tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-240947602012-01-20T12:37:10.527-06:00My thoughts on baseball, quilting, hand dyeing, and anything else that crosses the synapses.alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.comBlogger1091100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-13706143621195874022012-01-19T08:34:00.007-06:002012-01-19T08:43:07.514-06:00

I received an interesting email yesterday. The email was from a teacher (Miss Cassandra Smith) who said her students used my website, DellaJane to study the internet. (Carrot!) Someone recognizes how wonderful my website is!! They particularly loved my links page.(Warm Fuzzies!) What's not to love? Check it out yourself if you don't believe me! One of her best & brightest students (Samantha)

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-25647175749613352812012-01-01T05:35:00.005-06:002012-01-01T05:58:13.040-06:00

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2012! I sat down this morning about 3 am and wrote down what I wanted to do this year. Not a list of resolutions, but a map to guide me, with suggestions for getting from Point A to Point B.1. Take better care of myself by exercising every day, drinking more H2O and less caffeine, eat a healthier diet by eliminating most of the sugar and adding more fruits and vegies.

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-3700758947067678042011-12-14T04:07:00.010-06:002011-12-14T04:55:03.785-06:00

Our lives are journeys, sometimes exciting and wonderful, sometimes ugly, always a trip into the unknown. As a child, you don't think about where you are headed. You climb into the front seat of the roller coaster, arms held high above your head and scream with pleasure and fear on the ride!As a young adult, the journey is an adventure, something to anticipate: moving out of your childhood home,

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-14559843096380463412011-04-24T14:14:00.016-05:002011-04-24T15:05:06.671-05:00

About two weeks ago, Becky H bought a pattern for crayon bags while we were on a shop hop. We got together last week to make the bags as Easter gifts for our grandchildren. I should call them marker bags instead of crayon bags, because I put washable Crayola © Markers in them. Whatever I call them, we had fun making them.Choose fabrics: Zoe got frogs, Kyra got smiling suns, Cassady got pencils.

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-18449714110562564332011-03-31T10:04:00.010-05:002011-03-31T10:41:20.395-05:00

Friday? March? Really? The season isn't long enough already? Let's not wait for the first Monday in April. Next thing you know, they'll introduce some stupid rule to let another player hit for the pitcher. Oh. Yeah. That stupid DH rule. Well. At least the Reds are playing at home. Some traditions haven't been throw out. Yet. Versus the Brewers. Not a made-for-tv matchup. I realize that. And the

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-55034517739744881492011-03-29T07:50:00.017-05:002011-03-29T09:41:16.934-05:00

This past weekend, I spent quite a bit of time preparing a quote for Potential Client. The project was to make and quilt a quilt designed by Potential Client, plus write pattern instructions for said quilt. After I submitted my quote, I was told that it was four times their budgeted amount. There wasn't THAT much wiggle room, so we parted amicably, me thinking Potential Client's budget was

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-86823903123856355482011-02-11T10:36:00.009-06:002011-02-11T11:46:36.624-06:00

A friend's link to a mystery quilt on (dare I use the trade-marked name?) Super Bowl Sunday grabbed my attention. It was supposed to be a table-topper. I decided to make it bigger so it could be a baby quilt and I chose to make it in red, blue and yellow. Red and Blue for the Kansas University parents. Yellow added because red and blue and yellow look really great together! Using just three

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-69548289345914120732010-11-24T12:13:00.019-06:002010-11-24T13:38:31.741-06:00

I dye fabric in my kitchen. To protect counter tops and cabinets, I cover *everything* with PFD (Prepared For Dyeing) fabric. The fabrics absorbs the inevitable drips and spills, and at the end of a dyeing day, are allowed to dry, then set aside for the next dyeing session. Fabrics are used repeatedly, accumulating an assortment of colors. The first photo shows a layering of color in DyeCloth 11-

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-38504570941257014732010-11-08T20:54:00.018-06:002010-11-08T21:25:09.210-06:00

When I decided to make a baby quilt for my brother's first grandchild, I knew I would use bright colors with black and white fabrics in a Nickel Quilt design. I chose to use TWO bright fabrics because I didn't have enough of either! I paired one bright fabric with assorted black prints for the half-square triangle blocks and the other with white with black fabrics for the 4-patch blocks. Didn't

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-52449321076452450642010-10-03T09:13:00.008-05:002010-10-03T09:37:01.465-05:00

My Mom makes quilts. Since she is a avid Ohio State fan, many of them are OSU/Buckeye quilts. In between customer quilts, I quilt them for her at her special family rate! This is her latest. It got polite applause at Show & Tell at my quilt guild meeting in Nebraska! Those Husker fans are always loyal to their own team! The quilting is a free-hand pattern - I love filling the space! And in the

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-40675899364324507562010-07-27T11:42:00.009-05:002010-07-27T12:01:47.178-05:00

The last full weekend in July is reserved for Quilt Nebraska. It's a sort of religious holiday for Nebraska quilters, a time to take classes, renew old friendships, eat chocolate, make new friends, shop, talk and laugh. I went to my first Quilt Nebraska in 1998 (read a little about that trip here). This year, I had to cancel at the last minute. I decided to have my own private quilting time at

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-14926079894360845132010-04-06T06:12:00.006-05:002010-04-06T07:30:24.438-05:00

Opening Day, 2010. St. Louis 11, Cincinnati 6. This is going to be a long season.I did everything right. I wore my Reds jersey. My Cincy flag flew, as it does every day that the Reds play on tv (not very often), and every day they are in first place (not very often). This is going to be a long season.Ok, so it is Cincinnati tradition for Adam Harang to start on Opening Day. Please! In this case,

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-44374867585385112402010-03-27T12:02:00.014-05:002010-03-27T12:30:28.403-05:00

I've quilted 3 quilts for Jackee B using Baptist Fan Groovy Boards. This classic quiling pattern looks great on almost any quilt! The first quilt is simply pieced log-cabin style using a variety of floral fabrics.The 2nd quilt is for Quilts of Valor. The center block is a wonderful focal point. It isn't as complicated to piece as it look!. Jackee did a great design job as she surrounded it with

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-52507729534969150502010-03-24T10:18:00.010-05:002010-03-24T13:13:16.068-05:00

Trigger Finger Release surgery has made my right hand unusable for a while. Being one-handed makes so many daily tasks difficult or impossible. Leave the top off my painkillers please! Once I am past the pain, I am going to be bored silly or very frustrated! Try washing ONE hand!The reality of being one-handed for at least a week is much harder than when it was just something that would happen "

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-78523941856133604882010-03-22T12:19:00.008-05:002010-03-27T11:12:30.941-05:00

Author's Note added 3/27/10: Machine is SOLD!Just one year ago, I bought an HQ 16. I've upgraded to a bigger machine, so want to sell my first baby. It is an HQ 16, on a Studio Frame (the best!). It is one year old, has the new handles with tilt screen. Comes with all the usual stuff - external bobbin winder, Front and Rear Handles, Stitch Regulator, laser light, Velcro leaders.It is in EXCELLENT

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-52143230487401849862010-03-17T09:38:00.012-05:002010-03-17T17:16:19.588-05:00

I know, it is St Patrick's Day, not Thanksgiving. And my birds aren't green. But there they were, within spitting distance of the street, so I pulled into Boy's Town and snapped off some quick shots. The turkeys are fairly skittish, so I couldn't get very close. They are at the far range of my camera lens! The toms all spread their tails, drawing attention to themselves and letting the hens move

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-54457498387097825462010-03-11T13:56:00.008-06:002010-03-11T14:30:01.029-06:00

I quilted two cute baby quilts - for Becky's grandsons. The first was an I Spy quilt, so I quilted the alphabet and numbers, one in each block. I thought it was neat that the C was on the Curious George block.The second quilt was a Maple Island pattern by Debbie Bowles called Carnival. Becky used beautiful fabrics, including some she dyed. I quilted a simple stars and loops all-over pattern.

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-63192974050732917972010-02-21T17:39:00.011-06:002010-02-21T19:42:07.425-06:00

I visited my family in Ohio - we got over 16" of snow while I was there! BEFORE:AFTER:See more birds in the snow on flickr. We were snowed in for a couple of days. We had the two essentials: chocolate and electricity. I used the time to piece two Nickel Quilt tops which are graduation gifts.

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-4021045941180253512010-02-16T17:03:00.012-06:002010-02-16T17:34:28.429-06:00

During an Ohio visit earlier this month, my sister, Natalie and I worked together to make a Schlep Bag. I read the instructions, Natalie sewed. We used large "scraps" of heavy-weight "Save Our Planet" fabric for the outside. Because I just grabbed all the odd pieces of fabric when I packed, we only had enough for one bag. Natalie got to keep it - she will be using it for one of her many knitting

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-65252479585875935892010-01-27T10:13:00.035-06:002010-01-27T20:52:25.336-06:00

Teri Quinn, friend and fellow member of The Cottonwood Quilters took on the HUGE task of providing quilts for The Gathering, a fundraiser for a local private school. I agreed to quilt one of ten quilts which will be auctioned. Janice Lippincott and June Jensen combined blocks from a Houston class and made a beautiful top using colorful batiks and black and white prints. I quilted it using a

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-12095312929997399042010-01-15T13:54:00.017-06:002010-01-15T15:59:59.333-06:00

I woke up this morning to a beautiful white world. A hard frost produced white frosty needles on branches, sticks, even my scarecrow! The needles were on fruits, grass, even the fence around a rose bush. Although it was harder to see, even the edges of the snow has sharp frosty needles!A low-hanging fog shrouded the world in white, shrinking my world to a just a few nearby houses. See more Frost

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-32643780098427346142010-01-07T15:56:00.011-06:002010-01-07T16:21:57.511-06:00

To celebrate her First Degree, Level 1 and Level 2 Black Belts in TaeKwonDo, I made Alyssa a quilt. Each fabric in the braided sections represents one of the belts she earned as she worked her way to the black belts. The separator bands (sashing) between the braids represents the First Degree, Level 1 belt. The outer border represents her First Degree, Level 2 Belt. This belt has their name and

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-540318590281645732010-01-05T09:23:00.013-06:002010-01-07T16:23:59.265-06:00

We have snow. A LOT of snow. Around two feet fell in December, more already in 2010, and another storm is expected to dump 3-5" on Omaha tomorrow. When the snow started on December 8th, we made sure the bird feeder was full. The birds who come to our feeder include birds we like - cardinals, blue jays, juncos, finches and wrens, birds we don't have strong feelings about - doves and sparrows, and

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-3742496359938896052009-12-01T08:58:00.003-06:002009-12-01T09:09:50.705-06:00

Today is my birthday. Happy Birthday to Me!!Happy birthday to several friends who share this date with me: Mary R, Sandy R, Bob W, Brian B. Hope you all have a wonderful day!Celebrities who also share my birthday? Mary Martin of Peter Pan fame, Woody Allen, Bette Midler, Walter Alston (Dodger's manager) and Reggie Sanders (former Reds player), Lee Trevino and Treat Williams. Many more of course,

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-80771282508873371922009-10-27T12:59:00.006-05:002009-10-27T13:20:08.706-05:00

I visited a wonderful thrift store in Evanston, Illinois a couple weeks ago - Thriftgeeks. I loved the tidy disarray - you had to poke in the corners, look under things, open boxes and make sure you didn't miss anything. Just the exploration required made it a worthwhile visit! (FYI: I hate modern "thrift shops" where they display brand new socks and cleaning supplies next to a shelf of two dozen

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-63573522175305588592009-10-03T06:52:00.021-05:002009-10-06T21:46:30.215-05:00

More precisely, queen for TWO days plus! Last weekend, I flew to Salt Lake City and attended a retreat with an eclectic group of 14 other quilters. What we had in common is that we all own (and love!) a Handi Quilter. We were chosen to be featured in Handi Quilters print ads during the coming year. (As the first quilter to be in the ads, I know what a thrill it is to open a quilting magazine and

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-42859908083897539872009-09-18T14:59:00.004-05:002009-09-18T15:34:31.328-05:00

I went to a fun little quilt show this week at the Mormon Trail Center. There are about 60 quilts, enough to make going worthwhile. Most of the quilts are traditional, with a sprinkling of contemporary quilts. The show is called "Every Quilt Has A Story", and almost every quilt has a label which tells a story. Some stories are about the quilter, some are about the quilt. The stories made even the

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-27763279546286198422009-09-08T12:19:00.005-05:002009-09-08T12:47:33.263-05:00

Andy Warhol said it in 1968. I've been waiting 41 years (41 YEARS!) and I think my time in the spotlight is here. Drum roll, please............ I am being featured in HandiQuilter ads in a number of national quilting magazines. It is exciting to open the October issue of Quilter's World and see my face on the first page. Go get your copy now & look! I'll wait. And I'm in Quilters Newsletter, too!

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-8766921444550947682009-07-16T12:11:00.023-05:002009-07-16T21:24:52.471-05:00

I started cleaning up iris beds last night. Dig out the tubers, sort out the young growth, discard the dead/old pieces, replant the bed, give away the leftover tubers. Repeat for each bed. One of those chores that is easy to put off, satisfying to complete. When I get the first bed finished, I have a large tub of tubers to pass on to other gardeners. Quilt Nebraska begins in less than a week -

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-33608599512088458562009-07-11T16:36:00.005-05:002009-07-11T17:11:36.502-05:00

And yesterday, and the day before! And the day before that. It started with a red, white and blue top. I had a partial spool of a cotton YLI variegated thread - wasn't sure how much had been used, but decided to take a chance. You know it! I ran out of thread about 3/4 of the way through the quilting. A nearby quilt shop had some Valdani thread, cotton, same weight. Expensive - $12 for a small

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-31860449586964565402009-06-23T06:31:00.019-05:002009-06-23T06:59:42.892-05:00

I'm in Columbus, Ohio for the Quilt Surface Design Symposium. One of the best things about the hotel is its' location beside the Olentangy River. I love to get out in the early morning to walk. When I take my camera, the wildlife is elusive! I see a great white egret and a blue heron almost every day. Is there only one of each along this stretch of the river? Who knows? I've never seen two!

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-6106900601455206962009-06-13T13:40:00.008-05:002009-07-11T17:16:58.069-05:00

I spent a couple days with my Mom & took this picture on one of my walks along the back country road I lived on as a child. No lane line - the road is about 1.5 lanes wide. If two big vehicles meet, both have to get one tire off onto the shoulder. Most of the trees are shagbark hickory - beautiful, tall trees with large leaves. Notice all the mailboxes? When I lived there, there were three houses

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-1825791398254629792009-06-09T22:05:00.007-05:002009-06-09T22:21:27.832-05:00

It's always fun to see quilters use fabric they have dyed in one of my workshops. These two quilts were in the Omaha Quilters Guild Show last week. Illuminated Inspirations (22" x 36"), was made by Joan Duggan. It was made from 1.5 yards of hand dyed fabric. The sections are joined with knitted strips and embellished with beads. Primary Colors (33" x 40"), was made by Joyce Swift. She got the

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-30782561963900289702009-05-31T12:09:00.005-05:002009-05-31T12:41:46.519-05:00

I was asked to be part of a Celebrity Fundraising Auction to be held during Quilt Nebraska 2009. Following my mother's advice (don't talk so much!) I didn't tell Katy that I wasn't a celebrity! I just agreed to make an item for the auction. Taa Daa! This is a version of my 1-Hour Shopping Tote, made using a technique I call Too Small To Keep, Too Big To Throw Away. The outside of the bag is made

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-29511931617247620042009-05-26T13:42:00.013-05:002009-05-26T14:41:34.881-05:00

After the laissez-faire attitude of my younger days produced two non-Reds fans, I took a different approach with my younger children. I truly believed that strict adherence to the Jesuit motto "give me a child until she is seven and I will give you a Reds fan" would work! Note the mismatched, yet stylish outfit - a sunflower print skirt with Reds shirt and hat in this picture of Alyssa & Caitlin

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-74847241485957463932009-05-17T09:27:00.004-05:002009-05-17T10:08:40.038-05:00

Whenever possible, I have volunteered to help on Judging Day for my local quilt guilds. One often-heard comment, usually made when borders are quilted significantly less than the interior of the quilt, is "needs more quilting". I just returned from the Machine Quilters Showcase in Overland Park, Kansas. Few of the quilts in this show will elicit this comment. The quilts are quilted. And quilted.

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-78817009961067121902009-04-06T12:21:00.003-05:002009-04-06T16:31:52.204-05:00

People ask me what I do in the winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring. -- ­Rogers Hornsby Opening Day - the two most beautiful words in the English language. -- Tim KirkjianI've re-read Thomas Boswell's collection of baseball essays and I'm ready to watch the Reds first game of the season on ESPN. Spring has officially arrived.Play

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-87192979101315492762009-04-04T11:53:00.006-05:002009-04-04T12:06:19.341-05:00

I saw Fabri-Quilts "Save Our Planet" fabric and fell in love with it! My reuseable shopping bags are more than 15 years old (do Fry's grocery stores exist anymore?), so I designed a shopping tote which is quick (1 hour!) and easy. Made from sturdy canvas fabric, it will hold LOTS & LOTS of groceries!Kits for my 1-Hour Shopping Tote are available on my website, DellaJane Hand Dyes.

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-52991110650839009212009-03-26T08:16:00.009-05:002009-03-26T09:04:25.668-05:00

On Tuesday morning, it was an empty (relatively speaking!) room:Getting it to this point involved hours of sorting through piles of mostly quilting stuff, going through boxes of mostly quilting stuff and making decisions about what stays and what goes. I sold one sewing machine and a table, but what you don't see in this empty room picture is the full shelf in the next room of

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-38912876341314057402009-02-20T08:08:00.012-06:002009-02-20T08:51:40.850-06:00

Prom dress shopping - not the most anticipated event on my calendar! Find something DD likes (minimal pouf), in a Mom-approved style (not too revealing) and an acceptable price range before my shopping clock strikes midnight and I run screaming from the store. We went to Black Tie, White Satin in Fremont, Nebraska. The Prom Loft (400 dresses!) was full of color! A rack of 7 orange dresses, each

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-65138035853008934862009-01-11T16:20:00.020-06:002009-02-20T08:52:28.031-06:00

Yesterday, I taught a workshop for the Omaha Quilters Guild . The best classroom space (for dyeing) I have EVERY been in is the art room at St. Mary's College! I'm always a little surprised that I enjoy the experience of teaching. There is a HUGE difference between quilting workshops and middle-school classrooms! My students dyed three 6-shade gradations, one yellow, one blue, one red. Each

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-20947426030263572402009-01-08T20:17:00.003-06:002009-01-08T20:30:26.843-06:00

While I was in Houston for Festival last year, Christine T. stopped by and asked if I could overdye a summer skirt. It was light blue, with a light stain which made it unwearable. She wanted it gray with hints of purple, then picked a piece of fabric from a scrap bag that was more purple than gray. This is the result - I like it!

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-62414347140030104182008-12-13T17:35:00.022-06:002008-12-13T18:13:20.254-06:00

I LOVE the shape of elf toes!The problems I encountered when making these stockings included getting a shape which looked right and would hold its' shape, turning the toe, and creating funky pieced look with NO piecing. The black stocking fabric was created with woven strips, the blue stocking fabric was created with fused diamonds. Weaving strips is easier, but I prefer the harlequin look.Now I

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-72386252303114631922008-11-28T04:04:00.006-06:002008-11-28T05:24:30.084-06:00

I want to dig into my stash, pick out some beautiful fabrics in my favorite colors. I want to combine them in a quilt that doesn't require any design effort. I just want to sew!My hair stylist, Jill, is having her first baby - a girl. It was fun and relaxing to make a pink baby quilt for her. The design is my variation of Fons & Porter's "Amish Four Patch Chain" (For the Love of Quilting, Jan/Feb

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-51545481603662321122008-11-11T08:11:00.002-06:002009-01-08T20:31:31.939-06:00

Operation Bold Eagle, 1976. Nevada desert near Lake Mead. My boss, Mel Miller and I, working in the comm trailer.On Veteran's Day, I am thankful. Because of the US Air Force, I got to move around and see different parts of the United States. I figured out what I liked AND what I didn't like in a job. I met people, made friends, saw new things and was exposed to new ideas. I learned how to work

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-41829590859108410672008-10-21T06:41:00.001-05:002008-10-21T06:52:46.886-05:00

As Art Quilters, we are told to seek out and study artists who work in other media. I wasn't doing this at all - I was accompanying my 16yo DD, an aspiring filmmaker, to a talk by Kelley Baker sponsored by The Nebraska Film Group. I went with her because I was uncomfortable with the idea of her walking alone around the Creighton campus at 10 pm. I brought my own entertainment (a movie and an

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-55927721691382253682008-10-08T18:05:00.000-05:002008-10-08T20:03:57.991-05:00

Five years ago, Becky Hinckley and I started DellaJane Hand Dyes. The name is a combination of the names we don't use (Della Alice and Rebecca Jane). Our first booth (and first sale!) was at the Cottonwood Quilters show in Elkhorn, Nebraska, in October, 2003. So much has changed since that first show. At the end of 2004, I bought Becky's interest in the business. I've been working to grow my

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-77154196032068659992008-09-17T09:49:00.001-05:002008-09-17T10:08:31.155-05:00

My father has had Alzheimer's for such a long time. He hasn't know who I am for at least 7 years. I first noticed the symptoms after he suffered a head injury in a car accident. He participated in a number of drug studies at The Ohio State University. He continues on medications which help mask the symptoms - it's hard to imagine how completely UN-functional he would be without the meds.My Mom

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-24888373379113155692008-09-12T16:58:00.000-05:002008-09-12T17:36:03.943-05:00

Last weekend, I spent 3 days in Susan Shie's Outsider Art Diary Quilts Workshop. Wow! What fun it was! I loved using the air pen. (I'd run out and buy one, but I'm not sure I'd use it enough to justify the $130 price tag.) I went in with the attitude that I wasn't making Great Art, which allowed me to try different things without stress. I enjoyed Susan's Library Time, when we wrote and sketched.

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-66528067030346278412008-09-05T17:41:00.001-05:002008-09-05T17:57:10.471-05:00

We decided on a car & bought a Mini Cooper S. It's really DH's car (I still need the behemoth Tahoe), but with Al out of town, I got to drive it today. Before I got off our street, before I shifted into 3rd gear, I wanted one of my own!I've forgotten how much FUN it is to drive a little sports car! I love that the tach sits right in the middle of the steering wheel, while the speedometer is over

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-11820620917278516572008-08-28T11:37:00.001-05:002008-08-28T11:58:03.828-05:00

The fabric I rusted on the truck hood has been rinsed and ironed and is looking quite beautiful! For this piece, I rubbed the hood of the truck with a wet cloth to get my handprints. They will go into a self-portrait quilt I'm working on. I'm pleased by the results!

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-5034241223693592012008-08-12T20:08:00.000-05:002008-08-12T20:25:55.548-05:00

I've been rusting fabric (and selling it as DellaJane IronWorks ) for a while. I've been experimenting on ways to get even deposits and even color. This week, I went for almost the opposite - stripes!My latest rusting adventure started when Vicki J from my local quilt guild called and asked if I was still interested in "borrowing" some rust. Quite a while back, I had asked about rusting fabric

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-58452312901696343032008-08-08T15:59:00.001-05:002008-08-08T16:04:32.259-05:00

DD is driving. Driving here, driving there, she likes driving everywhere! We are shopping for a "new" vehicle. I saw this yummy raspberry truck today. Does the Ford Escape Hybrid come in this color?

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-67051041910713070672008-07-19T13:51:00.001-05:002008-12-13T01:40:55.599-06:00

The best of the treasures I brought back from my trip to Ohio was this vintage sewing cabinet. Made by the Caswell-Runyun Company, probably in the 1940's. It is beautiful! I haven't decided what sewing supplies to keep in it.This photo shows the label inside the top.

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-57502152943209447052008-06-27T08:23:00.001-05:002008-12-13T01:40:55.809-06:00

I've been in Columbus, Ohio for almost two weeks. (Side note: I missed the ENTIRE College World Series! Since Arizona State got knocked out in the Super Regionals, it wasn't quite as much of a sacrifice. And I take some comfort in the fact that the team that beat ASU (Fresno State) won the whole she-bang!) First week was at the National Quilting Association (NQA) show, second at the Quilt Surface

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-90203734285554262202008-06-09T10:44:00.000-05:002008-06-09T11:19:56.808-05:00

What a weekend! It started on Thursday, when I set up for the Omaha Quilter's Guild show. Because of a close-to-the-last-minute change, the show was being held at a new location - the Gretna outlet mall. Definitely different, somewhat confusing, but it ended up being quite successful. Vendors and quilts were divided among seven bays at the mall. DellaJane Hand Dyes was in Bay 7, along with

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-27148953055348525572008-05-20T13:06:00.000-05:002009-06-13T14:13:58.098-05:00

A 4-leaf clover! Driving home from the Machine Quilters Showcase in Overland Park, Kansas, I stopped at a rest area. I noticed the clovers were quite thick along the sidewalk, and I thought "wouldn't it be neat to spot a 4-leaf clover?". And I did!A few miles down the road, I saw deer on the side of the road in time to slow down and avoid hitting them as they jumped across in front of me. Lucky

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-44327926081232644732008-04-15T05:58:00.000-05:002008-12-13T01:40:56.413-06:00

Dateline: April 12, 2008, Rosemont, IL, Chicago IQA Quilt Show. (I'm the red-head.)I've been a part of an online line group of quilts who love baseball for a few years now. We swap fabric (betting IS illegal VBG) based on wins & losses of "our" team (Go Reds!). It's always fun to arrange a face-to-face meeting when I travel. Chicago means a meet-up with Julie, one of those hopeless cases - a

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-13626873241315239102008-04-06T08:28:00.001-05:002008-12-13T01:40:56.703-06:00

Just a week ago, my TO DO list combined with my calendar felt like a weight more than I could handle. Today, my list still has 30-some items to be done before Wednesday, when I leave for Chicago, but... A big BUT! So many things are finished!!Opening Day came and went. The Reds lost Dusty Baker's first game. I'm so happy that baseball season is here!"Joseph" finished a successful run at MNHS this

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-76246031351589598782008-02-24T13:47:00.001-06:002008-12-13T01:40:56.837-06:00

I made this so-cute purse sample last week. The bag was designed by Ellie Grisham of Wisconsin. I love the over-dyed fabric on the outside, the spring colors, the knotted handle - everything about it! This is a fast & easy purse!

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-49352104434951482242008-02-20T09:27:00.000-06:002009-06-13T14:12:56.066-05:00

Blatant brag: I can grow anything outdoors in the Midwest. But my green thumb seems to turn dark inside. So I was VERY thrilled to see buds on one of my Christmas Cactus last week! I have two cacti - the blooming one was an impulse purchase at the grocery store last year. The other is a cutting from a 100-year-old plant given to me by my friend, Mary R. I almost killed that one (sorry Mary!).

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-87400646176670523562008-02-11T13:12:00.004-06:002008-12-13T01:40:57.382-06:00

Time flies when you're busy. Trite but true. I wanted to complain about the ultra-cold weather we are "enjoying" in Omaha and post a picture of the snowman in our yard. I meant to tell you about the pair of eagles I saw sitting in a tree overlooking the Platte River. I've been dyeing both wool roving and cotton fabric in wonderful luscious colors that I wanted to show you. I was going to brag a

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-75331551526807802292008-01-14T18:19:00.000-06:002008-12-13T01:40:59.561-06:00

I taught a variation of my Color Wheel Dyeing for the Omaha Quilt Guild last Saturday. It is so much fun to share my passion for dyeing with others! The group was enthusiastic and fun to work with - the kind of students that every teacher loves to have in the classroom!My students dyed a 12-step color wheel, then had "playtime". Gorgeous fabric in plastic bags doesn't photograph well, so you get

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-63644184016131237252007-12-25T15:37:00.001-06:002008-12-13T01:41:00.085-06:00

The stockings were laid on the pool table with care. Brad & Heather just moved into their new house. We had to improvise!Maybe we'll put this picture of Casey on our Christmas cards next year.

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-26080422727332377862007-12-25T15:17:00.001-06:002008-12-13T01:41:00.665-06:00

We made our almost-annual trek to Phoenix for the holidays. Some pictures I took on the way.....Anyone interested in a 1946 fire truck?Overpass art in Albuquerque, New MexicoSan Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff, Arizona

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-23844458913435337092007-12-16T11:11:00.000-06:002008-12-13T01:41:01.207-06:00

I've used my sewing time to make a tree skirt for my oldest daughter and stockings for two granddaughters. My original plan was to do alternate wedges in the crazy quilt method used on the stockings in a previous post. Time dictated otherwise and I went with solid fabric wedges. The visible quilting around the outer edge is done with glow-in-the-dark thread. DD's reaction to the tree skirt was "

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-23754855783636444052007-12-06T11:50:00.000-06:002007-12-06T12:05:32.789-06:00

December 5, 2007. updated my website. dusted family room. washed my cell phone. sold some fabric. ate cookies. colored my hair. washed dishes. wrote checks. cleaned litter box. sewed. read email. drove carpool. made doctor's appointment. updated palm pilot. watched the news. read a book. made a list. mailed letters. took out trash. brushed the cat. shredded papers. folded a quilt. talked to

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-50432083642314592082007-11-23T17:57:00.000-06:002008-12-13T01:41:01.679-06:00

I do two things every year in late November. I avoid shopping on the day after Thanksgiving, and I make a stocking for the Omaha Quilt Guild's Stocking Challenge . This year, I sent my family off to a movie without me on Friday afternoon and made my stocking. Photos show front and back of stocking.The orange fabric was the challenge fabric. I chose snowflake and sky fabrics to be a background

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-2094242104005767992007-10-15T13:04:00.000-05:002007-10-15T13:17:48.251-05:00

To publicize my environmental action today is somewhat embarrassing. I rummaged through the bottom of the coat closet and found the cloth shopping bags I haven't used in 10 years. Why have I let them sit unused, while I've contributed umpteen thousand plastic bags to the environment? Oh sure, I've soothed my conscience by re-using them as garbage bags and for packing material, recycling hundreds

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-43054756285917945832007-10-09T10:08:00.000-05:002008-12-13T01:41:01.779-06:00

An identification crisis! I acquired a bag of fiber that I *think* is tussah silk noil. There are four distinct "pieces" - two are light brown and two are white.There are burn tests for cotton/poly/wool fabrics. Is there one for silk? Can you help me ID this fiber?

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-11347126229550829302007-08-07T13:07:00.002-05:002008-12-13T01:41:02.124-06:00

During a visit with Patience last spring, she showed me an assignment from an art class she had taken the semester before. The students were given a cheap see-through ink pen, a sheet of paper, and told to use all the ink on the paper. Additional rules - one side of paper, use shades from dark to pale, no recognizable objects, i.e. no houses, trees. I loved the idea and brought it home for my

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-58082958563376026842007-07-16T11:03:00.000-05:002008-12-13T01:41:02.482-06:00

For samples, baby quilts and charity quilts, I often do my binding completely by machine.• Pin binding to BACK of quilt, raw edges of binding to outer edge of quilt.• Sew binding to quilt, using a ¼” seam.• Fold binding to FRONT of quilt. Press the binding lightly. No need to get a knife edge – you just want the binding to lie in position. Do make sure the miters on the corners are pressed.•

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-89928756115761097372007-07-11T11:10:00.002-05:002008-12-13T01:41:02.588-06:00

I've been dyeing wool roving - sort of a bus man's holiday! These are the last five batches. I hang them in my kitchen window to dry. It adds a nice spot of color! I've dyed wool with Kool Aid. Fun to do with kids, no toxic stuff to worry about, but a little on the expensive side if you want to dye any volume. I switched to MX dyes with vinegar as my acid after a few times playing around with

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-33450223463595080472007-06-21T15:24:00.000-05:002008-12-13T01:41:02.747-06:00

A question was asked on QuiltArt about dyeing wood. I dug out the wooden stars I dyed about 4 years ago.This is a fairly vague description of what I did. (It has been a while & I was experimenting.) I used a plastic cup. Fill cup about half full of soda ash, put in wooden stars. Set aside to soak for about 30 minutes. Poured off most of the soda ash solution. Added dye to enough water to fill the

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-5007526115066851292007-06-19T14:04:00.001-05:002008-12-13T01:41:03.245-06:00

We got to Rosenblatt Stadium about 4:45 pm for a 6 pm game, to find the earlier game was still in progress. The game between Cal State Fullerton & UC Irvine went 13 innings (5+ hrs) setting a record for the longest CWS game ever. And I had GIVEN my tickets to the nephew of a friend who left in the 5th inning. Who does that? Even Dodger fans stay until the 7th!Since we had time to kill, we

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-22296769886425071302007-06-17T00:41:00.001-05:002008-12-13T01:41:03.833-06:00

What a slogan! What a day at Rosenblatt! What made it such a good day? Since I like to make lists.....1.On a HOT HOT day, we watched the Arizona State Sun Devils beat the UC Irvine Anteaters by a single run. 2. The frozen lemonade was incredibly and wonderfully cold. (Did I mention it was HOT?)3. Eavesdropping on the conversation in the row behind me, I met a quilter who had come from Grand

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-10871049223549010122007-06-16T10:07:00.003-05:002008-12-13T01:41:04.010-06:00

Baseball! Almost like Opening Day, without the stress of wanting my team to win! We saw the NC Tarheels come from behind to beat the Mississippi Bulldogs. I cheered for both teams, leaving the NC fan sitting beside me scratching his head.I love my seat location. My seat looks straight down the basepath from 3rd base to 2nd. The sun is always behind us. I don't like the new seats in Rosenblatt.

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-16668955268322484212007-05-13T12:32:00.000-05:002008-12-13T01:41:04.810-06:00

I dyed the blazer for the 3rd (& last) time. I decided to use a large tub this time so the blazer could lie flat. I hoped this would help even out the color. It helped, but the end result was still not an even color. More appealing than the color in Round 2, but not even. Pictures taken inside look pretty good, but full sun shows the extent of the unevenness of color. Many of my other initial

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-79397682037598685392007-05-10T07:51:00.001-05:002008-12-13T01:41:05.347-06:00

A flash of purple caught my eye in the yard yesterday. One clump (is that the correct term to describe a bed of iris?) is blooming - a little early! So beautiful!

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-63027168715431140042007-05-07T01:08:00.000-05:002008-12-13T01:41:05.690-06:00

My favorite son turned 30 last month. (I don't think I'm old enough to have a child who is 30, but the calendar insists that I am.) I wanted to do something different, so every day for 30 days, I sent him a gift consisting of 30 of the same items. The idea for this came from a post on the QuiltArt list (see last paragraph). My gifts were:1. baseball cards2. 6.5" fabric squares3. pieces of Trident

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-8971557541700200032007-04-28T07:57:00.000-05:002008-12-13T01:41:06.046-06:00

I've dyed the blazer a 2nd time. Read about Round 1 . I wanted to tone down the blue, make it darker AND less bright, plus even out the color. Again, I used a 5-gallon bucket. I didn't take it out of the bucket this time, which made it easier to slosh around when I added the soda ash. It was also MUCH easier to rinse. I poured off the excess fluid, let the jacket drain for 15 minutes or so, then

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-58133716323440362912007-04-27T07:04:00.000-05:002007-05-07T01:07:04.136-05:00

I thought it would be difficult to write down this many tidbits of information about myself. WRONG! In no particular order:1. I'm short for my weight.2. I learned to read before I started school.3. I love baseball and the Cincinnati Reds.4. I have four kids, all by C-section.5. I like both cats and dogs.6. I started dyeing my hair in high school.7. I can quilt, knit, sew, crochet, x-stitch and

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-53245699296265347892007-04-02T07:08:00.000-05:002008-12-13T01:41:06.235-06:00

It is the end of The Void, the beginning of a new season. The Boys Of Summer are back. The Reds are in first place. Oh, I can dream! My afternoon will be spent watching my Cincinnati Reds take a whupping stick to the Chicago Cubs. Oh, I can dream!Reasons why Opening Day is one of my favorite days of the year:-- My playoff fantasies are still realistic.-- The Reds game is always on tv.-- I get to

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-55720675410928253502007-03-29T16:07:00.000-05:002008-12-13T01:41:06.765-06:00

Last fall, a woman approached me and asked me to dye a blazer for her. She had a white corduroy blazer that she wanted dyed black. After some negotiation, we ended up with a contract which spelled out all the problems I could foresee. These ranged from shrinkage issues and un-dyeable polyester to uneven color coverage. We agreed on navy blue instead of black.I decided to do a vat dye (rather than

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-18507087941223457852007-03-24T23:10:00.000-05:002008-12-13T01:41:06.863-06:00

My cash register table needs a cover. For a couple of years worth of shows, I've made do with a big black tablecloth. I fold the too-wide length under and pin the too-long sides up. And promise myself that I'll make a custom cover that FITS. And stuff happens and I don't get it done and I go to the next show and go through the folding and pinning and promising.I woke up this morning to the sound

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-55034759412623253812007-03-03T14:55:00.000-06:002008-12-13T01:41:07.305-06:00

Outside, we have a foot of snow on the ground, the end result of The Blizzard of '07. I've shoveled the snow. I've shoveled the drifting show. I've shoveled the snow the plow threw up into the driveway. I've shoveled more drifting snow. I'm tired of snow! I spent the afternoon inside, declining the offer to go to a movie (Zodiac) so I could stay AWAY from the snow! I made these three pincushions

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-80895447654643606202007-02-22T11:36:00.000-06:002008-12-13T01:41:07.864-06:00

I've recently been dyeing wool yarn with Procion dyes and vinegar. What I've discovered is that wool absorbs dye differently than cotton. When I'm dyeing cotton fabric, it is easy to get the textures and shades that make hand dyes so appealing. But that darn wool yarn soaks up the dye! Case in point: I poured blue dye in a dish, put my wet wool yarn on top of the dye, then poured on yellow dye.

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-48530915132501001292007-01-20T17:29:00.000-06:002008-12-13T01:41:09.900-06:00

I had fun today! I taught my first dyeing workshop for the Omaha Quilters Guild. Each person got a 3-jar set of the three primary colors. Following my recipes, they dyed 12 fat quarters. Here they are, hard at work! The end result was a tub full of colorful baggies.Happy dyers, each holding their fabrics.After being dutiful students and dyeing with my recipes, they got to play. Most people chose

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-79542737062792635412007-01-18T13:43:00.000-06:002008-12-13T01:41:10.081-06:00

Last fall, I was asked to teach a couple of dyeing workshops for the Omaha Quilters Guild. It sounded like fun, so I dove in. I developed two workshops, which I am teaching this weekend. If you are interested in more info about the classes, go to DellaJane Dyeing WorkshopsI decided to have the beginning dyers class dye a color wheel. After I'd run through it a couple of times, I had several

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-32697589914144865532007-01-07T13:12:00.000-06:002008-12-13T01:41:10.296-06:00

I love blank books! Lined & unlined, mostly the covers attract me to buy them. Many don't get used, some get used once or twice, others are filled up. I found a WONDERFUL blank book in a bookstore in December and decided to use it as a sketchbook. I don't pretend to be an artist when it comes to paper and pencil, but I do sketch a lot of things I see. The sketches are done on a scrap of paper, a

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-1166054133830936452006-12-13T17:55:00.000-06:002007-01-20T19:57:06.738-06:00

Several weeks ago, my father moved into the Alzhimer's unit of an assisted care facility. My Dad has Alzheimer's. He hasn't recognized me for several years. He isn't my father as much as he is a frail old man whose irrational behavior patterns allow my sisters and I to laugh instead of cry. But this not my father. My father is the man who quit high school to help support his brothers and sisters

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-1165260980721861452006-12-04T13:24:00.000-06:002007-07-16T06:55:03.567-05:00

After a question about a technique that was sort_of_in_the_neighborhood_ of TSTKTBTTA was posted on QuiltArt today, I thought a quick tutorial might be of interest. I save scraps of my hand dyed fabric (Hey - it's expensive!) and developed this technique to use those scraps, which range in size from 1/2" wide to 5". I have made a number of quilts that use this technique.Supplies:Scraps of fabric

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-1165171875819409562006-12-03T12:34:00.000-06:002007-03-30T05:41:33.269-05:00

I spent most of last Tuesday cleaning my studio. My normal modus operandi is to clean up at the end of any project. Sometime earlier this year, I quit cleaning and started piling. Maybe it is because I haven't finished a lot of projects, maybe it is a lack of time. Maybe I'm lazy, maybe I'm depressed. Whatever the reason, the studio was a mess that I didn't want to work in. Get in, dump whatever

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-1163864235778153212006-11-18T09:14:00.000-06:002007-03-30T05:42:35.549-05:00

I find that most of my "creative" time is spent doing something related to business. While dyeing is creative, rewarding and completely enjoyable, more time is spent in marketing, accounting, and other non-fulfilling activities. Let me immediately irritate all those who find accounting fascinating by noting that those individuals whom engineers like myself more or less affectionately refer to as

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-1156697583510975272006-08-27T11:43:00.000-05:002007-07-16T06:54:23.938-05:00

Bragging time! My quilt, Prairie Windflowers won a blue ribbon at the Nebraska State Fair and received the Pride of Nebraska award. The quilt is 33" X 41".About my quilt:I do a lot of long-distance driving across Nebraska and the other Plains states. Along with the hawks that sit on both natural and man-made hunting perches, I see windmills. The non-working windmills are harder to spot, with

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-1156105519860631072006-08-20T14:30:00.000-05:002007-01-20T19:58:26.824-06:00

While visiting my parents, my Mom and I decided to Kool Aid dye a skein of handspun yarn (100% wool). Our yarn is heavy with lanolin. I wonder how much that will affect the color? Mom was sure she had a bunch of Kool Aid packets in the house, but we couldn't find them. When facing the decision to buy .20 Kool Aid or .10 WalMart brand, I decided an experiment to compare them was in order. I

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-1155964701696528752006-08-18T23:54:00.000-05:002007-04-28T15:03:15.465-05:00

Last weekend, I was in Cincinnati, Ohio for the Zonta Quilts For Change show. I won't bore you with details about the low attendance. Instead, I'll bore you with details of the evening I spent with other vendors. I had met Roni (Sunny Bunny Designs) on-line on QuiltArt and we planned to meet in person at this show. We met during setup and made plans to go out to dinner the next night. I invited

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-1154088879024357732006-07-28T06:55:00.000-05:002007-07-16T06:56:27.744-05:00

A first this morning. I couldn't figure out how to turn on the shower in my room at the Holiday Inn in Kearny, Nebraska. My C.V.: I've stayed in a lot of hotel rooms, overnighted with family & friends, had quite a few of my own addresses in seven states. Never have I been unable to make a shower work. (Regulating water temperature can be trickier & will not be addressed here.) I've got an

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-1153806249536674002006-07-24T23:42:00.000-05:002007-07-16T06:58:56.257-05:00

There has been a discussion on QuiltArt recently about the cost of hand-dyed fabric. DebbieHomeDyer did some math and came up with $4.50 out-of-pocket cost for 1 yd of hand-dyed fabric. (30 yd bolt of PFD at ~3.95/yd, 3.95 for 2 oz dye - enough to dye 8 yds, pennies for soda ash.)I think she did a sort of mathmatical sleight of hand.First, while the cost of soda ash needed to dye a yard of fabric

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24094760.post-1152654973969170842006-07-11T16:47:00.000-05:002007-01-20T19:59:09.734-06:00

I set out yesterday with Casey and camera, having decided to play with the macro feature on the camera. It was surprising how many things I noticed when I quit looking at The Big Picture and began to study the details. After detouring around the sidewalks splattered with mulberries, I stopped to take a picture of berries still on the tree. (I also ate a couple, but they don't taste as yummy as

alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05564026401248048300noreply@blogger.com2