Contentment in Creativity

 

I saw this little saying on Cory's blog a while back and jotted it down.  I AM content when I create, and I find when there are stresses in other parts of my life, making something always centers me again.

 

I've had these fat quarters for years.  I bought them on vacation in Door County.  They are cotton flannel with a cozy Autumn palette.

 

I've been looking for the source of this quilt idea, and can't find it anywhere...I even checked my histories to try and backtrack to no avail...  There are many similar quilts on YouTube, but not the one I originally saw.  Anyway it's the technique I copied.  It's pretty easy...  I cut the flannel into 4 inch squares and lined them up in even rows, putting a little glue stick on the back of each to hold them in place.  (if there are special fabric glue sticks, I didn't use one.  Just had my trusty old UHU stic and it worked great.)

 

I made my quilt sandwich of flannel back, cotton batting and quilt top and went to the machine.  You sew on the squares as you quilt the three layers together.  Going down the side of each block, to the next.  I started at the end and worked my way over, in one direction then the next.

 

When I was finished attaching all the squares, I did a little machine quilting in the area around the squares.  This was the first time I ever tried machine quilting, and it looks pretty good. The last steps were binding the quilt.  My most satisfying part.  Last night on local PBS was an episode of the National Parks.  I don't know about anyone else, but I would watch this Ken Burns series all day long.  The music is great, calming and the story compelling.  How these parks were saved for all Americans is a miracle, but I digress...;-)
I sew on the binding on the front by machine and turn the binding and sew in place by hand.  Gives the quilt a very nice finish.

The next thing you do is throw the quilt in the washer, to fray the raw edges of the squares.

After you trim all the threads, ta da....  Penny's Commuter Quilt... Here is the description I sent my daughter Kristen with photos...

Introducing Penny's Commuter Quilt...at just 35 inches by 31 inches, this warm and cozy flannel quilt will be perfect on the subway, yet stylish enough for Park Avenue...lovingly machine quilted, this 100 percent cotton quilt will take a beating, and retain it's good looks...with machine quilting in the motif, LEAVES, this quilt will take our tiny cosmopolitan through Thanksgiving in style.

                                    
I will get to give the quilt to Penny in person when she visits Grandma and Grandpa in a few weeks!

Son Jon has started taking portraits again, when several local actors needed new head shots.  Jon recently got some new moo cards, and I think they are so cool I wanted to share them with you.

These are people you will see in local comedy venues and theaters...maybe someday on SNL...Chicago is a hot bed of comedic talent.

This guy is pretty handsome, sorry girls he's taken..(Remember when The Beatles were on Ed Sullivan, and they put that on the screen when they put the camera on John Lennon...)

All Jon's subjects have been so happy with their photos, some gave permission for Jon to use them on his web page and in his advertising material.

Jon... I know I'm his Mom, but he has so much talent.

I guess contentment through creativity runs in the family.  Have a wonderful weekend my friends.  Thanks so much for your  kind support and friendship.