Beautiful Britain - "Britain From The Air"

I'm expanding my horizons - as in leaving Scots Corner for Beautiful Britain :)
Thanks go to Angela Huddard for telling some of us about this free exhibition that is on display in the streets surrounding Bath Abbey until the end of February 2011. (Started yesterday.)

The photographs are stunning and not your usual "mainly beautiful scenery" either. Take some time to listen to the on-line commentary by Dr. Rita Gardner, Director of The Royal Geographical Society. You'll definitely come away with a different perspective on a variety of subjects.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11427007
then go to
http://www.britainfromtheair.com/
and
http://wecommunic8.com/exhibitions/britain-from-the-air.html
and
http://www.rgs.org/OurWork/Engaging+with+wider+audiences/Britain+from+the+Air/Home

One of the photographs featured in the exhibition is Hawthorn Heart, Oare, Wiltshire. Photographers for this one were Adrian Warren and Dae Sasitorn.

Just to give you a sense of scale here's a street scene found at http://visitbath.co.uk/site/whats-on/britain-from-the-air-p1125813

The abbey itself is gorgeous, IMHO. I've been there a few times and enjoyed each visit. I wish I could say I took this gorgeous sunset photo but alas I did not and I'm not sure who did.

But the next one was taken by Adrian Pingstone and shows the fan vaulting over the nave.

Blog of the week - The Busy Thimble

I belong to the yahoo group Small Quilt Talk. Great group of ladies dedicated to the fine art of making miniature/small quilts. For me this will be a steep learning curve as I am all thumbs when it comes to working with tiny pieces of fabric.

Meet Cyndi Black www.busythimble.blogspot.com/  from Maine who is relatively new to "bloggie world" but has many, many years of experience sewing and quilting and sharing her talents. She owns a quilt store (sigh) Busy Thimble Quilt Shop, and specializes in antique reproduction fabric. (An area of fabric design that is relatively new to me but which I plan learning more about.)

A goodly number of people in the group are working on a miniature version of the quilt shown above. We are using the pattern featured last year at Moda Bakeshop. Cyndi's version is based on a design found in the book "Small Endearments:19th Century Quilts for Children and Dolls" by Sandi Fox. (There's also a "big bed" version kicking around the internet that is fabulous.)

Cyndi's store is situated on an old farm (in what looks like a large old shed.). How's this for a lovely work day environment (view from her kitchen).

Two of the many, self made, miniature quilts that hang in Cyndi's store. Thanks for being such an inspiration. If I tried making blocks THAT small I would probably shred them !!!!!!

So hop on over to her blog and find out more about this talented lady. Expect me to share more reproduction and antique sites over the next few months because next year is .............. 150th birthday of the Civil War and I am going to move out of my comfort zone, style wise, for a while (maybe).

SAQA Benefit Auction 2010

Studio Art Quilt Associates is having their annual auction. Group 1 is currently "under the gavel". Lots of fabulous mini quilts to look at and bid on, PLUS you get to visit many interesting artists at their web sites and blogs.
One of my favorites from group 1 is "Orange" by Ali Lichtenstein

From group 2 here's "Under Cover" by Diane Marie Chaudiere

And from group 3 "Fissures, Fragments, & Fossils: Glacial Flow" by Jenny Hearn

I like doing small wall hangings so I think I'll be spending some time visiting and learning from some fabulous experts in their field. http://www.saqa.com/news.php?ID=1423

Project update - the "maybe" quilt

Some of you already know about the pattern booklet that has been sitting beside my sewing machine begging me to be used :) Well I was having difficulty with the center appliqué block for my "maybe quilt". Nothing I tried was looking the way I envisioned ...... then I had an AHA moment :)

I sent this photograph to Susan Brubaker Knapp and asked her if I could adapt her patterns from "Applique Petal Party" to embroidery. She very graciously agreed (personal use only). She is such a sweetheart :) You can visit her at http://wwwbluemoonriver.blogspot.com/

I'm about half way done with the running back stitch. Next on the list of stitches ....... French Knots.

The Sunshine Award

Aaaaw shucks I received "The Sunshine Award" from Debbie at http://stitchintherapy.blogspot.com/ She is such an inspiration to me and I always learn something from her whenever I visit her blog.

The beautiful flower and lovely sky lifted my spirits quite considerably.
I'll add to this post later. I've had a fairly intense week or two what with one thing and another.

I'm baaaack :)
So according to Debbie the Sunshine Award is passed on "to bloggers who have influenced you with their positive outlook and creativity." Thanks Debbie ........ now I'm blushing since I know how creative and positive Debbie is. (Then again it could be menopausal hot flashes ;))

I'll be passing the award along as soon as I pick a few from the multitudinous group of positive and talented people I visit regularly ! Y'all deserve it.

Here are the guidelines for when you are nominated:
1. Save the image above and post it on your own blog.
2. Pass the award on to 12 fellow bloggers.
3. Link to the nominees.
4. Let nominees know they have won this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link to the person from whom you received the award.

Watch this space ..........
1 Vivian at http://vivian-institches.blogspot.com/
2 Shirley at http://shirl-oneofakindfiberarts.blogspot.com
3 Cathi at http://quiltobsession.wordpress.com/
4 Ati at http://malinaplass.blogspot.com/
5 Val at http://homeleightigger.blogspot.com/
6 Crispy at http://crispyquilts.blogspot.com/
7 Joan at http://moosestashquilting.blogspot.com/
8 Del at http://deliahereiam.blogspot.com/
9 Marie at http://www.ayearfromoakcottage.com/
10 Stephanie at http://a-ditchin-time-quilts.blogspot.com/
11 Mickie at http://3poodlesandanana.blogspot.com/
12 Cassandra at http://cassandraconsiders.blogspot.com/

(Addendum - I won't be the least bit offended if you choose not to pass along the award. I know many people find it hard to participate.) I hope you all enjoy visiting the above blogs and learning from them.

For all of you who visit my blog here's another of my flower photographs as a gift :)

This one was taken outside of the Kirtland Temple, Kirtland, Ohio when we visited there a few weeks ago.

Project Update - Aaaaargh

Aaaaaaargh #1 - I thought I had finished my Gracie Jane quilt but was looking at it and thinking "something did not look right." I was reading an e-mail from Micki with some questions about the border and binding and realized ........... I forgot to attach the border !!!!!!!! How dumb do I feel. So the top for version #2 is now done. Much better. I added in another color/pattern and will have to do a different back. The other quilt will get used for something else.

Aaaaaaargh #2 - I was putting together a tutorial based on the 10" blocks experiment and even in the sunroom the shots did not work. The day was too damp and cloudy and I was not about to go outside and take photographs of every step. So I'll keep the photos to remind me how I put my different blocks together and do another set on a nicer day.

Clothworks Textiles - free quilt patterns

Is there anyone that does not love free quilt patterns ? I would be very surprised if there was.

This looks like an interesting site. A variety of patterns to suit most tastes and the downloadable directions look simple enough to follow.

http://www.clothworkstextiles.com/patterns.asp

Some are pattern previews showing what's coming soon. This one is called "Hydrangeas."

Here's two of the currently available ones - "Hungarian Blue" and "Sun Kissed".

I can see myself spending a lot of time at this site and getting totally distracted from my current projects :)

While you are there check out their fun looking fabric collections.  I really like the "Best Friends" soon to be released series. "Avalon" looks yummy. I'm going to return another day to read about all the designers.

Project update - Experimenting with triangles

I'm alternating between cutting out bits of fabric for applique and some triangle experiments.

Have any on you seen the "cut out 10" squares, put two face sides together, seam 1/4" round the outside edge then cross cut to make triangles" tutorial that's slowly going round blog land?
I've been wanting to do large pinwheels so thought I would give it a try and as usual got to playing.

Two cross strips of fabric makes 8 10" squares.

If you cut the 10" blocks into 5" blocks you can make this .....

Yep, I only made one pinwheel but had a whooole lot of fun re-arranging triangle squares. I might do some more to see what happens :)

Happy Labor Day

http://www.worldcorrespondents.com/labor-day-history-tells-how-labor-day-came-into-legislation/889923

It's a lovely day out.

Our weather is lovely, cooler and less humid so I have been out taking some photographs. Hubbie is in England for most of September and today the rest of us decided to have a sloooow day :) My son has just gotten back from the park and DD #3 is watching high school football. (We won last night).

This was going to be the back of my new Christmas wall hanging but once I put the border on I decided to have it be the front. I have some applique to do and I am enjoying the blue as a different color. It will also go on the back. It currently measures 26"x221/2" but may get a bit bigger depending on how I decide to finish it.
Since our yard it pretty much past it's best I'm thinking about taking some of my other quilt tops over to the park and photographing them there :)