Road to California

Road to California

Road.

It's a wonderful, juried quilt show.

With wonderful vendors.

Please join us.

Come and visit.

Stop by and say 'aloha'.

20-23 January 2011

Thursday - Sunday

9:30 - 6

and 10-3:30

JUST LOOK WHAT WE'VE DONE

WITH TULA PINK'S PATTERN...

Do you think she'll mind?

Oh, and Joanna - wait until you see your Fig Tree pattern gone Hawaiian...

(thank you to Kenna from Madison Cottage - and to Roberta too!)

You won't want to miss our large selection of insulated bags, either.

Pack a quilt - pack a picnic!

Just pack, and come visit us at

Road to California

Ontario Convention Center

California.

20-23 January 2011

natalie.

www.beyondthereefpatterns.com

Homemade Holidays

Homemade.

Doesn't that sound great?

While I was in Idaho, I had a friend give me a wonderful recipe

for a sugar/salt/oliveoil hand scrub.

You know Kenna Ogg - from Madison Cottage.

She puts the scrub by her kitchen sink - and after a week of 'dishpan hands', 

this scrub makes hands silky smooth and moisturized with the best olive oil available.

So, I lit a few holiday scented candles, and lined up my grandmother's mixing bowls.

After all, an afternoon of gift making had to be festive!

I even put on a little pandora music mix - "Bing Crosby Christmas"

Then it was time to wrap the gifts, because, presentation is everything!

Linen twine, handmade tags, a terribly thick paper for the canning jar tops and the wrap...

(actually a roll of wallpaper that a found at Michael Levine's)

Before I knew it, the gifts were stacking up on the buffet, under the 'little tree'

Within the time it would have taken to drive to the mall and park, 

I had fifteen gifts wrapped and under the tree.

Sure, they're not those little blue boxes with white ribbon.

Sure, they're not 3 carat diamond stud earrings.

Sure, they're not that new car smell with a crazy big bow on it.

But, sure, the person that receives this gift will know that it was the biggest gift of all.

The gift of time.  The gift of creativity.

The gift of love.

There's still time...email Kenna and ask her for the recipe; it's not mine to give.

Or whip up some home made granola, coco, peanut butter balls, potholders, coasters, napkins

Give the greatest gift you can give.

Give the gift of yourself.

BeginAgain

2010

Natalie.

It's not a quilt until it's quilted...

Quilted.

Thank you Kenna.

I did something out of the ordinary.

I got the hose out, and soaked the whole quilt. 

I hung it on the line to let the water run off of it,

and then I threw it in the dryer.

Kenna quilted it with an 80/20.

I did not prewash any of the fabrics used in the top, back or binding.

Here are the pics:

Wonderful quilting, Kenna.

Here it is hanging on the pole bean support in the garden.

"before-hose"

Here it is on the clothesline, soaking wet.

"after-hose"

And finally, the finished product.

"after quilting, hose and dryer"

I feel like I should add the small print.

"do not attempt this at home; trained professional on closed road"

and all that

there are personal choices we make every day about how we handle our quilts

pre wash fabric?  trust the manufacturer?

100% cotton or flannel batting?

batting blend?

hi loft poly?

pucker or not?

wash by hand or by machine?

hang on clothesline or toss in the heat of the dryer?

choose wisely

and the choices you make

will determine how long you enjoy your handiwork

choose wisely

and the choices you make

will determine how long you enjoy anything dear to you

For me, and for this quilt, because it was a utilitarian piece, not a museum masterpiece,

because of the construction, fabrics, and Kenna's hefty quilting

i took the calculated risk.

I chose to 'hit it with the nice fresh spring water of the hose'

and hang it on the line

(oh, and then toss it into the dryer for a little pucker)

BUT

I wouldn't suggest this type of treatment

for anything dear to you

for any length of time.

BeginAgain.

2010

natalie.

Hand wash with care.  If you use the washer, don't agitate.

And air dry your quilts, out of direct sunlight.

quilt kits available

hose optional

www.beyondthereefpatterns.com