Thursday, August 24, 2023

A Giraffe in Egypt? - a Quilt finish

Hello, hello, on this grey, rain squally day. It's cool and blustery.

I'm so thankful that the Heat Dome has not come to the coast yet/ ever?---- Instead we have hurricanes to watch for; is he headed my way?

This week I finished Mr. Giraffe Goes to Egypt:

Outline quilting on giraffe block.

Tomato soup red conversation print backing. Boat instruction link at end of this post.

Best color and clarity photos are indoors on the pine cupboard.

I began this little project a year or two ago. Lori of Humble Quilts had a challenge project: To find and use an ''orphaned'' antique quilt block. I have loved and saved this funny redwork block for years---far as I know there are no indigenous giraffes in Egypt!--and I thought it perfect for the challenge.

But then.....

Meanwhile Lori sent me, so generously, a beautiful c. 1850-70 brown and red madder print block to use. See above.

Of course Giraffe was set aside, though I think I used the design ideas, easy peasy hourglass blocks, etc. Giraffe was finished last Fall, layered for quilting and set aside for this summer's outside handwork. [Yes, I am a planner.]

The redwork block and little quilt have a made up by me story, something that came to me as I handled the old funny block. Years ago I studied and collected redwork extensively, and a recurring fable or urban myth is that the small redwork blocks were done by children convalescing from then-dreaded illnesses like strep and scarlet fever.

So my block was embroidered by a little boy named Tobias*. He was 8 years old, and feeling much better after being ill, but Mama kept him quiet in bed most days. And she helped him with his geography lessons by having him embroider the Giraffe and other interesting things. Exotic animals and places were much studied in Victorian times, and though a child like Tobias might never see a real live giraffe, this would capture his imagination.

Other days, Tobias and Mama would piece the bright triangles of the hourglasses. Mama sewed them together. They chose the backing, newsprint origami folded boats that by spring Tobias was well enough to to sail in the beach's vernal ponds. Mama watched him closely, then satisfied the child was now well and happy, she finished the quilting, choosing a boyish brown star for the binding, a sentimental thought towards her boy, her little star, her heart, who was well and almost nine.

Tobias lived to a great old age of 86, and all those years he truly believed that giraffes roamed by the Great Pyramids of Egypt.

I did some photos on the deck rail, with the zinnias that always influence my quilts' colors:

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pattern pic

As previously mentioned I hope to make Jan Patek 's Liberty Pumpkin for this Fall. Julierose is making one too and if anyone else wants to join in, please do so. We'll show our progress here and prob on Julie's blog. No rush, no pressure, no final due date. Just fun.

Jan P's staff is notoriously slow with mailings so I went ahead and pulled fabrics. [They also have digital if you're in a hurry]

These are stripes , coffee-sun dyed, with Julie's method of letting the dye bath steep.

This print is amusing because I always thought it was little pumpkins. Only after I dyed it did I see it ia really tomato pincushions!

These are potential fabrics. I tried to find prints with Halloweenish stars or moon, but not broadly Halloween/ moderns.

This is the pumpkin [below], tho I have a cream. and navy Star print I may use instead of the lucky horseshoes.

I am also working o my first Sarah Sporrer hand applique block, but that's another post. Hopefully if it's rainy tomorrow, I will get that block, and the Carrots block, prepped for the coming sunny days. Summer is still going strong here, lasts through October, most years. [note the child-inspired tiny prints Tobias, Mama and I chose...]

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As for Mo, he is okay with some rain days too.

but m-o-o-o-om, it looked yummy and was so cute....and, and, and...

He has been naughty on the deck--throwing over the big meadow pots, when ''attacked'' by leaf blower wielding gardeners next door! Oh. My. And a sudden interest in the new fountain, which he will no doubt tip over onto himself.

And yesterday he ate a lady bug. He was chawing and gulping, I thought choking, I tried to clear the obstruction, and the ladybug popped out--alive and well.

He also had his once a month spa day, smelled fab for about an hour, lol. Lavender-coconut-oatmeal sham and cond!

Hope your weekend is great!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach...

* Fictional Tobias is named after my dear friend Toby [Tove], an older lady who taught me all about beachcombing and reading the local tides and wrack line, when I moved here years ago. Toby has passed on now but I think of her often, her beachcombing skills were amazing. Coins and gold rings were her specialty, she thought seaglass was just trash.

How to make a paper boat CLICK HERE or do a search on YouTube. Kids love making them. You can add tiny toothpick and colored paper flags just like the fabric has.

Thursday, August 17, 2023

August Mid-Month Journals, Musings, Some Poetry

Mid-August: the light is changing. Sunset is before 8 PM here now. [poem from IG, source unknow.]

It's a beautiful cool day today after unexpected overnight rain showers. I was all inspired to do a beachcombing walk but my body said NO. The past few mornings I've been doing Mo's big walkies/ run. It is so uplifting and adorable, he trotsoff on his busy long route, head held high, a puggy smile on his face, leg lifts on every shrub and post, leaving pee mail for all the other dogs. I do love going with him, but brisk early morning physical activity is hard on me, with my side effect/ chronic joint pain. I even have fast acting pain meds from the doc to get me going on Mo's runs. And I was very pleased with myself for fulfilling Mo's needs. It made us both very happy. But takes its toll.

When Mo was a baby I didn't have a dogwalker for these runs; we'd stop at my best friends' cottage's back garden for a halftime rest and big cold drinks. Tears in my eyes yesterday as Mo ran right to their gate and peeked into a yard where we are no longer known or welcomed. He even went to their front door on his evening walk, looking for his extended family/ friends.

We are setting up for afternoon sewing now. I treated myself to this darling tiny fountain.

It needs a different bowl as this one will rust. You'd think someone like me who has a bowl collection prob in the hundreds would have lots to choose from, but no. The really big bowls, fountain sized, are too valuable and too heavy to cart back and forth for cleaning every few days. I am hoping the fountain draws birds and butterflies. So far only Mr Sparrow came to take a look.

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for fun...I made a couple more summer bracelets. I am still locked out of etsy and was not able to purchase a summer of '23 bracelet from my favorite designer @tlynnjewelrydesigns. So, my versions, "inspired by'', instead, for now. bracelets

Journals

This is a double page pic of my meadow in my Perpetual Journal.

The sweet Painted Lady visited that red zinnie every afternoon for weeks. Her head and eyes appeared to be brilliant blue, a trick of iridescence? And if I was very still I could see her tongue unfurl to sip the nectar. google images pic

I am quite pleased with the result. I knew I couldn't adequately draw the butterflies so I went a bit Scribble Journal and collaged in their printed, ink enhanced photos.

I left empty pages before and after, in case, as this is perpetual book, I am in the future terribly embarrassed by the printed out bugs.

Bugs are Google image finds.

Speaking of bugs, the Trader Joe sunflowers, hung to dry, hatched out ghastly worms. I've been chasing them all day. Put me right off TJ flowers, just eew .

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More Perpetual pages, sorry if these are repeats:

And a forgotten Scribble page:

Another done today, unfinished, scribbled as I loaded the grocery order.

Scribble sketch of Kit in Montana's Sunflowers on Blue Chair. I hope to do a real painting of this.

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I treated myself to this Jan Patek mini quilt pattern.

If anyone wants to make it with me, it's $9.00 on her website. There's even kits, tho I resisted that treat! Blog friend Julie and I had so much fun a few years ago, making Starry Eyed Jack together online. I pulled out stripes to sun tea dye, so far not much results. I don't think Earl Grey is dark enough. Must look for the dye pot Red Rose to keep trying.

Have a great weekend!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....