Thursday, July 30, 2009

You’ve got a friend

Friendship_award
It’s a funny thing about blogland….you meet the nicest people you’ll probably never meet.  I have been blogging just about a year now, starting at another blogsite before I came to blogger.  During that year, I have come to know lots of fellow quilt bloggers whom I would love to call my friends, even though we have never met. They have opened their cyber doors and welcomed me in, and I feel like we have shared a lot more than quilting.
One such blogger friend is Molly, at Caplady .  She is happy to share loudly in your delight when you have good news, but also quick to quietly provide encouragement when you have a problem.  She is a gem among the quilt bloggers I know, and  I’m not the only one who thinks so.
Molly recently included me among the people she awarded with a cyber friendship award.  I am happy to be mentioned, and I would surely include her name in a list of friendship awards of my own.
It would be hard to name only 8 people to pass this award on to, especially since many of them are also on Molly’s list too.  Let me just end by saying that I am happy to be a part of this quilt-blogging circle, and I hope to be back to posting more often.
In the meantime, here’s a glimpse of the little guy who needs constant monitoring or he gets into trouble.
irresistable

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Quilting vs. the dog

I haven’t done a bit of stitching in the past month, but I have had a lot of time to think about how much owning a dog is like making a quilt.  Here’s a few thoughts I have on the subject:

     Quiltmaker        Dog Lover
Social outlet Quilters socialize with other quilters at guilds, classes and each other’s homes. A dog is a great opening for a conversation with someone new.
Room for growth Each quilt provides new challenges and adds to your body of experience Every day my dog teaches me something new, and I marvel at how much he has learned.
Therapy The act of quiltmaking  soothes the mind. Wrapping up in a finished quilt warms the soul. Petting a dog gives me a sense of calm, in fact, studies show that it lowers your blood pressure.
Repetitive motion Needle in,
Needle out.
Let the dog in,
Let the dog out.   ;-)
Retail therapy shopping at quilt stores shopping at PetCo
Classes quilt classes to learn new techniques Dog classes to learn manners,  obedience or service
Mental stimulation Looking at quilts and trying to figure out block patterns and techniques Looking at my dog and trying to figure out what he’s trying to tell me
Tactile satisfaction smooth, soft cotton soft, velvety fur

$$$ fabric, tools, gadgets, batting all add up quickly crate, bedding,  food, toys and vet bills all add up quickly
Special interest items quilt magazines, quilt shows, quilt TV programs Dog magazines, dog shows, dog TV shows
Return on your investment Priceless! Priceless!
F is for Fetch Toby absolutely LOVES to play “Fetch”!

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Actual quilt related content:

A certain puppy who has recently joined our family has required most of my attention, and I’m betting that if I did bring out a quilting project, he would feel compelled to grab the nearest fabric piece and run off with it like treasure.  I’ve seen the kind of mass destruction Toby can do to a piece of fabric, and if you have any doubts, I can show you the remains of an old T-shirt that he has “played” with.

However, what I’d like to show you instead, is a selection of black, white and red fabrics that I am planning on making into a tote bag. 

red white and black As you can see, it will be mostly black and white with just a little red thrown in for fun.  For some reason, I recently added one more red fabric to this collection:

red paws

I’m not sure when I will actually get around to cutting and sewing fabric.  For now, I’ve been getting my quilting fix by reading quilt magazines borrowed from the library, although I have been known to borrow a few issues of “Dog Fancy” as well. 

Toby and I spend a lot of “quality time” penned up in my kitchen.  He sometimes allows me to read a few magazine pages between playing Fetch, giving belly rubs and taking trips to “Go outside”.

I’m not sure who is training whom?