Fourteen ... and Where I've Been...

About a month ago, my quilting/dyeing buddy Amanda emailed me and asked if I was planning to attend our local quilt guild's meeting in January. I pay my dues each year, but seldom attend...it always seems like something else is calling my name and I HATE meetings!! That said, when Amanda casually dropped the bomb that Susan Carlson was going to be speaking, I quickly cleared my calendar! I had been intrigued by and purchased her book Free-Style Quilts in Sisters back in 2005, and had actually used her technique and patterns on several wallhangings.

Susan is delightful: very easy to get to know and full of information to share. I loved the outfit she was wearing, and especially the sweater, which she told me after the program, had been knit for her by her Mom, and was originally a turtleneck which she had asked her Mom to redo as she hated the neckline! Look at the cute little flower embellished with the beads! So, I was immediately hooked, again!!


I could show you all 25-30 pictures that I snapped, but I will try to limit myself to just a few, and then put the detail shots on Flick'r for you....but not tonight. (All of these photos were taken with Susan's permission during the guild meeting, with two volunteers holding the top corners, so sometimes they are not exactly straight or totally in focus.)

"Tickled Pink": isn't it exquisite! Susan gives all of her quilts the catchiest names.


This is Polka Dodo (constructed entirely of polka dotted fabrics!).........isn't he wonderful!



I am showing you a detail of his face, because it is just too much!

C said it reminded him of our dog, Barker!

This is "Million to One", the Costa Rican Golden Toad, which was last seen in 1984 and is thought to be extinct:

another detail, sorry, I couldn't resist!:

and this is a Mandala quilt, something new for Susan:

oh, and whoops, just a few more details:


You can see lots more of Susan's wonderful quilts on her website....and if you have a chance to hear her speak, take a class from her, or see her works, DO IT!

I keep meeting the most incredible people in Blogland! Rayna was one of the first people I met when she took the time to answer a question I had posted on one of the lists that we both belong to, and then when I began blogging, she helped me upload my first pictures. I later had the thrill of taking a one week class from her. What a hoot and also a fabulous teacher. A truly great experience was getting to know Gerrie and then spending almost a week with her last summer in Coupeville! A month or so ago, I was 'introduced' to Eva in Germany, and we have had some very fun and interesting email chats. There are lots of you out there, and I hesitate to mention names, because as sure as I do, I'll fail to name someone and then feelings will be hurt, which would hardly be my intention. So many of you religiously leave comments and often email me privately. I feel blessed and thank you! Well, anyway back to my story: several weeks ago Elizabeth left a very sweet comment on my blog, and so of course I curiously visited her blog and was blown away by her creativity! Last week she posted a picture of this lovely bird that needed a home:

and it just sang to me!! I HAD to have her!!! So, I went to Elizabeth's Etsy shop and picked her up! I needed to have that bird. She arrived today, and I am smitten! Thanks, Elizabeth!

PEACE