My husband and I have spent the last two weeks cleaning tree debris resulting from Hurricane Harvey at our winter home near Rockport, Texas. We were so fortunate to have only limited damage to our home or my sewing/guest room. In fact, because the sewing room had been designed by him to be much like a guest room complete with air conditioning a generator allowed us to sleep cool while working. Like many have said and posted on the internet the utility workers coming from many different communities and states have very methodically been restoring power in far from pleasant conditions. The man who came to check and adjust our lines yesterday with the three-truck crew had such a cheerful attitude. They have had grueling work chain-sawing through downed trees to get to houses, watching for all manor of vermin (the roaches are really, really big in Texas and the mosquitos have grown almost as big) and of course climbing over debris with nails and other hazards.

Today ( actually a week ago since there was no electric nor internet to post) we were enjoying the breeze and a cooler day when the fan blades started turning. Relief!! a hot shower, wash clothes, eat off real plates, ice.

In the midst of the work I found creative relief in late afternoons by painting some fabric in such a way that I could use it to make a quilted piece interpreting the chaos of this storm. I imagine there will be other quilters who will be interpreting this disaster in fabric and I will enjoy seeing them posted on various web sites. I know there are friends who will not be doing any sewing or quilting for some time as they lost everything in the storm. When we return for the winter I will be bringing those fabrics that have been stored in totes waiting for just the right project idea or just the right time in my schedule to share with those who have lost their “stash”. I’m sure other winter Texans will be doing the same. Fabric is not a necessity for life but I hope it can be one of the pleasantries that helps us to heal from the devastation.

 

It was fun designing, planning and constructing for the 2017 Cherrywood fabric challenge.  The theme was Van Gogh and the colors were three blues and black.  My design was simple but pleasing to me.  They had record entries this year and mine was not among those selected for the traveling exhibit.  I did not expect it to be as it was a simple design and there were many gorgeous, complex entries posted at various sites on the web that I admire for creativity and execution. Still it was fun and makes me smile as I walk into my sewing room each day. I look forward to seeing the exhibit when it comes to a quilt show near me.

 

It Moost Be A Moostake 2
I knew a series of quilts would come out of a four month long trip through Canada, Alaska and the northwest lower 48. Per request for a “pattern” for the latest “Moostake”, I am sharing the process for the second one, a colorful moose wall hanging featuring the Kaffe Fasset line of fabrics. (My first is a throw with salmon and raven fabric.)I purchased an acrylic template in Juneau knowing that some way or another I would be making a moose themed quilt. (There are many drawings on the web that might be copyright free.) I picked up patterns for realistic moose but this is the fun one. I used leftover florals of the Kaffe Fasset Collective for the moose so no specific yardage. The background was a yard of stripe and half yard of brown and blue floral. Sashing was about 5/8 yard of burnt orange “Grunge” by MOda and for the border and binding I purchased a yard of KFC. Blocks are sewn into nine 9 ½” by 12 ½” rectangles. I cut stripe 6 ½” x 12 ½” and the floral 3 ½” x 12 ½” . Moose were fused and then stitched with highly contrasting but coordinating thread. Sashing was cut into eight 2 ¼” wide strips with two cut into six 12 ½” lengths and four strips cut 40” lengths for horizontal sashing with the last two strips cut measurement of the vertical sides (I recall mine were 34 ½” but measure for accuracy). The borders were cut 5 ½” wide according to finished top, bottom and side measurements. Very simple with the most time being spent on the decorative stitching around the moose.