Tag: Debby Brown

The Best Postcard EVER!

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Debby Brown and I started 1000 Postcards for Peace while at Quilt Market. Something challenging was going on in the quilt world, we wanted to, in our own small way, send some peace out into the world. Debby has since created a postcard centering tool, and put together kits with postcard making supplies. We’ve both been sending postcards, and sharing on the facebook page as needed. I have a couple to make very soon.

Much to my surprise I received a postcard from Debby. I laughed out loud.

2017-08-07 14.05.27So I posted this sneak peek the other day. It still makes me laugh out loud.

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Debby and I chat with each other on, and off all day in between the other things that we’re doing. Now mind you…there is a reason I said that to Debby in our chat. I really wanted her to make a postcard like this:

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You can read more about that on her blog.

This will occupy a special place on my inspiration wall. Thanks Debby.

Happy Quilting,

Teri

Coming right up!

BTS general

Sam Hunter of Hunter’s Design Studios gathered the teachers This is going to be so much fun. I do know what I’m going to do, and I know when I’m going to do it. For right now let’s just say I’m going to tackle a long standing quilting tip.

A friend of mine told this six minute story. I cried.

Check out this facebook vid by Sarah Fabian of the Quilt Basket. There are a few spaces left in “If the Foot Fits use it” I’d love to see you there.

Debby Brown has a new tool! Check out this Postcard Trimming Tool. Not only is this the right size. there are centering lines for the design.

So, do you follow me on Instagram?

Maybe you saw this:

Here's the next block #quiltedblockofthemonth

A post shared by Teri Lucas (@terilucas) on

or this:

Saturday is the day! Part one of the August block. I designed this block based on a window I saw somewhere in lower Westchester county.

And today, I’m grateful for friends.

Happy Quilting,

Teri

Ribbon Candy

Kathy of Quirks Ltd messaged to remind me that Ribbon Candy is on my list of follow-ups with the July Block of the Month. I could draw it out. My friend, Debby Brown is one heck of a machine quilter, and quilting teacher. She has great vids on YouTube. Check out her ribbon candy on a home sewing machine

Head on over to her website for more amazing quilty stuff…including some off the hook thread!
Yvonne porcella quilt

Just signed a contract to teach in November. I’ll share where and dates as soon as it’s live on their website.

This quilt is on it’s way home soon. It’s been an honor to be part of the Live Your Brightest Life exhibit. See all the quilts here.

I have some of this fabric left over…I think I’m going to use it for the August Block of the Month. Stay Tuned.

Happy Quilting!

Teri

did ya ever?

img_20161119_111224Have a night where you didn’t sleep so well for no particular reason? It’s happened on more than one occasion, being a woman nearing a certain age I’m sure this will again. This usually happens when there is something to do the next day, like get up early and be coherent. Wild and crazy dreams woke me up every two hours. Sheesh!

That was bad enough. I checked into facebook where I saw a picture of an alligator nose coming up through a toilet bowl. Not a big deal, but in my sleep deprived mind memories flooded my brain of the trailer in which we resided in North Las Vegas and someone sharing stories of scorpions being found in toilets. I was five when this happened. Five. I still remember this and shudder with fear of going to the potty without some adult making sure everything was okay.

And it doesn’t help that as I write little flashes of memory of some neighborhood teenager telling me about seeing Jaws at the movies. Okay that’s fine. The vivid imagination leading to nightmares and falling out of bed didn’t help.

What has all of this to do with quilting? Well, the trip into the City was to meet up with a friend and get a sneak peek of a quilt shop that will open. At some point there will be a facebook live, but today wasn’t the day. Spending time with my friend was important. Then I met Cathy at Sarabeths! I had pineapple and mango waffle. Oh how decadent! I’ll go back there for breakfast again.

20170614_131401The 1000 Postcards for Peace facebook page is live. Please feel free to join us. Debby shares the thought behind the project here.  And the Facebook Live vid we did. It’s a beautiful story, and a good way of adding something beautiful into the world. Will this solve the problems? No. But it is healing for the maker. It is a moment of creativity, and prayer. As quilters we know how much quilting can heal wounded hearts, warm people, offer comfort. And so we stitch on.

Happy Quilting!

Teri

 

Gah!

dance bang head 1975

I’m not sure what happened however, all of the sudden Microsoft Office isn’t working on my laptop. So early this afternoon I handed this thing off to the in-house tech support. It’s still not working. Gah! I’m going to have to give it back to him tomorrow. He says there’s an app I downloaded and I don’t think so. The only thing I opened is a document from someone I know, that I need. It needs some work. I have an alternate plan but the look isn’t quite as nice as Word. Oh have mercy.

Tomorrow the in-house tech sets up the air conditioning in the sewing room. This will be one happy quilter. I am jonesing to sew. I need to quilt. My quilting person is deeply unsettled and has some things she wants to stitch out. But first the a/c then a wee bit of a tidy up so that I can once again function. I mean I started this tidy up then I started sewing, then I went to Quilt Market. It’s a common experience among quilters. I could bake cake and go to Debby’s for the day. I don’t really need the cake. It’s more the mental space.

My sweetie (aka the in-house tech) made dinner today. In the few minutes before I turned on the tv to see this:

Well done Ford for the commercial featuring, promoting and supporting sewing, and well done Egypt “Ify” Ufele. A little more looking around and my sweetie found this Times Ledger article on how Chubiiline was created. Gotta give it to Gramma for teaching Ify to sew, navigate some tough social interactions, and her mom for creating a space for the sewing to happen. I love that she sews for at least two hours every day. I love that she loves her body just as it is.

This is timely as I listened to This American Life podcast 589 Tell Me I’m Fat. I can’t stop thinking about the experience shared by one woman in her crusade to be thin, because from her description she’s not healthy physically, and more importantly emotionally.

2017-05-28 12.42.34After all the angst of trying to figure out who I am in the quilting world I think that craftsman (yeah, yeah language but what the heck it’s my blog) is the best fit. I get how this machine quilting works, though there is still much to learn, explore, dream, and think about. And even more to do, the ideas keep floating through my brain so quickly I wonder if I’ll ever have time to stitch them all out. Probably not, and not the point. And no, I’m not going to go around telling people I’m a craftsman this is simply personal clarity, a gift to me.

And as soon as that a/c is installed I’m quilting baby! First up a post card #1000postcardsforpeace!

PS – did you see this on Instagram today?

Working on a little wall hanging. All precuts! Simple! #sewbatik #itsallaboutbatik #precuts #precutbatiks

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Sew stinkin’ cute!! Diane (or Bruce) will be at the Vermont Quilt Festival.

Happy Quilting!

Teri

PS

Arsenic & Old Lace, Chocolate cake and a long arm

Arsenic & Old Lace, Chocolate cake and a long arm

 

Debby Brown has a Handi Quilter Avante in her studio, and on occasion when needed she lets me use it to baste my larger quilts. Yesterday I basted two quilts Arsenic & Old Lace pieced by Keith Dommer and Supernova in Chartreuse designed by none other than Jeanie Sumrall-Ajero. A&O L has lived in my studio for a while as life has happened. As I basted yesterday thoughts of quilting came to mind – which is such a good thing oh the thinks you think when you think quilting. Keith uses elements including hexagons, circles, and old linen, well leaving me with great blank space to work in. When he sent the quilt I looked up the color of arsenic gray, yellow, and black all come up and then there are shades of blue and acid green leaving me a lot of room for interpretation here.

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Now when I get to Supernova I don’t have a particular plan in mind however as I write decision made, whew. I need more fabric. She says, shocking no one reading this missive.

Kindness and gratitude matter. Both are a balm to wounded souls. They are a cup of cold water to someone who is in need of refreshment. A cup of coffee with and a good chat with good friend. Lemonade on a hot summer day. These things are all refreshing.

Sometimes we have challenges in life, challenges in our communities. Friends have troubles. Things are going all icky in the greater world and the events trigger awful memories. Things at work go all haywire in so many ways and we need a word of encouragement and support.  We might see all this happening and want to do something about it. We may not be able to fix it, but we can be there through our words.

While I was at Debby’s we had a facebook live with Joliene Williams. Joliene supplied me with Girl Scout Cookies. First I’ve had in a looooooooooooooong time.

Debby Brown and I are starting a project called 1000 postcards for peace.

In the next week or so I’m starting a facebook page that will be a place to offer ideas, share experiences and support those in our life who might need a little support or a little something because we can. I’ll post again here once the page is up, and directions are available.

Happy Quilting!

Teri

Quilterly Writers Block

Quilterly Writers Block

I’m a quilter. And by that I love to free motion machine quilt. On and off I’ve had to work through the equivalent of writers block. I just. couldn’t. quilt. Those moments were tough but often led to something that would pleasantly surprise me. Whew.
Would it surprise you that, while I’ve been quilting on and off over the last few years,  I haven’t really done anything original, inspired, intentional for a long time. I’ve dabbled. Made a few small pieces. I’ve looked wistfully at the pile of quilts in need of time, attention, and breath.

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Cherrywood van Gogh Challenge

he last few years the need-to-dos have taken, necessary, priority over the gee-I-get-to-dos producing a level of fatigue not previously experienced.

I can assure you this has not been the most pleasant experience. Quilting is something akin to breathing. An exchange of oxygen, and carbon dioxide that gives life, helps clear the thoughts, work out whatever is going on in daily life. The need to do list has not changed, however the stress that built up from the need-to-do’s, has started to recede. I’m beginning to breathe deeply.

Overall quilt market was good, there’s still follow up to do. There were a few very difficult moments. Long about late Wednesday afternoon I stopped what I was doing, headed up to the sewing room and started the Cherrywood challenge. Cut, stitch. Cut, stitch. Cut, stitch. Rinse, repeat until this piece said, “I’m complete.” I’ve added a border bigger than currently needed because I have a habit of quilting densely and shrinking a quilt.2017-05-28 12.42.34

Well then this happened. A while back I had a give away on a post offering to quilt a small piece for one of the folks who commented. I knew it would take a little while and let the winner know that as finishing a quilt or two and getting ready for Market were the higher priorities. The winner said she likes red, so red Oakshott it is. Teeny tiny stitching makes me happy, so teeny tiny stitching all over this eight inch square quilt that needs trimming, facing, signing and sending.

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The back is as pretty as the front. This is making me think that trimming it up, and running a tight satin stitch along the edge might be a better plan.

As I’ve quilting a friend has repeatedly said, “the dam is broken!”, creativity has free reign. And these two pieces are evidence that the water is flowing, I’m breathing the air. My heart is full, and there are plans afoot for a couple of other projects.

I love quilting.

Teri