What I've Been Doing Lately - it certainly hasn't been blogging!

In terms of my current workload, there simply aren't enough hours in a day. I have a full plate - designing and working on a queen/king size wedding quilt; doing an appliqued art quilt which is one in a long series of art quilts for a very good return customer; working on a wholecloth queen sized quilt for another return customer; and restoring a beautiful circa 1928 silk crazy quilt. In addition I write and research a blog entry a week for a client and manage SEO for him; as well as researching and continually checking the secondary market in vintage quilt kits, both applique and cross stitch for my business at  http://www.novascotiaquilts.com/ 

No real excuses for losing my blogging mojo though, except for the fact that winter should be over and isn't! I admit to a certain amount of cabin fever and impatience and some of my local friends in my sidebar are saying the same thing.

On to a happier subject: Here is the centre block in a medallion of 9 blocks celebrating aspects of a recently married couple's life together. This particular block celebrates their wedding day, and when finished will be embroidered with their names and their wedding date. So it doesn't quite look finished, but I'm currently ready to move on and come back later to put the finishing touches on. The background is one of the Hoffman 1895 range of batiks as will be many other of the fabrics in the quilt. The 1895 range of colours is very pleasing, and the fabric is silky, soft and very closely woven so it is very stable and takes both embroidery and applique well. The appliques have been done using vintage floral prints and some more recent repro fabrics from the 1800's, and have been enhanced by embroidered details.  I hope you like it!

Maybe in the next few days I will have something to show you on the crazy quilt restoration, especially if we get a little natural daylight around her! The flash does unpredictable things to silk due to the silks' irridescence and lustre - the photographed colours are not true and tend to be far more harsh than they are in the flesh - oh well!
I must get going before the day is fully out of control - I need to bring some more wood into the house and make some supper casserole preparations as well as do a little more stitching.
Stay warm and look out on the ice - driveways are treacherous around here!
Hugs
Janet