How to mount quilts on plexiglass

Karen Sharp asked for a refresher course on mounting small works on plexiglass, so here it is.





Upper left, Sylvia Whitesides' original piece, from whom came the idea. Her husband mounted the plexiglass into the wooden frame. We should all be so lucky to have a woodworker/hobbyist for a husband. The next three pieces are from Frayed Edges member, Kathy Daniels, in a group show in a New Hampshire coffee shop. Very lovely work.





Below is my embroidery, hanging on my red wall.

I mounted David Walker's small work below, which I have on a free standing lucite easel.

Using the tiniest bit from your electric drill bit set, drill two holes at each corner to sew on the quilt, as you would a button. You must also drill two holes midway for the hanging device, or fishing line.

To find plexiglass in your area go to www.switchboard.com and look under plastics manufacturers. Ask them if they will cut to 1/4" plexiglass (or Lexan) to size and flame the edges. Flaming means they will melt the edges with a blowtorch to remove the rough sawn edges, making them clear.

Shopping Frenzy!!

A Platter, Salad and Dinner Plates from Target

Salad Plates

I have been patiently waiting almost all year for these plates to go on sale. They are made of stoneware=chips just waiting to happen. So I really didn't want to invest in them at full price. I guessed that after the 4th of July they would be marked down, so I went out at night (ostensibly going to the library) and searched for them at the two nearest Targets. I was happy to see them at a 30% discount, so I grabbed what matched or nearly matched and triumphantly wheeled my cart out to the checkout.

The next day I knew I would be near another Target so we stopped and wouldn't you know it, all of the dishes in that store were 75% off!! SO. I grabbed those, thinking I would return my first purchase, if I could still find my receipt.

More plates and lotsa bowls, at least 15

When I got home Dave said, why not keep them all? If they are going to chip eventually, we will just toss and replace from the archives. God Knows we have plenty of shelf space.

The tray is perfect for cheese shreds, black olives, tomatoes and green onions, and the footed platter...GUACAMOLE, ole! The tablecloth was also discounted and just so me, claro que si.

I got one pitcher for $6.48 and the second for $2.48. I told Dave one was for Margaritas and the other for water. He said, How about two for Margaritas? Good thinking!

Fill 'er up!

But wait that's not all! I got the postcard from my lys and the sidewalk sale started today...another great 75% off sale. woowoo! I called in the troops and Anne Lullie and Emily Parson and I rallied forth to do major damage. Inside the store everything is 20% off, which meant judicious planning. I knew books were my aim, but a few hanks of ridiculously reduced yarns would find their way into my bag.

So? At $3.50 a skein, I can find something to do with these.

Emily borrowed my sewing machine and this is my thank you gift. We laffed because in the past we would give fabric wrapped with a string of yarn, and now it is yarn wrapped with a string of fabric. We knitter/quilt artists...

You simply must look up this book from Twisted Sisters.

Miters, ridges and diagonals, I could just weep with happiness. 20% off.

50% off

OK I give up. I am joining the knitnuts at Mason-Dixon Knitting and trying out this fading denim yarn. (Not from Rowan, but True Blue from Elle.) I know my hands will turn blue, but the thought of a sweater that fades into a different color blue with each consecutive washing, well, it inspires.


Poor Darling Dave has a toothache. It has a hairline crack, they think, and he awaits a root canal tomorrow. The dentist treated him earlier this week for a temporary crown, but it seems to have failed and now they'll have to rip the nerve right outta that tooth. He is on major drugs and they are not helping. It's sad when I feel so good and he feels so bad.

Back Home Again

I usually request an aisle seat when flying, since I am often *in desperate need of a haircut* but the flight arrangements for the Oregon trip were made by others, and I found myself with a window seat.

Hmmm? Gazing over mountains or watching the inflight movie??? The movie got my attention this time ( Sahara with Matthew McConaughey) and when it ended, I lifted the window shade and saw we were nearing the Mississippi River valley.

click

I found the patterning fascinating and hoped I would get a good shot. Picasa2 helped pump up the contrast so you can see the striped bands of fields.

Neato, huh?

Well, it's nice to travel to beautiful places, but there really is no place like home. Dave made the house look so clean and neat and had a few surprises for me. He spray painted our old kitchen stools and they never looked so great.

You know I LOVE RED. What could make me happier? Clean sheets on the bed, the floors vacuumed, a fully stocked wine rack, and the laundry room painted a brilliant white! I really like having Dave at home these days.

My classes went very well in Sisters and I made lots of new friends, which is a bonus of teaching. Plus I gained some insight into my class structures and will make further adjustments to increase the value to the student, and promote a more successful outcome.

My midweek class was Power Strip Sets which is a great class for beginning fusers. We make two quilt tops in one day from a kit and one student had enough fabric leftover that she made these additional quiltlets, which others suggested could be Christmas ornaments, or coasters. They are not much bigger than 3 1/2" square.

Today I simply must unpack and do laundry, go to the bank... (the good part) and pack up this quilt, A Triumph of Tulips, which is now officially SOLD!!!

Woowoo! In a BIG way! I have been dying to tell you about this and just waiting for the right moment; the arriving of the check.
But wait that's not all! The check came in a box and in the box were three skeins of New Zealand wool and a jar of black silk dye. Joan Frantz sent me all these goodies, since she had just returned from the heavenly country of NZ and knew I would go nuts with the yarn. The black silk dye is from Pro Chem and I am about ready to try it out on some silk. Too overwhelming to believe! Thanks a million, Joan.

One more thing. I opened my mail and found that my Matchstick Moons #2 was accepted for the World Quilt and Textile show this August 11-13 in Columbus OH and August 18-21 in Manchester New Hampshire.




I hope you'll be able to visit these shows and my quilt in person this summer.

The Great Sisters Oregon Outdoor Quilt Show

As is so often the case, Frieda Anderson is the star of my blog. Here she is accepting huzzahs from her adoring public. That is her gorgeous quilt, Poppies.

We arrived at the show at 9ish when it was just starting to fill with viewers. All the buildings have quilts hanging from them, pinned on with pushpins, creating nice holes in the fabric, I imagine. I did not participate with a quilt in this show.

A gigantic Foxglove surrounded by Sweet William.

Evidence of the influence of Jean and Valori Wells. These quilts are done in their style.

The crowds inside and outside the Stitchin' Post Quilt shop were astronomical. If I had wanted to buy anything I would have stood in line for 45 minutes before my money was taken. The line to get in the shop stretched around the building and out into the street.

Besides quilt stuff the shop also sells home decor items and we loved the colors in these thingys.

By 11:30 we were done. The streets became jammed with cars and the sidewalks were thick with spectators. The sky threatened rain all day but held off until just a minute after the quilts were removed. Phew! Frieda sold a large quilt, but at this time we don't know which one.

Bad Girl Blogs in Class

I have discovered that I can go online in my classroom at this super brand new wonderful high school. I am blogging instead of knitting, so I am keeping up my bad behavior. This is just a variation.

I have a class of 21 and we are doing Releasing the Creative Block. About six students are previous fusers, or as I like to call them, graduate students. Then the rest are virgins and we are all trying to do the same thing at different times and at different experience levels. It is taxing the teacher's ability to maintain order and noise level.
Rather than fight the system, I decided to abdicate authority and let chaos reign. The minute I did that, all calm returned and people began to work. sigh.

After the week here in Oregon I am finally adjusted to Pacific time. I am about to close down the class and go outdoors for lunch. I am remembering to bring the camera this time and will have pictures of mountains, flowers and stuff to share... stay tuned

OK here are the results of remembering my camera:

Does this look like a postcard? Everything here does. I had to doctor this up a bit to try and show the mountain top covered in snow. All to no avail. Trust me, they are covered in snow.

Another vain attempt at capturing the humongous landscape.

Frieda and our new bud Carol Nelson who took us out for dinner at a wonderful spot in Black Butte. And her house was GAWjuss!

OK I admit I have forgotten her name. Frieda says it is Brigitte. Please correct me if I am wrong.

The Highland Lassies, Lorna and Fiona, friends from Scotland. I hope to meet them again when I visit next summer.
Must pack up and get back to the hotel. IT'S OVER!!!

NOT so easy to blog from Oregon

My darlings, the way I must blog is to go to the motel office and ask for a cable and plug in and then start blogging. We begin teaching at 8am and that means waking at 5:30, and being dressed, fed and coffee'd by 7:30. Squeezing in a blog is a real test of my commitment to you.
But you know I love you, so here are the highlights.

Hello from Oregon!

On the plane somewhere in the great sky over Western USA

Frieda sitting across the aisle from me. Everyone enjoyed our shouting conversation.

We landed first in Portland and then took this prop plane to Redmond.

I refused to let them take my carry on bags, containing this computer and my digital projector. My other bag has all my knitting. Three projects.

We get to Sisters and off comes the shoes and sox.

Even the grocery stores have quilts hanging up for the week. It is a big deal here.

Frieda sending a text message. Aren't we so up to date?

Our motel has llamas, doesn't every one? Can alpaca yarn be nearby?

He is shorn, so I am on the lookout for the rest of him, washed, spun and dyed. Is there a chance?

We bought just the essentials at the grocery store.

The real thing...Oregon Raspberries!


The hostess for the evening, ready with a slurp!

Karen Eckmeier our teacher neighbor, sharing a glass of wine with us.

I must pontificate. It is my nature.
It is truly lovely here, just like the old west.
We will be taking more pictures and perhaps we will even talk about quilts for a change!