Look Up

Bureau of Printing and Engraving (I think)

Ceiling in the East Wing of the National Gallery plus an untitled Calder mobile. I loved both galleries of the National Gallery. It is a perfect space for art. The place was made for art and it really looks like the art is happy there.

The Apotheosis at the Capital. The dude in the middle in George Washington.

DAR Museum/Library
Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress.

Sideways view of the Capitol ceiling. I like the way the arch swoops.

Looking up can be very inspiring, so LOOK UP!

Mosaic Quiltmaking

This is a quilt top that my SIL is working on. You might notice, especially from the detail (below) that it looks like the mosaic quilting technique of Shannon Williams displayed on Simply Quilts YEARS ago. the patches that my pieces and Shannon’s pieces use are much smaller, but SIL used the leftovers from another quilt and I think this piece is wonderful. The mosaic patches really add a lot of interest to the piecing.

More on the 1000 Journals Project in San Francisco

The SF Chronicle wrote a story about the first commercial showing of the 1000 Journals project.

clipped from www.sfgate.com

Chronicling the journeys of 1,000 wayward journals

It all started with bathroom graffiti. When the artist who calls himself Someguy read what people wrote on bathroom walls, he was intrigued by the uncensored thoughts and messages. Under the cloak of anonymity, he saw, people will say anything.

“And then I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if people could write in a book and make their own comments.’ “

Last year, Chronicle Books of San Francisco published “The 1000 Journals Project” ($22.95), a compendium of outstanding images from several journals. Someguy and the journals will also be part of “The Art of Participation: 1950 to Now,” an exhibition of participatory art practice that opens Nov. 8 at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

1000 Journals: The documentary opens Friday at the Roxie Theater, 3117 16th St., San Francisco, (415) 863-1087, roxie.com.

For more information about the 1000 Journals project, go to 1000journals.com.

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Baby Janes

I never thought I would do a Dear Jane quilt and I haven’t started one yet. Being a block lover, I have, however, always admired the multitude of different looking blocks. Today I saw a Baby Jane grid of blocks on Twiddledetails blog (http://twiddletails.blogspot.com/) made on her blog and was intrigued. So I went to the blog and was pleased to see that the person running the blog really had good directions and for making the blocks.Do a little exploring and admiring.

I still want to see where I can find that grid although it would look pretty stupid with NO blocks filled in.

Dear Baby Jane
Join me on the journey of creating a “Baby Jane quilt” in the tradition of Jane Stickle’s original “Dear Jane quilt”.

H-6 Pie Sale

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The Purpose of Blog Comments?

I agree with Mimi in that I don’t put my work out there for criticism. I am happy to take comments, but I do my work for me. I love sharing it, but I am my own best critic and don’t need others. I love it that people from all over the world and friends I don’t see very often can see what I am doing and keep up.

I heard a great quote while I was away: Creativity is an Expression of Joy. The world, I think, needs less criticism and more support for creativity.

clipped from mimikirchner.com

Does that say something about the corner that we inhabit? I don’t think many of the art/craft blogs I look at are putting their work out into the world seeking constructive criticism. Who asks for that from strangers? If I want a critique of my work, I ask someone I know well, whose view point I respect, who I believe has some understanding of where I am coming from and who I can watch as they interact with my work. So why do I put my work out there? To connect with other people who are interested in what I’m interested in. Imagine- look! look! embroidery! wool! cool!…. I can assure anyone who questions this- it is not so easy to find people who get excited about this stuff. So, of course all the comments are nice and oh so gushy- we are thrilled to find someone else who gets what we are into!

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Latent Love of Dolls

Deirdre sent me a link to Mimi Kirchner’s blog and it made me start thinking about dolls.

clipped from mimikirchner.com
clipped from mimikirchner.com
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I have to admit that I have always loved dolls: Barbie and friends, baby dolls that you could dress and feed, soft huggable stuffed dolls.

I loved dressing up dolls. The dolls always looked glamourous and could walk in their tarty shoes, which wasn’t always the case for me! Dolls always provided an opportunity to play house and have things go my way. Dolls are also a great opportunity for creativity. Now I am too old for dolls and they have been replaced by a family of Mr. Potato Heads on my desk. Yes, I dress them up for the entertainment value.

As I have been washing and pressing the fabric from my trip to the East Coast, I have been cutting off schnibbles. I keep thinking to myself what great hair the schnibbles would be, which further makes me think that Art Warrior and Mother Warrior may need a new friend.

Artist Warrior (left). Mother Warrior (right). On display at the last CQFA show.

Mimi’s dolls are really creative and beautiful, and they also have a lot of personality. They are also BIG, and, presumably, huggable.

I am really glad to have the blogosphere accessible to me, because it is just a fountain of creativity that I can dip my toe into whenever I want.

More Mosaic Inspiration

Someone mentioned that I was an idiot, because I was classifying tilework with mosaics and calling it all mosaics. I do know the difference, in case you were worried and I intend to continue on with my practice, because mosaics sound better and is shorter than Mosaics and Tilework. Searching is easier for you, dear readers, also, because all you have to do is type in mosaics and you get everything that has to do with mosaics or tilework. See? I am always thinking of you. 😉

This is from Frederick, Maryland. I was thinking it would be good inspiration for a two block quilt: ninepatch and snowball.

Also from Frederick, MD. I like the interwoveness of this design. I mulled over, quite a bit, how the colors played into into the success of the design.

This is a mosaic from the Thomas Jefferson building of the Library of Congess, though it really mimics tilework.

This is another mosaic from the Thomas Jefferson building of the Library of Congess. I love the leaves.

This is yet another mosaic from the Thomas Jefferson building of the Library of Congess. Can you say Double Wedding Ring?

Cross Block Back From Vacation


While driving around Virginia checking out quilt shops, I worked on some Flowering Snowball blocks in the car. I was amazed at how much I was able to get done. I know two blocks doesn’t seem like a lot, but since these are handpieced, this represents quite a bit of work.

I also began thinking about the border blocks. Nothing definite yet, but I think I am nearing the end of this project. Stay tuned.

What I Made on My Summer Vacation

I bought the fabric for this tote at Capital Quilts in Gaithersburg, MD. The flower fabric appealed to me even though chocolate is a major color in the fabric. In making this bag, I realized that using three fabrics makes the totes much more interesting than just using two fabrics (outside fabrics including straps, pockets and body, which is separate from the inside fabric).

This is a tote that I started, what seems like, months ago. I, finally, was able to finish it in Maryland. I love Love LOVE the turquoise bubble dot fabric. The problem is that the straps and the pocket, which are pictured in the photo above, are camoflaged. I definitely see another tote with this fabric in my future.
This is the inside and I think the turquoise bubble dot fabric looks so much better on the Basix dots.


Normally, I don’t buy Christmas fabric. I certainly don’t regularly buy Christmas fabric at full price. I loved these fabrics so much that I couldn’t wait to see if they went on sale after Christmas. The colors and motifs are really fun and cheerful. I wouldn’t exactly classify the toile as fun or cheerful, completely, which is not to say it is ugly or staid and boring. I do love the idea of repurposing the toile idea into something new. As soon as I got home, I sewed the fabrics into Christmas gift bags and am looking forward to using them during future holiday seasons.

I started a cupcake tote made from the fabric I purchased in May at Clementine’s Dry Goods, but have not gotten very far. Photos to follow.

Mosaic Inspiration from the Thomas Jefferson Building

The Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress is a monument to knowledge. The whole building exudes the value of knowledge. As well, it is a gorgeous building, with every surface covered in some kind of artwork celebrating knowledge, books or libraries. I took dozens of pictures of floors, some of which I may drag out later for your enjoyment. Here are a few to inspired you to greater borders and medallions for your quilts.



I love the common designs that mosaic art (and other arts) have in common with quiltmaking.

Rebel Quilter’s Bullseyes

JulieZS, one of my partners in Bullseyes (in case you haven’t been reading) sent me the link (http://rebelquilter.com/latest_news.htm) to these bullseyes by Susan Leslie Lumsden. I can’t really see them up close and personal, but I love the colors and the look of them. I am always interested in seeing other people’s iterations of bullseyes.

clipped from rebelquilter.com
Slipstream Adventure
Slipstream Detail A
Slipstream Detail B
Live Water Magic Time
Strength Through Diversity
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New Fabrics from the East

I returned last night from three weeks away from the computer (mostly) and some serious sightseeing. Much of the sightseeing I did was a at quilt shops, which resulted in a few pieces of new fabric.


Artful Quilter, Centreville, VA

Jinny Beyer Studio, Great Falls, VA

145 Art & Design Studio, Culpeper, VA: I really liked this place. It was on a cute, old-fashioned, walkable and homey little main street. The store had a warm feeling (I think the paint was shades of reds and oranges) with gorgeous huge crown moldings. Lots of interesting fabrics that I hadn’t see before and a wide variety of art supplies including a full complement of Tsukineko inks. Well worth a visit if you are in the neighborhood.

Quilt & Sewing Center, Fredericksburg, VA

Quilting Adventures, Richmond, VA: I have not made a secret of the fact that I am a sucker for this shop. Joyce moved a few months after I was there last and the shop looks great. It is has a cool feeling (blues and greens). I found plenty of pink there, so I don’t think there is a preponderance of blues and greens, but the shop exudes that calm feeling. The fabrics, quilts on display and other things going on (videos playing, samples of boxes, art journals and home dec to view) were really exciting. Joyce had a wonderfully inspiring Christmas tree skirt on display made from the Piece O’Cake book, Welcome to the North Pole. I may just have to make one, especially after I saw the perfect shape (roundish, but not round) at the Renwick.

Capital Quilts, Gaithersburg, MD. (first trip there): the weird brown fabric with the turquoise flowers became a tote bag. Stay tuned for a picture.

Capital Quilts, Gaithersburg, MD. (second trip there)
Pins and Needles, Frederick, MD: only fat quarters, because someone was with me dogging my heels the whole time in the shop. Bleah! Nice shop (what I got to see of it), but unpleasant shopping experience.

Various CT quilt shops

G Street Fabrics, Rockville, MD: they were having a 30% off sale, but their stock was seriously depleted.