Passage

This is reveal week for the Quilt Challenge. I went through several different ideas and finally decided to go with the passage I love to take - that of the ferry ride from BC mainland to Vancouver Island. Having lived in the States for so many years I think of it as my northwest passage even though it is southwest Canada.

I took this photo in January 2009 as the ferry approached the island. Below are a few of the choices I had laid out as I tried to decide how to frame this photo. I wanted to go with fabrics I already had but did end up buying a bit of burgundy as I felt I needed a touch of red and all the reds I had were too bright or wrong fiber content.

 I got some practice free motion quilting with my old 830 as my new Bernina needs a check-up and won't sew more than a few stitches without stopping to tell me there's a bobbin problem. I'm not used to having a high maintenance machine.

To see some fabulous interpretations of "Passage" head on over to the quilt challenge blog.

Birds, Measuring and Cutting

While taking a lunch break in the family room last week a flash of red flew by the window. I looked out to see a red cardinal sitting in one our trees. Then I noticed the female sitting down on the fence. 

Today as I walked past the dining room I commented 'come look at the big bird in our tree'. I caught a few photos through the window. Is he/she a young hawk?

In between bird sitings I found only a couple hours for the sewing room. One quick project was to be a trading card but I used a new little template ruler for the first time. I measured out and cut what I thought was 4 by 6 but when I was finished my card appeared quite large. Yes, it is indeed large. It is 4.5 by 6.5 inches as my ruler has a built out 1/4" which I had not noticed. How could I not notice?! There is a bright blue 1/4" all around the ruler. I am so used to my favorite ruler that measures from zero at the edge. Lesson learned: 'pay attention' when measuring and cutting!

Clay and Fiber Purse and Quilt Inspiration

April 15th is quickly approaching, yet I was off working in the studio today. Those tax forms just don't have the drawing power of a lump of clay or a piles of fibers! I couldn't resist taking my latest clay purse to the sewing room and creating a study for it. Awhile back I showed some of the clay embellishments that came out of the kiln. I used one of the swirls and four of the buttons in putting this purse together. My purses are gradually growing in size and I'm liking that as I enjoy being able to create slightly larger fiber studies for their pockets or decor. Also I'm learning to keep the openings a little larger so I can get inside to stitch the fiber studies in place! It's tough work getting inside there and finding those holes because once my hand is inside I can't see a thing. So it's by feel and it's cramped in there!

I've also been sketching and working on ideas for my 'passage' quilt. You can follow along as Three Creative Studios offers an inspirational prompt and two months to create a quilt. I hope I get mine made before the deadline! I've been sketching and planning but haven't made any final decisions yet. A sketch I made last year that was based on the trail nearby was one idea.

..here is one of many pages of sketches. I have very little in the way of rendering skills but I get enough on paper to prompt my memory as to what I was thinking.

 I'll end with a photo from a recent walk with the dogs .... a duck sitting on top of the covered bridge nearby.