Catching up.... a terrible blogger still alive.

Greetings and Salutations!

That is how I start an email when it is addressed to multiple recipients. I went back and looked and the last time I posted was back in October 2017. Since then, I have been quiet busy.  I attended leadership training at a location in Greensboro, North Carolina called the Center for Creative Leadership.  Since my mentor, Randy Perdue, retired I knew I needed to get some quality food for my soul and career goals. My sister, Terri Stemple had advised me of a location that she had been given reference to, by someone she had business connections with. She sees something in me and naturally referred me that direction.  After a decently long application process, I was awarded a scholarship. It still cost us a decent chunk of change out of my pocket, but the ball was rolling.

 

I began a journey that my mentor had not taken, so this was undiscovered territory.  I jumped in and felt extremely successful through the process. I stayed with my sister just a few days and determined that over a week, the trip plus class was taxing/tiring. My sister, the kind and beautiful soul that she is, used her reward points to put me up in a nearby hotel that was much better than I deserved. I owe here a word of gratitude because this opportunity would never have come to fruition had it not been for her.  Thanks Terri! Love you big sis.

I am thinking about making a quilt and donating it. This was a highlight experience in life and I bought fabric to commemorate it. The two purple/blue I bought afterwards.  If you are ever in the Cary North Carolina area, I recommend you visit Elegant Stitches. They have a HUGE selection of batiks, are a certified Bernina dealer and have a great selection of other fabrics including but not limited to Kaffe and Cotton & Steel.

So, I took the class and did quite alot of reflecting as well as reviewing the results of various surveys that helped me along the process. I found several books I wanted to read based upon this training and I have purchased several. The good news was the evaluations that were done by peers, direct reports, family, and bosses reflected exactly what I figured it would.  I have a pretty acute sense of self, so change, when I am willing, will be quite easy.

Quilting......yes please, and then again siiiigggghhhhh!  I am a perfection so as much fun and relaxing as quilting can be, it is also stressful and sometimes frustrating when I make mistakes.

And, if that isn't enough, as I began to write this, I realized I hadn't posted half of my recent work. Tish assured me that she was keeping people informed that I was still alive and quilting....so on with the pictures

The above carpenter's star was from a pattern Tish had and I decided to make it with Civil War reproductions. I ran out of the tan and was panicked.  Luckily the shop in Summersville, had some left over.  We made an emergency run and landed in the middle of the "Potato Festival"  I liked how it turned out....this one for sure is a keeper. One of my favorites that I have made to date.

This was a kit of 30's reproduction fabric that Tish got me as a holiday gift from Fat Quarters Shop. I used the white in the big squares that came with it, but I didn't think that was quite enough. We had been to Bolts and Quarters Quilt Shop in Parkersburg, WV and they had adorable kitten fabric with a gray tabby cat drinking out of a blue cup and a same sample with pink cup.  They got added in!!!!

Tish had me make this block to....don't ask me why but she did....and I made it.  The fabrics are batik-esq from Bolt and Quarters also. If you ask her, she may remember why she had me make it.

One of our favorite stores in Morgantown, WV..... Country Roads Quilt Shop
 had this new line of Moda Fabric and I fell in love with it.  Tish wanted me to use a red center, but I felt brown.  I did ALL kinds of layouts, but landed on this one.  My first attempt at log cabin was....ok.  The print probably was no the best choice and the repetition was tough, but I did enjoy the process. I would do another, but would be more choosy on my fabric.

I posted the pattern for this group on my previous post.  I have yet to find weather to get this quilt top out and get it photographed, but this is my version in Tula Pink Chipper, with coordinating solids. I ended up having about a third of the fabric left over along with a whole other jelly role of Chipper. I may actually try this with all  chipper and making the solid white center squares out of the coordinating solids... I don't know, that is aways off, if it does happen.

This was the last day of November. Out of respect for this man I will not post his name. As with Randy Perdue,  this man changed my life.  I look to him as a mentor also.  A fine individual, that knew our line of work inside and out, and knew more about basic patrol rifle techniques and everyday management/supervision than almost anyone else I know.  It shook my world also, when he retired.  I miss him dearly and aspire to do as much for my people as he did for me in helping them be better as supervisors and the career.  I miss you my friend.  He has a quilt on the way....it is in its last stages now.

Blue was his favorite color and this is a revised version of Turning 20. I think I may have posted it before.  Tish is quilting this for me as we speak.

Christmas rolled around this year and upon me being off for vacation we...meaning mostly I decided to clean up our back room which contains most of Tish's stash (she says it is mine, but less than 10% is actually mine).  I found my tree skirt I started and decided it was time...finished or not to get it under the tree. I tried a different binding strategy and got it done. Tish has pebbling to finish...it may and may not get finished in her UFO projects this year, it looks good regardless.  During that time Tish also got me started on Mister Domestic's woven ornaments. She made one and I did also.. My first was a flop, and once I made the strips longer it got easier....so much that I made a bunch!!!! I like the traditional feel of the tree with the home made ornaments.

This was one of my random  patterns I drew up and decided to use some random fat quarters I picked up several months ago at Bolts and Quarters Quilt Shop.  I think it turned out decent. I love the citrus-y look of these colors!!!!!

At the new year Tish asked me about getting into a Quilt Along. Please forgive the orientation of the picture. I saved it the correct way, but when I uploaded it, it flopped it. I wasn't sure I wanted to get involved in the quilt-along, but the fabric (top pic) was some of the first fabric I bought for myself.  A complete set of fat quarters from Moda line Bee Creative. I am wanting to try and get through my back (stash) fabric in order and this was next. So, I made my first block and decided the background......well it was way too bright.

I made the first one revised after I made it through the second two and decided it didn't match.. I may still yet revise the first one, because I am just not sold on it.

 

How it was coming together as of two weeks ago. The picture just about and below here are also save in the correct orientation, but when I uploaded them "Blogger" flopped these also. I apologize.

And last but not least, I have started a second project....my first actually dual project going on...at least I am pretty sure.  One of my friends is wanting to do a raffle to raise money for a Christian School/home school group of kids to get them a field trip/ vacation. So, Tish and I opted in. I am piecing the top and she is going to quilt it.







 Needless to say, I am very much still alive and quilting.Recently, I learned that my services to my employer were, at least temporarily, needed elsewhere in the agency. This occurred just prior to my training in North Carolina.  To date, the paperwork has not yet come through, so I have not started yet.  I will be busy with that job, though I am going to try and quilt in my off time.  I plan to do ALOT of reading during that time also.  However, the quilt along, will keep me going on the weekends for sure.  I have not even really had much time to read blogs, though I do get around to them occasionally.  I guess what it boils down to is that being a male quilter...you have to have a niche to get recognized....I don't have that. Even though I  "feel" I am a better than average quilter and definitely a designer, I have made a couple attempts to get recognized, and have failed (ego aside). Quilting is pretty "in" right now and is very competitive, especially in the non-traditional/modern quilting venue.  I like the traditional, orderly and balanced, looks of the older quilts....so that is what I typically make. To each his/her own and let everyone make what they like. Anyway, quilting is more of Tish's arena anyway.  I will help her in every way  that I can, to make her successful. But, for me it will have to be just be a hobby.

I hope everyone is doing well. Tish and I have talked about combining forces and that is still up in the air.  But, I will be continuing to quilt, blogging and reading blogs somewhat less. For those that bought our first pattern we thank you very much and would love to see your  final projects.  Thanks for stopping by and reading.

Have a wonderful day, week, or what fits your observation of time.

#menwhoquilt

Dave