Battery Recharged

The week back has me in perpetual motion.  Tuesday Sewing Group (which did very well without my help while I was gone) a private Paper Piecing Lesson, Free Motion quilting class, and sewing, quilting, sewing.  Several quilting commissions have come in this week, as I guess folks are preparing for holiday gift giving. We love this bustle of business and the creative work it involves.  Mary brought back lots of interesting new materials from Quilt Market in Houston.  My favorite gadget for our long arm work is a series of rings that interchangeably give quilting control at specific distances from the hopping foot.  She also continued to quilt in my absence.

I missed being there, but tel aviv took precedence this time.
I met so many amazing people while I was away.  I want to share this.  Picture walking out of your house, going to either corner, turning left or right and landing in the middle of the most amazing craft fair every Tuesday and Friday. Stop for a cafe at a sidewalk cafe.  Buy fabric at any number of delightfully crowded shops. Meet accomplished artists from around the world, sitting on folding chairs at their tables, selling the most amazing artwork (and some, not so amazing, but nevertheless, full of the flavor of the city.)

Kashi Textiles – where we found African-inspired fabrics.

to be a kitchen curtain



the best frozen coffee drink, ever!

I bought the photo he's holding.

Sandu Mandrea is the photographer.  His photos  (and his son’s) are amazing.

 

I finished a few more…

August is quiet at the shop; everybody’s savoring the last few summer days on a beach blanket and  aren’t the least bit interested in being at the sewing machine with a blanket in their lap.  However, they’ve  brought a few projects my way to be finished at the last minute, so I’ve been quilting alot under pressure.  I’m thankful for this in August.

And while I’ve been stitching….

 

Brimming

A good and exhausting experience and brief getaway from the  shop

We got there very early, because we wanted to bring the dogs

Then it started to get crowded

So much stuff

My big find at Brimfield

I’m making an adorable wall hanging from part of it.

Stu's big find (on someone's car)

Stu walked Nellie and Pippin a lot

I love vacations because I love coming back home.

 

I promised

new fabric, but first a few new fabric projects,  Sometimes, I get on a roll and it seems that the binding bug has taken a big bite this week.  It feels good, with so many projects coming and going, to finally finish some of my own.  This is the shower gift I made mostly from stash material.  And I had one good idea when I checked the registry to inspire the color scheme.

with new quilting design: Almost Paisley

Did you know it takes two years to plan a statewide shop hop?  Well besides deciding to participate, all I have to do is sell passports and make the shop quilt.  I actually made a lot of progress at quilt camp and got some quilting done this week.  The best part  is getting the binding on (binding 1)

I’ve had a sample of a simple Daiwabo Taupe throw folded cleverly  so you wouldn’t notice the edges.  It was being hand quilted and that slows things down a bit, but I finally chose a binding and it  feels good. (binding 2)

Finally a won-auction vintage quilt top, from two summers ago, quilted one summer ago by the amazing Wilma, and the vintage binding was hiding among my vintage fabrics for sale at the shop.  It’s good to re-merchandise now and then.  And the pretty blue and orange flowers match the scrappy color scheme perfectly. (binding 3)

Okay, I also took a poll and the majority of folks voted for fabric and a pattern giveaway.  So comment by July 3rd and be entered into the drawing for exactly that.  Here are some of the possibilities.  New fabrics in the shop:

Jennifer Paganelli's Dance With Me Collection

Flourish Collection

Heavier weight for stuff like tote bags...

Bird Print and Coordinating Texture Print

Alexander Henry Halloween 2009

How cute are these witches?

 

Israel is the site of the most ’70’s lampage and other cool facts

I actually took all these pictures in the Arab Market except for the big chandelier which is hanging from the ceiling of Max Brenner, Tel Aviv

Other cool facts… (double click)

 

They’re Off…

This morning  (Sunday, the 31st) I started a very short photo journal of Ally and Kate preparing for  their trip to Israel.  I am happy.  I am sad.  My girls will be together tomorrow, after nine long months.  I am not with them.   Shara will meet  Ally and Kate at Ben Gurion Airport.  As I write, they are still lifted on wings of jet power.   But soon will be landing and hugging and bringing hugs from Momma and Daddy, too.  And then, Ally will go on her tour, and Shara promises to stalk the tour, so she can be near/with her sister.  

Kate & Ally

 

They repacked their bags in anticipation

Okay, Moma, one more picture.

Okay, Deeds, one more smooch.

I documented their waking moments, the bags they will lug through Israel for the next week and hugs so-long until next week.  I had a bit of Israel for Mothers’ Day, too, but I’d much rather be on the plane with them.

 

There’s a sign

 

posted inside the glass of the front door of our shop.  It says: “No cameras or recording devices…”  We adopted this manner of managing uncontrolled photographing of quilts to protect the rights of the designer-in-absentia, by giving everyone who enters our store fair warning to our belief that creative work has value.  While ideas cannot be copyrighted, in-the-flesh samples, with kits and patterns made readily available for sale are!  Therefore, photographing on digital camera or cell phone is like stealing the unseen time and thought that went into a design and with it, the potential profit to the creator. Haven’t these hard times of late, given pause to the folks who still think it’s okay to take the food from someone else’s mouth, possibly literally?

 

We spent the  weekend vending at the Empire Quilt Guild’s, bi-annual quilt show.  It’s a terrific opportunity for us to make the public aware of the creative possibilities we offer to the crafts of quilting and sewing.   We love meeting new folks and hearing that what we’ve put  together is beautiful or just what their project has been waiting for.  We’re on our feet for three days,  packing, loading the car, unloading while dodging NY City taxis and making everything look pretty, so that it can be picked over and hopefully purchased before the show ends.

Snowing on the First Day of Spring

 

10 by 20 and counting

Voila!

 

 

We see friends  from our local Ridgefield area, who make us feel like we’re really home.  Thanks Dorma, Annie, Laura, Susan, Janice , Tasha etc.  Thanks also to our guild friends who really make us feel NOT like out-of-towners.  We’ve developed a lot of  good  relationships in the time we’ve had our store and the Empire Guild is one such.

Folks are allowed to photograph, but NOT touch the quilts in the show.  We watch and wonder, what-all they will do with all the memorabilia they collect.  The cameras are out and snapping the whole time.  Occasionally, someone visiting our booth will ask to shoot one of our display quilts and they may if they purchase the pattern and just want a better shot to help them while making it.  Another type of person takes the picture without asking, and I fault my lack of vigilance.  But  it’s the person, who when you tell them that the quilt design is copyrighted and “I would appreciate if you don’t take a photo.  The pattern is available for sale, if you’re interested,” and she proceeds to blatantly shoot away,  that I wonder if  trace of conscience exists.

 

We got permission/Miss Fanny Apron happily modeled

 

 

 

I really do believe that most people are good, and even more are good when they know someone is watching.  So I decided to try to capture the culprit on film myself, and hope that if she realizes we actually are watching and just trying to pay the rent and feed ourselves, she might recognize how inconsiderate she has been.  We’re not just objects of entertainment, but real.

 

Still At-Large

 

Making their Get-Away

We love Manhattan and we’ll be back undaunted!

 

George Washington Bridge in Sunshine

 

I shall return…

The week we spent in Israel was too quick, of course, but most fabulous! Views, tastes, people, sounds and some of the most torrential rains of Israeli Winter. And don’t forget inspiration. Often, what we gain most from travel is a change of viewpoint, or at least an easing of it.   The days ahead will reveal that of course, but a brief look at the recent gorgeous past.

Rosh Pinah balcony: Looking toward the Sea of Galilee

A quilt, maybe?

New fabric from Westminster, Free Spirit arrived on Monday.  Stay tuned!

 

A breather

from catching up after the holidays.  I wish I didn’t have to sleep  sometimes, because I have so much to do.  And with all of it going on, the Quilter’s Alley  parallel universe sustains.  

The decorations are down, finally,
the showroom has been reinvented,
January stock has started to arrive,
samples for new lines are in the works,
very pink super hero visits the  store,
the long arm machine is rarely idle,
the final editing of On The Grid continues,
new drawings for Molly’s Quilt must be done (to complement the book)
Classes have started and new classes are filling up 
Super Bowl Sunday sewing event is planned
Show stock is being prepared: March Empire Quilters
The Quilter’s Alley website is updated, again…
whew!
Pictures? Who has time, but…

 

Our day off: Part 2

We had a busy but fun day from top to bottom. Besides the smell of sausage and peppers and zeppole, the games, the lights the people, there was fabric to peruse at the St. Gennaro Festival in Little Italy. But the best part was spending a bit more time with David and Shara.  David left for Israel yesterday.  He should be home by now.  (Shara leaves on the 25th.) But we will have these cherished moments and memories of some fun times.  (Sorry, no pics of Derek Jeter’s record breaking hit last night – a final Yankee Stadium visit for Daughter and Dad.)

 

S&D in front of Old Cemetery Door

Bib Boys

 

Correction: I do have the Derek Jeter Shot