The Patchwork Pearl

Well, this has been an extended LOA, for which I apologize. The blogs will be back in a revamped style beginning in June. Don’t eat too many hamburgers!

Well, we’re back from another long weekend at the guild’s annual spring retreat, and I’ve almost caught up on sleep - and detoxed from the chocolate bar. I went up on Thursday afternoon, so I got another whole day out of it.

This is my answer to the guild’s latest challenge - the Crayon Challenge. One of my firends has another name for it, but we’ll go into that later.  This quilt - small as it is - is for me an illustration as to why I love the retreats so much.  Although it’s small is scale, it’s represents a major milestone for me in free motion - and it’s something that I never would have attempted without the support of the other quilters.

Before Friday, I’d never even considered doing bobbin work. However, given the strict construction of the challenge rules, the only thread that I had with me that fit the color was Ricky Tims Razzle Dazzle.  I’m still  not sure why I had that in my thread case, but we don’t know where Jimmy Hoffa wound up either.

I wasn’t even deterred when one of my quilting buddies - a far more proficient quilter than I - asked doubtfully “are you sure you want to do this?”… My logic is that if I was ever going to try this, this was the time and the place. Left alone at home, this would have been roadkill an hour into this.

Four plus hours later - which is partially me, partially the thread - we had the quilt you see above.  It dawned on me shortly into this that with this thread, you were definitely going to notice the quilting - so I had to beware of my amoeba-itis tendency.

My firends now know most of my vocabulary of off -color words, and I know that if you stick with something, and you’re encouraged, you can do almost anything.

Does anybody want a used spool of Razzle Dazzle?

Have you written down your business goals for the year?

I find that just comitting an item to paper raises a consciousness in me to put the effort into getting it done. Many times, it’s an easy item to check off the list; but writing your business goals is a motivational exercise.

If you haven’t writen your 2009 goals yet, you’re not too late.  In fact, there’s a school of thought that would say that this would be a perfect time - and set the timetable to be 6 calendar months from now, or even 12. There is no such thing that says you have to operate strictly on a calendar basis. (And I apologise to all the accountants out there!).

While you don’t need to plan by the calendar, I believe a complete calendar is an essential tool to making your plan work for you. You need to incorporate all aspects of your life into this, because you are making a decision as to how to commit your biggest resource for the year.  Trust me, looking at the whole year - and the whole you - in one exercise will allow you (and others)  to manage your stress levels.

This from someone who had to learn the hard way last year; I ran out of vacation time long before I ran out of year. It wasn’t the best way to spend the holidays, and one of my first acts of 2009 was to get out my calendar, and plan better. I’ll let you know how it turns out.

How are your goals coming for this year?

The past couple of weeks have been a flurry of activity around here, and not just in the sewing room. We’ve been in a strip off ancient wallpaper and paint frame of mind this month, and it’s been an interesting experience. We’re both still speaking, and we’re pretty pleased with the results; we also recognise that maybe we need another wintertime habit other than watching HGTV!

Color is very subjective - and not just when you’re picking out fabric for a quilt. I had always wanted a nice light green in our family room (this has been on our to-do list for a while); I made the mistake of describing the color to Mike as a “Sage” green.  His face was priceless, and his inner color phobe came out - he was going to just default to white. Since it wasn’t worth an argument, and he was doing the labor, I said fine. In the store, I picked up a brochure which illustrated what I wanted - his face lit up, and he loved the color…it was the name that I used he hated. And when he reads this, it’s not a light green - it’s a deep rich saturated green.

Who would have ever thought that a quilter would have such strong opinions to color?  

No, actually this is Dunkin. She’s half of the two felines who still live at home, and she’s the one that hangs with me here at night in the sewing room. Usually, she watches me go back and forth between the computer and the sewing machine. Ah-ha, I bet you were wondering where tonight’s topic came from - inspiration can come in all different shapes and sizes.

The balance portion comes in when I have to decide - do I sew or do I compute? With retreats to prepare, blogs to write, marketing plans to implement, there are times I’m paralyzed with so much to do. Remember, I started this because I love the craft.

Here’s a compromise - and a peek at what’s on the sewing room wall right now.  

This is one of my absolute favorites - I’ve been working on it for the past two years at the guild’s retreat. It’s also a really big quilt, with the pattern as written. Big as in - what am I going to do with it when it’s done? Well, after New Years - and the associated Clean Up of the Sewing Room - I pulled this one out and really looked at it. I love the colors. I also looked at upcoming show calendars, and decided I really want to work on this. I reworked the pattern a bit, and if I add one more star to it, it’ll make an oversized lap quilt for my family room.

So here’s the balance. One seam a day is all I’m commited to making for now. The cornerstones are 6″ square, and there are many short seams in this one - so far, I haven’t run out.  Two weeks ago, this was just fabric scrunched into a plastic tote - now, it’s beginning to look like something.

The ‘other pieces’ are going back to the retreat this year again; I have enough noodles and stars I think I’m going to try a French Braid.

How do you keep the balance in your life?

I’m going to take a page from Karen’s blog over on Cottonspice; here’s my copy of the List. It’s a great way to get to know a little bit more about me.  If it’s bolded,  I’ve been there, done that. 

1. Started your own blog – you’re reading it now!
2. Slept under the stars -
3. Played in a band.
4. Visited Hawaii.
5. Watched a meteor shower.
6. Given more than you can afford budgeted to charity.
7. Been to Disneyland or Disney World World-
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis.
10. Sang a solo.  Sure I have – you’re just not in the shower when I do it.
11. Had stitches -
12. Visited Paris - 13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch – no, I hated art – No lines!15. Adopted a child.
16. Had food poisoning.
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty back when they still let you.
18. Grown your own vegetables 
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.
20. Slept in an overnight train.
21. Had a pillow fight.  Call my sister if you don’t believe me.
22. Hitchhiked.
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill.
24. Built a snow fort.
25. Held a lamb.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Run a marathon.
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice.
29. Seen a total eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset - many of them.
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.  Not yet – but this is definitely one I want to do.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors.
35. Seen an Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language.
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person.
39. Gone rock climbing.
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David.
41. Sung karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful, in Yellowstone Park, erupt.
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant.
44. Visited Africa.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight -
46. Been transported by ambulance – 24 hours old!
47. Had your portrait painted.
48. Gone deep sea fishing.
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling.
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud.
54. Gotten a speeding ticket – Chris and Andy, do not read this!
55. Been in a movie.
56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class.
59. Visited Russia. No, but can I substitute Australia?
60. Served at a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies.
62. Gone whale watching.
63. Got flowers for no reason/special occasion  
64. Stayed the night in jail.
65. Cried so hard you threw up
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp.
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy. No, and this is a regret. I don’t have many.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71. Eaten caviar.
72. Pieced a quilt -  
73. Stood in Times Square.
74. Toured the Everglades.
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London.
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person.
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican.
82. Bought a brand new car.
83. Walked in Jerusalem.
84. Had your picture in the newspaper 
85. Read the entire Bible 
86. Visited the White House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
88. Had Chicken Pox 
89. Saved someone’s life.
90. Sat on a jury.  Not yet, is this this tempting the fates?
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club.
93. Lost a loved one.
94. Had a baby -
95. Seen the Alamo in person.
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake.
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day – The DaVinci code

I’ll keep you posted as things change! til next time..

Linda  

Here are illustrations of  superior customer service, and how well it can leave a lasting impression. Given that  I didn’t get a post out on Monday, today’s post will use stories from my home studio this week.

The first example comes from when I was ‘organizing’ my home studio after the holidays. I had a pile of magazines that I was sorting through - keep, recycle, donate - I’m sure we all know the drill. I came across a note on a renewal form for Professional Quilter from last July. It was one of the two magazines I had determined to renew my subscription to - the notes and the flags telling me that this was one I refer to. (I had had a nagging feeling that I was missing something!)  I emailed the publisher and asked her if she could have someone look into the discrepency for me. Within 2 days, I had a personal email from her, a brief explanation as to what happened (computers!), and both my back issues.  Short, sweet and to the point - it gave me a good feeling about that group.

The second example comes from Susan Brubaker Knapp’s design company, Blue Moon River.  I am launching my spring Quilt Retreat, and I was looking for a project for my quilters. She has a bag pattern- the Tulip Bag -that I think many of my quilters will like. A quick email to Susan to check on permission - something that I always like to do! - and I had another personal email from her, and her pattern was on my cutting table within a few days.

Being nice and easy to work with isn’t just nice- it’s great business sense.  Neither of these companies is brick and mortar, and I’ve not met either of these ladies personally yet. But they’ve both made a favorable impression

What was your best Customer Service story - leave a comment and share!

New year, new politics, new administration - all of these would seem to be good indicators of things to come, but there’s no ‘quick’ fix coming to a quilt shop new you this week. While it may seems as if real change is a long way off, there are definitely positive signs around for micro businesses such as ours.

Recent studies have indicated that 93.5% of all new businesses created are small businesses, and public policy is taking note of that fact. That means that the economic climate for your small business is about to change for the better.

If you are looking for some concrete examples:

-The new head of the SBA is Karen Gordon Mills, who has a background as a venture capitalist, not a beauracrat.

- Proposals in Congress for the economic stimulus package (The Sequel) include elimination of the self employment tax on healthcare costs, as well as an expansion of the tax loss carryback from 2 years to 5.  

It’s not coming tomorrow, but it is coming. How are you going to prepare for it?

January has arrived, bringing with it all the promise of the new year. What a wild ride 2008 was - just like the line of skaters at the rink, with the people at the tail end working harder and harder just to catch up.

January is a blank slate - or (if you’re a fabriholic like me) a beautiful new bolt in your local quilt shop. What do I make of it -something tried and true, something bold and new, a variation on a familiar theme? Whatever 2009 holds for us, I hope that we’ll all come back here together to check in on our projects.

I know on one of my groups, we’re already pledging to make this the year of the UFO/pending projects.  While it can feel good to use up items we already have, that’s not great news for our sister shopowners or designers - we all need to figure out how to work together.

I can tell you that 2008 professionally brought me many places that I hadn’t expected to go - many of them ‘happy accidents’; this year, like you I am planning the projects with much more care.

One of my challenges is time management, and my Monday calendars already have my blog time filled in.

So what are you going to be doing this year  - old or new?

I know that like most Carly Simon fans out there, you’ll recognise the song. For quilters here in New England, we’re counting down the days until this weekend, because this weekend is the 20th anniversary celebration of A Quilter’s Gathering here in Nashua. 

 The Gathering has held a special place in my heart for the years that I’ve attended; it’s really the first major quilt show that I ever saw, long before I ever thought of actually entering a piece into the show.  For a long time, I went for the quilts themselves, and The Vendors.  Then, when I embraced my inner quilter, I began to take classes. This year, Beaded Blooms has been accepted into the show, and I’m very proud of that.  Stunned, but proud nonetheless. 

The Gathering’s theme this year is a retrospective of the work of Jeanne Glenfield, one of the co-founders of the show. Jeanne and Marie Geary brought The Gathering to us, and we’ve been richer for it all these years. We lost Jeanne about a year and a half ago to cancer, and Marie has ‘retired’, so Jeanne’s three daughters - Amy, Kate and Sarah are now running it as the next generation.

If you’re a quilter - and anywhere in a 10 state radius of the Radisson in Nashua next weekend, come on by. You won’t be sorry!