Sunday, September 16, 2007

Cross-Eyed Spider

Here's an older crusty of mine called Cross-Eyed Spider. I don't know the exact size of the piece, but it's probably about 6". The little spiders are all plastic and if I were making this today I would bead all of the interior of the spider, not just the hourglass.

Speaking of spiders, I'm having a hard time knowing when to quit on Blooming Horrors. I'm making the spiders with perle cotton size 8, using a stem stitch through all the layers of the quilt. It's embroidery and quilting all at one go.

ooh, a quilt is out, must be time to pose for the camera. The regal Lily:

This is the enamel sign I bought the other day. I like its goofy humor, plus I was pretty sure how to translated it:

Toilets. Usage limited to 5 minutes. Reading is tolerated.

That was one of the reasons for taking the picture of all the signs. Didn't know what they said, but sitting at home with my dictionary I can get a better idea if my chat is lunatique, bizarre, gourmand, or mechant. Does mechant really mean nasty or wicked? Or is it the more playful naughty?

Got bunches of links for you all. More of my fabulous students' work can be found here, here, and here. And wait, here and while you're visiting Hedgehog, look at this wonderful Vote quilt she made.

Meanwhile, friend Finn also has spiders on her mind.

I've recently discovered the blog of Ming, who is Taiwanese (blogging in both Chinese and English), living in Australia, and a wonderfully gifted quilter. The Chinese zodiac quilt she is working on right now is incredible and I love the freehand quilting she's doing.

A while back I received an email from Lori, asking about the fabric stores there in Montmartre since she would be visiting Paris. We struck up a correspondence and Lori and her mother came over to the apartment on Friday so that I could bore them silly with quilts. I had a wonderful time chatting with them. Lori primarily uses her sewing machine to make clothes, but I'm hoping to coerce, uh, convince her to make more quilts. Isn't it wonderful how blogs can bring us closer together?

The weather forecast for today is 77 degrees, but unfortunately cloudy. Still, gotta soak in the heat while I can. Cheers.

22 comments:

Momo said...

Really cool spider ;-)

Hedgehog said...

Love the way Blooming Horrors is coming together. Thanks for all the links!

Anonymous said...

I really love the sign!!! French is a beautiful language. We learned it at highschool.(years ago ;) ) I still can read most of it but to speak is quite something else. Most French people speak very fast so I cann't understand what they say. Do you?
Bye have a nice sunday! Willeke

Joyce said...

I like the idea of embroidery and quilting at the same time. You have really started something with your quilting class. I am amazed at some of the results. I think mechant can mean naughty as well as evil. I'll double check with my DH as he speaks French. I have heard parents call little kids mechant so I can't think that it would mean evil. Lol.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Tonya! I am very honored.
I enjoy reading your blog very much. Your quilts are so imaginative and well executed.
By the way, I am a dragon too. I think we were born in the same year. ;-)

Kristin Shields said...

Oooh, the quilt looks fantastic! I was wondering if you were doing the embroidery through all layers. I'm hoping to get some more work done on mine this week. Yours is giving me ideas, but I don't want to copy you, so I'm trying to come up with other ways to jazz mine up. I really love the rat too!

YankeeQuilter said...

Now that sign is one I could use on our bathroom door!

Levi said...

I just did a Google search on quilting blogs and yours came up. I love the Halloween stuff you've posted! I'm pretty new to quilting and have been introduced to it thru my grandmother and mother (in a quilt group called Kalico Kutters, Utah) Any help in finding some blogs that swapped quilted postcards??? Apparently hers is a sunflower and since I'm a blogger I'm trying to find these sites. I've bookmarked yours too. Thanks and happy quilting everyone!!!
Levi

Rosalyn Manesse said...

Halloween--what fun you have with it! I like to visit my grandchildren (they live near Las Vegas) for the holiday to share their fun.

Kim said...

Oh my goodness, my cat's name was
chat lunatique! Alas I had to put him down in June when he got really sick. :(
But what fond memories I have of him.
the quilt is coming out great too!

julieQ said...

Cats and quilts and halloween just seem to go together!! I love the oranges of the season. Great spider!!

Juliekquilts

Clare said...

Got a problem about quilting the Abstract Fabric hanging and I think you've solved my problem by mentioning the quilting/embroidery. I love the skull - ooohhhh creepy!

I've got méchant down as dangerous and vicious, but naughty would suffice. Chien méchant - beware of the dog which I think is for the benefit of the Postman rather than anyone else!

I love Lapin Lunatique. We should have had that on the door when Nutmeg was alive.

Autumn has arrived overnight - huge thunderstorm last night and today grey and overcast.

Mama Spark said...

I LOVE the rat!!!

Rosalyn Manesse said...

Thanks for your compliment on my blog about my hand embroidery. Sometimes I do do it on the front, it all depends. And I write names and words into the meander quilting.

meggie said...

Beautiful Lily knows a work of art when she sees it! Wonderful.

Holly said...

What a coincidence... I was just going to search your blog for threadies and here you posted one. Do we get a peek at the back side of a thready one of these times? Would sure love to see it. I'm thinking about making one. Why is it called a thready? What defines a thready? Is there something that "makes" it a thready and if someone fails to do "it", it no longer qualifies as a thready? Well, I love it :) Cute spider.

Holly said...

P.S. That toilet sign is a hoot!

Quilts And Pieces said...

That spider gives me the heebie jeebies! ughh. But very fun how you made him!

I'm working on my version of bloomin horrors! But it is going slow - not enough time in my day!

Cher said...

great sign...it would be one of my choices too...thanks for all the links-everyones letters rock.

atet said...

Ooooh -- I am loving that quilt. Such fantastic details in it. I'm also cracking up over the sign you bought and some of the ones in the photo in your last post -- especially the one about only one person in the bathroom at a time...

Enjoy the heat while you can!

Vinda said...

The more you add to your quilt, the more I love it. It is fabulous!!

I also enjoy seeing Paris through your blog. Thank you for the ongoing tour.

dutchcomfort said...

Wonderful quilts! I always thought méchant was positive like naughty, but a chièn méchant is a biting dog, so.... Thanks for all the links to wonderful bloggers!