Why are things so complicated?

I just don’t quite get the world. Everything seems to be a lot harder than it needs to be. Shipping quilts for example. Most UK carriers simply refuse large rolled goods, where large is defined as more that 1.5m. There is no hope of shipping a bed quilt rolled. When I’ve managed to find companies that would happily ship a long roll, they will only ship it internationally. Of course I could ship everything to another country then back, but it seems a bit daft.

Trying to give people invitations has proved harder than I expected too. Maybe we are too used to paying for everything but being given things seems to confuse and often distress people. I really don’t want to upset anyone, but I do want to share may art with other people. I’ve found it particularly perplexing talking to picture framers. I haven’t yet found one I was comfortable enough to ask about the cost of wrapping prints and framing quilts for me. I know I need to find someone, but I would like them to be approachable. I guess I just don’t look like the sort of person who would want the services of a picture framer.

I’ve also been trying to find place to print some of my images. On this front I’ve been somewhat more successful, until I get to terms and conditions. Then I find that no one will print nudes. I can understand trying to be selective but there is a world of difference between pornography and art, and surely there must be some way to distinguish in the terms of service?

I need to do some stitching, but I am not really feeling up to it. I think one of the bugs that has been striking everyone around me has finally managed to catch me. I am very poor at being ill. I get bored but I don’t feel well enough to do anything interesting. So to reduce my boredom, I’ve been looking through some old pictures and I found these ones of my first quilt.

It’s not what you would call a work of art, but I am still rather proud of it. The attempts before this were rather disastrous. It is made with the cheapest poly cottons I could get from the market (I wasn’t wasting more expensive fabric on risky experiments) and polyester wadding. I made it with every speed method I could come up with, aided by the Internet. I wish I could remember how I planned the back. I think it was the same as the next one I did. For that I definitely made a very long strip the right width cycling through all the fabrics in order. Then I just used it off the roll as required. Looking at this back it could well be the same idea. I don’t know if you can see but the binding was satin bias tape. I had read that the binding was meant to be bias, and I had no intention of making my own, so this seemed about the right thing. I think I was also influenced by the satin bindings on blankets. It does actually last better than I would now expect, I used it on a lot of my quilts that have been in daily use. This quilt now lives in Bournemouth, so it doesn’t come out for my talks.

Postcard pictures

OK, a bit later than I had hoped and not the greatest pictures. They are quite shiny and thus indoors quite hard to photograph. Still I guess it gives you an idea of what is in each set and I can promise you the photographs on the postcards are very good. Most of them were done by the professional photographer, and it really does show. See yesterdays post for details of how to order a set.

Postcards Now Available

Well my house is full of boxes but I can now offer sets of postcards with images of my quilts. I’ve discovered that dull jobs are slightly better when it’s your own work, but only slightly. Still I have 100 sets of nudes nicely bagged up and I will try and get some general ones done later. I can’t work on bagging them for too long, it drives me nuts. If you would like to buy a set (pictures will be up later) they are 2.50 GBP per set (approx $5) and for a limited time I am offering free shipping. If you would like a set drop me an email and we can arrange getting them to you. I accept UK cheques and paypal.

I’ve been working on my book, which I am also teaching. I figured this was a really good way to keep me on schedule, as I have a whole class who need the next part. So far it seems to be working. I never though about how much longer things take if you have to photograph every step, and it sure makes it hard to guess how long something really takes. Still it keeps things exciting.

On the boxes front, the house should be even more full in a day or two when all the show invites and posters arrive, at which point I will be getting them out ASAP. If you are part of quilt groups who would like a poster for my show get in touch and I will send you one out.

Textile sketch

I am still very excited by Prague and I have been giving some thought to textiles that will behave like traditional art. This little sketch is mounted on stretchers so you can just pick it up and hang it on a hook. It's odd but very convenient. I've got to say, having tried it, I would much rather have stiff quilts than floppy ones. I like being able to just walk up to a hook and hang a piece.I'm also quite happy with how this little sketch has worked out. It is 12" x 9" but does have some essence of Prague in it. The fabrics are some I hand dyed for making the Chrysler building, I really like the feel of them for these misty buildings so I guess I will have to dye some more of these fabrics.As well as having very dodgy internet access we have a burst water main outside the house. After a few phonecalls and some hopeless workmen we now have a decent team working on the problem, which is great. The hours of pnuematic drilling however are starting to get to me. Still I will be happier to know it has been fixed, and if I am lucky I will go out about the time they need to turn the water off.

Spring Flowers

OK so it is quite clear I don’t get flowers as well as I get leaves, but hopefully this will apeal to those who do want to do flowers. It is intended as the spring version of my autumn leaves quilt which has proved a very popular class. The only spring flower I like is cherry blossom, and I did think about just sticking with that, but I think for most people the yellow is am essential part of spring. I am looking forward to seeing what my students come up with in the way of flowers.

I guess it probably bears mentioning that I am still mostly without internet access. I am now stealing my friends machines whenever I can and posting from my phone. Apparently something at the exchange is broken, great. No idea when it might get fixed.

The Mousetrap

As the longest running stage production it is something I have wanted to see for- a while, finally I have a chance to. A friend chose it as one of the things she fancied for her birthday so I am off to meet a group of chums for a very pleasant evening at the theater. I am still without internet access. Earlier today even my mobile phone gave up. Aparently my mobile provider had lost their connection too. I guess it must be a quite widespread problem, so who knows when this will actually show up. I forget how much I use the net until I don't have it. I would check the news to see what is wrong with the internet, but with almost no TV or radio reception I can't until the net comes back. I can't look up the map of where I am meeting my friends, and more importantly I can communicate with my customers, several of which haven't given me phone numbers. I guess I need to get a lot more insistant about having several contact methods for each person I deal with don't I.So I hope the rest of the world is still there an you are all having a good new year. Say hi if you are at the Maltings tomorrow. Assuming all goes well I should be there.

Unbelieveable

I am assuming there is still a world wide web out there, but it isn't quite reaching me. I had a better connection in a cellar in Prague. So I have finally admitted defeat and I am blogging from my phone again.It's been a busy few days, starting with a talk to Amwell quilters on Tuesday. It was hard trying to get refocused after the holiday, but they are a friendly bunch and I met a lot of new people. Wednesday was a 90th birthday party down in Bournemouth. I love afternoon tea, and again I got to meet new people and talk about quilting. Having something you can talk passionately about certainly makes meeting new people easier. I would like to get a chance to do a talk somewhere around there, but I don't know how likely that will be.

Last day in Prague

So my wonderfull holiday in prague is coming to an end. Today is bright and sunny so hopefully I will get some good pictures at the cathederal. It’s nice to have had such a range of weather, each changing the look of the town.

The piclures are taken from Charles bridge looking up at the cathederal, and of our ‘hall table’. Cool huh. They must have known.