Inspiration 05-03-14

This is my 2222 Blog post on Blogger!

One thing that always happens after I have been in a class at Empty Spools - I see things I might not have seen before.  It doesn't always relate to the class, but this time it has.  Some of the buildings on the Asilomar grounds are from the early 1900s and they have always been maintained and refurbished to keep them in their original style.  Julie Morgan, the original architect designed the Administration Building/Social Hall, the dining hall, Merrill Hall (the auditorium) and two of the sleeping buildings (Stuckups and Pirate's Den).  There are two other sleeping buildings that were built early, but I'm not sure she was the architect for them.  Scripps and Lodge are shingled, whereas the other early buildings are mostly stone.  Those of you who have been to Asilomar will notice the new smooth stone walkways and the railings on the stairs.   Not as rustic as it once was, but much safer - especially for old ladies!

This is Lodge, one of the old shingled sleeping buildings.  It's shingles are weathered and grey.  This picture taken from the steps of Scripps.

Scripps is also one of the old shingled buildings, but it has been re-shingled in the past few years.

Lovely texture.  Monterey Bay is in the distance on the left.

And great color.  I was surprised that the nails are all now sticking out almost 1/4".

 

I plan to drive home from Mary and Joe's tomorrow.

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Asilomar Views 05-02-14

The classroom for Hilde Morin's class was Surf & Sand which has three outside walls of glass, so the lighting is very good during the day.  I was fortunate to find a seat that faced the window and this was my view outside. 

From my seat looking toward Monterey Bay I could just see the glimmer of the sun on the water - right about where the dying pine tree is in the middle of the picture.

 

 I think I should have put these three pictures in the opposite order, too late now.

This is the base of a giant Monterey Cypress which grows next to the Pirate's Den sleeping rooms.  If  the building is 30 feet tall this tree may be 75 feet tall.  A great specimen.   My car is in the lower right corner of the picture.

 

A little bit higher - the room at top right is 503 which was where I stayed.

 



And all the way up to the crown of the tree.  Just a glimpse of the fog that rolled in this morning - cooling things off considerably.  Much more comfortable for everyone.

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Last Day at Empty Spools/Asilomar 05-01-14

I changed things around in my project today - everyone went to lunch and left me in peace and quiet so I could actually concentrate on the layout.  Much  better, I think.  This is not sewn together and I will wait until I am home to attempt it.  Very complex sewing required.

 

"Parking Garage"  Del Thomas 2014  Approx 34"W x 40"L unfinished

 

 I  think tomorrow morning I will make some little windows (what the teacher wanted us to do the very first day).  I like these made in class by Carol Esch and not yet sewn together.
 

You see the fine divisions in the panes, that takes control when sewing.

 

I am too tired to pack up my sleeping room tonight, so I will have to sling it together in the morning before going to class. 
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Wordless Wednesday 04-30-14

More Hilde Morin class at Empty Spools 04-29-14

Here are a couple pictures from today's class.

 

This was the state of my project about noon today.  The inspiration photo was taken in Denver looking out a hotel window.  This is an old yellow brick parking garage from about 1930 (or so I was told).  It attracted my attention because it was sort of wonky and the windows were slanted - something I did not achieve in my piecing, I'm afraid.  It has already been changed around a bit and may be again tomorrow.   The greenish area along the bottom is supposed to be a vacant lot. 

 

These are blocks that Hilde made to demonstrate her assembly process.  All pieced, no applique, no  fusing, no set ins, no Y (or y) seams. 

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Class day with Hilde Morin 04-28-14

I am learning how Hilde creates her quilts and after years of Ruth McDowell precision I'm having a struggle.  Hilde doesn't really measure anything and other than a photo for inspiration there are no drawn designs and no "pattern".  It is very hard!  But I am working at it - starting at her suggested starting point, making windows.  I didn't take a single photo today, but have a couple I took yesterday showing her work. 

 

This piece is about 35"W and 48"L (I'll measure it tomorrow) and is all pieced (NO applique, NO fusing, No Y-seams, NO set ins) and has a bit of embellishment with machine thread work.

 

See more of her work at: http://www.hildemorin.com/hm-work-houses.htm

 

The weather is gorgeous, if a slight bit cooler than I would like.  Bluest sky with long streaks of contrails out of the Bay Area which turn into pink "hedgerows" in the sunset.  Very lovely.

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First morning at Empty Spools Seminars 04-28-14

It is a gorgeous morning at Asilomar and I can hear the surf from my room.  How I love this place!
Hilde Morin gave an overview of the class yesterday and we all went around the room looking at everyone's inspiration photos and what fabric they have brought with them.  Quite an array, but nothing like the piles of possibilities that students brought for Ruth McDowell's classes.  I don't understand how Hilde designs and makes her quilts, they are all pieced with maybe a bit of embellishment.  I'm a little nervous about the process, unknowns do that to me, but I keep telling myself that I am taking the class to learn how Hilde does it, so I just need to be patient.  Not my strong suit. 

I was too tired last evening to post, much less work on some photos.  But I will make up for it tonight.  Hope the sun is shining, wherever you are.

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Rain!  Real rain - it was lovely.  But not in Placentia.  I drove up to San Juan Bautista yesterday to have a little visit with Mary and Joe before my Empty Spools class starts tomorrow (Sunday).  Unfortunately, Joe is in the hospital for some more tests, but should be home mid-week, so maybe I will be able to see him before I drive home. 

 

As I drove into the Fort Tejon area it started drizzling a bit and by the time I was going down the Grapevine it was a full downpour.  Fortunately, everyone slowed down and we crept down the mountain.  It rained lightly periodically for several hours then and Mary said it had been raining at their house.  Driving across the flat part of the valley there was a beautiful cloud cover with black clouds above, but the sun was shining on the horizon. 

 

 

Fluffy black, rain filled clouds.

 

 Yet, there was the sun shining on the horizon.  When I stopped for gas at the Buttonwillow turnoff a horizon to horizon double rainbow was glowing to the southwest.   No picture.

 

My automatic windshield wipers came on and off and on most of the rest of the way north.  Here you can see the long line of vehicle headlights all the way to the horizon - heavy traffic going south, but fortunately the northbound traffic was light.

 

No rain today, but cloudy and not very warm for someone who has been living in temps up to the mid 80s in the last week or so.  I have layers on - all night, too! 

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