Saturday, July 15, 2023

Quilt News! Log Cabin Improv Quilt Progress, Day Trip to West Seattle in Search of Rare Book, Four Patch in a Square Blocks Final Arrangement

Lincoln Park, West Seattle, I'm next to one of many Redwood trees.

Alki Beach, West Seattle, we waded and got warm in the sun.

Spud Fish and Chips restaurant across from Alki Beach has been here since before WW2.

Final arrangement for my Four Patch in a Square quilt blocks, 42" x 48".

More 'logs' have been added to blocks in my newest Improv Log Cabin quilt.

 

 

Hello Quilt Friends! 

The summer sun has been heating things up around here this last week. The nights cool off so that's good! I hope you're all managing to find cool places and remembering to keep the ice trays full.

This last week we drove to West Seattle to the library there in search of and to check out, a rare textile art book, Ayako Miyawaki, The Art of Japanese Applique', published by The Asahi Shimbun and The National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1991. As you may know textile art is one of my fascinations. I found out about this book by reading Okan Arts blog post on Patricia Belyea's favorite Japanese art/design books.

While there we had to stop by Lincoln Park and Alki Beach, and eat at Spuds Fish and Chips, where the best fish and chips anywhere are served up. I grew up in West Seattle and I still enjoy visiting there. 

And that is the quilt news from the valley, where I'm remembering to be thankful and progress is being made, slow but steady.

I'll stop by to visit!


Sunday, July 9, 2023

Quilt News! New Log Cabin/Court House Steps Improv Blocks, Sashiko/Boro and Traditional Hand Embroidery Projects

I finished another 'tray cloth' for my kitchen with Traditional and Sashiko stitching.

Boro Stitching on the front piece of my new book/shopping bag.

New project, Log Cabin improv blocks being 'interviewed'.

 

Hello Quilt Friends! 

News from the valley where we are enjoying the summer breezes making everything feel fine!

I finished my latest 'tray cloth' or glass drying towel with Traditional Hand Embroidery and Sashiko Stitches. They work well together. The fact that it's useful is a big plus with me.

And another new, useful project is my book/shopping bag, it will measure approx. 18" x 17". I had some leftover triangle pieces trimmed off another project and they were too colorful to throw out so I'm stitching them onto the front piece with boro stitches which is also called Japanese Running Stitch. One of my favorite books on Boro is by Harumi Horiuchi, Mending with Boro, Japanese Running Stitch & Patching Techniques. Harumi's book is beautiful and she writes about stitching and mending with your own unique style as an art form. Yes to that!

My new Scrappy Log Cabin/Court House Steps Improv Blocks are going to be about 10" square, most of them are there now. I'm deciding on the final layout. I do seem to favor log cabin blocks, I know. Mary Hogan's book, Log Cabin Improv: Quilts with a Twist on Tradition, has been a great inspiration for me. 

That Quilt Friends is the news from my sewing room to yours. And what new projects are you working on and what summer adventures are you planning?

I'll be by to visit!