Time Saver???

More from the 1998 issue of QUILT:
The computer is so much a part of our lives these days, supposedly saving us time, that it's hard to remember when we didn't rely on it!
I found myself smiling over several of the articles in this 11-year-old publication, articles that referred to using the internet "to enhance your quilting activities."
One article is about a quilter, proficient in computer skills, who ended up hosting "cyberspace swaps for the increasing number of quilters who were meeting each other in an interactive chat room for quilters." (where they could communicate instantly with one another!!!!) She figured out a way for the quilters to post pictures of their quilts for the others to enjoy. Imagine that!!!!
Another article gives detailed instructions on how to do a "Round Robin in CyberSpace". Still another is titled "Paper Piecing in CyberSpace: A new source for Quilting Patterns".
QUILT magazine lists a website and invites readers to visit. A few of the advertisers list websites, but most still list street addresses and phone numbers.
Oh how far we've come!!! Think blogs :), Instant messaging, Facebook, Twitter/Tweets, "Google this and Google that", "online communities", free downloads, etc. These days, one could spend all day "quilting" on the computer!!! Too bad the computer can't do some of the actual sewing for us! Now THAT would be a real time-saver!!!
Honestly, I'd rather play with my fabrics! How about you? Happy stitching!
Carol :)

Timeless

Most of today was spent at the eye clinic with my husband. He is contemplating eye surgery and wanted me to be present to hear what the specialist had to tell him. Knowing that I'd be sitting a long time, I packed a bag of things to do...a small stitching project and some old quilt magazines I'd been wanting to look through.
Turns out there wasn't enough light to stitch by in the examining rooms (lights very dim for looking deeply into the eyes), but there was enough light to read by. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the Spring 1998 issue of QUILT magazine.
QUILT has always been one of my very favorite quilting magazines, probably because they feature mostly traditional quilts/patterns. I love to look at all of the quilts they've photographed. It's always fun when I come across a quilt made by someone I know--in this issue is a Dresden Plate quilt made by Beth Payne, whom I know from Cal-Co quilt guild in Battle Creek.
As I read the articles in the magazine, I couldn't help but think how quilting is one pasttime where things don't really change a whole lot. Patterns get recycled, but in new fabrics. New gadgets come out, but the basic tools are still old reliables. Our reasons for quilting are no different from those of quilters before us. (And this issue contains an article about Harriet Powers and her Bible quilt of 1886. I just received an e-mail telling me about a new book on Harriet Powers, her life and her quilts!)
Lots of scrap quilts are pictured in this issue, too! Scrap quilts will never go out of style, will they?!
Happy Scrap Quilting! Carol :)

No time to quilt!

I haven't had much time to quilt lately. Last week we were visiting my parents in Wisconsin and were kept busy doing odd jobs and errands for them. I did manage to do a bit of embroidery (sitting in the waiting room of the dentist's office while Mom had a root canal) and finished the binding on one little quilt. Also did a bit of hand piecing.
This week I'm playing catch-up--laundry, mail, e-mail, etc. Plus, my usual activities have started up again. And there are plenty more tomatoes and beans from the garden!
It's a good thing that my current projects are small ones because I'm only getting "scraps" of time to work on them! Hope you are getting in some stitching time! :)

Seeing Red

I'm not angry, just tired of tomatoes! Those 24 tomato plants that we planted in our garden are bearing more fruit than we can possibly use! On my kitchen counter are cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, Roma tomatoes and larger ones...Early Girl, I think. I couldn't wait for the taste of that first ripe home-grown tomato (and my first BLT), but now, enough is enough! I try to give them to everyone I come across, only to learn that A LOT of people grew tomatoes this year and they have plenty, too! We've been having lots of tacos and salads, and yesterday I finally froze some.
I have to keep reminding my husband that we don't use as much produce now as we did when the girls were living at home! Definitely something to remember for next year's garden! We don't need round ones AND oval ones AND pear-shaped ones!
I have noticed that before they start to shrivel up, the little "leaves" where the stem meets the tomato form a star. Hmm, wonder if there is a design idea here somewhere? I DO love red and green quilts. . .

Done!

I bound my niece's quilt over the weekend and just finished sewing the label on. It is complete! Now to box it up and mail it (along with some of her favorite snacks--granola bars and fruit snacks!). I heard that she is going through the typical homesickness, so this box might be just what she needs. I'll get it off to her this week.
I managed to complete all the projects I had scheduled for August. Last night I finished the applique on my red/green flower quilt. Now to decide on a quilting plan before it goes to my hand-quilter! That is always the difficult part for me...I'll just lay it out on the floor and study it for a few days. Something will come to mind!
Meanwhile, I'm on to several new projects! Hope you are too! :)