More of the same! I admit, I am obsessed with this project and it is rolling right along. It's too big for the design wall now and I don't want to keep picking it up off the floor so I'll keep obsessing. You may see the end of this top by Friday. Backing and quilting will come later.
It would probably be done if I had not stopped to watch Downton Abbey with Chris. Maybe it's just me but last night's episode was just plain annoying. I like the characters and the concept but I think that generally the writing is weak. Story lines start and then suddenly wrap up (Mrs Patmore and her love), and other drag on forever without a lot of interest (Bates in jail, yawn) and others are simply dropped (Daisy inheriting her FIL's farm). It will be interesting to see if Julian Fellows can write something similar for American TV. I think his new series is going to be called The Gilded Age.
Tonight I will sew and not be distracted by the TV.
In other projects I have the kiln fired up again today. Learning to fuse glass, in my opinion, is all about learning the kiln. I had some COE 96 glass that I used for some simple projects for a few firings. I've chosen to use COE 90 glass for now so I wanted to get the 96 glass out of my studio to prevent any cross-contamination of the glass supplies. The COE refers to how the glass responds to heat and different types can't be mixed unless you want your glass to crack.
THe 3 firings that I did with the 96 glass taught me a lot about how my kiln works so today I'm firing it with several different projects.
I am trying different thicknesses and different techniques to see how they each respond to the particular program that I'm using today. Eventually I will wind up with several programs for different sizes and thickness of projects and for different treatments. This is for a "full fuse" program.
With a full fuse program the goal is a smooth, flat piece of glass with few bubbles. This piece is from my first fuse with the kiln and so I'm firing it again to see if I can get the bubbles out. I'll ahve the results tomorrow.
While I watch my electric meter spin out of control, go over to Patchwork Times to see what everyone else is doing.
Well, isn't that something - when I look at your quilt block "en verre" I see the bubbles as the element that makes it interesting, like using a hand-dyed fabric with unpredictable shifts from light to dark, the bubbles are making a great visual texture. I think you should use this experiment to figure out how to make sure you get more bubbles when you want them!
Posted by: Cheryl K. | February 18, 2013 at 03:20 PM
Too bad you can't solar power your kiln! I so enjoy your dancing stars. Perhaps I'm the only person who have never watched Downtown Abbey!
Posted by: Stephanie | February 18, 2013 at 03:44 PM
That would require a lot of solar panels! Lol!
Vicki Welsh, Sent from my Droid
Posted by: Vicki Welsh | February 18, 2013 at 04:39 PM
Love your star quilt - the gradation makes it even better!
Posted by: Barb in MI | February 18, 2013 at 06:37 PM
Wow what a wonderful quilt. If that were mine, I think I'd have to keep it on the floor so I could look at it, just beautiful!!
Posted by: Sue Daurio | February 18, 2013 at 08:13 PM
Vicki, your Dancing Stars look beautiful! I wish I had that many blocks done--I have finished 19 so far. It's great with your background gradation.
Posted by: Julie in GA | February 18, 2013 at 09:10 PM
I still love that quilt top... you don't even have to quilt it before you gift it to me. That's if you don't want. lol
Posted by: Kim S | February 19, 2013 at 02:46 AM
Dancing stars is fantastic. A fused glass pendant with the same colors would be awesome.... hint....
Posted by: Kathy | February 19, 2013 at 07:30 AM