"All Thumbs" 12-14-07

"All Thumbs" Del Thomas 2003 14.5"W x 14"L

Almost five years ago I made this quilt and also one titled "All Thumbs #2" with the same theme - the name refers to how we all feel when we are first learning to do something, like Free Motion Quilting.

The reason I am posting this today is that I have a REAL fat thumb, because I closed it in the door of the van. Can you believe it? About sixty years ago my stepfather closed the fingers of my left hand in the car door and it hurt so bad I have always remembered to be careful. This time I dropped my keys just as I pushed the door closed and was afraid they had fallen inside the door, so I grabbed for it. There I was with my thumb stuck in the partially closed locked door and, lucky me, the keys on the pavement. If there had been anyone close by I would have asked for help. Fortunately, I could reach my keys with a little gyration and was able to click the button to unlock the door. Of course, it is my right thumb - creating a bit of a problem for me to do much of anything. I put ice on it, still have ice on it and I hope the swelling goes down soon. Hard to type with eight fingers and one thumb. Oh,yes! It does hurt, hurt, hurt!

Alliance Auction Quilts 12-13-07

"Cat House" Mary Lou Weidman 2006 14.5" x 20.5"

This quilt is machine pieced, appliqued and quilted. It is embellished with buttons, rickrack and fancy trim. The back is a solid blue fabric. It is very typical of Mary Lou's work.

"Under One Roof" Yvonne Porcella 2006 15" x 19.5"

Machine pieced, hand appliqued, hand quilted.

This is very different than any Yvonne quilt I have seen previously and unlike any other quilt in my collections. However, I find it very appealing - soft and peaceful. If you are familiar with Yvonne's work you know that she likes bright colors, so I am showing you the back of the quilt....

...where she has indulged her taste for bright fabrics. Cute, eh?

I am very pleased that my bids on these quilts were successful, everything else I bid on was out of my budget range long before the bidding was over.

The Alliance made $10,429.91 on the auction of the quilts. The highest price was the $1525.00 for Pam Allen's "Icon - Domestic Goddess". My "Tree House" sold for $710.00.

Skinny strips #2 12-12-07

Here are the same skinny strips that I showed stacked vertical and horizontal on 12-05-07. Now they are all going the same direction and are placed on two different backgrounds. I have also added a strip of sheer across the bottom to sort of 'ground' them. I tend to like bright colors and I like this blue/gold background.

But this green batik has possibilities. Comments?

"Rain" 12-11-07

"Rain" Del Thomas 2003 11" x 17"

DETAIL "Rain"

This is, obviously, a night time rain with the neon lights reflecting. But, like the other weather quilts, it would be more effective if it was larger. The saying goes that "there is nothing new under the sun". Hand in hand with that is "synchronicity"! I did these "Weather or Not" quilts in May 2003. In October 2004 I saw "Passage of Time" by Eileen Lauterborn at Pacific International Quilt Festival.

http://www.eileenlauterborn.com/

Sometime in 2004 Melody Johnson created her quilt "Matchstick Moons #1".

http://www.wowmelody.com/Pages/G_RecentWork.html

So, at about the same time we all had the same idea, using skinny fabric strips to create designs on a background, . I suppose there are other quilts made this way, I just know about these. This isn't an unusual occurrence. The automobile, the sewing machine, the telephone are only a few of the things that were invented simultaneously by several people unknown to each other and even in different parts of the world. I have always been fascinated by this sort of thing and am amazed that I am involved in this phenomenon. I think that the quilts that Eileen and Melody created are wonderful and their use of skinny strips more effective than mine. But I am still working at it and may eventually create a design that I am happy with.

"Lightning" 12-10-07

"Lightning" Del Thomas 2003 10" x 17"

Here is another of the "Weather or Not" quilts. The 'bolts' are fused applique w/edge stitching and the little 'fingers' are machine stitched using #5 perle cotton. Because I use a mechanical machine (1977 Pfaff) I can thread perle cotton on the top - except for #3 which is too thick. Although I was doing the stitching by referring to a photograph, I think there are too many 'fingers'. I definitely should have simplified.

The Poodle Prince went home today and I miss him. It seems so quiet, even though I am always after him for barking, mostly at chimeras. He won't stay with me again until New Year's weekend, but I'll visit him at his house.

"Wind" 12-09-07

"Wind" Del Thomas 2003 12.5" X 17"

In the Spring of 2003 I made a group of small quilts trying to depict different aspects of weather. Although I like the way they came out I think that a larger format would be more effective. This one is the most successful, I think. And I am posting it today because the wind is howling and the temp has been only 59F which is rather cool for SCalifornia. Fortunately the rain we have had over the past week has reduced the fire hazard due to wind.