Gillian Moss quilt in Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection 02-26-23

This quilt of fantastical flowers made in 2012 is very current because hand embroidery seems to be the "in" thing right now: Gillian was ten years ahead of the trend.  Lovely soft colors of thread against a screen printed square.  She made a good choice to use the same fabric for binding to blend in with the background.  The flowers seem ready to float off into the air.  

"Fantastical Garden"  Gillian Moss - La Jolla, CA  2012  

12" x 12"  Screen printing, hand embroidered, hand quilted.

Gillian says this piece started out as a pure experiment as she was thinking of doing something for the SAQA online auction. She worked on it in the evening while her husband watched TV and it became a special quilt with the colors and the thoughts that accompanied her stitching.
 

Many different colors of thread used and a signature done with fabric marker.
 

The screened background in green and blue allows areas for the flowers to bloom.
 

Straight stitches, cross stitches, back stitches, stem stitches, running stitches, fly stitches, single chain stitches - done in perle cotton and sewing cotton threads.

Gillian does very even, elegant stitching.
 

And she is not afraid to show the back of her emroidery work - hurrah, Gillian.
 

On her label she uses a hand cut stamp of a house resembling her home in Dublin, Ireland and hand prints the information needed - including her website URL.  A way for people interested in her work to contact her.  www.mossartquilts.com

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Another rainy day. 02-25-23

The other week when I went to SDiego for the ArtStream meeting my friend Deb gave me this great bird fabric.  It is upholstery weight and about 40" long and 58" wide.  The birds are woven in.

Particularly like this guy.  Check out the feet, guess he is holding the wire together.  Am I too literal?  

I have no idea what I might do with it, right now it hangs in my "viewing spot" at the end of the hall where I see it a zillion times a day when I go to the bathroom!  Deb's friend had a love seat recovered with it and ordered too much fabric. I don't need a love seat, but someone suggested a headboard.  I could also cut out some birds and collage them into a wall quilt.  

Rain all day today again.  We walked in it this morning, but managed to hit a dry spell this evening, although it was only 49F.  Lots of standing water in planters and along walls.  More yet to come. 

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Lots of rain! 02-24-23

 Lots of weather going on in the West!  I took this picture from the Ralph's parking lot between rain showers.  Today has been mostly rain, continuous starting about 1pm.  We did our walk this morning with just a starting drizzle, but hurried home.  Tonight was full downpour with KoKo in his sweater and I in my rain hat and heavy jacket.  Of course we got wet!!  But I don't have enough arms for my cane, KoKo's leash, AND an umbrella.  We toweled off and ran the little electric heater in the bathroom for a bit.  

I'm glad this, so far, is not such a heavy rain that hillsides start sliding.  Of course, the malva and the oxalis are already growing back!   I must find a gardener, mine retired the first of the year and the yard is getting too wild.  

I am reading "Lessons in Chemistry", but, so far, I don't find it a bit humorous.  On about page 99 the "hero" is killed!!  And the limitations of mid 20th C for woman are very distressing.  I remember them well and they were not funny at all.  Since this is for the Lit Group I will continue reading, but hope it gets a bit more cheerful, if not downright funny.  

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Reading 02-22-23

Mostly I read instead of doing anything I SHOULD do or am SUPPOSED to do.  I decided at some point in the last 10 years that I wasn't going to do anything I didn't really want to do.   That was a mistake and I have been fighting that attitude ever since.  Covid didn't help because there was so much I couldn't do, although the first year I quilted up a storm.  Then along came sciatica which limited (and still limits) what I am physically able to do.   What I can do is read and so it goes!   I do enjoy actual paper books, even hard covers, but occasionally read with Kindle on my cell phone.  Lots of resources - books from friends, books from little street libraries, books from Amazon - and I tend to read different categories: anything but Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Romance, Manga or Anime.  There is always a book to read for the Book Group (of 40+ years) and now I have been invited to another group of long standing - the Lit Group (for literary).  They have lost members and need to find some new readers.  I went to their meeting last Friday and will give it a try.  I fear that they are too "literary" for me.  And the structure of their meetings is the opposite of my regular group.  The Lit Group has the hostess prepare a bio of the author and present a review of the book at the meeting.  In the Book Group we all read the book beforehand and then discuss it at the meeting.  Less formal, I think.  For March the selection for the Lit Group is "Lessons in Chemistry" by Bonnie Garmus.   The Book Group is reading "The Personal Librarian" by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray.

                                        

             

I have been seeing ads for Beach Town Books in San Clemente, so while I was down in Dana Point for a meeting I took a box of used books and drove down to find the store.  It is very, very small and sells mostly used books, but also some current popular new volumes.  They had a copy of "Lessons in Chemistry" and I found a few other favorite author's books I haven't read.  So, I came home with about half the number of books I took down there.  Their system is like the other used book stores, they start an account and give credit for the books you take in and you draw on that credit for what you buy.  Some exceptions apply, new books are full price.  I am down in that area a couple times a month so I will keep taking books down and swing by to trade them in. 

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More Flowers 02-20-23

 

This is a variety of Magnolia (Tulip Tree, Saucer Magnolia} which usually blooms about the same time as the Bradford Pear, but doesn't bother most allergies.  I wish I could photograph it against a dark background to show the lovely shape and the plethora of pink blossoms.

My neighbor across the street has planted a variety of Osteospermum in his planter
next to the sidewalk.  Also a few chrysanthemums.  They are just in full bloom and so beautiful.  Don't know how the yellow on got in there - maybe on purpose - but mostly shades of pink. 

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Revisit a Charlotte Petera quilt in TCQC 02-19-23

 I do switch out the quilts on my walls, at least every three months and not all at the same time.  This is one that is on a regular rotation because it is so complex and yet subtle.  I believe that Charlotte has died, I wish there were other pieces of her work in the Collection. 

TCQC - Revisiting a Quilt by Charlotte Patera 03-25-18

This quilt "spoke to me" at Pacific International Quilt Festival in 2008.  I have been attracted to Charlotte's work since I purchased her book "The Applique Book" in 1974 and even more so after the 1984 publication of "Mola Making" which I read almost like a novel.  Great book!  She made this quilt in the tradition of the Kuna ladies using a motif from her everyday life, just as they did.  And it happens to also be something in my everyday life since I also do Jigzone puzzles and find the lizard cut one of the most challenging.  

"Lizard Lock"  Charlotte Patera - Grass Valley, CA  2008  29"W x 25.5"L

Cotton fabrics, hand appliqued and quilted.
I especially appreciate that Charlotte's used the ombre fabrics with the dark portion of the applique laid on the dark portion of the background - very subtle.  I'm sorry that the color in this image is not true to the quilt which doesn't have as much of a blue cast. 

This is the sign at PIQF that accompanied the quilt which was shown as part of the special exhibit "New Quilts of Northern California", an annual juried exhibit. 

Friday Food 02-17-23

My friend Carol Bednar and I are always looking for new lunch spots and tried a new one on Thursday.  It is quite near California State University - Fullerton, so only about 2 miles from my house.  It is "Fraise" (French for strawberry) and they serve savory and sweet crepes.  A very small space where you order at the counter and they deliver your food to your table.  The crepe pans are behind a glass shield so you can watch them being made if you wish.   It is a large serving and we had some leftover for a doggie box.  Good reheated in the microwave. 

My choice was a Norwegian crepe.

Smoked salmon, spring lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, capers.

Carol enjoyed a Chicken Florentine crepe.

Roasted chicken breast, melted Swiss, mushrooms, spinach, red onions.

The pictures of the sweet crepes were very tempting, but too much after our savory choices.  We will probably go back just for dessert one day.  

The weather here is still cold for this area.  I know that my age makes me more sensitive to low temps, but considering the high natural gas bill last month I try to not turn the heat up.  Hard to do much wearing gloves though.

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