Welcome Home!
This is where my sister Brooke and family will soon be living and where I will be a lounging-by-the-pool guest. Woowoo! If I were going to pick an apartment for them I would have picked this one. It is so nice, with two full bathrooms, washer/dryer hook-ups in the apartment itself, a dining area off the kitchen, gas log fireplace in the living room and a walk-in closet that could be a guest room, it's so large. Just perfect. I am so happy for them all. The place is currently being spruced up for occupancy and we await the call to say when it will be ready, but we think Monday or Tuesday of next week.
So much of the decision about where to live depended on the high school that my niece Glory would be attending. It is all screwy where kids are taken. Her school is ten miles away, even tho there is a new school much closer. But that's the system in Chattanooga these days.
Her first day is today and they had to get her there by 8 am Eastern, and since it is over an hour away from here, everyone had to be ready and on the road by 5:45 am Central time! They did it and I told them how proud I am of their effort. Today is only an introduction and 'bonding' experience, with the new freshman all having games and such to get over the shock of a big new school.
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Envious by Joann Kiehn
Isn't this great? It's my hand dyed cotton and silk fabrics, fused of course, and created by my old pal Joann Kiehn who lives in Pacific Grove CA. I just love love love this quilt. And of course it got my juices flowing to make some more fabric like this for me to use in some new work I have planned. I ordered a mere 100 yards of bleached mercerized cotton print cloth and I have ideas of how I can produce some of this kind of special edition fabric without my old platters and shelves.
Here's my idea: Styrofoam sheets, like 1" thick, cut to 48"x24" wide or 48" square. I hope to find some plastic sheeting to cover the styrofoam, to make clean up easy. I will place a styrofoam sheet on my table and dye the fabric, and then put the sheet on the garage floor and move onto the next piece.
You can use the styrofoam insulation panels! Thats what I use - one sheet (8'x4') cost about $10 and you get 4 "platters" just dye on the side with no printing! Works great and cleans up just fine! Bad thing is they are kinda bendy and they blow away in a good wind - ask me how - hahaha!
ReplyDeleteMechelle, those are exactly what I am talking about. I know about the wind taking my perfectly dyed fabric and blowing it around and messing it up. Drat. I will dye in the not-windy-at-all garage.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on having your sister and niece nearby--how long of a drive is it from your house?
ReplyDeleteSharon
My sister's apartment is about an hour away. But it is on the very same street where all my fave stores are located! Three very nice grocery stores are nearby too, and a Panera. WE are soooo happy about that!
ReplyDeleteI know how happy you folks are to have your sister's apartment picked out - congrats! Hope Glory has a great 1st day of school!
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear that everyone is on the way to being happily settled in nearby.
ReplyDeleteAnd so glad to hear that you will be dyeing again!
I was wondering how long you could stay away from the dye! Your fabrics are fabulous. I use to do a bit of dyeing, but haven't done any in the last two or three years. One reason is that I have no PFD in the house. Can you share your source for fabric? I'd really like to get back into it. Also, are the powdered dyes still good after a few years, or will I need to repurchase? Thank for your help. Yours is the first blog I read each morning!
ReplyDeleteLooks fantastic... I'm curious where you buy your cotton from... I just went through 30 yards and I would love to know where to buy 100 yard bolts from??? Curious minds....
ReplyDeleteFor fabric and dye questions see the sidebar, The Lazy Dyer site.
ReplyDeletewww.lazydyer.blogspot.com
First day of school: July 30????!!!!
ReplyDeleteThat's just wrong.
I'm glad your family will be settled in soon. And also glad that your neice gets a head-start on learning her new school. Have fun!
ReplyDeleteSo great to hear that the family has landed into some great digs...you got a triple treat having them nearby, access to a pool, and great shops you like on the way there!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you'll be doing more dyeing and quilting-seeing your work is such great eye candy! Here's another idea for dye platters: Go to Lowe's or Home Depot, and buy the 8ft x 4 ft sheets of hardboard for $7.50/each. If you buy 3, have the cutting guy line them up on top of one another and they'll cut them for free at the store to whatever size you desire. I have mine cut to 4 ft x 8 ft, then cover them w/contact paper to protect them. They clean up really easily and because they are only about 1/4 inch wide, we just lean them against the garage wall when not in use. My original platters are still going strong after 4 years and lots of use!
ReplyDeleteAlso, what's with starting school in JULY???!! When I was a kid, we started in September...
I love, love, love that quilt, too. Is it wrong that my favorite part is their little nails?
ReplyDeleteAlso happy for all that the apartment hunting has proven successful for all involved. Not so happy about the reminder that school is starting up again... mine is coming quickly. It is good for Glory though, it will help her to acclimate and make new friends right away!