Yet more April program for SQG 04-16-11

When I do a program I usually show two or three of the quilts I have made.  During the past year I have only managed some postcards and quilt cards, so I need to go waaay back to select which quilts to show.  These three were all toward the top of the stack!

"She's the One" Del Thomas  2003  14.25" x 22.5"

A self-portrait showing my yearnings - naturally curly blond hair, a long slender neck, perky boobs and the guts to wear green lipstick!

"Lunch in the Garden Again"  Del Thomas  2004  25.75W x 30.5"L

"Calm in Chaos"  Del Thomas  2003  24"W x 32"L
This is the self portrait I use for my "identity" on line.

I don't have any programs on my schedule right now, but have had some enquiries.  I list whatever is coming up in the sidebar of this Blog.

If you are interested in the pattern for the Portable Design Board you can contact Mabel Huseby at mabelh2@msn.com  If you live in northern Washington State you might even be able to have her conduct a class for your group.
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More April Program for Surfside QGuild 04-15-11

 This is pretty much an arbitrary selection of small quilts from the Collection.  I tried to select pieces that illustrate various techniques and styles.  I believe I have talked about all of these in my Blog on various Sundays - check for the artist's name in the sidebar for more information.

Top row:  Calla Lilly - Aileyn Renli Ecob 2009, Liberty - Kathleen McCabe 2009, Amidst the Fire - K.Grace Howes 2009,  4 fiber artist trading cards, Pomegranate #2 - Dijanne Cevaal 2006, Blue Butterfly - Bonnie Sabel 2009.

Middle row: I Know a Rhino - Ami Simms 2006, (below) Red Nest - Claire Fenton 2006, Tillamook Rooster - Terry Grant 2009, Oregon Junco - Terry Grant  2007, Fantasy Flowers 1 - Julia Zgliniec 2010.  

Top row: Boundary Waters #30 - Virginia Spiegel 2007, Checks & Bars Jumble - Sue Benner 2009, House - Sally Sellers 2007, Night Fire -  Elizabeth Barton 2007,

Bottom row: Vest Pocket Tour II - Joan Schulze 2001, Gentle Reminder - Linda Colsh 2008, Don't Piss Off the Fairies - Ruth Powers 2008, Happy Birthday, Del - Judy House  2003.

You might notice that all of these small quilts have been created since 2001.  Prior to that, artists did not make many small quilts and, to be honest, I wasn't interested in such small pieces.  Realistically, selling nine 12x12 quilts at $100/each is much easier than selling one 36" square quilt at $5000.  I would like to support as many quilters as I can, so I started buying smaller quilts that fit within my selection parameters. .     

This is the folding design board that Mabel Huseby created for me and I have enjoyed it and use it whenever I can.  It was an "ha-ah" moment when I discovered that the small quilts could be pinned up before I left the house and the board simply unfolded at a meeting to display the quilts.  I also pin up a short description of each piece.

The two slats slip out and then fit in the horizontal sleeves to hold the board rigid.  

Here is the board folded with the handle and the closing tabs on the left, fastened with Velcro over the edge.  If you are interested in the pattern for this Portable Design Board you can contact Mabel at mabelh2@msn.com 

April Program for Surfside Quilters Guild 04-14-11

I have some pictures taken by Carol Whiteside at the meeting on Tuesday.  It is rather complicated to transfer them to this Blog, so I will just show four images. 

"Cataclysm" by Judith Content  2009  85"W x 55"L  Silk, hand-dyed.

This is one of the more recent quilts in TCQC, I picked it up March 14th at the end of the Visions - 2010 exhibit in Oceanside.  It hung center stage during the program.

Here I am explaining "Discombobulated" by Jill Rumoshosky Werner 2002  2"W x 9yardsL.  Cotton

This is such a special quilt and I love to surprise audiences with it.  I talked about it previously in this Blog - see http://tinyurl.com/69xskb8

"Early Birds"  Ruth Powers - Carbondale, KA  2006  49"W x 38"L

Ruth Powers uses a piecing technique similar to that of Ruth McDowell, so this quilt is entirely pieced.  One of the popular members of the guild loved this quilt especially because she remembers robins from her childhood many decades ago in another state.  I told her we do have robins here, but she has never seen one.  They only dwell in old residential areas with lots of trees and acres of grass.   Behind me you can see the first panel of a four panel quilt "Red Wave" by Dianne Firth of Canberra, ACT, Australia

 "Gilia" Ruth B. McDowell - Colrain, MA  2011  22.5"W x 38.5"L 
This is the latest addition to the Collection, I purchased it from Ruth while I was at Empty Spools last week. 

I hope to have more pictures from the program, but perhaps not.  I will post images from Asilomar and Ruth McDowell's classroom.  I just have too much on my schedule right now.  Need to get to bed because I have another aqua therapy session at 8am and Corky will be here for the weekend.  I had to take him home this evening because he cannot go to aqua therapy with me.  How cruel! 
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Wordless Wednesday 04-13-11

SQG Changing of the Guard 04-12-11

Here are only 25 of the Surfside Quilters Guild officers and board members who are either leaving office or changing offices effective May 1st.  These are not all of the ladies who have contributed to this great guild in the last year - some of us hadn't made it to the stage yet.  But it is a representation of the woman power needed to keep a guild at peak performance.  Nancy Ota, founding president sits on the stage at right - behind her in blue is Joann Bishop, the incoming president.  Although everyone has a job to do it takes a strong and willing person to guide the guild for a year.  I congratulate both Nancy and Joann on their continuing involvement.

And congratulations also to this year's outgoing president, Sharon Whelan, seemingly bemused standing here beneath Joan Colvin's "Copper Tree" facing Diane Firth's "Red Wave".  Sharon is very involved not only in Surfside Quilters Guild, but in other guilds and quilting activities around the Southland.

I did the "anniversary" program today due to the illness of our scheduled speaker.  I had a couple weeks warning that I would be "on" in April instead of May, but was gone for ten days to visit Mary and attend Empty Spools and I felt the pressure of getting the TCQC quilts organized and "package" for transport to the meeting.  I tried to not show too many of the same quilts that were part of the inaugural program in May 2009, but a few are such favorites I had to include them.  I hope the someone who took pictures at the meeting will be willing to share so I can post some images in the future.  

Aqua therapy in the morning - I can hardly wait to get in that 91degree pool and work on some of my aches and pains.   

Stacking up the quilts 04-11-11

It has taken me longer than I anticipated to get the TCQC quilts ready for tomorrow morning's program for Surfside Quilters Guild.  Still have a few labels to make and need to get some sleep tonight.  I'll get back to Blogging soon - perhaps Wednesday when I am with the Poodle Prince.  I hope to get all the Ruth McDowell class pictures in an album and then post the URL for you.  It will have some progressions from drawing to pieced fabric!!

It is so difficult to catch the waves breaking high in the wind.  Out of twenty pictures I have this one!  Taken from the beach on Sunset Rd around  Monterey Bay just before sunset on April 6, 2011.

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Home again, home again.....! 04-09-11

I didn't leave Mary's until around 1pm and I was dawdling along, stopping to take pictures, buy a latte, get gas, etc., when I called the Poodle Mommy to tell her I was on the road. It was about 4:30, I think, and I discovered that they were off to dinner and a play, leaving Corky at home alone to be checked on briefly. So, I put the pedal to the metal and was in LBeach about 7:15p. I just brought him home with me and he is happily snoring away while I am typing this. Time to take him out for a piddle and get to bed. Here is what I have managed in the picture department tonight.

My first stay at Asilomar (a California State Park) Conference Center was sometime before 1985 when I went with my husband to an engineering meeting.  After that we would try to get a room there when we were vacationing and driving up Hwy 101.  Then in 1991 I attended Empty Spools for the first time and have gone every year since.  There are changes, especially the loss of trees, but great effort is made to keep the buildings, furnishings, etc.,  much as they were in the beginning.  The view above is from the front desk in the Administration Building - a location where people come together informally to visit, play pool, use their computers, stare into the fire crackling in the huge native stone fireplace.  The door in the far left corner is to the small shop with warm jackets, knick-knacks, snacks and lattes! 

Before I leave Pacific Grove/Monterey I try to take one last run along Sunset which follows the beach.  The waves were still rather high, but the sky was mostly blue and some flowers bloom along the sand.  To the right of the picture are some very dark clouds and I learned later that Mary was shopping in Gilmore and was caught in heavy rain.

Today when I was loading the car we noticed a couple Oregon Juncos flitting around and discovered a nest they had built in the wreath on the front porch. 

They hauled in some very long strands and left them dangling down.

If you enlarge this picture you can almost see one baby - a flattened V which is the beak.

Driving on CA156 from San Juan Bautista and over the Pacheco Pass to I-5 there are several stands of ceanothus (also called California Lilac - although it has no fragrance that I can smell) which cloak the hills with blue-violet this time of year.  There are not a lot of wildflowers in bloom on the entire route... could be due to the cold.  It was mostly in the 50s all the way home and the prediction for tonight in my area is about 44F.  Unusual for April. 

I will try to do something with the images I took of Ruth McDowell's class and their work, but I have to get ready for the program I am doing Tuesday for Surfside Quilters Guild and might try for an aqua therapy session on Monday - I already have one scheduled for Wednesday.  Corky will go home tomorrow afternoon and then I will really apply myself to the things I MUST do! 

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