Home & Away Quilts

Can't get enough

2008-02-20T10:43:00.002+01:00

It seems that most of my posts from the last couple months have centered around Guatemala. It's such a beautiful country with rich traditions that I can't help myself and today is no exception. I have forgotten to show off these photos of Guatemalan handmade textiles I found on one of my travels. The embroidery is fun and bright,

the combination of fabrics is unexpected, but it works,

and the colors are great.

We'll be back there next November and I'm already looking forward to it. Now I've got to search my house for where I can put something like this.....

Wow

2008-02-08T15:48:00.000+01:00

On a walk through Bern, Switzerland, we came across this chalet and all I have to say is Wow.

Santorini

2008-01-26T15:32:00.000+01:00

This summer we spent the day in Santorini, Greece, and it was fabulous! If not for anything else, the color study of the deep blue of the ocean and the crisp white of the buildings. Of course it was almost required to do the donkey ride to the top. I succumbed to tradition and rode one up.

Wait, not that one. This one....

It was so "fun" I walked back down, but first I had to check out all the beautiful storefronts and displays. Check out those shoes!

Of particular interest to me were the stores with embroidered tablecloths and decorations. So intricate, they were just calling me to try embroidery again.

Guatemalan Kites

2008-01-16T15:11:00.000+01:00

The other afternoon I walked over to the cruise ship terminal in our port in Guatemala and it was filled with music, dancing, and local crafts and food. It was a great way for those passengers who wouldn't leave the ship area to see some of the Guatemalan culture. What I noticed first were a display of huge kites hanging from the ceiling.

Handing out brochures about the kites were women attired in traditional dress.

Apparently the kites are flown on All Saints Day and the Day of the Dead to act as conduits, bringing the peoples' ancestors back from their resting places for one day to spend with the living. The most intricate kites are from the region of Santiago Sacatepequez.

I had to take a photo of each one that was hanging in the terminal to show you how different the geometric designs can be. Wouldn't any of these be a great jumping off point for a geometric quilt?

I love finding things like this in my travels.

Livingston, Guatemala

2008-01-03T22:51:00.000+01:00

The other day we took a small boat from Santo Tomas de Castilla, Guatemala where the ship docks to a small town on the sea where the Rio Dulce meets salt water.

It's called Livingston and because it is on a peninsula, the only real way to get there is by boat.

Its secluded nature means it's a backpacker's haven, but doesn't mean that the six-block mainstreet stops selling souvenirs and handicrafts to tourists. They had some beautiful purses.

The real treasure for me, though, was that it was the first sunny day in about a week of rain. That means laundry day! We passed clotheslines and fences and sides of buildings plastered with drying clothes. I even found these cool quilts hanging in between two houses further up the main road with about ten local boys playing soccer just in front.

Holiday Time in Switzerland

2007-12-29T11:01:00.000+01:00

Yes, yes, I know we're in the Caribbean right now and it's sunny and hot and that's fabulous, but it doesn't feel like the holidays. It feels like a holiday, but not the cozy, surrounded-by-family-and-good-wishes holiday season. So I'm indulging myself with photos of the last time I was in Switzerland over the holidays--in 2005! Here is Zurich with these fabulous star lights up on the streets in the older section of town.

The famous shopping street, the Bahnhofstrasse, always had lights up for the holidays. A couple years ago they changed the more traditional lights for these modern ones. Uproar! But now they've grown on people, and me.

You see, it's not just fluorescent-light-bulb-like lamps hanging down. They change color and light flashes down the length of the street, making it look like it moves. AND when there are more people walking down the street, the lights flash faster. When it's calm, the lights flash much slower. I think that's pretty cool. Maybe we'll see it next year. Happy holidays to you wherever you are!!

Caribbean Christmas

2007-12-20T01:30:00.000+01:00

It's not my first time in warm weather around the winter holidays, but after four times it still doesn't feel like Christmas without the snow and cold, even when they put up a driftwood tree. This one was in Grand Cayman.

Whether it's cold and snowy or warm and sunny, I hope you enjoy this holiday season!

The Sun

2007-12-15T11:33:00.000+01:00

When we were on the Wind Star, Remko had to be at work at 4am and I usually couldn't really get back to sleep after he left, so I saw a lot of sunrises.

We normally would be heading into port just after the sun came up, so even if it was a port day, we were still surrounded by water at 5:30am.

It made for some beautiful scenes with the ocean completely surrounding the ship and the pinks and oranges and blues all mingling together.

Sunsets are also a spectacular sight on the water.

This has nothing at all to do with quilting or design, but I love these two times of the day and wanted to share that with you.

Tortuga

2007-12-12T11:17:00.000+01:00

On our itinerary, we stopped at an uninhabited island named Tortuga, which was certainly a far cry from the prison island in the Pirates of the Caribbean movie. White sand beach, lounge chairs, and a couple buildings where we could bring our barbeque grills.

As any tourist destination has these days, the island also had a gift shop, even if it was in a tent.

I think this is a cool way to use felted wool to make these tropical birds.

I've never seen sequins stacked before, like in these bracelets, and I might have to try that as an embellishment.

What about a really geometric quilt using this two-color block design?

I think it's so fun to get inspiration wherever you are!

Last One

2007-12-08T11:00:00.000+01:00

Okay, this is our last trip to San Diego for awhile. (I have to leave my options open, I don't know if I'll ever be back!)

I really enjoyed the architecture of the stores and the flowers--even the cacti were lacy and cool.

My last find was these thread paintings.

Again, I can't imagine the time required to loop the thread back and forth in these patterns. The complexity intrigues me and makes me want to try it.

This last image in a little blurry, but it was so dynamic that I wanted to include it.

I love these colors--the artists definitely weren't afraid of mixing so many bold hues together. For my next quilt, I should learn something from that. Be bold with color!

More Old Town

2007-12-04T10:53:00.000+01:00

We're back in Old Town today!

It's too cool to leave for one post. In another store I found these amazing beaded bowls and creatures created by the Huichol Indians of Central and South America.

I can't imagine the time it takes to make one of these, let alone all of them.

I wonder how the patterns could be translated into quilting or an appliqué design or even a pieced block.

Old Town San Diego

2007-12-03T10:36:00.000+01:00

Last April we had a weekend in San Diego and I got to explore the city with a friend while Remko was in conferences for work. One of the places that I loved to see was the Old Town.

It's a mini-village that's kept as it was in the late 1800s, except for the fact that there's modern shops and restaurants inside.
I'm not complaining, I found some beautiful folk art that I want to share. Here are some 3D appliqué quilts I found in one store. Cool embroidery and fun shapes.

Now to think how I would make this for myself. A mini-cruise ship? A mountain on Switzerland with skiiers and rescue dogs? What would you do?

Local Crafts

2007-11-29T01:29:00.000+01:00

Just a few more shots of Dominica. Roseau, the capital and city we stop in, puts out a market on the days cruise ships come in, selling local crafts and souvenirs. I love the plaid-lettered sign leading to this store full of tropical flower-inspired painted clothes.

Basket weaving is another big craft.

Quilt making in this hot country isn't too popular, but I did find a star block in one store's floor. Check it out!

Dominica

2007-11-27T16:28:00.000+01:00

Dominica is a beautiful, natural island. Full of lush forests and amazing waterfalls, it's an adventurer's paradise.

On previous trips I have adventured and explored, so yesterday I was interested in the capital city of Roseau and what there is to see. Buildings are still damaged from recent hurricanes, some missing roofs or walls. But some have beautiful railings and balconies that would look pretty cool as quilt designs or applique.... Check it out:

Coiba, Panama

2007-11-13T10:08:00.000+01:00

One week on our Wind Star cruise, we were able to deviate a little from our standard port in Nicaragua to head further south to Coiba, Panama. At one time it was a maximum security prison, but now it's just a standard one. :) On this remote island lived about 60 prisoners, a handful of guards, and a crocodile named Tito.

I'm searching through my photo files and I'm surprised to find this one is the only one I have. I thought I took a photo of the spiny back of Tito barely emerging out of the water. It wasn't safe to swim with him, but you could take photos. :) What surprised me most about this small island is the fact that even they had t-shirts for sale for the 140 people on the ship who came once. They were embroidered, most likely by hand. Check it out.

I love how "Panama" appears in the water of this shirt.

I'll keep looking for photos of Tito and let you know if and when I find them.

Retro Bathroom Signs

2007-11-09T11:10:00.000+01:00

Check out the funky people you regularly encounter on the public restroom doors in Switzerland!

Back Onboard!

2007-11-07T21:52:00.001+01:00

We're back onboard and making our way toward San Juan, Puerto Rico after two sea days and most of the third day. After today we'll be in port every day for more than a week, so I should have more photos soon!

Sempach

2007-11-02T10:23:00.000+01:00

My last post from Switzerland for a couple months should include one of my favorite towns: Sempach. It's right on a lake, and yes, I've only driven through, but I think the old town's main street is so quaint AND full of quilt design possibilities.

Just look at those shutters and wall decorations!

Traditional, yet so cool.

Cow Bells

2007-10-31T10:16:00.000+01:00

I love cow bells.

I didn't really know this before living in Switzerland, but I've embraced this part of my new country. Remko thinks it's so funny that I like them (see his photo of me above) but he lets me take as many photos as I want. :) I love the sound, but also the designs on the bells--mountain flowers and vines. It'd be a pretty cool embroidery project....

This weekend we went to a chestnut festival in a nearby town and it was complete with seven farmers carrying their decorated bells into town.

August 1, which is Switzerland's national day, normally has a huge parade of farmers with their bells, and this year (my first) was no different. I loved it!

I even took a video. Just listen to the sound those beautiful bells make!

Trams and Triangle-Squares

2007-10-29T09:20:00.000+01:00

About a year ago, I made a quilt where I had to cut off triangles that were large enough to keep, but not large enough to really know what to do with. I've been looking for a pattern for triangle-squares I could use since then. On a recent tram ride up one of the mountains surrounding the Vierwaldstettersee...

...I came across a couple houses that had triangle-squares painted on their shutters.

I'm not sure this is the exact pattern I'd like to use, but it's funny to find solutions around the world when and where you least expect.

Grandma's Flower Garden

2007-10-25T10:09:00.000+01:00

We drove to northern Switzerland near the German border to see Remko's aunt and it was perfect fall weather. A bright, sunny day with a nip in the air. She lives on a vineyard and they had just finished harvesting. One of these days we need to get up there to help. I think that would be so fun. A lot of work Remko says, but still fun. Here are some scenic shots:

But the best part? Our visit on the balcony, sitting in the sun, looking at this amazing church steeple.

If I ever wanted to try a hexagon quilt, I think I'd make it like this. Or at least try.

First Attempts

2007-10-23T19:37:00.001+01:00

Here, finally, is a look at my first attempt at redwork. That's the embroidery term for stitching outlines of objects or people with red thread. I wanted to give it a try and couldn't find anything I wanted to make until I found a book with all the U.S. presidents' faces. I didn't know all of them and thought this would be killing two birds with one stone: learn the presidents since it would take me so long to stitch each face AND try the style. It took longer to sew together than my optimistic mind thought, but it's finished and something I can be proud of, especially since it's done before my inauguration deadline in 2009.

Here's a closeup to better see what the faces look like. I'm not the perfect stem stitcher, but I learned a lot as I went along.

Now on to the next one. :)

San Blas Islands

2007-10-19T09:41:00.000+01:00

The San Blas Islands of Panama are a collection of hundreds of smaller islands, some are uninhabited and look like this.

Some are inhabited by the Kuna Indians who live a traditional lifestyle of fishing and crafting.

The women dress very colorfully and make wonderful reverse appliqué designs called molas. We had a chance to visit these islands last December. It was my second time in more than four years, but it was still the same. Everyone on this small island turned out for the tourists. Rows and rows of beautiful molas were on display and the women shyly hid behind them. You could take photos, but you had to pay a dollar, plus a dollar for each person in the photo. I wanted to save my money to buy something, so I only took this one to show what it was like.

The links that I've included tell a little more of the story behind this place and the craft that has made it famous. I'm no expert, but I am a buyer. Here are four appliquéd birds with tiny, delicate chain-stitch details. They aren't technically molas because there's no reverse appliqué, but I still thought they were great.

Back to Costa Rica

2007-10-17T09:46:00.000+01:00

I have to confess that I have close to 3000 photos in my iPhoto account. I think it's time to start cleaning those up. I also found that I haven't shown too many photos of our four months in Costa Rica last year. Would you like to see some of those?

I didn't find any quilts here--even in the winter months it was hot and sunny, no need to get under a big blanket for warmth. Instead the women (and I suppose some men) made intricate designs with beading, for bracelets,

necklaces,

and belts.

I'm sure some were machine-made for a quick profit on the tourist trade, but it doesn't stop me from finding them beautiful.

The Process

2007-10-15T09:45:00.000+01:00

I love the work in process, almost as much as I love a finished quilt.

I decided to try redwork about two years ago. The project couldn't be a dish towel or a small pillowcase, no that would be too easy. I chose to stem stitch all 43 presidents and make a quilt. I busily sewed for years (wow, did I really do that?) and now I'm left with all the pieces ready to be sewn today into the quilt top. But before I finish the work, I need to revel a little in the pieces that make it up.

Okay, I think it's time to get back to the sewing machine. I'll post a photo of the finished top soon.

Gray days

2007-10-14T13:12:00.000+01:00

Back at home in Switzerland, it seems our fabulous weather in September has left us for a more dreary fall. Instead of the usual mountain panorama, we've only been able to see fog and gray.

To cheer us up, I thought I'd give us some fun wool flowers I saw in a store window in Antwerp, at least in picture form.

Lots of bright colors and cute ideas.

Wishing you a colorful weekend!

Spakenburg, the Netherlands

2007-10-11T10:08:00.000+01:00

We stopped for lunch one day on our Dutch trip at a village famous for these brown, shallow boats....

and the fabric. Spakenburg has a well-known museum dedicated to old Dutch interiors and the clothes made from this homespun cloth. The volunteers at the museum wear traditional clothes each day. We just had time for some shopping.

I got the fabric I bought out of the bag yesterday and went for a walk with my fiancé, taking some photos along the way. Here's some colorful green corduroy fabric in the woods.

I also bought some orange corduroy with a traditional floral design incorporating the Dutch flag, some blue homespun, and a windmill print. I'll have to come up with a table runner or wall hanging with these.

Thanks for helping with the photos, Remko!

Sewing at Kinderdijk

2007-10-09T10:03:00.000+01:00

On our way to visit some family in the Netherlands, we stopped at Kinderdijk. Nineteen windmills are preserved there and some are still in use.

One of the windmills was set up as it would have looked in the 1740s when it was first built. Next to the bed in the box, which was done for warmth, was an old sewing machine.

I'm pretty sure it's not from the 1700s, but it was cool to see and imagine the woman who lived there using it to sew for her family. She'd make clothes and maybe quilts to keep them warm, all looking out at this view.

I don't know about sleeping in that little bed, but I wouldn't mind sewing for a couple hours watching these windmills.

Lucerne in Bloom

2007-08-23T08:26:00.000+01:00

Lucerne is a popular tourist destination in central Switzerland and it's not hard to see why with a truly old, old-fashioned covered bridge close to the water and the train station. In the summer it's lined with flowers and birds on top.

Several buildings in the old town are painted and decorated intricately. Just beautiful!

An Afternoon in Zurich

2007-08-14T10:18:00.000+01:00

It sprinkled a bit as we explored downtown Zurich, not enough to use an umbrella, but enough to notice. Undeterred, we climbed the steps to the tower of Großminster, one of the three large churches in the center of town. I think it was 915 steps, a combination of stone spirals and creaky wooden planks. Worth the climb for the view.

The railing around the top balcony had these stone swirls. How would that look in a stain glass quilt?

I have no idea what this says, but I enjoyed this piece of graffiti the most on the walls of the stairs on the way down.

No matter where I go, I find quilt blocks in the tile floors or wall decorations or stonework and Zurich was no exception. Here's a room extension with three blocks as decoration. The angles aren't quite right to make them without set-in-seams, but we could work something out.

Oslo Artists

2007-07-26T07:37:00.000+01:00

The sun was shining bright a few days ago, giving me a great opportunity to explore outdoor Oslo away from the harbor. My first stop was Vigeland Park, home to 212 statues by Gustav Vigeland made in the late 1800s/early 1900s. On the map I was using, the park was about two inches long by one inch wide. I had no idea how huge that would turn out to be, but it was a beautiful day to walk and enjoy the sculptures and the sun.

My favorites were the tree people around the fountain. The same bronze tree was used, but the figures inside and around the tree differed in each sculpture.

I even found a quilt block carved into the bridge flanked by sculptures and leading to the fountain.

Next up was a quick subway ride to the Munch museum where Edvard Munch's famous painting, "The Scream" still hasn't been restored from its robbery in 2004, but the rest of the paintings were worth looking at. I didn't know much about his work or what his paintings really looked like before stepping inside this high security gallery. I loved it. Here's one of my favorites.

I love the colors of the water and how that blends with the background. And in the last room against a wall on its own was this painting of a man with a fabulous striped quilt on the bed. Quilts are everywhere!

Bergen Crafts

2007-07-22T16:06:00.000+01:00

Bergen, Norway is cold, not only in the winter, with its sea breeze and northern location, so it makes sense that I found a lot of felted wool and knitted hats, mittens, and socks in the market stalls. Bright colors chase the gloomy rain and snow away and fun designs make them, um, fun. :) Check out the pieces I found.

Seven Sisters

2007-07-19T08:37:00.001+01:00

Okay, this has nothing to do with quilting or crafts, but it was a pretty cool day and I thought I’d share the story.

Today we sailed through the Geirangerfjord to see the famous Seven Sisters waterfall. For some reason last night, I thought it was a good idea to get up at 4:30am to watch us sail past it in the morning. But I dutifully got up when the alarm went off (Remko was already on the bridge since 2:30am) and went outside in the cold, pouring rain. It was pretty cool with all the mist on the water and the early morning light, and I have to admit I felt lucky to see this.

Of course that was until about 3pm this afternoon when the sun came out and we WERE going to sail by them again. (I had thought it was a one-time thing.) Here’s what they look like in the sun.

And this time more people were out on deck to catch the view. It’s crazy how tall these falls are. Here’s a photo of everyone taking photos from the 11th deck onboard and we’re only halfway up the falls at that level.

Across the way there’s another waterfall that’s called the bachelor and it’s said he pines after the sisters and gets help from a bottle of whiskey that you can see in the shape of the falls. I didn’t see it, if you do can you post a comment and tell me where?

One of the passengers caused a fury of photos when he discovered another bachelor near those falls. I think it looks more like a man, what do you think? Can you see him in the rocks?

Oooh, the floors!!

2007-07-16T20:34:00.000+01:00

There’s no question that the Russian royal palaces around St. Petersburg are some of the most opulent, over-the-top buildings in the world. Catherine’s Palace in Pushkin has a room with amber panels covering the walls almost from floor to ceiling.

The Hermitage, part of the Winter Palace, is the second largest art museum in the world and is itself a work of art.

Peterhof has the most fountains in the world, the ones in the backyard are covered in gold.

I recently visited these places, and as overwhelming as the chandeliers, silk wallpaper, and even amber walls were, I couldn’t stop staring at the floors. The wood inlay is unbelievable and incredibly intricate. Check out two floors in the Hermitage.

Catherine’s no slouch.

And Peter won’t be outdone, either.

Now my next question is, how do I get the Hermitage floors as appliqué?

Flåm, Norway

2007-07-15T20:37:00.000+01:00

Our ship was docked in this tiny, tiny town in the middle of the fjords of Norway from 7am to 1pm and with around 1200 guests and, of course, a passenger-first policy, the chances of crew shore leave were pretty dicey. Around 11 I got my chance to jump ashore for an hour and used it to great advantage, hiking away from the souvenir shops to the waterfalls and flowering countryside. So many textures jumped out, from moss on wet cliffs and trees to clovers peaking out from a pile of rocks on the side of the road. Everything was bright, shiny, and green from the almost constant mist and light rain. I have to share some photos.

Medieval Market

2007-07-07T14:59:00.000+01:00

Yesterday in Tallinn, Estonia, they were celebrating summer with a small town festival like our Scandinavian Days. Their theme was Medieval times and the town square was full of people dressed in costume, music, and crafts. Sigh. The sun was out for the second time in 12 days and it was heavenly walking around under its rays looking at the cool things people had made.

There were wool felted hats of all shapes and colors.

Bolts, actual bolts!, of linen for sale. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen a bolt of fabric, but no, they don’t measure in yards here. The conversion rate was about 11 Estonian Krones (abbreviated EEK, as in ahhh!) to the dollar, but I don’t know how many inches or meters you’d get for that.

I even found a stall of Log Cabin quilts. I asked if the block was a traditional pattern for this area and I got a yes, but I think it was a “I’m not sure what you’re talking about, but I think you want me to say yes” yes. :) It was really cool to see though.

However, my heart skipped a beat when I came to a stall selling raw materials. Brightly colored wool yarn and roving. Sigh. I stood for about as long as my friend in another stall trying on four different color shawls, deciding that each was her favorite. I did the same, racking my brain for anything I could make with the entire basket of colors, justifications for leaving the rest of my clothes on the ship so I could pack it all, and even fighting the fact that, although at one time I did learn, I don’t know how to knit. I succeeded in only buying two skeins of yarn and two bundles of roving. It’s just too pretty and a really good thing we’re not coming back. I also found a cute wool angle ornament that I included in the photo below.

Shopping in Copenhagen

2007-06-29T08:34:00.000+01:00

It was raining pretty hard in Copenhagen when I was recently passing through, all the more reason to check out Danish stores, right?

We walked into a type of dollar store, this one had everything for either 10 or 20 kroner, which is 2 or 4 Euros. Check out the cool cups, plates, and Thermos-like bottles!

Gaudi’s mosaics

2007-06-21T15:41:00.000+01:00

Gaudi left behind some amazing mosaic work all over Barcelona, Spain, especially in Park Güell. Here stands the world’s largest park bench completely covered in broken tile.

Every color is represented and multiple patterns are thrown in, but the bench is divided into sections with similar background colors. Maybe we could pick up a few pointers about color usage in quilts from this work.

Underneath the bench is a room filled with columns where the ceiling is covered in mosaics as well.

What a great place to spend a couple hours!

Lost in Venice

2007-06-08T13:48:00.000+01:00

Venice is known in images.

Gondolas and canals.

Pigeons in front of St. Marks.

Glass and masks and art supplement the standard tourist souvenirs of postcards and knick-knacks making window shopping extra special. Drooling over the displays in Gucci and Fendi doesn’t hurt, either. As I strolled the streets surrounding St. Mark’s, I decided I’d walk back to the ship, rather than take a vaporetto (city bus). I’d get a chance to see the streets and the small canals, and sure, even though I didn’t have a map, Venice isn’t that big.... Okay yes, I did get lost and yes it was more than once, but I managed to stumble upon a small museum with an eye-catching display of its own.

The slogan for the show was “When time turns into art.” I was late, so I didn’t investigate whether the art took a long time to make and thus made it beautiful, or if the show was vintage items. But the work outside looked like it was made of metal strung together with wire. It could have been both vintage and time-consuming, but it looked like a quilt and was definitely worth getting lost to find.

Patchwork Floor

2007-06-06T10:33:00.000+01:00

Coasting along the narrow lanes of what we assume is Athens, Greece because we can’t read the signs, the taxi begins to vibrate with the large drops of rain hurling from the sky. Zeus? It stops as the driver tells us to get out now, that he won’t go further up the hill. We walk up the even narrower passage between apartment buildings, almost able to touch both walls if we reach out our arms. We follow the crowds to the entrance of the Acropolis.

Without a guide or any previous research, I take photos of piles of rubble once part of the great Parthenon--I think.

What mesmerizes me the most? Not the legends nor the enormity of the structures in front of me. It’s the fabulous stone walkway beneath my feet. The recent rain has washed away the chalky dust, revealing deep gray, tans, and even brick red. Beautiful.

I could make a quilt like this. Pieces placed where they fit, no design, just color.

Rhodes, Greece

2007-06-03T07:00:00.000+01:00

With the sun shining brightly and the temperature regularly a balmy 80, the last place I expected to find intricately beaded and embroidered quilts was Greece, but when I was in Rhodes today I came across several stalls of them.

Mainly I found rugs and embroidered or crocheted tableclothes, but there were some quilted gems that I had to run across the crowded street to ogle. This reverse appliqué quilt with blanket stitching and star embroidery was different than the rest and I have to make something in similar colors. I LOVE IT!

Home again

2007-05-27T11:58:00.000+01:00

I'm home again and I love the transition from temporary to permanent. I know I don't get to stay home often, in fact I'm leaving tomorrow to take the night train to Venice to meet the ship, but when I'm here I can relax and create. I'm sending my things over from the US and one box beat me here. Inside was my scrap basket and I happily sorted through the bits of material, thinking of future projects and possible quilt blocks.

Coming home to fabric, relaxation, and peace is the best part of my transient life. I'm on the road (sea?) again, but before I go, I wish you those three things and a little adventure thrown in.

Tropical Colors

2007-04-30T07:43:00.000+01:00

Bright colors jump out at all the tourist shop stalls and most of the bodies of locals in Playa del Coco, Costa Rica. Is it to blend in with the vibrant greens of the trees, the hot pinks, reds, and yellows of the flowers, and the brilliant blue of the ocean, or just to have fun and be open for color?

My favorite color is grocery bag brown--I might take a cue from these brights and play more with color when I get back to my stash. They do look great together.

Nature Walk

2007-04-27T09:57:00.000+01:00

I may be a little photo crazy and I most likely will never use most of the pictures I take along the way for anything special, but I feel so energized and inspired as I walk through the beautiful wilds of Costa Rica.

I love how just one leaf is red on these branches.

There's gotta be a way to experiment with weaving in a quilt to simulate the bark of this awesome tree.

Masaya Marketplace

2007-04-26T20:30:00.000+01:00

Look at the rick rack! I would love to flounce around in a skirt like this.

On the trip to Granada, we stopped at the Masaya Marketplace about twenty minutes from the city. It was housed in this beautiful stone building that had no doors, windows, or roof. Lots of embroidery, clothing, and hammocks, almost everything else emblazoned with "Nicaragua." Yes, I suppose we were tourists.

Can't wait to get my hands on some rick rack!

Welcome!

2007-04-24T20:18:00.000+01:00

Love makes you do some crazy things. I quit my job at my favorite quilting magazine in order to travel with my fiancé who is a Chief Officer on a cruise ship. In each port instead of checking out the souvenirs and shore excursions, I search out any handmade or crafty things to drool over. I miss my sewing machine and fabric stash! Okay, no more complaints, it's a pretty amazing life and I want to share the things I see with you.

I went on tour to Granada, Nicaragua, which is the oldest city in the continental Americas, and at the hotel that held the lunch buffet, one of the tables was set up with these sewing machines. How did they know I was coming?