Sheep Quilt Block For Elizabeth

My friend and fellow quilter Elizabeth is moving to another state to live. Our small quilting group decided that, for a good-bye present, we would each make her a block with a sheep on it. Elizabeth is very fond of the local sheep herd! I was emailed a drawing of a sheep and told to make a block out of it somehow.

After a couple false starts (different ideas about the background and construction methods) I hand appliqued some off-white fabric to a background of fabric by Harmony Art. I thought that using some locally-designed fabric would tie in well with the "sheep-as-neighbors" theme.

Lots of little applique stitching around all those curls of wool! And of course, MissesSheep needed her nose and eyelashes embroidered onto to her little sheep face.

To add a little interest, I embroidered some little flowers and grasses near MissesSheep's feet.

I can't wait to see a picture of the quilt when all the sheep blocks are put together.

Quilt Exhibit at MOAD

Recently I went to see a quilt exhibit at MOAD (Museum of the African Diaspora) in San Francisco. The quilts were made by Siddi women of African descent living in India. These very bright and colorful quilts are made by starting with an Indian sari as a "base" fabric, which will eventually be the back of the quilt. Starting at one side of the sari, different sizes and shapes of patches are hand sewn onto the sari as the quilter works her way around the edges and in towards the center. Some patches are fairly big, while others are very small. Often tiny patches, maybe 1" square, will be sewn on top of the already existing fabric, to add a secondary design.

These are obviously scrap quilts, which accounts for their brightness and variation. A lot of different fabrics are used, too, not just cottons. Silks, brocades, and other types of fabric all find their way into the quilts.

Photos with permission and courtesy of MOAD website

Summer Traveling

This summer DaughterStitches, BabyStitches, and I went to the Midwest to visit some of our relatives. We had one fun night staying with SisterStitches and her family, then spent the remainder of our time with my parents. BabyStitches needed to see where her

great-grandparents live.

We had fun playing outside in the grass, visiting a nature center, playing with my "vintage" toddler toys, and seeing fireflies in the evening.

One of the highlights of the trip was getting to ride in Uncle Jarry's tractor. Doesn't BabyStitches look tiny up in that big tractor!?!

Here is BabyStitches with my brother Jarry and her mom, getting ready to drive out of the tractor shed.

BabyStitches thoroughly loved the tractor, as well as her time spent with Great-Uncle Jarry.

Here's a shot of a quilt my mom has on her hand quilting stand at the moment. Isn't it beautiful! And her stitching is so small and even. I hope my quilting can be that good some day.

My Fabric Winnings!

I won a piece of this cheerful, yummy fabric from Harmony Art last week. Isn't it just beautiful!?! It is called 40 Ginkgos, a very appropriate name. I've always loved ginkgo trees, and this is one of my all time favorite Harmony Art fabrics.

As I unfolded the fabric, then washed and dried it, I was shocked by how much fabric was there. It was a yard in length, but at 110" wide (rather than the normal 45"), there is an awful lot of fabric! So I decided that I would share some of it with SisterStitches and MomStitches. SisterStitches is a fabric gourmet, too, and MomStitches loves ginkgo trees. I whacked off two chunks to put in the mail, and am still left with lots of beautiful ginkgo fabric!