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| My cathedral window project, hand stitching done. |
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| Borders coming together for my 'Uneven Thirds' improv small quilt. |
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| 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.