Topic: Oh dear god get them some testosterone

[Hstaphath_XC]

Where did you learn to do it? It looks like areally good craft and Hobby to have. Plus its very practical. I have to show my girls the one with the sun on it. They will love it,

I learned from my wife who is an experienced seamstress and quilter.  She asked for my artistic help to design a pattern one day and it just went from there.

[J. Carney]

Hstaphath_XC,

Man, you are quite possibly one of the best quilters I have ever seen- and I know people who have been at it for 70+ years!

Out of curiosity, do you sell them or just show?

[Hstaphath_XC]

Man, you are quite possibly one of the best quilters I have ever seen- and I know people who have been at it for 70+ years!

Wow, thanks, that is incredibly nice of you to say!  I have been dragged through two quilt shows now, though, so I know I'm still just a novice.   

Out of curiosity, do you sell them or just show?

I originally thought I was making the 8-bit Theater quilt to sell on the Nuklear Power boards at http://www.nuklearpower.com/index.php, but my boys became so attached to it I just couldn't deny them of it.  Like I mentioned, they have even gone so far as having us redecorate their entire room just to showcase it.  The highest offer I hadn't gotten for the 8-bit quilt was $250 anyway, though that isn't to shabby for a custom made queen size winter quilt.

I think the goddesses are going to be put up as framed wall hangings in our dining room.  The next major quilts I am planning are king size summer and winter Native American Indian themed ones for our bedroom.

So, to date, everything I have made or am going to make has been for the immediate family.

My wife, on the other hand, does seamstress and quilt work as her at home business.  She has more work than she can keep up with and I always end up helping her out.  In fact, I think she has started to factor my assistance into her time estimates and it is starting to cause a bit of contention between us.

Anyway, even though she is constantly working, her income doesn't even cover the cost of her college loan payment each month for that degree in Genetics she has never put to use.   

[J. Carney]

Well, you have the kind of imagination and style that a little old lady doesn't have a prayer against. Geometric patterns are pretty, but they are too darn simmilar even when they are different. You, sir, have Style and Panache- these are the halmarks of a true artist.

And what a loss for knowing that you don't do sales. The 8-bit was a hit with all the friends I have linked to the pics... all 20-somethings with fond memories of the old Final Fantasy game on NES. $250 would not be fair for the thought and time you put into that.

As for the Goddess quilt, I personally love it and an art major I know at U of MN directly asked if it was for sale.

Good luck with your art, Sir... you have a lot of God-given tallent at it!

Oh, yeah... make the wife get some use out of that degree!

[Hstaphath_XC]

Well, you have the kind of imagination and style that a little old lady doesn't have a prayer against. Geometric patterns are pretty, but they are too darn simmilar even when they are different. You, sir, have Style and Panache- these are the halmarks of a true artist.

Thanks, that is excellent justification for why I always refer to myself as a "fabric artist" instead of a quilter.  My wife has been teasing me that it's because I must think being a male "quilter" sounds to girlie, but I've maintained being called a "quilter" just doesn't describe what my interest in this hobby really is.

And what a loss for knowing that you don't do sales. The 8-bit was a hit with all the friends I have linked to the pics... all 20-somethings with fond memories of the old Final Fantasy game on NES. $250 would not be fair for the thought and time you put into that.

I'm not above being commissioned to create a quilt/wall hanging/fabric art for someone, I just haven't been asked yet.   

For a queen size quilt, it can take up to a year to complete and most people just don't plan out that far in advance to want to wait.

As for the Goddess quilt, I personally love it and an art major I know at U of MN directly asked if it was for sale.

That is only a 4'x4' block which is meant to be used as a center block in a large quilt or as a stand alone wall hanging.

I want to clarify that my wife did all the stitch work on it (I'm still learning how to applique stitch), I just designed it and helped cut up the fabric.  Honestly, we can always make more.  How much did your friend have in mind?

Good luck with your art, Sir... you have a lot of God-given tallent at it!

Aside from playing computer games, rewriting the Lord of the Rings movies as if they had been done by Monty Python (I'm over half way through the 3rd movie now!), and raising 3 children... I just have to have SOMETHING to do with all my free time.   

Oh, yeah... make the wife get some use out of that degree!

I forgot to mention that she ALSO has a 4 year degree in Asian Cultural Studies.  After having children seriously derailed her job at a genetics lab, she got into quilting and seamstress work full time and has since decided that she would rather spend the rest of her life doing something that she is good at and that she loves... particularly if my income is able to maintain that life choice.

It's a shame and seems a waste, true, but I'd rather have her happy.   

As for myself, since I spent 6 years in the army, I had enough time to figure out what the things were that I loved and were good at before I hit college and racked up a bunch of student loans.  Plus, being wounded in Gulf War 1, I got a full ride on VA Rehab without even using the GI bill money I originally went in for.