So Easily Distracted

Aren't these roses wonderful.  Most of the time I can't smell a thing, but these were so fragrant, even I could catch a whisper of rose scent.  My darling daughter, Penny, sent me two dozen of these amazing roses.
Oh, my gosh, I  just came back to the blog - one more time to fix yet another error - and much to my horror, I see on the widget counter that I am FRIENDSHIP, WI, and it looks like I just visit myself ALL the time!  At least I leave quietly.... I may be dispensing with that gadget!
How many of you end up in some room of your home, twirling around in circles, trying with all your concentration to figure out what on earth you're doing in THAT room?

That sums up today for me. I started the day off all right - showered, clean underwear, teeth brushed, bed made, kitchen tided, then it all went downhill from there. While reading my morning e-mails, being conveniently on the computer, I decided to try my hand at designing a new pattern cover for Summer Kitchen Quilts. After hours of messing around, I finally got exactly what I wanted. Really.  Comfortably elegant, but not formal or fussy.  Maybe charming is the best description - but still with a clean feeling.  Like those roses Penny sent me.

If you know me, you know I love Old. All my houses have been old, and my new house is an old house. My husband is old, my children are now old. I'm even old. So while I wanted a "look" that evokes a lovely vintage type of image I'm not going for the "brown" primitive look. Not that there's anything wrong with "brown". I'm fond of brown but honestly, aren't there are enough designers out there already producing "brown" type patterns and fabrics, and that's just not where I want the look of Summer Kitchen Quilts to end up. So back to the pattern cover I designed this morning.

You can probably guess this one. All of a sudden my computer did something I can only compare to a giant burp, and it was all gone! Gone!  How many times have we all heard, read, screamed, "Save and save often"?  And then do we do it?  When do we ever learn? 


The charming little container to the left is a pill box Amy purchased for me last Friday.  I filled it with a few of my favorite vintage buttons.  I think they are infinitely more interesting than pills.  We visited the cutest shop in LaCrosse last Friday (after my fling in the emergency room for heart issues - I'm fine).  I believe it is The Painted Porch on Main Street in the downtown area.  The quilt in the background is just plain 5" patches, but of delightful vintage fabrics that are in fabulous condition.  It's a large quilt top - probably a double, but our plan is to share it - just to have the fabrics.  The most amazing thing is that it only cost $35.00!  Can you believe it?

That photo is part of my being distracted today.  I ended up in my studio because I wanted to check out the information you need to have on the back cover of your pattern - the legal stuff.   In the process of rummaging through patterns, I saw the pill box, and the quilt top, and my camera, and well, you can see the photo for yourself.

While I was in the studio putting together that little vignette, I glanced at the stack of fabrics I've pulled for a new pattern design I have simmering on the back burner in my mind.  Naturally, my first thought was that you all might enjoy seeing the creative process in action, and it only added to the random abstract quality of this day.  When it comes to designing everyone works differently.  I've know artists who visualize the entire project in advance and sketch or model it all out, and the final work of art looks exactly like the initial sketches or model.  It's amazing.  But I can't do that and for years I was frustrated and trying to figure out what was wrong with me.  Finally I realized that we all have our own style and method of working.  What a relief that insight was!  I get little inspirations here and there and see a fabric in my stash or a ribbon and then the design comes to life during the actual making of the new design.  The ribbons you see below are vintage French ribbons I've been saving for a special project, and I think this is probably the project!

These two antique needle cases are also part of the inspiration for my new design.  I'm going to make a sewing roll that is practical for today's seamstress.  After all, the tools and needs for sewing are a bit different today than they were 125 years ago.  So, give me a little help and make a comment on what you would want in a perfect sewing roll.  For me, it has to be easily portable, beautiful and durable.  What would you add to that list?  If I can ever find that random number generator gadget I've seen on other blogs (why didn't I write that down??), we'll use that to find a winner.  Did I say winner?  Yes, yes, and yes again!

Leave a comment letting me know what you consider essential in a sewing roll and you'll be eligible to win a little collection of some of my favorite vintage buttons, ribbons & trims and 3 fat quarters from my stash.  Put a link on your web site or blog for Summer Kitchen Quilts blog, and you'll have a second chance to win.  I'll make the drawing on Monday, May 24 at 5pm.  If we can't find the number generator by then, maybe I'll have Petey the cat earn his kibble by doing a little work for once in his pampered life.

Tomorrow we're off to Quilt Market in Minneapolis to become enthused, renewed, refreshed, revitalized, and most likely a bit overwhelmed.

Look for a market update later this weekend!
posted by Angela