Saturday, July 30, 2011

Timing is everything

Sometimes a matter of minutes is the difference between something good (or bad) happening or not happening. A couple of days ago I was running errands, including picking up some things at the hardware store. They didn't have everything on the list and I dawdled around a while, trying to reach the person I was buying them for. After a while I decided to stop by the Goodwill store next door.

I've been looking for frames for my quilts every time I stop by. So I headed to the back of the store, where everything was a jumble, shoved together to make room for the crew painting the back wall. As I tried to wrestle a couple of frames apart, another customer helped out by moving a bedframe leaning on the display.

We started chatting as we looked at the frames and quickly discovered that she is an art quilter, too! We had a great chat (getting out of the way of the painters) about work and sources of materials, and exchanged contact information. I'm looking forward to getting together with her soon. It will be nice to know an art quilter locally, since the ones I know are online.

detail - the turtle was quilted separately, and painted then appliqued
on the quilted background
Well, timing is looking good in the studio, too. After my marathon binding session last weekend I had about 10 pieces to hand-stitch the binding, so I took them along to Tybee. Got several done while visiting with the knitting group Thursday and watching the season premiere of Project Runway Thursday night.

It's supposed to hit 100 degrees here today (heat index 110), so I'll be hibernating in my air-conditioned studio. I have a couple more pieces in progress to finish and an idea for another new piece to start. Plus I now have a half-dozen or so pieces to frame.

One of the pieces I finished was the sea turtles quilt I mentioned a few days ago. After making all the turtles individually, I pieced and quilted the background, then appliqued the turtles on. Sea turtles have been on my mind, as it's nesting season on Tybee, so expect to see more turtles in the near future!


Sea turtles finished and waiting for framing, about 13 by 18 inches
More later.