"Late Autumn" 09-14-07

Writing about the monthly mini made me think back to the one I made for September 2006. It is "Late Autumn" (27"W X 22"L). I liked it so much that I made "Late Autumn II" with a different tree silhouette on the same background fabric. The tree and border are cut in one piece, fused to the background and then sewn down with a straight stitch very close to the edge.

This is a design style I have been using for a few years. I don't think it is the definitive "Del style", if there is such a thing!

I've tried to keep a record of the monthly minis I have made and who owns them. But many of them were pre-digital, so I will have to dig out the pictures and transfer them to digital images. I think digital technology is one of the wonders of the late 20th Century. I love the fact that the pictures can be adjusted using a computer program, I use PicasaII, to correct all the errors made by the photographer!

"Red Hot Peppers" 09-13-07

This is "Red Hot Peppers" (14" X 40") the little quilt I made for the Beach Cities Quilt Guild Monthly Mini and the meeting was tonight. The pattern for the pepper blocks is from Ruth McDowell's book "Pieced Vegetables", I just came up with the setting. There is a Monthly Mini at every monthly meeting, made and donated by a guild member. Tickets are sold before the meeting is called to order, again during the short break and the winning ticket is drawn before the speaker begins. It is a way to raise money for guild expenses. This is my last contribution, at least for awhile, I have been making the quilt for September for quite a few years. I'll give someone else a chance.

I used a different method for the corners of the binding. Something I read about in Robin Ferrier's Blog for June 20, 2007 http://quiltantics.blogspot.com/2007/06/art-quilt-binding.html I think it does make a neater finish and I found it took less time than doing the mitre or even the blunt ends.

At Corky's house #2 09-11-07

I stayed with Corky at his house in Long Beach Sunday through Tuesday. What a character he is! One of his "acts" is to burrow through the cushions on the sofa.

When he gets them just right he'll have a little snooze.

I was really feeling my age on Tuesday - I locked my keys in the van! This is the second time this year and I hadn't done that for about twenty years. I now need to focus just on what I am doing at all times, no more task stacking for me. I am fortunate to have Corky's unconditional love, even if I am old and forgetful we have a good time together.

At Corky's house in Long Beach, CA

This is the early morning view from the back of Corky's house which overlooks Marine Stadium, built in the 30s for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. It is a popular water skiing spot, so to get the reflections one must take pictures soon after the sun comes up.

More Pacific Grove

I haven't gotten the binding on the little quilt for Beach Cities QGuild, so I haven't taken any pictures.
So here is one from Pacific Grove. This wonderful butterfly covered moose is in the front yard of a house on Asilomar Drive, just across the street from the Bide-a-Wee Motel!

I was told that the man who lives in the house bid on the moose at auction somewhere back east. When he won the bid he had the moose crated and shipped to his Pacific Grove home at a cost of something over $1000! Considering that PGrove is the home of the Monarch Butterflies, it seems appropriate that this fellow should be there. His blue eye shadow is nice, but his varied socks are a knock out! Here is a closer look.

Sewing again

I have several deadlines coming up. The first is Sep 22 when my two quilts that appear in the book "Creative Quilting: The Journal Quilt Project" are due in Houston. All of the quilts in the book, or as many as are available, will be a special exhibit at Quilt Festival 2007. I just need to package them and send them on their way. Sep 28 is the deadline for the quilts for the final Journal Quilt Project which are also to be at the Houston Festival. They are to be 17" x 22", or the size of four of the previous quilts. I'm struggling with this one - too many ideas! Meanwhile I am finishing up the quilt for the Beach Cities QGuild monthly mini for which tickets will be available for the meeting next Thursday at the BCQC meeting. When I have finished the binding I will post a picture. Meanwhile, here are the two Journal Quilts.

"Remembering Constance" 8-1/2" X 11" My late friend Constance Howard walking in the Yosemite woods.

"Passing Mars" 8-1/2" x 11" Commemorating the close passing of Mars in August 2003

It feels great to be back to work in my 'studio' - that is really my dining/living rooms!

Putting it all away!

Today is "putting it all away" day! It is great to have time away from home, especially in such a lovely place as Asilomar, but it is also great to get home to one's own bed. If only I didn't have to go through a huge pileup of mail and do the laundry and put everything away. I didn't buy much new fabric to add to my 'fabric library', but I have all the fabric I took with me to put away. I used merely inches in my tiny project. There it is, the blue,red,green bit at the bottom of my design board! However, the object of the class was not sewing, but developing designs which could be sewn at home.

Although, I must admit, everyone in the class accomplished more than I did. Guess it just wasn't my kind of class after all.