Have you noticed that there is a dearth of bloggery in Blogdom lately? I think I'm noticing it because I'm missing some of you and your wonderful daily posts. Perhaps it's Facebook to blame...or Twitter...or just our busy lives catching up with us; I'm not sure.
But I can hardly complain, can I, as I myself have been responsible for a portion of the dearth! I can't believe it's been over a month since my last post. So I thought I'd better post something...anything...so...
How about pictures of my pretty Rainbow Shower tree?
This was taken about a month ago. August and September are the months that these trees go off all over the island. They're gorgeous!
Look at all those blooms! And they aren't small blooms, either:
There is my hand on just one of the giant brachts. There are pink shower trees, yellow shower trees, and a mix of pink, peach and yellow like mine. I just love my tree. Now that it's fall, there are only a few blooms left.
One of the reasons I haven't been blogging much is this:
I'm learning to use my new machine. Here, I'm trying my first pantograph on a couple of baby donation quilts I made. All I have to do is follow that black line with the red laser light on the machine.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha hee hee hoo hoo. Follow the line...whoo hoo! It SOUNDS easy, doesn't it? NOT!
Oh well, they didn't come out too badly when you don't look closely. These were my first two pantos--I've done six baby quilts now, and I think I'm getting better. I had to learn to slow down, believe it or not...I was trying to quilt too fast! The problem was that my old machine-on-a-stick went very fast and it trained me to go like a bat out of...well, you know...just to get my stitching even. My new Gammill has a stitch regulator, so I can go any speed I want and there will be even stitches. But my brain doesn't quite know that yet. The machine goes on and I feel like I'm a horse out of a starting gate. Zoom!
Well, if they ever give awards for speed quilting, bet on me. Accuracy? Not so much.
Not too bad, now that they're all bound and donated.
So that's what I've been working on lately. Pretty snore-y, huh?
My wonderful son had his birthday recently. Here is a really sweet picture of him and Mr. Bigglesworth, taken when he was home for the summer:
I can just tell by the way he treats his little cat brother that he's going to be a great father one day.
28 comments:
Well...I am certainly glad you showed up here...finally!!! LOL Your baby quilts look great and that is a really cute picture of son and kitty, too. Try not to be such a stranger here, okay? :)
I love your quilting. Looks amazing from my perspective.
Enjoy your new toy.
Jealous!!
Andi :-)
Good to hear from you!!! That tree is fabulous. Facebook has taken some of my time, I have been having fun finding old classmates from high school about....well too many years to mention (lets just say the Beatles were big then) am a "fan" on a quilting page on FB and have been bragging on you and directed several people to your page. Love the picture of your son and his pet brother. Any Christmas projects in the works?
That tree is really spectacular. Those colors would make a great quilt. Love your quilts, too!
Lisa - would you share the name of the pantograph? I love it! Great photo of your "kids"!
What a gorgeous tree!!! It takes your breath away. Great job w/the pantos! The recipients will be thrilled :) HB to your "baby boy!" It appears he's just about "fully grown!" Look forward to seeing you again soon :)
Well, I'm guilty of Dearth of Blogging too! But, i blame on the time of year. There is just so much to do come Fall. Apples to pick, applesauce to make---Projects that we had high hopes of completing as Summer Projects. We say we'll do this or that come warm weather---we say that in March! Then the months speed by, and suddenly it's August and we go into panic mode as the painting isn't done, the Iris bed isn't done, the lawn did not get reseeded. The bathroom remodel did not get done---and the list goes on. I'm sure you get the idea---so we run around here like crazy trying to get at least some if done before the rains start up.
Love, love your baby quilts---and you are doing great with your new long arm! Looks like you are having fun! yes, I agree, those pantos do take some learning and practicing.
I am waiting for my new Prodigy long arm to arrive as we speak. I'm tracking delivery from Sacramento to the freight line office in Cotati. whooee---talk later.
Would a spash tree grow anyplace but Hawaii. Gosh that is gorgeous! love your pics, especially of your son and mr. Bigglesworth! Sweet!
Just remember what Linda Taylor says on the DVD that comes with new Gammills, "Nobody is going to have the paper pattern on hand to compare with when they look at your quilt." If you didn't follow the lines perfectly, who's going to know but you. When I saw that it was very freeing. Also I found out if I "drive" the machine with my right hand on the left handle, and steady myself on the table or the takeup roller with my left hand it all goes so much better. Isn't it fun!???
I hear ya about the dearth of blogposts....I'm certainly guilty of adding to the dearthdom (is that a word?). I think you are progressing quite well on your gammil...I know I'm jealous of your machine! Keep up the great work on your quilting, Lisa...glad to see you back! That tree is wicked awesome!
"Dearth" - that's one of those words we don't hear frequently. I actually checked my Funk and Wagnells! LOL
Good to hear from you and congrats on that machine beauty. Your quilts are all going to be splendid! Speaking of splendid, wow, those trees and flowers ... we are looking at winter soon. 8-(
Yep, those pantos can be tricky. For me it was learning to round the curves without squared off or pointy curves. Free motion curves were much easier than following the panto pattern. The quilts in the photos look great.
Oh the tree is beautiful. Sometimes I wished I lived in Hawaii just for the flowers and plants. Sounds like learning your new machine is fun.
Linda in Calif.
Hi, Lisa! So glad to hear from you again. The baby quilts are gorgeous, of course!! Lucky, lucky recipients, and great practice for you with your new machine. Your flowering tree is amazing - thanks for sharing. I hope all this quilt activity means you are feeling much better.
Life has definitely put the brakes on my blogging lately so I understand a month slipping away. That tree is unbelievably gorgeous. I want one. As mild as our weather has been the past few winters, I bet it could survive in NC.
I love the panograph pattern you used on your baby quilts. Looks great from here!
Your quilting looks pretty good from here! I am so glad to see you have a Gammill. I am partial to them. Trust me you will get used to using the laser and following the line soon enough. Happy Birthday to your son!
Good to see ya again my friend! I love your tree - it's sooo pretty!
You'll have that machine dancing to your tune in no time at all.
When I used my friends APQS machine - the thing that seemed to work the best for me was to remember the panto is a guide... I didn't try to follow the line exactly and I did much better.
So that little hint and a bottle of wine and you should be all set! LOL
Snore-y? No way! They look grand, and oh the fun of using one of them gadjits! Me envious? Moi? Not at all. (yeah yeah lousy liar, I know...)
Beautiful Trees...
Fantastic Quilts... You actually finish them... I can't say so much for myself... I'm still quilting/binding phobic... Not like I'm going to enter them into a show or anything... Not sure what freaks me out soo much... I am currently the queen of piecing...
Happy Belated Birthday to your older son... ::smile::
Darn -- missed you again the end of August, when we visited the fair isle of Kauai'....... For those of us in the stateside Washington, now facing "fall & winter" (commonly known as r a i n t i m e, it was a breath of fresh air!!
When we went to Poipu', we saw many of those awesome trees, brillantly glowing -- a sight to behold.
My most favorite time this trip -- again in Poipu' at the blow hole -- we got to watch 2 Sea Turtles (Honu) out swimming around in the surf. To see the real thing, in their real home -- what a gas!!!
Wonderful to read you again -- love your island -- the humidity did "wonders" for the hair and make-up (ferget about it)! AND, it was rather fasinating to see hanging in the window of Kapaia Stitchery, your white "windowpane" quilt. That's the cool thing about blogs, you read here -- and then go there and "actually" see them (but not the artist -- alas).
Hope you're feeling better --
((((((Bonnie)))))
Happy Birthday to your son! I love your rainbow tree! It is gorgeous!
It is good that you´ve got your new toy.We can see more more quilts! :-) I´m just now in Helsinki. Tomorrow morning I go to fleamarket and then to our daughter´s graduation party!
I doubt those babies are going to notice any flaws you are seeing. They look phenomenal to me. Pass along yet another Happy Birthday to your son.
I know I've lost of blogging time to other things. Ah well, if I made it a chore it wouldn't be fun and if it wasn't fun it would defeat the purpose.
come one lisa, its just a hand eye coordination thing and dont forget you have to walk along with the darn thing too! i tried the stitch regulator at the quilt expo in madison and i loved it...boo hoo...wont be getting one of those for who knows when. i am the stitch regulator :-) i did another dye calss up in marquette saturday. the next one, gonna charge big bucks but it will be my painting/printing class with only 4 students per day and will have to do over two days, maybe three...depending on how many students i get. it is really getting cold...we now have the furnance going. but the leaves are changing and the colors are unbelieveable! always good to hear from you. i miss mikko and tori so much it stinks but otherwise i am doing good. plus i miss all my quilting pals...remember that time we had lunch at the place in kapaa with the catalope white tea and we just got wacked on it, and that cute waiter gave us our last glasses for free. never have had any tea tht good since. miss you girl. xo susan
Great to "see" you!
Lovely shower trees, I miss them. Used to have a road up the ridge lined with them and it was so lovely!
Your quilting looks wonderful, really great!!!!!
Another blogger gave me your website to order Postcards from Hawaii, and I see you are on vacation!!! Where do you go on vacation when you live in beautiful Kauai? Have a good one. I did discover your blog though by going on your website. Nice.
Congrats on your new machine. Very lucky. Looks like you are having fun and doing a great job.
That tree is simply breath-taking! And I always love seeing your new quilts. Thanks for sharing.
I think I missed these trees while I was there 9/9 - 9/22. There were quite a few plumera still in bloom. Have both your books, can relate. Luv your "Postcards" in the window.
Georgina in CT
I hope you'll be back to posting regularly soon. I just found you (through one of my followers) and I love your blog!
I am so glad I found your blog and your quilting is amazing. I have a question about what I think I see, on your longarm frame do you have two quilts on the frame at the same time? I just bought my Christmas present a Grace machine quilting frame and that looks like a great way to do two smaller projects.
My other reason that I love your blog is that I miss Hawaii, I lived on Oahu for 6 years but Kauai was my first love and has always remained so. I still hope to return there someday but in the mean time I love seeing your pictures and enjoyed your road trip.
I have a Mr. George cat and your Mr. Bigglesworth is a cutie.
I hope you have a great Holiday season and a wonderful and safe 2010.
Aloha, Ellen
femillar@charter.net
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