Sunday, January 15, 2012

World's Strongest Quilter

I spent an enjoyable weekend watching World's Strongest Man. This is an annual event usually shown around New Year time. It was postponed from New Year's Day this year and I've been eagerly waiting for this weekend since then!

If you haven't ever seen it, WSM features incredibly large men doing implausibly stong things, like pulling fire engines, throwing heavy barrels, and running with huge balls made of stone!

So wouldn't it be fun to have a World's Strongest Quilter competition! Each year the best of the best gather to compete against fellow quilters in battles of fabric, thread and sheer stitchery.

World's Strongest ManWorld's Strongest Quilter

log press
hexagon fabric pressing
truck pullTug of War with Aurifil thread
Fingle's FingersNeedle threading
Dead liftSewing machine carry
Barrel runFastest bias tape making
The Atlas StonesSpeed FMQing
photo of Fingal's Fingers


The Haxagon Press favourite will undoubtedly be Archie The Wonder Dog who has been practicing this event all weekend I believe. I am not of world class standard at any of these events (except perhaps if there's a bonus for how many times you prick your fingers in the needle threading event!) but I'm one of the best at making cups of tea so I'll be in charge of refreshments between events! Yes, this will include biscuits!

Suggestions for future events are always greatly appreciated, just leave a comment with your suggestions!

Meanwhile although I haven't managed to actually do any quilting this weekend, I did receive a lovely package from the equally lovely Magpie Mimi, containing some "not very fat" quarters (Mimi's description! I gather they're some kind of new fangled meters or something ... since moving to America I've gone all imperial in my measurements so it's yards and inches all the way!) ... there's a couple of really nice fabrics and I already am forming plans, including maybe doing some applique raindrop shapes for my Rainy Day quilt with one of them! The package also included a couple of lovely leaf hanging decorations that I shall promptly hang somewhere, and a key fob that I shall also attach to something, most likely my keys since that's what it's designed for! I definitely recommend you check out her blog and from their her etsy store as she adds more and more things to it! ... you definitely all need some of her leaves and key rings ... here's a photo to illustrate! (sorry if I've missed anything off the photo or placed it back to front etc ... I can't really see what I'm taking photos of anymore!)



... and finally the package also included a yummy bar of Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate and 80 Yorkshire Teabags! I'd gobbled a couple of rows of the chocolate and had the kettle boiling within 2 minutes of opening the parcel! :)

Meanwhile I've also been reading some of the Elm Creek Quilt novels ... I found an audiobook on the Blind service at the Library of Congress, containing the first 3 books so I'm listening to those and am currently starting book 3! Really enjoying them!

8 comments:

  1. I have an idea for an alternative to the atlas stone. How about one where you have to carry increasing numbers of bolts of fabric from further away in the store up to the cutting counter. Sort of like the one where they lift those giant cement balls onto those pedestals.

    You have me salivating over that chocolate. I used to have a British friend that would give out giant bars of Cadbury when her mother came to visit. Sadly she moved away so I haven't had any British Cadbury (which is supposed to be superior to what we can buy here) in a long time.

    Cindy

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  2. Oh how about the rotary cutting race... how many layers can you cut through at once before knackering your blade... Very impressed with your tea making skills. No, really, I am, tea making is something I value very highly!
    Lovely package from lovely mimi :-)

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  3. Mmm tea & biscuits I am in! The events sound like fun too! Lovely package!

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  4. Love it! I think chain piecing could be a good event. Oh, and binding. :)

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  5. Strongest quilter sounds more fun and a lot less dangerous!

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  6. Hehe! I like it a lot! I think there should be a speedy bobbin winding event as if I press my presser foot too far the thread usually spins too fast and jumps off the machine! Very fun!

    Glad you liked your package! Can't wait to see what you make with it all!

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  7. Oh yes, new year is not new year if you don't get to watch some oversized men humph things about! Given the weight of big brother though, I think moving him comes under the single arm weight lift category ;o)

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  8. Oh yes, I've been practising my hexagon pressing this weekend - I hope there are any penalties for burnt fingers?! How about a fabric pulling event - how quickly can you choose ten fabrics (from ten different lines) that work well together? And the quilty equivalent of the 100 yard dash (a line of hand stitching) is always popular! And how about an obstacle course, to be done whilst carrying five full bolts of fabric and several reels of thread...mind you, think I've wandered away from Strongest Quilter territory and into sports day!!

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