DEL QUILTS: 3/13/22

Friday, March 18, 2022

Looking Back - Again 03-18-22

Ten years ago I was at Empty Spools in Ruth B. McDowell's Nature class. I really enjoy looking back at the pictures I have taken over the years and wish I could see the finished quilts that were started in class. I imagine that many are still unfinished. Going from the intensity and inspiration of the class and home to our everyday humdrum lives sort of kills the direction we were going. I learned that I needed to have a completely blank calendar for the week after Empty Spools so I could work on my class project. So, I did finish some, but definitely not all of the Ruth inspired pieces. Ruth is no longer teaching, but I am still going to Empty Spools. Tomorrow I am driving up to Asilomar in Pacific Grove, CA, for five days with Sue Benner's "Abstractions" class. I will try to blog.

In March 2012 I took some pictures of student's tables with piles of fabric to show my friends what a colorful and awesome classroom it was with each table reflecting what the student chose to work with.

Mostly like this.

Or this.

Or a bit more organized.

And a few students kept it all together.

Here are some fabrics that Ruth purchased at Back Porch fabrics that year.

I worked on this version of Fuchsias, but never started cutting fabric. I still have the pattern rolled up in a corner somewhere. Maybe I will work on it someday.

You never know what amazing talent you will find in a class. When Suzie Constantino, who had never before taken a Ruth B. McDowell class, showed Ruth her inspiration, Ruth just stared at her. "Are you sure?" she asked. Yes, Suzie was sure and she worked hard every day.

"Passion Flower" Suzie Constantino 2012 Approximately 60"L X 40"W
Wonderful!

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Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Miscellaneous and a CAR! 03-15-22

A busy day. As usual I have procrastinated and am no where close to leaving on Saturday for Empty Spools. But I have two ladies riding with me, so I better get ready, huh? Saw the periodontist and he says my gum surgery is looking good, so he removed the stitches. Had my Lexus serviced and they did a "trip check" - Castner's Auto is so good to me. Attended the Surfside QGuild Board meeting on ZOOM for an hour. Finally figured out, with the help of my friend Dick Bednar, how to send a photo album to the SQG newsletter editor - or just anyone, for that matter. Walked, fed, played with KoKo and got his "overnight" bag ready to go with him on Saturday to his keeper. AND I had a little nap. Sooo much to do, but I just have to rest sometimes. Age I guess.

I stopped at the ATM and there was this marvelous car parked in front. A pristine 1957 Corvette. While I was taking pictures the owner came out. He purchased it recently, already restored. Made my heart go Pitter-Pat - the car, not the owner!

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Sunday, March 13, 2022

Quilt from Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection 03-13-22

There is a lovely shop in England that specializes in African fabrics, beads, baskets, jewelry, and a lot more. The owners travel in Africa every year and buy from the native artists and markets. Musa, one of their artists, dyes fabric in his village and also works to provide medical care to the people there. One year the English quilters made this huge quilt to hang in the booth of the African Quilt Shop at a large quilt show. But after the show was over, what to do with such a huge quilt, there was no space to hang it in the shop. So, they cut it up into "planks" and sold those to interested quilters. The result was a number of very nice pieces that they put up for auction online with the money going to Musa's clinic in Africa. I happened to run across the auction and needed to add "One Plank Makes Many Huts" to TCQC.