I dream in quiltish · Rheumatoid arthritis, my constant companion

In which Chaos Quilter rides the train…

CateImage

Let me start by welcoming everyone from the 2018 New Quiltbloggers Bloghop.  This is my second tour with the group, and it’s really an honor to be in such good company with such fine quilters and bloggers.  I’ve been a lousy blogger this year, but I won’t make excuses.  I just hope you’ll accept that my best intentions sometimes fall to pieces.  I do tend to post to Instagram quite frequently, so don’t be afraid to stalk me by internet.  I’m @cate.sans.eraser

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While you’re here at my blog, you should also go visit the fabulous Clever Chameleon, who is also on today’s blog hop schedule and is a truly talented and amazing quilter.  Honestly, some of the people in this blog hop make me feel like a rank amateur, they’re so talented!  If you want to see all of this week’s quilters in the hop, there will be a schedule of them posted here.  You won’t be sorry you went!

My name is Cate, and I’m a divorced mother of two adults, one of whom currently lives with me, his cat, my longarm, my cat and dog, and his sister’s four (yes four for a total of six) cats.  His sister moved out six months ago but seems to have forgotten something…so I am officially a crazy cat lady, not that it was ever in doubt.

Why Chaos Theory Quilt Co.?  Because chaos theory is a mathematical concept that loosely defines what happens when a very predictable situation has an unpredictable outcome, and life (particularly mine) has been full of those circumstances.  Two divorces and a random chronic disease are just a small portion of that chaos.  Try living in a house with a German Shepherd riding herd on six cats.  It’s very chaotic, quilters.  Very.  I also work full time and am trying hard to learn longarming skills that are worthy of my ambitions while test sewing for friends and occasionally piecing a few of my millions of projects that are constantly in process.

Speaking of longarm skills, I spent the last week at UQSM.  I now have blog fodder for months, so maybe I’ll get my poop in a group and post more!  I took three classes from Natalia Bonner, three from Laurie Tigner, and one from Kelly Cline.  All three teachers were fabulous and life-changing in different ways.  I now want to spend the rest of my life going from quilt show to quilt show, like some Grateful Dead fan with an Olfa cutter and a bunch of thread.

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That, quilters, is an iPhone pano picture taken the inside of a tiny sleeper room aboard the Amtrak California Zephyr, which is how I got from Denver to Salt Lake City for the show.  The scenery was beyond gorgeous, and I’m pretty inured to spectacular views from living my life in Colorado.

 

If you get a chance, take that ride!  The train is relaxing, the service aboard is wonderful, and the food is even good, but views are stunning.  People rafting down the Colorado River do tend to moon the train as it goes by, just in case you’re offended by that kind of thing.  Who doesn’t love the random butt cheeks of complete strangers as they’re navigating Class 5 rapids?

This was my personal favorite from amongst the many intensely beautiful entries in the show.  It wasn’t the 1st place winner, but did get an honorable mention.  It was a piecer’s nightmare and a longarm quilter’s daydream, and it was all done by the same talented woman.  I’ve googled her but come up with nothing.  I’d like to ask her some questions!  For example:

How long did the entire thing take?  Did she use EQ7 for design? Does she have the desire for an apprentice?  Will I ever be anywhere near this good, or should I give up now?

More photos of quilts and teachers to come in my follow-up posts.  Thank you so much for visiting.  I’d love to read any comments you feel like making.  Well, almost any.  Be polite.

98 thoughts on “In which Chaos Quilter rides the train…”

  4. Sounds like you’re having fun with all the kitties and doggie. When I was little my favorite book was “Millions and millions of Cats”, it was about this lady and man that ended up with – you guessed it- millions of Cats! I love cats. Pretty train picture. I’m sure the scenery is so amazing! Thank you for sharing. Have a wonderful day!!

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  6. Hi Cate,
    You are a good egg to keep six (!!) cats. Honestly, what can you do – you can’t get rid of them! I can just see that German Shepherd keeping them all in check, and you and your son too for that matter. I’m sure he does it well! OMG!!!!! I have been talking about taking a sleeper train ride for years – and 2019 might just be THE year. Sometime you will HAVE to write a post about your experience. Please, please, PLEASE! And the show sounds like it was worth the price of admission when learning from all those great teachers. Good grief – I want to have gone with you! And stop comparing yourself to other quilters – you have your own great style and your longarming skills are always a work in progress! ~smile~ Roseanne

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  8. I wanna be a Grateful Dead like cultish creature with an Olfa Cutter and a mat too! I only have one cat left to me by an errant child so I guess I’m lucky. I’m looking forward to reading more of your posts as they come.

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  9. Another fun post to read, Cate! I cannot believe I was in Utah, and could’ve actually met you if I’d had my ducks in a row and knew more about the quilt show as we were making our travel plans. Ah well. So, does the German Shepherd really ride herd on the cats, or is it the other way around?? Just wondering 😉

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  11. I don’t have a cat but I like to make kitty quilts. The train ride is inspiring. Good luck on your Long Arm adventure in quilting.

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  12. It was so nice to read more about you! You totally had me laughing with “like some Grateful Dead fan with an Olfa cutter and a bunch of thread.” If that becomes a thing, sign me up and I’m right there with you!

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  13. Hi Cate! You are a very, very kind mother to keep all of those dear pets. Chaos sounds accurate to me:). I so enjoyed seeing the beautiful pictures of your train trip. I have taken the train up the CA coast and loved it as well. although we weren’t given any butt cheek waves along the way. We only hit in a train wreck with a lady who thought she could drive faster than the train. The train won. I’ll never get why people do that… oh well, rising a train really is a beautiful way to travel.❤️❤️

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  16. Hi Cate, You don’t have to be a crazy cat lady to have many cats. It’s just a love of animals. I have a friend that has 4 dogs and 2 cats. She may be crazy but it’s not because of the animals. It seems they just show up at her house and she doesn’t have the heart to send them away. One of her dogs is really a neighbors. She can’t even send her home.

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  17. Hello Cate, wow 6 cats . I have 2 and they are fully handful. Love them though. I also love going to quilt show the quilting on some of those quilts just blow my mind. How long did it take to do all that quilting probably much longer than it did to create the top. I could never do that but applauded and admire people who are artistic and have that gift and patience.

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  18. Hi Cate, lovely to meet you. I love the title of your blog! I am a non scientist, but have two scientist sons. I sometimes think i am living in some sort of string theory situation. Or maybe i am even in that box with the kitten. And that is the sum of my science knowledge. Like yourself I love train journeys, especially in countries that are new to me. I wonder does anybody on the train moon back? I doubt it. Train passengers are far too refined. Your cats make me laugh, my cousin rarely goes on holidays because of the cat, but it is a neighbour’s cat!

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    1. Now that’s some serious consideration for a kitty! I’m not a mathematician or scientist either. I’m just one of those people who thinks they’ve got everything covered, but rarely does!

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  20. Great to see you again in this blogging group! Love the idea of a gorgeous train ride to a quilt show….got me thinking. Its hard not to compare ourselves – some are working full time at this, some are energizer bunnies that keep on going – most of us fall in between those two. Enjoy the quilting ride as you did the train ride!

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  23. Hello Cate; I grew up in Wyoming and had family who lived in the Denver area. Yet, once you got into the mountain areas, Colorado is gorgeous. I now live in Southern Oregon and it is spectacular. I got a big laugh about the mooning, because we live right along the Rogue River and it is famous for the rafting and Jet Boat rides and very often you hear about the rafters doing the same thing to the Jet Boat riders. Of course, the Jet Boat drivers try and throw water all over the rafters, so it is all in good fun. I also want to say that quilting is not complete with our fur babies! You will have to post pictures when you can. I enjoyed your post and look forward to returning. Have a great day!

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  24. I understand what you mean. About 3 weeks ago I was able to attend the AQS Quilt Week in Paducah, Kentucky. It was lots of fun. I could see myself becoming addicted to attending such events, but that would be VERY hard on my pocketbook.

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  25. I’ve just had a look at the pictures of your longarm quilting. It’s really good. I would love to have a go on a longarm but at the moment I have to do the best I can on a domestic machine – maybe one day

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  27. Pingback: Week 3 – 2018 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop

  28. I adore a menagerie of pets!!! I busted out laughing at visualization of cats being herded. Thank you for sharing yourself today, it was a great post.

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    1. Thank you! I’m glade I can entertain. I love my menagerie, but I would love them more if they’d clean their own sandboxes.

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  29. Hello, Cate! Your train trip and quilting classes sounded marvelous. I rode an Amtrak from Grand Forks, ND to La Crosse, WI. I didn’t have your extraordinary view, but the Mississippi River Valley was fun. I wondered what a sleeper car would be like since I rode from midnight until about noon–it was uncomfortable, but an experience. 🙂

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  32. HI, Cate. Delightful post. Nice to meet you. I rode a train from Fargo ND to Chicago a few years ago. Oh, the experiences I had. The train was late to come making me miss my connection in Chicago prompting a bus trip for the last 80 miles. After a flat tire, we arrived 7 hours later than we were supposed to arrive. I think traveling for enjoyment would be more fun than the one I was on.

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  36. I have wondered what an Amtrak ride would be like–sound like you really enjoyed yours!
    I have a kitty (black) sitting beside me as I read and yes, they are great friends!

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  41. A new friend in Co, that is wonderful. And having cats, an instant friendship, we have 3, but over the years a lot have come, some adopted, some stray that like to stay. So good to read your story, see where you live, and where you visit. greetings from down in New Zealand.

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  43. I have not taken a train ride, as yet. Possibly, down the road (or track). My mother and Aunt have taken quite a few train rides and they’ve enjoyed them. Looks like you really have put your all into learning Long Arm Quilting. So lovely!

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  44. Thanks for sharing! We have had many cats through the years. I am looking for a calico kitten to surprise my grand daughter with this summer.

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  45. I don’t think I would have even dared to start a blog if I was still working. Congratulations on all you are accomplishing. I think our kids leave things behind intentionally so that they have a foot in the door if things don’t work out. Wishing you every success in your continuing adventures with Chaos Quilting.

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  48. Our friends didn’t believe us when we sat the children are never gone–they move back! We had 3 children’s cats plus mine but that was only 4. I get to go to one big quilt show a year. I fly from SD to my sister’s in CA for the Pacific INternational; I am never ready to come home.

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  49. Hi Cate! I can definitely see the chaos!! But you have accomplished a lot and I would love to take a train ride to every quilt show in the USA! I’ve never been on a train, that I remember, but I’m sure it would be a fun adventure! Just hang in there and keep on quilting!

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