A Junior Quilter´s World

Yellow Fairy

2011-02-07T11:36:00.002-02:00

This little one had been sitting on a shelf for quite a long time.

She´s about ready to fly now.

Next time she sits again she´ll brighten some child´s room and dreams.

Seen in Ohio

2011-02-03T14:43:00.000-02:00

This is the picture my American Mom´s sent me today.

I thought I´d share it with those of you who live closer to Ohio than I do but may have missed this!

So much snow scares me. Hope it´s soon gone.

Mug Rugs

2011-01-16T09:52:00.002-02:00

I´ve just loved to sew mug rugs. The perfect size for me to practice techniques I´ve learned from other bloggers (thanks again and again), like paper piecing and FMQ. I had not yet tried those until a few weeks ago.

My daughter´s taken this one for herself

This is my own favourite one so far

This was the first one and I keep it beside the computer.

Many others I´ve sewn and are gone.

Today I´ll try some FMQ on these pieces I´ve got started

and make something useful out of my practice.

Hope to have a nice day quilting

and wish you the same.

A gift

2011-01-13T11:50:00.004-02:00

I´m sending this to a friend as a gift.

I hope she likes it.

I´m showing just part of it here

so I don´t completely spoil the surprise in the remote
possibility she ever drops by.

I´ve never been to her home, so I thought I´d use many colors

and still make a piece to easily fit in anywhere.

I won´t be disappointed if she places it in the kitchen.

Isn´t the kitchen the best place in the home anyway?

Must share

2011-01-06T11:07:00.006-02:00

Nothing to do with our quilting.

This has to do with God´s embroidery.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The video has been withdrawn from Youtube. Sorry.
At this time you must have seen it on tv many times, though.

Scraps

2011-01-05T15:25:00.001-02:00

Fooling around with the scrap bin is what pleases me most in the quilting universe.

Projects made of scraps are always rewarding, never disappointing.

I suppose the fun lies on the fact that I can make as many mistakes as I want. No responsability at all. I don´t have to show myself the purchase that will soon show in the credit card bill was worthwhile. Makes me feel a thrifty lady! Wow!

Do you feel the same?

Do I have company in this?

Just let me know what time you´re coming for dinner, ok?

Coffee, please

2010-12-12T12:54:00.004-02:00

It takes longer to get some coffee ready

than a mug rug finished.

Do you really think a mug rug must be rectangular?

Let´s say its a coaster then.

Cheering up

2010-12-12T10:24:00.006-02:00

I´m not ready to work with beige & browns long enough to complete a bed quilt.

Need some color to cheer me up.

A rainbow is needed to cheer me up right now.

I´ll be going back to browns and beige pretty soon, I hope, and get the bed quilt ready before Christmas.
.

An ambicious project...

2010-12-08T12:19:00.001-02:00

... considering I´m a totally non skilled begginer.

It may look extra simple, obvious and uninteresting to most of you. However, there seems to be nothing either simple, obvious or easy about it to me! And I´m quite interested to find out how far I can go.

I´ve started getting pieces cut and sewn together yesterday evening. The challenge consists in having the quilt ready before the year ends mostly.

How long do I have?

A Christmas Miracle

2010-12-02T10:15:00.006-02:00

The season made me get back to work and motivated me to improove the quality of my work. I´ve decided to master free motion quilting once and for all. It had always both fascinated and scared me.

I used to cheat but I knew I would, someday, do better than this.

I´ve watched videos posted by wondelful quilters. Once again I thank the generous people who share their expertise with curious beginners like myself. What a help!

I´ve got two needles broken, tangled threads, many sections to undo but didn´t give it up. I was determined to master it. Now I can say I´m on the way to accomplishing this goal in the near future.

Well, it may take me longer.

The important thing is: I´m having fun doing it.

This was my first trial. Doesn´t look good but it´s taught me quite a bit.

I´ve realized the coloured stripes should have been centered to start with,

although this has nothing to do with free motion quilting.

This second one has offered me quite a bit of free motion quilting practice.

Not perfect yet but it will look real good on my kitchen table.

And last but not least a Christmasy piece.

I tell you: I´ll get there!

Can´t do without it anymore!

Let´s do something!

2010-09-02T14:16:00.001-03:00

let’s do something positive to reduce the hideous number of plastic bags being used - 1 million are consumed per minute globally - of which hundreds of thousands end up in the oceans.

the idea is to get together with people in your local community, drink wine and make reusable cloth bags (from old duvet covers, curtains from charity shops etc) and hand them out to the unsuspecting public for free on specified dates outside different supermarkets.

meet new people, do something marvellous for the planet and beat other pods (groups) of baggers with your morsbag tally.

go to www.morsbags.com to be a part of a wonderful thing!

p.s. non-commercial/ non-profitable - just full of beneficial things for everyone, especially whales!

Giveaway at Hartfelt Fabric Art!

2010-09-02T08:47:00.000-03:00

Judy Hartman is gently having a giveaway of one of her works. All of Judy´s works are pretty, delicate and speak for themselves about their creator.

Take a look and ... go for it, like I did!

Treasures

2010-08-31T15:46:00.002-03:00

Yesssssssssssssssss...........

Straight from India they´ve come!

I´ve got a Pukka Components´ Silk and Sparkle pack. The finest silk, organza in many beautiful hues and ...sparkles! A Button Baubles pack is shown here too. Colors and textures just unbelievable.

I´ve got a pair of nervous hands to get started working with them. A thousand ideas came to my mind when I first saw them. Had to calm down a little before I´d start working!

I´m not sure I´ll use this piece in the project I have in mind. It´s so pretty I´ll show it anyway, though.

As I´ve said, I´ve got treasures.You can have them too.

There are many items available at Pukka.

It´s really worth a virtual visit and a real purchase.

What a shame! Such beautiful things and a lousy photographer !

Does anybody see a camera strip?

Long time no see!

2010-08-30T14:53:00.001-03:00

I´ve been busy selling the apartment where I live while looking for another place to make it home and moving into.

I´ve kept track of your posts but I have not been able to do more than reading them. I´m also sorry for the delay in answering e-mails. I´ll be back soon, I hope. As soon as I can sit and write about the new home and all the sewing I´ll be doing in order to dress it up!

See you all soon!

A tiny little gift...

2010-07-30T20:07:00.000-03:00

... for great friends who are building a yellow cottage.

It didn´t take me long to put pieces together but I know they´ll make it last...

Frozen dog disdains funny cat

2010-07-29T13:20:00.000-03:00

Thought Lua might like a new wrap...

... but she was way too cold to give up her favorite one!

It´s been so cold...

2010-07-17T16:57:00.008-03:00

... it´s going to snow, people keep saying, with excitement in their voice. It´s going to snow, like it did before, in 1975.

Certainly hope not! We´re not prepared to it and, under the circumnstances, I´m sure it wouldn´t be fun at all.

I´m lucky I can stay home. I don´t even look outside!

I work at home mainly, so, I´ve just gotten a bit of extra time and work done. Used a few scraps in small, quick and easy sewing projects.

Thought of a colorful towel to warm up the dining room.

It came out like this.

And something very simple to fit an antique silver tray.

I like the contrast!

Simple pleasures
(like a new look to an old tray),
great joy!

Take a look!

2010-07-13T11:47:00.000-03:00

The sheep are made of old telephones and wires!

Pay attention to the paws!

The artist´s name is Jean Luc Cronec.

His work is being shown at the Frankfurt Museum of Communications.

Quite an insight, isn´t it?

Quickies

2010-07-08T08:24:00.002-03:00

A baby Owla for a baby girl ...

and a new rug for Lua.

Hope it smells good!

The feminine essence

2010-07-07T15:21:00.006-03:00

I´ll be soon addressing or should I rather say sharing a series of talks about identifying, recognizing, enhancing, strengthening and living fully our feminine inner strengh and natural gifts.

At this time, immerse in this theme, I think it appropriate to illustrate this post with a picture of my beloved 20 yr old daughter and our Lua, an 11 yr lady daschund, which complete the regnant circle here at home.

Here they are!

Enjoying each other, as usual!

Creating, recicling, matching colours, imagining new shapes and looks, enjoying making and remaking ... all these are strong characteristics of the feminine nature. Most of us just can´t do without it and those who are, for one reason or another, unable to practice it daily must find their own way to put forward their criative urge in order to survive.

One of the most precious feminine characteristic is our sincere disposition for stimulating, encouraging, sharing and making other people grow/make it better/go on trying harder / evolve / echieve a higher level of expertise / help each other express our talent and get our ideals accomplished .This is something very clear and beautiful in the quilter´s blogsphere.

We´re so lucky we can learn from each other!

The Empathic Civilisation

2010-05-28T09:52:00.002-03:00

more about "RSA Animate - The Empathic Civilisation", posted with vodpod

New look to an ancient chair

2010-04-30T18:29:00.013-03:00

This chair dates from the early XX Century. British colonial style, I used to be told when I was a child. It surprised me to see many of them, exactly alike, at the Governor´s Palace in Jamestown, Virginia, USA. I could then understand what "British colonial style" ment.

Of course at the time my grandmother was decorating her summer apartment in Rio de Janeiro, on the second building to be built facing Copacabana Beach, there were not furniture stores. Families ordered from catalogs and had them handmade. It probably took artisans a long time to get them done, but time ran slower by then, I guess.

Most people would go for Portuguese or French style but not my grandmother. She was way too independent to follow the main track. I myself have never, ever, seen anything similar in Brazil. Maybe it´s been popular in Commonwealth countries. I don´t know.

Today I decided to give it a new look, different from the traditional upholstery renewed from time to time. New make up, starting with blush, shadows...

And it came out like this.

I´m not sure I like it, though.

It seems sort of a heretic thing to do, doesn´t it?

I decided to think it over.

I´ll appreciate your opinion and comments.

Spring all year round

2010-04-13T17:43:00.002-03:00

By this time it´s getting chilly in South Brazil, where I live. Orchids and pansies love the cold weather and, along with many other kinds, provide colour to the streets gardens.

I´ve be working on Nancy Halvorsen´s Garden Party panel and thinking how fortunate we are, in this corner of the world, to have flowers all year round. And also how exciting Spring is to those who live in snowy countries.

To all of you in the Nothern Hemisphere I wish a Merry Spring and a Happy New Year! Aries is the first sign of the Zodiac, the one that gets the astrological year started. A time for renewal, getting new projects going or promoting a revival of the dormant ones. A time for hope and confidence.

So... lets enjoy the energy of Aries and get it all going. Fast, as Aries demands.

Look at this!

2010-04-05T08:40:00.001-03:00

Paper cutting!

A single red sheet of the finest paper, manually cut.

(Made by hand....)

This was my own choice for the entrance of my bedroom

which I thought was lacking some colour.

I´ll soon be showing more of this artist´s (pacient) work

and how he does it.

(Totally amazing!)

Let the mice in!...

2010-04-01T09:41:00.003-03:00

The mini quilt is ready but, the "real" one is waiting for me to sew borders to it... That´s the worst part for me. The hardest one. Feel like quiting...

I´ve let the mice in...

Hope they get the job done.

Cinderella complex, maybe...

A morning finish

2010-03-22T11:28:00.002-03:00

And there it is, an "araucária" apliquée panel, a kind of pine tree typical of Southern Brazil.

This wall hanging will be sent to a friend´s daughter who was born and raised in Curitiba
and has become a Swidish citizen.

I like the way it came out.
I´ll probably carry this idea on to other works.

My UFOs and a favourite

2010-03-19T13:45:00.148-03:00

Some of these prints were brought from the US in 1994, when I took my daughter there to meet my "American Family".

Some of you may know I´ve been an AFS exchange student back in the 60´s, hosted by a lovely family,living in Ohio. That´s when I saw snow and quilts for the first time. My American Mom has quite a few beautiful handmade pieces and I don´t have to close my eyes to practically see them on the rack she used to keep them. I wish to learn how to quilt real good so I can send her a Made in Brazil quilt. I think that will be nice and´ll be happy to do it.

My daughter was 4 years old when we went to Ohio first and then Disneyworld. This should explain my having bought some of the prints. I didn´t work on them until now, though. We say "objects chase their owners", here in Brazil. I´ll be happy when these objetcs find theirs. It´s been a long long way since they exist and I have been keeping them. It´s about time for them to go.

But, the photo above doesn´t show all my UFOs.

Not at all.

I have worked on an imported print, which maybe will look "out of date" to some of you, but looks quite new and special to me. I have been stitching it patiently and the more I stitch the more I like it.

The stitching makes it look even more puffy and beautiful.

I like it so much I´m not sure I´ll be able to sell it after it´s finished.

Is there a fair price for something one likes a lot and has put the best of one´s energy into,

night after night?

What do you think?

We are the World

2010-03-09T16:08:00.000-03:00

Tempo is a Portuguese word for both Time and Climate. Time and climate both go on changing all the time, both charge us with scars. Even more so in 2010 which has just started and seems to tell us, reminds us, everyday ""there are no certainties". Way too warm below the Equator, more than average cold and snow above. Tornados, floods, drouts...

And the tectonic movements joined Cronus´ chorus line: no certainties for Haiti, Chile, Açores, Turkey, Argentina, Brazil... Uncertainties everywhere on Earth.

This We are the World chorus video reminds us, in a very particular way, how transitory everything and everyone really is, and also that only love, compassion and caring for each other may ever comfort us along our uncertain path.

Trying harder

2010-03-02T19:04:00.000-03:00

...on larger projects now.

... sure they´re not perfect (both quilts and pictures)

but are coming out a litlle better than the first ones...

well...going back and forth...

... always attempting to do my best for the moment being...

It´s been a hard junior quilter´s life

but I suppose I´ve been doing some progress.

Enough for today

2010-02-21T19:23:00.004-03:00

I put these pieces together when I first started to quilt, a few months ago. I soon got interested in complex techniques, which of course I´ve not yet mastered, and this quilt was kept unfinished, on a shelf, for quite a while. Until today. It´s now complete and that´s it.

I had assigned myself another task for the day but I felt I had had enough of sewing. This way, I stuck to an old shabby mirror the pieces I had for an appliqué.

I decided it deserves to be displayed. At least for a while.

I was happy to be able to hang it on a wall in my studio. I love recycled stuff.
It goes with the pale green couch beneath and, of course, the lap quilt will go back to the shelf where it belongs.

2010-02-19T21:11:00.000-02:00

"In order to keep progressing we must learn, commit and do - learn, commit and do and learn, commit and do."

Stephen R. Covey is said to have said so.

Quilters know it by learning,

commiting themselves,

and doing

on and on and on...

During Carnaval and the Olympic games...

2010-02-19T13:20:00.003-02:00

...I haven´t done much. Just a little progress in stiching while watching Carnaval but not the Olympic skating contests. It´s so amazing what those people do on skates I can´t take my eyes out of the tv set. It seems to me they´ve gone far beyond the frontier of the Impossible Dream.

I´d been ordered 6 placemats using a black and white cow pattern + a bit of red. I´ve got them done and delivered. Pleased to know they were appeciated and are being used.

I must get some other works finished. Challenging ones, I should say, although I´ve suggested them myself in a moment of insane presumption.

This afternoon I´ll be taking care of some little things I need for the house. New pillow covers to start with. I´ll get them done quickly, I hope, IF I can get my eyes away from the tv set. Skating contest isn´t over yet, you know!

What is your idea about Brazilian Carnaval?

2010-02-15T20:09:00.032-02:00

Yes, it writes Carnaval, and its unique.Can´t be translated. Can
hardly be explained.
Must be enjoyed.

If you think the main points of the biggest popular party in the world are naked women and easy sex of any kind, you´re wrong.

This distorted idea has been disseminated by the midia and tourism agencies. Of course they are true - anywhere, any time, all over the world - and Carnaval in Rio is not an exception.

Maybe that´s why tourists from abroad become so surprised and fascinated with the party itself.

Martinho da Vila, a reknown Brazilian samba composer, a proeminent member of Vila Isabel Samba School, calls attention to the many artists involved in the show in the lyrics of one of his songs, literally translated bellow by my friend
Google Translate.
"... Glory to those who work year round in joint effort.
They are sculptors, painters,
embroiderers, carpenters, glaziers, seamstresses,
costume designers, designers and craftsmen
People committed to building illusion
And we all have dreams..."

Each Samba School has an hour and a few minutes to show their year round work in a parade that takes place at Sambódromo, a boulevard specially built for this purpose.

Martinho´s lyrics goes on :
"...One may be king, a pirate or a gardener
For everything is over on Wednesday...
At the crack of dawn the hills are colored
Costumes worn on the avenue
Become curtains, flags...
reasons for living..."

Each Samba School chooses a theme for the parade. My favourite theme last night was carried on by Imperatriz Leopoldinense Samba School (7th video in the link bellow), celebrating Faith itself and the freedom of creed in our country.
In this country christians, jewish, budists, muslims, and other people freely practice their religion and live in harmony.
Here the best moments of yesterday night show.
Must go!
Tonight´s show is about to get started!

Thunderstorm

2010-02-08T11:33:00.003-02:00

A most terrifying thunderstorm took place in Curitiba, Southen Brazil, last evening. I couldn´t take a picture because it all looked grey from my window. Couldn´t see anything. Just lots of noise telling everyone the climate is changing - to the worse. I closed the windows and grabbed the dog, frightened to death. Poor Lua!

The energy suplly station that feeds the section of town where I live had some kind of problem and 1700 homes have not had energy suppy for the last 14 hours. Not in my place, fortunatelly. We´ve had just a couple of hours before energy supply was restablished, but it was a nuisance, you bet.

No light, no computer, no home phone, no sewing machine, no microwave, no tv, no radio, no elevator ... just candles and a lots of time to meditate. Middle age sort of thing and I´m not prepared for that!

I´ve got this picture from the local newspaper online( www.gazetadopovo.com.br), sent by a reader (Luiz C Ceniz) this morning, showing the effects in front of his house and on somebody´s car.

Many other trees must have come down, fires started, roofs ruined.

Fortunatelly, no victims, so it seems.

I worried about my daughter who had gone out joining a pre Carnaval street event. I´d figured she wouldn´t hear the mobile phone ring with so much noise around her. Called her anyway. No answer. Just hoped everything was fine with her. She got home late, very excited, telling me it was great fun and the rain wash was wonderful. That´s better! Mothers don´t ever learn!

OK. Just to say I didn´t get weekend homework done!

Sorry!

Let´s get them done

2010-02-07T17:08:00.004-02:00

I´ve got a pile of on-going projects waiting for me to figure out how I´ll get them finished . Most of the times I lack the necessary ability to get my ambitious projects accomplished the way I would like to see them. Anyway, I decided to get some of them finished by this Sunday. This is also answers Tamera´s challenging question.

I got this one finished first thing in the morning and I´m not going back to it, although maybe I should.

Another pin cushion. Filled and ready to work.

Now the tricky ones (in this initial stage of my quilting journey):

Ok, now! Back to work so I keep my word and get them done before midnight!

A little bit of sewing ...

2010-02-02T15:42:00.007-02:00

... and lots of virtual visiting these days.

My other home shows more of my recent virtual busy life. I want to sew but can´t do both at the same time and time runs fast. We all know it.

I suppose quilters / crafters / artists in general have unfinished works. Lots of, in fact. It comes along with the wish of experimenting new projects and ideas before having finished the one at hand. The bundle of unfinished works may be as high as one´s creativity. I´m not sure this statement is true but it´s worth giving it a try when people around you start complaining or challenging you to to get done with this.

I´ve been producing small "anti slaming doors devices". Don´t know how to name them properly in English. I call them door pillows at home. Useful in homes where windows are kept open (a habit in most Brazilian homes), when it´s windy outside, particularlly in homes where there are children, pets, patients and you don´t want the door to stay neither open nor closed. Or you just don´t want to hear slaming doors.

As you can see I´ve got a few in various stages of production.

The first one I´ve made is tied to the kitchen door and helps me from opening and closing it for the dog to come in or go out. It keeps the door unclosed but allows me to listening to the tv without bothering the rest of the family when I´m cooking by myself.

I´m in the mood for cats these days, working on A Cat Lives Here series of wall hangers and pillows I´ll make sure to show you within a short time. The only picture taken is this one below. This one got started a long time ago.

This apparently calm feline has given me ideas. I´ve got quite a few ambitious projects in mind for the series coming soon in this same channel...

Happy sewing, quilting, drawing, painting, knitting, crocheting... whatever! Let´s go on!

Couldn´t help it!

2010-01-19T10:39:00.000-02:00

Wishes coming true in 2010

2010-01-17T02:27:00.065-02:00

I´ve got a 2010 calendar print from one of the fabric stores I buy from. It´s not fancy at all. I decided to recycle it into a radionic or a wishes coming true wall panel for a very special couple of friends who came over just when I was exploring my recently purchased sewing machine devices.

They plan to build a cottage and buy a new car this year.

These are two goals of theirs I´m aware of.

I´ve also wished them ...

...money, luck....

... love, friendship...

...continuous enlightenment and success...

Won´t hurt and I´m sure they pursue these too (although they don´t think much of money really).

One of them is an actor. At first I thought the white star would stand for both spiritual enlightenment and success. It didn´t seem clear enough to me, though.

We all know that success is a result of hard work + chance. So, I decided to add a red star standing for success. Bloody individual effort + heavenly gift of opportunity . Maybe it´s not an evident, self explanatory symbol. If I tell them the idea, though, maybe it will work better than a cristallized, already assimilated symbol.

They chose the fabric that suited their taste better and have also contributed with a few stiches using my new sewing machine. It seemed too delicate for them. They were scared to get it broken, since they´d never used a sewing machine before.

The following day I decided to fool around with the idea of putting together the radionic panel. I can´t say it looks pretty, but, knowing them the way I do, I´m confident they´ll love it.

Hope it works!

If we all hope so it will work for sure!

I´ve got quilt pox and I´m happy

2010-01-13T09:33:00.004-02:00

I´ve realized I´d been affected by some sort of syndrome I couldn´t expain before reading Dena´s thorough explanation about its symptoms and causes. Thanks for that, Dena. (You´ve probably got it too, so you´d better read what Dena has to say about it)

I used my grandmother´s sewing machine since I was 8 or 9. She´d got it in order to sheath my mother´s diappers, back in the beginning of XIX Century. Wow! I was born in the Mid Century myself. Double Wow!

I don´t remember having seen my grandmother sewing, except for showing me how to use the machine and helping me when I got it stuck. I used to produce my doll´s clothes or tried to. My mother was fond of knitting and crocheting but not of sewing. So, I guess the machine has been destined to me the day my grandmother got pregnant.

I´ve had a few sewing machine over the years but I´ve got rid of them all, except the one my grandmother had kept. I was reluctant to make it go electrical/portable. Did so last year for lack of space reasons mostly. I soon realized I had made a mistake but then it was too late.

This is it, a victim of the seaside salty wind, the family´s poor sewing and the technician´s invasive and mutilating surgery.

I´ve had a few sewing machine over the years but I´ve got rid of them all, except this old one. I was reluctant to make it go electrical/portable. Finally did so last year for lack of space reasons mostly. I soon realized I had made a mistake but then it was too late.

I know it will always be usefull. One can relly on it. It goes straight and does it beautifully. It allows itself quite a bit of noise and I call it selfconficence.

Having been affected by the syndrome described by Dena, I decided to get a new, fancy machine, though. Maybe not the state of art but a Singer as well, since I want them both to be friends, and I thought I should be able to get technical assistance easy and as locally as around the corner, whenever it becomes necessary. Yeah, these new electronic babes are not like the old mechanical ones that never ever stopped.

Now, here my new acquisition. It´s nice, light, easy and doesn´t make noise.

One more reason why I should really learn to quilt.

2010-01-11T04:41:00.005-02:00

"The great accomplishments of man have resulted from the transmission of ideas and enthusiasm."

Thomas J. Watson

Where do I come from?...

2010-01-10T17:20:00.003-02:00

... they seem to wonder... and be willing to find out.

My question is:

where to they think they are going?

Who would blame them?

Anxiety is...

2010-01-07T11:56:00.004-02:00

... having a pile of half way done projects + piles of ideas to get started on.

I love painting and drawing and everything handmade that is pretty to look at. I´d figured my experience in this field would help me on the quilting journey I´ve just got started. I hadn´t realized there is a lot about sewing I must learn and practice. I put my sewing projects aside because they happen not to come out the way I´ve imagined them at first. Guess why?

I´m anxious to get started and don´t save time to draw it beforehands. I pick colors according to what I have in hands, get the squares cut, run to the sewing machine and generally put them together in the wrong places. Wrong colors in the wrong places... as you can see.

Sewing is not like painting that you may cover whatever you dislike with another layer of paint. I just feel unable to undo the sewing and starting all over again. So, I go on planting on illtreated ground, telling myself maybe it will come out better than I had first imagined. It´s a pacifying thought only and it doesn´t last long. Poor soil, shabby crop.

I´ve brought the araucarias composition inside in order to keep staring at it. I´ve commited myself into getting it finished no matter how disappointing it looks.

This posting sort of compromises me further... I need all the pressure I can get!!!

Back to reality... and to basics

2010-01-05T13:05:00.004-02:00

After taking tours from blog to blog and seen very inspiring work, I fell back into my real possibilities at the moment being.

One step at at time, I´ve always been told. I´m anxious, though, to give a complex project a try. A moment´s sanity showed me I don´t have neither the ability nor the necessary tools yet.

So, decided to get two very simple projects finished before I tackle anything else. This is one of them.

The other one was based on Linda Hohag´s and Linda Carlson´s Patchwork Pantry magazine. The cover shows a large 36 block appliqué quilt, of which I´ve selected no more than 8 designs in order to put a wall hanging together.

Poor pictures above but I´ll try to do better when I get them finished.

Back to work now!...

What a crazy weather

2010-01-03T22:29:00.008-02:00

A nice thing about living in Curitiba, on the south plateau where it sits, is that we´re sure a tsunami won´t reach us up here.

It´s summer time now and it may (and does) get uncomfortably warm. Everyone feels miserable, drags oneself around, feels like doing nothing and blames on the temperature. Suddenly, a most terrifying summer rain comes down and it gets chilly.

It warms up again in a short while after the storm is gone and so it goes, until it becomes cold and just in the Fall or earlier - no one can tell for sure.

(... and you thought it never ever got icy cold in the tropics...)

Two things I´ve learned for survival purposes - keeping an umbrella in my handbag and dressing like an onion, with layers of clothes that can be taken out and put on again in parts or in the whole. Large handbags are useful.

An ill tempered bipolar weather that seldom gets nice and when it does it`s just by mistake and then it doesn`t last long. It`s always been so and the global warming sort of makes it worst, causing floads and their unpredictable effects.

The vegetation seems to enjoy it, though. Before my time to turn into a cabagge comes, I`ll go on saying the climate here is contemptible and refuse to go into verbal conversation about it. Having to put up with the weather itself is bad enough. No need to make a mandatory conversation issue out of it, as the native people seems to think it is. "Good morning! What acrazy weather, isn´t it?" I just smile. I haven´t lived here all my life but I´ve got used to it. Why don´t they?

Nice picture, however, looking at it I can tell it`s either way too warm or...

it`s a mistake soon to be corrected.

Downtown Curitiba in a cloudy (normal) day.

Getting ready

2010-01-02T04:06:00.015-02:00

I´ve stayed home alone from Dec. 26th on. People may think I´m so unfortunate but I myself am having a ball. In fact, Lua, hasn´t been gone travelling either (or I´d have gone along with her).

Xmas was fine, friends and family joined us and we had a real good time. I don´t complain about the lots of work it takes, and truly say it was fun and I´m grateful to have had their loving company.

After Xmas I just needed some time for myself, though. I´m so happy to have a few days off.

No tasks, no daily chores except those I choose to carry on. I´ve spent most of my time online, taking a look at what the "addicted to quilting" people is doing. I go from one site or blog to the other, and other, and other... skip sleeping hours but get my eyes filled with Beauty. It´s worthwhile.

What I like most is being able to notice particular regional cultural characteristics that make each work special. I understand there are traditional patterns that are repeated, or rather reinterpreted. There is also a modern quilting being developed by artists from various parts of the globe. There are the ones (either traditional or modern) which carry the crafter´s personality and the signature of the artist´s culture. These are the very best. The ones to last.

We tend to remain unaware of our own cultural symbols because we just take them for granted. Thus, it´s much easier for someone who belongs to another cultural environment to notice and value them.

Language, art and religion are said to carry the main symbols of each culture. Geografic environment is just as important, I think, and communicate at first glance. I love to see a kangaroo in a quilt! I immediatelly identify where it´s been created.

Not only images call my attention. Globalization hasn´t, as yet, been able to completely erase our intinctive tendency for the use of color and hues of color in the different regions. This is true for clothing, home decorating, anything colored. I could go on writing about this (and will, eventually) but I don´t think it necessary right now because those who create know what I mean.

Just wanted to mention this so that we all think about the value of including our familiar regional symbols into our works of art. That, I suppose, comes by using our very first choice of motif, color, that which seems the easiest solution and that "lacks sophistication" (... thus not being considered good enough in general).

It´s said that the more we stick to our cultural tradition the more globalized (because it is more interesting, more informative and new to other peoples) our creative production becomes. This is true in literature, in music, in films, in the fine arts, crafts ... in each and every field of human expression.

Both ashamed for my lacking of technique and proud do have got something accomplished I´m showing here what I´ve done.

This....

and this...

I like to think they have a tropical, Brazilian look .

Keep in touch!
I´d like to hear what you think about this.

A quick click and it can be yours...

2009-12-31T21:34:00.003-02:00

Don`t miss the chance!

There is SOMEONE putting together an annyversary Give Away.

Winner to be picked on Thursday, Jan. 7th.

Wish you the best of luck ...
(...since I`m out, sniff, sniff, sniff...)

Just a question

2009-12-31T02:14:00.003-02:00

Do your pieces of fabric take time playing hide and seek,

like eye glasses usually do,

or just the ones I´ve brought home?

What can I do out of these two?

2009-12-29T17:07:00.010-02:00

I´ve grabbed two pieces of cross stitch I've had for quite some time and decided to make use of them. I don´t even remember what I'd got them started for.

The problem is I´m not up to sewing another pillow right now. I can´t figure what to do out of them.

Take a look at them!

I guess I wouldn´t like to make this first one square. Maybe a banner of some kind... to hang from my future new home wall... I love birds and keep a lot of greens inside.

My daughter thinks this next emboidery looks awful.

I´ve learned not to take teenagers very seriously in issues that don't particularlly concern them .

I suppose I´m going ahead with it.

Do you think I should ... or ... I´d better I listen to her?

The very first pillow

2009-12-29T10:57:00.004-02:00

I´ve tried working with patches once in a while over the past, say, 30 years or more. Not regularlly but in fits of courage that never lasted long. Poor results are discouraging.

I didn´t know how challenging patchwork really is until a very short time ago, when I saw a pretty set of pillows displayed in a shop. It made me feel like trying to sew something similar. The result wasn´t totally bad but it was far from what I had imagined. I blamed on the different colors, but I just knew I had been caught and wouldn´t stop easily!

I looked up for some information in the web and found out there is much more to patchwork that one can guess at first.

I fell in love with this craft, or art, as you wish, and I have learned it from bloggers. I´m in it now. Or... it´s in me. It has taken hold of me, made my days more colorful, more creative, and hopefully it will bring me new friends.

See ya!

Getting started

2009-12-28T20:51:00.008-02:00

I have decided to concentrate on easy and quick projects to start with. Pillows and place mats seemed a good choice. I´d like to share them with you.

Of course I had to get started with the Ohio Star, but later realized I didn´t get it quite right...

This project also showed me how difficult it is to put colors together for a nice effect! Too much pink, I think. There is no visual balance.

Now, the pillow I´ve made to Clara, a little baby girl coming up in January.

I seem to insist on pink and blue!

And these were the place mats I´ve got done, based on Art to Heart´s angels patterns.

All right! I have a lot to learn from you, so, be nice to me and say a word or two of encouragement (or not - it will do me good anyways) as you stop by...

I mean to go on learning how to quilt. I´ll need help and support to make me feel part of a group of people with a passion in common.

Tks in advance!

Just need it!

2009-12-28T20:21:00.027-02:00

As I have said before... it does get chilly in Rio!

Same view, different weather conditions.

I have been living in South Brazil now, where it is cold. Not a snowy country but, relatively to Rio,
it is very very cold.

Take a look! Not just chilly! It is icy cold.

This is a picture taken in a city park in Curitiba, where I have been living.

Yes, we do need bed warmers in this damp and cold place! I´ve bought a few comforters made in China over the years but I´m not happy with them. I´ll be fulfilled the day I myself put a handmade comforter together. (Ooops! I don´t sound racional, but I guess this is not my strong point anyway! )

Since English is my second language, sometimes I must make sure I´m saying what I mean to say. Decided to check.

Wikipedia teaches those in doubt, like me:

A comforter is a type of blanket. Comforters are intended to keep the user warm, especially during sleep, although they can also be used as mattress pads. Comforters are generally large and rectangular in shape, filled with natural or synthetic insulative material and encased in a shell/covering. Like quilts, comforters are generally used with a set of sheets.

Yes!
Seems to me there is a difference.
I want the pretty ones. I need quilts.

.... can you help an unexperienced quilter (of good will, though) with any suggestions? Quick + great effect? That sure would be nice! Something I can get done with by April 2010 when it is already cold in here...

Help me pls!

From Rio to Ohio

2009-12-28T17:35:00.009-02:00

Many many years ago I was a young exchange student living in a small town in Ohio, with a family which I´ll forever consider my own. By that time I had only lived in Rio de Janeiro, at a very special spot, facing Copacabana Beach. I lived in a post card, really. The apartment building where I used to live is the second one from right to left.

... And I was taken to a completely different environment - as beautiful as the one I had come from, but every bit of it contrasting to my home place. The US country side is beautiful and you will certainly agree with me! Take a look at the picture! I had never seen this kind of building shown bellow, which can be easily and frequently spotted in the Mid West. In fact had never seen a barn in my life! I had no idea how colorful the vegetation may get in beginning of Fall, either.

The Ohio landscape was a vision to me as a teen ager, ages before the Web. By the time I was granted the schoolarship, the small town I went to did not show in any, I said any, map. Not even in road maps. Yes, this was a long time ago.

I took my daughter to meet my American family when she was 4 years old. She felt just about the same visual impact I had experienced. However, she was, at that time, already familiar with the pictures in the many North American country style decoration magazines I used to purchase and treasure for obvious reasons. She found out for hersel Enchanted Land was true and she was in it.