There's Fiber and then there's FIBER!

Although we don't subscribe to the newspaper anymore because we're spending so much time in Hendersonville, I always try to buy the paper on Wednesday (for grocery ads), Friday (for activities over the weekend) and Sunday (well, because it's Sunday). We're in Hendersonville now and when I got the newspaper yesterday, I noticed that there was a quilt show in Brevard this weekend, as well as a fiber fair in Fletcher. Since the two places are fairly close together and since we've been working so hard this week on house repairs, I decided that an outing was in order.

To begin with, the weather has been incredible today. The leaves are beautiful and the temperatures are just right--just a little nip in the air. We went to Brevard first. The show had no admission fee and was strictly a local event. Nothing to write home about (or even to blog about) but the people there were nice and enthusiastic and obviously enjoyed quilting.

Next we went to the fiber fair at the Ag Center. I have to say, what I had expected was to see some angora goats, rabbits, sheep and llamas--and I did indeed see them. You can see one of the prize specimans here. The animals were beautiful. And then, we saw some of the raw and dyed wool that people had brought to sell. Since I don't spin (or card or any of the other things it takes for raw wool to become yarn) I was only interested in the finished product that I could manipulate with knitting needles. And there was some very nice yarn there and I did buy a hank to make a scarf.

But THEN . . .we went inside the arena and there were VENDORS! I had absolutely no idea the enormity of what was going to be there. The variety and types of yarns, raw materials, notions, etc. were so incredible--I almost wished that I wanted to knit an entire wardrobe. I felt as if I were surrounded by a soft rainbow of heavenly colortones. I have to admit that I did buy enough yarn to make a fancy shawl and a warm sweater--so that will be my "carwork" for the forseeable future. It is really hard to describe how I felt when I first saw all of those wondrous colors and textures but I think some of the joy came from realizing that I wasn't actually looking for anything (like I do at Mary Jo's) and I could just simply enjoy the sight. And that was the greatest gift of all.

And, now I am posting my latest efforts on my Swamp Hibiscus journey. For those of you who noticed my last post on it, you might notice that part of it is missing. Well, the more I looked at those corner pieces, the more I realized that they just didn't belong there. I spent several days looking at the quilt, making samples of what "might" go there and, finally came up with something I'm happy with. I haven't sewn everything down yet, but I think it's a "go." I'm getting close to completion and then I'll have to start all over with the quilting choices. That's what makes it such an exciting journey, isn't it?

The Web of Life

My husband, Smokey, went outside to leave on an errand but came back in and told me to come out and see the cool beauty created by nature.

The entire area around our entrance was covered with the little cobwebs. There had been a heavy fog in the morning and the dew had settled on each of them, making an incredible work of art. I looked at them more closely and saw a little hole in each one--a hole in which I guess the little spider (or creature) had gone back down into the ground. (Click to enlarge picture if you can't see the little opening) It was just so cool to see this little quirk of nature--and what with it being so close to Halloween . . .Hmmmmm.
And then, last night we went to a poetry reading in downtown Charleston with the renowned poet Coleman Barks reciting (such a mundane word for such a great rendering) the poetry of Rumi, the 13th century mystic. We have been reading these poems everyday for over a year and were so excited to have this opportunity. And, coincidentally, one of the major emphases of his poems is the importance of nature in our lives. He would have LOVED to have stepped outside of his tent on one fine autumn day and have seen these little webs. The difference between him and me, however, is that he probably would have spent QUITE a long time pondering the significance of the event. I'm not there yet.
And, today, we're back in the mountains. I was thrilled to see that my Angel's Trumpet has many new buds on it and, hopefully, the freeze will hold off long enough for a few blooms. And tonight I am back at work on my Swamp Hibiscus quilt--doing some satin stitching around applique pieces, etc. We brought up another sewing table and Smokey "altered" an old sewing machine insert I had so that my Bernina can fit into the smaller opening--he's a whiz.
Tuesday, my friend Nancy Coleman is coming up for the day and we will be going to the Asheville Guild meeting to attend a lecture by Kaffe Fassett. That ought to be fun. She had told me that she was waiting to come see our new place until we had finished the work on it and were settled in. I told her that it would be a LONG wait.

Surprises Come When Least Expected

Well, I got back to Charleston yesterday (in the midst of pouring rain) and checked my messages on the telephone. There was a message from Margiotta's Sewing Store saying that they had a surprise for me. I thought . . well, never mind what I thought. My husband said, "Maybe it's about the sewing machine you won in the $100,000 Quilt Challenge." Duh! So, I called them, and you know what? He was right! So, we went there this morning and brought home a shiny, new Baby Lock Quilter's Choice Sewing Machine. Pretty nice, huh? It sounds good and is pretty easy to use (at least the straight stitch and zigzag that I've tried so far . . .) This is a nice size and will be the one I take to classes. It even cuts threads (which I have become too accustomed to. How lazy can one get?)

Also waiting for me when I arrived home was my quilt that traveled in the Hoffman Challenge 2006 Show. What I want to show you is the Prize Ribbon. Whoever made them, made them from the Challenge Fabric. I thought that was really neat.

And finally today, a minor update on my swamp hibiscus quilt that I'm working on in the mountains. I haven't had a lot of time when I've been there because we've been pulling up carpet and refinishing floors, but I did choose the background I've been looking long and hard for and got the oval sewn in place. I then decided on the yellow frame roping (although technically it will be in the shape of hearts--not rope), fused it down and did the blanket stitch around all of it. When I left, I was working on anchoring down the flower itself. I pinned it on the design wall along with the corner sections I'll be working on next. This is still very much a work in progress, but I'm pretty optimistic . And when I go back in a week or so I'll have a fresh perspective. Who knows what I'll decide to do then!

Jacksonville Quiltfest

This past weekend we went to Jacksonville, Florida to see the quilt show there. It is a large show with a great variety of quilts. And, of course, a lot of great vendors (isn't THAT why we go?). This year I was fortunate enough to win prizes for both of the quilts I had entered: The Eye of the Storm and Honey Locust Beans. Batiks, Etc. (one of my favorite vendors and shops) was the sponsor of two of the ribbons. I also won a ribbon for Artistic Merit (I was floored by that one!) which was sponsored by the show itself. The committee that puts on this show does a lot of really neat things--some of which work better than others. They had a recognition ceremony on Saturday morning which is really just a photo "op" because they didn't have a microphone and no one could really hear anything but , they presented each of us with a gorgeous rose that was done in the style of Joan Shay (and that was a LOT of roses for them to make). They did a similar thing last year and I think it is a really nice touch to make each ribbon winner feel special. After the ceremony, each winner was asked to stand by her quilt for a while to answer any questions people might have. This year, my husband Smokey stood by one of my quilts and talked also (I think he enjoyed it!). The people are so nice and really seem to appreciate the opportunity to talk and ask questions. Again, they did this last year also and I think it is a great addition to any quilt show.

There was another quilt there by a Charlestonian, Virginia Schrenker. She does absolutely beautiful needleturn applique and her quilt is really outstanding.

I took more pictures, but there were so many wonderful quilts that it was hard to choose just a few to post. This one I liked because of the use of color--something that I always need to work on. Working out where to put so many individual pieces of fabric really takes a lot of patience and a good eye. And the dog by Pauline Salzman I really liked because she does such a great job of looking at the ordinary and making it extraordinary.

So . . .all in all, it was a great trip that included a visit to the Old Green Cupboard (a GREAT quilt shop), some good food and a comfortable bed. Hopefully, tomorrow I head back to the mountains and can get back to work on my swamp hibiscus quilt. And then, Karen, I can post an updated picture.

Finished Drunkard's Path

Hi Again--Just thought I'd post the Drunkard's Path with the quilting finished. It was a lot of fun.

Quilters of SC Retreat

This past weekend was our State Retreat and my first time to teach there. The class I taught, Winter Blessings, lasted the entire weekend and, although I had taught this class before, this was the first time I taught it two days in a row rather than two Saturdays in a row. I learned a lot about the difference 6 days can make. There is so much more time to work at home and get ready pattern pieces traced and fused for the next class. At any rate, I think most everyone had fun and were pleased with the results of their efforts. I think it would have been a lot to expect to finish the entire top in two whole work days, but everyone went home with a good "chunk" of it completed. These two pictures are of Jean and Ann, a "sister act." They may be related, but they will end up with quilts that are completely different. They are both pretty lucky when it comes to winning prizes though. Ann won a nice collection of thread and Jean won a massage and a SEWING MACHINE! Good work girls.

It was a great weekend and I enjoyed being with quilt friends from all over the state of South Carolina. Karen Kendo did a really great job of organizing the retreat and we're all glad that she's agreed to do it again next year.

Swamp Hibiscus Update

I've had a small block of "alone" time so I was able to focus on my Swamp Hibiscus quilt for the last two days. It's still very much in the beginning stages, but I'm excited about how it MAY turn out. My husband, Smokey, is a great asset when it comes to giving honest opinions about my designs and choice of color. I have spent literally weeks looking for a certain kind of background fabric for this oval. Finally, at the AQS Show in Nashville, I found more or less what I was looking for. When I got home, I pinned it up on the design wall behind the flower. Smokey took one look at it and said, "No." We talked about why it wasn't good and then I pulled out the fabric that I had chosen almost a year ago when I first drew out the pattern. Wouldn't you know? It was the perfect fabric all along! And now, I start the process all over again as I work out from the center. People have asked me if I have the entire quilt in mind before I start . . .Are they kidding?

We enjoyed the show in Nashville. The vendors were great and I especially was interested in all of the different threads available. It's great to purchase small amounts, try them, and then you can order larger amounts if you like them. I think I bought thread from four different companies. We stayed at the Opryland Hotel. Unreal. BUT, we absolutely loved walking around in the evening through the lush greenery. We had planned on doing some sightseeing in Nashville but it was so hot (102 degrees) that we came on home a day early.