Archive for July 2014

Quilting as Therapy

I love to quilt and I love to write about my quilts, oh and other things also. Quilting and sewing plus writing are all very therapeutic for me. I would say however that Quilting is my main therapy so when I saw a call for entries under the title Quilting as Therapy for Quilters Newsletter... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
July 17, 2014 at 7:27 am • 

Ups and Downs of the first month of owning an electric car

My electric car is over a month old. Happy belated one month birthday Ellie Blue! I love my car but the first 5 weeks have not been perfect.  I want to tell you the Ups and Downs of the first month of owning an electric car. One huge up is being able to monitor my Ellie... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
July 16, 2014 at 7:30 am • 

12 Things you should Know about your Sewing Friends

If we're really tired it's probably because we stayed up late finishing a project. Or just working on it. Be kind to sleepy quilters.
How many friends do you have who quilt or sew?  They’re pretty cool, yes? But sometimes you might feel that maybe you just don’t get them. This blog post is for you. Quilters and others who sew can be tons of fun to hang out with.  They are sew darn nice and friendly.  However, they... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
July 15, 2014 at 7:38 am • 
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DIY Water Bottle Carrier Tutorial

I spent my Junior year of college at the University of Barcelona and was amazed at how the Spanish, a poor people then, paid for bottled water. I drank tap water and would laugh while shaking my head at a habit I knew Americans would never emulate. Obviously, I am not great at predicting the... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
July 14, 2014 at 7:54 am • 

Magritte and the Magic of the Surrealists at Art Institute of Chicago inspires creativity

The creative process is enigmatic and unpredictable. However, I have found that being in the presence of someone or something creative begets more creativity in me. My quilting inspiration was waning so a trip to see Magritte and the Magic of the Surrealists at Art Institute of Chicago was a much needed boost. I have always... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
July 11, 2014 at 8:08 am • 

Christmas in July? No Thank You!

In the past week I have gotten dozens of emails promoting this or that Christmas in July event. And quilt  themed reminders are the most plentiful. I may be the only person who feels this way but Christmas in July? No thank you! Let me explain why. 1. Confusion – I forget things, I admit... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
July 10, 2014 at 7:10 am • 
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Soccer is like quilting

July is the month for bike racing and also, the World Cup is finishing up. In June I posted a couple of soccer themed ecards I had made and got this comment from a loyal reader Sandra proposing the idea that Soccer is like quilting. Aren’t they similar though; they run back and forth (you... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
July 9, 2014 at 7:08 am • 

Michael Miller Challenge Quilt finished

The Michael Miller Challenge Quilt contest was announced by the Modern Quilt Guild in the spring. If you were a member and signed up, you could participate. I had never done anything like this before but I took the plunge. I had vowed to do more challenges this year, bring it on! When the fabrics... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
July 8, 2014 at 7:13 am • 

Apron for a Toddler

My favorite thing to sew is a quilt, hands down. After that I love to sew things for my children and grandchild. When it became apparent to me that she was interested in cooking I knew I had to make an Apron for a Toddler. You should try it, it’s way more fun than a... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
July 7, 2014 at 7:29 am • 
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How to Survive a Power Outage

Recently the Chicago area had plenty of warning that there were storms a coming. People posted about it on Facebook and weather broadcasters tweeted about it before Tornado watch for Chi likely soon. This model fcst of the bow-shaped squall line hs it arriv’g in city 6-8pm. pic.twitter.com/r8VdOEuauF — Skilling (@Skilling) June 30, 2014  ... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
July 3, 2014 at 7:23 am •