the review to show up.)

Jill's Selvage Placemats

Jill Bunis from New Jersey made a set of 5 pretty selvage placemats. She used wide selvage strips so the colorful prints show. A nice touch since she included lots of food fabrics. The backing fabric features garlic!

Take a look at Jill's blog to see the other placemats and some amazing boxes that she bought at T.J.Maxx: http://cre8fmomquilts.blogspot.com/. Also see the header at the top of her blog: it's a Black and White Zinger! Check it out.

Julie's "Jeans" Zinger In Progress

Quilt Diva Julie in Memphis, TN is making this Zinger for her son using jeans and a charcoal brown as the solid fabrics. Some of you contributed selvages featuring dogs, and this is where she's using them. This quilt is going to have 4 borders! I can't wait to see the finished quilt! Follow along on Julie's blog: http://www.quiltdivajulie.blogspot.com/ .

Fabulous Fiber Food by Ed Bing Lee

Take a close look at this burger! Can you imagine? It's made with waxed linen, cotton and polyester, not beads. Made by Ed Bing Lee. Amazing. Visit his website: http://www.edbinglee.com/delectables.htm.

"Blue Hawaiian" Elvis Quilt Featured in Show

Barb Freese of Davenport, Iowa is a prolific selvage quilter and retired art teacher. Her beautiful quilt "Blue Hawaiian" was featured in the Quad City Times in their write up about the quilt exhibit at the Quad City Botanical Center. There were 57 quilts in the exhibit by members of the Mississippi Valley Quilter's Guild. I think it's great that they chose her selvage quilt to feature in the article.

Barb's New Year's resolution was to buy only fabrics that have Elvis in them. She puts him in all of her quilts. (I guess she'd have to!) I like all the polka dot fabrics in the quilt above.

ADVICE FROM BARB: Sew real close to the finished edge of your selvages if you plan to machine quilt. Otherwise you get that little flap going in all directions. Good idea.

Barb's Needlebook, Embellished with Baby Bracelet Beads!

Barb in northern NJ ("Fun with Barb and Mary" blog) has come up with a new way to enjoy those color windows on a selvage: baby bracelet beads! Take a close look at the photo above. You could also use them on the plain selvages, next to the color windows. I really like this idea! Thanks, Barb!

Above, the needlebook is half opened (you can see the snap). And below, TaDa! She has 5 pages of needles and pins. There is something so comforting about this level of organization! It's not attainable in most areas of life, but in the world of sewing needles it can be achieved!

To see more, visit Barb's blog: http://funwithbarbandmary.blogspot.com/2009/11/im-on-pins-and-needles.html

Join Me at Harney & Sons Tea Shop

Doesn't this look inviting? My husband and I took a ride to Millerton, NY to visit the home of Harney & Sons. There is a tea tasting room (below) where you can sample some of their 200+ varieties including black teas, Oolongs, Darjeelings, Assams, Ceylons, Japanese and Chinese green teas, blends, and flavored teas. The staff is very friendly and they make this experience fun.

Regular readers will remember the photo of the tea harvester in Assam wearing the colorful turban that had the selvage showing. So, I was curious about Assam teas. One of the Harney tea people recommended that I try one of their new teas "Mangalam," and it was so delicious. You could taste a hint of honey flavor in this brisk black tea. I bought some Brigitte's Blend. ("Like her, this blend is perfect in many situations" according to the brochure.)

There is also a cafe (above, and the photo at the top of this post), and a store (shown below). If you live in the area or plan to visit, I recommend a stop here. For more info visit: http://www.harney.com/ or call 1-800-TEA-TIME for a catalog.

How to Fold a Fitted Sheet

That's how I do it anyway. On Thanksgiving Eve I was looking online for napkin folding ideas, and I found this picture. It made me laugh, so I wanted to show you. I hope you had a wonderful day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving!

"A Thanksgiving Prayer"

by Samuel F. Pugh
"O God, when I have food, help me to remember the hungry; When I have work, help me to remember the jobless; When I have a home, help me to remember those who have no home at all; When I am without pain, help me to remember those who suffer, And remembering, help me to destroy my complacency; bestir my compassion, and be concerned enough to help; By word and deed, those who cry out for what we take for granted. Amen."

A Thousand Colors - Earthquake Quilt Update

Remember Roberta from Italy, and her project called A Thousand Colors? She's collecting quilts for the children of Abruzzo, Italy, the site of the big earthquake. She now has 350 quilts! For the whole story and lots of photos, see her blog: http://www.simplyninepatch.blogspot.com/

Also click on one of the tags below to see the original post that appeared here.
What fun it will be distributing these quilts! I want to hear about that. I'll keep you posted.

Teacup With Contemporary Fabric Design

This teacup is from the Victoria and Albert Museum collection. When I saw it I thought it looked like the new fabric designs.

Be sure to visit the Selvage Blog the day after Thanksgiving to see a special post for tea lovers.

Got Fleece Selvages?

Susan McConnell in Wellsboro, PA found a use for her fleece selvages:

"Have you ever noticed how your fleece jammie pants attract every thread and pet hair within a 50 yard radius? Fleece is the logical material for dust mops, not those flimsy "specially treated" disposable dust cloths. This cover only took minutes to make and the rolled edges of the selvages are perfect for picking up and trapping those unruly dust bunnies! When you are finished cleaning the cover goes right into the washer and dryer and can be used over and over!"

You can read the whole post on her blog at:

http://hangingonbyaneedleandthread.blogspot.com/2009/11/use-for-those-fleece-selvages.html

Debbie in Jerusalem alerted me to this post! What a small world we quilters live in these days! Check out Debbie's blog at: http://debbiesfiberwork.blogspot.com/

I need one of these mops - a big one. And one for the quilt studio alone! The house we're building has all wood floors (not very forgiving when it comes to dust).

Send a Card to a Soldier

Would you like to send a Christmas card to one of our brave soldiers? Here's what you need to know. Send your card postmarked by Monday December 7th to:

Holiday Mail for Heroes

P.O. Box 5456

Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

DO sign your card, use "Dear Service Member, Family, or Veteran." Limit 15 cards from any one person, or 50 from any group. Bundle multiple cards in one envelope.

DON'T send letters, include your personal info, use glitter or include inserts.

(This is a corrected post. The previous Walter Reed address won't work. Thanks for your feedback about the first post!)

Meet the Empire BOM Squad

We are the Empire Quilter's Block of the Month Committee. Left to right: me, Lisa Belle, Lisa Kehrle, Helen Beall and Shirley Clark. We are standing in front of a beautiful quilt by David Taylor who presented the program at the September meeting in NYC at the Fashion Institute. There is so much going on in this friendly guild: lots of talent and energy, special interest groups like the Elm Creek Quilters block of the month, trips, charity projects, workshops, free fabric swap table, vendors, library, quilter of the month, raffles, shows, and a huge show-and-tell.

Take a look at our BOM projects: http://www.empirebom.blogspot.com/. Do you live near NYC? Come join: http://www.empirequilters.net/. Or visit us when you're in town. See website for details.

My View

Temporarily, anyway. My husband and I are building a house that will be ready in the spring. In the meantime we are staying nearby and this is the view from the window where I sew and use my computer. This is Litchfield, CT, taken in September. Now all the trees are bare. It's windy here, but nice and quiet. Quite a change from New York. All is well.

Postcard from Germany

Simone from Germany made this very creative postcard. Here's what she had to say:

"I like to use mixed media, like paper and fabric together. The rubberstamp is from Tim Holtz, the fabric of the background is old, I used a piece of dishtowel too."

Thank you Simone. I really like how it all came together. See more of her creations on her blog:
http://nadelstiche.blogspot.com/ (You can click on "Translate" and read it in English.)

Kathleen Connors Donates Selvage Items

Kathleen Connors of Torrington, CT made this pretty selvage pot-holder, inspired by the work of Martina Odenthal of Germany. (See recent post.) Here's what she had to say:

"I found that a pot holder is a good way to practice my beginner machine quilting skills. I'll donate this to a holiday sale to benefit the Harwinton Public Library, along with my selvage pincushions and other stitched items."

Nice job, Kathleen! I live so close to Harwinton, I'm going to check out the event and see what else you're making.

Question: Rotary Blade Sharpeners

Joan Jordan asks: "I seem to go through a lot of rotary cutter blades, and I wondered if the blade-sharpeners I’ve seen actually work. Are they worth it?"

I've never tried them so I thought I'd ask you. Do you have any advice for Joan?

Pat's Humbug Bag

Pat is a quilter and former 4th and 5th grade teacher from Florida and Michigan. She made this clever Humbug Bag, her first selvage project. Here's what she says:

"They are called Humbug Bags because they are shaped like the British treat, humbug. Or, humbug also means nonsense, and the tricky shape of the bag is nonsensical. Or the little things you store in it are nonsense. Or, or..."

Very clever, Pat! Nice handle too. Visit her blog at: http://patspattering.blogspot.com/ You can get info there about contributing blocks for quilts for families of the Ft. Hood victims too.

Dog Selvages Needed!

Quilt Diva Julie of Memphis, TN needs selvages that have a dog theme. She's making a Charcoal Gray Zinger (in-progress photo above) for her son. I'm going to check my selvage stash for anything with dogs on it. Do you have any? If so, click on over to her blog to let her know and get her mailing address. She will be delighted! www.quiltdivajulie.blogspot.com

Is this a narrow slice of the quilt world or what? A dog-themed selvage quilt! It will be fun to be part of her project. I'll show you the finished quilt soon. (Julie doesn't dilly-dally.)