Minimalist Modern Quilt, Geometric Design #2 Finish, Roots of Modern Art and What is it? Bright Modern Quilt Progress

New units Sixteen Patch blocks, arranging for contrast.

Finish, 16" x 29" Modern Quilt, Minimalist Geometric design, #2, machine quilted.

#2 MMG, Washed and dried for optimum texture.

The weather has been warm and mostly clear, Santa Monica Bay.

My Bright Modern Sampler Quilt, hand quilting in progress.

Hello, from Rancho Palos Verdes! Where summer's not over yet!

I know in a lot of areas the kids have gone back to school and be that as it may, here along the coast the weather has warmed up and the skies are mostly clear so it finally seems like summer. 

Sunglasses, flipflops and sun hats are still in use.

Last week I finished my small Modern Quilt experiment, Minimalist Geometric Design #2 or MMG#2. I know I have lots of fun naming my projects, I love words, some can relate, some can't.

Hand quilting progress on my Bright Modern Quilt has been made, slow but sure.

Last week I took time to research Mid Century Modern Abstract artists and found exciting examples of color and design. 

Ellsworth Kelly, John Mclaughlin, Ann Truitt and Karl Benjamin  are known for pioneering 'Hard Edge' design. 'Hard Edge' is 'a style that includes geometric shapes with clearly defined edges', opposite of Impressionism where color and line are blurred.

Their work 'emphasized line, color and form often using bright color.'

The 'big four' Los Angeles based classic artists of Geometric Abstraction, mid century were Karl Benjamin, Lorser Feitelson, John McLaughlin and Frederick Hammersley, 'they produced vibrant geometric abstractions.'

If you want some fun take time to research these artists and their amazing work.

There's a lot more to mid century art than Mondrian or Atomic.

That my quilt friends is the news from the rancho. 

Where I'm remembering to be thankful and getting to the roots of what 'Modern' art is really all about, it's still summer after all.

What have you worked on this week?

I'll be by to visit.

Quilt and Craft Fair at Piecemakers Country Store in Costa Mesa, CA

Craft fair in the parking lot of Piecemakers Country Store 8/17/2019.

Sign out front, Costa Mesa, CA.

View from right inside the front door! Evelyn Penfield teaches bear making classes.

Crazy quilt with lots of embroidery, pattern available.

This is a sampling of Evelyn's bear and animal patterns/classes available.

Classes in session.

Vintage quilt for sale.

Entrance to Piecemakers Country Store, it's huge.

Gorgeous home decor display room.

Embroidery threads/yarn display.

Vintage/antiques for sale.

Cozy display, vintage kitchenware for sale.

Hello from Rancho Palos Verdes where the summer weather is mostly cool and sunny.

Saturday the 17th was Craft Fair at Piecemakers Country Store  in Costa Mesa, CA. That's about a 45 min. drive south from where we are. I'd never been there before so a trip was in order. The craft fair, held in the parking lot, was full of beautiful things, from herbs to jewelry to ribbons, laces and much more.

Then the store itself was huge with two floors. The bottom floor had quilt fabric, yarn and embroidery threads, buttons, embellishments, patterns, books etc! and classrooms.

The top floor had vintage quilts and antiques for sale.

I had an exciting time, in fact everyone there was having a great time. The inspiration was thick!

That is one well run store.

I might have to move to Costa Mesa to be near that store! In fact, I'd love to teach there, now how to talk DH into that, hmmmm.

That, my quilt friends, is the news from the rancho, where summer adventures are happening.

What have you been up to?

I'll be by to visit.

Medallion Quilt Block 'Alice 2' with Final Border in Cotton & Steel's Wonderland Fabric, Improv Piecing and Today's Color Mix

'2nd Alice in Red' has her final border.

'Wonderland' red floral by Cotton & Steel.

Fun with borders, corner close up.

Improv piecing process, using scraps. This will be table runner size.

Here I've machine basted in orange thread, ready for machine quilting.

This is a color mix that excites me right now.

My improv table topper, 'Accounted 4', was an idea I wanted to work out, here it is with new binding color.

New binding in Snow, a Kona cotton solid, this is what I was looking for.

Here is my improv table topper, 'Accounted 4', with binding in Kona Cotton Ochre, it was okay but not what I wanted.

Happy Friday, Quilt Friends!

The summer weather has been mild and cool, no complaints here.

This week I added more to a newer improv table topper and got it ready to machine quilt. I wanted to use scraps and the same improv style I used on my 'Accounted 4' small quilt.

My small table topper 'Accounted 4' is just how I want it now with new binding. I had first sewed on its binding in 'Ochre' but I wasn't happy with the look and I kept putting off the inevitable. I knew I had to replace that binding. Diving in, I picked off the old binding and got the 'Snow' binding sewed on! Yes, just right!

Also, I was inspired by the summer sunset colors here and found an exciting color mix in my stash, just for fun. I know it's there when I'm ready.
What colors are getting your attention this week?

And that's the news from the rancho, where summer is being enjoyed and things are getting done, a little here and a little there.

And I'm remembering to be thankful for big things and small things.

I'll be by to visit!