I finally took the time to drive 50 miles north to Ventura to visit Super Buzzy. A wonderful modern quilt shop.
How can one resist entering a store with such an adorable bee outside.
Inside was even more fun. There is a lot to learn about a shop just by looking at the quilts on display
Good use of solids, as well as rainbow and neutral grey.
I like the combination of solids and low volumn prints. I’ve been studying this for a few minutes trying to see if there is one block, or a random setting of basic shapes. Either way, I really like it.
Now for something completely different. A scrappy Dresden Plate. I think I’d like a pattern for this one. I certainly have plenty of scraps.
Another color wheel, although not one I’d use as a tool.
And yarn! They have yarn.
I couldn’t get over the adorableness of this Japanese cotton.
In true origami tradition, this isn’t just a cupcake holder for the yarn, the label band is secured in the middle of the ball. I was sorely tempted, but really what would I do with it other than just look at it? I’m not really into knitting with cotton.
Yes, I bought fabric, but that and the project it’s going into will be for another post.
Leah
I wasn’t crazy about the shaped hem once I was done. It’s ok from the back.
Not too bad in the front, although I think it might be better just a little longer.
But I really don’t like how revealing it is from the side, less of a cut up the thigh would have been better. Not to mention that the fabric is very see-through in direct sunlight, this is a summer dress after all.
Easy fix, simply hack off the bottom and turn it into a shirt.
The fiber is cotton linen, so it is very comfortable on a hot day out on a ranch.
Even better with the right accessory, like a cute husband.
Years ago I remember hearing ads on the radio about owning your own piece of land in California. Little did I know that I would actually know someone who bought some of that land, drilled very deep for water and now has a lovely ranch. I think he’d be happy to live here full time, not so sure about his wife.
One way to make a weekend more fun is to invite friends to come along. Out among the mountains east of Tehachapi is this wonderful location.
Teddy the dog is thrilled to run around the property.
Caravaggio and Cloud are more like big pets. They have free rein to roam around the whole property.
The horses followed along as we walked the perimeter of the property.
And showed up at the front of the ranch house begging for carrots.
I think Caravaggio is wondering why I don’t have more carrots to share.
Not all horses are flesh and blood.
Speaking of water, this isn’t a natural pond, the water is pumped up, but this is thick bedrock, so although it was quite a task to dig the pond, there is no need for any plastic lining. Fish thrive here, well they did until this winter when there was a flood and they were washed away. Now there is a new batch. As well as birds, can you see the bird in the upper left corner? I saw him flying around, didn’t realize that I had captured him on camera until I got a close look at the photo.
Those smiles are real, not just posing.
It was a bright hot sunny day. Although there are water and electricity, there is nowhere to go, so we all joined together and made some great meals, and had great conversations along the way.
Back outside, the kind of plants that thrive in the high desert, lavender and rosemary.
As well as bright orange-red thistles.
Speaking of orange, the lichen on the rocks provided more color.
and yellow-green.
When our friend bought this property, he didn’t do his homework very well. Today he would have searched for water before buying the land. 10 years ago, he bought the land and then looked for water. The specialists found none. So he resorted to walking every square inch of his 40 acres with two L-shaped metal rods performing 
First I gave it a try. Of course, today he knows exactly where the water pipe to the house is, sure enough, it worked for me.
As well as for Joel. He is right on the pipe and the wires crossed on their own. The fact that water 450 feet down was found this way is amazing to me. Btw, the other guest, a very scientific engineer tried and it just didn’t work for him. There are mysteries on this earth that simply can’t be explained with science.
Here we all are, on the steps, at sunset.
What are those cow udders?!?
Not a cow.
It is a very round ocutopus! Using the pattern 
Although I used the yarn weight that was called for in the pattern, the eyes and moustache were just too small. So I covered some buttons with with black fabric and ordered another moustache from Etsy. Now the proportions work.
He now lives up to his name, Dandy.
But he has too many details that make him unexectable for a baby. Btw, I initially used security eyes, they were too small. And althought I reinforced the back with fabric and glued them in place, it wasn’t hard to pull them out. I have sewed and glued both the eyes and the moustache, I still wouldn’t trust this with a baby.
I’m not worried, Mom is a smart woman and I have no doubt she will be thrilled to keep this one for herself.
I really like Very Busy Monkey’s patterns, I’ve just made two in a row. I didn’t exactly play yarn chicken, but I’d say I used up the whole skein of yarn. Pre-blocking
And blocked. How is it I didn’t see the palm fronds until I uploaded the picture??? Oh well, they don’t detract from the pretty shawl.
I wonder how much time is spent getting this cable just right. I love knitting it, I would hate to design and chart it out. Thank God so many talented people love doing this, it is well worth the money. $4.50 for this pattern. Many shawl patterns are less than $10, which is a steal. I end up with a lovely product while someone else figured out all the math.
I like the way this curves in. I know the title says this is for the gift pile. But who knows. Knitting shawls is great in the summer, I even wear shawls when it gets cool at night. Right now I’m using what I have, but I may decide to keep this for myself – or not.
Here are the two in the gift pile.
And a more artistic shot.
I need to do more shots like this. It’s all in the way it’s displayed.
I have yarn for the next shawl ready to go. It’s an interesting gradient. so I think I’m using 
The church was build and destroyed 3 times, final time in the Sylmar earthquake of 1972, so the building we see today is very new, 1974. Although it is adobe, I’m guessing there is a lot of earthquake retrofitting inside those thick walls. The 1994 earthquake damaged the convento but not the church.
I don’t know how much of this is old or original from the previous churches. It certainly is ornate. When I arrived for my visit, I was told to view other parts of the grounds since a funeral was taking place in the church.
Exiting the back door and looking through the church back to the green garden.
They were given prime realestate right next to the church and the area is a lovely garden, with a mural of Bob Hope.
When I visited, the Magnolia tree was in bloom.
As were these lovely white lilies.
Water is the most important element anywhere in California. The mission used to have it’s own water system and this fountain is a replica of the original.
What used to be the main gathering point for all the women is now simply decorative. 
Along with other fountains on the property.
The Archival Center of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles is here on the property. Both an historic museum as well as a research center. You know me, I love mosaic, and am thrilled to see the Piczeck Tableaus which show the development of the Archdiocese, from the original one that was established with the Spanish.
Through the Monterey – Los Angeles Diocese that lasted 93 years, covering five Archbishops.
Finally to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles as it is today. Of course all that other large area has been split into smaller more manageable archdioceses as well.
It was time to visit the San Fernando mission. When my older sons were in 4th grade they were at a Jewish Day school, so maybe visiting a Catholic mission wasn’t ‘appropriate’ – even if it is integral to the history of California.
I can only guess that my youngest missed the visit because there was so much work to be from the damage of the Northridge earthquake. Notice the mission bell?
The bright turquoise paint might be new, but looks like this bell is original to the spot. I don’t know who the people are who erected it, I do know that it was cast by Mrs. A.S.C. Forbes, I have no idea what her first name was. Such was the tradition in the early 20th century to only use initials.
Another one stands right by the Church itself, I don’t think this one is original to the spot, but I may be wrong. Meanwhile, just look at how thick the adobe is.
School children visiting the mission. 
The bell tower here is not as impressive as Mission San Gabriel, each mission has wonderful individual characteristics of their own.
All the missions had a lot of land. Unlike Mission San Gabriel, the buildings are spread out here with a lot of open space. To the left is the Convento, finished in 1822. The front faces the street with those twenty one Roman arches, this is the back view.
It is the only two story adobe building of it’s size still standing. Today it houses an extensive museum as well as the only intact wine cellar in any of the mission, it is underground, better for climate control.
See how thick the walls are! They have to support a second story. Of course the building went through massive renovations and earthquake support after 1994.
Walls and arches were pretty low, both the Spaniards and the natives were short people.
A section of the adobe wall was left un-repaired. They used a very thick coat of stucco to protect the adobe. Although this stucco isn’t fired, it is much less porous and does protect the adobe bricks from the elements. The roofs had fired tiles, the tile maker is in the museum.
These have been exposed to the elements for 20 years and are still in very good shape. Yay for California clay!
On a side building, out of the way, someone has affixed a modern tile.
I’ve had the fabric in my stash for a while and enough trim left over from the skirt I made for myself.
Even from the back it’s cute. I’m never quite sure which way to overlap the fabric when installing the zipper, oh well.
Ok, maybe not sticking out her tounge.
But this kind of joy and exuberance.
Oh yes, this kind of appreciation will guarantee many more cute dresses.
One weekend we’re visiting artists in their studios in Topanga Canyon. The fog rolling in over the mountains gives everything a mystical feeling.
Visiting the homes was much more fun that most of the artwork. Crazy steep canyons and gorgeous mountain views.
Simple gardens behind high fences.
A stereotypical home, half a geodesic dome with the obligatory yurt in the yard.
A wonderful old tree stump that looked better than a lot of the art.
A fat pig who had just been fed.
His friend clearly wanting more.
Here and there, even some good art.
Happy dances.
Painted vases and urns, one was cracked but the paint held it together.
A loom warped and ready to go.
With the weaver showing off his wears.
Or the silversmith.
Despite the national costume, everyone understands a smart phone.
Rayon is a wonderfully comfortable fabric. When it is woven as a crepe fabric it is even better. Crepe is a very high twist in the actual thread and it makes this lovely slubby fabric that gives an almost elastic feel. It both hugs the body and has lovely drape. This is true of any good crepe, be it wool or rayon.
I find I need much less fine tuning, the fabric has more give and it both hugs the body where it should…
As well as have that swing when moving.
Which is why I’ll always grab a skirt or dress off the rack when I find this fiber. Or buy the fabric itself, luckily I like the print well enough.
I put it on my dress form for some close ups. I didn’t adjust it all that well, on my body the dress sits beautifully, here it is a little torqued. At least you can see the nice detail of the princess seams, that sort of get lost in the busy print.
Lately I have been enjoying the more couture lapped zipper, rather than using an invisible zipper. I even hand sewed the overlap so as not to have a strong visible machine sewing line.
I had just got my new Threads magazine with instructions on how to draft a more comprehensive facing than the pieces given in most patterns. I have this very thin knit fabric (need to get some in white as well) which worked well with the crepe.