I'm Knitting Pin Cushions

I love to have some simple knitting to do while I watch TV.

My mother had a pincushion I loved and remembered. I could not find a pattern for it so I just experimented. This is my attempt to replicate it. I used a variegated yarn and this reminds me of a rose.

When I finished the first one there was this beautiful orange color left along with other fall colors.
I decided I'd make a pumpkin pincushion.
Both of these were done without patterns.

Quilted In One Day

I had pieced this quilt top a few months ago.
It took me a while to get to the quilting.
I love doing spiral quilting and was able to do all the quilting in one day.
It is about 36 x 45 inches.

A Favorite Vignette

I have a lot of favorites but today this is one of them.

I love to combine art that compliments other pieces. 

The two fused glass pieces were purchased over 10 years ago at an art fair. I have used them in many different places in our home.

The red vase was purchased from a medical fund raiser for an artist. I fell in love with it. 

I made Glory Aura after I had these pieces. I loved it and was lamenting I had no place to hang it in our house. When I measured this space it was perfect and worked so well with the other art.

The impact of using all these together was greater than using one or two alone.

A Unique Ice Dye

This is an ice dye that has not been made into a finished piece of art yet.
I love it but I often run out of time to do everything I'd like to. It is quite different than any other pieces I've ice dyed....and that is my goal to make works that are original and stand on their own as art.
I don’t think I’ll every tire of Ice Dyeing.
Each piece is a new surprise. I play and try different fabric manipulations and colors on each and every one.
I can’t even remember how I did many of them when they are finished. And that is good.
When I made a quick visit to my show this winter before heading south there was a lady there who kept telling me how I should make a record of exactly how I did each one so I could duplicate it. It took me a long time to make her understand that I was creating ART and had no desire to make the same thing over and over. In fact, even if I tried there still would be many variables and each one would be different.
That is the difference between an ART Ice Dyer and a production Ice Dyer. dyess is one of the I don’t think I’ll every tire of Ice Dyeing.
Each piece is a new surprise. I play and try different fabric manipulations and colors on each and every one.
I can’t even remember how I did many of them when they are finished. And that is good.
When I made a quick visit to my show this winter before heading south there was a lady there who kept telling me how I should make a record of exactly how I did each one so I could duplicate it. It took me a long time to make her understand that I was creating ART and had no desire to make the same thing over and over. In fact, even if I tried there still would be many variables and each one would be different.
That is the difference between an ART Ice Dyer and a production Ice Dyer.

25,000 Days Old On Leap Day

This had to be one of the best parties I’ve ever hosted!
I took NO pictures….I just wanted to enjoy the party.\ and the memories are still fresh in my mind after all these years.
The photo you see share a few souvenirs from the party.
How lucky am I to have my 25,000 day old birthday fall on Leap Day and on top of that it was a Friday, the day everyone is in a party mood!
My intent was to make all the food…heavy appetizers and desserts. As I mentioned the party to my friends many of them volunteered to bring something and I did little food preparation.
The food was awesome and plentiful. By the end of the evening almost all the food was gone.

M & M’s
My guest list included neighbors, quilting friends, my Village People friends, my card club, my Wisconsin friends now living in the area, and just plain friends.
I made the rules and they were observed since no one had ever been to a 25,000 day old party before.
This was the invitation:
Kay Sorensen’s 25,000 Day Old Party
Yes, that’s 25 THOUSAND
February 29, 2008 XXXXXX That’s my house!
5 pm. Til ????????????
Heavy appetizers,  dessert and beverages
What to wear? Florida Friday night “going out” clothes!!
In case you have never been to a 25,000 day old party I’m including the Etiquette Rules for a 25,000 day old party
Etiquette Rules for a 25,000 Day Old Party
1. You may NOT bring a present
2. No cards unless you can find a card for a 25,000 day birthday celebration
3. It is NOT proper to bring a present
4. If you have adult houseguests they are most welcome
5. PLEASE do not bring a present
6. It’s all about FUN and enjoying the party!
7. Do not bring a present does NOT mean bring a present.
In case you are one of the people I told I won’t really be 25,000 days old until March 1^st, I WAS WRONG. I recalculated and the proper date is February 29^th. I forgot February had 29 days this year. Oh, well, what can you expect from someone who is almost 25,000 days old!
RSVP to: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Driving and parking Please come in your golf cart if possible. (If you live in The Villages or Ocala do NOT come in your golf cart!)  If you’re driving and can double up it will help the parking situation. And if you live in the neighborhood you can walk!
As guests arrived they were greeted with a hug and a flamingo necklace which set the theme for the party….FLAMINGOES!
I made up a questionnaire and the reward for getting the answers was a flashing flamingo pin! Almost no one completed the questionnaire but it was the best thing I’ve ever done to get people mixing. With friends from such a variety of groups so often people tend to stay in their own little group….not at this party….everyone mixed and met new friends. I did come up with ways to give out almost 50 flashing flamingo pins!
And how many friends attended….64! It had been a cold season and I was thrilled when we had the warmest day and the best weather of any day that month. We were able to have the doors to lanai wide open and people moved back and forth between the great room and the lanai.
If  you are approaching 25,000 days old or any other interesting number I hope you too will have a special unexpected party.
Remember, you are only 25,000 days old ONCE!

Today One Of My First Friends Is Here

If I told you how long Sally and I have known each other you won't believe me because she doesn't even look as old as that many years.
It was so good to get together for lunch and a visit as it has been far too long.

My Approach To My Work- Rerun

Thinking about who I am and what I do as an artist I have some basic “tools” I use as I create no matter what medium I am using.

My current show “Ice Tapestries And Shibori Quilts” pushed me to think about how I work. Questions and comments by visitors to the show also help me clarify my creativity approach.

Color is one of my most important tools. Color can mean so many things and  the way colors work together and play off of each other is evident in my work.

I prefer to pair design down to their simplest form for the greatest visual impact.

Along the way I try to find the most efficient way to construct my work. I also strive to find the easiest way to bring my vision to completion. Often as I am working on something a lightning bolt hits giving me a better way for my next step.

Although I have chosen imperfection as my word for several years, it is something I have a hard time doing. I do use it as my excuse when things don’t work perfectly.
I work in series, although sometimes it is not as evident in my finished work that the varied pieces were part of the same series.

Play is another part of my creativity. I do not attempt to recreate something I’ve already done.

My work comes from deep inside me and cannot be forced. Creating is as necessary to me as breathing.

I march to my own drummer and do not follow the latest pop craze in the art arena.

Beth's Recent Visit

As my friends visit I am taking new photos of them with the new quilt in the background.

I couldn't believe I had not taken her picture in front of the quilt since she has visited several times since it was hung. When the two of us get together we have so much to talk about and show each other we run out of time and I forget. This time I got it.

Mini Felted Knit Bowls

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I enjoyed knitting these little bowls. It started as I needed something to knit while I watched the football game to handle the stress of the game.
It continued until I had knit all 6 bowls while watching TV. 
I had no idea if the yarn I was using would work, but it certainly did.
Aren't they cute?

This is what they look like before I felt them. I have arranged them in the same color order and show both sets on a grid so you can see the size before and after.
If you go back to the after photo you will see there is no correlation between the size before and after, even though the use eyxactly the same yarn from the same skein of yarn.
It is said the looser you knit the better they felt. If you look at the lower left bowl that is quite evident.
The other factor that could have affected the size is some of them got caught in a towel that was in the load to aid the felting and made it hard for them to complete the process. At least 2 of them will be added to the wash load next time I felt to complete the process.
I have more yarn and have started knitting some slight variations.

I Just Realized I Have Made Over 2500 Blog Posts

 My post on 12/11/2019 was my 2500th post.

How fitting it features my friend Carol Gordhamer.
We grew up 1.8 miles from each other in Wisconsin.
We never met until we lived about 25 miles from each other in Florida.
My life is full of small world stories and I have enough of them to write a book.
I keep finding or remembering new ones all the time.

2020 is here!

I stayed up to watch the ball drop in Times Square just to be sure we could bid farewell to 2019.

It is now time to look forward.
What will 2020 bring?
I will enjoy my family and long time and new friends..
I plan to finish more quilts to get that works in progress list down even more.
Purging will not be  important since I have made such great progress in the last 10 years but I will continue.
As usual I’ll tweak the decorating in my house without buying new items.
I will not make New Years resolutions as I never have and don’t intend to start now.
I will continue to be grateful for my life and my experiences.

Color and design will be as important as ever to me and I close with a picture of the confetti in Times Square as we ushered in 2020.

Two Very Special Sisters

Pat and Denny are two very special ladies.
They are two of my newest friends and I am so thankful to know them.
Pat is a quilter and Denny makes beautiful jewelry.

Christmas Decorating 2019 First Group

It's amazing I was able to do as much decorating as I did as I gave my middle child a whole truckload of some great things I had stored in the garage.

I thought there were 2 bins left, but I gave it ALL to him.

I added some things around the base of the tree and it looks different with the new quilt.

I did save a bin of greens and berries so I was able to add to this vignette to make it Christmasy.

I'm sharing the top 2 tiers of my corner bakers rack that holds some souvenir ornaments and other items that have meaning for me.

I do love adding Christmas cheer and this year it's all in the great room.

Lunch With My Hometown Friend Carol

I finally am close enough to settling in that Carol and I were able to have lunch at Toppers.
We always have so much to share.
Carol is SO talented and if it involves fiber or art SHE can do it.

Great To See My Friend Eileen

It was great to see my friend Eileen Mirr today. It's the first chance we have had to see each other since I returned to Florida. We are long time friends from Wisconsin and our lives have overlapped in so many ways and still are.
She also recognized the quilt as it hung in my husbands office and they both worked at the same school.
I took 4 pictures of her and they all were great. It was hard to decide which one to use. I chose this one because it really shows off her gorgeous hair, her vibrant outgoing personality and her shirt looks great with the quilt.
We each settled in Florida almost accidentally. And add to that we only live about 10 miles from each other. 

Size Matters When You View A Quilt

When I look at this quilt I made years ago in a reduced size and the landscape orientation I see a secondary pattern I didn't see when looking at the actual quilt.

When I look at the actual quilt this is what I see.  I call this a blankie size quilt which is perfect for taking a nap. This has been used a lot over the years and the batting is now thin and flat. It is hand quilted.

Why Am I Giving Kevin And Jessica This Quilt?

It's a baby shower gift! 

It is a quilt made for the baby to use and cuddle, not to hang on the wall. They are waiting for the baby to be born to know if it is a girl or boy so this should be loved by either one.

It is hand quilted and I hope it will be used and eventually worn to shreds out of love for it.

Long Time Friends We Followed To Florida

Lynn and John stopped over today to help me with something.
This quilt hung in my husbands office and Lynn was his amazing assistant. It was actually completed in 1995 for the schools open house and his new office.
I am glad to have a wall large enough to display it again.

Boys Wil Be Boys

So many little boys act up when it is time to have their picture taken. Most of them grow out of it.
I am still waiting for my middle child to grow out of it.

One of his goals in life is to either not have his picture taken or have a bad one. He was being difficult this day.

I only had to take 25 pictures to get this one which shows how handsome he is and the quilting on the quilt.

Another Vistor

Two trim men...who is the oldest or are they the same age?

Denise returns with Jamie. 
Lots of fun seeing people I've missed all summer.