Thursday, June 7, 2007

Adventures in Shopping

So this is how my life works: because I'm planning to go with my friend to a bead shop about 30 miles away on Friday I know I have to allow myself Thursday (today) to recover from anything I might choose to do on Wednesday (yesterday). And because I cannot get the Fabric of Life challenge out of my head - even though I'm feeling the pressure of the journal quilt deadline - yesterday (Wednesday) I decided to go to a different town nearby to see what I could find in the way of African prints. Before I even got to the quilt shops I ran into something toxic at the Post Office. It didn't smell like a perfume, but it was strong - too strong for me. I was surprised that I didn't feel worse than I did when I got to the first quilt shop but by the time I was done at the second store I was in a world of hurt. Fortunately this town is right on the coast and I was able to go to a park where Reilly and I could take a walk and have the ocean breeze blowing on us. I didn't think to note how long we were there; it was long enough that I felt better for the drive home (thank Goodness). After a good night's sleep I'm feeling pretty normal today. If I can just avoid doing something stupid or thoughtless today I should be okay for tomorrow!

This is the print I'm trying to work into the Fabric of Life piece. The one I only have a fat quarter of. What I want to do is make a border for the top and bottom of the quilt that incorporates this print. I was a little disappointed yesterday in that I didn't find the African prints I'd hoped to, but I did find a couple of batiks I think might work.
So now I have four fabrics to choose from to use in making the borders: from left to right, a blue and white I found in my stash (it looks like something someone gave me judging from the shapes of the pieces I have), a muddy orange I bought here in town on my first foray for additional fabrics, the mostly brown batik I bought yesterday, and another blue and white batik I bought yesterday. I was trying to duplicate - or imitate - an indigo blue with white dots in the first border I put on the quilt and to find something that would blend with the mask print. The muddy orange looked too bright; I hope the brown won't be too dark. I think the blue batik is actually going to work better than the leaf print. (The photo doesn't do either the brown or the blue batik justice.)

At this point I may be able to set this aside to begin work on my next journal quilt. Or not. I might have to get the rest of this top constructed before I'll be able to change my focus. Once I get started on something I tend to want to stay with it until it's completed to my satisfaction or I get stuck, whichever comes first. (If I don't get started on something soon it will be a moot point as there won't be enough time to get anything done!)

3 comments:

  1. Hi Sue, thank goodness the ocean was there and with a nice breeze. Sure sounds scary. I have breathing issues, with chronic asthma, but nothing as serious as you are dealing with. Take care of you please!
    It is really GREAT Life fabric you've got to work with. Sure would be nice to have more than the quarter yard, right..*G*
    I do love the black and white with words in the post below, as well as the purple one below it..good stuff! Hugs, Finn

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  2. sorry to hear about the nasty chemicals - bleah. ocean breeze sounds marvelous tho.

    I know you want more on that Fabric for Life quilt but I've just been looking at it some more. I love the simplicity of it... I hope this isn't obnoxious and intrusive, but would you try something out for me? See what it looks like with a big wide black border. Just black. If that doesn't look good, try a wide border of deep rich brown.

    And keep that fun slant at the bottom.

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  3. Those fabrics are simply lucious! Love that deep chocolate brown batik and the blue on the far right. Those colors just seem to invite you in to stare!

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