JULIE'S STAR

I remember many years ago at various craft shows or quilt shows there would be vendors selling jackets and other clothing items with decorative appliqués on them.  The appliqués I’m referring to were very specific too.  They were all cut out of the colorful vintage tablecloths from mainly the 1950’s.  I never bought one of the jackets though I was tempted.

Years later I inherited a small collection of my late mother-in-law’s vintage tablecloths.  They were assorted sizes and some were stained pretty badly.  But the colorful designs on each one were still lovely.  Only one tablecloth wasn’t stained at all and it was also the largest one, fitting my dining room table perfectly.  Perhaps it was only used for special occasions back then.  It is one of the tablecloths I like to use when my own family and grandchildren come to visit.  It’s meant to be used and enjoyed.

The other tablecloths I sadly relegated to the linen closet.  Occasionally I would take them out, look at each one, and then place them back in the closet.  I thought and thought about what I wanted to do with them, but just couldn’t come to a decision.  That is until one Christmas several years ago.  My sister-in-law (my husband’s only sister) has a big family Christmas at her home every year and I always bring her a special hostess gift.  On that particular Christmas I got the idea to take one of my vintage tablecloths, her mother’s tablecloths, and make a personal gift for her.  

I picked out the tablecloth with my favorite design and was able to carefully cut around the design, avoiding any stained areas. Then I went through my fabric stash and found all the different pieces of fabric in coordinating colors to go with the tablecloth design colors of lavender, light and dark olive green, teal, and pale blue.  I made a fully-lined tote bag, with the front of the bag being a quilt block using the tablecloth design I had fussy-cut and appliquéd onto the block.  Needless to say my sister-in-law was very touched to receive such a meaningful gift.  Since I don’t have any pictures of the bag I’ll just share a picture of the tablecloth design.

Fast forward many years since then and I still hadn’t done anything else with the tablecloths until recently.  I mentioned in a prior post this year that I purchased Electric Quilt 8 computer software and have been busy learning how to use it.  I’ve started off by creating some simple designs until I’m more familiar with the program.  Since I already have lots of different sketchbooks filled with years of my pencil designs I took one of those designs and worked it up on EQ8.  I was then able to print out the pattern and templates.  Then came the fun part of picking out the fabric to use for the star pattern I had created.  

As I stared into the closet at all my fabric stash my eyes fell upon a plastic container labeled “Julie’s tablecloth”.  Luckily after I had made the tote bag years ago I kept the tablecloth I had used in my sewing closet, hoping to use the rest of it again sometime.  To my surprise, when I looked inside the container there was also another one of the vintage tablecloths folded up beside the tablecloth I had previously used.  I must have put it in my sewing closet a while ago intending to cut it up and use it too.  And that is exactly what I did.

Here is a picture of the quilt block I made.  I call my pattern, “Julie’s Star”, for my late mother-in-law.  It still needs to be quilted and have the binding sewn on.  The vintage tablecloth is the center star floral design.  As you can see the colors are still quite vivid and pretty.  

This next picture is of the same star pattern using regular fabric from my stash to make the block.  I tried my hand at walking foot quilting and I like how very precise it looks, though it did take me quite a bit longer than free motion quilting does.  The binding is a deep aqua silk fabric with a lime green cotton beading.  I donated this quilt to my quilt guild to be sold at their booth at the La Jolla Festival of the Arts the first weekend in June.

Now that I’ve cut into and used two of the vintage tablecloths, I have plans to use all of the tablecloths in other projects, so stay tuned for future postings and pictures.

JUST DO IT!

I just returned home after my regular morning workout at the gym feeling completely invigorated and full of energy.  I’ve written before about my fitness routine and how it has helped me.  Well, I was inspired this morning to once again write about fitness and reaching a major milestone - my three year anniversary of working out at Fitness Quest 10.  I can’t believe it’s been three years and I still love exercising as much, if not more, than when I started.

This morning while I was lying on my back on the Total Gym piece of equipment doing weighted squats there was loud rap music playing throughout the gym.  Not my favorite choice of music by a long shot, I’ve learned to tolerate it and just zone it out.  After all, the majority of the clientele are much, much younger than myself.  But when I’m working out there age doesn’t matter, I am one of them.  The other day when I came home from the gym I told my husband that I was working out with free weights and right behind me was Drew Brees working out too.  I could have turned around and shook his hand, we were that close.  I found it rather amusing and wished I had a picture to show my sons.

I don’t know what tomorrow holds, but what I do know is that today, right now, I feel the strongest I’ve probably ever felt in my life.  Plus, I definitely have the most energy I’ve ever had before.  And I’m positive it’s because I get regular exercise.  I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again..……it’s never too late to get started.  Just do it!

KEEPING BUSY DIANE'S WAY

Recently my husband came inside after spending hours working outside in the yard.  I, on the other hand, had spent hours in the house doing what I do best.  Now you may be wondering, what is that?  Guess he was wondering the same thing because he asked me what I had been doing all day.  My answer to that question was, "Oh, just puttering around in my sewing room, doing this and that."  And to that he replied, "Well, you're very good at keeping yourself busy."

I don't think I've ever had a day where I've been bored silly.  In fact it seems like I always have an endless list of things needing to be done.  Grant you some of those things that need my attention fall into the category I refer to as "work." They are those chores that require some effort and offer no pleasure.  Then there are the other things that need to be done and I refer to those as "enjoyable."  The effort they require is of a creative nature so of course they are always at the top of my so-called "to-do" list.

And that brings me back to my day spent "puttering around" in my sewing room.  I do an awful lot of that.  Some days I have accomplished a lot, other days not so much.  But it's ok if that happens.  I decided to look up the meaning of puttering since I've always liked that word.  It just sounds better than saying "I was just messing around today," which was one of the synonyms I found in my Webster's thesaurus (yes, I actually do use one of those).  My Webster's dictionary (use that too) says "to busy or occupy oneself in a leisurely, casual, or ineffective manner."  I will agree to that meaning describing what I do except for the "ineffective manner" part.  And the best description I found on good old Google was from a blog I read that said, "puttering is the art of passing time staying "busy" but without a set agenda."

Here is an example of what I recently did on a day of puttering around:

I had a very nice white t-shirt that was fairly new when I discovered that it had acquired a few orange stains right on the front in a very strategic place.  I decided to do something creative to camouflage the stains but the t-shirt hung in my closet for many months while I thought about exactly what I would do.  I finally decided to stencil the front and perhaps add some doodles with ink too.  But then I got the bright idea to add some kind of an artistic appliqué.  I sketched out a design and kept altering it until it was the right size to cover the stains.  I used a piece of fabric I bought in Guatemala and ironed fusible onto the back, traced the design and cut it out.  I laid it across the t-shirt top and it looked much too large and bold.  So I cut it into quarters, fused it on, and zigzagged the edges.  Next came the lavender rickrack I already had and the large button.  I like the result and the stains are definitely covered!

Another couple of days were spent making one of my girlfriends a few homemade gifts for her birthday this year.  I didn't have any patterns for the things I decided to make, but I figured that wouldn't be an issue.  So the first item I made was a small trash container to put next to her sewing machine.  My friend, Debbie Peterson, recently made one for me when I went to Asilomar and I just love it.  I was able to utilize my collection of selvage strips too, which is what Debbie did.  I sewed the strips onto a piece of stabilizer and then squared that up to the size I wanted to make the trash container.  

The second item I made was a small storage pouch, which is always useful to take to retreats or classes.

And the third item I made was the most difficult without a pattern, but I finally managed to get it done.  If you untie the corners it lies flat for packing in a bag.  Anything that might roll off a table can be kept secure inside it.

The moral of this story is not to worry about spending a day "puttering around" as long as it keeps you busy.  You just never know what you might get done that day.

THANK YOU ASILOMAR

Once again I have come home filled with enthusiasm after taking a one week class at Asilomar Conference Center in beautiful Pacific Grove near Monterey, in northern California.  And I have Empty Spools to thank for this.

Now, I’m not one to experience “writer’s block” or “creative block”, depending on the outlet I’m working in at the time.  But every once in awhile I have a lack of enthusiasm and nothing seems to interest me.  That is why my trip to Asilomar is exactly what I need once a year to recharge my batteries.  For an entire week I am surrounded with artistic people on a daily basis.  It’s like getting a giant shot of creative inspiration.

Of course there is also the “fun” reason I go each year too.  It can’t just be a total work week without some girlfriends, laughter, and wine being an important component for the complete Asilomar experience.  

My instructor this year was Gloria Loughman, who came all the way from Australia.  She is an excellent teacher and her quilts are extraordinary.  Her techniques of design and construction were quite different than any I have learned in other classes over the years.  I’ve realized the importance of taking a different teacher each year when I am home creating a new quilt.  I now have a “toolbox” of design and construction ideas that I can incorporate in my own work.  I may not like a certain class as well as other classes I’ve taken, but that experience is never wasted.

Gloria taught the class to make a small sample quilt so we could learn her method of quilt construction. We each picked one of the two patterns she had for us to make the sample.  Everyone chose their own fabrics from whatever they brought to class; and this is the sample quilt I made.

My larger project is a work-in-progress and will be shared with you at a later date when it's completed.

This is my first week home and I must say my head has been overflowing with ideas.  It’s a good thing I have certain obligations, or my newly revved-up enthusiasm might have me working non-stop!  I guess Asilomar and Empty Spools did their job once again to earn my heartfelt thank you. 

SUNDOWNER, AFRICAN STYLE

When we were staying in the bush camps in Africa in 2011 we learned of a very special custom that was done daily  while we were out on a game drive.  It soon became something everyone looked forward to every evening .

We started our incredible journey in Kruger National Park in South Africa.  There were ten of us in our group staying in Pafuri Camp in the northernmost corner of Kruger along the Limpopo River.

The daily routine was such that we would all gather together at 5:30 am (!!!) in the morning for much-needed coffee and a light snack.  The morning game drive began at 6:00 am, stopping for a mid-morning coffee/tea break next to the vehicle and a visit to the nearby bushes.  

We usually were back at camp around 10:00 am for a hearty brunch and then free time until the afternoon.  In the afternoon we had many different speakers throughout the trip talking about a wide variety of topics from very controversial subjects such as the AIDS epidemic and sex, to learning about the animals, the geography, marriage customs, etc.  

Refreshments were served at 3:30 pm, and afterwards we were all back in the Land Cruiser for the evening game drive.  Our big surprise was that every evening as the sun was starting to set we would stop wherever we were in the bush for a “Sundowner”.  Our guide attached a tray onto the front grill of the Land Cruiser and set up his “bar”.  We all partook of a glass of wine or beer as we watched the absolutely gorgeous African sunsets night after night.  This was something we all looked forward to and enjoyed each evening.

However, one night while we were in Kruger we had stopped for our sundowner and there was a small problem, though none of the ten of us were aware of it.  Bryan, our local guide, was busy setting up his bar when he stopped and asked each of the 5 couples if they could empty one of their plastic water bottles and give it to him.  It seems in our departure from the camp Bryan had forgotten to bring the wine glasses!  So there we were with wine and beer and no way to drink the beverages.  As the saying goes…..”Necessity is the mother of invention” Bryan quickly solved our problem.  Taking a plastic bottle and screwing the top back on, he used his pocket knife and cut the bottle in half.  Viola - two drinking glasses!  My husband used his pocket knife and made us two glasses from our bottle, and soon all ten of us, with plastic water bottle glasses in hand, were giving a toast to Bryan and his ingenuity.  Our sundowner was saved!

In our 15 days in bush camps we shared many, many sundowners together, getting to know each other and watching the most amazing sunsets I’ve ever seen.

To this day, 7 years later, my husband and I still call our happy hour a “sundowner”.

DESIGNING THE ELECTRONIC WAY

I’ve really been neglecting my blog since the new year, but I have a very good reason why that’s happened.  I admit I love a good challenge, especially when it comes to new technology of any kind.  Last year when I decided to start a blog I learned how to create it by myself with no help from anyone.  I enjoy the feeling of satisfaction when I’ve learned something new.  So it wasn’t unusual when I decided to take on a new challenge for 2018.

As I’ve mentioned in past blog posts I have many art apps on my iPad.  I like the creativity that the various apps allow when it comes to photos, drawing, etc.  But when It comes to actual designing I’ve always preferred sketching in a sketchbook or using a pad of graph paper for more precise designs.  But I was also curious about a couple of electronic quilting software programs I had read about.

So after many months of reading and comparing two of the main software programs I made the decision to buy the one I felt would offer exactly what I was looking for.  I bought Electric Quilt 8 and couldn’t be more pleased!  The first month I had a difficult time prying myself away from the computer, I was so completely obsessed with learning the program.  And when I did learn how to design my first pattern and then use that pattern to make a small quilt I was dancing around the room I was so delighted.  Now I am very addicted to EQ8!!  

First design on EQ8 (not quilted yet)

I must say that it is not an easy program to learn if you are not computer savvy though.  It's quite complex and there is so very much to learn.  But as with anything new you learn it takes lots and lots of practice to become really good at what you’re doing.  And so I keep working hard to learn as much as I can, trying to balance my time between sewing and working on the computer.  I'll be sharing some of my finished quilts as I get them done.

LIFESTYLE - NOT DIET

For more than half my adult life I struggled with my weight.  I was on many different diets over the years.  I would lose the pounds and eventually my bad habits would return and we all know what happens then.  I was a typical yo-yo dieter.  Twenty years ago I found a way to eat that actually worked once and for all.  I’ve been successful in maintaining my weight with no more yo-yo weight gains and losses.

DISCLAIMER - Let me make it clear that I am not a dietitian and I’m not promoting another fad diet.  What I’m talking about in this blog is what anyone who has the motivation can accomplish. 

What I do is not that difficult and I never feel deprived.  Moderation, measuring, portion control, plus discipline and will power, are the keys to my success.  I don’t believe in cutting out specific foods I love either.  That would only make me crave them more, and that feeling could lead to over-indulging, something I no longer feel the need to do.

To start with, I measure almost everything I consume, most of the time using measuring cups.  For instance, my morning cereal isn’t just dumped into a large bowl.  I read the label on the cereal box, calculate how much I can allow myself, and then measure out what I’m going to eat.  I can’t use milk (lactose intolerant), so instead I use natural Greek yogurt and measure 1/2 c. to mix with my 1/2 c. cereal.  One half of a banana and a sprinkle of blueberries and that’s my breakfast.  Filling and very satisfying.

My husband and I love pasta and eat it as a main course or as a side dish alongside meat, chicken, or fish.  Gone are the days of filling a plate with a big mound of pasta, though.  I carefully watch my carb intake, so for a box or package of dry pasta I try to get 9-10 cooked servings instead of the 8 that is listed on most packages.  After the pasta is cooked I measure 2/3 c. cooked pasta for each serving, which I put on a large piece of parchment paper until I have 9-10 servings.  I may have to take some pasta from each pile to even out the servings.  However, when I cook a pound of Barilla whole grain thin spaghetti I get to make the 8 servings that are on the package due to the fact it is lower in carbs and higher in fiber.  Besides that it tastes really good too.

It might look like a very small amount of pasta for a meal, but when I add the sauce, some small cubes of Asiago cheese or meatballs or sausage, a vegetable, and a hearty salad, there is enough to eat.  I never serve bread with pasta either.  Yes, we sometimes miss having bread, but it’s a small sacrifice to make.  If we go out to dinner at an Italian restaurant we might indulge a little, but at home we don’t.

I also eat a wide variety of fruit and vegetables, which are also portion controlled by serving size.

When I’m hungry for a mid-morning snack I have several choices I can make.  Here is a picture of what my mid-morning snack was this morning.  Other days it might be a teaspoon of peanut butter, or some goat cheese, on a Triscuit cracker. 

I do enjoy having a small sweet treat a couple hours after dinner.  Once again, whatever the treat might be, it is calculated and measured.  If it’s ice cream I don't just guess at the amount of ice cream I put in a bowl.  And yes, I really do eat ice cream, just not the fully loaded kind.  I buy Dreyer’s Slow Churned and measure out the 1/2 c. serving size.  A friend recently told me she listened to what I said and she had a 1/2 c. of ice cream.  And then she went and had another 1/2 c.  Hah!  I don’t think she was paying attention.  My guideline for a sweet treat is something low in calories, fat, and carbs.  A square of Dove dark chocolate is a great treat.  When it’s Girl Scout cookie time I read the label on the box and can usually have 1 or 2.  I remember the days though when I opened the box and indulged in a lot more than that.  I also remember the extra pounds I carried around from doing that and a lot more.  

Before I buy something at the store in a box, bag, package, etc. I read the nutritional label.  I see how many servings are in the package, and what size is the serving, then the calories, fat, carbs, fiber, and protein in each serving.  I then decide if the serving size is worth buying the product.

I mentioned discipline and will power earlier.  Those two things didn't just happen overnight.  It took a lot of practice along with finally starting to see the results of my new way of eating to reinforce my dedication.  Not only did my clothes fit better, but my annual lab results improved too.  Both good reasons to continue my new lifestyle.

After eating this way for twenty years I'm able to eat 1 or 2 potato chips and close the bag.  I eat everything slowly, savor and enjoy the taste of whatever I'm eating.  Nowadays they call it “Mindful Eating”.  Yes, I eat out and bring home half my meal if the portion size is too much.  You may be wondering if I ever splurge.  Of course I do!  But one splurge doesn't derail me into a downward spiral.  The next day I get right back to my usual regimen.  

The main and most important reason I live this disciplined way is because I want, and hope, to have a better quality of life as I age.  Coupled with regular exercise (see my former fitness blogs) my lab results are good, I feel great, and I'm pleased with how my clothes fit.  To me that makes what I'm doing well worth the extra effort.