With my quilting, I mean. And I use the term "quilting" very loosely...what I do is a very casual and unstructured affair that bears little resemblance to the patience and discipline that the word implies.
I finished up this little gal on New Year's Eve-Eve...it's a present for a friend who I'm not certain won't check this blog, so I won't say who. It's my third completed quilt, and though still lumpy and full of "character", I've worked out a little system that is getting more and more streamlined. I spread it out over my normal quilts and sheets and things, so it also looks a bit odd, I know.
It is quite a little hodge-podge, as you can see. I find it very hard to photograph quilts. I suppose it's because they are very large and flat and naturally wrinkly.
I felt like I really earned my domestic goddess stripes between the all-day quilt fest of Saturday, and then following it up the next day by making a tasty dinner for a bunch of friends I had over for New Year's Eve. We had a roast chicken with rosemary (my favorite, favorite seasoning for chicken), skin-on mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, and Nigella's sour cream chocolate cake from Domestic Goddess. We had to take two trips to the grocery story to get the frosting just right, but it was worth the extra trips. The cake is amazing. And, it's one of those things that has so many delicious ingredients, it is almost idiot-proof. It is almost absolutely bound to taste good.
We had a really fun New Year's Eve (a holiday that is usually vaguely depressing to me for some reason) with our big dinner and then much watching of more from Jenny's extensive B-horror movie collection. When it was almost midnight, my friend James arrived at the door just in the nick of time with the Europe record featuring The Final Countdown, which was the perfect and most hilarious soundtrack to ring in the new year with. It's really too bad we couldn't have had Gob Bluth there with us for the countdown and the toasting. Not too shabby. Not at all.
I'm listening to this wonderful Ruth Etting cd now, and thinking of what do do for the rest of this Tuesday. Watching Carnivale for the third time through (now that, thanks to Sarah, I am the proud owner of season one) with Josiah, who has never watched it...and I am in full on denial-mode about the decade and century in which I live.
More than usual, even.
Comments (24)
omg it's great
i want to make a quilt so bad but am scared
your squares seem a bit less intimidating. what size are they?
lovely!
Nancy · January 02, 2007 at 07:36 PM
oh man i can't stop watching carnivale either! so beautiful! why did it have to end?
andrea · January 02, 2007 at 07:58 PM
Great job on the quilt and I love the new portrait too.
Mama Urchin · January 02, 2007 at 08:26 PM
happy new year, the rosemary clean the aura of your house!!!
Carmen · January 02, 2007 at 09:13 PM
I absolutely LOVE the quilt you made. I hope I'm able to make such a beautiful thing one day. Good work. And I also must comment on your shoes and how perfectly feminine they are.
Erika · January 02, 2007 at 10:39 PM
I just checked out some Nigella books from my local library, on your frequent "recommendations" and I can't TELL you how smitten I am.
Cirilia · January 02, 2007 at 10:58 PM
I am with you there - I am in total denial of the century we are in. Or at least the one i was born into. My goodness, I think of times passed, beautiful times...Paris in the 40's...and my heart aches...Thanks for guiding towards a good chocolate cake. Must bake bake bake...I had roasted rosemary chicken tonight...lovely.
Vanessa · January 02, 2007 at 11:21 PM
A very happy new year to you! Love the quilt. Vow to try one myself this year. Started with a bit of a patchwork scarf in order to get my toes wet. I'm sure what ever I come up with will just ooze "character" since I have no idea what I am doing.
Heidi · January 02, 2007 at 11:25 PM
i think your quilt is very sweet! : )
Ren · January 03, 2007 at 12:24 AM
I love your quilt - you've chosen great colours. And, I just had a listen to Ruth Etting on Amazon. And I love it. Listening to music like that really does help to fuel that denial about what century you live in, huh?
julia · January 03, 2007 at 12:35 AM
I am in love with your green shoes! This century is over-rated! (and that quilt is the quilt-iest I have ever seen - very lovely!)
Kylie · January 03, 2007 at 06:39 AM
i so have the song
the final countdown
stuck in my head now...
ack.
:)
love the quilt!
gkgirl · January 03, 2007 at 08:37 AM
I love the quilt. I sold a sheet on ebay that had a pattern similar to the flowery square on your quilt. Great job.
MerrillF · January 03, 2007 at 09:04 AM
Happy New Year Emily!
I love Nigella's chocolate sour cream cake, too...how can you go wrong with a cake you mix in the food processor? And who wants to live in 2007, anyway. I'm currently stuck in WW 1 France, thanks to your bad (said with tongue very much in cheek) influence. I finally got around to watching "A Very Long Engagement", and now have a HUGE crush on Jerome Kircher/Bastoche--even bigger than my crush on your husband. (Fortunately my husband is a very understanding man). Henry, Nora and I send hugs down to you in GA
Kate · January 03, 2007 at 09:49 AM
Nothing wrong with living in another time. *Where do you get your great dresses, anyway?* Today I am living in the 1970's... Peace, baby!
Persephone Snyder · January 03, 2007 at 11:01 AM
Aw, the quilt is just absolutely beautiful. Congratulations! What a lucky friend!
Alicia P. · January 03, 2007 at 12:20 PM
I think the quilt came out great! I'm sure your friend is going to love it.
Marilyn · January 03, 2007 at 01:51 PM
happy new year emily! ending the year with the final countdown heehee - sounds perfect even without gob!
and i love your quilt... it's sweet and perfect!! ♥
also, i'm always hungry after visiting here... ;)
jerusha · January 03, 2007 at 04:16 PM
your quilt is fabulous! you should be very proud of yourself...and what a lucky friend to be receiving such a lovely quilt!
amandajean · January 03, 2007 at 06:23 PM
that last photo is adorable...did you layer a slip under the skirt? i love that. and the shoes. all of it. :)
ps the quilt is amazing, i have one that dearest friend (who has written wonderful quilt books) gave me, its one of my most cherished possensions, and i brought it with me to south america! and every time i wash it, it just gets better. way to pick the gift that just keeps on giving! ;)
jenny vorwaller · January 04, 2007 at 05:29 PM
Love the quilt!
I have been dragging my feet on mine....
Oh, as I am de-lurking: Love your site and Happy New Year! : )
olive · January 07, 2007 at 06:27 PM
I love your bedroom color. Do you remember what color you painted it? Also, love the quilt!
Kristi · January 08, 2007 at 11:02 AM
yeah I'm delurking too- I adore your creative style- your dolls, your art everything! You are a pretty groovy chick! Thanks for the review about Ms Potter. I too am waiting for Pan's Lab. and will go see this one too! Happy Sewing!
Calamity Kim · January 12, 2007 at 11:19 AM
your quilt is beautiful!!!
kerstin · January 12, 2007 at 05:07 PM