Libby Dibby Stuff

More retreat sewing - tote bags

2012-01-30T20:17:00.000-08:00

I've probably made 50 tote bags. But not where they looked completely "finished", without raw edges... There was always either a served edge or an unfinished lining... Since most of my sewing is self taught, I simply don't get everything on my own until someone shows me. (I also learn best by being taught as opposed to reading directions)
This weekend was perfect for that. The last morning was really fun. All my big projects were done, I didn't want to start a new big one, and saw my friend Lori making a beautiful tote. Every detail was finished and perfect and I literally sidled up to her and begged her help.
I raided the scrap pile and used a few strips of linen to piece the patchwork outside. Vanessa had brought extra interfacing to share, so I borrowed some of that to try out what a sturdier tote would be like and then with Lori's help, I whipped out this bag... With french seams (hidden edges) and tucked in straps.... Ooooooh, I love it.
And now it is sitting by my door filled with the supplies I need for a much anticipated class that I am taking tomorrow. I could squeal I'm so excited about that.... Can't wait to show pics!
And on top of that, the guild meeting is tomorrow, so we get to have a reunion and share about the retreat with all our other quilty friends. Yippee!

Re•joy - indulgence. (just be)

2012-01-30T12:55:00.001-08:00

I was taught not to be super self indulgent. I was taught that I need to see the pain in the world and do something about it. I was taught that it's okay to enjoy good things, but to hold them lightly. I was taught that I should give freely because I have received freely. I was taught to be the change I wanted to see. These are GOOD things to internalize.
But sometimes we need to rest. And as a child, I saw rest modeled, too, but I'm naturally a work-horse. I don't stop just because something hurts. I almost never rest. Which means that it's hard to take time to heal. It's actually becoming a bit of a discipline for me - to check in with myself and say, "libby, you need to just BE". Not be productive, proactive or prolific. Just be.
This weekend was so good for that for me... I laughed till I cried, I made things, but I also got to have silence and moments of my feet in the grass at sunrise.
Today I pulled over at a coffee house with a shady brick patio and had a scone and some soup in the shade - instead of racing home to get life in order after my weekend away. It's hard to indulge myself this way, but I'm trying to practice the art of resting.
After this weekend away, I feel better than I have in a year. Why? Because I relaxed more than I can remember in a long time. Not striving or pushing myself to be anything other than who I am in that exact moment. How often do we do that?
Not enough.
So I'm doing it now. And then I'll go home and put my sweats back on and get back to work. But for now, I'm here.

It's a patchwork life - all zipped up

2012-01-30T08:16:00.001-08:00

Pics here of my new patchwork bag and the ones I made for the kids all from our (awesome) scrap pile on the retreat. I brought a boatload of zippers to share, ever noticed that most of my patchwork bags have coral zippers? That's because my pal, Tori, bought them for her stationery biz about 10 years ago and then never ended up using them. I have had about 200 in my possession for about 6 years and they were what motivated me to learn how to make pouches. And I have made tons. I came to the retreat prepared to share any techniques I knew with the girls, but when I got there, I learned that my skills (all self taught), were REALLY inferior to those of some of my friends. So I was the student instead and learned some tips to really make my bags SO much nicer. I'm really pleased with how well made these are, they are miles beyond anything I had figured out on my own. Special thanks to Ramona, Katie, and her mom, Carrie for schooling me and sharing so generously their wealth of knowledge!!!

Retreat weekend quilts

2012-01-29T17:15:00.000-08:00

a sketch I have had for years and never gotten to until now

As I wrote earlier, I was up early with the sun this morning and decided to take pics of my newly finished quilt tops in an environment a little prettier than my inner city front yard.

made by improv piecing my blocks made in the Denyse Schmidt workshop many months ago

The sun rose as I was taking these. I will always remember the sound of birdsong and wind in the trees as I took these pics.
I made lots more things... Will share them bit by bit.

tumblers - all assembled and wow, they came together fast!

Early will I rise - re•joy

2012-01-29T07:37:00.001-08:00

Sunday morning. I woke up a few minutes to 7 as came down to our group's sewing room to get coffee. No one was there, all was silent (very silent, considering how loud and silly we were last night).
I decided that since the sun wasn't up past the mountain and the wind hadn't picked up, it was a good time to come sit on the hill overlooking this valley. I brought my coffee, my quilt tops to photograph and got to watch a silent sunrise. It's quiet here.
Each morning I have been able to sit over this valley and breathe. Between the time to sit still, the time to be creative and the laughter, I feel little bits of healing taking place.
I've also found quiet moments to think, to shed tears, to share.
Yesterday I had a short massage and there was a place the masseuse touched in my back that almost caused me to cry out - emotionally, not physically. This thought flashed in my mind: "I am carrying so much pain!" and then when she moved her hands, the thought was gone. That amazed me. I've been asked by a few people to think about and find out where I carry that pain, because our physical bodies connect to our hearts. But not until yesterday did I understand the connection was so visceral.
And if that is true, then 45 minutes of quiet overlooking a valley each day also has to have some true healing properties. So I'm soaking up this sun now as its risen.
I'll share my quilt tops with you later....

LAMQG - speed sewing for charity

2012-01-29T07:26:00.000-08:00

We've been sewing all weekend, with a few breaks for meals and LOTS of laughing.
As one of the folks who is helping our guild have a vision for giving back with our time and talent, I thought it would be fun if we all gave 1/2 hour and speed made blocks for a charity quilt. So last night, a few us us prepared by finding a cute color scheme from our scraps pile and we all speed pieced improv blocks.

By 1/2 hour, we had 20 blocks and by 1.5 hours (four of us kept on the clock after the initial push), we had a finished top and 2 blocks for the back.

It's been suggested that we do this more often, what a fun way to work together and give back.

Re•joy - getaway

2012-01-28T08:45:00.001-08:00

I've spent my mornings the past few days overlooking this valley. It's quiet. And beautiful. And big enough to hold a lot of thinking. I listen to the wind in the trees and drink coffee, and then head into a wonderfully happy room filled with happy friends to work on projects with for the weekend.
My quilt guild is having a retreat and I'm so happy I came. After our crazy past few months, I've not spent super much concentrated time in groups, I've generally avoided them, honestly. But these friends are safe and it's perfectly acceptable for me to do my own thing if I have to and come back to fill up on laughter again with them when I am ready. I'll post my projects that I've even working on today... After getting a few more hours in to play.

Re•building joy - letters

2012-01-24T21:35:00.001-08:00

I'm known (or at least I used to be) for being a faithful letter writer. Email has had an impact for sure, but I love getting mail and tend to find folks like myself who also love to exchange letters.
Many parts of me became buried in these past few years of motherhood and my misadventures as a foster mom. One of them was my ability to keep in touch with my friends. I still sent letters to a select few. I still managed to get some cards as care packages out over the past two years, but things have all but dried up the past year. I didn't have nights of writing letters to beloved friends across the miles. I barely kept in touch with my friends in LA. If you didn't live in my neighborhood - and sometimes if you did - or weren't in my quilt guild - ... [silence].
Part of my joy•building is trying to reclaim things I remember loving before. I remember when I had broken my knee in high school and had to relearn how to act "natural" when I walked after surgery. It kind of feels like that... ... It takes effort to remember the parts of that may flit around happily in a time of joy, but disappear in times of grief and loss, and all the other feelings we had...
So tonight, I wrote letters. And drank strawberry tea (out of my Meetinghouse Farms mug which I made from the Worth family's farm logo a while ago)
It wasn't instantly easy, but I know it's "me". And I want to be here for my friends, after so long gone.

Re•building Joy - The Courage Quilt

2012-01-24T09:44:00.001-08:00

I've already announced that it's done, but today I added the label and wrapped the 100% hand sewn quilt.
The label says, "to the bravest person we have ever met".

Making this quilt calmed my nerves during that crazy year. Having her (the giftee, our social worker) alongside us, gave me courage.

I'm quietly joyful that pain can be turned into something beautiful. I'm learning that by releasing this pain slowly and appropriately, it's like a fizzy soda that I am able to let out.
If things come out in methods of beauty and art, they seem to be in a manner that I can control. As I share the art and meaning, I'm able to tell small parts of my story without crumbling into fragile pieces.
By sharing this with you and others, some of those fizzy bubbles of pain are released slowly. And some beauty can rise from the ashes.

I have to also admit that I am happy to let this quilt out of my hands. It is very painful for me to look at. Hundreds of hours of pain, fear, anxiety, anger and dread were channelled into this. It will be a big release to let the gift bring love and joy to someone who matters so much to me. Plus I think it's really pretty!

A new WIP- my big bee quilt

2012-01-24T00:07:00.001-08:00

I received the squares back from my Seams Perfect Bee a year ago. But I am only now sure what I want to do with them. (been thinking about it long enough!) I spent tonight on an hour and a half math problem that is figuring out the layout, yardage needed and plan for my king sized quilt top. I used 3 continuous pages of gridded paper and at least two tracing paper options were tried on top of that.
And the verdict? ... I have to go back to the fabric store and HOPE the 2 yards I still need of the background fabric are still available.
And I need to go tomorrow as I have big plans to go on my sewing retreat with my guild friends this weekend.
Yippee! A fun errand.

9 women create

2012-01-24T00:01:00.001-08:00

I have a great friend, Sarah, who urged me to join her last December, in putting up at a silent auction - a collage day, at her amazing house, with 8 spots for people to join us. We would feed them a nice lunch, then share our materials (sarah and I take a collage class together already and have a lot of materials between us) and teach some simple techniques to our attendees.
The spaces filled up fast! And with good friends! She and I have been working on this for the past few weeks and Saturday was the big day. We got everything ready and hoped everyone would show up and have a good time. One friend couldn't make it, but we saved supplies for her. The other 9 of us had a day full of creativity.

It was so much more fun than I even anticipated, and 4 hours to make art on a Saturday is always fun. But this was dear. And creative. And joy•building for sure.
Everyone walked away with finished art pieces, as well as some traded Artist Trading Cards - our first activity was to make artist trading cards to share with everyone else as a warm up and a commemorative keepsake. Of course I made goodie bags too, with candy, new scissors and glue sticks... (all three are vital to my collaging!)

I felt so blessed to know these women, or to meet the ones I hadn't yet met... We kept joking that now we were a collage clique and we have to do it again. I sure hope so.

Sewing machine Sketch

2012-01-23T07:31:00.001-08:00

The thing about a sewing machine is that a bad one will make you hate sewing, while a good one will inspire you SEW much that you think about it when you're not even sewing. ;)
I have one of each. The frustrating one (a very fussy Pfaff) is now on vacation down at my dad's studio and gets used on my days there. The other one is a simple, much less expensive, but non-finicky Kenmore (Janome) that makes me happy every time I use it. And even when I'm not using it, like when I am sketching with Z in the early mornings.

First finished quilt of 2012

2012-01-21T00:08:00.001-08:00

Wow. It only took about a year, but I did it. And finished tonight, the 100% hand sewn, (English Paper pieced) quilt. I wanted to know if I could do it. (I can, apparently) Even Mimi knows this is a big deal and asked me today if this was only using my hands and no machines... Not even an iron.)
I was so proud to say YES.
This photo was taken of me a few weeks ago as I promised my guild that I'd finish it soon.
Promise completed.
I think my favorite part about it is how the neutrals look all mixed together, acting as one piece ... And then are all punctuated by the red thick hand quilting. Very much unexpected from how I started this, but that's what creativity is for.
All that's left is to do the label and get some good pics.

Re•building joy - Jan 19

2012-01-20T13:59:00.001-08:00

A second time recently, I've been able to take advantage of a quiet room in my dads office building that I am allowed to come sew in, at my convenience. It's not close to my home, but it's peaceful, perfect for sewing, and I get to have lunch with my parents as an added bonus.
I was there all day yesterday, working on 4 different projects I've been sketching through for over a year. The ideas are finally getting realized and the only way I can describe my feeling is to say that it feels like I may be getting creatively "un-clogged".
The way I am is that I work on many things at once, depending on my mood or inspiration. Some ideas strike and are completed within an hour or a day or week. The ones that start as concepts with sketches and more thought actually stay in my head and sketchbooks a long time before being realized because it's easy to bypass them for today's inspiration.
To get 4 sketches turned into actual tangible projects is so encouraging. It makes me wonder what will come once these are all worked out.
You'll see these projects all developing with me over the next few months, but here's a peek through the door into "a room of one's own" - the place where I'm weekly working out my creativity and thought processes as I seek to unclog the dusty trails in my brain. (note the coffee mug and the speakers for my latest playlist to also inspire... And yes, that is my old easel from college art days. Someday I hope to have a place to set it up at home.)

Project idea... Twiggy names

2012-01-15T14:59:00.001-08:00

We have this photo with our last name in twigs up in our house. I love personalized things and have found it's a fun way to give a very inexpensive and thoughtful gift to friend... When I'm somewhere where there are lots of snapped and broken twigs around, I spell out names of people I love and take pics.

Re•Joy - jan 13 - 77 degrees and snowy

2012-01-14T10:07:00.000-08:00

After school yesterday, we got a text from a neighbor... "we have snow on our front yard! Come sledding!" I happened to have one extra pair of pants in the car for Mimi, and z just wore his shorts, but we trucked over the 5 blocks and the kids sledded to their hearts' content. Mimi's BFF Tina was with us and had never seen snow before...

I remember seeing a commercial when I was a kid of a family in LA buying snow for their front yard, but how many kids actually ever have that happen???

WIP - timeline quilt

2012-01-13T12:15:00.005-08:00

WIP - timeline quilt, a photo by libby dibby on Flickr.

It's rare to start and finish a quilt top in one day, but this one is an idea I have been sketching versions of in my journal for months.
I'm not sure I love it as a quilt, but if I look at it as expressive artwork in the form of a quilt... It says exactly what I wanted it to say.

I'll likely hand quilt it... Keep you posted...

Re. Joy - Jan 12 - working it out

2012-01-12T15:51:00.001-08:00

I've been outside a lot. Reading. Soaking up sunshine. Thinking. Journaling.
Today was beautiful outside, but I spent it inside. I took my tools and went to my dad's design studio to use a room in his building that was once offered to me as a studio. It's quiet there. Lots of natural light, clean floor space and a great table. A room of my own.
Today I sewed for most of my day - other than having lunch with both of my parents. I was hoping to find a way in fabric to express this chaos I have walked through.

This piece is big and jarring to look at. That was intended. It's stressful looking. Also intended. It's dissonant. It's an unsolved question. It's hard to figure out how to place it properly. But, it's only a piece of the puzzle. Only a section of a larger whole. It's quite cathartic, too. Now I will work with it's placement into context.
I have to also look at my personal circumstances. As chaotic and inexplicable as they may be, they have to somehow become placed into context. They are not the big picture. They are just a piece of a big picture. I'm knee deep in fallout now, but I know there will be a bigger, more
peaceful framework around this later. And given some breathing room, it won't hurt as much as it does now.

Re-building joy - Jan 11

2012-01-12T09:53:00.000-08:00

Jan 11. I spent it with my dear friend (and maid of honor, 12 years ago!), Amy. Ironically, Amy lives in Thailand, but passes through LA a couple times a year and as such, I see her more than any other long-distance friend of mine. She always seems to be passing through during big events... She was here the day after Z was born, the day after G arrived... So many amazing moments.
We spent the morning on a hike in Bronson canyon. (you can see the Hollywood sign behind us in that photo we took of ourselves)... It was quiet, and we laughed remembering a lot of hikes together over the years. Hikes during college in Malibu, which often took pause by trees as I sketched or took photos and Amy spread out her homework....

Hikes we've taken together in Idaho, Israel (daily home through a forest, from the archeological dig we worked on for a summer), and in Thailand when I visited her...
If there is one person in the world that I know how to be quiet with, it's Amy.

She texted this morning, saying she wished she had the right words to say. But the people I am enjoying the most right now are not the ones trying to be encouraging, finding the right things to say. The most safe people I have found now are the ones who admit that they are at a loss for words and are willing to allow the silence and unfinished sentences and unanswered questions to be a part of our encounter.
Those are the people that I am surrounding myself with these days. Those are the friends I am having lunch with. And I love them for that.
I love a friend who knows that sometimes silent presence or willingness to walk into my pain and confusion is the best thing they can offer.
You all know who you are. You friends who have emailed with me, texted, hugged, shed tears, left cookies on my porch, mailed little packages, all of it. I am surviving because I know you are not afraid of my pain. You aren't trying to fix anything or say the right thing and you love me right where I am at.

Re-building joy - Jan 10

2012-01-10T20:09:00.001-08:00

I spent the first 23 years of my life within 5 miles of the beach. Then I moved to Chicago for 5 years and now we live about 10 miles inland and there are weeks I go without seeing the ocean. Today's little tiny sliver of ocean was a part of a peaceful day in Santa Monica - which started with tea and scones with a precious friend in a new favorite tea room and moved on to a day spent redeeming a gift certificate at a spa. I snuggled into a robe and read a book by the enclosed outdoor fireplace. It was quiet today. I thought of about 9 other things I wanted to do and intentionally cut them out.
My carpool partner and I were chatting this morning and she was holding me accountable, saying "are you making sure to not get distracted and waste your precious hours?" I told her, yes, I'm literally writing these events into my calendar and doing my chores and obligations around them. We all know that intentional time for our souls is so easy to give away to the things that speak louder... Kids, meals, laundry, a neighbor needing emergency babysitting. These things all are still happening. But in being intentional in joy-building, I'm making sure that I don't ignore myself. Or little slivers of the ocean that are still there, even when I'm not.

Rebuilding joy - January 9

2012-01-09T12:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday our pastor read a beautiful prayer by Thomas Merton that I copied into my journal this morning during some quiet time.

After my appt with my therapist today, I went to Barnsdall Art Park and sat barefoot on a wall in the sunshine overlooking Los Angeles and Hollywood.

Time to be quiet. Time to think... Today my therapist said that as things calm down in life I will also find that pain percolates to the surface... Because my heart and brain are finding safe moments to release it. I think of the cement stepping stone Mimi and I made this weekend. We mixed it up really well and then as things settled, I showed her how tapping on the edges, there will be air bubbles that come to the surface. "see, we didn't know that was in there. And it would have made your stone weaker, but now it's out. And it will be stronger."

Time to be quiet... I so wish I could heal quickly, in a microwave maybe. But there are some things that seem to have to cure naturally, in fresh air and sunshine... Like cement. And broken hearts.

Mimi's fabric collage

2012-01-08T19:07:00.001-08:00

Mimi's fabric collage, a photo by libby dibby on Flickr.

It took over our living room for two days. Mimi was a hard worker and even got everyone in the on the act at some point as she cut and glued through my scrap bag. The finished project is about 4'x6' and now is proudly hanging in her bedroom above her bed.
She worked on it between making a cement stepping stone and knotting a fleece pillow. The girl is a crafting machine...(can't imagine where she got that from, I wish my day were as fun as hers!)

Treat mail

2012-01-07T17:49:00.001-08:00

I think mail is one of my most favorite things in the world. I think I once confessed to J that every time I look for the mail, I harbor a secret hope that there will be a box on the porch, wrapped tight with a pink or red satin ribbon. I honestly wouldn't care what was in the box, but I have so much joy over mail coming to my door... Well, today brought a pretty painted box from a high school friend... Inside was a poem and this super pretty hair clip (I love me a sparkly flower for my hair!) it feels good to be remembered.
...Thanks, Shanno, I super appreciate the love...

Rebuilding Joy - January 7

2012-01-07T13:05:00.000-08:00

Mimi woke up today wanting to "make a poster". To her that means fabric collages made by raiding Momma's scrap bags and creating a scene on a big piece of canvas.
I offered to help her once it's finished... To anchor the pieces down with some machine stitches. She politely declined. "no thank you. I want it to look completely kid-made."

Color scheme happiness

2012-01-06T16:16:00.001-08:00

Not a ton to report in the " re-building" category today... I did get a haircut, which meant I was treated well by my awesome hairstylist... and I ran a number of errands. (not inspiring)
But I did come home to a package of fabric from a friend, and that's always great. She'd offered to cut the fabric for me with her accuquilt cutter and I sent her fat quarters from a color scheme I'd been wanting to explore. I mailed it out on Tuesday and by Friday, this beautiful pile came back!
She even added in three fabrics from her own stash as an added present.
I've been wanting to play with tumblers for a while, so this will be a fun project to pursue.

Rebuilding Joy - Jan 4

2012-01-05T16:45:00.001-08:00

I couldn't pic which photo was prettier, so you get both.
The lemon tree in the backyard is going crazy with lemons. Its not a big tree, but it is mighty fruitful.
I'm busy digging up recipes for lemon chicken, lemon cake, lemon everything.... I've been drinking fresh lemonade every day.
These smell just as good as they look. I swear, the sunshine makes them smell better too.

Rebuilding Joy - Jan 3

2012-01-05T16:35:00.000-08:00

I took the kids for a hike in Bronson Canyon. Southern California can be weird with weather... The summers are often cold and gloomy, but we always have some strange weeks in January and February that have winter light, but hot summer weather. It was 80degrees this day and we breathed in deep and heard the silence of the canyons underneath the famous "HOLLYWOOD" sign.
This tree in particular caught my attention. The patterning on its trunk blew my mind.

Re-Building Joy

2012-01-05T16:29:00.000-08:00

Someone recently posted this laughing photo of me at a wedding on Facebook. It's a fun pic, but the day I saw it, I got really sad. I cried. The photo had been taken 365 days earlier and I felt so far from that huge laugh after the past year. The two pics on the right are pics from this week... I'm still able to smile and appreciate moments and laugh and dance and sing, but I'm clawing my way out of a lot of pain and definitely don't have that depth of joy and hope that is so evident in the first pic.
I've started to go to a counselor. This week I told her that I was setting aside Jan 1- Feb 29 (my leap year birthday) to try and focus on doing things that will heal me and feed my heart. I am planning on finding at least one thing a day that will be a healing activity. She loved that idea and spoke to me about "Building Joy" back into my life. She pointed out that unless I am filled, my family will remain wounded.
I was unable to write many details about what was happening this past year, but you know it was hard. The real reason I quit making those hand-stamped charms was that my hands shook so hard that I could no longer make them. I cried over so many charms as they sat ruined on my desk and decided it was time to give it up.... That's only a sliver of where I've been. But that is then. And this is now. And...
IT IS MOST DEFINITELY TIME TO REBUILD JOY.
I've decided to lightly chronicle this journey here on my blog, since you readers have been so encouraging to me all along... You are invited to read along, view my pics and breathe in a little deeper with me as I do my best to come back to laughter and spend these days "Re-building Joy". I have no idea what to expect, but I do know that I'm being very intentional about this.
I hope you don't mind.

Mini quilts

2012-01-05T15:49:00.001-08:00

Mini quilts, a photo by libby dibby on Flickr.

Some people call them "mug rugs" or "mini quilts", maybe they are potholders. Or trivets. Or doll quilts. Whatever they are, they were called "UFO"s (as in "UnFinished Objects") around here until last night.
I have about 15 different projects on my mental to-do list and have been feverishly working to finish that hand-quilting on the paper pieced quilt... But I've been doing it so long that I've missed my sewing machine. I literally haven't touched it in weeks. As I was giving a neighbor a sewing lesson on her new sewing machine yesterday, I began missing my own machine.
So last night, I put away the hand quilting for the night and tried to clear the ironing board of its stack of UFOs. First on the list were the rest of the Christmas ornaments (about 20 were half-started) - and then there were these.
By the end of the night, there was a little sense of accomplishment, some pretty (useful) things to look at and two less things in my way as I look into my creative plans for 2012.

2011 finished quilts

2012-01-01T21:51:00.001-08:00

2011 finished quilts Liberty Worth, a photo by libby dibby on Flickr.

It's not all of the quilts I made in 2011, but it's most of them. Quite a productive year to look back on!
The things I really got into this year were hand quilting and also making my quilts big enough to fit beds.

Paper pieced WIP over New Years

2012-01-01T12:48:00.001-08:00

Paper pieced WIP over New Years, a photo by libby dibby on Flickr.

It's almost done... I spent much of 2011 hand sewing this. A hard year that left me so stressed out that I needed something to work on with my hands during lots of waiting moments... I have sewed this entirely by hand, often in cars, I took it camping with me, brought it to meetings... It steadied me by giving me something to focus on in some scary moments.

And now the final product is so much prettier than I ever imagined... The red hand stitching makes me so happy.
It's going to be gifted to someone who has walked super closely with us through our year - our social worker... Someone who carried our pain as her own and was a valiant and strong champion for all we stood for and believed in. I feel as if no one but her could understand the depth and breadth of the year and I know she will know how much she is loved as she receives it.

What to do with Christmas card pics

2011-12-26T20:59:00.001-08:00

We love getting Christmas cards with photos from friends (especially when they include pics of the parents, and not just the kids...) and every year, we joyfully post them all up in our home. But what to do with them afterwards? Some may make the fridge, but these days, that's valuable real estate for kid art...
I saw this idea on pinterest (totally not taking credit for it)... Collect each year's stack and punch holes in them, bind them with book rings and make yourself an easy coffee table book to bring out with the decorations next year. What's better than a book of your favorite people's smiling faces (and their kids, too)???
For ours, I've managed to dig up a few from years past and put our family card on the front for the year it represents. This makes me so happy because I just love holiday cards and how else can I keep and enjoy them???

Presents gone, room for my tree skirt!

2011-12-25T09:49:00.001-08:00

Presents gone, room for my tree skirt!, a photo by libby dibby on Flickr.

My consolation prize for the presents all being opened is there is finally room for my tree skirt!

Merry Christmas!!!

2011-12-24T18:17:00.000-08:00

From the shepherds and angel!

Libby Dibby collision

2011-12-21T08:47:00.001-08:00

I wore my Christmas Libby Dibby skirt to church last Sunday. It's a wacky one, with hideously bright vintage Christmas velvet (I love it).
Then I sat down and a friend walked in with her Day Journey skirt on and sat right next to me. I thought this image was really fun.. And yes, I do draw incessantly during church...

Morning drawing time

2011-12-21T08:33:00.001-08:00

I have a 5yo boy who needs a lot of one on one attention. Especially after losing 3 little brothers in 2 years... This last one loss has really wounded him. Around here, we have stepped up efforts at loving each other well and here's one thing I realized is gonna pour into my boy and also feed my soul.
The last three mornings, a little boy comes to me at 5:59 am and says, "mommy, is the coffee maker ready for me to turn on and can you come draw?" (today it took a while longer for me to get up...) and together we have spent at least an hour in quiet talk as we draw. (Mimi gets a similar crafting time at night...) you can see, today we had to make tugboats, per order of the CEO. But I'm also finding ways for it to be reflective, adding in song lyrics or creative writing to the drawings, as I am prone to do. (if this type of meditative drawing is of interest to you, I'd recommend looking into the Zendoodle books, they're really fun, I got some for the kids recently)

Our annual Christmas pic

2011-12-19T21:02:00.000-08:00

many of you knew to wait for our annual Christmas pic... Yes, the Worths are still silly. Yes, we still know how to have fun.
Peace, Love and Joy, from us to you in this holiday season.

Peaceful Christmas evening

2011-12-17T21:10:00.001-08:00

There are so many happy things about this photo... Presents wrapped, fire off to the right, tree skirt almost finished, hubby's show "Person of Interest" on the tv...

Christmas tree skirt

2011-12-11T17:50:00.000-08:00

I've wanted to make a Christmas tree skirt for years and never found a pattern that I liked until now... My friend and bee partner, Jennifer, recently made a pattern for one that was a spiderweb pattern (see it here - http://www.flickr.com/photos/sunnyincal/6482475375/in/photostream)
Oh!!! Yeah, I want to make that!!!
So here's the top, made in one productive evening... Now just gotta finish it. Then I have to squeeze it in under all the presents under the tree where no one can see it, but I'll know it's there...

A good gift = love

2011-12-08T17:33:00.000-08:00

A good friend knows that sometimes its not having the right words to say, but being thoughtful that counts. As for our recent situation, there aren't any great words of comfort to ease the pain. But some of my sweet friends have known that there are indeed things that help... Like cookies dropped on my doorstep by a new neighbor/acquaintance, a pack of sharpies that came in the mail with some slinky's for the kids. ...A text or voicemail that required no response other than to hear the love in the message. Spontaneous invitations to breakfast. Loving comments on the blog. Two different friends sent songs to encourage us. Some friends took us away for the weekend after Thanksgiving... Today this sweet and adorably wrapped tiny present came with a friend's Christmas card. In it was this sweet embroidered "L" necklace.
The giver has no way of knowing that though I was the only "L" grandchild to my grandmother Lillian, I never received any of her promised initial jewelry when she passed - and that makes this even sweeter.
I have been loved on by so many of you friends. Thank you for knowing that Sharpies do actually help ease grief and that healing comes in many forms - including necklaces and cookies.
You all know who you are and I'm so grateful for you.
(ps- the embroidered necklace had a tag that says "merriweathercouncil.com - in case you're interested, and the other necklace can be found at shopsanctuary.org - an amazing non-profit organization started by another friend)

Christmas at our house

2011-12-08T08:09:00.000-08:00

Someday in the future, there may be a day when I don't live at this house. This is what I will remember about Christmas, when I look back. My (Bachelder tile, for those who care) fireplace is the part of my home that makes me happiest besides my front door. Old homes are amazing and somehow lend extra nostalgia to holidays, don't you think?

Best Christmas list ever

2011-12-06T14:44:00.000-08:00

I love my girl.

G's quilt

2011-12-05T09:29:00.001-08:00

Made for the very special baby boy who I held in my arms from 3 weeks old-16 months old. The entire process of being a foster mom was so distressing that my heart was too broken to start and finish this while he was here. I had to work on this in spurts over the past two weeks to get it finished without too many tears.
I will mail this out today and hope it reaches him safely.
"Baby, we had hoped to hold you forever and we miss you every minute."

Christmas spirit

2011-12-03T13:17:00.001-08:00

Having not done anything Christmassy yet this year, the kids were begging to get started. (I'm glad they're here to keep the ball rolling)... After pulling out the first four boxes I remembered this week that I love Christmas.
A friend came over yesterday for a crafting lesson and we made some adorable quilty keychains that I thought would make adorable Christmas ornaments. After the first 10... I still have ideas for a zillion more... How happy are these?
Here's the tutorial that I used:
http://www.craftinessisnotoptional.com/2011/06/scrap-your-stash-guest-post-living-with.html

Perspective from Lovell

2011-12-02T15:15:00.000-08:00

Whenever I get down or feel like life is tough, I remember my friend Lovell. Lovell was one of 7 boys, raised by a single mom (i'm guessing sometime in the 50s). He's now an older, unemployed man living somewhere in my neighborhood. He makes his living by making people happy. Lovell dances every single day, all day long in all weather, collecting tips for sharing his one talent. He writes funny signs to make people laugh and he spreads cheer and love to everyone who stops to talk to him as they enter the local onramp. Lovell shouts to our car each time as we drive by, "I love you guys! Drink lots of water!" My kids love him.
He's sworn multiple times to me that if ever anyone disrespects me that he will go and "take care of them".
Lovell doesn't have all his teeth, but he's got one of the most beautiful smiles I have ever seen. It lights up my day every time I see him.
And I think about perspective a lot when I see him. Lovell is also affected by the economy. I don't know if Lovell has a house. But Lovell always has a smile and something funny to say. And Lovell is absolutely amazing and beautiful in the best ways.
Here's Lovell's joke for you today.

These busy hands needed a ring

2011-12-01T16:35:00.001-08:00

It's had been about 5 days since I made anything. (WHAT?!?!?!?) I saw this wire sitting on the counter and made this sweet nest ring... Found a stray weird bead and had something to wear today.

Be Kind

2011-11-30T09:51:00.000-08:00

I saw this post on Pinterest last night.

Source: tumblr.com via Liberty on Pinterest

it reminded me of the "Be Kind" cards I made up a few years ago. Remember these?

For some reason, I never listed them on etsy. Now you can get them, if you want. They're cheap enough to keep a pack in the car and have them on hand for a kindness emergency. Which we all have.

I'm still here

2011-11-28T14:36:00.000-08:00

I'm not really sure what to say. I'm still here. But baby is not.
As a family, we've gone from 6 members to 4 in less than a month.
We are crushed and limping, doing our best to love each other well in the midst of tremendous grief. Fear. Anger. Despair.
We are discouraged and broken. But we are tighter than ever. We are together. We are battered on levels I will never be able to share on this blog, but we are clinging to each other.
We will survive because of love.

Here are some special pics from a particularly poignant Thanksgiving weekend.

WIP - hand paper pieced quilt

2011-11-21T23:19:00.001-08:00

I've been working on this English paper pieced quilt top for about a year. Tonight it is done.
Ive been working on it periodically throughout the day as I take breaks from packing up all of baby's stuff. He moved away permanently Sunday to a new home. We will never have him again. This was not what we were hoping for. Our foster parenting days are over.
Grief is a funny thing to bear. I'm not sure why sewing helps, but it does.
I'm going to be having lots more time to sew in the future. We've gone from 4 kids to 2 in one month. Life is much quieter now.

Glass charms

2011-11-18T19:42:00.001-08:00

Oh I am having so much fun with these
glass charms. Mimi made the first 20, but when those sold like hot cakes, I had to step in and crank out a bunch. Then the gears started turning, and not only did I want a sewing machine charm, I wanted ones with public domain vintage sewing machine ads. Then I thought, "well, how about things I have sewn? Or tiny versions of my artwork?"
A whole new medium to work in. Yippee!
Today I wore a charm with an image of the grey improvisational quilt I finished recently. The charm looks more like modern abstract art than a photo of a quilt... But I know what it is and that makes it all the sweeter.
I'll let you know when these get posted.
They're so fun to make. I can't stop.

Mountain collage

2011-11-17T16:13:00.001-08:00

It's 3'x2' and the biggest collage I've made. And now its done. I'm pretty excited.

Collage Work in Progress - isaiah's mountain

2011-11-15T19:22:00.000-08:00

This is the biggest collage I've ever worked on. It's 24"x36" and while my materials haven't changed (still just using mail order catalogs and magazines)... Well, besides blowing through glue sticks, it means that I'm having to change the way I construct, because each section has to be built individually. It's a good challenge for me and I am currently walking around the house with this huge canvas and setting it in different spots in the house to look at it from different angles, trying to pick out problem spots.
My kids had plenty of "problem spots" they could find... They think it needs a sun and some birds...as for me, it's a little more subtle to figure it all out. Might have to be done for the day and come back tomorrow.

mimi raises money for World Vision

2011-11-11T13:53:00.000-08:00

Well, we did it!
We got Mimi's section of my etsy shop up and running and she's already made a sale as she tries to raise money for World Vision.
You have to click here and read the adorable description that she made for the pendants and don't mind me as I shamelessly plug her attempts to raise $$$ for other kids around the world. I love it when my kids get ideas like this and I'm so proud of her.
We will be posting about 12 more necklaces today and I know you'll be able to find something for someone in your life! (and YES, I will make special a special post about the sewing themed ones, because you can't miss those... Those were made by momma's special request)

Modern Baby quilt top

2011-11-09T10:07:00.000-08:00

I wanted to see if I could make a baby quilt from unusual colors and patterns.
This has been 1/2 made for about 3 months. Last night it HAD to be worked on (not sure why).
Top is completed now.
Not sure who the recipient is. I've been asked a number of times if I would consider selling my quilts. This one, maybe... We shall see.

Mimi wants to raise money for hungry kids

2011-11-09T10:04:00.000-08:00

Stay tuned as Mimi is going to start selling necklaces that she makes this week. This week, the World Vision catalog arrived with lots of cool options to buy animals for hungry families around the world. Mimi immediately decided she wanted to earn $100 to buy some ducks and chicks for needy families. We recently bought supplies to make glass pendants and Mimi used clippings from her own magazine to make this necklace from one of the Rainbow Magic fairy images. She will be making 10-12 more charms this week and we will post them in my etsy store. They will be $10 each and all money will go to this cause. (hooray!)
... Be thinking about the little and big girls in your life who might want such a cool treasure.

more doorstops

2011-11-08T09:43:00.000-08:00

I don't know what it is, but I have been getting so many orders on etsy for my beanbag doorstops lately. It's really funny and I am sure that people are looking at me strange when I go to Smart & Final and buy 60 lbs of beans at once. And the funny thing is that they are going strange places, like overseas, or to APO addresses or hotels. What are people doing when they buy 20 doorstops???? Who knows? Whatever it is, it's funding my latest quilty adventures and that's something fun. Thanks everyone!

Here are some of the more popular patterns of late.

Habitat Quilt - completed

2011-11-07T13:32:00.000-08:00

The LAMQG meeting is tonight and I had to finish the Habitat Challenge quilt by the meeting, so when I attempted binding it last night on the couch and fell asleep, well, the quilt had to take a road trip with me this morning, to get worked on during errands. As I waited for Baby to visit with his mom at DCFS, I sat in the car and finished the last of the binding... Phew it's done!
Have to say: I LOVED HAND QUILTING THIS. What a great experience that was. Of course it added about 30 hours to the project, but the end result feels so much better than anything I could have done with my machine.
I also learned that a lot of the adventures of hand sewing rely on the needles you choose. Not that I've found the perfect ones yet, but I am starting to form opinions. (me, opinions?) ha.

Sometimes it's just good to be silly

2011-11-04T19:20:00.001-07:00

We are having too much fun with our new incredibooth app.

Hand quilting WIP "habitat quilt"

2011-11-03T11:17:00.001-07:00

I almost gave up on this quilt. Given all the stress I have been under, I couldn't see a way to save this Habitat Challenge quilt that I am working on for the LAMQG challenge. But some Pearl cotton, encouragement from Nicole and lots of quiet moments on tired evenings have helped me to fall in love with this.
The Little Princess left last Friday. I've shed many tears and also realized 4 days into a week without her just how much I'd neglected while we had her. Basically, everything was put on the back burner and this week so far has consisted of cleaning, sending apology emails to Libby Dibby customers who've waited too long for answers to questions or fulfilling orders. (sigh) - Thank you beanbag doorstop customers, I shipped out 20 today!

After that shipment today, I begin to see the light. A few hours to myself in the morning, our construction worker isn't here this am to work on the house - might be my first hour alone in the house in 5-6 months and darned if I'm not gonna sit down at least for 10 minutes to listen to some Imogen Heap Pandora and do a little hand sewing - just to feed my own starving soul.
It's the same feeling as a glass of wine and a sunset. And I'm gonna soak it in.

More little house collages

2011-10-31T15:09:00.000-07:00

1 of 2 little house collages that I whipped up for some birthday gifts for special friends this week. After the last one became a hot ticket item at an auction recently, I figured that maybe these were cool enough to gift after all. (it kind of built up my confidence a little to see it get a great price at the auction...)
This one is about 8"x8". The other one was tiny (so cute) and about 4" square.
They make me happy. I kind of think I need one for myself.

Paint by Numbers Party (I have the coolest friends!)

2011-10-31T13:32:00.000-07:00

I forgot to tell you about the paint by numbers party we went to. It was hosted by a friend of mine from Art Center and her funny group that calls themselves "The Society of Interesting People for the Advancement of Unique Social Recreation" and they sent out an email invitation that I simply couldn't turn down....

Everyone was told to bring 2oz of paint in any color and we were assigned a number when we arrived. The hosts had combined 3 different (hideous) paint by number designs and blown them up onto this massive canvas.

The perspective was hysterical (note the ridiculously mammoth trees coming up behind the mountains) and the colors were whack. (pink glitter eagle)...

But it was one of the most fun parties we have ever been to and at the beginning of the night, we only knew one person there. (by the end, we were chummy with everyone)

I'm going to find a way to do this myself somehow.

11 years together

2011-10-28T12:11:00.000-07:00

Today J and I celebrate our 11th anniversary. Well, actually, tomorrow we celebrate it, but today marks it.
"We are have been together in sunshine and in shade" and I wouldn't trade a minute of it to be with anyone else.
We have not ever chosen the easy route and our life is filled with adventure, suspense, challenge and lots of clinging to one another. But we are firm believers in the "work hard, play hard" lifestyle. We give everything and love well. There is no way I would ever have been able to deal a minute of the past 6 years as a mom and foster mom without this man at my side. This man, who is my steady, even rock. I tell him often that we are like a tetherball pole - he's the anchor pole and I spin, securely fastened to him.

J, I love you always. You are my favorite. You always have been and always will. You are my hero. Thank you for teaching me how to love well. Your generous and patient love is the foundation for our family and I am the luckiest woman alive.
(and don't forget, you're not allowed to die first... We agreed on it)

Happy Anniversary.

(special thanks to KM photography for these amazing pics!)

Painting time

2011-10-25T10:09:00.001-07:00

Part of the ongoing construction in the house includes fixing cracked plaster (from the house getting leveled!) and finally getting new paint. This is the fun part.

bye bye, charms.

2011-10-24T11:55:00.000-07:00

Just as information for those of you out there who are Libby Dibby charm wearers... As of today, I will no longer be selling the handstamped sterling silver charms.

I'm sorry for the inconvenience this may be for some people who wish for more.

Habitat Challenge quilt (WIP)

2011-10-20T10:24:00.000-07:00

This is nothing like I envisioned it! And that is the fun of improvising something and letting the fabrics tell me what they want to be. I almost gave up... But instead the project sat in pieces for a few days and took shape all in one night.
I cheated for the back!!! Used Denyse Schmidt's county fair cheater print... Been saving it for a while for the perfect project...

House collage

2011-10-10T14:44:00.000-07:00

I was asked by my friend, Sarah, to donate a collage for a local charity auction. She's a close friend with whom I took my collage class at Art Center last spring (and I hope to join her again in it when life settles a little?).
Anyhow - there are a few of us who are friends who are collage artists that all attend church together. It's a funny thing to know other collage artists anyway, but I love that these other women are really incredible people, too. They are also mothers and one of them is also an entertainment industry wife, so we have lots to share about.
Anyhow - Sarah and I put up for auction a special luncheon at her house where we will do a collage workshop with 8 attendees. Ironically, one of the 8 who signed up is a far more accomplished collage artist than Sarah or I - but it's going to be so much fun to do art together.

Sarah thought that putting collages up for auction right next to the Workshop bid sheet would be fun, so I whipped this one up in the last 2 days. We went to the auction last night and I literally had to have someone come pick it up from my house while the glaze was still drying. It looked good by bid time and actually ended up in the hands and home of some more fun friends. So now I get to see it when I visit their house!

(yay)
On a side funny note, my husband ran into a college classmate of his at the auction (he never forgets a face) and when we were introduced to each other, she said, "wait? You're Liberty Worth, ... the charms and skirt girl? I've ordered from your website, years ago..." so random.
In spite of being in business for 7 years, I am still always amazed when people have heard of my stuff.... and even more when they've bought from me, not knowing me!

Bee Happy baby quilt pic

2011-10-05T13:44:00.000-07:00

You saw it en route, but here's our Bee Happy quilt we made for baby Emma. And she kind of outshines it.

Though I love pictures of the quilts I've made and have a hand in, it's even more fun to see them being loved.

Now that I write that, I realize that in addition to the 20-something quilts I've made in the past 3 years... I also have had a hand in making portions of (let me count...) around 30 other quilts because of my bees, too, this one included.

Taken by sewgirly! http://www.flickr.com/photos/37825389@N05/6201557316

Liberty

Sent from my trusty little iPhone

SENT

2011-10-03T08:49:00.000-07:00

My church is doing a really fun art project this month - our pastor's wife is an amazing collage artist who specializes in recycled materials. (You know I love her artwork and her in general!)
So this month we gave out postcards to people with postage on them and asked them to design the backs with a representation of where they feel they've been "SENT"
And then when the piece is done, they just pop it in the mail to be a part of our group exhibit. I was finally able to do mine last night (last chance to do it, of course, as it had to go in the mail today!!!!)...

and of course, I wasn't able to stop at just one, so I made two.

Mimi's birthday gift

2011-10-02T23:49:00.000-07:00

I've been dying to give this gift to Mimi. Today was her 7th birthday, but I have had this Hello Kitty Janome sewing machine (it's a legit machine!) for her for months.
You can see how excited I was to give it to her. She is super excited and also a little bit scared in a healthy way... she totally realizes this is serious. You can see that on her face too.
This pic says it all, doesn't it?

From Mimi's bday

Catching up on crafting.

2011-09-29T19:41:00.001-07:00

After my kitchen remodel, the beginning of school, having Princess move in, and making my "voice" quilt, barfy kids.... I'm so behind on so many projects... Including Mimi's birthday party prep which is this Saturday. (oh did the wheels fall off the wagon there... Some invites never even made it out. Sigh)
Anyhow, I'm trying to catch up and today's chance involved making yarn Rapunzel braids (in every hair color!) while watching tball practice at the park.

Project Modern "Find Your Voice" challenge COMPLETED!

2011-09-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

Wow. I finished. Here is my entry for the "find your voice" Project Modern Challenge. It took a little over a week and came so naturally to me, the whole thing felt right. Granted, there were months of sketches (they looked nothing like this) and nights and days spent with teachers and friends teaching me new techniques. (Hello, no straight lines, no rulers, quilting based on the composition...)
But when it came down to making this, no sewing has ever been more of a good fit. There were spontaneous decisions to be made the entire time (LOVE THAT).. and though it is a competition I am submitting it for, the winning is nit the point. I've been quilting for almost 3 years now. The entire time, I've been looking to find my personal "voice.". When I learned the purpose of this challenge, I knew I had to join the ranks and embrace the deadline as an impetus to search harder to find my style and especially to bridge the gap (finally) between my sewing and my artwork.
I'm so happy. If you look at the collage I used for inspiration, you can see, I've been able to combine my own artwork along with the passion I have for the quilts of Gee's Bend... And found a new groove.
Hooray!

WIP - project modern challenge. Almost done!

2011-09-26T09:13:00.000-07:00

So between juggling 4 kids, a new school schedule, 3 birthday parties a weekend and one of our own to plan this coming weekend... I'm dealing with lots of foster stuff (each new placement requires extra, weekly social worker visits and inspections, and dr appts...). That should explain a little why I haven't written much of interest this past week.
But I LOVE deadlines. And my self-imposed deadline of having an entry to submit on Sept 30 for the Project Modern Challenge "FIND YOUR VOICE" contest has been so good for me.
To be honest, this quilt has only taken me about a week of sewing at night plus one full 5-hour LAMQG "weekend sew" day. Jay has been watching it come together, saying "this has come so naturally for you. It's hardly taken any time at all". He's right. And it's also been fun.
My art professor last semester told me that you know you've got your groove when you can look at a finished project and envision making another 100 in it's wake. And I'm suddenly bursting with composition ideas... Something I've NEVER had before.
It wasn't winning that motivated me to enter this competition... But the push it would be to do something I've been trying to do all along. And i truly believe i accomplished my goal. Which thrills me to no end.
So now all that is left is the binding. Three days of hand sewing edges and I'll get to show you the final product.

Bear clothes

2011-09-23T13:06:00.000-07:00

Princess informed me that her bear, Lisa, was cold. So all work had to stop while we made Lisa a sweater dress and scarf today. I'm amazed that a bear would be cold in 80degree weather, but maybe her fur is only decorative.

libbydibby shared an Instagram photo with you

2011-09-23T09:14:00.001-07:00

Hi there,

libbydibby just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

More scrap hairbows

2011-09-22T12:42:00.001-07:00

My niece, Lanie, modeling her scrap hairbows that she and her mom made for her soccer team friends.

WIP - quilt top done!!!

2011-09-19T17:57:00.000-07:00

Here it is! It may end up with another few inches down the side to make it a proper twin size quilt, but for the most part... It's done.
:)
Lots to do in 10 days though. (especially with 4 kids and a number of nighttime events to deal with, which cut into my only hours to sew) Deadline is sept 30... Eeeeek!

WIP - project modern

2011-09-17T19:29:00.001-07:00

Oh wow, after this past month, I wondered if I'd ever get this far on Project Modern. But now that I've gotten this far, I know I will finish! Today was the weekend sew for LAMQG and I arrived at 12:15 and stayed until the end 5 hours later. I arrived with 4 blocks made and left with almost an entire quilt top completed. It was so relaxing and wonderful to be with friends, doing what I love most. J was a champ at home for 5 hours with 4 kids (and a neighbor, too!)...
As I was speaking to other women there, i was relating to them how composition can really be an issue for me. I love making small blocks, but what do I do with them? How can I put them together in a fresh way?
Instead of trying to make them fit together today, I just tried to make one block bigger and bigger until it swallowed the others - and suddenly, it was a cohesive piece...
My LAMQG pals were chock full of color and quilting ideas. I love working in a group. In a way it sometimes seems like there would be a weird stage fright that might hinder creative process, but I find after 15 years of studio art classes, the opposite occurs... I relax, get talking and just let go in a way I never can do when I'm alone.
Today was great. Can't wait to show you more.

Gifted vintage quilt for Nicole

2011-09-15T14:25:00.000-07:00

My first hand-quilted quilt. I gave it to my dear friend and neighbor, Nicole, today. A few months ago she'd given me a big bundle of scraps and vintage pieces she had bought in Montana, but had never found a use for. I wanted to find the use for her and made this quilt top in one night. Then I spent the next 4 months quilting it for her by hand.

I had hoped to give it to her in time for summer picnics with her family, but we live in SoCal... Fall is a good picnic time too, right?

Memory Lane

2011-09-15T10:58:00.000-07:00

Today Princess asked about being a bride so I pulled out our wedding album and giggled with her about how fancy I looked and how happy "Lala" and "Uncle Jay" are in these pics. We were so happy. We still are. Nearly eleven years have given us many chances to laugh, cry, debate, struggle, move and fall more in love.
I couldn't help but to share these. We look so young and knew so little of what lay ahead, but I still feel all these photos deeply... Deeper, actually than I did then.

Scrap hairbows

2011-09-14T09:00:00.001-07:00

I've been making these scrap bows for years now, using the tiniest (strippy) bits left from various projects. They've adorned probably 100+ gifts that have left my house in the past few years. They've even been gifts themselves, sometimes I'll fill up an organza bag of 10-20 and wrap that as a gift for a friend.
I've seen a number of folks turn them into hairbows, but I've never posted about it here, that I remember... This week, my sister in law asked for some yellow scraps to make 9 scrap bow hairbands for my niece's new soccer team. That reminded me to take a pic of Mimi in hers before school one day.
She was actually writing a card to a school friend that was including a scrap hairbow that she had made. Her comment about the bows in her pigtails: "mom, the funny thing about these is that I know exactly which quilt they're from"

Finding my voice

2011-09-13T12:35:00.001-07:00

The Project Modern Challenge this quarter is "find your voice". Since this is something I've been wanting to do for a long time, I thought I'd give the competition a go. I'm now 2 weeks from the deadline and though I have a ton of sketched ideas for it, I hadn't actually started sewing. My friend, Latifah, came over a few weeks ago and helped me to wrap my head around how I could try to get some of my favorite curved shapes worked out in pieced fabric. She shared with me her copy of Dale Fleming's book "Pieced Curves So Simple" (liked it so much I bought my own copy).
I finally had my kitchen (kind of) unpacked enough last night that I felt able to pull out fabric and attempt a little piecing of curves.
And here's what I got! I'm pretty excited, because I held it up to one of my oversized collages and it was totally "me", it looks like all my doodles and collages... I think I'm on my way....

Almost done

2011-09-13T12:21:00.001-07:00

When I finish the final 1 foot of binding on this puppy, I'll take a photo in color and share this project with you. I've been working on it for about 4 months. It's taken so long because I decided to hand quilt it! It was totally unnecessary for the design of this particular quilt, but I'd just heard a presentation on hand quilting and wanted to give it a try. So now it's almost done and ready to give to a special pal of mine.
The problem is that the kitchen remodel and an unexpected second foster child's arrival this week has set me back so far. I'm actually late in my quilting bee for the first time in 18 months and haven't gotten my machine out in weeks. (sigh, I feel like I'm missing an arm).
Anyhow, maybe today it will get done. Last night, I brought it to the LAMQG meeting to try and multi-task, but I had to bring the little Princess (our new 4yo foster placement) with me, because she was afraid of being left with the babysitter. Halfway through the meeting, she got really sad and started missing her mommy. Then she started crying in the middle of the talk and we had to sneak out the back... What I heard of the talk was great, it was Bill Kerr and Weeks Ringle via skype! Very inspiring. And I can't believe they are in Oak Park, Illinois, my favorite hometown. I had no inclination to quilt while I lived there 2001-2005, but had I, I would have been able to connect with them. Oh snap.
Now I'm gonna see if Baby will nap and Princess will play just long enough for me to make a few complete stitches. Then I'll snap a color pic. :)
This one was taken at the park the other day while the kids played in the splash pad as I watched, sewing on the sidelines.

Little artist

2011-09-09T14:02:00.000-07:00

Turns out I have a precious little artist staying with me. These pictures are so vibrant and raw they make me happy and sad at the same time.
We are doing our best to love her well while she is here for a couple days.

Surprise visitor

2011-09-09T08:57:00.000-07:00

Well, if you read this blog, you'll know what it means to have this quilt out with a little girl's hand on it. Last night, a desperate Social worker called needing a place for a little girl to stay for a few days.
We scrambled, got ready, and now Mimi has a roommate for the weekend.
I had always felt this quilt was for a little girl who would stay with us for a while, but had all but given up on the idea. The quilt was up in a closet, put away.
And then at 10pm, a little sad person with nothing but her playclothes on came to us. So I've told her this is just for her, and found a cuddly bear for her to love as well. We are currently sitting on the couch drawing.

Mimi and her necklace

2011-09-01T19:09:00.001-07:00

In a week, she will be a second grader. Here she is today, tan, end of summer tired.

Vacation crafts

2011-08-28T23:40:00.000-07:00

We've had a great extended weekend away with my extended family in Palm Springs. I planned ahead and packed enough hand sewing for about 7 or 8 weeks of vacation... So I was more than prepared when my nieces wanted to dig in. First my eldest niece, Lily, wanted to sew her own project bag, like the ones I carry all my projects in, so I had a little sewing buddy all weekend. Then 3 year old Violet asked me in her tiny voice, "Lala, do you have any yellow favrics?" (insert my melting heart here and you'll see how she ended up with a yellow "packpack".)
Lily was convinced then to turn her bag into a backpack herself and after two days of working on it with great determination, she was able to put it on with pride for these pics.
I spent tonight working on a third bag for middle sister, Sofia, and of course, Mimi needed a little love, too, so I capped off the evening with some tiny surprises for my special girl, too.
(I'll show those tomorrow.)
Didn't really make much progress on my own projects, but I did get lots of sewing in and plenty of indoctrination to the cult of sewing for my nieces. (Mimi spent her vacation practicing Ms. Pacman and other old school video games on the big booth here at the house, for her own change of pace! Sewing, not so much...)

Favorite Sewing Books - post 7 - One Yard Wonders

2011-08-28T14:17:00.000-07:00

Oh do I love this book!
It's another one that has gotten dog eared by my carting it around everywhere.
(True confession, I leave the house with at least one extra bag almost every time I leave - that has a sewing book and at least 2 projects to work on. This one has been in the bag a lot.)

I've made the cutest casserole holders from patterns in this. I learned about this book by hearing the podcast on Craftsanity and I love the fact that this is a truly collaborative effort by tons of designers. And so many projects? wow.

favorite Sewing Books - post 6- Block Party

2011-08-25T14:12:00.000-07:00

This book is an exciting view into the world of the new online quilting bee (like the two I am in!!). It's not only got the 12 projects that the women made, it's got the stories of their journey - their inspiration and it's really neat to see how the bee quilts turned out with 12 pairs of hands involved.

And yes, mine is signed (by Alissa). Which is always fun.

Charity quilts finished!

2011-08-23T18:46:00.000-07:00

Aren't these so fun to behold? Here are 5 of the 6 quilts that my 8 guild member friends helped me to get together for the Sharefest Youth Development Academy kids from their artwork.
Huge thanks to Tanya, Lori, Latifah, Patsy, Pam, Lisa. Angela and Lauren for their contributions!
These look great, don't they????

Favorite Sewing Books - post 5- Modern Log Cabin Quilting

2011-08-22T14:09:00.000-07:00

I haven't made any of the quilts in this book yet -it just came out.
But I have lots of pages marked.
Log Cabin quilts are fun to make and these are so fresh and revitalized.
Nuf said.

Favorite Sewing Books - post 4- Sew What Skirts

2011-08-20T14:01:00.000-07:00

I'll confess I first picked up this book to see if it was giving away my Libby Dibby pattern. (it doesn't) But I ended up buying it because it's awesome.

I haven't made one of the skirts as they're presented. But the directions and know-how that are shared in this book are amazing and clear and valuable and I have at least 4 or 5 skirts I have made using the techniques I learned by reading this book - yes - ACTUALLY READING the book and not just looking at the photos.

Seams Perfect stars for Theresa

2011-08-17T20:05:00.000-07:00

I'm less than thrilled about these paper pieced stars that I made for Theresa this month in our Seams Perfect bee.

I just figured that since she had asked for scrappy stars that she would be getting a ton of wonky stars... So here would be something different... I shrank down a pattern from quilters' cache (starry web) and made my squares from that.

After 2 hours of practice and a lot of mistakes, I had a red and white block i liked for my sampler- but the next night, when usingTheresa's fabric, I got all the pieces in the right place, but in the end, they didn't match up.
:(
Wah. I am not proud of these.
Still, like every month in my bees.. I learned, which is the reason I joined the bees in the first place.

(I am proud of the little pouch I made to go with it as a gift though... how lame is it that I was so much freer with this?)

Charity quilt progress - longarm day

2011-08-17T18:51:00.001-07:00

There are 6 quilts in this little sharefest quilt project... And I am not doing them all alone. There are a lot of women who are helping me!
Today's fun journey was to take a little "me" time - all the kids were farmed out - so that I could visit my friend, Tanya, and we could quilt one of the quilts on her longarm machine. For those who have no idea what a longarm machine is: this is a 10-12 foot wide sewing machine that you use to complete those beautiful intricate quilting patterns you see on high end quilts. The machine is enormous. Before a few months ago, I think I imagined it was a machine that kind of ran itself on an autopilot kind of deal. It's not. While using Tanya's machine with her today, I literally felt like I did the first time I used a sewing machine. My stitches were so messy! So primitive! I couldn't even do the below raindrop design without really having to work at it! I think about two inches of 150 that I did were "good".
But I've said it before and I am not afraid of being a beginner at stuff. There's a Bible verse I love that says, "do not despise the day of small beginnings". I firmly believe in embracing my journey.
I'd taken a class a few weeks ago about "quilting" with Angela Walters... (been meaning to write about that) And I've taken the "free motion sewing" class with Lisa at Sew Modern- but can I just take my hat off to people who can do this well???? Geez, it's hard! Free motion AND longarm quilting...
It's fun, though.
Imagine learning that not only is driving a possibility, but flying is, too. (I still need to master driving... And sewing, for that matter.)
Tanya is REALLY GOOD at this. She showed me some recently finished quilts for customers and i was blown away. Even moreso after playing with her machine.
I'm trying to think of something I can have her quilt for me.... May have to make something....
These Sharefest quilts are going to be so great. Each one, so different. Each one having at least 32 pairs of hands having worked on it. That is awesome.
(oh, and thanks to Lauren at Sew Modern for donating this blue!)
I'll post pics when they are all finished. Can't wait to share.

favorite Sewing Books - post 3 - Anna Maria Horner

2011-08-16T13:55:00.000-07:00

It SEAMS TO ME] that everyone loves this book.
Ever since I first read about her in Home Companion magazine (Tori had passed the article onto me), I was in love with all things AnnaMaria Horner. I listened to the Craftsanity podcasts with her and I decided I had a hobby crush on AMH.

This book is sheer eye candy. Absolutely fabulous.

Charity quilts

2011-08-15T23:36:00.000-07:00

Pardon my dark picture... Blogging from my phone...

This week's project (along with 8 other women from my guild... Thanks to Lori, Patsy, Pam, Angela, Lauren at Sew Modern, Lisa, Latifah and Tanya!) is to help the folks at Sharefest (a non-profit where my sister, Victory, works) assemble 6 quilts.

You can read about the kids who drew the artwork for these squares and their amazing camp experiences this month here: http://www.sharefestinc.org/blog/art-for-others.html

Favorite Sewing Books - post 2 - Bend the Rules Sewing

2011-08-14T13:51:00.000-07:00

This sewing book is literally so dogeared and worn from being taken to the beach and played with that it has to be #2 to be shared.
I actually have made a number of projects in this book. They're fun, fast, and really inspiring.

Highly recommend.
Amy Karol is candid and whimsical and I love this book. Even if it has sand in the creases.

historical serenity

2011-08-12T20:10:00.000-07:00

My friend Alison took this photo as she toured a historical home this summer.
There are about 10 things in this photo that make me happy.

Long Beach Quilt Show

2011-08-12T09:59:00.000-07:00

I was able 2 weeks ago to attend the Long Beach Quilt Show. It was my first time ever attending anything of the like. I really enjoyed running into a couple of my guild members - and I especially liked seeing the demonstration of new tools - that's always what I like!
I have to say that there wasn't much represented in the way of the modern quilter a la "Modern Quilt Guild" - just a few little snippets. For the most part there seemed to be a huge divide between two well represented groups - the traditional quilters and the art quilters.
(I'll post some fun things I saw, I tried not to take any pics of ones I wasn't supposed to, so if you see any ones that I shouldn't have, please let me know and I will remove them)

Now of course, you know I loved loved loved touring the art quilts. The way that those artists manipulate fabric was mind boggling to me. And I for sure could see how I could fit into their camp with what I love to do on my art/collage side. The traditional quilts didn't do much to inspire me, though there was CERTAINLY talent on the side of the quilters themselves. I just am an artist at heart and only snatched a few pics...

But I also really love the idea of a usable, washable, stainable, lovable quilt that doesn't just hang on the wall. I love the humility of a work of art that you end up sleeping with or using to cover your kids or have a picnic on. There's just something about that to me.

(Look at how tiny these yoyos are!

The owner of it said that his mother made it - It covered his entire 6 foot table, top and sides... it's amazing)

So I left, a little confused for sure - confused about where I belong. But I think that was good. Because I love the idea that there is a place somewhere in the middle for me. I haven't quite exactly found my voice and I don't think I fit particularly into any one box - but I love the dialogue I had with myself (you already knew I was crazy) on my way home in the car.

It's continued for a couple of weeks. And I know that I still have years and years to figure out my style. I loved my art professor in college who told me that my 20s and 30s were just about figuring out my artistic language and that my 40s were when I should expect to really be flying. That gives me 5 more years of experimenting!

Oh, and I'll leave you with this image that I saw outside on the pavement - which I found nearly as inspiring as what I saw inside the convention.

Inspiration is free - take some ideas!

2011-08-11T19:55:00.000-07:00

Isn't it great that we can get inspiration anywhere? Here are a few places I recently found some inspiration:

1 - A child's palette. I was making hair wraps with embroidery floss on the 7 little girls on our camping trip recently and one of the 7 year olds picked this color combo. And it was great on it's own, but when I put it down to photograph and think about later, I only had my pants to use to set it down on, and then this green was there with them. Even as I am typing this now, don't you think this entire photo would make a great quilt?

2 - A child's painting. I feel like Z has such a beautifully abstract sense of creativity.
He wanted me to leave this painting at the museum where he made it, but I couldn't. I needed to chew on the layout and amazing color choices he made. I so could see this being a quilt, too.

3 - Just messing around. While Z was painting the above masterpiece, Mimi was painting mermaids and I was just messing with the paints. I hate this page that I did below, but I love the idea of using it as a study in color, or isolating little sections to find as my Collage professor, Franklyn, says "little moments" that work for further study.

Favorite sewing books

2011-08-10T13:19:00.000-07:00

I have a thing for books with pictures. Actually I have a thing for books. But lately, sewing and craft books have been really a passion for me. I love the inspiration, the photos, the ideas - often I don't even follow the patterns - it's more about seeing the items and making things based on my inspiration from them.

I probably have 30-40 sewing books alone. (The first of which was my Denyse Schmidt book!)
That is not mentioning the 50-60 crafting/sewing/quilting magazines I also hang onto.
Now here's the problem. I have all of them, but have I really made something from them? Inspired by, yes, but wouldn't it be good to actually use the books? (I think so)

I have been wanting to challenge myself lately to make at least 1 item from each book, magazine, etc - that I've bought. Just one. So that puts me out at um. well - if I gave myself a month for each project - well, I guess I would be busy for about um (I hate math)... wait a sec... a decade or two? oy.
Okay, not going to do that.

Instead, I'm going to just share with you some of my favorite books and resources. If I had time to sit down and not chase a little baby tornado around (today I caught him trying to throw Z's snowglobes from a stool) - I would review even the top 10.
I'll try.
But I don't really have much time.
So instead, I'm going to just point you to them and when I get the chance, I'll write reviews. And you'll have to trust me that if they weren't my favorites, and really worth buying... well, I wouldn't share them. ok? (not that you asked)
One of the cool things about being in the LAMQG is that I've been able to meet a number of the authors of the books that I love as they are either fellow members or speakers who visit our meetings to give talks.
That said, I have to start with Denyse Schmidt's book.

I bought this book YEARS before I ever thought I'd really make a quilt. I would periodically look through it and drool. I can't say I have actually made any projects from it - but I can say that I still consider buying this book a valuable part of my quilting journey.
A fellow member and acquaintance of mine, Jenny, is actually working her way -Julie and Julia style through the book... woot! What a great idea!
Here's her finished quilt.