North Coast Quilt Shops pt.3

 

Ocean Waves Quilt Shop
Ocean Waves Quilt Shop

Ocean Waves Quilt Shop was the last shop we visiting. It was much better in the sun, not so dim, though there were little nooks and crannies that were still a bit dim. The woman who worked there was very efficient and very helpful.

All Washed Up Sparkling Cider Pattern
All Washed Up Sparkling Cider Pattern

They had a lot of quilts hanging up. One of the things I saw was a rendition of the All Washed Up Sparkling Cider pattern I used for Sparkle Pink. As I have said, the genius of that pattern is the interesting way it allows large prints to be showcased. This version, however, shows a different way the pattern can be used and has the feel of the fabric in the store.

There was a class going on in the back room. I am not sure what the class was about, but it might have been some type of beginning class. I was pleased to see that there were a relatively large number of people in the shop.

OWQS Fabric & Patterns
OWQS Fabric & Patterns

The tone of the shop was more Hoffman, smallish prints and florals, which is not to say they didn’t have great fabric. I found a dot I liked and a black on white that I might use for a project brewing in my head. The really nice dot I found was purple. The purple color reminds me of violet, but it is darker. I only got a half yard, but that should be enough for whatever it is I decide to make with it and I have selvedge.

Patterns, Samples & Pre-cuts
Patterns, Samples & Pre-cuts

They had a lot of stuff there: fabric, patterns, pre-cuts, Aurifil, samples. There is a bag in the last picture (right photo, bottom center) with a curved flap. It is called the Flip Flap bag and they had just sold the last pattern, so I didn’t buy it, but I liked the shape

Read part 1 and 2 of this travelogue, too!

North Coast Quilt Shops pt.2

Scottie Dog Right Front
Scottie Dog Right Front

I also went to Scottie Dog Quilts again. This shop is a white stucco building (kind of an ugly building actually) on the corner of a street, but they don’t have a sign outside anymore, so we drove right past it and had to go around the block. It worked out, because we parked on the side street and were in the correct position to head east (I think) to Ocean Waves Quilt shop for the next stop.

Scottie Dog Right Middle
Scottie Dog Right Middle

Scottie Dog has freshened up their look since I was there last. One big difference was that the weather was nicer. Last time, the whole area was fogged over and grey. This trip, the sky was a bright blue and it made everything nicer. Still, the freshening wasn’t all on the part of the weather. Scottie Dog has removed a high set of shelves and moved the cutting counter (I think) and that has made the whole space more open. I didn’t notice that they seemed to have less fabric. They crammed a lot into a relatively small shop.

Right towards Street
Right towards Street

S.D. has also embraced modern fabrics in a big way. If you need some Ruby charm packs, they have a few left. They also had one of Moda’s Sophie as well as a bit of the yardage. I bought an old print of Heather Bailey’s called Pop…Flowers?? I don’t remember. Big stylized flowers. I am thinking I will make a bag. I hope to make a bag.

Little Bits Double Wedding Ring
Little Bits Double Wedding Ring

I have to admit that I admire Double Wedding Ring Quilts, but will probably never make. I don’t like the look of some of the quilts made from the rotary cutting templates (curve is not smooth). I had decided to admire them from afar until I saw the Little Bits pattern for a DWR at Scottie Dog. (Nota bene: They don’t have it on their website and were out of stock, otherwise I would link to them). The pieces are small, but I could do some quick piecing and rotary cutting. They also had some bag patterns. I bought a bag pattern called The Potato Chip Bag because you can’t make just one, apparently.

Left Front
Left Front

One good thing about stopping at quilt stores while traveling is that their restrooms are usually clean. I loved their restroom. It was scarlet, pipes and everything, with a border print of the Mary Englebreit scottie dog.

Left Front Corner
Left Front Corner

The shop also had different things to entice the shopper: a few shelves of batiks, pre-cut Tumblers in 2 sizes, lots of pre-cuts, especially charm packs. They also had a lot of patterns with samples hanging around the shop.

Front of Shop
Front of Shop

They didn’t have any Aurifil, but they had a good selection of interesting notions and other types of thread. I bought some more True Grips and a swivel D Ring for a future bag.

Check out part 1 of this travelogue.

North Coast Quilt Shops pt.1

North Coast View
North Coast View

Driving up the coast to the North Coast is a beautiful drive. It was particularly beautiful on Friday, because the Northern California area was washed by a rain storm on Thursday night. The light was gorgeous and the clouds were gorgeous and it made me glad to be driving up the Coast.

Fat Quail Quilt Shop
Fat Quail Quilt Shop

Last time we drove up that way, we saw a quilt shop in Laytonville called Fat Quail Quilts. The shop is on the side of 101N and we weren’t able to stop the first time, because we were already past by the time we knew what was happening. This time I planned ahead. Their website was very clear how to find it and we were able to stop.

It is a nice shop. They have a lot of fabric, patterns, notions. A good variety of

One of the things I like to notice when I am in an area is whether or not the color schemes  are different from what I am used to seeing.

Fat Quail 30s Fabric
Fat Quail 30s Fabric

The overall color scheme reminded me of Fall colors. They had a lot of nice fabrics. I, of course, found a few things that I brought home with me. One was a needle threader. I broke mine last week working on the binding for the Stepping Stones.

The shop looked like a former house. It was broken up into 4 rooms plus a bathroom. The front room and the very back room were quite large, which makes me think there was some remodeling done. The layout worked well and the owner had used the various niches to create different displays.

The shop had a section of 1930s fabrics, that I thought was very appealing. There was a book called Frugal to Fancy about vintage patterns done in modern fabrics and the whole display made me want to buy all of the fabrics and the book.

Card Catalog Fat Quarters
Card Catalog Fat Quarters

Being a librarian, I thought the shop’s storage of fat quarters was GREAT! I loved the use of the card catalog drawers for fat quarters. I thought it was an effective display technique even if it was hard to see the fat quarters. The drawers were labeled and that was great.

I also noticed that the Fat Quail lady had no problem cutting fat quarters. I wanted some reds, but was trying to be frugal, so she happily cut me some fat quarters of the reds. I wanted.

Stonehenge
Stonehenge

Sandy from Quilting… for the Rest of Us talks about Stonehenge fabric all the time and I saw a display – a large display of it in this shop. I think this is the first time I have seen it, or, perhaps, it is the first time I have seen a display of it. It is very earthy looking and reminded me of picking out counters when we remodeled our kitchen. A little too beige for me, but interesting prints.

Front Room
Front Room

The displays were little vignettes of fabrics, books and patterns. There were great samples of bags and other small accessories. I bought a pattern for a fish hot pad holder. I wanted to support the shop and also thought it would make a good gift for Christmas. I am going to make twelve, but will start with one and see how it goes before I commit. I was also thinking it might be a good way to practice machine quilting.

 

Well worth a visit!

More Stars Different Stars

English Paper Piecing Stars
English Paper Piecing Stars

I spent the weekend up on the North Coast with my handsome DH. In the car, I like to work on something. The English Paper Piecing project I started in August is perfect and I was able to finish 4 stars. A few of the stars were done during TV watching sessions.

I forgot how much I liked this project.

I organized the half hexagons in the hotel room on Saturday, so they were ready to put together in the car. It worked out great.

Each star takes around an hour to sew together.

CQFA Retreat Work

Rhonda's A-B-C Challenge
Rhonda’s A-B-C Challenge

The last weekend was spent at the CQFA Retreat. We go to a small town on the coast about half an hour away. It is perfect, because I don’t have to drive very far and it is beautiful.

Rhonda and Angela came to the CQFA Retreat for the first time. It was great, because they were able to get to know the other members better. As I mentioned CQFA and the BAMQG were on the same day so it was hard to stay and socialize. It was also great, because we got to spend much more time with Angela and Rhonda.

Rhonda brought her A-B-C Challenge and was able to work on it a little bit. It really looks great and the CQFAers loved her travel concept.
PICT3101smI really admire people who bring multiple projects to the Retreat and then work on them. I brought two projects for the first and was able to work on both. One of my issues is I can’t organize myself well enough to make sure that I have all of the parts necessary for multiple projects.

Julie, unlike me, has a wonderful spontaneity about her work. As a result, she worked on several different projects. The three parts of this piece are really a good aspect of this piece. Of course, she used her hand dyes.

Dolores' FabMo Piece
Dolores’ FabMo Piece

Dolores likes to plan her pieces and does gorgeous, thoughtful work. At this Retreat, however, Dolores was sitting next to Julie and, without Dolores realizing it,  some of Julie’s spontaneity wore off (infected???)  on Dolores. Dolores took a sample book of linen she got from FabMo and cut the pieces apart. She laid them out on a piece of muslin as a backing and glued them down temporarily.

Her intention was to sew them just enough to hold down the strips until she could embellish them.

The interesting thing about this piece is the texture of the fabric and the fraying of the edges. The colors are earthy with a bit of zing (see the purple?)

Angela's Table Runner
Angela’s Table Runner

Angela came with the SCVQA challenge project. They will be having a show in April and the theme is Oh My Stars!

Along with the show quilts, the organization will have a challenge exhibit and Angela brought her pieces along to work on. She brought fabric and thread and ended up with the piece on the left.

This is a miracle, because there were many, many rules to this challenge. I admire Angela for coming up with this gorgeous piece and still working within the rules of the challenge.

Angela's Table Runner
Angela’s Table Runner

She decided to use the Gwen Marston wonky stars technique. I love this piece. I love the colors (of course!!! Look at that turquoise). I love the embroidery of constellations she did as embellishments. I would love to see Angela make a similar piece but larger.

 

Sue's Flying Geese
Sue’s Flying Geese

Sue worked, again, with batiks. Her piece from last year was just as gorgeous and when you look at them together, they look like a series.

I also like the juxtaposition of the classic Flying Geese with the contemporary look of the batiks. I know it is weird to say such a thing, but it looks so interesting to me and really stands out to me.

Maureen's Plus Quilt
Maureen’s Plus Quilt

Maureen started out with this Plus type quilt.

I love the fabrics that she chose. Maureen had a Jelly Roll or strip set with these colors. Instead of using rectangles as some of the pieces Maureen used all squares. She told me that starting with this piece made for a very calming beginning to the quilt retreat.

Maureen's Fabric Map
Maureen’s Fabric Map

Maureen started to have some trouble with her sewing machine so she switched to a hand project.

This piece looked like a map. Maureen did a lot of handwork on the piece and was thinking about others. She added French knots and a lot of couching around the edges of the white and blue areas..

Dolores
Dolores
Calm Basting
Calm Basting

This is what Calm looks like during basting. Big Deal, right?

Rhonda's Hand project
Rhonda’s Hand project

Rhonda took a class on different types of handwork. In the picture above we are helping Rhonda chose the colors for the next set of borders.

Robin's Indigo Ocean Waves
Robin’s Indigo Ocean Waves

Robin had some indigo fabrics from her mother. They were from South Africa. She found some great, and perfect, contemporary companion prints to use with the indigos.

The large squares are the contemporary prints. I also like the way these blocks are a bit off. It gives the piece movement.

Sonja's Bicycle
Sonja’s Bicycle

Sonja was working on several pieces as well. She was inspired by some of the activities she does with her family. In addition to the bicycle, she had a scooter as part of the series. It was such great work; I can’t wait to see it finished.

PIQF Part 1

My day yesterday left me rather cranky and irritable and if that comes through on this post, I won’t publish and will see if I can uncrankify it. Work has a way of sucking all the good feelings I get from a few well deserved days off right out of my system.

Anyway.

Renewed Jelly Roll Race on display
Renewed Jelly Roll Race on display

I took a day and a half off of work last week and went down to Santa Clara to the Pacific International Quilt Festival to visit the Renewed Jelly Roll Race, which was on display. TFQ and I usually go and she missed a year last year. We got ourselves organized again and were back in the saddle this year – sort of. Our trip was abbreviated a little because of family obligations for me. Despite having less time to view the quilts, I think we both agreed that we saw plenty.

I am concerned that once the 49ers stadium is built, the parking will no longer be free or there will be no available parking on game days. I look at these next few years as, possibly my last chance to go to the show. Yes, I am being melodramatic and borrowing trouble. I’ll get over myself.

The show was not as crowded as usual on Thursday and Friday, but I thought the preview was more crowded. I loved not having such large crowds on Thursday and Friday, because it was much easier to take photos. However I was concerned about what that meant for attendance numbers. Both days, I saw lots of white hair and not many strollers. I didn’t attend on Saturday or Sunday, so I’d like to know if you saw more younger quiltmakers on those days.

In terms of quilts, the show had the same look – lots of landscapes and portraits especially. I noticed lots of pattern quilts being shown, especially quilts made from patterns or classes by Judy Niemeyer. I still took a lot of photos.** I wonder about entering a quilt made from a pattern. What do you think about that? Should the quilt have been altered in some way or is it ok to enter a pattern quilt in a show that is an exact replica of the original?

The Best of Show winners were in the “more is better” philosophy. I apologize for being snarky, but I think design counts for something and since I heard a podcast on what judges look for, I have been disillusioned by Best of Show quilts. Still and all, there was lots at the show from which I was inspired. The stitching is still getting better and better and there was a lot of hand work to satisfy that craving.

The vendors were meh. I had put myself on a strict budget and it wasn’t difficult to keep to it. There were a few things I would have bought, but, in general, the offerings were old and expensive. I saw only a few vendors carrying Jelly Rolls, Layer Cakes and the like and the variety of choices was slim. One vendor told us it was very hard to receive the ‘baked goods’ that you actually order and that Moda does one run of them, sends what it can and does not reprint. I suppose I can understand not reprinting the “baked goods” as they have so many lines coming out each year. I, personally, cannot keep up with all the lines and have kind of given up on getting the newest latest and greatest.

I did see quite a few of the Tonga Treats and Bali Pops, which I thought was interesting and didn’t remember seeing last year. I really liked the colors from the Macaron line of fabrics by Hoffman, but didn’t buy any. I still might. Still, I wanted to see what was new and exciting in the quilt stuff  department and just didn’t get that fix satisfied. I bought a little fabric, some dotty buttons, a couple of swivel clips and D ring sets and a Tonga Treats pack for a project I have in mind.

The SD card went bad on my camera while I was at the show. Fortunately, I only had about an aisle and a half left. Unfortunately, it was the aisle with New Quilts of Northern California on it.  TFQ took photos of the last quilts, so you will have a complete set of the photos *we* liked. 😉

I bought a new SD card, but the camera can’t seem to read it. I like my camera and think it takes good photos. It will be hard to create interesting blog posts when I can’t take photos.  I’ll have to deal with that problem sooner rather than later.

Marbled Star by Judy Mathieson
Marbled Star by Judy Mathieson

There were quilts in the various special exhibits that I liked. There was an exhibit of quilts inspired by the floors at Bristol Cathedral, including a smaller version of her quilt, Cosmati Stars, by Judy Mathieson. This is an offshoot or further examination of an exhibit we saw a few years ago, also at PIQF, of mosaic floor tile inspired quilts by Christine Porter.

Improvements the Mancusos need to make:

  1. Replace black drapes behind quilts with white drapes. It will make the space seem lighter and larger as well make it easier to take pictures.
  2. Include a special exhibit of Modern quilts (perhaps the Modern Quilt Guild should organize it?) to draw in more of the Modern quiltmakers.
  3. Encourage vendors to bring new stuff.
  4. Consider moving the show back to the City in order to provide more options for public transportation, which would, in turn, increase attendance.
  5. Create a category for bags and other small accessories.

**I will be uploading all of the photos to my Flickr account, but it will take me some time. There is a link above, but you will need to return later to see them all.

Magic Garden

Magic Garden Mosaic
Magic Garden Mosaic

Last year, I went to Philadelphia for a conference. I had been there before, but didn’t remember much about the smaller things I saw. I remember going out to Fairmont Park and my friend,  Kathy, coming to tour around with me. I wrote about the quilt shops I visited on the most recent trip, but never wrote about the City.

Magic Gardens Entry View
Magic Gardens Entry View

Recently, I read a FB post and was reminded of the Magic Gardens. I had seen it my first time through, I think, but was enchanted and mesmerized by it when we walked by on this most recent trip.

The Magic Gardens is on South Street, which is a funky street full of funky little mom and pop shops. There is an entry fee, but a person can see quite a lot from the street.

The place is amazing. The walls are filled with broken pieces of tile and glass. There are archways and walls made from concrete embedded with different types of crockery and tile all done in a mosaic style.

Messy Rooms
Messy Rooms

The place really looks like a mess from certain angles.

One thing I liked about it was the reuse of materials. I was particularly enamored with the bicycle wheels embedded in the tops of the walls. There is something about the shape that is appealing. I don’t remember seeing bicycle wheels embedded as if they were windows, but I think that would be an interesting look and I wonder if they will do that sometime in the future?

Magnificent details
Magnificent details

The details are magnificent as well.

I remember when we remodeled part of our house (an agonizing process, if there ever was one!) that we looked at all sort of interesting things, including tile. There are wonderful tiles out there that I loved, but didn’t match our color scheme or were too much or were too expensive.

In the Magic Garden I saw some very interesting tiles being used even if they were broken. They were used and fit in perfectly. They were used, but not used randomly. The details show care and thought in the designs.

I really want to do something like this for my porch.  I want it to be interesting and I want people to stop an look closer before they ring the doorbell.

Messages
Messages

There are messages as well. This one is a common one, but no less poignant and the artist took care to embed it in the structure and make it timeless by not referring to specific wars. It makes me think of specific wars, which, I guess is common because of my time. In the future, perhaps people will think of other wars and wonder. I hope not, though.

The message also makes me wonder if the artist really believes their own message? Does s/he fight with other artists for space in the Magic Garden or for materials or for money. Do they fight because they are lovers or do they consider their message as applying to their lives as well?

Dishes
Dishes

I saw themes as well. While the photo with the dishes was on a nearby building not in the Magic Garden, it illustrates what I mean. This mosaic piece had a number of items that reflected real life. Also, the shape of the dishes is carried out farther than just around the dishes themselves. Two themes.

There is a lot of texture in these pieces, which adds to the entirety.

 

Mosaics in Real Life
Mosaics in Real Life
Mosaics in Real Life pt.2
Mosaics in Real Life pt.2

Around the Magic Gardens are mosaics that have been affixed to other walls. I don’t know if these are projects of the Magic Gardens programs or if people in the area have been inspired by the mosaics. I know that air conditioners and sign posts don’t make for excellent photos, but I like the way the mosaics have been worked around real life. We can’t do without the windows and signposts, so why not make them part of the landscape? Why not work around them and execute the vision rather than becoming frustrated that the wall isn’t perfectly blank? I am glad the artists worked through their challenges. We need more art in our every day lives.

I have so many more photos, but think I will save them for another day.

Art Institute of Chicago Grates, pt.3

Fisher Building Elevator Grille, 1895-96
Fisher Building Elevator Grille, 1895-96

The last bit of my trip that I really wanted to talk about were the grates and grilles and other metal work. The Art Institute has collected pieces, parts and sections of buildings around Chicago that were being renovated or torn down. As you may have noticed from some of my inspiration photos, I have always enjoyed architectural details. Making a building beautiful (as opposed to striking or memorable) seems to be the greatest gift an architect can give a city.

I never really thought much about grates and grilles until I was standing in the second floor stairwell/lobby area of the AIC. For those of you who know the place, it is outside the Impressionist gallery. There, the curators have displayed a variety of pieces, many of which are metal. I know I have seen them as I have walked by buildings and there have even been a few times when I have ridden in one of those elevators where you have to close the door, but I didn’t really think about them as a source of inspiration until I saw them hanging on the wall. It is interesting how a museum will do that to me.

The Fisher Building Elevator Grille, above, is only the upper portion. I don’t think they had (or maybe I just didn’t photograph) the lower portion. I do think the round part looks like some kind of serpent. Not so great for quilty inspiration, but I could go with the general shape and proportion. What really grabbed me was the background. Those lines and curls would make great background on a quilt.

Manhattan Building Elevator Grille, 1889-91
Manhattan Building Elevator Grille, 1889-91

This is a really elaborate elevator grille. Sometimes I wonder if the artisans or designers felt like they got one chance and went all out. Do you every do that?

I like the spirals in the middle, but in general I think this piece is top heavy. Stand on your head, look at the picture and tell me what you would think of it if the bottom were the top.

I think the spirals would be good quilting designs. I like the way there are different sizes of spirals and they go in different directions.

Manhattan Building Elevator Grille, 1889-91 detail
Manhattan Building Elevator Grille, 1889-91 detail

 

 

The close-up shows even more detail within the spirals and you can see the heavy part on top very well. I think it would be a good idea for me to take some kind of architectural history class so I would know what the official names of the various shapes are called. Dohickey isn’t very descriptive or precise.

The other thing about this detail is that it shows one thing I try to do in my quilts: the viewer gets a reward by getting close up. See the little dots and divets in the spirals? Do you see the wing shape in the largest spiral?

Window Keystone, 1872
Window Keystone, 1872

I don’t know what a window keystone is, but the design would make an interesting piecing challenge. The way the piece is made makes the design seem like there is no ‘block’. I think this would probably be a similar piecing issue to the Spiky Stars piece I designed and created a number of years ago.

Window keystone, 1872, detail
Window keystone, 1872, detail

I also like the slight curve of the motifs. I wonder if this is one of those motifs that could be sewed using straight lines, but would look curved? I don’t think so, but I also haven’t put much thought into it since I took the photos. Looking at the detail makes me see real curves in the piecing. I also like the interlocking knot look of some parts of the design. I think I would like a job where I designed useful items that would add to the beauty of everyday surroundings.

Schiller Building Block of Stringcourse
Schiller Building Block of Stringcourse

I am kind of partial to ovals, though I haven’t done anything with them in quiltmaking yet. These are really interesting pieces, partially because I have no idea what they were used for it and it fascinates me to think about these being added to a building because they were beautiful.

I really thought there were beautiful buildings in Chicago and it made me lament the dearth of classic (IMO) creativity in building today. Of course, things are a lot more expensive and these types of details may be prohibitively expensive, but I think their lack also makes us poorer.

These pieces would definitely make for interesting quilting designs and some complicated, but interesting piecing challenges.

Art Institute of Chicago Quilts

Star of Bethlehem, 1830
Star of Bethlehem, 1830

These quilts were part of the Fabric of a New Nation, 1776-1840 exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago.

As I said in my previous post about the Samplers, the textile exhibit was small. Despite being small the quilts on display were excellent. Perhaps not excellent in the that they were the best of the best, but excellent in that they were interesting. There were interesting choices of fabric, interesting corner treatments and interesting block variations. We all seem to go for perfect, especially when we run out of fabric and, yet, I find that antique quilts with an odd patch of fabric are more interesting. I often think “why would she choose that particular fabric?” and that thought leads me into a whole day dream about the woman that made the quilt.

The Star of Bethlehem was a stellar example of a quilt. The museum called it a bedcover. I wonder why? I’ll have to ask a curator friend and see if she knows.

Star of Bethlehem, 1830 detail
Star of Bethlehem, 1830 detail

The colors are a really good combination. The red, green and yellow are a combination I used to use a lot when I drew and colored with felt pens. The viewer is rewarded with the fabrics when viewing close-up. They are interesting and add a lot of movement to the quilt

The borders are another excellent part of this. In reality, the whole quilt is about the borders. It is kind of a border round robin idea.

Star of Bethlehem, 1830 detail
Star of Bethlehem, 1830 detail

The detail of this quilt is great. The photo (left) is a detail of the center. I love it that this quiltmaker sewed so many inset seams, not only in the center, but in the whole quilt. I would love to know the maker (or makers).

The other thing is that the points are really well done. I know that points matching is not the be-all-end-all, but when the points matching is well done, it is a joy to behold.

Again, in this detail, you can see the nice combination of the red, yellow and green. I think the tones of the colors are interesting. Not greyed, not bright. Not sure what I am seeing, but it is interesting.

Star of Bethlehem, 1830 corner
Star of Bethlehem, 1830 corner

One thing I like to do is pay attention to the corners of borders. It is sometimes hard to know now to make a corner meet, especially if your piecing is a bit off. In this example the corner is a bit off where the two parts of the border meet, but the quiltmaker really did a nice job making that flower shape. I really like it. I also like that it is a bit off. It gives the quilt humanity, soul.

Keep in mind that I had to take photos of these quilts with no flash. Thus, the colors in the photo of the corner look more yellow than they were.

Pincushion & Burrs, 1830
Pincushion & Burrs, 1830

I have never heard of this pattern with the name Pincushion and Burrs. It is also, according to the information card, called Square and Swallows, which sounds familiar, but not very much. I am pretty good with blocks, but I haven’t paid a lot of attention to quilt designs that have an all over name. Something to put on my bucket list, I guess.

I really like the border on this quilt, but the overall quilt is a great blue and white quilt. The little bird feet add movement and interest to this piece. I am not a huge fan of two color quilts; I don’t hate them, but I just think there is so much good fabric, why stick with just two? However, when I see a quilt like this, I think about making a two color quilt.

Pincushion & Burrs, 1830, detail
Pincushion & Burrs, 1830, detail

In addition to showing you the birds’ feet in this photo, you can also see the quilting. The quilting includes bunches of grapes, which are difficult in the best of circumstances. These are well done. The thing I like about this quilting is the double row of stitching that border the plain blocks. You may have to enlarge the photo to see them.

I also like the slight curves in the center of pieced blocks (applique’). I think this could be made, partially, like a Drunkard’s Path is made.

Pincushion & Burrs, 1830, corner
Pincushion & Burrs, 1830, corner

Again, here is a border corner. this is an interesting treatment-Flying Geese border and then a kind of Double Four Patch with Half Square Triangles. I like. It works, even if it isn’t perfect. It does look a bit like a butterfly.

Small, but nice exhibit in general. I enjoyed it.

Art Institute of Chicago Samplers

AIC Mourning Sampler
AIC Mourning Sampler

At the Art Institute of Chicago, while I was in Chicago, there was a very small exhibit of textiles called Fabric of a New Nation: American Needlework and Textiles, 1776–1840. It is in Galleries 57–59 from Thursday, July 12, 2012–Sunday, November 11, 2012.

The exhibit included some quilts and several examples of needlework. One type of needlework I like are samplers. I like them because they are so personal. They often include initials or names and dates. The ones I know best are cross stitch samplers. I have made a few, including one I posted here previously. The ones at the Art Institute were different. These were not cross stitch, but more emboridery/needlework samplers and they were mourning samplers.

AIC Mourning Sampler
AIC Mourning Sampler

At a certain point in time and space, I guess there was no way to remember people unless a woman stitched a mourning sampler. I felt odd staring at this sampler, it felt indecent for some reason. I couldn’t stop, though. The stitches shone, glittered in the harsh fluorescent light. The thread was silk and it was like a whole bunch of puzzle pieces clicked into place in my mind. The thread was gorgeous and it made me realize that I need to get some of this thread and try it out on one of my pieces.

I also liked this tree. I like the curves of the limbs and the shape of the leaves. The colors are very soothing, but I always wonder whether the colors have faded?

I enjoy looking at older textiles because I always get inspired. I see something that sparks a thought in my mind. I also like thinking about the women who made them. It always makes me sad when I read a tag next to a beautiful Sampler and it says ‘unknown.’ I am glad we have blogs, because we won’t be so anonymous in the future.

1791 Sampler by Lucy Potter
1791 Sampler by Lucy Potter

I thought the Sampler by Lucy Potter was very fine. It isn’t exactly my style, but the stitching was exquisite. I like the writing, but it is hard to see.

Nota bene: we were allowed to take photos as long as they were taken without the flash. That is why these photos are so dark.

Elizabeth Bogfholder Towel, 1831
Elizabeth Bogfholder Towel, 1831

The Bogfholder Towel is a cross stitch sampler. I like the simple shapes and bright colors of this sampler.

I have trees on the mind, too, so I was particularly interested in the way the artist stitched the trees.

Elizabeth Bogfholder Towel, 1831, detail
Elizabeth Bogfholder Towel, 1831, detail

I know that thedetail of the towel isn’t exactly a tree, but I thought the motif had an interesting shape. It is, perhaps a candelabrum? The birds or griffins on the top intrigue and I wonder about the symbolism for all of these motifs.

I also think I could make a good argument that the smaller motifs on the left and right are stylized trees.

Stencilled bedcover
Stencilled bedcover

When I first saw this piece the exhibit was transitioning from needlework to quilts and I thought this was a quilt or an embroidered bed cover. It is a bed cover, but it is stenciled. The stenciling was very fine and detailed. I was amazed when I got up close to it, because I really couldn’t tell from even 3 feet away.

I had no idea that stenciling was done in the covered by this exhibit. I always think it is a good day when I learn something new.

Stenciled bedcover, detail
Stenciled bedcover, detail

I think some of the motifs of the stenciling could be enlarged and used as applique’.

The description of the exhibit is “Featuring over 45 bedcovers, coverlets, needlework, printed handkerchiefs, and other household textiles from the permanent collection of the Department of Textiles, this exhibition explores the evolution of an American textile tradition as home creation, cottage industry, and commercial production developed between the years 1776 and 1840. While some needlework and textiles during this period were born out of necessity, others evoke refinement and sophistication, reflecting the overall growth, ingenuity, and prosperity of a new nation.

Traditionally textiles, whether made in the home or commercially, were considered prized possessions, but their value was not merely monetary; they often held special significance for the makers and their descendants. Many such textiles bear the maker’s name, and as treasured heirlooms were passed from one generation to the next serving as family record.

The sewing of textiles was also vital to the maintenance of a household. This important female skill not only provided the necessities of clothing and bedding but also a socially acceptable activity for women. The sewn and embroidered textiles in this exhibition represent the work of schoolgirls and women who had the means and time to pursue the needle arts. The works’ highly skilled execution and complex designs are evidence of the artistic and personal expression they provided.

A bridge from home to commercial production can be seen in the exhibition’s woven coverlets. Coverlet weavers in homes and separate workshops formed a cottage industry that would eventually grow into a full-scale commercial business by the mid-19th century. Printed textiles, on the other hand, were a product of the innovations and technological advancements of the Industrial Revolution, part of the commercial manufacturing industry that disseminated affordable textiles to a wider audience. With the mechanization of production and printing, textiles were able to keep pace with fashion and current events.

Whether sewn, woven, or printed, the textiles in this exhibition trace the development of an American textile tradition—one in which industrialization played a dominant role transforming raw materials into finished products but one that was also impacted by changes in the American home from creation out of necessity to a burgeoning consumer economy. Within these diverse textiles and their development, one can witness the innovation and progress of an early but thriving new United States.”

I was thrilled to see some textiles and hope that you enjoyed this review.

Quiltology

Quiltology
Quiltology

I went to a quilt shop while in Chicago called Quiltology. I got myself there via the El, which was fun, though, I thought it was a bit noisy. I was able to get myself there by reading the shop’s website. They have a nice page detailing how to get to the shop via a variety of modes of transportation.

The shop can be found at:

1221 W Diversey Pkwy
Chicago, IL 60614
Tel: 773-549-6628
Email: info@quiltology.com

You might recognize this shop from the Quilty show. They film the show at this shop. I was shocked when I walked in, because the shop is very small. Much smaller than it looks on TV.

I had to admit that I was disappointed and made a snap judgment that I would escape with my wallet intact.

Oh, how wrong I was.

Colette, the owner, is a delightful person, but also seemed strong and a good business owner. She has filled the shop with a good variety of fabrics. Not only does she have many modern fabrics, there are plenty of solids and dots as well. I was surprised, and delighted, to see that she also had a good collection of batiks and 1930s prints. Quiltology also had a number of Minkee fabrics, which she said she suggested for backs, especially of baby quilts. The modern prints are more of the medium-large prints than the really large prints. I think they are easier to use. I thought the batiks and 1930s prints were a bold choice for a modern quilt shop (my assumption). Though she didn’t say, I think they were added to appeal to different types of quiltmakers and expand the horizons of some of the young mothers that patronize the shop.

Right side of shop
Right side of shop

Colette seems to be the type of person who I would invite to be in a mini group. She learned to quilt before me and we have some of the same sensibilities about how quiltmaking should be taught and the problems with learning via pattern rather than by sampler quilt. We also discussed the lack of interest in drafting quilt blocks.

The second photo to the right shows some of the batiks and many of the solids available in the shop. The photo also shows the selection of books and notions.  The  black and white quilt to the left of the quilt. Colette is using this as a cover for the doorway to the back. You can see a corner of the cutting table, middle left.

Front left of shop
Front left of shop

The shop is bright and filled with light. The shelves are white and the wooden floor is a lovely honey color (Kastanianhonig – chestnut honey, specifically).

I would highly recommend visiting this shop if you are in Chicago. You won’t be disappointed.

Clocks

Robot Clocks in SFO
Robot Clocks in SFO

It was sort of a clock week last week. I went to Chicago for work. I don’t like sleeping in hotels as I never sleep very well. I do love looking at the sights and sounds and details of new cities. I tend to take lots of photos of details. I saw several displays of clocks on this trip, which was very interesting to me. I really liked the angles and colors of the display at SFO.

One appealing aspect was the repetition. There are so many of the robot clocks that the arrangement is interesting because of the repetition.

Robot Clocks in SFO detail
Robot Clocks in SFO detail

I became more interested in the design of clocks when my son was small. He was fascinated with clocks and always pointed them out to me. He also dragged one around for a year that just fell apart in his 2 year old hands.

Clocks are, to me, the epitome of something that can be useful and beautiful. Because of the way we live, we all need clocks. They also can be small, so they are easy to buy or make and the design possibilities are endless, as shown in the detail photo, right.

While in Chicago, I visited the Art Institute of Chicago. Regardless, I was determined to do that. I didn’t have a lot of time, so I kind of wandered through and I found my creative juices start to flow. At the Art Institute, they had a lot of clocks, which was interesting to me. I love looking at items from Decorative Arts collections and don’t remember seeing so many clocks in other displays.

Tall Case Clock, c.1906, Vienna
Tall Case Clock, c.1906, Vienna

The gold is quite a lot in this piece, but I really liked it. It reminds me of the Klimt painting the Kiss. Klimt was Austrian, or worked in Austria, too. The AIC has more information about the clock online. I wish all museums did this.

I always wanted a tall clock like this in my house, but we don’t have the appropriate scale of house. Perhaps in my mansion when I win the lottery? 😉

Art Deco Clock (?)
Art Deco Clock (?)

I cannot guarantee that this last photo is actually an Art Deco clock. I forgot to take a photo of the description. It has a kind of 50s look to it, too.

 

Broadway Quilts Sonoma

Broadway Quilts, Sonoma
Broadway Quilts, Sonoma

As I have mentioned before, DH is on the board of a non-profit, which starting now will require more travel on the weekends for us. this past weekend we headed up to Sonoma for a historic building dedication, a commemoration ceremony and the reenactment of the Bear Flag Revolt. After all of that and the drive up there we got lunch. I didn’t get lunch, I brought my own, because of my food issues.

DH knows that one way to get me to go with him on these jaunts when I can is to not complain about visiting local quilt shops. Broadway Quilts in Sonoma was our first excursion. Broadway Quilts is easy to find. It is right off of 116 just as you drive off the freeway. From south it is on the left. On Sundays it is open from 11-3, which I made sure DH knew. We flew past in the morning to get to the dedication, but we saw it, so we knew where it was on our way back out of town.

The boys came in with me even though I, specifically, uninvited them. It was too hot to stay in the car, so I couldn’t really begrudge them wanting to take advantage of the air conditioning.

Broadway Quilts Interior
Broadway Quilts Interior

The store is light and airy and large! I walked in a heard a disembodied voice coming from all around me and welcoming me to the store. I thought I was being visited by God who happened to be a quilt shop owner/worker. 😉

The lady who was working was very nice, genuinely cheerful and nice. She helped me paw through their stash of Aurifil to try and find #2600 for me (no luck) without complaining.

The store has a lot of the latest and greatest fabric. I saw Vintage Modern, Echo, a great selection of tone-on-tones, which I thought no longer existed, and a whole room full of 1930s fabric. I am not an expert on 1930s fabrics, but I do look out for them, because FQs make good gifts for TFQ.

Broadway Quilts Notions
Broadway Quilts Notions

As I mentioned, the store is large and their notions selection was really good. They still have the regular full selection of Dritz, but they also have  a lot of Creative Grids rulers, including those with teeth to make half square triangles. I am not sure I have ever seen those in a shop before. They carry a modest selection of Aurifil, project cases, Omnigrid rulers, bag accessories – you name it. A very good selection.

There was a enough space to move around, which was nice. They also share space with a longarm business. The longarm is set up int he back of the store, but it is a separate business. I think that is a good symbiotic relationship.

It looked like they had a small classroom and I saw classes mentioned on their web page, but I didn’t see a class list.

Broadway Quilts Flowering Snowball
Broadway Quilts Flowering Snowball

One of the samples I saw hanging up was a Flowering Snowball! I felt like such a maverick when I started that quilt a dog’s age ago, but now everyone seems to be making them. This one is nice. I think it was made with Vintage Modern or, perhaps, Ruby.

I liked the store and would go there again. Yes, I bought fabric, but just a little.

Auburn

Auburn Flowering Tree
Auburn Flowering Tree

My DH is on the board of an organization that supports California history. Their charitable foundation supports efforts to repair of craniofacial deformities (such as Cleft Palette- click to find the donation form, even $5 helps a kid). Mostly he goes off to different places around the state and looks official, kisses babies and shakes hands while I stay home and deal with the Young Man or laundry or sew. [Not so much baby kissing really goes on. I am trying to be funny, but you get the idea. 😉  ] When I do attend, the events can be challenging for me, because I don’t attend many and have to work hard to remember people’s names, smile and be sparkling.

About two weeks ago, DH asked me if I wanted to go with him to an event and I said no. Give up a whole day of sewing? Forget it. He said we could go to quilt shops, which was unusual and caught my attention. I thought about it for a few days and decided to go. We have been running past each other for several weeks, kissing each other while one of us is on the way out the door to work or another meeting or to drive the Young Man somewhere. I thought it would be nice to spend some time with him and maybe catch up on discussing stuff about the house, life etc. Also, this time of year is gorgeous in the Gold Country.

Flowering Snowball Corner
Flowering Snowball Corner

I decided to go, so Friday night (after mind-prepping all week), I prepared some of the border pieces for the Flowering Snowball. I only have the border left to make to complete this quilt and, since I am a terrible, nervous passenger while riding in the car, it is a good time to hand piece. I cut boatloads of patches, but only finished this one block. Unfortunately, the ride back was too dark to piece. It doesn’t matter. One block is great and as soon as I finish the Stars for San Bruno #3 binding, I will have a lot of hand work I can do while watching TV when the boys are out.

As an added bonus, the hand piecing enabled me to chalk up my 15 minutes of sewing in for Scientific Quilter‘s 15 Minutes a Day Challenge (#mal15 on Twitter). As another added bonus, I got back in the groove to finish this project in the not too distant future.

Auburn Big Flower
Auburn Big Flower

As expected, the drive was beautiful and not too long on the way up (on the way back, we were both tired, it was too dark to sew and neither of us could gather the energy to talk much, though I tried since DH was driving and sleeping while driving isn’t very successful, usually). Auburn is about 2 hours away from us. My normally quiet and mild mannered, easy going DH becomes a speed demon on the road, which is entertaining when I think about it objectively. We all need to let loose sometimes.

We participated in an event at noon and then went to lunch with some of the other board members and their wives. I always get the question about why I don’t show up more so I give my standard “In order for my DH to attend the events that he does, I need to stay home and manage the Young Man.” Of course, this line is delivered with a sparkling sorority smile and the right amount of humbleness and apology. 😉 This time one of the other wives who has taken a shine to me, said it for me. I was thrilled. She has, apparently, taken a shine to me and actually remembers what it was like to have kids at home. In terms of age, the organization skews older. Many of the men are retired. I know they forget what it was like to have to work and drive kids around to soccer, Scouts, tennis, Quiz Bowl, to hang out with friends, etc.

After the lunch, we walked around to try and find a quilt store (DH was quite insistent), but it turned out that they had gone out of business. I wasn’t very enthusiastic, but he insisted that I look for another one. I found one called Howell’s Sew and Vac.Their quilt shop quality fabric is on $5.99 a yard! They don’t have much, but the woman at the counter said that she was trying to slowly ad more. They had an interesting selection of rulers. I bought a half diamond ruler. Aside from the fact that I am a ruler sucker, this ruler would have been really handy for FOTY 2010 and the Renewed Jelly Roll Race. I wasn’t planning on making another diamond quilt, but if I do, I will be ready. I wasn’t really in the mood to buy fabric. Shocking, I know, but there you have it.

It looks like Howell’s is trying to make up the void left by the other quilt shop. I hope they succeed. The shop looks like a normal Sew and Vac type shop, but there is plenty of parking and I think they could really create a community there.

We also looked at a few antique stores, but didn’t see anything of interest. i lookf or Desert Rose china for my aunt and SIL. I look for my silver pattern and interesting sewing machines and implements. I don’t want to collect sewing machines, but you never know. There was a pink Necchi for sale at one, which made me think of Darla the Scientific Quilter and her recent Necchi adventures.

The flowering trees were wonderful. In case you hadn’t noticed, I love flowering trees. It is a profound disappointment to me that the flowering quince in my front yard has never flowered. I am not a gardener, but I do try and treat it nicely.

Auburn Rocks
Auburn Rocks

In general, I like to look for interesting patterns and shapes when I am out of my normal habitat. Because of the beautiful sun coupled with the clouds, there was a lot of opportunity for good pictures that will, with any luck, find a way to inspire me in future quiltmaking project.

All in all, it was a nice day. I enjoyed having some time with DH and checking out the great views. I could do without Daylight Savings Time today, but nobody asked me.