Fusion-It's Not Just Nuclear Anymore

Seems like I have been hearing the word fusion in regard to a lot of things lately. Fusion of color, fusion of music, even a car has been named the Ford Fusion.  It has left me a little baffled. I turned to the internet and googled fusion. Listed was everything from fusion beads, fusion ink, and fusion hair extensions. When I was a kid I am pretty sure there was only one kind of fusion. Only one that I remember anyway. I clicked on good old Wikipedia, which can give you the answer to just about everything. Just as I suspected, Wikipedia went straight to nuclear fusion, and describes it as the process in which two or more atomic nuclei join together, or "fuse", to form a single heavier nucleus. This is usually accompanied by the release or absorption of large quantities of energy. Hey, I could use some of that! Energy, that is. 


Today I sat down to the computer and looked for the foot pedal. I immediately thought, fusion. My two most oft attended occupations are trying to fuse into one. I wasn't too concerned, I was able to open the computer and type without the use of the foot pedal. In fact, I even felt kind of cool that I could use the word fusion in this modern way. It wasn't until later that I wondered if fusion is the root for another word, "confusion". 


Nah, that is just plain silly. Plus, I like the idea of my interests fusing together. You know, like EQ!

TOWANDA!

By an overwhelming number of comments on my squirrel adventures, it would seem more of you are interested in that than quilts. Well, too bad, cause this blog is mostly about quilts. Ha! However, it is gratifying to know that someone out there is reading my blog. I plagiarized a quote from Fried Green Tomatoes and was assaulted with cries of Towanda! Of course that was the image I was trying to portray, but I didn't realize it had become a war cry of the abused! How perfect! I haven't seen the movie in a long time and didn't remember that Towanda was the name of Kathy Bates' character. She is great! Now I want to watch that movie again.


Pam from My Creative Mind offered a suggestion of using ammonia in a spray bottle to spray around the deck where the squirrel was likely to go. I took her advice and was spraying along the edge of the deck where I saw chew marks in the wood. The deck is not free standing, but rather it sits on top of the roof of a lower floor. All of a sudden the squirrel shoots out from that area and flies into the trees! I didn't even know he was in there. I guess he didn't like the smell! Hooray!!! I don't know if he has been around since, but I continue to spray out there each day to discourage him. Nice call Pam! I tried to link to you but couldn't find your site. But thanks so much for the great advice!


I have actually been sewing over the past week, between chasing the relentless rodent. I drew up a design on EQ6 and went to work with some beautiful fabrics from the Jamestown fabric line, by Jo Morton. I found I needed to add some lighter colored fabrics to create the look I wanted, so you will recognize some of the fabric from places other than Jamestown. The 9-patch blocks are primarily from scraps. The rows are not all sewn together yet, but at least I am finally to that step. Then I get to play with a border idea. It is always a challenge to come up with a border design that contributes to the overall design in a compatible way.


My e-mail is through Google (g-mail). I really do like their whole e-mail design. Well, Karen from Sew Primitive and I have been chatting via e-mail. We were discussing toile fabric, and somehow Google picks up on bits of conversation and provides links to places that might be of interest. So this link shows up for toile fabric: http://www.fashionfabricsclub.com/catalog_items.aspx?TypID=98&Viewby=Types&Page=1&gclid=CLGUp5nU75ECFR0yFQodNW-vwg Here is a great variety of toile! I am sure it is designer weight fabric, but still, they would work for focus areas of a quilt, such as my Williamsburg Medallion, or even the Kaffe Fassett Hat Boxes quilt. Take a look at the yellow and red one with the hen and chicks. I love it! Maybe I should make another medallion quilt. I will probably not get my other quilt back from the shop until they are good and sick of it. I am really tempted.
By the way, take a look at the additional site that Karen has set up to display her new patterns. She is designing some really cute things under the name Folk Art Children! If you like the new Wizard of Oz fabric, you will love what she is doing with it!

DESIGNER DILEMMA

I took the poll down, but sure enjoyed your input! Be sure to go to my website for the link to the instructions for any of these versions of this quilt!

What do you do when an idea keeps mutating? This is where I drive myself crazy. There are so many directions that this design could take at this point. EQ allows me to appraise each idea before I decide which to make. Even then, there is no right or wrong answer, just a personal preference. These are just three examples of what I have been considering. This finishes at 24 inches. Do you have a favorite arrangement?


I am going to try to write directions for this and get it up on my web site as a free pattern. Hopefully this weekend. Then if you want to make this, you can decide on your own ending!

Have a great weekend everyone!

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Aside from being glued to the computer to see what everyone in the world is doing on a daily basis, I have been doing a little sewing. I came up with this idea for a table topper a while back and finally had time to give it a whirl in actual fabric. This is what I have so far. (I just realized I wrote "whirl" about a pinwheel. Sometimes it takes me a while to catch up with my own cleverness.)


This is the block in EQ. It is 8" finished. I made the tree with the Tri-Recs Ruler. Now, if you are interested you can mess around with it on your computer and see what you think the next round should be. I have a plan, but it would be fun to get input. Do you EQ? :)


I am trying to limit myself on the computer as it seems my life could be spent in more productive ways. (She says with sarcasm). It seems that I have an addictive personality. I base that on all the same reasons that you, yourself, might have an addictive personality if you are back here reading my blog again. Apparently chocolate and Moda is not enough! A good start, but we want more out of life. I think a clone would be a great thing, actually. Another self who could follow directions and "giturdun", as Vicky says.
Speaking of chocolate and Moda, Kim was on that subject yesterday. She won a pack of fat quarters in a drawing. But really, you have to read Kim's version of it. She tells the story as only Kim can!