♪♪Ain't No Cure for the Summertime Blues ♫ ♫

 Blues in my sewing room only! I love summer!

Here's the fabric for a project I'm slowly working on. 

Some fabric came from a friend. (thanks Phyllis!) 

Some I hand dyed in a class with Lori Triplett in Houston. 

The rooster I purchased in that class.

I'm not sure how they will all play and work together but I'm going to try it.

I got our fall quiltalong complete and basted ready for hand quilting. So excited to share it with you all! I hope you'll consider sewing along. I make it a mystery but because it is small there isn't a lot of investment. 

We have 3 high school girls and one 21 year old leader staying with us this week. They are here with a group putting on Vacation Bible School at 2 churches in our community. 

I'm so excited to be doing a Zoom lecture tonight for North Cities Quilt Guild, Yorba Linda, CA. 

If your guild needs programs or trunk shows, in person or online, please contact me!

It's going to be another hot and busy week!  Let's make it a good one!

A Biskit A Basket

I'm really not starting a new project, just doing a couple of test blocks. (famous quilter words!) 

I saw a great old quilt in reproductions with a wide double pink sashing. 

I wondered if I could mix it up and do it in the indigo blues that I have. The quilt was pieced but I also saw an applique option so thought I'd try both. 

This is a 6" finished pieced block. I got this fabric when I took a class from Lori Triplett on indigo resist. 

This is the appliqued version. 

It's a toss up for me and I still like the idea of doing it in reproductions. Which block do you like better, as far as pieced or appliqued? 

I haven't posted too much on Instagram but here's my most recent. 

Last call for my String Quilt class! Click HERE for more info!

Have a great weekend!

 

Another Favorite Houston Exhibit

I came across this lovely indigo exhibit and it really was inspiring! Quilting in Japan has always been so completely perfect and over the top, which I appreciate, but I'm not necessarily inspired by it- thee was something different about these quilts. 

If you haven't heard of many Japanese quilters, let me introduce you to the

 indigo work of Shizuko Kurohah. 

This was one of my favorites. It was so unusual and unique.

She had to have designed it on paper ahead of time to make this amazing design work. I think you can click to zoom more. 

As I browsed the vendors, I came across Shizuko! Hand quilting away with her family working the booth. Anybody know what the booth name was? I bought some hand quilting needles and wish I would have purchased the glove to help with hand fatigue. (I doubt I'll ever hand quilt as much in a day as she does!) She didn't seem to speak a lick of English but was so generous with trying to explain her hand quilting technique. 

And this was her adorable grandson wearing this bright red cowboy hat! And it is true that many Japanese love all things cowboy!! How stinkin' cute is he??

Here is the special exhibit info.

And her book published by Quiltmania. 

On another note: Elsa and I set the alarm early and went out for a hike to catch the sunrise on Friday,. Out weather has been wonderful for November and I'm eeking out every last drop of it before the weather really changes. 

 This is an apple orchard at the trail head. It was an old homestead 120 years ago.

 When I see these old corrals, still in use, it reminds me of the cowboy heritage in Central Oregon

Saturday we went on an easy hike so Porter could join us. . 

 This is the Deschutes River, popular for fishing and floating.

 This is what I look like before wanting a photo! LOL

 Another old homestead. 

An old store with Noah Vibbert on the side. The family named Vibbert still lives in the area.

Thanks for coming along with me today. 

Thank you Veterans and your family  for your service! Much love to you all!