Support the cause

My contribution to the Alzeheimer's Art Quilt Initiative – Twist & Turn, no. 6962 – is one of many for sale.

Waiting for directions

No impetus like having guests to get cleaning. I made up for deferred housekeeping. In a few rooms at least.

With children I would feel obligated to set a good example. But I don't have any. So having people over is my incentive. At least once in a while. The house appreciates it too.

Before and after, betwixt and between, I quilted. And quilted. And quilted. More quilting begets faster stitching and better turns. It's about half done and up on the design wall.

I'm looking, listening, waiting for the quilt to tell me what's next. 

Intentional intensity

I've been quilting. Not as in designing or piecing. As in stitching quilt lines.

Intended lines about 3/16" apart. An hour to stitch a 3" wide swath. Five hours to exhaust a 100-meter spool of thread. Very intensive.

Only an hour at a spell. Maybe 25% quilted after eleven hours. 

 

An adjustment. No change in intention. A change in intensity.

Birthday every month

I'm getting a stuffed Priority Mail envelope each month.

Just look at the luscious blues in this month's little package.

 

I'd joined the Monthly Solids Club at Pink Chalk Fabrics.

At the beginning of each month, soon after an email notification, the package arrives. I don't know what colors, but always eight one-yard pieces with a card identifying each one.

When I go to the fabric shop, I'd stand in front of the solids for a long while trying to figure out what other color to buy. Yes, I do need more solids. There I'd be tempted by eye-candy prints. Or by nifty notions. Or by new patterns. Or by luscious silks. You get the picture. I'm avoiding temptation and relinquishing color selection to Pink Chalk.  

I feel like a birthday girl each month. What a pleasant treat. 

Cataract Falls

In his Outdoor and Sunday Drive columns for the San Francisco Chronicle, Tom Stienstra (the one writer I read in the newspaper's Sports section) has extolled the trails to beautiful waterfalls in the Marin Watershed . Until recently, adequate rainfall, good weather and free time have never fortuitously coincided.

When a day of gorgeous weather popped up after a rainy day in the middle of Memorial weekend, I dropped everything and opted for a hike on the longest - 2 miles - and steepest - 750-foot climb - trail of the three – Cataract Trail.

Cataract Falls is not one long drop, like you may find in Yosemite, but a series of cascades, all more beautiful than these photos can reveal. A hobbit's stone house sits in a pool at the foot of one cascade.

Wildflowers bloomed along the trail.

 


 

 

The wildflowr at left with its hooks may have been the inspiration for Velcro.

A lizard takes advantage of the sun in the shelter of a hollowed out tree.




A respite in the picnic dell at the top. After two hours up the trail, sitting felt wonderful.

Another hour back down the trail and justification for a hearty meal.

A good day. 

Give him a 10

I ask for your help in supporting a friend. Vote for his $300 house concept:
http://www.jovoto.com/contests/300house/ideas/12790

The contest has only two days left. His idea ranked no. 11 last I looked.

An other pace

Recently I returned to the Crow Barn for a workshop.  In contrast to Nancy Crow's intensive pace, this was a relaxing week with Dorothy Caldwell.

We made marks – Human Marks – batiked, burned, discharged, drawn, pierced, printed, smoked, stamped and stitched.

 

I didn't get as far as making books from these marked pages, but here's my little handbound sample book.

Contemplative approaches. Meditative processes. Gestural marks. A wonderful change of pace.

I allowed myself the luxury of commuting alone. Not even the radio for company.