Month: January 2014

Fear

January 28, 2014

I have a draft written that was going to be my new years post. The post was all about a problem I have, paralysis of analysis. According to Wikipedia this is described as……

the state of over-analyzing (or over-thinking) a situation so that a decision

or action is never taken, in effect paralyzing the outcome.

I don’t have this problem at work but just regarding my blog. Will it be good enough, does anyone really read it, what do I have to offer, are my pictures clear, etc etc. In January I was just contemplating taking my blog down. Either do it right or don’t do it all.

You see my problem?

Then this over analysis continues because of who I work for. I wonder if I should put a disclaimer on each post to reflect the classic saying that you see right before those late night infomercials.

The opinions shown here do not reflect the views of station ABCD or some jibberish like that.

Oh wait there is more.

When your job is also your hobby it is hard to separate. What I may be working on right now will not be out in stores until months later so keeping it under wraps is tough. Waiting to blog about something 3 months later just doesn’t seem to have the same

gusto when I sit down in front of the keyboard.

Then yesterday something great happened. I am not going to over- think it.

I was listening to American Patchwork and Quilting’s Radio show. Jennifer Keltner and Jody Sanders were talking about the No-Rules Round Robin article in their February issue.

photo used permission of allpeoplequilt.com

The round robin was a pretty big deal. Big name quilters like Terry Atkinson, Gudrun Erla, Kari Carr and Terri Degenkolb were all apart of this event. They each started with a piece center and passed it to the next person to add to the quilt. These ladies all have pattern companies

and are constantly creating and inspiring all of us.

Then Jennifer said the F word.

Yes, she said Fear.

She talked about how each of these ladies were afraid that their part

of the project may not be good enough.

Wowser, I just thought about FEAR the rest of the day

and how I too had fear about my blog.

So I am going to quit over-thinking my blog posts.

Several years ago I was at a luncheon and the keynote speaker was Ree Drummond of Pioneer Woman. She was asked about how she started her blog. She said she started it so that her mother could stay up to date with what was happening with the kids. Ree also added that it was weeks before anyone left a comment. When she first received this comment, she thought for sure it was her mom. Who else would have been reading her posts and why in the world would anyone other than her mom leave a comment.

I follow Ree’s lead and I am going to write posts to my mom. She loves everything I do. She knows of my quirky sense of humor. However I know not to look for a comment from my mother.

She still calls the computer mouse a rat.

I know that the only way to be good at something is to practice, practice, practice.

I am going practice writing more so I will blog more often!

I am going to practice photography by taking tons of pics of everything!

My family is going to love that part.

I am going to share my own opinions and make the disclaimer here and only here.

My opinions are my own and no others.

Please don’t hold it against the company I work for any of my grammatical mistakes.

I am going to blog about what I am working on, hoping not to make anyone sad that they have to wait a couple of months to have the fabric. Seriously, the movie industry shows trailers 6 months in advance and we still rush to see the show on opening day.

Thank you for bearing with me during my moments of fear-therapy.

Mom, I love you and the kids are doing great.

APQ quiltalong progress

7 Comments

January 27, 2014

I am always so honored to share my passion for quilting with others. So of course I am super pumped when one of my projects gets published in a national magazine. BUT what really has taken the whole experience way over the top is the #APQquiltalong from the Feb 2014 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting. There were several people that had agreed to go on this quilt along ride and were featured in the magazine. I knew each of them would do something really different.
I wanted to share some of the #AQPquiltalong projects. I just love how they are all coming along. Each is so different and is also a great lesson in color and value placement.

Jennifer Keltner’s quilt
is going to be so rich with a Japanese feel. Jennifer is the Senior
Editor of American Patchwork and Quilting and has got to be one of the
busiest women in the industry. I am honored that she has carved out the
time to be a part of this.

And then we have Anne from Bunny Hill.
Anne has a uncanny knack for putting the chic in shabby chic with
everything she touches. She is adding alternate blocks of applique to
her quilt.
See what I mean by how different each of the quilts are coming along.

Kimberly from Fat Quarter Shop made her version using
Wishes from Sweetwater.
Of course her quilt is completely done. You can certainly see why she is so successful by jumping in
and getting her projects complete.
Another classic!

How cool and different is Quilt Jane’s version? The pattern
is the exact same as the other quilts but the value placement has given this quilt a completely different design.
Just imagine all the variations of traditional
quilt blocks we could do if we just looked at everything
in black and white, then started coloring in the shapes.
Jane, you are so inspiring.

Sherri McConnell of A Quilting Life.
I am sure you all read Sherri’s blog. She is a true classic in every step of the word. So Sherri choose fabric from a classic designer, Sandy Klop of American Jane. This quilt was a good reason for Sherri to pull out her American Jane collection of fabrics and dive in.
I would like to point out that this is also a good reason why we like to hoard our favorite designers fabric collection. And yes it is okay to have more than one favorite designer, hoard their collections, and have a fabulous stash. Stash is not a bad word.

Amy Ellis from Amy’s Creative Side
I knew Amy would give us all an interesting take on scale and design.
Amy’s combination of fabrics adds such movement throughout.

Lisa Bongean of Primitive Gatherings

I knew Lisa would give us all the complete opposite look of my quilt.
She put darks where the lights were, lights where the darks were supposed to be.
She gives the quilt her magic primitive touch. A good lesson in just
because the pattern says
“dark fabrics”
doesn’t mean you have to use dark.

Camille Roskelley
Again another example of greatness in everything she touches.
Camille played with her value by use of lights, mediums and darks.
My quilt was truly lights or darks, no mediums.
By adding the mediums, Camille’s version incorporates a softer, vintage feel.

And my apologies to Carrie Nelson. I left her greatness off of my original post.

I can’t really say enough about Carrie. Her version is a timeless classic. Read all about her thought process as she created this quilt.
Thanks again to all these talented ladies for being a part of this quiltalong.

Let me know if you are quiltingalong.
I have made a board on pinterest
http://www.pinterest.com/modalissa/apqquiltalong/
and I would love to add your version to the board.

-modalissa

Log In, Log Out

19 Comments

January 22, 2014

I am super excited! Just received the news

that my super duper big log cabin quilt

made the cover of

Quilts and More, Spring 2014.

Magazine on Newstands, Feb 4, 2014

This quilt was so fun to make. I just started and

did not know for sure where I was going

but loved the final outcome.

I combined jelly rolls from

2 collections from Primitive Gatherings.

I am obsessed with shirtings and how they can be

used in 1890’s quilts as well as how

modern they look in

some of the quilts of today.

Combine the shirtings with Floral Gatherings

by Primitive Gatherings and have fun sewing

round and round.

There is no way to go wrong.

I cant wait to get my hands on the real copy and

see all the other projects inside.

Thanks to Maggi Honeyman for her great quilting.

Maggi, you rock!

enjoy,

-modalissa

Blogger Girls B.O.M year 2

6 Comments

January 1, 2014

Did you make any New Year’s Resolutions?

I don’t know if you can consider mine resolutions but I have

agreed to several projects throughout 2014 which are commitments. Commitments, now that is
a word that is just as powerful as resolutions, right?

You may remember last year when Monique Dillard of Open Gate Quilts

hosted a Blogger Girls Block of the Month.

a finished quilt from last year

Well, today is January 1st so it is time once again to start the year off

with a bang

and another quilt along.

my first block from year 1

This year the blocks are a dreamy 6 inches.

For the next 6 months you will be making 2 of each of the 6 designs.
Your 2 blocks will look completely different due to color and fabric placement.

I have fallen in love with the newest group from Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts.

It is called Snowbird. Yes, there are print and batiks.

These fabrics will not be in the stores until later this year so you are

getting a sneak peek at them here.

At 6″ these blocks are so darn cute.

Join us on the first of each month for more cuteness and 6″ blocks.
Sherri from A Quilting Life – aquiltinglife.blogspot.com
JoAnne from A Patriotic Quilter – http://thepatrioticquilter.blogspot.com/
Lissa from Moda Lissa ~ ModaLissa.blogspot.com
Denise from Quilter’s Window ~ Quilterswindow.com/blog/
Jodi from Pleasant Home ~ www.pleasant-home.com/
Monique from Open Gate Blog ~ http://opengatequilts.blogspot.com
The FREE patterns are available here.

You are hearing it here first but 2014 is the year of the mini cuteness.
I hope each of you have a blessed and safe 2014.

-modalissa