Assoc. Pacific West Quilters QShow 08-26-11

This morning Mabel and I drove south on I-5 to Tacoma and the Tacoma Convention Center to see the APNW QShow.  It has been (I believe) three years since the last show and the organization has restructured, changed its name and moved the venue from Seattle to Tacoma.  I think there will have to be more publicity, especially of the 'grass roots' kind in order to build some interest and momentum.  There were some lovely quilts and quite a few Special Exhibits - I think we saw all of them in the seven hours we were there.  

I am so tired tonight that I keep falling asleep at the computer!  So, here are just two quilts to whet your appetites.  

 

Not the best image, sorry.  This crisp, clearly defined quilt attracted quite a few up-close viewers.  It was one of my favorites. 

 

I like the little "sprigs" used as a quilting motif.

This one is so unlike what I have seen of Jean Wells work in the past that I wondered for a second if there were another Jean Wells living in Sisters, OR. 

As much as I admire the pieced center, I would admire it even more if the blue background were not so strong - it overwhelms the delicate colors of the "rock".

The quilting is imaginative and resembles rock fissures.

Heaven! 08-25-11

I received a fabulous gift from my friends here in Washington state - ladies I met at Empty Spools Seminars at Asilomar (Pacific Grove, CA)  They took me to spend about 24 hours in a lovely private home on Lummi Island - I felt I had (as the saying goes) "died and gone to heaven".   Everything seemed to be something I have read about - great company, a comfortable home, unbelievable views, delicious food, visual and mental stimulation and Friendship.  I will cherish this visit always.

It looks like many a charming, welcoming house, doesn't it?  But beyond the door....

...and out onto the back deck - WOW!  Can you see Mt Baker standing among the clouds? The green trees across the water are on the mainland, so you see it is just a short ferry ride to this paradise. 

As the sun went down the mountain put on a rosy glow.

About six in the morning most of the view was black/white/grey/silver.  The Madonna lilies towered in their pots on the deck, adding some delicate color to the scene.

Looking due west the glow of the rising sun reflected on the low clouds.  A Purple Martin box draws a delicate line on the shifting water.

 Our visit is over waaay to soon and we were heading back to reality, across to the mainland ferry landing on the twenty car ferry.

I hope to post more about this short trip later, but tonight I must get to bed and be prepared to be out early to drive south to Tacoma for the Association of Pacific West Quilters QShow.  My sprained ankle is still bothering me - perhaps from not staying off it? - so I have reserved a cart to see the approximately 300 quilts.  I may go back on Saturday, but I'll have to see how well I survive the first day of the Show.

Re: Wednesday post 08-24-11

I may not be able to post on Wednesday evening because we are going out to an island and the house doesn't have Internet connections.  I do have my "sky card" which might let me get on.  I'll just have to wait to get out there to see if it will connect.  Love, Del

                                                            

Friendship Group Meeting - 08-23-11

Today I went with Mabel to a meeting of her friendship group, the Dreadful Threads, at the home of Patsi Hanseth who is a professional long-arm quilter who has a large, comfortable studio attached to her house.  The members bring their own projects to work on and three of the ladies did a Jelly Roll Sew Off. 

Diana used a specially selected range of Xmas fabrics from a new line available in a local shop.  A Jelly Roll is forty fabrics cut in strips 2.5" wide from selvedge to selvedge.  Diana cut the ends of the strips on the diagonal and added triangles randomly that point both right and left.  She was the first to complete her quilt top and received small prizes from each member of the group.  

Teri chose a Hoffman Fabrics batik Jelly Roll and cut the ends on the diagonal

Reynola brought a batik Jelly Roll that was two strips from each of 2 fabrics.  She cut the ends on the diagonal.   

Marty Kutz has been seriously ill and was able to attend for the first time in many months.  I could tell she was really excited to be back with her friends.

Diana, Marti and Marti's daughter Patty relaxing, visiting and looking at the quilt tops.

Patty in an "out-take" from the previous picture.

Teri, Reynola, and Marty enjoy chips and salsa - two bowls, one with cilantro and one without.

This was sort of a morning snack.

Diana, Reynola, Teri, Marty, Mabel and Patsi.

Mabel waits at the head of the line for dinner - hamburgers, beans, fruit salad and two yummy desserts

Patsi has an eye for color and styling, doesn't she?

 

On the way back to Mabel's the sun was setting out to the West.

 

And I had a good look at Mount Baker - the fifth of those important mountain peaks.

 

Chehalis, WA to Mt Vernon, WA 08-22-11

Mostly another driving day.  I chalked up another mountain! 

 Mt Rainier.  Viewed between Olympia and Tacoma somewhere - between the trees and the clouds!

A broad view of Seattle.  Looks like it might rain and notice the brake lights on the right.

The famous Seattle traffic and it isn't even rush hour.  Guess it is like the 405 Fwy in LA, where it is always "rush hour". 

One thing that is different driving on I-5 in this area is there are very few drivers jockeying for position.  They choose a lane and go along at a steady pace somewhere between 60 and 65mph and the miles click by.  This is the best "miles per gallon" I have achieved in the Lexus in the two plus years I have been driving it.  It is the lack of uphill/downhill and just a steady pace. 

Just before Everett the rain came - not hard, just what I think of as an "Oregon" rain.  I was amazed that every car didn't have their lights on.  In CA and a number of other states it is the law that if your wipers are on your lights must be on - failure to do so is a moving violation, not an equipment check.  It was very hard to see light colored cars - white/silver/grey - perhaps that is a reason the drive a red vehicle up here.  The traffic went faster in the rain instead of slower as it does in SCalifornia.  There the infrequent rains raise the oil from the pavement and make things slick - not quite as bad as black ice, but bad enough.

Mac and Mabel Huseby on their deck with Mac's amazing begonias.  I don't think I have ever seen any so large.  Against the dark evergreens they were almost "neon" in their intensity.

I was surprised to have difficulty finding a motel room for five nights and ended up with one just for tonight with the prayer that someone will cancel and I can stay through Friday.  I maybe be "homeless" tomorrow night.  I walked across the parking lot to a Japanese steak house and sushi restaurant.  This was the "Alaska" roll with raw salmon, avocado and cream cheese and a traditional Japanese cucumber salad.  

I-5 Eugene, OR to Chehalis, WA 08-21-11

Today was a travel day.  Just driving, watching the road, admiring the scenery (fabulous trees!) and figuring out how to get where I wanted to be.  On I-5 it is just a matter of going north, but then I got off in Portland and had to so some wandering around because it has been over fifty years since I lived here and I don't remember the order of all the streets.  I arrived at June Underwood's house at almost exactly 1pm, which is the time I had told her I might be there.  She thought I had planned to arrive 'on the dot', but it was just a fluke.  I got there when I got there.  June and Jer and I had a lovely visit over fruit, cheese and really great grain-filled bread toasted.  It was just what I needed and the best cantaloupe I have eaten in a long time - from the Farmer's Market.  I felt fortunate to see all the work that June has up on her walls and in her studio.  Currently she is devoting her time and talent to her painting rather than fiber.   I was sorely tempted to ask for prices, but I can only collect one thing and I decided back in the 80s that I would collect quilts.  And I'm sticking to it - no matter what the temptation.

Hotel decorators still seem to think in "quilt" terms.  This is the lobby carpet at the HolInnEx in Eugene.  I can't think of whose quilts it reminds me of, but it is very familiar.  And a HUGE improvement over most motel/hotel carpets - I always think they get the carpets really cheap because they are so ugly.

This is the carpet in the elevator - more quilty stuff.

I think this train graffiti says "Saint Bizar" (bizarre?).  Maybe some of you graffiti watchers know if this is a graffiti artist's name or ....?  Less than a block off the I-5 in Portland the traffic was stopped by this train moving excruciatingly slow.  In this area of the city I saw several signs warning that some trains do not have engineers and are controlled electronically.  Creeps me out!  I think this train had about 10,000 cars - there were not very interesting warehouses on either side of the street, so I read my book (I always have one handy).

 

When I left the Underwoods I headed for I-205 which goes to the east of the Portland airport and over the Columbia River.  Off to my right I had a few quick glimpses of Mt. Hood.  Further north I had very short sightings of Mt. Saint Helens and Mt. Rainer.  Now, if I can only get even a quick view of Mt. Baker north of Seattle my trip will be complete - "bagging" all five major peaks in one trip is a special Road Trip Event.

 

 

A weird observation as I drove into Washington State was how many red vehicles there were on the road.  At one point I counted nine within a short distance.  I couldn't resist taking this picture which probably makes sense only to me.  In the lower part there is a red car in the center lane and another just pulled in front of the black car on the left.  In the rear view mirror there are FOUR red vehicles - one on the far right and three directly behind me with the center one pulling out to pass.  Why so many red vehicles - is this a Washington "thing"?  I have noticed in the past how different states/areas seem to favor certain colors - where Corky lives in Long Beach white and silver predominate.  I wonder if anyone has ever written a thesis about this very important topic!

Tonight I am between Chehalis and Centralia and tomorrow night I will be north of Seattle near Mt. Vernon, WA.  Mabel has planned three days of quilt related events and then on Friday we will go to the APWQ (I think I have that right) QShow in Tacoma.  A busy time, but I will still Blog when I can.  By-the-way, the weather is gorgeous - 91F in Portland was a little warm, but somehow it didn't feel like 91F in Placentia.