Long time comin'

I began this quilt in May, writing my first blog post about it on the 17th. 

Today, September 26, the top is finished!

I don't have a whole lot to say about it, the process, or the result. 

I am simply so glad that it is done.

"As swiftly as the world is changing,
like racing clouds,
all that is finished
falls home to the ancient source."
                                Rilke

A little of this and a little of that...

Although I have been fairly absent from the blog world this month, I have continued to be very busy discovering news things all around me. I have just opened my home to an international student from Taiwan who arrived in the States on Friday. He will be with us until July. He is an absolute pleasure, and we are ALL very excited to share this year with him. Needless to say, the past four days have been overflowing with activity.

As you all know, I have recently begun this adventure of learning how to embroider. Sharon b of Pin Tangle offers a wonderful opportunity to both beginners and experienced stitchers. Take A Stitch Tuesday, commonly referred to as TAST, is a place where you can learn a new stitch every week. Although they are up to week 38, you can jump in at anytime. I decided to do what I could to begin this learning process, so I began a small sampler that uses the French Knot, Oyster Stitch, Buttonwheel Half-circle, Cast-on Stitch, and the Pistol Stitch. I began by brushing some color on a white-on-white fabric with PaintStiks....then began stitching. Sharon b also has a Work In Progress Wednesday...an opportunity for you to share a piece that you are currently working on. 

Another project I have recently become involved in is the Autumn Colors Sew Along. What is unique about this opportunity is that you are required to dye your own fabric, lace, and motif for a CQ block. You divide all these into three kits and send them to three people. When you receive your three kits, you stitch three CQ blocks and then send your completed work to three different people. So, when you are all done (whew!) you will receive three blocks that have each been made by two different people...one did the dying, and one did the stitching.  Fun, yes??

Now, I have never dyed fabric. Going into this, I had absolutely NO idea what I was doing....actually, I am still clueless. I started by dying four pieces of fabric. One of them is in the trash....not redeemable. The second was the wrong color for the autumn color scheme. I was left with two that I felt I could possibly work with, but I was really not happy with either of them.

The colors of the one above faded significantly when I washed it, so I got out my PaintStiks, thinking they would help add interest. The kits need to be sent out by October 1rst, so I have a week to keep experimenting.

The above piece was first tie-dyed. That was something I could do having done it with my children in the past, but, for me, it still wasn't enough...hence, the leaves!

Finally, I keep plugging away at the borders of the Millennium Compass quilt. I finished the top and bottom border last week, and sewed them on....tackled some of the tedious paper removal...and began working on the side borders.

Sides are now done, and the paper is removed from one strip. I did that while watching the first Lord of the Rings movie :) The end is finally in sight. By the end of this week, this quilt top will be done and ready to hang in the shop so we can begin the block-of-the-month on October 2nd. Just in time!

Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by!

Reflections...

I'm sitting on my porch with my Yorkie, Mr. Darcy, by my side thinking about these past eight months and this blog. Two-thirds of the year have passed. My profile says that I have been a blogger since 2005. I did start "Spilling Energy" back then but only for a very short while, and it had nothing to do with quilting. It sat fallow for six years. This blog was started the last day of December 2011. By definition, I am totally a newbie.

My original intent was to reach a personal goal. I needed some motivating force to help me finish the myriad of projects that sit unfinished in my closet, in drawers, and on my shelves. I believed that blogging about my progress would do the trick. Here I am with more unfinished projects than I started with. Now, if I was so inclined, I could consider this a failure. However, I am choosing to put a different spin on it.

I am having so much fun! 

I'm meeting people, making new friends, learning new things, and writing about it here. What more do I really want? Do I care about the number of followers or daily views? No. Do I really care about all those projects that I have yet to complete? No. My children can have a blast discovering, when I'm gone, all the things I set my hands to. It really matters little that some of them will remain unfinished. Every cut and every stitch was the beginning of something new, and I love new beginnings.

This month, for my block swap, I was asked to make a log cabin block in creams and purples. Well, everyone knows that my favorite color is purple, and who doesn't love the versatility of that pattern. So I made one for my partner and six for myself . Ok, so maybe that's the beginning of yet another unfinished project, but I couldn't help it. When you're making one, it's not a big step to make seven.

Now that the body of the Millennium Compass quilt is done, it was time to tackle the final border. So, there are sixteen colors I used for the rainbow spread, twenty-two pieces needed for each, which, when you do the math comes out to 352 pieces. Then add to that the background pieces...well, just saying, it was a lot of cutting!

Then it was time to organize each set on the appropriate template in the right order. Must admit that I didn't get it right the first time.

Two sets done and two to go. Corner blocks next. Then on the quilt they go.

Have a wonderful weekend and have fun!