Heading Home

Leaving Italy in a few days and going back to Canada.

A few days before I left I saw this MAP of Canada from my terrace!...down to Vancouver Island! Troppo bello.

Quilting in Rossano, Calabria, Italy

I had a lovely few days in Rossano, Calabria, together with friends at the end of July.

The town of Rossano tucked into the mountain and was built
hidden from the sea as protection from invasions of the Saracens.

The Ionian Sea is just over this mountain.

The main reason to get together was patchwork but we did way more than sew!

Chatting with the priest at his Abbey in the mountains
where the main activities were held.

There was a quilt exhibit- La Più Bella (The Most Beautiful) showing works from the south of Italy and the north, traditional and contemporary.

Location of the exhibit in the historical centre of Rossano.

A priest came to talk to us about what "The Most Beautiful" means. Very philosophical.

Exhibit Hall
Two visitors admire my work! I went over to talk to them. He is an art student.
His mother does patchwork.

More traditional works were on one side of the room.

We had a morning of exchanges. People taught for half an hour. They taught things they wanted to share.

Bread making.

Expert applique-er  and author, Maria Rosaria Nola,
 uses "Manitoba" flour to make her bread!

Sewing "Gems".

This will be my next "portable" hand project. It is a step-up from hexagons.
 I think it could be fun working out the secondary designs made by the fabrics
when the six 'petals' are sewn together.

Knitting tricks and much more.

We ate well (as always).

We toured a few places like the liquorice factory, Amarelli, run by the original family line, 11th generation!! Founded in 1731....

liquorice roots

... the beach on the Ionian Sea,

....the historical town,

... and when we got back to the province of Basilicata we heard the news of their devastating floods.

Rossano suffered heavy rains that
caused mud slides.
Pictured above is the beach front
and the newer part of the city.
(These two photographs were sent to me
by some friends.
Not sure who to credit)

Missing You

I can't really say I "miss" stuff when I am here in the south of Italy.

August 25 photo diary project

But I have noticed I miss making quilts. I miss my fabric.

My friend sent me an email with a picture of her workspace. Nothing set up -just a picture of what the space looked like. She and I sew together sometimes. I really loved that she sent me that.

Gail's quilt

Author Margaret Atwood described quilts as flags (taken from Judy's Journal)

Reading Amy Friend's blog this morning, I see that comparison again. I love that thought! Thinking of the motion of a flag when one is under a quilt. Moving, alive, being blown by the wind. It's beautiful. I miss my quilts.

I leave the beach on Monday..

... and head north to Verona where I will be confirming the itinerary for next year's group trip (May 15 to 24). I will be sewing at the Ad Maiora studio for sure.

Happy sewing!

Blue

Photo Diary, August 17

Journaling

I am diligently setting aside some time to make journal entries, even though I am in "holiday mode".

Towards the end of the day,  I climbed down about 150 steps to a beach...

....to draw rock sculptures that someone had made.

Panting on the way up, I swallowed a bug!! I stopped at the bar which over looks that beach to wash it down with a glass of prosecco. Ahhhh, holidays.

Waves

The wind has picked up and the waters were too rough to swim in.

 photo diary, July 11

Go for a Walk

It's always the same thing.

 Sila makes my front lawn blue.

I'm almost finished an art piece and suddenly I don't like it.

So I turned the whole thing over on my cutting table...

Two turtles sunning themselves...even though it is only 8 degrees out!

..and went for a 20 minute walk in my neighbourhood.

I saw some friends on the way. Bumped into my neighbour who says she has some men's shirts for my quilt making. (great!)

A mother robin made a nest on Easter Sunday and today she sits in it.
We have a perfect view from our family room.
I can't wait to see her babies hatch.

Getting some air is a good way to clear your head and reenergize.

Love those tiny yellow birds.

Chateau Life

 After an intensive art-filled week in Paris, it's nice to let it all soak in...

to take some time...

time to reflect....

while walking around the grounds...

photo credit Sophia Reford

Château de Villiers le Mahieu

time for taking silly pictures.

This morning we went on an egg hunt!

easter egg location!!

Happy Easter.

Spring flowers growing on the grounds

Rain Puddles

Rain is part of spring.

Pink rain puddles, Tuileries Gardens, Paris.
photo credit, S.J. Reford

May all your puddles be coloured!

Our Blue Quilts

Our little group, Ad Maiora (Canada), was able to get 4 quilts made for the Cayman Islands Hospital and the new Diabetes Education Centre at the Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital.

Blue is the colour that represents diabetes. (Cayman Islands Diabetes Charitable Trust)

Gail will be putting on prairie points to finish the edges.

Love the labels, Grace!

On the way home, I stopped at the bluffs in the east end of Toronto to take this picture of Lake Ontario. I was thinking of the warm, blue Caribbean Sea surrounding the Caymans.

Without thinking, I put cotton batting in my quilt. I hope it won't be too warm!

A Cold WIndy Day

This is Lake Ontario on a cold windy afternoon.

This is textile artist, Penny Berens', body of water.... looks way warmer!

"Meeting Place", approx. 13" x 30"

detail, "Meeting Place"

Penny now lives in Nova Scotia, Canada, and her work is influenced by the natural environment she sees every day.

She posts nice pictures of Nova Scotia on her blog.

When she lived in Toronto her work was influenced by symbols.

She has always done lots of hand stitching in her work.

detail, Rockbound, 33" x13"

detail, Rockbound, 33" x 13"

She is one of the artists that has agreed to exhibit a work in the show I am curating for France, 2012.

She spoke at the York Heritage Quilter's Guild last night and I went to see her.