Just after moving here last year I took this picture of autumn gold in our small back yard - the unidentified tree shed its leaves and made a lovely carpet, until it went mushy and was cleared away. We have noticed the occasional leaf fluttering down lately to show us that seasons are changing. The back yard looks different now; the palm fronds drooping in the background are gone (the palm tree has been removed) and the shrubby thing at the foot of the tree is also gone. The wash line is still in the same place.
A couple of days ago I went for a Nice Sunday Drive to a town 110kms or so away (that's 70 or so miles) for a quilt show. When we moved away from the city I knew there wouldn't be so many things like quilt shows to see, but am determined to attend as many as I can. Seeing what other people make can be inspirational and I don't want to give up being inspired.While there I met a local quilter who shares my name! Same first name - Jennifer, although she calls herself Jenny - same last name too. Different middle name. While I knew that I wasn't the only one with this name, it's the first time I have met someone who shares it. Have you ever googled your name to see how many more of you there are? There are lots of me. But if I google my maiden name I am the only one to appear, that is on a family history site so it's definitely me.
A question for the quilters among you: what is the smallest size piece of fabric you keep for future use? I decided on 2in square. Several years ago I used 2in squares to make this quilt. At present I am cutting larger 2-1/2in squares for the child's quilt I am being tardy about, and also cutting 2in squares if a small piece of fabric isn't big enough for 2-1/2in. Anything smaller is being thrown out. But there are some 1-1/2in strips of varying lengths, and I am wondering if they should be kept or if that is getting too narrow to be useful. Decisions, decisions........before anyone mentions 'crumb quilts' let me say I'm not interested. Have you ever felt the weight of one of those? With all those little seams they use a huge amount of fabric, much more than one would think, so even handling it to layer and quilt it would be difficult. I don't do much applique so there's not much point in keeping an applique stash of small pieces - if I wanted a small piece I could use what is in the 2in square box.
Last week I had occasion to be in a local medical centre while waiting to see a doctor and was forced to listen to the choice of music of the young women working in the office, very poppy stuff that I don't listen to voluntarily. It irritated me to the extent that when I was finally admitted to the doctor's inner sanctum (after waiting for 40 minutes or so....just as well I had taken my hand-piecing) I complained. He told them to turn it off, and said to me he had already asked several times. They didn't turn it off, so he yelled at them. I felt bad about that, and now I am probably on their Hit List for causing the yell. Studies have shown that selected gentle classical music - I'm not talking Wagner opera here - calms people down and even lowers blood pressure. Mine was much higher than it should have been when it was taken by the doctor, because I could feel myself seething more and more the longer I was forced to sit and listen. In future I shall take along my almost historic Walkman clone (remember them? mine still works so I haven't succumbed to an ipod) and listen to my own choice of music. Next visit is on Friday for a flu shot and believe me, I am not looking forward to that visit.
"If anyone should assume a disagreeable tone of voice or offensive manner toward you, never return it in company, and, above all, do not adopt the same style of conversation with him. Appear not to notice it, and generally it will be discontinued, as it will be seen that it has failed in its object."
Let's hope the medical centre office staff are not disagreeable on Friday.
Enjoy your days!
I keep squares right down to one and a half inch. When sorting left over scraps I firstly iron them, then cut the largest useful square I can get from it and so on till it is all used up. I put each size 1.5; 2; 2.5; 3, 3.5; 4 and 5" squares in seperate zip lock bags.( they don't need further ironing that way. )
ReplyDeleteIf the left overs are strips I leave them as that and will even keep a one inch strip if there is a senesible amount of it.
I found the 1.5 " squares great for making the pieced part of the tiniest size cloth basket.
I dont think there is another me ...nope I just googled and Im an original.
ReplyDeleteI keep scraps as small as one inch wide if it;s a long strip , they make great string quilt bits.
Hope the medical centre girls dont look at you all slitty eyed when you roll up Friday. Really they should have no music playing because then they wouldnt upset anyone.
Ive been using some pieces that are about 1-1 1/2 inch for my crazy quilt, but it really depends on the color or design for me.
ReplyDeletei stuff little - less than 1 1/2" - scraps into a ziploc bag till it's full - then i add it to the giveaway bag ... i don't know if charities keep them or toss them, but i don't have to feel guilty about throwing them out myself ... i like to imagine some scrap-hoarder finding the bag at the local thrift store, clutching it to her bosom, and squealing with delight at her find...
ReplyDeletei made a queen-sized log cabin with 1 1/2" strips - and it IS very heavy (and i am so very happy that it doesn't live HERE anymore - let Mrs. Moth's washing machine split a ball bearing trying to swish the monster around)!
I keep all the tiny bits -- the tiniest ones can make great to add to the stuffing for a pincushion. I have used pieces as small as .75".
ReplyDeleteThere are more of me.......poor world......wouldn't it be interesting to meet them. One actually lives in the town I grew up in.
ReplyDeleteSmallest pices I save? I keep everything until its clean out the bin day, then I take a look and if its been around for longer than 3 years its gone. I do keep large pieces as they can be added to do for making backings.
Isn't it a shame that we can't feel comfortable to voice our opinion on something for fear that somebody might hold it against us and do something mean? I agree with you about the music....don't worry too much, he had already asked them to turn it off.
ReplyDeleteFor scraps, I save 2 1/2 inch pieces...no smaller. I do save down to 1 1/2 inch stips though....to make strip-pieced things.
Forgot to mention that it is the opposite for me...more of me with my maiden name and one of me with my married name.
ReplyDelete2 1/2" is my limit. It's the fiddly finger thing that as I age is hard to do.
ReplyDeleteI told a hairdresser that unless the music changed I'd stop going there as it's supposed to be relaxing visit. Rap is NOT!
I am so glad that you spoke up. People in the waiting room should have applauded when the music changed!