Sunday, April 20, 2008

The Green thing


Not much going on for once on Saturday so I did get a chance to work on this green "thing". I haven't come up with a good name for it yet. I used the disappearing 9 patch idea but did it all in green, and I controlled the center square to give it a bit more definition. I'm making this one for our grade school gym/health teacher. She has had all four of our daughters even though we switched schools for the last two. Small parochial schools often share teachers so that's how that happened (in case you were wondering) Anyway, she is a wonderful teacher, and I will never forget her telling me about how she came to be a gym teacher. She attended our local catholic high school where she had her first phy ed class. She came home that day and was so excited and happy and told her mother, "this is what I want to do". And then she went out and did it, and in her words "I'm living my dream". She teaches so much more than phy ed, she teaches the kids about life and hope and spirituality. She has started a program where positive happenings are noted around the school. Every month the school recognizes kids from each class and a teacher and parents who are making a difference. I think she deserves more than a quilt, but this is what I do.
Meanwhile, as I'm working on the green thing ( help I need to name it) The needlefelting starter kit we got at the Chicago show is whispering to me to come and play. As such things often do, it stopped whispering eventually and started screaming at me to come and see what I could do with it, and brother, if you have ever heard wool scream you just have to drop everything and go do what it wants!
(which is one reason there are no borders on the green thing) So I started playing around and did the little flowers and things on the hunk of jean fabric, and the little roundy thing laying on the spongie thing that you use to do the needling thing. Now you know some of the technical terms for this!
Then after pacifying the wool for a bit I was able to go back and finish piecing the green thing top. Having finished that I tried to decide:
1. if it needs borders
2. if I have fabric to make said borders in my stash
3. what it should be called
4. what other stuff I could play with
(note the ADD kicking in again, my sewing room has that effect on me)
Which brings us to this! This is going to be a tea cozy. Now, it would be even more impressive if I actually drank tea, or if I made tea in a teapot on occasion. My mother certainly did, but I discovered coffee and the rest as they say is history. So why the tea cozy? Well, I found this adorable springy green cotton sweater at the thrift store and made the body of it into a sewing machine cover (yes another one, but it's okay it's for someone else this time). So there were these little purses and flowers that I had to take off part of it, and there were these sleeves just sitting there looking like they could become something. And tea cozy popped into my head. So, what I thought was this, if anyone has a GOOD name for the green thing, and an opinion on borders, and likes to drink tea, drop me a comment and after a week or so I'll draw names for the tea cozy. I know, it's a lot to ask which is why I may even stick some tea in with it.

10 comments:

Pat at Bell Creek Quilts said...

I kinda like 'The Green Thing' but then again I'm not very creative at naming quilts. I bordered my
d9p hoping to stabilize it. Great job on 'the green thing' :)

Cher said...

I vote for a dark green border-you could call it "eat your greens" just to be humorous, or "it's all about green" -I almost never name my quilts so not too much inspiration from me.
I am mainly a coffee drinker-however I do own and make tea and have several teapots. Two of my favorites are small and meant for one to two cups-perfect for a one person drinker. love how your d9p turned out.

Jen in KS said...

I like this quilt. One name that popped into my head was "Lattice Leaf" since the light parts look like a lattice panel.

Expedition Escapes said...

why not name it ""living the dream or "the green dream". If you put a border on it--I think a dark plain green border
That is all I drink is tea. Coffee puts me over the edge. Love the quilt and and how it all went together. Pretty neat.

Gizmo said...

It's gorgeous!!! I vote for Granny's name - "The Green Dream"!!

I don't drink tea much any more...so my vote would also be for Granny -- since she did come up with the name I voted for....LOL. ;)

Needlefelting -- Moonbeam makes little critters all the time!! Lately she's been making pincushions (wool sharpens and conditions your pins). :)

Susan Freebery said...

I have so many thoughts and questions! First, what is in all those storage boxes under the Green Thing? Oh, man, please don't tell me fabric... Second, so you are loving the wool felting thing - obviously. Do I need another addiction? Probably not, but that looks intriguing...
I am at work, must answer phone - rats!

Tracey @ozcountryquiltingmum said...

"Go green for your health" jumps to mind due to who the recipient is. Looks great anyway, a deserving gift. Borders?-one of the darker internal greens? I would have to see, Tracey

Carole said...

How about cubical? lol or cubicology? It can take me a while to come up with a name at times. Geocubic also comes to mind! Have fun!

Quilter Kathy said...

The name of "Split Pea Soup" jumped into my mind! I'm sure this wonderful teacher will love your gift! I sure know what you mean about the whispering, but I hope that felting doesn't start bugging me! I have enough to do!

Helen in the UK said...

What a great gift this is going to make. Love the way you've used the different greens - very restful :)