Catherine Kleeman quilt joins TCQC 11-08-14

Only four quilts from the SAQA auction were added this year.  But each is a standout.  The first selection  makes three of Catherine's quilts which hang very well together. 

"Round the Bend"  Catherine Kleeman - Ruxton, MD 2014   12"x12"

Artist dyed and painted cotton fabrics. Raw-edge applique, machine stitched and quilted, hand embroidery.

Catherine has painted over the finished quilting stitches to make this wavy gold pattern. 

No covered back here, all the stitches show, just as they should.  

A nice complete label, except there is no date.  I'll write it in.

With all the pertinent information I can always contact Catherine if I am interested in more quilts.  Or want to refer another collector.  

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Friday Flowers - More blues 11-07-14

Yes, I am fond of blue flowers, so I thought I would give you a double dose.  

Here is the plumbago again, so you can compare it to the next flower image.  The petals are regular and symmetrical.  It grows as a bush, almost a vine which can be trained to a trellis. 

And this is vinca.  Notice that both have five petals and the little five sided center, but vinca petals are irregular and twist counter clockwise.  Vinca grows as a ground cover and is considered a invasive species in the slopes of the western Sierra.  One quality it is treasured for is it's ability to grow and blossom in  heavily shaded areas. 

This is agapanthus, or Lily of the Nile, just as the blossom is opening it is very dark blue. 

Here are some blossoms and a pod from a Jacaranda tree.   The flowers come on before the leaves so the trees are a spectacular blue-violet. 

Here is a close up showing the trumpet shaped flowers with the three lobed mouth.  These trees are not planted much locally any more because they are so messy.  But in older neighborhoods they are plentiful and even used for street trees which are now towering giants.  Due to the drought the blossoms were sparse and the leaves came on (weakly) along with the flowers. 

Plumbago - It must be November 11-96-14

Plumbago blooms off and on throughout the year, at least that in my yard does.  But early November it blooms heavily and it makes me think of still pools of water.  I love the color and the shape of each individual flower.  The red-violet sheaths of the buds add an extra flipp to the beauty of the  flower globes.  

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Wordless Wednesday 11-05-14

Monday Browsing 11-03-14

I added Marianne Burr's quilt to Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection at Quilt National 2913.  It is still traveling and can be seen at Oceanside Museum of Art until November 23^rd.

www.ohiochannel.org/mediaLibrary/Media.aspx?fileId=144597

       

The quilt museum in Paducah, KY, has pictures of some of the quilts shown in previous exhibits and also current and coming.  They show more  traditional quilts than art quilts, but I’m interested in both, so I always enjoy looking.  I particularly enjoyed the pictures of the exhibit of hexagons, mostly paper piece and many from the UK: http://www.quiltstudy.org/exhibitions/online_exhibitions/mosaic/paper_pieces1.html Home page:  www.quiltmuseum.org/
 

Redwork (Smilebox from The Quilt Show):   http://secure.smilebox.com/ecom/openTheBox?sendevent=4e44457a4f5451354d44593d0d0a&blogview=true&campaign=blog_playback_link&partner=smilebox

 

The latest tabulation of quilters and how much time and money they spend:

http://www.quilts.com/announcements/y2014/QIA_summary.pdf

I'm a blank 11-02-14

I just don't have anything to say tonight!  I have been pretty much housebound for the last ten days with a damaged ankle/foot.  Don't know how I did it, but the "cure" was to stay off of it and wear a "boot" when I had to walk.  I have gotten pretty dull and can't think of anything to blog about.   I have a number of new quilts in TCQC, but no pictures.  I hope to be able to take some soon and get back to my Sunday posts of quilts that I have added. 


This is going to be a doctor appointment week, so I will at least be out of the house!  Hurrah!

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Remembering Bishop Creek 11-01-14

It has been two years since I drove up to see the aspen trees above Bishop, CA, along Bishop Creek.  It is an area that my husband and I tried to visit every year - either for the trout fishing or just to look at the fabulous landscape.  This trip was October 24, 2012.

Bishop Creek is lined with willows and aspen. 

The road climbs to over 8000 feet and can be closed in snowy weather.  

The little town of Lone Pine is at the base of the Sierra.  One of these peaks is Mt. Whitney, the tallest mountain in California and the lower 48 states. 

Driving home through the Owens Valley there were herds of wild elk grazing.  

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