Quilt top made new

This is the kind of work i do for clients.  Yvonne brought this top to me without the borders and with another row of fans.  The top is made of fabrics from around the 1930s and is hand pieced.  There are a few stains and some of the stitching had come loose from a washing, but all in all, in very good condition.  I removed one row and used 4 of the blocks for the corners.  Amazingly i had 5 yards of yellow cotton that was from the same time period.  Fabric from the earlier 20th century was usually 36″ wide.  We were pleased at how nice the yellow borders look with the print and orange fabrics.  Note:  it is always better to wash the top after the quilt is made so that there is not any unraveling.

The next step was to have it quilted.  This was done by Carol Brown of Brentwood, TN with a long arm quilting machine.  She has to stand at the machine and guide it to get the designs she wants.  She has done many for me and my clients and we are always very pleased.  We used Heirloom batting which has a 80% cotton, 20% poly scrim content, and handles beautifully under tension in her machine.  This batting also holds up well with gentle machine washing.   After the quilting is done, i put a 1/2 inch binding around the edges. 

Another garden guest

Praying Mantis

This is the most recently discovered guest in my front garden, found in the zinnias while i was dead-heading and looking for marigold seed.  He is even bigger that the grasshopper, but i neglected to go back out with a ruler.  At least 5 inches.  Look at the eyes…he knew i was there!  Through the camera lens there was an otherworldly feeling.   My sister Terri tells me that the large ones are the females; so i expect that is true of the grasshopper too.  I think i won’t post the grasshopper mating picture.

One of the great features of this blog is that i can start a page now, and come back and edit to fill in more info as the day unfolds.  Actually right now it is 9:30pm on the 29th, so that means i have gotten a jump on tomorrow’s entry.

Today is the last day of September and with the 1st of October we are supposed to get cooler weather.  I am still putting things away and look forward to getting back to quilt work and art.

The Sale is Over, thank goodness

Sunday, after the sale, and after two large loads went to Goodwill.

I am so grateful that Cathy came in from Macon County on Friday and helped to get everything out into the driveway and onto the tables, and she took on the role as cashier!  A huge help because i always get distracted by the people and what they are interested in.  Attendance was rather low and folks were tight with their money…both indications that the economy is hitting all of us.  I can celebrate that most everything is gone except the jewelry, laces and buttons, and wool, all of which i may be able to sell elsewhere.

The wonderful thing about inviting strangers into your yard and your stuff is that sometimes there is a kindred soul.  I met a couple of perennial plant lovers and hope to develop relationships with these two women.    My plan is to start a Yahoo Group for local Perennial Plant sharing.  I have put much time into my small front yard and the colors have been so rewarding.  I let the back yard go because of mosquitoes and lack of water.   I am glad it gives pleasure to others.  It is full of smiling flowers!

Butternut Squash

This is the so far only squash from the seed that i planted months ago.  It is a beauty – i will probably save it for Christmas dinner.  My first attempt in a not very good growing spot.  Thanks Martha!

Go to May 24 to see the sprout.

Healing Heart

Healing Heart: fabric, tie-dyed dinner napkin, yellow linen dyed with natural dye osage-orange sawdust, 8 pointed star quilt patchwork, nest of gold thread,dyed crochet, red wool, enamel pin, paper butterflies, dyed lace flowers, copper wire, beads, hand-stitching.  Size: c. 20″ square

I started this piece last fall while in the early chapters of Julia Cameron’s THE ARTIST’S WAY.  A small study group of women met every two weeks for six months.  In October 2007 there were some very emotional events that brought the need for me to make something that helped process the emotions.  This is the finished piece above.  I made it just for me and my healing process after an arrest was made for the death of my close friend, Sally, in the winter of 1975 (yes, 32 years ago).  And after i worked on it, lived with it, and eventually finished it in June – it was bought!  What a surprise, and how wonderful that someone else wanted it.  I experienced the struggle and joys of making it, and when i was done, i didn’t need it in my life any more.  So it moved on.  Many thanks.

I posted it today because i finally was reminded that i had not done so – and it needs to be here.

A Garden Visitor

This guy is huge and probably got that way eating my 4 foot marigold plants.  I don’t really care too much as long as he doesn’t eat the French Marigolds.   Each year i save the French Marigold seed and plant again – saved originally from my mother’s garden after she died 27 years ago.  Just now i went back outside and a friend pointed out that a small grasshopper had joined the big one.  I will post the photo later if its not too risque!  The “guy” may be a female.

Here are my mother’s flowers:  Anybody want seed?

Leaves for Fall

Well, I just finished drawing on this little gourd bowl … leaves … and realized today is the 1st day of fall.  Typical that i would choose leaves, and a gourd for that matter, to do my little bit of art for the day.  The air is dry, and though rather warm, it was a beautiful day.  I love having all the materials i need when the mood strikes me.  I read in American Craft today that its important to know the difference between surrounding yourself with stuff and finding things that have a meaning.  I continue to weed through and purge stuff, although today i reclaimed two cards of buttons that might be useful for a wee girl’s dress.  Oh well, I can’t expect to cut loose of everything this time through.  Most everything going in my sale is stuff i might have made something with!  I look around and see there is still plenty here and the universe will always provide materials!  Gratitude.

It’s Simple

When i am among the trees, especially the willows and the honey locust, equally the beech, the oaks and the pines, they give off such hints of gladness, I would almost say that they save me, and daily. 

I am so distant from the hope of myself, in which I have goodness, and discernment, and never hurry through the world but walk slowly, and bow often.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves and call out, “Stay awhile.”  The light flows from their branches. 

And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say, “and you too have come into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled with light, and to shine.”

                                                                       ~ Mary Oliver~

Healing Art

I find that making art is the best way for me to intuit, bring to the surface, seek understanding, and communicate what is going on inside of me.  The process of creating becomes a meditation on the person, situation, or problem that i am struggling with.  This piece is a gift celebrating the life of of my friend and the desire for healing that i feel for her.  I am so grateful that i have the resources to make something that expresses what’s going on with me as well as tell a story that someone else may enjoy.

This piece is small – 6″x8″.  The gold wool was dyed with osage orange sawdust (a natural dye) and has a navy linen binding.  The dyed blue fabric and batik were purchased; i found the butterfly at a thrift store.  The vine is carpet thread with pink seed beads. The 3 leaves, also dyed with osage and logwood, are embroidered with silk thread.  The charm in the center is glass; the left is a slice of seashell and a jasper heart; the right is a glass bead with a rose quartz heart.

Starting again on blogging

OK…really…my last entry was ages ago! I had my 55th birthday yesterday and decided i could mark it in some way…so this is it.  I am really going to try to do better here.  i spent the day with my favorite person, Olivia Anne, 9 1/2 months old, and worked at healing a head cold.  

I have been going through what i call the 2nd layer of my stuff – a pressing need to sell more things after such a successful yard sale in May.  This time there are more of what i might call treasures or what were at one time – i can only hope they will become other people’s treasures.  Laces, parts of vintage dresses, ribbons, quilt parts, jewelry, pictures, and so much more.  The sale will be next weekend on the 27th – intentions are for a great day! 

Art is being done a little…i will post progress…wish i could figure out how to get pictures on here faster.  I am repairing a Pansy Wreath quilt for Laurie and finishing up a quilt assembly for Yvonne.  Hard to do much with baby here for 9 hours a day.  As Terri said to me…i will be glad later on! 

 Here is the Chuppah (a Jewish wedding canopy) done for Yaara’s sister in Israel.  She took the white squares to Israel in July and had people write and decorate.  Promise to myself, and advice to other:  don’t use paint or plastic products!  It is just too hard to iron.  The wedding was last weekend…many blessings to all.