Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Reclaiming my blog -- Did you see my new tattoo?

I haven't been blogging very frequently. I hold no obligation to this blog, other than a personal obligation to catalog my work. ... but I still feel the need to mention my absence. 

Shruti and I's Quiltcon tattoos Quilt Blocks & Expecto Patronum
For the past two years I have been spending time working on the Chicago MQG blog. I was the Technology Director for the guild, and this required lots of blogging and coordinating info... and less time available here. Plus, I've been back to working (nearly) full time for two years now. Whew! Blogging was easier when I was home more! Anyway, my time as Tech director is now over, and I'm ready to get back to at least blogging about finished projects! lol. I'm so behind!

It's important to me that I keep a documented list of the quilts that I make. Most of my quilts are given away, and I don't want to forget them! 


There might be a few fairly boring posts in the next few weeks. These posts will hold at least one photo of a finished quilt, and hopefully some additional details regarding the quilt. Bear with me as I get caught up on the quilts of the past few months.

The good side of all this -- while I wasn't taking the extra time blogging, I was still quilting up a storm! I've published several projects in magazines, and there are several more to come. I've finished five mini quilts, one baby quilt, and several other projects so far this year! 

This post would have been awfully boring without pictures. So here are some photos of my Quiltcon Tattoo! 

My tattoo (left) and Nikki's tattoo (right)
At Quiltcon 2013 I saw Nikki's quilt block tattoo (the day after she got it!). I fell in love with it immediately! Over the course of the next two years I daydreamed and sketched my version of it. Finally when Quiltcon 2015 was close, I started looking for a tattoo artist and researching allergy info. See, I'm allergic to a chemical, Glycol, which is often used as an additive in just about anything - especially liquids. Luckily my friend Jessica suggested Affinity Tattoo - and they were FANTASTIC! 

My tattoo was done by David Guy, and he was excited to take on the challenge. His preferred ink contained no glycol, and he went out of his way to contact the companies of all the products he used - to verify that there was no glycol present in them either. I can't tell you how exceptional this is. David was also excited for the challenge of my quilt blocks! He did great! I had almost no swelling, and very little pealing, no scabbing. The whole thing was amazing! 

Shruti and Emily came with me to my appointment. Shruti also got a tattoo (Expecto Patronum!). It was a fantastic experience overall. (Especially when Shruti glared at me while her tattoo was being done -- apparently mine didn't hurt as much as hers!) 

I absolutely love this tattoo - it's everything I wanted it to be. :) Oh and the quilt blocks are spaced a scant 1/4" apart - just because I could!