In the Willawags

2011-11-10T19:45:00.000-08:00

Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2012

Hey Crazy Quilters, This project led by Kathy Shaw is similar to the Quilt Journal Pages and Bead Journal projects except it will involve crazy quilt blocks of at least 6 inches square! They can be larger, but not smaller and they can be shapes other than square, such as rectangular. Please read the website for the rules. The website is http://www.cqjp.org/ Project must be started in November. This is a good way to rev up your cq engines!!!

Participants should submit their registration information via email to Chairperson@cqjp.org to become a participant in the Project. Spread the word!! Let's flood the world with new crazy quilts!!

My "Boho" Attempt

2011-10-18T19:44:00.000-07:00

I have been following a couple of my internet friends who make these really awesome boho bags. I have a lot of upholstery remnants and scraps of trim so I decided to give it a shot. Incidently, my friend Stacy and I took a quick visit to Calico Corners ( a home dec fabric store) and low and behold they had all these scraps for a dollar a bag. There is exactly 3 dollars worth of trim on this purse and the fabric is a large remnant that was given to me by a decorator whose store was leaked upon by the 2004 hurricanes here in Florida. The fabric was fine but he couldn't sell it if it was wet at all so he just had me back my car up filled up the hatchback. The doilies are from my stash.. I pick them up here and there. Even the lining is a decorator remnant. The rose from from an estate sale. I want to make more of these. This one will go to an auction for a breast cancer fund raiser.

Totes for Auction

2011-07-18T23:02:00.000-07:00

I made these bags for a scholarship auction for a conference I will be attending. One is made of a new pair of jeans and the other is knitted with a variety of yarns from my stash. The jeans tote is lined with the same fabric as in the "sash" and the knot tote is lined with stretch velvet ( stabilised with fusible woven interfacing. )

My CQ Challenge Project-Needlebook

2011-06-30T22:18:00.000-07:00

I issued a challenge to the lists for an item swap. The deadline was April 15th so I am a bit late. I made this at the O'Fallon, Ill retreat which was planned by Maryanne Griffin.

Blast from the Past

2011-04-24T06:19:00.000-07:00

I don't have many photos of things I made in the past but these are four of my daughter's prom (and other) gowns that I made. I had to cut out the photos of the dudes because she is now married. LOL! The blue and silver one was her Senior Prom in 1999. You know they played the Prince song right? Their colors were Silver and Midnight Blue. I had bought about three gorgeous gowns during the summer for her dances... but noooooooo.. it was the "tradition" for Mommy to make all the dresses! The Black and White one was Junior Prom and the Gold brocade was the guy's senior prom. The blue and silver one.. It is gold lame with a lace overlay.. all discount fabric meaning the dress COULD have been under $30..HOWEVER the trim around the top and bottom was hand beaded with bugle beads... try as I might.. it was the only one that really looked great... cost of 5 yards of trim? $120.00 worth of bling. The pink one was for homecoming one year (I think) . That might have been the last pink thing she wore. She is kind of an athletic, organic gardening archeologist digging in dirt and swampy marsh type sweetie. :o) Too bad I don't have any photos of my son in the "jams" I made for him when those were in style... remember those? He is probably happy I don't have any.... but hmmmm... maybe I do....

Daughter's CrazyQuilt Adventure

2011-04-11T09:40:00.000-07:00

Here is the nearly finished block cropped. My daughter worked on this Satureday and Sunday and raided my stash combined with some of her own that she had left from when I taught her several years ago. She doesn't have much time to do this but she wanted to make this gift for a friend.

2011-04-11T08:18:00.000-07:00

My daughter came over this weekend to make a scrapbook cover for a friend who is having a baby (are we in the middle of another baby boom? Here are some photos of her work. She didn't quite finish but she is well on the way.

A Little Gift for Friend

2011-03-09T13:28:00.000-08:00

Who would have thought making art bras would be such fun! Since 2004 I was involved with an artbra project with the Way to Women's Wellness, founded by Vickie Brown of Ribbonsmyth.com. The idea was hatched on a trip to France for Sophie Gelfi's CrazyQuilt Festival and soooo many trips, events and actitivities followed surrounded by those bras. It was a worthy cause to raise money for research and a guilty pleasure for having my art displayed in calendars, galleries, hospitals, and finally at the Houston Quilt Show. I made this little post card as a memory for Vickie, who had one little idea that turned in a massive amount of fun and satisfaction.

Guild Crazy Quilt finished.

2011-01-22T05:39:00.000-08:00

I stalked this fabric at Joann's until they had it for 40% off. I have enough left to play with for something else. The picture doesn't do it justice.. it is pretty stunning. It is in the Home Dec Section. I thought it would blend with the front but be a nice contrast and the embroidery matches the green in the binding and borders. I also stalled the dupioni silk that is embroidered with butterflies and them embellished with sequins and beads. It was at the Sewing Studio and on New Years day they always have a sale that is 40% off the total purchase. So potentially both the border and the backing on this quilt could have totaled $200. So you can see why crazies can be so pricey if you use new fabrics. The blocks are constructed of some new and some old fabrics. I made kits for the class and then they bought fabric to add. The use of the kits made all the blocks coordinate but they are also different. Some class participants used the pre-printed Benartex blocks I provided and a few did it the free wheeling way. If they were having trouble I told them to just think of a wonky log cabin and that did the trick. There were a couple who actually dabble in crazy or have done them before. They just came out to hang out and stitch and kvetch.
The Block Makers

Some of the blocks closeup

2011-01-21T19:53:00.000-08:00

Closeups-Pansy Quilt

2011-01-21T16:57:00.000-08:00

Progress on Pansy Crazy

2011-01-19T22:59:00.001-08:00

I posted sometime earlier the blocks from my guild crazy quilt. The blocks were done by several members. Some were embellished and some were not.. I embellished the unadorned ones and ad
ded some to a few of the others so they look more like a part of the whole.

Here it is with the borders added. The purple border is moire taffeta and the green border is an embroidered dupioni silk. The color doesn't show up very well here.

I made something-but it's not crazy!

2010-12-19T18:39:00.000-08:00

This is a "Gratitude" Message Board for my office. I have seen this made several different ways so I sort of combined all the instructions I have run across to make my own. We just got a new Hobby Lobby which was very exciting. Before this the closest one was in Ocala. I actually used to only get to go when I would travel to Omaha for the Annual Crazy Quilt Conference/Retreat in Omaha. Then it came to Ocala so I could go when I went to visit my daughter. Now I have one 5 minutes away. Joann's and Michael's is close by also so it is creative artist Nirvana when you need a quick fix.

Florida Cabin Fever Crazy Quilt

2010-11-28T18:37:00.000-08:00

These blocks were contributed by members of my traditional quilt guild after taking a class I did for one of our "Fun Nights. Some of the blocks weren't embellished so I added the crazy touch which was part of the deal. I am just happy so many guild members wanted to participate. The blocks are a combination of hand and machine stitching. it all goes together surprisingly well. The color is a little off but it is really pretty. I did give them kits and tell them to add their own fabrics. This quilt will be the "consolation" or second prize after the Donation Quilt is won.

What I did over my Thanksgiving Holiday!

2010-11-27T20:53:00.000-08:00

I used my limited jewelry making skills to teach my daughter to make jewelry. She is a fast study, huh? She made all except for the black necklace with the wire wrapped beads and the cinnabar earrings. I made those to show her how. She made all the rest.

Pfaff without a head :o(

2010-10-31T20:07:00.000-07:00

I was given this treadle base before I started collecting treadles. My packrattedness would not let me get rid of it. I am looking for a machine that fits. :o) I will get one of my "Onion" friends to help. Onions are natives of the revered and ancient kingdom of Treadleonia dontcha know?

The Old Razzle Dazzle

2010-10-05T20:52:00.000-07:00

This is my latest bra which is traveling to Vicki Brown for the Houston Quilt Show. I saw this fabric and it reminded me of the song "All that Jazz" of Bob Fosse fame. I love the style of dance in his shows and the words in the song "Give 'em the old Razzle Dazzle" which is sort of my anthem for life. :o) It is very much more blingy than the photo can show. It was a lot of fun to put together. I actually "built" it while shopping and it came together exactly as I visualised. It is a bit simpler than the others I have created because it doesn't need much help! Thanks to Vickie Brown and Ribbonsmyth.com for all the years of this fun project with a cause. You made This crazy idea seven years ago has made Art Bras a sensation across the country and has spurred many fundraising and education efforts around breast cancer prevention and research.

Penncraft Swing and Sew-Toga Acquisition

2010-10-03T18:37:00.000-07:00

This machine was made by JC Penneys and is a clone of a machine called the Elna Lotus. The Penney's version is a Japanese Clone. The machine sews very well. I got it at the 2010 Florida Treadleon Gathering and Academy, otherwise known as a TOGA. I belong to a group that collects and uses people powered sewing machines ( Treadles and Handcranks). However, the occasional vintage electric machine does catch one's fancy. Isn't this machine just plain fun???

Labor Day "Labor"

2010-09-12T09:03:00.000-07:00

I spent last weekend at my friend Mary Lou's house. She is a beader so I took my beads and she taught me how to finish off a necklace. We had a blast.

The dragonfly bracelet is made from Beads my daughter Nicole( otherwise known as Noodle) got me for Christmas. The purple crystal one is for her just for the fun of it and the glass turtle is for her also. She is in Anthropology/Archeology and she often has to identify small bones such as fish and turtle. She also loves turtles and has a tortoise named Turtle Sam.

Hope is the Thing with Feathers... A New Bra

2010-08-08T07:50:00.000-07:00

Whole bra

When contemplating a new bra for the next Way to Womens' Wellness exhibit, I thought of the Emily Dickinson poem, "Hope is the Thing with Feathers" and started to work on it. But then I was shopping for something else in the crafty section of Joann's and ran across these colorful feathers (which I already had at home by the way). I had already had begun another idea based on this theme but when I saw these feathers, I had another thought. The first concept involved very light, fairy-like colors with translucent, ethereal fabrics. But when I thought about it, if you are in a fight for your life or if you are a researcher working on a cure for cancer, hope is charged with fire, energy and color and takes on a different persona of determination and drive. This bra symbolized the fiery, energize side of hope.

My Latest Bra-Black Beauty

2010-07-02T09:04:00.000-07:00

This bra depicts the journey of black women through times history in America where they were considered to be either not attractive, or to be "second-class" beauties that did not meet the white "ideal". Black women bought bleaching creams, tried to hide their full lips and africanized features. As time moved on, with the advent of the civil rights movement and campaigns such as "Black is Beautiful" and song like "I'm Black and I'm Proud", black women began to celebrate their unique aesthetic and soon the media began to (somewhat) embrace their beauty. This bra is a tribute to black beauty across the ages and encourages all women to realize their beauty and not try to fit into someone else's ideal. It was fun (and cathartic) to work on it. The bra is black velvet embosses with gold and embellished with photos printed on fabric, charms, trims, silk flowers, fringe. The charms are implements of grooming, such as combs and mirrors.

Looking for the perfect lighing....

2010-06-13T09:34:00.000-07:00

As my eyes take on their aging journey I am alway searching for the perfect lighting. This one came from Lowe's and is a task light that you can use outside. I like it next to the couch for stitching. Well, I think I will... when I try it out.

Sew Much Fun Meetups-May

2010-05-16T07:35:00.000-07:00

I started a sewing group on meetup.com a couple of years ago. It took a while to get started but now we have a great core group of creative ladies who do everything from sewing, to knitting to crochet, beading etc. Mostly we just have to sit and create together. This is what we worked on this weekend.

My artbra progress above. Peggy's doing redwork.

Chi is beading and Heather is doing crosstitch making little birthday cards.

Peggy and Heather.

I started a group on http://www.meetup.com/ to initiate a sewing sisterhood. We have had 22 meetups. There are some regulars who have emerged. Here are some photos of our meetup yesterday.

Stacy and Chi

Blast from the Past-Boye Needle Case

2010-03-10T19:11:00.000-08:00

No, this is not mine, but I was trolling through old photos and found this one from a TOGA
(Treadleon Gathering and Academy) which is a gathering of treadle sewing machine enthusiasts and collectors. I remember seeing one of these goodies many years ago at the Hardware Store in Daytona Beach where I grew up. It would contain the shuttles, bobbins and needles from a variety of sewing machines. Some of the Treadle "onions" own these. It is on my wish list... so if you have one in your basement.. ring me up.... with a little somethin' somethin.....

My finished block....Finally!

2010-02-15T18:58:00.000-08:00

Breast Cancer Block-Glad Press and Seal

2010-02-14T18:46:00.000-08:00

I used the Glad Press and Seal to trace one of the seam treatments and then placed it on the block to stitch through. It works well but not easy to get off. :o)Used hemostats. I do the same thing with tracing paper and quilter's tape. Tracing paper is a little easier to get off. I just wanted to show what the technique looks like on my blog. I added little flowers and beads for a more finished look to the seam treatment.

Progress on Breast Cancer Block

2010-02-14T18:19:00.000-08:00

My fan block-unembellished

2010-01-24T15:55:00.000-08:00

Not so pretty now.. which will be my challenge!

New "Toy"..Eldredge Chain Stitcher

2010-01-24T10:17:00.000-08:00

I got this little toy (not as light as it looks) courtesy of my friend Lindalu from my treadling friends I(affectionately knowns as Onions because we are from Treadleonia). Treadling is fun and very "zen" and most fun of all is you can sew if the power is out. Even at night if you invest in those camping "headlights" and a lantern.

A cool metal tree sculpture

2010-01-14T21:03:00.000-08:00

I love this tree. It is at a metalwork place that I discovered going a back way to work to avoid the longest light in town! I just think it is way cool. I have been carrying my camera to try to get the photo and of course for the longest time when I had the camera the tree was not outside. So the stars finally lined up and it was there this morning. I think it is inspirational.

Baba Blanket

2010-01-13T05:45:00.000-08:00

Recently I was going to New Orleans for a meeting, and was told about this little shop called Baba Blanket where the items for sale are all handmade items from women's collectives in Africa (mostly Ghana) and South America. I took a 13 block jaunt (well for about 6 blocks then I sorta wobbled) to the store (with an interim stop at Popeye's Fried Chicken, hey I can't resist). I got some great batiks at the urging of my friend and fellow sewing sistah D'adjoa. Really great fabrics. The beautiful lady that runs the store and actually founded the group is D. Aminata Brown. You can check out the website at www.babablanket.com. Beautiful baskets, duvet covers, dining room decor, jewelry, some childrens clothing... etc, etc, etc!

Bead Bounty

2009-11-17T15:16:00.000-08:00

I went to the International Quilt Festival in West Palm Beach this Sunday and astonishly enough. I did not buy one piece of fabric. I bought these! I love the little kitty cats and the froggies sitting on the beads are primo. I have run into this vendor at several shows and her prices are really good. So I buy stuff! Nuff said!

Braz Cauz in Florida

2009-10-26T05:19:00.000-07:00

I have participated in Vickie Brown's Way to Women's Wellness Art Bra activities since 2004 and continue to enjoy working with that group. It has been a great joy to do so and raise funds to support women with breast cancer in several different ways. Recently, a local call for bra art was in a local newspaper and a friend brought it to me. Of course I couldn't resist. Two survivors created an event in cooperation with a local hospital Fish Memorial in Debary, FL called Braz Cauz. This was the first year for the event. They plan to repeat it next year. I posted the bra I designed earlier in this blog called Waves of Hope. It was designed using Laurel Burch's Mermaid Dreams fabric. They had several events and I was able to make it to the Artist's Reception. My bra was also on display in a local mall for a month or so which was fun. The photo is all the "stuff" they gave us at the event. A pink boa, the program, a special name tag, and a carnation, along with a ribbon designating what prize your bra won. Each bra got a designation. Mine was "Most Healing Art". As a nurse, I thought that was kind of serendipitously cool. It has been a while since I had time to post. Meeting and conferences rule during this time of the year for me. One small conference to go and then I might be able to come up for air for a little bit. But I am grateful for my busy life. God is good. I will re-post a photo of the bra here for those who might have missed it the first time.

2009-09-03T21:40:00.000-07:00

Check out the flickr site for info on a new bra calendar!http://www.flickr.com/photos/wtwwartbra

Sunrise on Daytona Beach

2009-08-25T21:21:00.001-07:00

I was on the beach this past weekend and since my brain would not let me sleep in, I took a few photos.

Another bra completed-Waves of Hope

2009-08-17T08:42:00.000-07:00

Finally finished.. completed in one weekend although I could do several more things to it, I have to turn it in today so I am calling it done. It was fun.. I love ocean themed things( even though I never learned to swim). And yes I as born in Florida in Daytona BEACH, but that's a story for another time. I love making these bras.. and specially since they are always for a good cause. While this one is not for a Vickie Brown project, I credit her with getting this whole craze going back in 2004 with the original calendar.

Left and right cups-Close up

2009-08-17T07:57:00.000-07:00

Waves of Hope

2009-08-16T21:44:00.000-07:00

This is a bra for a local exhibit.Been awhile since I made one.. still fun.

One more step

2009-08-15T16:40:00.000-07:00

What do you think it is going to be...? :o)

What will this pile o fabric become?

2009-08-14T21:08:00.001-07:00

These are some items in a project I am working on now... follow along to see what transpires....Deadline is Monday.. will I make it? Time with tell....

Progress

2009-08-14T21:05:00.000-07:00

Hmmmmm.....follow along to see what this becomes....

Colourful quilt.. my start

2009-07-26T22:34:00.001-07:00

Colourful quilt.. my start
Originally uploaded by WillaNurse

This is my start on a quilt by Dutch pattern designer Jacqueline DeJhong. I did this at a retreat with the Florida Cabin Fever Quilt Guild the guild I belong to. This is my sane attempt at an INSANE quilt. :oP

Blast from the Past

2009-07-23T21:16:00.000-07:00

There is a yahoo group where we had several rounds of exchanging baggies of fabric and embellishments. Each person made whatever they wanted to and the item was returned to the owner of the fabric baggie. This was made for Toni Engle by Judy Lutt. It's the perfect thing for your scissors and other tools...

A Little More Work on my CQ Retreat Project

2009-07-21T20:57:00.001-07:00

Added a dragonfly with tiny pearl beads on the wings and some flowers an a few more stitches.

The Block( Crazy Quilt Retreat)

2009-07-15T10:26:00.000-07:00

This is the entire block from Lisa Caryl's Springtime in Paris class at the CrazyQuilt Retreat. The kit was assembled to be a covered box. I may do something different with it. I still have a bit of work to do on it.

My projects (in progress) from the Crazyquilt Retreat

2009-07-15T10:18:00.000-07:00

I took two classes from Lisa Caryl at the Crazyquilt Retreat and it was a blast. She provided out of this world kits and is a patient and creative teacher, who shares resources and information freely. While she provides the kit and the design, she encourages you to do your own thing making her sessions fun and relaxing. These are my two projects from her class...

My "make do" design wall

2009-06-29T22:20:00.000-07:00

Thisis made from the giant box that my futon just came in. I glue a layer of batting to two layers of the cardboard. The covered it with gray felt. Still going to back it with foam core to make it more sturdy.

Finished the Breast Cancer Block

2009-06-21T11:53:00.000-07:00

I didn't do much else to it but the little added roses and the oya's made it feel finished! So another one bites the dust! I love it when a plan comes together! *Hannibal of the A-Team.

My "butt ugly" crazy quilt blocks

2009-06-07T08:24:00.000-07:00

Several years ago, there was a quilt shop in Daytona Beach called Pelican Quiltworks. I used to attend Saturday Sew In's there. We would pay $15 an get dessert and a massage (if you were so inclined). I really hit it off with the massage therapist and she loved crazy quilts. She had acquired 26 old crazyquilt blocks from an estate sale and she gave them to me. Some of them are quilte unattractive to my eyes, but I love them all the same. These are all the blocks lined up and some close-ups follow. Some of these include the backs of the blocks. Enjoy!

More blocks(with backs)

2009-06-07T08:18:00.000-07:00

This one has a curved seam.

More blocks

2009-06-07T07:40:00.000-07:00

Breast Cancer Block

2009-05-14T05:11:00.000-07:00

This is a block I am currently working on. It needs something else and I am waiting for the inspiration. I also need to do a little frog stitching and re-doing on it..and some additonal beading. It is for a breast cancer quilt that a group of ladies are working on.

My First Post Ever

2009-04-21T16:23:00.000-07:00

Long time ago in a land far far away, I discovered the Quiltropolis Crazy Quilt List and the Eboards. After lurking for awhile, I made a project from an inspiration from one of those crafty decor shows.. I remembered! It was Lynette Jennings! (My memory is so wierd these days.) She retired from TV in 2002 but she did this frame in a frame thing with fabric and photos so I translated it to crazyquilting and posted it on my eboard. I loved it so much. I donated it to a scholarship auction, but I have the photo.. here is my blast from the past....

Ricky Timms Seminar

2009-03-27T21:03:00.001-07:00

Deann Worthington and I are attending a Ricky Timms Seminar in Ocala. It is an interesting concept. No sewing, just watching presentations and demonstrations on screen. It is really wonderful.. many more tips than can fit in your head. A great notebook to keep to boot. The room is packed. There are long breaks after the sessions and a quilt show of Alex Anderson and Libby Lehman's work as well as Ricky's.They are all teaching as a part of the seminar. Ricky also performed as a part of the seminar. Here is a photo of Deann and I with Alex.

Very Cool AfricanBorder Print

2009-02-22T15:10:00.000-08:00

This is a great border print I found at a quilt show. I have to think hard about how to use it!

Starting the process

2009-02-22T12:22:00.000-08:00

I really did not have a plan for the jars other than to put in stuff that I am always digging for. So as I go through the drawers I think a plan is emerging. I have put stamps, trims, gold threads(my fave to use), packaged embellishments, beads on a string, ribbons, etc... we will see how that goes...

See-through Storage

2009-02-16T21:48:00.000-08:00

I got these two different kinds of jars from Ikea to store stuff so I can see it. Not an original idea but I think it will work. The jars on top can sit upright or on the side like i have them.

Eye Candy Flashback

2009-02-14T16:29:00.001-08:00

This pillow was made by Kim Snover the Crazy Mountain Girl, for the It's my Bag Swap a couple of year ago. We have done about 4 rounds of this swap where you put together a giant squishie of fabrics and embellishments and send to the Hostess who swaps them out. You many something of your choice that goes back tothe original baggie owner. I sent a fat purple baggie to Kim and she also added some of her own goodies to create this eye popping purple pillow.

My favorite things

2009-02-01T20:07:00.000-08:00

When I was fairly new at sewing, Mamma bought me a machine so I could make my school clothes, and then while I was at the Singer place, I saw this little expanding sewing cabinet called a Syskrin. I looked longingly at it so my mamma put it on layaway for me. I was so excited to get it. I had the thing for about 35 years before it finally bit the dust. Well,I was at my quilt show this past weekend and one of the vendors had one. Well, I had to have it! Wanna see it? Here it is !!!

Ocean Quilt Almost Done!

2009-01-18T21:12:00.000-08:00

This is the Ocean Quilt with backing, border and binding! I have a few little things to do but it is almost done!

Coqui

2009-01-13T20:23:00.001-08:00

Coqui
Originally uploaded by WillaNurse

The tiny gray thing is the tiny beloved Puerto Rican frog that sings sort of like a bird.

Falls, water, rocks

2009-01-13T20:21:00.001-08:00

Falls, water, rocks
Originally uploaded by WillaNurse

Different plants..

2009-01-13T20:19:00.001-08:00

Different plants..
Originally uploaded by WillaNurse

Great arrangement of plants

2009-01-13T20:17:00.001-08:00

Great arrangement of plants
Originally uploaded by WillaNurse

Impatiens

2009-01-13T20:16:00.003-08:00

Impatiens
Originally uploaded by WillaNurse

Impatiens

2009-01-13T20:16:00.001-08:00

Impatiens
Originally uploaded by WillaNurse

Itchy leaf

2009-01-13T20:15:00.001-08:00

Itchy leaf
Originally uploaded by WillaNurse

We were told not to touch this plant!

Old San Juan Street

2009-01-13T20:13:00.003-08:00

Old San Juan Street
Originally uploaded by WillaNurse

Orange Flower on plant

2009-01-13T20:13:00.001-08:00

Orange Flower on plant
Originally uploaded by WillaNurse

Really exotic looking orange flower.

People on the Falls

2009-01-13T20:12:00.001-08:00

People on falls
Originally uploaded by WillaNurse

Tourists posing on the falls...

Snails on trees

2009-01-13T20:10:00.001-08:00

snails on trees
Originally uploaded by WillaNurse

A different kind of snail. A lot of life in the rain forest!

Snail on fern

2009-01-13T20:08:00.001-08:00

Snail on fern
Originally uploaded by WillaNurse

Very cool snail.

Meeting in Puerto Rico

2009-01-13T19:47:00.000-08:00

Last week I attended a meeting in Puerto Rico. They provided us some time for sightseeing. I chose a tour that included Castillo de San Cristobel, The Capitol, Old San Juan and on another day El Yunque, the Carribean Rain Forest. The statued below is St. John the Baptist. And then the Capitol followed by some photos in the gorgeous Rain Forest.

Quilt Construction

2008-11-30T19:10:00.000-08:00

Blocks sewn together with border added. Progress!

Updated Center Block

2008-11-29T20:26:00.000-08:00

Not fiber Related..

2008-11-24T17:25:00.000-08:00

But kind of mermaid related. I took my daughter as guest on a business meeting where they had the opportunity to swim with the manatees. They are very friendly creatures who love to play with humans. My daughter is a friend human who loves just about all living creatures, so she really loved this activity. I loved taking the photos... tee hee! I like manatees but I am not loving the water. Besides, it was cold...yep it does get cold in Florida.

A little more progress...

2008-11-18T17:28:00.000-08:00

I added some more "stuff" to the center block.

The Center Block

2008-11-17T04:22:00.000-08:00

I pieced this block using Martha Greens' Carny Roadside Attraction method of crazy piecing. The funny story is that I have been sort of procrastinating getting started on it but it was calling to me. So I took the stuff everywhere I went. So when I went to pull out the fabrics to start, I had all these "chunks" that I had already pieced BY HAND. I must have been somewhere without a machine and just decided to start piecing. I have no memory of doing it.. well a faint memory because they are sewn together with silamide. Sometimes this memory stuff scares me as I can still clearly remember walking into my first grade class and sitting next to a girl who shall remain nameless who looked at me and said, "
"You think you are cute, but you're not!" But I cannot remember piecing these fabrics. Nevertheless, there were in the bag so I started piecing using both machine and then laying them down and pinning them following the natural curve in some of the pieces. I thought some curves would add movement and an 'oceany' feel. I added these mermaids from a fabric I have nurtured for several years. I used them in some journal quilts a few years ago and then tucked them away in the stash. Occasionally, they swim to the surface and jump onto a project The only thing I wish was different about them is that some were turned in other directions. And it wouldn't hurt to have some ethnic diversity among them. There must be some brunette, redhead, or dreadlocked/afro-wearin' mermaids somewhere in the world!?!?!?!?!? (insert smiley face here)

The Whole Quilt Laid Out

2008-11-17T04:18:00.001-08:00

Piecing finished

2008-11-16T21:40:00.000-08:00

Pieced and appliqued ready for embellishing.

More Progress

2008-11-16T21:38:00.000-08:00

Here is the partially sewn and pinned block.

Guild Crazy Quilt

2008-11-16T21:29:00.000-08:00

I have been working on assembling a crazyquilt made from blocks donated by members of the Florida Cabin Fever Quilt Guild in Orlando. The quilt will be a second prize for our January quilt show. Members of the guild made 20 blocks for this quilt. I taught two "fun nights" on crazy quilting. One on embellishing and one on piecing. Here is the progress on the center block. I posted the individual blocks in and earlier post.

What's a Toga?

2008-11-16T15:55:00.000-08:00

I belong to a group called Treadleon which is a quiltropolis group. They collect, repair, rescue and restore antique treadle machines and handcranks. And the best thing is we sew with them. People that belong to the the group are a part of the community "Treadleonia" and they are called 'Onions'. As you can see we have fun with this obsession. The gatherings, which occur in many states across the country are called Togas which stands for Treadle On Gathering and Academy. These consist of show and tell, cameraderie, eating (of course) and buying, selling and trading of all things treadles! This includes, parts, cabinets, accessories, books, WHATEVER! Last weekend (Nov 8) the Lynn in Gainesville hosted the 2008 Florida Toga. I took along my friend d'Adjoa who HAD to have a treadle after spending the weekend with me after the Jacksonville QuiltFelt and seeing mine. We made blocks to trade on my Singer 99 Handcrank and it was off to the races. Pictures of the festivities follow:

Raylinda the Lion

2008-10-25T12:12:00.000-07:00

This is Raylinda.. a piece of fiberart created by my friend Linda Smith formerly of Melbourne, FL. Now of Chattanooga ( I like to say Chatty Nooga) Tennessee. She made this for me a while ago but finished it up. So I named it after her and her DH and (BFF) Raymond. I went to visit them recently and picked it up!

Guild Crazy Quilt

2008-10-13T18:19:00.000-07:00

I taught two crazy quilt classes during one of my guilds "Fun Nights". One night I taught piecing and embellishments for the other. I then invited guild members to create blocks for a crazy quilt to be raffled off at the Quilt Show as a consolation prize for the Donation Quilt. These are the blocks I received. They were made by Kate Elliott, Bonnie Griffiths, Tami Folks, Betty Poteet, Barbara Liddick, Carolyn Robinette, and Trish Bowman. I will be making the center block and a signature block as well. Our guild show is in January 2009 in Orlando.

Some of them used hand embellishment and some used machine. They all blend well together.

The Almost Finished ORANGE Purse

2008-10-04T21:51:00.000-07:00

I pieced this awhile ago and blogged it. It is now almost done.. a little handwork left to do! This was a baggie swap that was coordinated by Mona Berning. The bag belongs to Toni Engle.

Three More Blocks

2008-09-13T21:13:00.001-07:00

Antique Crazy Quilt

2008-09-13T21:03:00.000-07:00

I haven't had a chance to do too much stitching but I have an antique crazy I have never taken the time to photograph. So I will share that with you a little bit at a time. I bought this on eBay several years ago. I sometimes look at this quilt when I need stitching ideas.

Left upper corner block...

Tropical Storm Fay

2008-08-22T14:50:00.000-07:00

These are pictures of my back yard, the rain is still falling! No that animal is not a GATOR! Although we are rumored to have some in this state. I am mostly familiar with the Orange and Blue Variety!

The Pseudo Gardener

2008-08-17T20:13:00.000-07:00

My mom has a green thumb and our yard was always an "urban jungle", so when I rented this house, I thought I would try and grow stuff since I have a yard. Below is the house before I moved in. Then the plants I put in so far are pictured.

I don't know what the purple plant is but I love the color!
These are some small plants I bought at IKEA. Some succulents and a few other cool looking things.
More of the purple plant and my little gazing ball and another neat plant from IKEA. These leaves are a gorgeous color. I got these from Target.

These were taken at night so not the best photo. But I will take another in the daylight. The frilly plant is from Target also.

Guild Brown Bag Challenge

2008-08-05T18:29:00.001-07:00

This year our guild hosted a Brown Bag Challenge where each participant got a bag of fabric that was supposed to be the components of a sandwich(bread, tomato-etc) This was to be the color of the food. You could then make a quilt of your choosing. No rulz except that it had to be 30 inches square. This is my offering!

The whole quilt
Originally uploaded by WillaNurse

It will be displayed at our Guild show in January of 2008. Just a bit of whimsy!

Zebra and friends drinking

2008-08-05T18:28:00.001-07:00

Zebra and friends drinking
Originally uploaded by WillaNurse

See the little Gator? Gooooo Gators!

Top Left Corner

2008-08-05T18:27:00.001-07:00

Top Left Corner
Originally uploaded by WillaNurse

I'm from Florida.. gotta have the sun!

Butterflies in the sky

2008-08-05T18:26:00.003-07:00

Butterflies in the sky
Originally uploaded by WillaNurse

I love butterflies and I use em whenever I can.. I'm just sure they are everywhere!

A Tree

2008-08-05T18:26:00.001-07:00

A Tree
Originally uploaded by WillaNurse

Vickie Brown of Ribbonsmyth taught this tree at a class for our Florida Seaside Sttchers. It is one of my favorite embellishments ever!

Another tree

2008-08-05T18:25:00.001-07:00

Another tree
Originally uploaded by WillaNurse

Another tree
I purchased this in LaBourboule France at the Crazy Quilt Festival several years ago. It was made by Smaranda Bougery. It is free motion embroidery.

My brown bag selection

2008-08-05T18:23:00.001-07:00

My brown bag selection
Originally uploaded by WillaNurse

We each got a card to go with the fabric for display at the end to show that we had used some of each fabric

Omaha! Another great year!

2008-07-26T12:40:00.000-07:00

Our motley crew at the Village Inn In Omaha Nebraska. In some of the photos are the donations quilts many of you contributed to!

By now you have read the posts of some of my other Omaha buddies, Mona Berning, Karen South, Kate Hollifield. I also took a few pictures to share. There will be more on my Flickr site but a few here for the sampling! We always make at least one or 5 trips to The Village Inn. Kate makes us go by "needlepoint" so she can get PIE! I am not in the photos because I am taking the photos. Me and the camera.. NOT FRIENDS!

A little more work on the orange piece

2008-07-08T14:09:00.000-07:00

I have added some Alexander Henry fabrics fused to the piece. I love faces and people on fabrics so I always buy them without knowing what I would do with them.

Orange Project!

2008-06-10T21:49:00.000-07:00

This is the beginning of a project for a swap I am in. It will become a bag at some point. For now.. it is an orange rectangle.