Love Anna Williams Style

Whoohoo, finished a quilt top. I really really love how it turned out. Love Anna Williams Style (aka LAWS):

I know, it's a terrible photo, but I was too excited to wait until I had better light. I started this quilt way back in April (you can read the first post here - inc a photo of the Anna Williams quilt that inspired me). I had to think and cogitate upon it for awhile before I was ready to move forward with it.

I made all the blocks and then added piano keys and plain bits of fabric to make some of them larger or taller. I knew from fairly early on where I wanted each block and that I wanted to join them in columns rather than rows.

My first task was to get all the block the same width in a particular row. That meant adding on more than I needed and then slicing down. I joined the blocks of two columns together. I wanted a general idea of their length:

After joining the blocks of the third column, I played arrangements. Instead of my original format, did I want to make the two columns containing four blocks each the outer columns???

As it turned out, I didn't. Meanwhile, I added rows to the middle of the 3-block column, the only one that wasn't finished at that point. Once that column was all together, I joined the columns, just whacking off the extra length here and there. I made a choice not to get them all straight and even, hoping that I get a bit of wave, if that makes any sense. 

I didn't make it monstrously large, LAWS is 49.5" x 52" more or less. Since it didn't get too huge I'm going to go ahead and hand quilt it.

An update on my health. Turns out (after medical procedures and blood testing) that I don't have Celiac Disease or any of the other possible horrors including bleeding ulcers. My iron and ferritin levels have improved and the only change has been to my thyroid medication, which I insisted on because of my lower-than-normal T3 levels. (My doctor said that couldn't be the problem... well, well.)  I'm now on Armour (a naturally derived medication that contains T3 as well as T4) and doing better.

Gotta run, but here's a quick pic of baby Pokey before I sign off (I know some of you are only here for the kitty pics)

The Quilt Show

I continue to make slow progress on my Crowns of Thorns. It's my traveling project so I only work on it when I'm getting together with friends. Pokey has to inspect them:

I guess the blocks passed muster. And okay, I hear ya all, I'll keep the reds in:

It's kind of funny. Even when I have perfectly sized triangles and squares, I'm still me. I don't need no stinking matching seams...

I've got news for you. I'm going to be a guest on The Quilt Show with Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims. On the one hand, oh boy!!! and on the other, aaaaaagh!!! definitely mixed emotions and nerves there.

The Quilt Show is an internet tv show that is filmed in front of an audience of quilters. I'll be doing a demo of the letters and bringing some quilts for show and tell. The good thing about it being on the internet is that you don't have to live in the U.S. to see it.

I'll be going out for the taping in Boulder, CO in August. Luckily that's where my favorite uncle and aunt (you remember Janet, the quilter, who helped me out after surgery last fall) live so I'm excited about getting to see them.

Unfortunately, the tickets for the TQS taping are all gone - apparently they go FAST as soon as they are announced. The show won't be airing until 2011.

My computer connection is miserable right now. So I'll just sign off with that tidbit. Later!

More Crowns

I've made three more Crown of Thorn blocks from shirting fabrics - for a total of seven. I'm not sure if the ones with red will stay in - they seem so much darker than the other blocks. Since I don't actually have a plan, they might work or they might not.

I'd have gotten more done if I didn't have to do boring stuff like piecing a backing for a quilt. I know I could just buy fabric for that, but I'm ready to move older fabric out of my stash. Pokey was ever so helpful in the process.

Must wrestle fabric into submission:

Here she is, ready to pounce on another square of fabric:

Anyway, sewing hasn't been the highest priority. Instead I've been putting in time on the book. I was amazed to discover that Word Play Quilts is already on The Patchwork Place website. Holy cow! We now have a date for it too, December 7th. fingers crossed. I'm feeling like a real author.

Okay, I know I have lots more to tell you, but the Tour de France has finally hit the Alps. I've gotta go cheer Lance on.

Ya'all take care.