Last Blog 2019

WOW! What a year! And what a difference a few months can make in the attitude, outlook, and growth of the Guild! Our membership has swelled, we hosted a successful first quilt show, some had a great trip to Quiltcon, we're enjoying the friendship and support of the Quilters Guild of East Texas, we had amazing programs from quilt judge Marilyn Hardy and quilter Nancy Gibson, greatest sew days ever, and strong, loving friendships that will last a lifetime. AMAZING! We are scheduled to have officer elections this week which will continue the growth and improvement of the Guild. I encourage our members to come be a part of the process.

Growth never comes without a few pains. Change is hard, but soooo worth it. In all groups there are leaders, worker bees, and innocent bystanders (I changed this term six times trying not to be offensive or accusing). Our officers are our leaders. Our president, who took over last spring, has led through her philosophy and actions. Rhonda [Chapman] deserves a medal. I'm pretty sure being president of our guild is preparing her for a new career in, maybe, cat herding. As a membership we're all over the place! LOL! The other officers, Kate Bynum, Terri Morris, Mendy Brittian, and Cynthia Chaney have served well, too. I'm excited about the coming year to see where the Tyler Modern Quilt Guild will go from here. 

In the interest of full disclosure, I'm one of those members who cheers from the sidelines. I'm not a worker bee, I'm not a leader, and I'm sure I frustrate the bejeebers out of others. But, as Popeye said, "I yam what I yam." I pray every night that it really does take all kinds so there will remain a role for me in the guild, and life. I'm that member who will prevent us from ever having 100% participation. I'm doing my best just to be a member as I've never in my life been "a joiner." I'm an independent. I am...Lone Wolf. I am also a hermit. It's exhausting to have agoraphobia and FOMO at the same time!

To the frustration of Guild leadership, I am not alone on the sideline. I wish I could encourage the rest of the sideline members to NOT follow my example, but I know from my own situation that we all do our best as we travel through life. We have members in all stages of life...retired, bread winners, physically challenged, so active they spread themselves too thin. Everyone has their own set of priorities with their own reasons for having them. All I can say is that making the effort to be a more active member does have its rewards. It's time for YOU, with like minded and creative friends. Start small with a sew day (the most funnest thing ever) or a meeting/program. You may not think we notice your absence, but we do. 

This will be my last blog for the year. I'm so far behind in preparing for the holidays that it ain't even funny. I have four quilt tops that need to be basted and quilted, and there are still Christmas presents to be made. ACK! I wanted to end the year with a huge thank-you to the Guild leadership. The dedication of Rhonda Chapman to not just lead but to grow the Guild is amazing. Sometimes we take for granted those who make our lives easier and better, and we forget to tell them how important they are to us. Rhonda Chapman, you are important to the Guild but you are even more important as a friend. I'm not always going to agree with you, but I will always love you. Thank you for all you do. Thank you to all the officers who have tended to the business of the Guild, and thank you all for your willingness to serve.

Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year! The holiday crowds will test your ability to "Choose Kind." LOL! Do the best you can. 

-Angie Clemons

In a life full of choices, always choose kind.

I Quilt Like I Drive

The closer I get to home, the faster I drive! Which is how I piece, bind, and quilt. Go figure! I'm just anxious to get home...

Anyone who knows me knows I am NOT a traveler. If you look up "homebody" or "hermit" in the dictionary, you'll find my picture. I don't like to stop and look at stuff. I don't stop at Buc-ees. I only take potty stops in sheer desperation. (I've actually thought about getting some of those astronaut diapers so I wouldn't have to stop at all!)  Okay, you get the picture.  This explains why I'm always so anxious to complete a trip and get back home. 

And so it often is with my quilting. I've noticed when quilting on my Sweet Sixteen that I start out with a 2-3 inch spiral but toward the end might have a spiral that takes up 1/4 of the quilt! Ha! Today I was sewing binding on a friend's quilt and I had to keep moving the needle back. "Nope, stitch is too long." Pull the thread, move the needle..."nope, stitch is too long." And when I spotted those last five wonder clips holding that opening down...whewwwwwwww..."nope, nope, nope, stitch is too long, stitch is too long, stitch is too long!" It became my mantra to hold myself in check. I could see my driveway. I was almost home. I couldn't WAIT to get there!

There are parts of a trip that I enjoy, like visiting with whomever I went to visit. Seeing the beautiful countryside. Pleasant unexpected surprises. And so it is with quilting. I love the fabric. I'm okay with the cutting (although I usually procrastinate doing it for fear of messing up). I enjoy the piecing. I enjoy the pressing. Then I start seeing a tiny light at the end of the long tunnel and I start getting anxious to see the completed quilt. I can't wait to get the pieces sewn together! I can't wait to get it quilted! I can't wait, I can't WAIT! 

My friend Beckey Prior's projects are just the opposite of mine. I prefer projects like a Missouri Star Quilt Company pattern that can be completed in a short amount of time with basic piecing and quilting. She prefers projects that may take her a year to complete, personally designed, with applique out the wazoo. She also likes to travel. Coincidence? LOL!!!

When I slow down I'm reminded how gratifying each step can be. One of my favorite things to do is sew on binding while watching my Fightin' Texas Aggies play football. It can be so soothing when I stop looking to see how much real estate there is between my needle and the last wonderclip. *sigh* (There are exceptions to this if the game is particularly stressful. I usually don't bind anything but my own intestines when A&M plays Alabama or LSU. Ugh.) I digress. Working on a quilt is my meditation. My creative outlet. My gift to someone. My purpose. My fun. 

As I discussed my project preferences with the friend mentioned above, we concluded that this is one of the things that makes quilting great. There's no right or wrong way to approach it, no judgement on which type of quilting you prefer, and the only quilt police involved are the ones in our own heads. All kinds of quilters are at Sew Day, with the key word being "quilters." Whichever way we go about it, we're quilters. Beckey might be drawing her next pattern or appliqueing some of those bazillion pieces onto her quilt, I might be sewing half-square-triangles together as quickly as I can. I'll work on one project, Cynthia will spend time on 3-4 different ones from her bag of WIPS. Mendy will zone out in the corner and finish at least one quilt top while someone else might spend three sew days on one top. I'll have fabric that attracted me with its pretty colors or cool design but that's all I'll know about it, while Janis will know the designer of her preferred fabrics or pattern! I'll be quietly focused on sewing since I can't walk and chew gum at the same time, while Rhonda will be carrying on three conversations while she sews! Just. Doesn't. Matter. What does matter is that we're doing it together! Sewing in a group of like-minded friends is incredible. It inspires me. It invigorates me to work on my projects to completion. It ROCKS.

Come sew with us. Come make friends. And enjoy the journey...

-Angie Clemons

Choose Kind, Be Kind 

Failure

I heard a talking head on tv the other day publicizing his podcast about failure. Pretty sure I could be a guest on THAT show. What piqued my interest was him saying, "Failure is the new success." WHAT? So I googled it. 

We all learn from failure, and when you learn about how something doesn’t work, you can eliminate the idea, narrow it down and continue to find out how it really works. - from Quotivee.com

Oh. Well, okay then. I can certainly relate to this concept as evidenced by the WIPs in my sewing room. The older the WIP, the more likely I was in the process of failing to get the results I had in my head at the beginning of the project. Like the thread-painted cat I made. It looks "okay" but not amazingly fantastic as intended. But I learned so much by just trying the technique. I now know that stabilizer is my friend, as is a hopping foot. I "get it" now about different thicknesses of thread and using it with appropriate needles. I watched video tutorials but I didn't truly understand until I bulldozed ahead...and failed...and then tried other things. Instead of giving up, I learned. (Perhaps a little begrudgingly because I hate to admit I don't know what I'm doing.) 

I don't know that I failed at art quilts, but by signing up for the art quilt boodle with our Guild I learned that I fail to have enough interest in making them to continue. I think that's more a failure of art quilts than me! Ha! I haven't totally ruled them out, but have for now. This is why I love the opportunities the Guild provides for learning and experiencing new and/or different styles, techniques, and processes. I had just cleaned and purged my sewing room, and I realized I should have kept a bunch of the stuff I purged if I was going to delve passionately into art quilts. You need a lot of bits on hand for art quilting. Mehhh...I don't want bits. 

Why are so many people are afraid of failure? Because failure usually creates a negative feeling, giving us the idea that we aren’t good enough or that we’ve done something wrong. We need to understand that with careful reflection, we can investigate the root of our failures and work towards avoiding them in the future.  The more you fail, the better chance you have at success in the future – it’s called experience. For experience to work, the most important thing to remember, is to avoid committing the same mistake twice. Otherwise, we are not any better off than our previous experience. - Quotivee.com

I like using "experience" instead of "failure". As inferred above, it's more socially acceptable. One of our Guild members, Cynthia Chaney, is the best I know at just jumping in with both feet and improv-ing her way through a project. She's kinda like a kid that doesn't know how to swim but runs and jumps in the deep end of the pool anyway - she'll either sink or swim but she'll have fun jumping no matter what! I've seen her grow so much as a quilter by doing it HER way. It's fun to watch, and I marvel at it, but I approach things more like the kid who runs to the pool, stops, and sticks a toe in to see if it's cold or not. Then I ease into the shallow end. The beauty of it is that neither of us is wrong in our approach to quilting. We're just different. Vive la difference! (I'm feelin' kinda French today since I had lunch at La Madeleine.)

My point is that we shouldn't let the possibility (which is often a probability) of failing stop us from making. No matter what we're making. Or doing. Or whatever. Keep in mind that you have access to some of the best quilters, sewists, embroiderers, and no tellin' what else by being a member of the Tyler Modern Quilt Guild. Just bring your problem project to Sew Day and somebody is gonna have a solution or, at the very least, a suggestion. Don't ask me...I have a tendency to make stuff up if I don't know the answer. LOL!

I hope all of you saw the recent video of Ellen talking about her friendship with former President George W. Bush. "Dubya". Paraphrasing, don't just be kind to people who think and believe like you, be kind to everyone. It's a good message, especially when it seems everyone in the world is looking for a reason to be angry, offended, or hurt. *sigh*

Fall is finally here and I hope it lasts more than a week or two. 

-Angie Clemons

Dog Days of Summer

Ugh. It's sooooo hot!!! I was binding a quilt the other night, meaning the quilt was piled into my lap as I sewed (I sew the binding to the back by hand because I think it looks better). The dog was piled onto the quilt. I was burnin' up, even with the air conditioner working overtime to keep us cool. Now, logically, it's just as comfortable in the house right now as it will be in January when it's cold outside and the heater is working overtime to keep us warm. But I'm crazy so, in my mind, I was much hotter under that quilt than I would be in the winter. LOL! 

If we wanted to, at this point, we could begin a huge discussion about whether to bind by hand or machine. Like political views, this issue will never be resolved. And, like politics, it doesn't matter much which is right and which is wrong because it's all about who is in charge and what they want to do. SO, it's your quilt, you're in charge, so however you want to bind it is the absolute right way! Enjoy your power!

The TMQG leadership and committee/volunteers have been busy getting ready for the quilt show/craft fair that will take place in November. If you haven't heard about it, contact Rhonda, Kate, or Mendy for information on showing your quilt, renting a booth, or volunteering your services to prepare for or work at the event. And stay tuned on the TMQG facebook page for information as the event gets closer.

The Acadian paper piecing group had our first sew day this month. I have my fabric, the pattern, and good intentions. Just like I did with the Gravity quilt. *sigh* What's the old saying? "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." I know myself, and I know I'm all about immediate gratification (which explains a lot), or at least "as quickly as I can get it" gratification - meaning I should probably stick to quick, Jenny Doan type quilt patterns instead of the more elaborate, time consuming patterns. But Acadian and Gravity are soooo pretty! We'll see how it goes. At my old job in athletics we would say I have "outkicked my coverage" which means I've probably bitten off more than I can chew. Ha! My goal is to hang in there and finish these projects. ACK! It's not too late if you want to jump in on the paper piecing group. Contact Kate Bynum for group/meeting info. 

I missed regular sew day but, judging by the pix, it was the usual fun and productive gathering. Hopefully I'll be able to make the September sew day. I miss my quilty peeps. It is said that one is "outta sight, outta mind" but I assure you that's not the case with me regarding my quilty buddies. I think about y'all all the time...fondly for the most part. LOL! 

Y'all hang in there. We're getting closer to Fall, pumpkin spice, football, pretty leaves, and cooler temps. For me, that's REAL quilting weather. Others would argue that ALL weather is REAL quilting weather. LOL!

Choose KIND. And be the person that makes it easy for people to treat you kindly.

-Angie Clemons

The Tyler Modern Quilt Cult, errr, I mean...Guild

www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cult

A situation in which people admire and care about something or someone very much or too much. 

Whoa. I laughed when Kate’s (Bynum) daughter called us “her mother’s cult friends” but I think she may have hit the nail on the head. I mean *insert nervous giggle* we reallllllly like making quilts and all that entails. 

We have meetings...to talk about quilting.

We have retreats...to quilt.

We have workshops...to learn stuff about quilting.

We have programs...to learn stuff about quilting.

We call each other...to talk about quilting stuff.

We have sew days...to make quilts.

We invite people to our houses...to make quilts.

We shop...for fabric to make quilts.

We watch tutorials...about quilting.

We have additional sewing gatherings for...quilted bags, art quilts, and paper piecing quilts.

We read books...about quilting.

We recruit...more people to join our cu.., I mean, guild.

By golly, I believe we’re a secret handshake and matching tattoos away from being an actual, full fledged quilt cult! 

If you have a need for all things quilt, you should join us!!!

Who gets to design the tattoos? 

-Angie Clemons

Choose Kind

P.S. And don’t drink the KoolAid if anyone serves that for refreshments. Just sayin’. 

I. Hate. Basting.

Of alllllll the steps in quilting, basting is the WORST! In my opinion, of course. My longarming friends don’t have to worry about basting, which makes me more than a little jelly [jealous]. I’ve spent hours watching youtube videos about basting, searching Pinterest for different ways to baste, and have asked just about every quilter I know how they baste their quilts. Most people I’ve asked tape their backing to the floor and then layer everything on top, then pin or spray baste. I have limitations which makes floor basting difficult. My house is small so laying everything out on the floor would be a challenge. When I do lay things out on the floor (i.e., my batting when I’m cutting a piece off the roll) the dog (my sweet, perfect Cookie) has to sit on it. This doesn’t bother me but the possibility of her deciding it’s a giant piece of doggy toilet paper and dragging her “self” across it does give me pause. The main limitation is that, while I’m able to get myself onto the floor, it would take a tow truck with heavy-duty wench to get me back up. My back and knees speak to me, “what on earth made you think we were gonna help you with this?” Ugh. I have settled on a three-pole, long table, and glue basting system. I roll the backing, batting, and top onto 8-ft poles (none of my quilts have even been close to that size but I dreamed big when I purchased the dowels) and then use washable school glue sticks to stick ‘em together. The youtube video showed a lady unrolling all of them at the same time as she worked her way down the quilts pinning the layers together. Since I glue instead of pin, I like to do the top first and then flip it over and attach the backing. That pinning business wasn’t for me. I’ve also found that the glue, once dry, holds the layers together more securely, or tighter, than the pins. This is way easier for quilting on my Sweet 16 (aka Sweetie) and I can begin anywhere as opposed to having to start in the middle as with the pin basting. I’m considering switching from poles to 1”x3”x7’ boards. It’s hard to keep the layers straight as I roll them onto the poles and a flat board might be easier. I hope. They definitely wouldn’t roll off the edge of the table unwinding as they go making me lose my religion. OMG!! Did I mention that school glue is way cheaper than a can of spray? I also prefer the purple gel glue stick as it shows up on the batting and also smears onto the batting much smoother than the pasty glue sticks. I’m researching for a formula to dilute plain ol’ white school glue with water so I can spray it on instead of smearing on the glue sticks. That will make the process even more cost effective. Hey, you there with the skeptical look on your face! You need to be willing to try new things! LOL! I’m sitting here looking at three quilts that need basted. I cut the batting to size yesterday after I vacuumed my neighbor’s dog’s hair off the floor. Cookie doesn’t shed but her friend does. I understand now why my parents didn’t want certain kids coming to the house when I was a kid. LOL! I’m currently in the procrastinating/psyching myself up phase of the basting process. *sigh* First I’ll put up the table in the living room, followed by more procrastinating, then bringing in the 8’ poles hitting the ceiling fan at least once before I remember to be careful, then more procrastinating. I’ll eventually get these bad boys basted. And then it’s quilting time! Woohoo! What’s YOUR least favorite part of making a quilt?
Angie Clemons Choose Kind (and remember, just saying it or posting a meme about it doesn’t actually make a person kind - LOL!)

Sewing Room!

Or, as Cynthia tries to get me to call it...My Studio. Sewing room sounds functional. A room where "stuff" gets DONE! At least it does sometimes. Studio sounds more artsy, an adjective to which I can't relate. My dad taught math for 50+ years; my mom was a real-deal artist and taught art. Oddly, I didn't inherit any of those genes. Having them sure would make quilting easier for me. I've said several things in my youth that have come back to bite me in the butt. "What's the point of exercising when we're all gonna die anyway?" And now I need exercise just so I can get outta bed in the morning. And, "I won't everrr use math so why do I have to study this mess?" Sure would be nice to be able to accurately calculate the blocks and fabric I need for a project. Ugh. Doubly troublesome for Daddy as not only did I miss his genes but he was also my math teacher!

Back to my sewing room... About a year ago (already?!?) I purged and cleaned, got new shelving, wrapped fabric on magazine boards, sorted by color and collections, and designated drawers for fat quarters and precuts. It looked like a fabric store. Allll the pretty colors!! It looked great! For about a day. Then I began a project. Then I acquired more fabric. And more fabric. (It was on sale!) Then I saw Jenny Doan make a wonky star quilt so I needed to get the right fabric for that, right? And there's no room for the new roll of batting. *sigh* It doesn't help that I'm a lot like Pigpen from the Peanuts comic strip from Charles Schultz.I'm messy, to say the least, and probably have my own dust cloud. There is now a healthy stack of fabric that needs to be wrapped and shelved. Dangit! Sew? Or straighten up the room? If you know me at all you know which I'll choose. Haha!!

Kaffe and Tula have their own shelves. They'll probably be there from now on because I can't make myself cut 'em. I just hold them and love them and talk to them about what pretty quilts they would be if I could cut them. Then back on the shelf they go. There's also a grunge section but I'm able to cut grunge, so I get to (I mean, have to,  - oopsy!) restock that shelf.

My sewing room is my happy place. Well, my sewing room and my recliner. My favorite thing to do in the world? Rainy, cool day...Aggie football on tv...sewing...Cookie on her doggie bed under the ironing table. Man, oh man. Heaven! [Oh my. My favorite thing to do sure has changed since my twenties! Lol!!!]

The way I see it... if the sewing room is clean you ain't sewing. So, get in there and make a mess. Have fun! And remember, life is short/buy the fabric.

-Angie Clemons

[Some days it's more difficult but always trying to] Choose kind

Snobs

I realized at the last guild program that I'm in a group with a bunch of SNOBS! Yeah, that's right! Snobs! Thread snobs. Fabric snobs. Ruler snobs. Notions snobs. Machine snobs! Pattern snobs! Seems we all have our favorites that we swear by and are willing to defend to the death. Well, okay, maybe not to the death but we really like what we like.

I feel bad. You see, I played along...but I was afraid because I have a secret. I agreed, "Yes! Superior thread! Woohoo!" At other times I have said, " Yes! Moda fabric! Kona! Mostly Freespirit! Yes yes yes! " And when we're discussing where to buy fabric I'm nodding my head in agreement that we should ONLY buy quilt shop fabric. Then I go home to my secret...discount fabrics, cheap thread, off brand notions, and free patterns. *gulp* Don't get me wrong, I have a ton (too much!) of the good stuff, but I'm definitely guilty of trying to save a nickel. I understand the premise that you should only use quality fabric if you're putting in all that time and effort to make a quilt. I also understand being thrifty. I like to splurge on fabulous print fabric but then use Hobby Lobby or Joann solids to stretch it. Lol! I like to piece with Coats&Clark but quilt with Superior.

My goal when making a quilt is to make something that someone I love will love. My quilts aren't for hanging in a museum but for covering someone I love to keep them warm. The show quilts are fabulous and I am in awe of my friends who are that talented and committed to the art. I just don't have that kind of dedication. The beauty of quilting is that there's room for every kind of quilter. Beginners, competitors, art quilters, modern, traditional, and me (a combination of the labels). The quilting community is, for the most part, a welcoming and encouraging group of people.

The thought of one of my quilts being judged in a show freaks me out. Show & Tell gives me the vapors. But something one of our members said last week gave me pause..."If you don't enter your quilts in shows there won't be quilt shows. " (Cheryl Moore) Yikes. That would be awful! All that beauty and inspiration no longer available? Noooooo! Something to think about fo sho.

I hope you're enjoying this perfect quilting and sewing weather! It's too hot to do anything that doesn't involve air conditioning and being indoors. I look forward to seeing what you're working on...either at a meeting or...dare I say...at a quilt show!

Choose kind...

Angie Clemons

Dyeing for Sew Day!

Some of the guild members did some fabric dyeing at yesterday's sew day. They lost their marbles during the marbling process and ended up with numerous lovely pieces of uniquely dyed fabric. It really was cool, and great that the guild makes these opportunities to play, experiment with, and learn new aspects of our craft! They had fun and I appreciated the opportunity for puns about dying and marbles. They must have loved the puns because they were dyeing with laughter. 😂  I didn't participate. 1. It's messy. 2. It was hot outside. 3. I was afraid I would enjoy it. You see, I'm one of those people who, if I'm into something, will have to acquire every tool, book, dye, gadget, and fabric that anyone even mentions I might need. Case in point: my sewing room full of every ruler, precut, fabric line, rotary cutter, scissors, book, pattern, and machine someone mentioned I might need for quilting. First thing I did when I got home was order the led light strip like Mendy had on her machine. Wow! It was bright like a mini landing strip! I can't wait till it gets here on Tuesday. It's a sickness. 

Three of us actually sewed on sew day. I chain pieced some HSTs from a kit I purchased from Bluprint after Cynthia mentioned I might need a membership (one of three kits purchased). Curses on her! It had been awhile since I chain pieced. What a great way to completely zone out! Bzzzt. Bzzzt. Bzzzt. Until my bobbin ran out of thread. I ran 2-3 pieces through before I noticed. Aggravation!!! I won't go into what might have happened or been said, but everyone in the room knew my bobbin was empty. Oops.  No, I didn't cuss, but they knew. At first I found it irritating that my Pfaff beeps when the bobbin gets low but now I'm spoiled to it. My "travel machine" somebody told me would be helpful to have so as not to mess up my home machine, doesn't beep. I'm never satisfied. 

Really cool things from sew day:

*  Listening to the excitement and discussions of learning from the group dyeing fabric. There were rookies and veterans working with the dye and it was fun listening to the exchanges of information and ideas when they came in to cool off and clean up.

*   Sewing with Mendy and Janis. Just...sewing with friends. I love it.

*   Seeing Kate showing her finished quilt top. An example of what it's all about. Kate hasn't been quilting very long and to see her progress and the pride on her face is FUN. I love that this group is so encouraging and supportive whether you're a beginner or lifetimer. 

*  Having two used-to-be members re-up their memberships, and two potential new members come check us out. Thanks, Janis for being a great ambassador to the visitors.

*  Laughing. Lots of laughing. An atmosphere of learning and creating with a group of friends who want nothing more than to see you enjoy what you're doing and have success doing it. I almost tear up thinking about it. What a gift.

As always, we missed the ones who weren't there Saturday and hope everyone can attend next time. Sew day really is Sew Fun! *giggle*. That is sew cheesy!!!! Lol!

May your bobbin be full, may your fabric be pressed.

And know that our Guild is always the best!

-Angie Clemons

Choose Kind (even if you have to chew your tongue outta your own head sometimes) 😁😇

Sewist, Quilter, or Both?

I'm not sure what the official definitions are of sewist and quilter. I grew up when anyone who sewed was a seamstress (back when men didn't do home sewing, or if they did it wasn't talked about). I like "seamstress" as I have had quite a few seams that caused me stress! Sewist and quilter are definitely more inclusive. These words open the crafts/arts to anyone without worrying about a label. Well, except the quilt label which, I've learned, is kind of a big deal. 

I enjoy the heck out of making quilts! As I've said before, quilting feeds my soul by providing creativity and purpose in my life. However, I've had opportunities to use sewing skills for other things that were unexpected and useful. Curtains, of course. Who hasn't made a curtain? Or maybe just us poor folks are curtain makers. Lol! Some other projects have been:

* Tiny panties. My great niece CeeCee was a micro preemie and didn't catch up to the growth charts for a few years, unlike her other development. She was potty trained but the smallest panties were a size 2. I altered them to fit the tiny hiney and she was so happy to have big girl panties and not pull ups.

* Tiny baseball pants. Same niece for t-ball. I also resized her size small tshirt.

* Wedding party clothing for family weddings. Ack! That wasn't nerve racking at all. (Lie.)

* Halloween costumes. Yu Gi Oh characters, bride dress for my nephew, Frozen guy, Kick Buttowski, a dress for one of the emotion characters from a movie, and more. Some of the costumes could have been purchased except my great nephew wanted his dad to wear a matching costume. Costumes available in a kids medium don't come in an adult 2X. Ha! The bride dress was also for that nephew. They're realllly into Halloween and costumes.

* Falsies. Yep. My friend fought breast cancer for years. The prosthetics were painful so I made soft ones, then modified tank tops by adding pockets on the chest to hold "them." It allowed her to keep some femininity and minimize the discomfort. She eventually lost her battle.

* Underarm pillow and bag to hold drain tubing for my cousin to use after mastectomy. The patterns for both are on Pinterest if you know someone who needs them. Both added much comfort post surgery.

* Weighted blanket. My neighbor's dog is terrified of thunder, fireworks, and gunshots. July 4, New Year's, and storms reduced him to a shivering mess. I read about weighted blankets helping children so thought it might help a dog. They're a little spendy so I made one using plastic pellets and an old denim shower curtain. It has changed this dog's life. No more shivering terror! 

* Before retiring from Tyler Junior College athletics department, I repaired countless football, baseball, etc, uniforms. I saved the taxpayers hundreds of dollars. You're welcome! Lol!

Those are just a few of the ways I've used my sewing machine for good and not evil. Lol! I would love to hear about your unique sewing experiences if you have any. Or share your best quilt making story. Y'all inspire me!

-Angie Clemons

Choosing kind (one day at a time!)

Press *pause* on your creativity, please...

I just finished replacing a zipper and hemming two pair of pants for very good friends. I don't mind the occasional favor for buddies because I get paid back in spades.  The only time I resent repair requests is when I'm in the middle of a quilt project. I don't like having to pause my creative process to hem pants or whatever. And if it's a difficult alteration or repair I tend to procrastinate doing it, but I can't make myself do any other sewing until I finish the task I committed to. Ugh! (You know, when I write this stuff then re-read it, I realize how crazy I am. Ack!) I'm obviously not a quilter who has multiple projects in progress. Makes me nervous! Lol!

The friends who ask for clothing alterations don't sew. Not even buttons. It boggles my mind. Here are comments from non-sewers that are personal pet peeves:

*   Would you mind fixing this broken zipper? It won't take you but a minute!

*   Would you hem these pants for me? Thanks! Oh, I need them for tomorrow. It shouldn't take you but a minute!

*   My kid has a ton of tshirts! Can you make her a t-shirt quilt? It doesn't have to be fancy so it shouldn't take much time.

*   It costs how much for quilt supplies? Wow! I thought you could just use some you already have on hand.

*   Can you repair this rip? All you have to do is cut this, sew that, turn it wrong side out, then sew it from underneath. (WHAT?)

*   My gosh! Why do you have all this fabric? You're a...a...a hoarder! (Like that's a bad thing!?!)

*   Why do you have so many sewing machines when you can't use but one at a time? 

*   You sew??!? My grandmother sewed.

*   Can you teach me to sew this weekend? It can't be that difficult.

*   Can you teach me to sew? I'd like to make my daughter's prom dress to save money. 

*   If you love me you'll make me a quilt. (POOF! You're a quilt!)

My list of people for whom I will do alterations is very short. Verrrry short. I figure all of us who are sewists  have the same type of list, although I do know a few quilters who know nothing about garment construction and can avoid the alterations trap. 

Back to my friend with the broken zipper. She's very set in her ways, a bit OCD, and traditional style mostly tailored. This was the second repair on this zipper. I told her I would try to figure something out, to which she laughingly said, "Maybe you can just put Velcro instead of a zipper!" When I called to tell her I had completed the repair she was so excited to get her favorite pants back! She laughed and asked if I used the Velcro. I got quiet and then asked, "Were you kidding about using velcro?" * long pause * I knew she would never wear velcro'd pants but I let her think that was the case until she came by today. Lol!! She wasn't nearly as amused by me as I was. *giggle*  And I'm the woman who recommends kindness! *another giggle*

I'm signing off so I can get back to piecing and quilting. Woohooo!

-Angie Clemons

Choose kind! (Do as I say, not as I do. Lol!)

Fan Girl!

When I first began quilting I spent hours watching video tutorials on youtube, pinterest, and tv. Love of Quilting (Fons and Porter) on PBS, Leah Day fmq videos, Midnight Quilt Show (Angela Walters), and the queen...Jenny Doan of Missouri Star Quilt Company. My interest faded a bit on the first two but I am locked in on the latter two. Still.

I stocked up on precuts. I worshipped at the altar of half square triangles (in all five methods of sewing and cutting). I completely bought in that Quilting Is My Therapy and threads are my meds (Angela Walters). I would giggle and think to myself... "Yessssss. They are." For months I couldn't get "Hello my quilting friendssss" out of my head (Leah Day). Annnnd now it's back in my head. Grrrrr!! They made it all sound so easy! Surely I could do this quilt thang. And so it began...

BUT, just to be sure I was on the right track, I took a beginning class at Mineola League of Arts taught by Cousin Nancy (Gibson). It was an eye opener. I had to iron the fat quarters. I had to line up selvages and cut straight lines. Uh!?! And all with no wine or popcorn! Biggest lesson I learned? You can't use all medium color prints or you can't see the piecing. There were butterfly, windmill, and 8 pieces of pie blocks but it all just looked like a bright pink flower garden. I. Learned. A. Lot.

The video tutorials are great but they can't hold a candle to the helping hands of my friends in the TMQG! There's as much or more quilting knowledge in our guild than there is on youtube. And it can answer questions. Live! In real time! Lol! With snacks! I don't even have to ask anymore. It seems the guttural growls and pained moans I make when frustrated at myself, my sewing machine, or a sewing technique are a dead giveaway that I might need a bit of assistance. They speak, or at least can interpret, my language.

Now I'm a conglomeration of "stuff I've learned." To know how far I've come I'd have to show you my first quilt and that ain't gonna happen. I live by the words of my she-ro, Angela Walters..."Finished is better than perfect." Is that not the best? "Free your mind and the rest will follow!" (En Vogue lyrics from the 80s) Lol! 

Come hang out with us on Sew Day. You'll see. 

When the world around you isn't kind, you can be. Always Choose Kind.

-Angie Clemons

"Finished is better than perfect. Finished is better than perfect. Finished is bet..."

A Group

In my perfect world I would make all the decisions and people would happily do what I tell them, and all of my choices would be perfect and correct. Since my world isn't perfect and I can't even get the best of my friends, or family, to buy into my plan, I'm in a constant state of trying to get along with people who function differently than I. Some days are real beatdowns! Lol! 

When I retired I needed to choose something I enjoy that would fill my days, be productive, and provide an outlet for creativity. Daddy had always stressed productivity and Mother was, as an art teacher, all about creativity. I was also leaving a workplace that was my social network. Turns out the saying "out of sight out of mind" is a real thing. Work friends are not necessarily life friends once the common bond is no longer common. So...I needed some more friends! I wish I could remember how I learned of the modern quilt guild but I can't. I got my friend Dee to go with me to our first meeting and we ended up joining. 

So here I am, a non-joiner, joining a group. Whewww. Joining is way out of my comfort zone. I'm still adjusting after two years. It's probably that old "my perfect world" thing. I'm learning. Slowly. It's easy to sit back and criticize or complain, much more difficult to jump in and provide help to leadership by suggesting solutions for things with which I disagree. Pfffft! The most difficult thing for me is acceptance that I'm not calling the shots, will never call the shots, and shouldn't call the shots. Lol! My other struggle is the realization that it's up to me to get along with others in the group, and that not everyone is going to want me as their bestie. (Even as I write this I'm wondering why ever not?) I don't want to become the Debbie Downer of the group, and I don't want to be the one sitting alone because all I do is complain. I would be creating my own hell! I'm learning to play nice with others. My first grade teacher is probably thinking (from the grave) "finally!" I guess this rambling paragraph is about personal accountability for where and how I fit into the group. I'm the only one on God's green earth who is responsible for my happiness, successes, or contentedness. Pretty sure I just made up a word. 

There are many benefits to belonging to a group with a specific mission. I've learned so much from my creative and talented friends! I have purpose (making quilts), I have creativity (making purdy quilts), and I have new friends! WINNING!

When you're choosing what to be...choose kind. And don't forget to be kind to yourself while you're at it!

-Angie Clemons

Oops

I heard some ladies discussing a sewing get-together. I committed a social faux pas and invited myself to join them, then immediately felt like a goob for doing so. This morning I ironed a bunch of fabric to take so I could cut pieces for my next project. I showered and put on clothes that aren't also pajamas, including a (ugh) bra. (A sure sign I'm leaving the house.) As I sat waiting for an appropriate time to leave I read a text from one of them that indicated that I might have the date wrong. A quick call verified I was a day off. Karma for being a party crasher. Ha! Bonus: I went ahead and cut all the pieces, something I usually procrastinate on for quite awhile. Moral: Hang out with friends when you can. Being with other productive people makes me productive.

Sew Day was fun(nish). The visiting and the time with my creative buddies was excellent. The frickin-frackin gravity blocks did not make me feel special. Grrr! I messed up some of the blocks because I got the colors wrong. I was trying sooooo harrrrrd to get them right but the (insert every expletive you've ever heard here) blocks will not look like everyone else's. In the long run it doesn't matter but it frustrates me. Moral: Relax! Things work out just fine in the end.

I tend to get very absorbed once the pieces are cut for a new project. I finished a quilt top on Sunday which snapped me outta my stupor and brought me back to reality. Good grief. Somebody came in and dirtied up my house while I was sewing! Hahaha! They left dishes in the sink and laundry to do. To avoid an outbreak of typhoid I decided I should clean up a little before allowing myself to begin sewing again. Moral: Hire a maid.

Keep sewing! 

-Angie Clemons

Choose kind.

Gadgets & Tools

I'm pretty sure I have most of them, if not all. I don't have all the rulers and templates but the other stuff...yeah...I have that. 

With my handy dandy thread cutter I could be chain piecing a mile a minute. With my bobbin holder thingy I can use thread right off the bobbin and never waste thread again. I have a rubber bobbin storage oval which is actually very helpful except when I pop the bobbin out too exuberantly and it goes flying. I have a magnet to clip on my person so I can attach scissors to myself, and a button with a pulley cord to do the same, and yet I never remember where I laid my scissors. Oh yeah! I'm wearing them! I have a thread stand, a bobbin winder, six kinds of marking pens, three styles of seam rippers, five types of scissors, thread snips, a magnetic wand to pick up pins that become invisible on my floor, and a partridge in a pear tree! Oh, sorry, I forgot what I was doing. 

I have five cutting mats. A big one, a small one, a travel one that is a cutting mat and ironing surface, and two that rotate. There's a trashcan/cup holder combo that attaches to the table. A mini fan I can attach to the table to blow directly on me for those days when my sewing machine and I are en fuego. Plastic head straight pins and glass head pins so I wouldn't melt the plastic ones with the iron. Oh, and a regular iron for home and a travel iron for random sewing sites. There are multicolored clips and pink breast cancer awareness clips. (Pet peeve-all this breast cancer awareness stuff. I had kidney cancer and it's my thinking that you can live without boobies but you have to have a kidney to live. So why aren't there renal cell carcinoma awareness clips? You know I would have some.) And there's more, and even more gadgets that have been thrown in a crowded drawer and forgotten. Several haven't been used. Yet.

With allllll that you would think I'd be turning out a quilt every few days. It should be easy, right? But, no. I have yet to find a quilt shop that sells antiprocrastination gadgets. And neither does Amazon. Seems like there'd be a spray for that. I could put it on the shelf with my two kinds of starch and my flatter.

Happy quilting!

Angie Clemons

~Choose kind~

Am I a joiner?

As I sat at the TMQG table last Saturday at the Quilter's Guild of East Texas quilt show I was tickled by the irony. Me, who has never been a "joiner", recruiting others to join the TMQG. *giggle* I enjoyed visiting with the ladies who stopped by the table. We were all on a "fabulous quilts high" with extremely beautiful quilts everywhere we looked. Heck, I even enjoyed visiting with the guy who told me about his gallbladder and how his bad one reinforced his belief that he has native American blood. Don't ask...it's a very long story.

So, about this joiner thing... Yeahhhh, I don't usually. I'm not sure if it stems from my aversion to taking on responsibilities, or my desire to always get my way in all things. Neither of those traits work well in a group setting. I get frustrated because it's so obvious to me that my way is always so right! Hahaha! I started thinking about our current members and who needs to change to better fit what I think they should be in the group. There's Rhonda, the president. The organizer. Always planning and doing. Ugh! She needs to lighten up! Well, wait. Better rethink that since nothing fun would happen if somebody didn't plan it. How about Kate? I'd change her name to Pollyanna because she's always cheerful and positive. Gag!!! But, that sure did help when I messed up my gravity quilt cutting. Hmmmm. Maybe having a Pollyanna isn't so bad. And as I went down the list of members I realized we all bring different strengths to the table, and different talents. Individually we're decent folks with different paths, but together we're a force of creative nature! My favorite trait of the members of the TMQG is their patience with my kind of crazy. 😁 Whew!!!

That brought me back to me. (But, it's always all about me!) I was welcomed into this group at a time when I needed a new interest and new friends. I've made some lovely friends, learned so much I didn't even know I didn't know, and had great fun. I look forward to time spent with (as my family calls you) my "quilty buddies." The TMQG just gets better and better! If anyone reading this is considering being a part of TMQG but afraid you might not fit in, visit us three times and then decide. Because, we've been waiting for you!

-Angie Clemons

Choose Kind...

Choices

We all make a bazillion choices every day. From the mundane (what's for breakfast?) to the important (is this fabric best for my next quilt?) to the life altering (how do we treat this cancer?). Sometimes there are consequences to our choices. As members of an organization or group it's imperative to remember that choices made regarding the group will affect the entire membership. There's no room for personal agendas, negativity, or selfish decisions. The Tyler Modern Quilt Guild has made choices we can live with...we choose inclusion, we choose fun, we choose kind.

It's important to be kind. Not just to others but to ourselves. I don't know about y'all but I can be hard on myself. I have a hard time living up to my own expectations. It spills over into my quilting and I start judging my own work based on how I see the beautiful projects my friends do. It's true that I'm not as skilled as some others, but it's also true that I really enjoy the creative process. Completing a project gives me the feels in my soul. I will continue quilting and sewing. I do it just for me. I can already see improvement since joining the Guild. Turns out those ladies so much more skilled than I are also teachers, helpers, and morale boosters! Yea!!!!

The TMQG is a safe place where we can learn, practice, experiment, and grow as quilters and sewists. Don't let the word "modern" throw you off your path to this group. We support and promote ALL styles and types of quilting. We encourage you to visit if you want to spend some creative time with like-minded people. For instance, you may want to be a member of the Big Guild but can't take off work for morning meetings...join us! Several of our members belong to both. You interested in art quilts? Cool! You teach us what you know about art quilting, or we'll add you to that bee and you can learn with us! In addition to quilting I've learned about bag making and how to use my serger for making garments. 

Oh, by the way, I may need to borrow some matches to light a fire under my...uh....self so I'll start sewing these gravity quilt blocks! Ack!!! 

Until next time, happy quilting!

-Angie Clemons

Choose kind.