Fiber Finish

This time it's the quilt I've finished.

The first fabric that I ever put on Spoonflower in 2010 was from a small watercolor painting that I did in a class in maybe 2000 at the Art League. I thought it would make the most wonderful fabric: bright, geometric and colorful. It does make a great fabric. Later, I combined two other paintings I did after that class into a one-yard "cheater" quilt for a Spoonflower contest, thanks to software help from The Artist. I thought they would make a great front and back to a quilt. They did.

But, I had no binding. For that, I had to paint another watercolor. The watercolor set I use, by the way, is a set of Pelikan paints that I got for an even more ancient Art League class. Since all the watercolors are straight from the pans, and not mixed, they always look bright and vivid, with the usual watercolor gradients.

I finished painting the binding in late summer, then finished the quilt and sewed on the binding. I'm not a watercolorist and I'm not a quilter, but I love this quilt. The sewing has problems, but the design really lends itself to making an easy "cheater" quilt that really shows well and vibrates a little.

I plan to "hang it high" so you can't see the mistakes, but only the beauty.

Ode to Labor Day weekend - Why does life get so complicated?

Or - am I getting old?

These silly computer programs keep changing, so that it gets harder to do those simple things in life like updating a blog. Every time I try to do it, the options change. What does all that "Changes to Make It Better!" stuff mean? Who cares? Just keep it so I can understand it. (Remember, guys. I used punch cards, so I was there at almost the beginning.) Somehow, my email address has been removed from my blogs. I can't get Ravelry.com to see my blog. Silly things. Who do I call? No one. Waste time to figure it out? Beg a college student for help?

A friend of mine asked me yesterday, "Remember when we were younger and we were told that computers were going to take over everything, and would do everything for us and make our lives simpler and we would have a shorter work week, like 35 hours instead of 40? That hasn't happened." No, it hasn't. Sometimes it seems like things have gotten worse. Maybe it's just that "labor" is not for the aged, or else I'm starting to feel my age.

I'm lost without a knitting project. I need something to start. I certainly have enough yarn. I just have to decide what it will be. A friend sent me some boxes of yarn picked up at a yard sale. Two boxes of crochet yarn. (Crochet yarn! Whatever will I do? Knit it? Learn to crochet? Give it all away?) A box of heathered silk and wool yarn (not my colors). Some black and white angora. (Rather nice and much more "me".) All discontinued, but very nice yarn. The crochet yarn would make great market bags or bikinis.

I still love best the yarn that my cousin sent. Finn. From her own sheep and spun by her.

I'm finishing up my indie-self-designed quilt on my indie-self-designed fabric. I still need to design and print the border. I'll do that this weekend. See http://www.spoonflower.com/ if you want to see all of my designs. Search for not-enough-time.

The Artist has had a good week. (Oh, that's right, it's not just about me.) He has an independent study student who is building a couple things with him between semesters going into her senior year at college. He was videoed for a Community Television show on woodworkers.

OK. I'm outta here. Not enough time.

Time is
Too slow for those who Wait,
Too swift for those who Fear,
Too long for those who Grieve,
Too short for those who Rejoice,
But for those who Love
Time is not.

--Henry Vandyke (1852-1933)

I guess I rejoice. Uncomplicatedly, though.