Quilt Sampler Progress, Holidays on the Coast, Scott Hansen's 'Reykjavik'

My traditional sampler quilt with second border.

Clockwise turn.

It's starting to look like Christmas around here!

Hello from Rancho Palos Verdes!

Thanksgiving was wonderful, family and good food.

And the Christmas holiday is right around the corner, that came fast.

Today I finished sewing the second border onto my traditional sampler quilt. One or two more borders to go, I want it to be full size, now it's 53" sq.

I'm still reading my current favorite books, 'East Meets West' by Patricia Belyea , full of great improv and color use ideas. And Kaffe Fassett's newest book, 'Quilts in America', full of beautiful quilt photos.

Simply Moderne  quilt magazine, fall issue, by Quiltmania Inc. is an issue worth having. There's an interesting article on Okan Arts: artisan quilts and Japanese textiles

And Scott Hansen of Blue Nickel Studios has a fabulous quilt featured, 'Reykjavik", directions are included! You've got to get that issue, it's that good and nobody's paying me to say that.

That's the news from the rancho, where we're remembering to be thankful and getting excited about Christmas.

What's my favorite part of Christmas? Well, one of my favorites, is listening to a children's choir. The lights, the happy voices and faces are so heartwarming, a slice of heaven. 

What's one of your favorites?

I'll be by to visit!

'Uneven Thirds' Small Improv Quilt Design Progress, Thanksgiving Week, 'Quilts in America' by Kaffe Fassett and 'East Meets West.'

'Uneven Thirds" borders laid out.

Borders sewn on, approx. 22" x 24".

Rancho Palos Verdes coastline, looking south from Terranea Resort.

Path along the Pacific Coast, I take my walks here.

Yesterday I stopped at a scenic park, along the coast, next to the Trump National Golf Course, north entrance.

Looking north from the scenic park. We live on that point ahead in the fog.

Hello! from Rancho Palos Verdes, CA.

Where it's been foggy and misty the last couple of days. Today the sun is shining through the mist. 

This is Thanksgiving week and we'll be sharing a good meal and enjoying family.

My mom and dad would always tell us on Thanksgiving, 'We have a lot to be thankful for.'

And we do, good times, bad times, there is always something to be thankful for. Just turning your thoughts that way lightens the load.

This week I finished borders and made up corner blocks and sewed them all onto my improv small quilt, 'Uneven Thirds.' I enjoy the design challenge, taking a center medallion or theme and going out from there. 

I work small because I don't have a large design room all to myself. Every time I need to sew or cut or iron, I need to set up and then when I'm done I need to tear down and put it all away. I've worked at a fabric store teaching quilt block construction and it was the same there for me. I had to set up the class before it started and then tear down, put away everything when it was done. So I've had to do this before and I'm quick at it.

And I'm still reading 'East Meets West' by Okan Arts owner, Patricia Belyea  and getting 'improv' inspired like crazy.

I'm also reading through 'Quilts in America'  by Kaffe Fassett, the quilt photos are stunning.

Two books I highly recommend and again, I'm not being paid to say that.

That's the news from the rancho, where I'm remembering to be thankful.

I hope you have a good week, and I'll be by to visit.

Cathedral Window Project, HST Borders and Okan Arts.

My cathedral window project, hand stitching done.

Borders coming together for my 'Uneven Thirds' improv small quilt.

Blanket of smoke in the air over NW LA, November 10.

Hello from Rancho Palos Verdes! 

Where the winds and temperatures have cooled down.

Yes, a couple of days ago, NW LA did look very apocalyptic.

A strong unseasonably warm wind blew a wild fire into an inferno.

Rancho Palos Verdes is on the west side of the coastal range, which is between the Pacific Ocean and LA, and so we didn't get as much smoke. We could look NW and see that most of the smoke was north and over the Santa Monica Bay.

Today the air is much clearer. The wind has died down and temperatures have cooled down.

This week I visited Okan Arts, located in Seattle, Wa., on line. I saw that Patricia Belyea's  book, 'East Meets West', had recently been published and looking at the reviews and seeing that it had a lot of great ideas, I purchased a copy for myself. And I was not disappointed!

She has a great method for improvisational design that I think is brilliant. Her explanations are accessible, easy to grasp. I think the best instructors are the ones that communicate well.

She, of course, uses beautiful Japanese fabrics (because that's what Okan Arts specializes in) and solids in her projects, but that could easily be translated into using prints and solids of your choice.

I highly recommend this book and no, I'm not being paid to say that.

I've had time to finish hand stitching my cathedral window project. I used a red calico Liberty of London fabric for the color inserts. 

And more half square triangles have been sewn together for the borders that will go around my 'Uneven Thirds' improv project. It's small and will sit on a table to brighten the atmosphere.

And a quick note, this area, in the past really was divided into huge ranches, or ranchos. And free range cattle did keep the brush and low level leaves trimmed, which in turn did keep the chance of wildfires a lot lower. The old timers were smarter about some things than we give them credit for.

That's the news from the rancho where projects are getting done and good books are being read.

And I'm remembering to be thankful and praying for those who've lost family and homes.

I'll be by to visit.

Half Square Triangle Borders, Yo-Yos, a Ceremony and an Adventure.

I managed to get a photo before the wedding party started.

St. Jarlath Church, the ceremony was held here.

I got to see my littlest grandson! Here he is playing with his cars.

On the drive home we stopped in Buellton, CA and visited this fabric/quilt shop.

This is one of their beautiful sample quilts.

The Creation Station Quilt Shop front entrance

I bought some colorful, already made yo-yos, the owner's grandmother makes them.

And I've started work on borders for my new improv sample quilt. I love this look.

Hello! From Rancho Palos Verde.

Where it's sunny, warm and the Pacific Ocean sparkles.

We drove to Oakland, CA last week for my son's wedding. The ceremony was wonderful, held in the beautiful St. Jarlath Church. What a great way to start a marriage. It was fun seeing and visiting friends and relatives and it was all over too soon.

On the drive home I got to visit  The Creation Station Fabric & Quilt Shop , in Buellton, Ca. I enjoyed their sample quilts and they specialize in quilt retreats. I bought some already made Yo-Yo's, the owner's grandma makes them and they're well made! I've sewn them together and they're just the cutest thing.

This week I've been making half square triangles for borders for my new sample improv design quilt,

'Uneven Thirds.' I got the idea for the border from one of Jordan Fabrics' YouTube tutorials in which Donna made a similar border. Their tutorials are full of good ideas and exciting color use.

That's the news from the rancho, where I'm remembering to be thankful.

Have a good week and I'll be by to visit.