musings

Starting.....Again ~ from Marty's Fiber Musings

Why is it that when one thought gets finished, another just pops right in? Oftentimes the pop-in rudely interrupts the not quite finished previous thought. What the......? Can't they wait their turn!

The same is true in the case of making pillow cases: one can't get finished before another one just begs for a chance. When I have a yard of fabric, 27" gets cut for the body of the pillow case. So I need 9" from another yard for the cuff. Now I have 27 inches left over from that second yard! Can you see where this ...

added by Marty Mason 3 years, 10 months ago. under community service , handmade , musings , quilts

Reading and quilt-Making ~ from Marty's Fiber Musings

What a life! The sun is shining on a new day and I just finished another book and I cried. Yes, I feel strongly that animals talk and also have feelings. They are sensitive to our needs and to the needs of their fellow-kind. I've seen pictures of a chicken nurturing kittens or a cow allowing a lamb to suckle. It's us human kind that are most insensitive to our fellow man that is so often bothersome to me.

Speaking of chronicles....the quilt tops continue to roll out after watching Sarah Bond's Scrappy Triangle MQG webinar ...

added by Marty Mason 3 years, 10 months ago. under musings , quilts , work in progress

Happy Anniversary to the two of us ~ from Marty's Fiber Musings

It will be a low-key anniversary for the two of us: the HuMan and I who have been married now for a mere 22 years. We'll celebrate today in our usual way with a good morning kiss, then a hug. He'll go his way to watch the weather or piddle in the back garden...water for the birds, blow away a few fallen leaves. He's a tidy person: well, actually, he is more than that. He is a down right cantankerous person when things are imperfect to his perfectionist mind.

Sometimes, it's absurd, his perfectionism. But ...

added by Marty Mason 3 years, 10 months ago. under musings

News & Musings From New York City from Where Art & Life Meet

The news here in New York City, more specifically Manhattan, is that non-essential shops, restaurants, etc will continue to be in lockdown. Tell that to the Irish Pub less than a block away that is a thriving hive of activity, selling burgers and free shots to any who “need” it. As we were hit harder… Continue reading News & Musings From New York City

added by arianezurcher 3 years, 11 months ago. under #stayhome , #staysafe , covid19 , going to the gym , gym , humor , jellyfish , jogging , life , life during the pandemic , life in new york city , musings , new york city , older youtubers , pandemic , stayhome , youtube , youtube embroidery tutorials , youtube stitching tutorials , youtube tutorial , youtube videos , youtuber (Comments)

Moving On ~ from Marty's Fiber Musings

I had to get a grip.....just before ripping out many days of hand stitching these hexagons together!!!!

I was rocking along pretty well yesterday afternoon, being almost finished stitching down the hexie frames for these seven 15" x 24" rectangles. It wasn't until I finished stitching all seven framed rectangles into one whole that I noticed they weren't properly aligned. Well, rats behind! I've done it again.

Oops! Isn't the spacing at top and bottom suppose to look alike?

Taking a deep breath, remembering my mantra to rethink the possibilities and never envision a finished ...

added by Marty Mason 4 years ago. under a cat's meow , musings , quilts , work in progress

Shopping? Well - Yes! from Marty's Fiber Musings

I just ordered gardening gloves from Walmart....online! How convenient is that. I will be hopeful that the ground will dry out about the time I get my gardening gloves in the mail. While there may not be a virus in my soil, I do like to protect against critter (and other crawly things) bites.

And gas prices are so low, but the tanks are full! Wouldn't you know.

It's Sunday, so I've been thinking this may put a lot of churches over the edge, especially those smaller ones that were hanging on by a thread before ...

added by Marty Mason 4 years ago. under musings

And the good news is ~ from Marty's Fiber Musings

Not the way I usually spend March, but a very productive one, nonetheless. The ins and outs of the house have been minimal.....basic needs, walks around the neighborhood, out the back door to the quilt-picture-taking-porch.

stars and arrow quilt - pieced and hand quilted - marty mason

The sun has been in and out for the last few days so I've gotten a few good pics of the just finished....hand quilted....stars and arrow quilt. Shamefaced - I don't remember where or when I saw this pattern....on the internet somewhere - so sadly, no credit is given to this delightful quilt designer. I often see pictures (without a pattern ...

added by Marty Mason 4 years ago. under at home , musings , quilts

Hunkering Down ~ from Marty's Fiber Musings

We, the HuMan and I, got word late yesterday that our local library is closing until mid-April. This was a panic in itself since we both are avid readers and prefer our downsized version of reading without making a book purchase . Just in the nick of time before the library doors closed, we selected enough books from their full shelves to get through the crisis....she says in a positive tone!

Hunkering down is for the birds ~

This crisis may just be the one that forces me to enjoy the art of reading - electronics!!

I'm hunkering down at home ...

added by Marty Mason 4 years, 1 month ago. under musings

Friendship: Pass it on from Marty's Fiber Musings

At the end of each guild president's tenure, guild members are invited to make a 'friendship block' to show their appreciation for her dedication and to honor the time put into doing this important job. Not having a firm commitment from the group, I decided to hell with all your animosity.....this will be done. Whoever wants to be a friend will sign on the designated fabric! I committed to putting it all together into a true friends' quilt.

You are either in this circle of friends or out. The choice was yours. Hopefully, when you signed your name ...

added by Marty Mason 4 years, 1 month ago. under musings , quilts , work in progress

I'm Staying In ~ from Marty's Fiber Musings

I'll stay in today because staying in is being nice to self. No hurry, no worry - just staying.

Diary of recently finished quilts and a little bit of a work-in-progress.

One started at the last Five O'Clock Quilters' retreat....completed here at home with big stitch hand quilting. Calling this one On The Wings Of A Dove .....and that's a wrap.

Since my fabric shelves are filled to the brim, there was not much fabric purchased at QuiltCon 2020....except some from Beyond The Reef that could not be denied! Cut and sewn into a lot of ...

added by Marty Mason 4 years, 1 month ago. under musings , quilts , work in progress

Positive Energy ~ from Marty's Fiber Musings

What prompted this post from the past? A post from March two years ago - Positive Energy. Oh, the joy of ..... rethinking the possibilities and wondering 'what if?'

While my heart wasn't in it, I felt compelled to join in with a group of quilters working up a retreat for next week. Now that the retreat form is completed and the check is written and all is delivered to the retreat caretaker....I'm super excited and looking forward.

Something I read this morning - "look not down and back , but up and out." From the book Listen To Me.

When ...

added by Marty Mason 4 years, 1 month ago. under journals , musings , note cards

QuiltCon 2020 from Liz Makes Crafts

Ah, QuiltCon. My favorite quilt show. The only show I feel like I must attend. The place where I feel overwhelmed and inspired, intimidated and rejuvenated, all at the same time.

Last weekend I attended QuiltCon 2020 in Austin, and as always, it was an exhausting but fantastic time. I tried not to overload myself, but still ended up with 4 classes over 2 days. It was supposed to be 5, but I had to cancel one at the last minute.

I took 2 longarm classes (Fill It With Style, More Than Just Lines) with Jodi Robinson where I learned ...

added by Liz 4 years, 1 month ago. under convention , learning , musings , quilting , shopping

Best of 2019 from Liz Makes Crafts

It's that time of the year again! This is my 2nd time participating in Cheryl Brickey's Best of Linky Party, something I really enjoy because it gives me an excuse to look back onto my year of blogging and projects, and forces me (in a fun way) to pick my favorites.

As I look back onto 2019, I realize that it was a fairly low-volume year. In fact, I only completed 11 quilts in the entirety of 2019 (plus a few wallets and one handbag). But, here are my top 5:

I'm Most Grateful For: Mod Mountains ...

added by Liz 4 years, 3 months ago. under musings , quilting

Thankful ~ from Marty's Fiber Musings

I'm thankful for the season and wish you all a holiday filled with peaceful moments and safe travels.

added by Marty Mason 4 years, 4 months ago. under at home , in the garden , musings

Life's Too Short ~ from Marty's Fiber Musings

.....and so time moves on and thankfully I'm moving along with it.

One thought on arising this morning is that life is too short to stitch straight lines ~

Big stitch hand quilting on linen tablecloth ~ Marty Mason

Another thought (and along the same quilting lines) is that life is too short to take small stitches ~

and life is way too short to bury all those knots!

I've had this buttery yellow linen table cloth for such a long time (it's about bridge club meeting table size) and was just about ready to pass it on to the thrift store when (in)sanity prevailed. Why not quilt ...

added by Marty Mason 4 years, 5 months ago. under musings , quilts

Nothing ever stays the same ~ from Marty's Fiber Musings

There truly are very few things in my life that I would want to remain constant. Clean air or perhaps fresh water. But to have the same food at the same eatery prepared by the same person...or to wear the same shoes day in and day out....the unthinkable. There's a reason the clothing industry thrives by changing styles every season. Yes, the makers know we get bored and know that the masses thrive on change.

Thinking of change: If I were to start a quilt guild, the mission statement might go something like this:

" We are a ...

added by Marty Mason 4 years, 5 months ago. under musings

Ready, Set....don't leave me behind ~ from Marty's Fiber Musings

Have I been a drag on myself? Or others? It's time for me to re-group, re-focus with open eyes and clear head. Time to get moving and get ready for upcoming events. My prep work is done for the local guild gathering, the house is clean for holiday company, the yard work is done and the frost will help keep it that way!

It's been a while since my last quilting retreat so I'm excited to get away for a couple of nights and days to be with kindred spirits. Most of the other participants are new ...

added by Marty Mason 4 years, 5 months ago. under handmade , musings , quilts

Oh, the value of value ~ from Marty's Fiber Musings

I've been humbled in the past few weeks as the HuMaN and I continue to downsize our stuff to become more and more the minimalist that our hearts crave. Together we sorted through all those plastic records and album covers until we finally decided that we had finished with the sentiments and that the look of the barren closet shelf was most becoming. It took a few hours as we shared where we were and what we were doing when that Jackson Browne or Sting or Beatles tune was a hit. Oh, the value of sentiments?

Deliberation done, it ...

added by Marty Mason 4 years, 5 months ago. under handmade , musings , photography , quilt guild happenings

It's The Little-est Things ~ from Marty's Fiber Musings

Simply the little-est things are so fun. In my quest to downsize the city dump, I've made these little 10" square kitchen wipes with fabric scraps that you might also see in one of my quilts - backed with terry cloth - to use rather than paper towels.

They are the perfect size to wipe the counter and scrub the kitchen sink ~

or use to drain the just-washed bunch of grapes, celery stalks or juicy red tomato ~

or just use to wipe my fingers dry ~

Oh, I'm still using paper towels but not to the extent that I once did ...

added by Marty Mason 4 years, 6 months ago. under handmade , musings

Going In and Out of Circles ~ from Marty's Fiber Musings

Being in a funk for the past several weeks has been no fun.....no fun at all! Reality check time!
Are you alive? Yes
Do you hurt? No
Are you sad? Yes.....Well, now, missy, miss....if that's all that is wrong with you, we can take care of that! You know the remedy without being preached to. Just get sewing to get out of that funk mood. Sew, she did and conquered the blues while sewing in and out of circles.

The first circles quilt picture taken a couple of years ago....for the Improv to the Nine ...

added by Marty Mason 4 years, 6 months ago. under musings , quilts , work in progress

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