Sid's Stars

Well, I finally got some time yesterday to do some long overdue computer work. I added Sid's tie dye page to my website and listed the first of many fabric panels on our Etsy site. I have been very selfish for many years and kept his dyes for myself. After a while though, I felt as if I was depriving the quilt world of some really cool fabrics. So, I relented and we are now offering Sid's fabrics for sale.
You can find them at www.mountainjoyquiltndye.Etsy.com.
The aspen leaves are in their full golden glory this week. In fact, some leaf looking site must have mentioned our road as being particularly nice. We think this because one day last week, both sides of the county road (which you are not supposed to park on) were full of parked cars. It was almost impassable, especially with the blind corners. Now, I 'm all for going out and enjoying beauty. I just wish everyone thought a little more about the safety of things. Beautiful leaves and amazing moose are not good enough reasons to have an accident. Please be safe when you come play in the mountains.
And by all means, everyone play as much as you can. Most of us adults lose that ability to play for the pure joy of it. Do you remember how to play? What do you do for play?

The Purple Practice Piece

This weeks quilt was a lesson in re-learning what to quilt on my husband's stars/flowers. I always try to follow the lines. Well, in tie-dye, things flow and the lines are not that clear. I had to remember to do my own thing and just go for it. My quilt lines add too and enhance his designs, creating something more than either of us could do alone. My husband has always said that my quilting turns his 'pop art' into 'fine art'. I love great collaborations!

The wildflowers have begun making their appearances this past week. The long awaited nice season is finally here! I will be sharing photos of my favorites as the bloom.

Now for my preaching of the week: Be so very thankful for your health and your friends. You never know when something could go terribly wrong. I have a dear friend that was hospitalized this week. It just made me realize (once again) how precious life, friendship, and love truly is. No matter how busy we think we are, there is always time for friends. Why not reach out to some of your friends today and tell them how they enrich your life.

More Seed of Life Quilts

This is perhaps the most elegant quilt I've made to date. It was a commissioned piece a few years ago, one of several actually. The person this quilt was going to liked purple, Louisiana, and the fleur-de-lis. Given that information, this is the quilt I created. The fabrics were all dyed by my husband at my command. The Seed of Life is a prominent center piece surrounded by yards of purple knot work and dark purple Louisiana Iris. The outer knot work border was designed to look like fleur-de-lis wrought iron fence tops to further induce the feel of Louisiana. At the moment, I forget just how many yards of Celtic knot work I sewed onto this quilt (my husband thinks it was miles). Truly, I was proud of this one for coming out more beautiful than I had imagined.