Progress Requires Change

There have been some significant changes in the last five months. The largest of these being that I have moved.

To New York City.

The country quilter is now in the big city! w00t.

This is primarily for a new job I have taken with an immigration firm in lower Manhattan. There are daily challenges and loads to learn so I am excited.

The sad part about living in NYC is the fact that I have had very little time to sit down and do any quilting. None, in fact, until this past Monday. The admin assistant to the attorney I work for his having a baby and I jumped at the idea of making her a baby blanket. She is having a little girl this December.

This was also an excellent opportunity to check out what the fabric world is like in this city. I think I'll take a tour of the quilting shops of Manhattan in a few weekends and really check things out. But to start myself out, I went to SoHo Purl on Broome St. off of Canal in (you guessed it) SoHo. They have beautiful fabric but nothing even close to what I would call cheap. White muslin was $7/yrd. If I were more of an artist and less of a casual quilter this place would be Mecca. Sadly, I can't afford to drop $80 for fabric that is just enough for a baby blanket. A pack 6 fat quarters was $46. I never thought I would say this, but I miss Joanne's. I might have to do some serious fabric shopping when I go home for Thanksgiving next month if this is what the majority of NYC fabric is like.

Anywho, pictures to follow of this white and pink creation.

Gotta Love New England

In the military they say "if you can't take a joke, you shouldn't have signed up". Well, if you hate snow, you shouldn't live in New England and this year really illustrates that. We got clobbered over Christmas and it just kept coming with a few days for a break here and there. Last week was my first full week of work in 2011 and is starting to look like the only thus far. We are due for +20" this week. Not even over the course of the week...over today and tomorrow!!!. As if single degree temps wasn't enough...

My car is under there...somewhere

But when I'm inside, warmed and cuddly with Tim or wrapped up in a fantastic quilt, it makes me really happy that I live in this part of the country and that I have a great hobby that helps keep me and others warm. I'm hoping that soon I will be able to start sharing this fabulous hobby with others! And what a great time to learn! It's sooooo cold outside and what is better than curling up on a snow day with your very own, hand made quilt with a cup of hot chocolate and a good book or movie? Nothing, I say!

Quilt Zombie Rises Again

The holidays where a great success! Everyone loved their quilts and it all turned out alright. Still need to get a picture of mom's finished quilt but I can do that next time I swing by I-Town. But with all those projects getting pumped out I was deserving of a break hence the leave of absence.

As I mentioned a few posts ago, I moved out of my dad's. The computer is down in the bottom floor of the house where it's very cold. Sadly, this is where my sewing machine is too so quilting and blogging are now very chill affairs being the middle of January in one of the snowiest seasons I can remember. Usually I'm all bundled up down here in fluffy bathrobe, blanket and my warmest jammies. But on the upside the cats keep me company. Or drive me crazy. Whatever they are feeling. 

Vacation in the islands was lovely. And in typical heebs fashion....I found quilting fabric. Hand dyed batiks! In a jelly roll! It was 20 bucks and totally worth it. I has since resulted in the following project. All the batiks cut out and alternated with a nice Caribbean blue batik I picked up at Joann's looks super super cool. The colors to fade from dark to light going left to right respectively. Can't really see it in this picture though. The problem was picking and choosing which strips to keep and which to chuck because the total amount of fabric would have been enough to cover a twin bed and a half length wise! Some got taken out and will be re purposed as a binding. It's been a nice way to break out of my hiatus. 

I found a really great channel on the YouTubes that shows tutorials of great filler stitches. I'm using her Poseidon Eye on the Caribbean Quilt. You can kinda see it in this picture. Swirilies!!!

I guess the real reason for this post is because a good friend of mine was pondering blog creation and I realized that I've been too lazy to post an update lately. Time to get off my bum and rock out!