Time to Take Massive Action!

I am working on a multitude of projects at once. This always seems to be the case for me. Do you ever find that you have 10 projects on the go and they all seem to reach 80% completion? Well, I've decided to focus on one at a time . . . so, it's time to take "massive action" to finish something! I heard Tony Robbins say that in an eBook and I tell myself to take massive action all the time now. It sounds quite hilarious, but puts me in a good frame of mind to get things done. (And my son thought it was quite hilarious when I told him he needed to take massive action on his bedroom before he could watch TV!)

So right now I'm completing my first fibre art book manuscript. That entails choosing a publisher, designing the patterns, writing a sample chapter, creating the table of contents and making the samples so you can include some gorgeous photos. It is also very important to follow the online submission guidelines to a T, so that information needs to be gathered as well. And, as I mentioned earlier....it is about 80% complete so I just have a few more things to do. Here's a sneak peek detail shot of one of the samples. You have no idea what it is of course, but it includes fabric, wool, and foil.

So today's massive action will be accumulating all of the writing, patterns and detail with the submission forms and then having some fun with samples and photos. 

Do you have a quilting book idea in your mind? I've had a few and every once in a while I see one of my ideas appear in a full colour book and I think, "Why didn't I think of that - wait a minute . . . I Did!" I just never sent the idea to a publisher. So if you have an idea you've been meaning to get organized, now's the time. Take massive action and make your submission. What have you got to lose?

The Importance of a Label

Quilt labels can range from just a title to a paragraph of detailed info required for a show, but no matter which way you draw it up a label is a MUST HAVE for any quilt. 

The most important reason to label your quilt is loss or theft. If a quilt is ever found by police among stolen items or destined to be returned if lost it would have to be labelled with at least enough info to show that it was made by you. 

Quilters should claim their success and put it in writing! A quilt is a major accomplishment and the label will help you remember when, why, where, what and and anything else your heart desires. Here's a loving label I wrote for my niece when I made her first quilt many years ago...

Another reason quilt labels are important is that it is simply required to have a proper label with the stated info for any quilt show or competition, so you may as well get into the habit of doing a great job of it. 

And finally, labels are an heirloom symbol of the quilt's creator for one day when you are gone. Your family will cherish the info on that label as much as they cherish the quilt. Here is a quick label I made with fabric pen and shiva paint sticks for a scrappy beach blanket that will just be used by us at the beach.

My friend Eileen, a wonderful longarm quilter, called me yesterday with a request for a label she could screen onto a piece of the backing fabric and stitch onto her quilt. First, we toyed with the idea of simple t-shirt transfers or a printed label on fabric, but when she described the effect she was looking for we realized a simple print in a gorgeous gold ink would fit the bill perfectly. 

Now, we are well aware that you can barely discern the info because it blends wonderfully into the gorgeous batik fabric, but that was her intent. The quilt maker, Eileen's sister, wanted the label to be on there, but not too bold or obvious. She felt it was important to have the information, but wanted it to blend right in. So voila, we created a quick thermofax screen, tested it out and loved it first try! It was fun and easy and the quilt will be in the mail tomorrow. 

Do you have a special way that you always label your quilts or is it different every time? Do you have a story about how your quilt label saved the day? I'd love to hear it in the comments! 

Cheers!