Just a year ago, pre-Covid, I drove down to San Diego for a meeting and on the way home there was an accident on I-5 .  Traffic was diverted off onto CA-101, more commonly referred to as Pacific Coast Highway, or PCH.   I hadn't driven that way for decades and really enjoyed these new vistas.  Lots of palm trees that took me back so many years ago, before the freeway was built and the only route to SDiego was PCH.  As you can see it was a gorgeous day and there was little wind.  I decided I would get off I-5 in the future when I had time and enjoy the views of the Pacific Ocean and all the handsome palm trees.  But, so far, I haven't done it.  

These pictures were north of the highway blockage, so there weren't many cars.  I was just enjoying the drive so much I just kept going north, but eventually drove back to I-5 when the PCH traffic started getting heavy.   Lovely day. 

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From the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection 11-15-20

I was looking for a quilt to post tonight and came across this Ruth B. McDowell quilt from 2004.  I was immediately struck by the pre-Covid gathering of teenagers on a street corner in Pacific Grove, California.  This is such a typical teenage group which we would hopefully not see in our current situation.  There is the chickie in the striped shirt who is getting most of the attention while her friend stands half off frame on the left, patiently waiting for.....??  The boy next to her has a soda, this was pre-cell phones.  The guy on the far right has found something else to look at, but the other four boys are still in the game.  This is all straight edge piecing and Ruth has a knack for capturing the body language of each figure.  She cuts the stripes and plaids to accentuate the posture and eliminates faces to just show the attitude of the figures.   I especially love the shoes!

"The Street Corner"  Ruth B. McDowell - MA  2004  55"W X 41"L

Commercial Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting, Cotton Thread

Machine pieced and quilted. 

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Getting better with the sciatica 11-14-20

Yesterday I had a second epidural in a slightly different spot.  It seems to have more of an effect than the first one did.  I was much more comfortable today and did only the most important things - drink, eat, sleep, bathroom.  I read and ran through Facebook and e-mail.  But mostly I napped for short periods.  So, I don't have anything to say tonight.  Good night!!

KoKo and Froggy are still with Cherri and Jim, but I hope to have them home this coming week..

Wordless Wednesday 11-11-20

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SAQA Interview 11-10-20

 

"Conversation on the Porch"  Ruth B. McDowell - MA  1993

54" W X 37.5"L  Cotton fabrics, batting and thread.  Machine pieced and quilted. 

This year SAQA is participating in the SOFA event in Chicago for which Studio Art Quilt Associates Director Martha Seilman interviewed three contemporary quilt collectors and I am one of them.    You can also look at videos by Jack Walsh and Marvin Fletcher.   Both of them collect large, expensive quilts and have advisors to help them decide.  I just buy what I like and can afford without consulting anyone!  I am thrilled to be able to see pieces in their collections and even more thrilled to share pictures and talk about some quilts in TCQC. 

I was surprised at how precisely I speak and the voice doesn't sound at all like my own.  There was no script; I provided the images, Martha asked me questions and I just answered off the top of my head.  It seems to all make sense, but if I had it to do over again I would probably say something different.  Isn't that always the way?

Click on: 

Intersect Chicago: The Future of SOFA (SAQA Special Exhibition)

If that doesn't work try:   

https://www.saqa.com/events/intersect-chicago-future-sofa-saqa-special-exhibition

If neither works, please let me know.   Del

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Filling time 11-09-20

I don't think I have worked a jigsaw puzzle by myself for at least 25 years.  I've been to someone's house where they invited me to join in on their puzzles.  I had an online puzzle addiction for some years, but that is an entirely different process.  This one came from friend Carol and friend Liz worked in and returned it.  I thought I would just give it a try.  

It is a wooden puzzle from Great Britain and the pieces are quite small, I have a hard time picking them up with my arthritic hands.  

 It is only 250 pieces so it will easily fit on this tray when completed.   I'm verrrry slow, it may take me a week.  

Or more!

There are what they call "whimsy" pieces which aren't hard to match up with their mates, but since they don't interlock it isn't easy to keep them together.   I don't think this will become a new hobby, just something to pass the time right now.

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A tiny bit of sewing 11-08-20

I have not been able to sew while I have been confined to home.  Don't really know why this should be so, as I have millions of unfinished projects and imagined projects.  I guess pain is truly a deterrent to doing most anything.  

"Happy Birthday"  Del Thomas - CA  2020  9(" X 6"

Cotton fabric, fusing, machine pieced, appliqued, quilted.

 

My sister's birthday is the 12th of November and I haven't been driving and didn't buy her a card before all this happened.  So, I decided I could handle a very small project and I made her this card.  It isn't a great original idea, but I have always enjoyed making these cards with candles.  In this case I dug around in my button box and couldn't find eight "flames" alike, so I just used two odd ones.  She might not even notice!   We will just ignore the further five years she will attain on Thursday - one candle = ten years.  No half candles. 

The back and the base are scrounged from the scrap bag of a friend who never saves scraps.  I love taking a workshop she is in so that I can rescue her discards for later use.  She had already quilted this "sandwich", so I didn't even need to do that.  As I was making it I hadn't thought of how to get it in the mail!  I'm so used to having wheels, so my friend Carol braved the PO on a Saturday to send it on its way. 

A small result.  But a big accomplishment for me right now. 

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