Months ago Michele asked for volunteers to ship back the quilts from Road to California. I was thrilled to do so. On top of that , Michele offered me a hotel room the night before. So much easier than the 60 mile drive to Ontario on a Monday morning.
Initially we were taping boxes, then some guys came in to do that job, we were responsible for checking the quilts and carefully packing them in boxes.
This is a close up of the first place winning quilt, sorry, I don’t remember any of the names! We had 200 quilts to send back.
The is the BACK of the quilt.
This is a paper pieced mini, my close up didn’t come out. 
Second place, this is thread embroidery.
Front and back of same quilt.
Interesting modern.
A quilt within a quilt.
The inner quilt.
Had to take this picture, 1/2″ English paper pieced hexagons!
More hexagons, must larger than the previous one.
Traditional applique.
Baltimore style applique. I’ll never do this myself, but I do love this.
Love the color combination.
Road to California 2015
Yesterday was just pure fun. Went with friends and my son in law to the quilt show, Road to California. 
Busy people all over the place as well as quilts, quilts quilts.
One of the best things about these shows is the market place, and yes I did some damage.
The booths are as wonderful as the show, here is a Metro Medallion quilt by the Sew Kind of Wonderful sisters. I love their curved ruler and it’s always fun seeing the quilts out in the wild.
The absolutely amazing Japanese fabric will become a shirt for me. I couldn’t get over how beautiful this print is.
I bought other fabric, no the foxes don’t fit in with the color way, but then again, maybe they are what is just needed to pop the blues and yellows. Of course I have no idea if this will become a quilt or a bag.
Speaking of bags, yes, I have bags on my mind, I bought the book as well as two patterns. Since discovering Soft and Stable by Annie, I am loving making bags. Annie herself was manning the booth, what a lovely lady. I also bought some more Olfa tools.
If you are noticing a pattern that looks similar to the weekender bag, yup, I like the size and shape. Do not like the bag itself. I took it for a trial run to the show. I think I have mentioned that it is very heavy even empty. It didn’t hold up.
The straps tore off with the weight, so I came home and used embroidery floss to fix them. So no, this bag isn’t going to Quiltcon with me. I had fun making it, it will get some use here and there, but on the whole – no this wasn’t a win.
So what about the quilts themselves??? Tomorrow I go and help pack and ship the quilts back to their owners, I hope to have some pictures as well as a fun story to tell.
Look Up!
Yesterday I had the pleasure of giving the Art Deco tour to FIDM students. Yes I told them I was an alum from many years ago – when they were babies or not even born. Downtown midweek has a very different vibe than on weekends. Though I’m happy to say, it’s not empty or deserted on weekends anymore.
One piece of advice I always give is: LOOK! Look up, look around, observe.
After I left them I was doing just that and stopped dead in my tracks (much to the chagrin of others on the sidewalk around me.)
The clouds and sunlight created a small rainbow.
Sorry, the pictures are grainy – it’s never easy capturing a rainbow, even less so when it’s just the phone camera.
In Judaism when one see a rainbow one is required to say a specific blessing, זוכר הברית, Remember the covenant. When Noah and family land on dry land again, they witness a rainbow which is God’s promise to never destroy the earth. He didn’t promise that we wouldn’t have hardships and awful times – but there will be no total destruction. So every time I see any kind of rainbow, even a small one like this – I smile, a sign of hope.
#LAMQGBOM2015
Finally, a project I can share! Although you will have to wait a whole year until it is finished. My quilt guild, the LA modern quilt guild has decided on a BOM- block of the month. Each month another member will design the block – which means that I will end up with something very interesting since each designer will put their own stamp on it. No, I’m not designing, it’s not my thing.
Last year I won a pack of fat quarter Birch Fabrics at one of our meetings. I had also bought another one at Road to California. I hadn’t decided what kind of quilt I’d make with these fabrics.
I also bought some solids, so I pretty much have my palette.
And here is January’s block. These are the fabrics the guild chose. If anyone who isn’t a member of our guild wants this amazing block, then go to Liz Harvatine’s shop. The pattern is only $4. and she shows a mini quilt she already made with this block.
At our weekend sew, I cut out the fabric, then went home and sewed the block together.
Some of my solids are very flimsy, but I will deal with that when I’m finishing up this quilt – 12 months from now. Right now I’m just happy to have found a project for these fabrics. The guild will end up putting together all of the sample blocks as a charity quilt.
Linked at: WIP Wednesday
Beauty in the mundane
I have enjoyed the book Secret Stairways of Los Angeles, as well as joining in on some of the Sunday walks with the author Charles Fleming. He is writing a new book about walks and hikes in and around the city. So he sent out an email asking for testers. I think he got at least 500 responses. I was one of the lucky ones. He sent me the instructions for Fryman Canyon. I was to follow his directions and report back it there were any major changes or if something wasn’t clear.
I am very familiar with this walk, so I decided that this time I’d take pictures of unusual things, rather than the broad vistas.
Someone stenciled this on the street, I have no idea what it means – if it’s trying to tell people to walk on the sidewalk – there isn’t one. Maybe it is trying to get the walkers to move to the side of the road.
This beautiful wall and gate don’t appear to lead to anything. Maybe there once was a house behind the gate. Maybe this is the back way into a very large estate. Of which there are a few along here.
Love the hair, also, having fun with PicMonkey.
An inverted toadstool.
A good winter in LA, when there is snow on the San Gabriel mountains.
Dew on green green grass. Another sign of a good winter.
This could be in Ireland, not Studio City.
Black and white brings out the real beauty in this tree stump.
Just some artwork. Did the child of this family make this? Was it something the owner just didn’t want to throw away?
I will have some more of my creative posts soon. As yet most of my projects are still secret.
January flowers
Spring in Southern California starts in January. Sure we are still hoping for some rain and cold, but maybe because of the lengthening days – the flowers start blooming.
I think this is a gazania.
This is when the irises come up. If I’m lucky I’ll get a second blooming, but that rarely happens.
I don’t know this ones’ name. But without fail, it’s the first to bloom on January first.
Cyclamens are native to the Middle East. As wild flowers they are small and purple, but of course they have been hybridized into many colors and large sizes. These too are winter bloomers.
I had cut back my climbing rose and it rewarded me with early flowers. Which reminds me, I really need to prune the rest of the rose bushes.
Where are my projects?
Lately it appears that I haven’t been making much, this isn’t the case. The problem is I’ve been making gifts and want them to be a surprise to the recipients. Of course I’ve been taking pictures, even writing up posts, but they will have to wait until I’ve given the gifts.
Meanwhle, I started a sweater for myself. The Hitofude cardigan. A lightweight lacy cardigan. On New Years I went into what will no become my new/old LYS. The Altered Stitch. New owners bought this store and renamed it. This is walking distance from my house but I haven’t gone there in years. But now, a whole new vibe, great yarns and nice people.
The pattern called for Madeline Tosh Merino light.
I was happy to look at other yarns, but this store now carries Madeline Tosh yarns! Along with other quality yarns. I can get the cheap stuff online – thank you very much.
I wasted no time casting on. I’m loving the yarn and the project. Oh I also had to buy a new Addi Turbo needle, because I stayed there to knit and had brought the wrong size needle, oh well, it’s been a long time since I’ve got any new Addis.
The color here is way to blue, but as you can see, the sweater has grown rapidly.
A lot of progress, the color is most accurate in the first photo.
Another project that I have started, it’s for an instagram swap. We are asked to share progress without giving away what the object will become.
I need to gift these items soon, or else make things that I can share freely.
Farmers Market and LACMA
Sometimes having out of town guests is a reason to take my camera to places that I frequent every week.
I’m usually at the Farmers Market on Thursday evenings, knitting and chatting and not taking any pictures – unless they are of knitted items.
So it was fun to show off my local hangouts, to some out of town visitors. As well as having Yoch and the other Leah along. Of course the first thing anyone would do is put on goofy hats.
No we didn’t get any donuts, but this is a favorite on knit night.
These rather uncomfortable looking shopping carts have been a staple at the market for over 75 years.
This time I tried to capture color and texture.
Old fashioned candy.
And big massive super sized ones.
I’m seeing a color theme with the green and teal.
We wondered over to the Grove, and the colors were also found there.
Then it was on to LACMA, I’m usually there on Wednesdays for lectures or docent activity when the museum is closed.
Nothing more iconic than hiding among the street lights.
Or wandering through the yellow spaghetti.
And even noticing how different art works can be very very similar.
The William S. Hart Ranch and Home
For those of us in the LA area, the Santa Clarita valley is simply part of the vast suburban sprawl. Initially there was a route through the San Gabriel mountains either to the Silver mines in Cero Gordo or as a flatter road to Bakersfield and beyond. Eventually the movie industry discovered these hills, and many a western was filmed here. This is commemorated today with
a mural on the newly revamped Main st.
And plaques in the sidewalk honoring the many Western Stars who filmed here.
One man has much more than a plaque. William S. Hart , an actor that we have pretty much forgotten. A man who acted in theater and Vaudeville who at the age of 49 comes out to Hollywood and becomes a movie star in the silent movie era. One of the first stars of the gritty Westerns.
What prompted him to establish a working ranch and build a beautiful home out in the middle of nowhere ? My gaydar was clanging. Very handsome man, actor, great taste in design. I looked a little further, was married for a very short time (beard), had a son but no mention of any real relationship with him. Back in the 20s building a home in the San Fernando valley would have put you at the end of the world. So I asked some film buff friends – yeah, you won’t find it in any official biography, but my impression is probably the correct one.
His home La Loma de los Ventos was built in 1924 and he lived there until he died in 1946. At this time even the San Fernando Valley was a distant outpost. When he died at the ripe old age of 80 he bequeathed the home and ranch to the State with the stipulation that the home would become a free museum and that there always be animals on the property. today there is a lovely park and petting zoo right behind Main St. In order to get to the house, one needs to hike up the hill.
(There is a road, but it is only available for service vehicles. A beautiful home built in the Spanish revival style that was very popular in the 1920s. 
Beautiful painted word work.
Interesting metal work.
And a great weathervane.
Inside the house is very spacious and gracious. 
Looking back into the entry foyer. A wonderful round area.
The stairs and the circular landing are all created out of one block of concrete. The walls of the house are very thick, so that must be part of what supports this stairway. It’s a little hard to see but the circular roof is basically a very large wagon wheel.
The stained glass window at the top of the landing is made out of the bottoms of many glass bottles.
The large comfortable dining room. The railing was added to keep the visiting public out, that was not an original part of the house.
William LOVED animals, he had his favorite horse Fritz and a few great Danes who had their own bedroom. 
This wonderful beaded blanket was one of a pair of couch size dog beds. Maybe they didn’t sleep on these beds, since I would have expected most of the beads to be rubbed off.
The sign is here along the road, but the area is blocked off.
I could never live with this bear rug in my house. Not because I’m upset about hunting bears, I’m not. But the thought that I or anyone would slip and land on those teeth!! How to you explain that awful wound when you rush to the ER!
There are many wonderful examples of Excellent Western art, from Frederick Remington, Charles Russell and Joe de Yong. These names may not be familiar to the average person, but these are the biggest names in Western Art. Which may explain why this house/museum in under the auspices of the Natural History Museum.
No place is too boring or pedestrian. No matter where you are, do a little bit of research, you will be surprised by the hidden treasures that may be hidden in plain sight right behind the average looking suburban housing complex.
Meh
Not everything I do is successful and it’s time I shared some of my meh with you, shirt, skirt and photography – all fit that category. 
See, even my expression is MEH! The skirt just gives me massive hips that I don’t have in real life. There is A line, then there is, no this isn’t working.
I wasn’t happy with the shirt from the get go, but I kept on going. I could either go up a size, or make the side darts smaller, or find a pattern with princess seams. Also, my fabric choice -not good. I guess if I had made it all with the pink stripe it would hang better. I bought the pink at Michael Levine Loft, not even sure it’s cotton, but it only cost maybe a dollar. It is too sleazy (yes that is a garment industry term), as in too see through. The other two fabrics are from my stash, the print is quilting weight, which doesn’t work too well with the others..
Bad fit! look at the creases in the back.
Bad photography, I had just finished the shirt and had to leave 10 minutes latter, I just grabbed the camera and the tripod. It’s ok, the whole thing isn’t great, so it’s appropriate that the photos aren’t either.
So there you have it, sewing mishaps. Not quite fails, but not successes either. In other words – Meh.