A bird stitching class in a bird filled room 02-24-18

I spent today at Back Porch Fabrics sitting in on a class taught by Elizabeth Carrington from the book, " Stitching Textile Birds" by Rachel Sumner.  I was just an observer and found the class quite interesting.  Some of the ten students were experienced quilt makers and some quite new to the craft. My camera worked fine today, so I have pictures of the quilt exhibit to edit and will post more in the next couple days.  But here are a few pictures for you.

On the far left is just a tiny slice of Flamingoes.  Then going left to right:  Flowers Grow in Stony Places (the bird is a Shrike) by Karen Franzen, (top) Hidden Treasures (hummingbirds) by David Taylor, (bottom) Western Grebe w/babies by Del Thomas, (top) Little Wren (an Australian bird) by Sue de Vany, Swallow by Els Vereycken (Belgium, I think), The Sentinel by Judy Warren Tippets, City Bird at Yerba Buena Gardens (cowbird)  by Jean Renli Jurgenson, (top) Crow by Jill Le Croissette, Owl by Kathy Nida, (bottom) Early Birds (robins) by Ruth Powers.  In the alcove is Crossing the Road (rooster) by Karen Cunegin.  The opening to the shop is on the far right behind the lady in green T-shirt. 

This picture is of the wall to the left of the door into the shop.  He Caught Her Eye by Ruth McDowell, (top) Skimmers by Martha Wolfe, Essence of India by Caroline Higgs, Getting Her Ducks in a Row by Pamela Allen, (top) Oystercatchers by Del Thomas, Terns by Pamela Allen.

I cannot give you the names of the ladies who were among the ten students in the class. 

Beside enjoying the class and admiring the work that was done, it was a great opportunity to spend most of the time admiring the bird quilts.  I never see them all hanging at once, my house isn't large enough for that.  I love each and every one, but the Flamingoes is just so spectacular hanging on a big wall.  It is very special. 

Empty Spools Seminars at Asilomar starts tomorrow and I am eager to get going.  I hope my computer will work there and I can continue to post every evening.  

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Prepared for Sue Benner class 02-23-18

It is so luxurious working in Mary's studio.  For one thing, she keeps it in good order unless she is deep into a project.  There is space on the tables to set something down or spread out fabric, something you would never see at Del's workshop!   And she has this great view out onto the patio, through the trees, and across the canyon.   

The house is on the slope of the canyon so her studio is the bottom floor with the dining room, kitchen and breakfast area above it.

I worked there yesterday and today cutting and fusing fabric.  And here is the result - my palette for Sue's "Flowers" class.   I don't know if it will work with her flowers project, but, if not, I'll just be forced to go shopping!  

There are 28 fabrics - including some lights.  Aren't I a good girl?

When I finish this post I will go to bed in the lovely guest room.  What a vacation I am having!  And Mary is a fabulous cook, too.  I'm in heaven.  

But I miss my little KoKo. He is staying with Nancy Ota and Bud in San Clemente.  

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Still getting ready for Sue Benner class 02-22-18

I brought some fabrics from my fabric library, some that I purchased at the Quilt Cupboard going-out-of-business sale, and about nine yards that I purchased at Back Porch yesterday.  Today I sliced all the fabrics up into fat quarters and half yards, and put one set of fat quarters in my box I share with my classmates.  Then I went through all the fabrics and selected those for the class.  Then I cut (as Sue indicated on the materials list) 9"x18"  pieces to apply fusing to the backs, a task I will complete tomorrow.  I have 27 fabrics at this point. It takes a lot of time and work to get ready for a class like this.  But I know that it is imperative to fuse the fabric before one gets to class, or spend the first day fusing - waste of class time.  I will have all the rest of the fabric in a box in the classroom so that I can change my mind, or Sue can change my mind.  I can always go shopping at the on-premises Cotton Patch shop or drive into Pacific Grove to Back Porch.  Which I will probably do anyway!  I continue to add to my lifetime collection, even though I know I shouldn't.  The temptation is too great. 

It has been very cold here, as I understand it is everywhere.  I don't watch the news or read it on the computer or listen to the radio.  The time at Empty Spools and here at Mary & Joe's house is purely vacation and I just cut myself off from everything else.   So, wherever you are, I hope you are able to keep warm and dry.  There were some sprinkles here today, but they didn't amount to much.  

Mary has offered me the use of her camera (Nikon Cool Pix) but I can't make it work and the manual is not a lot of help.  I'll have to call someone for help tomorrow.  There is no cell service up here in the canyon, but I wonder if my phone will still take pictures??  I'll have to give it a try in the morning before I start my fusing marathon.  

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Traveling & Hanging Quilts 02-21-18

I guess I am getting too old to drive or "do" all day!  I drove from Dana Point (Surfside Board Meeting) to San Juan Bautiste yesterday.  It was seven hours total and I didn't get here until six and, of course, it was dark.  Somehow the road from the actual town of San Juan Bautista to Mary and Joe's house in the hills is twice as long after dark.  There are no street lights going up into the canyon and not even very many houses with lights and then they are way off the road.   And the road is very rough and very curvaceous.  And it was very cold when I arrived - probably 50F or so.  Slept like a log for eight hours - unheard of!  

This morning I drove to Pacific Grove (45min to 1 hour) with the bird quilts and arrived just after Back Porch opened.  Gail Abeloe was all set up to start and we had the quilts and the slats sorted before noon when we stopped to have lunch at the Mexican restaurant (starts with an M) on the next street, right behind Back Porch.  Salmon tacos were fabulous - served with rice, beans and salsa w/chips.  Maybe better than Peppers, but they don't always have salmon tacos.  Then back to work with Sharon Winter helping out, bless her, my rotator cuff  injury is very limiting.   By 3pm we had every thing hung and labeled and it is a FANTASTIC display.  Do travel to Pacific Grove before the end of April to see these amazing quilts.  Ruth McDowell's "A Rash of Famingoes" hangs in place of honor, looking wonderful.  Along the bottom see the little Guinea fowl and see if you can count how many flamingoes there are.  They are so squeezed together, just like flocks of real living flamingoes, that is is hard to tell which part belongs to which bird.  There are 46 quilts by many different artists and four or five with more than one quilt on display.   Ruth McDowell, Pamela Allen, Terry Grant, Martha Wolfe, Ruth Powers, Kathy Nida, David Taylor, Kathleen McCabe, and dozens of others.  SEE THIS EXHIBIT!

Of course, the incentive to visit Back Porch is the amazing collection of fabrics they have on their shelves.  I had to do a little shopping and ended up with about 10 yards!  Including a few for my box to Ruth McDowell.  And quite a few for the fat quarter box I share with my classmates - this year in Sue Benner's "Flower" class.  

I have no pictures for you because there is something wrong with my camera and every picture is blurred.  Mary has loaned me her camera and I will retake the pictures when I go to sign in for class on Sunday.  Or I might drive over there again.  I'll see how tired I am tomorrow.  But I do have some cutting and fusing to do before class time. 

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Re- posting of an Elizabeth Barton quilt 02-18-18

As you can see this quilt was first posted in 2009.  It is a mainstay of the collection and has been included in many exhibits and programs.  I still love it and hang it in my house and loan it to my quilt- loving friend at other times.  There are half a dozen of Elizabeth's quilts in the TCQC, every one a jewel.  

Elizabeth Barton's "Red Gate" 12-13-09

"Red Gate" Elizabeth Barton 2003 39"W x 63"L

Cotton fabrics - hand dyed, screen printed - Machine and hand pieced, appliqued & stitched.

This is one of several quilts Elizabeth has based on her pictures taken in Whitby, an old fishing village in Yorkshire, UK. She says in one of her artist's statements, "I love the signs of age on old buildings and steps - the soft signs of the wear of many feet - the way the roof lines gently curve and the houses lean together." The photo she used as inspiration was taken many years ago and she felt it haunting her - it was 30 years before she made this quilt.

I had a thick folder on Elizabeth Barton's work before I ever saw one of her quilts "in-the-fabric". I had been looking at two different quilts on her website and knew I would buy one of them. Then in 2004 San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles featured Elizabeth in one of their exhibits and both quilts were included. I drove up to see my friend Mary and we visited the museum. I knew immediately which quilt I would choose. Elizabeth felt that since I had actually seen the quilt first in San Jose that the museum should have their profit, which I thought was an amazingly generous thing to do. Since then I have purchased three more E.Barton quilts directly from her and coveted quite a few more! I also count her among my quilt making friends around the world. A very special lady.