I’ve been trying to step it up in the photography department. I have a decent camera, it’s the operator that’s been keeping things lame. I should know better, so I took a refresher course. The photo above is not representative of my hard work (this one I took with a point-n-shoot and then Photoshopped into submission). The photos I’ve been working at are boooring work photos (speakers at podiums! various gathering of suits, grinning tensely at the camera!)  and not worth sharing here. I’ve learned lots. Lighting is everything; flash sucks; I need new lenses.

I took a quilting course with Julie Herman of Jaybird Quilts. I learned how to use her excellent Hex N More ruler, and how to make a quilt top from her Northern Lights pattern (above). I’m still working on it; other stuff got in the way, but I’m excited to be working on something way outside of my conventional zone.

As it happens, at the same time, my friend Molly made me honor my Lifetime Repair Guarantee on the quilt I made her back in 2005. It is a well loved quilt (yay) and the binding was shaky, early-Becky-quilt-career quality — and the end was near:

Fortunately, I had some leftover strips of my Northern Lights quilt top, so they got pressed into action for the new Molly quilt binding.

Satisfying. High customer satisfaction achieved.

I also made eight 12.5″x12.5″ quilt squares for a block exchange for my quilt guild. The theme was “winter trees”. I liked what I made, but overall the exchange did not go well. My block was too dark and odd in a sea of Christmas color triangles on white backgrounds. I’m sad that 7 of these squares disappeared into the void, most likely to live unused. I won’t be participating in a block exchange again. But still, I am proud. Each one of those trees were assembled from minute strips of fabric.

I made this for a Halloween art exhibit, based on a Doomsday brochure produced by a religious group. The show got cancelled, but like the quilt squares — even though I’m sorry the big picture didn’t work out, I’m still glad that I’m producing and being creative.

And finally, a little textile humor, spotted at the Simpsons ride at Universal Studios. It says, “Cotton Candy/Flannel Candy/Linen Candy”. Ha ha?