Don't drink the starch.

They say blogs are supposed to be about one topic, be it weight loss or parenting or organizing your life.  I don't do that.  I dump my brain's contents out and let you sort through the mess.  

I'm sorry about that.  Well, no, I'm not.

I got up this morning and my wrist is still bothering me.  I always hit the gym in the morning so I put an ACE bandage around my wrist for a little extra support.  I got a few "What happened?" and honestly, I wasn't ashamed to tell them. 

I over quilted last weekend. 

Hi, I'm Dena and a quilter.  Actually, I'm one step away from hoarder-level status fabric and pattern whore.  I've been quilting for about 10 years.  I went through this phase where if it sounded interesting, I'd take a class.  

Cake Decorating... fun... gained 8 pounds in a month... had to quit.

Bikram Yoga... too expensive... threw up behind a dumpster more than once... had to quit.

Skiing... too much traffic and let's get real, I was born on the beach.  This downhill nonsense is scary when you're old enough to realize that you can break bones.

 

Quilting.  Cue the heavens opening up and rays of sunshine casting their gloriousness upon my face!  

That took and I quickly began my love of a great hobby.  Fast forward years later and some friends and I are making a regular habit of going on Quilting Retreats.  Capital Q and Capital R.  Ha ha ha, you say but I think there's no better way to unwind than to get out of cell phone range, take my makeup off, change into some yoga pants, get my headphones on, feel the rhythmic drum of my machine running and quilt until I pass out.  It's better than sex... wait... um... strike that but it's definitely up there.  Really, it might just depend on the day.

Sadly, though, for reasons beyond the scope of this post, our retreats have been getting less frequent (life, babies, people not quilting anymore) and I needed some new blood.  Luckily, my friend, Katie, planned one at the right time.  I didn't know anyone going but I'm not exactly the shy type.  I loaded my iPod and quilted... and quilted... and quilted.

Not really.  Quilting is the act of sewing together (preferably with a fabulous pattern) three layers.  A top, a back and batting, which is the stuff that keeps you warm.  I like to quilt but I LOVE to make the design-y tops.  Not sure if it's the architect in me but I love bringing color and texture together and seeing what I can make.  And if it keep you warm... that's love. Real squishy love.  Fuck this rom-com, fairy tale ending love... a quilt is love.

I sewed for hours.  I broke for meals and sewed for more hours.  Here's some of my finished work from that weekend:

How about staring at this view all weekend.  See, now you get me.

This was a mystery quilt.  I just had the binding left to do.

This was my foray into Homespuns.  It was an experiment with a fabric I don't work with often.  I won't be repeating.

This is an original design.  I paper pieced it because that's a technique I love.  There could have been more contrast between the colors but you live and learn.

This is a One Block Wonder.  It's all constructed from a single fabric.  Crazy, right?

Another original work of mine.  I was testing the pattern.  There's still some more to finish.

A quick little quilt for Sarah.  She loves this book.

A table runner kit I bought.  I forgot I even had it.  Told you I was entering hoarder levels.

Our workspace.

Found this in the room.  Not sure, where your quat is.

But wait, then a few weeks later, there's a spot opening up at our usual place and though it's 100% last minute, 4 of us are able to go.  One ducks out quickly which leaves this huge area for 3 ladies... and we sew and we sew.  Here's some of my finished work from that weekend:

Adding the applique from the previous retreat.  I'm sure this is where I overdid the wrist.

Finished the top.

Another kit I forgot I'd had.  It looked much better than the original picture on the kit.

Extra fabric from the first pigeon quilt means that baby sister gets her own.  No sharing required.

A Christmas table runner.

 

So I sewed with abandon and didn't want to come home yet.  (Even though, I have a kick-ass husband who let's me ditch town for a few days twice in a month!)  See, the next best thing is making new friends.  From that first retreat, I walked away with some new lovely ladies in my life and who doesn't need new lovely ladies?  All interesting and all inspiring.  

At the second retreat, we had a guild next door and the ladies invited us to eat with them.  They were a rowdy bunch and I liked them immediately.  They talked about quilts and books and traveling and all sorts of stuff.  Of course, I was angling to invite myself to more retreats.  

They make their own starch and maybe were taking a shot of it too...  *devil grin*   Maybe I should start making my own starch too.  Seems like a great way to go through life.