which one

i found a photo several months ago that i really wanted to try and make and this is it. i got permission from the photographer to use his photo. i feel that i could have done better. i don't like the face. my favorite is still lawrence fishburne and whoopi goldberg. this picture is 17" x 22". i enjoyed this challenge for myself. i don't care about trying to do 100 portraits any more. my challenge is to just challenge myself to do more and better. i know as i do more there are going to me times when i am going to ask myself which one do i like best. first, it was my grandson, toni morrison, whoopi goldberg, michael jackson, lawrence fishburne and now this one. but i must tell you my favorite is still lawrence fishburne. so enjoy.

and stitches for now

yetunde

withdrawals

someone asked if i was having withdrawals without having a sewing machine. i would say h--- yes. i rearrange my sewing room twice and it is still junky. the more i moved stuff the junkier the room got. i think my husband and son brought the sewing machine for me because they were afraid i was going have them move furniture around in the house. i was move stuff when they weren't home. my husband was afraid that i would hurt myself. i looked at those portraits hang on my wall for weeks without being quilted. i was buying fabric and still didn't know what to do it. this is how i got the new sewing machine. i took hubby with me when i was buying fabric, most of the time he would sit in the car and wait. but one day while i was buying fabric, my husband came in the shop and was looking at some of the sewing machine. when we were leaving the shop i asked if he was going to buy one.(joking with him) so a couple days later after i had moved furniture around in the house, moved plants, washed all the cloths and i was just sitting think of what to do next, he asked what was wrong and i told him that i needed a sewing machine. he said go get one. i was going to take a loan to get one but my husband and son brought one for me. he told me that i was not going to drive him crazy. and guess what i still have not gotten my Kenmore or jenome back. they call and said that the person who repair the sewing machine is out. so i am just waiting.

stitches

yetunde

old and new sewing machine

ok, i forgot to tell you that my old faithful Kenmore die on me at the quilting retreat. and a friend let me use their babylock. so for a whole month i have not had a sewing machine to use. just to let you know i have three sewing machines. the Jerome died before i went on the retreat and the embroidery machine, well let's just say that i am scared to death of it. and yes, it is just sitting there looking at me. so now both of the machines are in the shop. i just love my old Kenmore. why oh why did she die on me at a time when i needed her. but guess what i got a babylock quest plus for mother's day. my husband and son brought it for me. i was playing with it yesterday and having a ball. during the whole month that i didn't have a sewing machine to use, i did three more portraits, finish the top of one the quilts that i did at the retreat. and did a little hand quilting. i haven't hand appliqued in two years and i realize you really have to take time in doing this. one of the portrait's i did i didn't like the outcome of it, so i will be doing that one over. and the other two came out nice . i really like the one of my daughter and her husband. i want to do one of my aunt to give to her at out family reunion next month, but no one has sent me a picture of her yet.
i have a pictures that i have in mind to do, but i need permission from the photographer to use his picture. i am hoping that he give me permission. it is a picture of a nude black man. (all in good taste) and i also want to do fabric portrait of black men. that will be my next series of portrait to reach my gold of doing a hundred portraits. i will be taking alot of pictures at the reunion and pictures of men in general, men that i know. wish me luck.

check out what i have been working on,
and stitches for now.

yetunde

PS: the flower and the last picture were the things that i did at the retreat.
and i still love my kenmore.

more pictures of the retreat

some of the result from the classes taught.

felicia showing off at the pajama party.

retreat got my back.

we had so much fun, the three quilt pictures are pictures of the quilts by some of the instructors that taught them. i took all three of these classes. i haven't completed any of them yet. will post those at a later date. their were many other class i wish i had taken. the person in the rollers was our hostess for the pajama party. everyone was so crazy and we had to parade on the little stage to show off our pajama's. it was fun, my friend felicia won for the most craziest person parading across the stage. you miss a show from her. i won for the first person registering for the retreat second year in a row. we had fat quarter swaps. i have some nice pieces from the swap. my friend charlene and sandy won the block challenge. there was show -n- tell every night. there were so many talented people their. there was a ugly fabric auction and i believe they made over about $800 dollars that will be donated to cancer research..

i met old friends and made new friends. the reason that i am say this is because quilters are the best. one day while we were there we were ask to go to someone that we didn't know and introduce yourself to them and talk and then turn them around and rub their shoulders and say "I GOT YOUR BACK!". and they are to turn and do the same thing to you. the next day in class i sat next to someone that i didn't know and i got a call from home and i had an emergency, and i start to cry. i said i need a hug and this stranger gave me a hug and then she rub my shoulder and told me that she had my back. she stay with me until i found out that everything was OK at home. the sistah had my back. and i am grateful for her. during the rest of my stay when we saw each other we would greet each other and say I GOT YOUR BACK. know matter where i go and i am around quilters there is always an act if kindness.

QUILTERS ARE THE BEST.

stitches

yetunde

ps

the retreat was given by the 54-40 quilters guild in virginia.

great work 54-40. see you again in two years.

retreat

give me a couple of days and i will tell you how much fun i had at the retreat. i wanted to stay longer. i can't find my camera right now.

been busy

i have been busy quilting and busy with my personal life. personal life has been crazy for a while but things are back in order. but i have been doing a lot of quilting and forgetting to take pictures. a few friends have been asking me to make portrait of their family members. i have been making a lot of portrait quilts for birthday presents. but i kept forgetting to take pictures of my work. now i did take picture of the last three pieces that i did. i am loving this lawrence fishburne quilt. the gray scale for this picture is four, but you are looking at three. i think i am going to check out the gray scale in three. the other two are pictures of my nephew and my best friend. i hope you like what i did.



i am also trying to get things ready for the quilting retreat that i am going to next week. picking out fabric for this retreat is driving me crazy. i brought fabric for the retreat, but now i am also looking at fabric in my stash. so looking back, i really didn't need to buy fabric. don't tell my husband. let this be our little secret. i am taking all day class for the three days that we are staying. two of the classes are techniques of how to make portrait quilts. these two classes are full and i am going to get all that i can from these classes. i just got a email today about another retreat that a friend is giving for next year. she want to know if i am coming. i taught at her retreat last year, it was fun. i guess i will have to plain on going to that next year. i know that i am going to have fun next week i can't wait. i will take lots of pictures.



stitches for now

yetunde