Progress Report

I made another dozen blocks from the feed sacks during the super bowl ... and made a few more in the evenings. I have less than a dozen to go.  It was time to get them on the (temporary) design wall so I could really see them together.

I didn't spend any time arranging the blocks, but I know I will torment myself with it when it comes time to put the blocks together because of the blend-y nature of most of them--I can tell already I will either have to embrace that characteristic or work really hard to avoid the effect.

I have also been doing some research into typical 30's applique (of the more simplistic variety) and found a simple flower that I'll applique on the setting triangles.  I made a quick trip during my lunch hour yesterday to buy some solids in 30's reproduction colors. It was kind of amazing to put the modern solids next to the vintage feedsack fabrics and see how they were an exact color match.

Nancie V named her quilt design "Road Trip." I've come to think of my quilt as a Road Trip to the 1930's. I find myself imagining a 1930's woman (in my head, she's a farmer's wife) and the design decisions she might have made while making a similar quilt.

I didn't get the temporary wall up in time for Judy's Design Wall Monday ... and so I decided WIP Wednesday was the next best thing. 

Hail, Columbus

I had to smile when I saw Debra's photos and description of the fabulous destination hotel where she spent last weekend. I definitely went in a different direction for my trip to the NQA show in Columbus, Ohio. I found this Bed & Breakfast in the Short North neighborhood a few blocks walk from the convention center and decided it was perfect for me.



The Short North neighborhood was a delight. It claims to be the Art and Soul of Columbus--easy to believe as you walk past galleries, interesting restaurants and lots of art. There are several murals besides Mona. This one reminded me of the Art Image Challenge and all those takes on American Gothic by Grant Wood.



Here's another mural, next to a parking lot. I loved the contrast of modern vehicles parked in front of the ancient scene.



I encountered a couple interesting sculptures, as well.



From the left, Up To Our Ears In Art, In Dreams Again and Detail from In Dreams Again. Both pieces are dedicated to the artists of Short North.

On the edge of Short North and only a block from the NQA show at the Convention Center is North Market--a wonderful, colorful produce and food market. It was the perfect lunch destination.



I wasn't able to do it all while I was there--I missed out on the Art Fair and the Yarn show and didn't make it to the show connected with QSDS, but I thoroughly enjoyed my long weekend in Columbus and the classes and quilts at NQA 2007.

Ah Summer ...

Of course, it's not officially summer yet, but today was a picture perfect Summer day, complete with blue skies, puffly white clouds and green all around. It was a perfect day for a ROAD TRIP to NQA's quilt show in Columbus.

As soon as the weather turns warm in Michigan and Ohio, it seems there's at least two choices for doing something quilty on any given weekend. This is my first trip to NQA--for the first time I didn't have a conflict, so I decided to check it out.

There was only one little snag. Summer isn't just the season for Quilt Shows around here, it's also prime time for road construction. I knew there was headache of a construction project on US-23 between me and Ohio--a project so major it ha its own web page--so I let my fingers do the walking to AAA's online triptick site. I kept modifying my route going wider and wider around this project, then avoiding another in Ohio, until I had added nearly an hour to my trip ... I made such a big circle around the hot spots that I ended up driving through Indiana ;-)

The drive along the turnpike across norther Indiana and Ohio is very pastoral, passing through farmland with green fields filled with baby corn plants and neat, white-washed, farmhouses and barns. (sorry, no photos ... I was driving.)

Of course, eventually the countryside faded away and I found myself, in the city with a million other cars in the afternoon commute, curiously also on US-23.

For the most part, I avoided the dreaded orange barrels and construction delays. I knew I was almost at my destination when I saw this landmark.



Isn't she fabulous? She surprised me because I didn't expect to see her reclining. Here's a longer view of Mona and the critical turn at the alley.