Einstein, Mozart and quilting

It seems there are two kinds of people who design their own work.

Those with a non science mathematical bent use sketchbooks, make samples, try ideas out.

Those with a science/mathematical bent, do all (or nearly all) of the design work in their head.

I've just listened to a program on Einstein and his violin. Apparently he particularly like Mozart who arranged and composed the whole composition in his head before committing it to paper. He also was fond of Bach (I have no idea of his composition method). Einstein used his violin playing to work out problems in his head and/or to clear his head and focus.

I suppose there are designers out there who do a mixture of both.

Random thoughts for a Monday morning. I still haven't got my quilting back on track though my brain is designing away at a rate of knots. It will come. Perhaps now Fliss is back at university and DH is back at work it will come back to me.

And the kittens on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Size- does it matter?

No this isn't a porn question, it's a genuine query. As some of you know, I'm in the process of a book on feathers, how to use them, motifs and continuous feathers to use.

1.There are several ways for me to go. I can use a publisher but in truth this doesn't appeal.

Or I can self publish.

2.If I go for regular quilt book size, I can get it printed either in small quantities but high cost or large quantities but I could get stuck with loads of them unsold.

3.Or I can use Amazon and they will print of demand with each order, no risk for me but I'd have to sell 1,000s to make it worth my time

4.Or I can print myself which won't look so professional, but will be cheaper for you.

5.Or I can print myself on double sized paper so I can get more on a page and not leave you with having to enlarge the feathers. This would require me to buy an oversize printer but they have come down in price drastically so the risk for me isn't huge. The price would be higher than for the regular sized book but not nearly as much as if it came from a publisher or if I got it printed. (This is my favourite option as the book would be ready for you to use).

If you were to buy it, which option would you prefer?

Rosie (formerly Millie, she had a name change very soon after she acquired a name) has just discovered the curser. It makes it very difficult to do anything on the computer.
She gets between the screen and the keyboard.

And if I take it to the top of the screen, she is positive it has gone over the top and down the back.
So funny.

Not back into sewing yet

but I'm sure it will come. Colin's gone back to work but not travelling in the rush hour.
Did I tell you we changed the girl kitten's name from Millie (Millicent) to Rosie (Rosalind). A lifetime ago when Fliss and I went to see the Time Traveller's Wife, I drove on a local road where the body of a young girl, Millie Dowler, had been found. Once the two were joined in my brain, I had to change the kitten's name. Millie Dowler was a lovely young girl, only a year older than Fliss. The tragedy of her murder will remain with us all in the area forever.

Rosie loves her new name and responds to it well, particularly when accompanied by a bowl of food. I can see the vet putting her on a weight restricting diet

and George going on a weight increasing one. He just burns up calories like they are going out of fashion.

Yesterday

I made this skirt to go round the base of the bed. Ideally it wouldn't need such a skirt, in practice all my quilts (antique and those made by me) live under here. (And a roll of wool batting)
Today I cut this striped fabric for a strippy. I'd thought I could just rotary cut the strips. No way, the print veered to the left and right. This meant I had to eyeball it and cut by hand. The visual disturbance this caused made me quite nauseous.

I have no idea why this looks so yellow but I'm wondering whether to have the striped fabric going alternate directions like this

Or all the same way like this. Just try and imagine you are seeing this as black and white.