Recent Acquisitions Lecture

1970s patchwork with raw-edge applique

Tuesday's lecture with the Comforters Quilt Guild in Tacoma, Washington, was a little out of the ordinary. The three weeks leading up to the lecture were very busy, and difficult. I had to say goodbye to my old cat and got a new cat, but was especially worn out after spending long days at the hospital with my dear friend Sarah, whose father passed away unexpectedly last week. After he had gone, we spent long days going through his home and discussing arrangements.

By the time I got to the lecture, I felt like I was going to fall over. I was running on empty, but I knew I had to go on with the show. It would be a bright spot in a difficult month. I knew the Comforters would comfort me, and they did. Before I started, I explained why I wasn't myself that day, but said hopefully the quilts would reenergize me. The group also needed positive energy, after one of their officers fell on the way into the meeting and injured her hand, and the group learned their membership chair had passed away the night before.

We were all counting on the quilts for a pick-me-up. And you know what? It worked! There were smiles, there was laughter, and the audience was wide-eyed with each quilt. The lecture was Recent Acquisitions, and here's what I brought.

I could hear the audience collectively gasp when they saw this

One of two 1830s quilt tops

A few had seen this in the exhibit in Bellingham last summer.

An unusual Log Cabin, in all solids - very graphic!

They all guessed it - 1976! But they were surprised I got it for $9

Big reaction to this one - they loved it!

More surprised reactions - Marsha McCloskey made this in 1973

They were simply dazzled by Andrea Balosky's quilt

I kept them awake at the end of the lecture with this Cinco de Mayo

Many guessed this was a Jean Wells quilt.

It was the first time I began a lecture hoping I could finish it, but everything turned out OK. I didn't have my 'A' game, but the quilts were A+. They were just what we all needed. Bright, colorful, cheerful, and optimistic. Thank you to the Comforters, and special thanks to program chair Nancy Koorenny for giving me the encouragement I needed to go on with the show. I can't wait to go back, with more great quilts and a full tank. 

Andrea Balosky: New Work

AAQI #12,904, Keep in Touch by Andrea Balosky

Today, Facebook friend Merle Clifford sent me a note to let me know there were more Andrea Balosky quilts on the "quilts waiting for assignment" list of the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative. Made my day! I love seeing all of Andrea's new work. I told Merle, even if the quilts don't land with me, I still like saving the pictures and keeping them on file. I also promised Andrea I would help let people know about any new quilts when they were posted. So, without further adieu, here are the six new quilts.

AAQI #12,905, String Quartet by Andrea Balosky

AAQI #12,906, Topmost Twig by Andrea Balosky

AAQI #12,907, La Ronda by Andrea Balosky

AAQI #12,908, Streaming Corsica by Andrea Balosky 

AAQI #12,909, Arpeggio by Andrea Balosky

There are some new things in this batch of quilts: applique and raw-edge applique, decorative quilting designs, and even a little embroidery. She has continued using print fabrics, but this time mixed them playfully with solids. Just as her work has evolved throughout the time she's made quilts, the work done for AAQI shows an evolution. As usual, I'm impressed! To learn more about the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative, click here.

Here I am!

I promise, this isn't turning into a cat blog! I'll get back to quilts soon, but this week my attention has been on two things: a dear friend whose father is hospitalized with a very grim prognosis, and Little Lulu. I've spent most of the week at the hospital. At night, I've come home late and Lulu's been there. She was really able to get my mind off things. "Here I am!" she says. "Pay attention to ME!"

This morning, Lulu's out and about and is sitting right next to me purring. I think she's finally over hiding under the bed, and she's certainly stolen my heart. But she's also helped heal it. When I look at Lulu, I can't help but see Boo. She's like the young, energized version of the slow-moving, fragile cat I'd become so used to having around. Of course, I still miss Boo. Having Lulu around really takes the sting out of it. She's also comforted me after long, heartbreaking days at the hospital. We've only been together for a week, and I've been gone a lot of the time, but we're clearly bonding.

I think this is the beginning of a long, beautiful friendship. 

She Only Comes Out at Night

So far, life with Little Lulu has been interesting. She only comes out at night. Is she a Maneater?

"Oh here she comes!"

Little Lulu stays under the bed all day, and just when I'm ready to go to sleep, she gets up on the bed and wants me to pet her and play. LOL! It's been a game the last few nights, but last night I shook things up and went downstairs for a while. She followed. She even got up on the couch. While she was downstairs, she explored, and had some of the food I'd left downstairs. There's also food upstairs - she didn't eat much the first day, so I put food in a couple places. She was up and down and all around, chirping at me the whole time. I had to try to take pictures.

Lulu didn't like the flash! So I tried hand-holding the camera - a little jiggly, but you get the idea. What a mysterious little beauty! I shouldn't say little, because I can already tell she's going to be bigger than Boo was. She's got bigger paws and ears already, and is a lot more long-bodied and leggy.

She has golden eyes with maybe a hint of green, a very soft, silky coat, all black, and she has some interesting mannerisms. When I pet her, she sits fully upright and even looks up at the ceiling, as if she's stretching toward the sky. Incredible posture! She chirps more than she meows. Her legs seem unusually long, probably because she's still just a kitten, and her tail is always up with some sort of funny bend, either in the middle or at the tip. That is, when she's not under the bed.

I'm even roasting a chicken to lure her out...but so far, she's holding court under the bed.

Now that we've had an excursion to the downstairs, I think we're starting to make some progress. I should probably be careful what I wish for. She's a Lulu! Oh well, I guess I'll see her at bedtime.

Why Quilts Matter - January Blog

My January "Why Quilts Matter" guest blog is now available for viewing, and this month's topic is the Willow Tree Quilt. I discovered the quilt just around the time I traveled to the quilt conference in Williamsburg, where several of the speakers talked about whitework in its many forms. So, of course I had to have it! This quilt is what you might call "trapunto" or "stuffed work" - it was quilted and then stuffed through small openings on the reverse side. After the willow tree piqued my curiosity about symbolism, I found much more than I expected.

In the blog, I talk a little bit about the Jazz classic "Willow Weep for Me" - the song going through my head as I wondered about the true meaning of this quilt. Listen to my friend Jeanie Bryson's version of the song as you read along. To read all about the Willow Tree Quilt  - click here!

Vintage Revisited at Latimer Quilt and Textile Center

On Wednesday, I went over to Latimer Quilt and Textile Center, in Tillamook, Oregon, to see Mary Kerr's superb exhibit, Vintage Revisited. Been looking forward to it for a long time. I had proposed the exhibit to the Latimer Board back in 2011, after meeting Mary in Paducah. Finally, we would get to see the Vintage Revisited quilts in person! There is a reception at Latimer tomorrow, Sunday, January 13th, from noon to 4 p.m., and the show will run until March 2nd. The reception and display will also include "Everything Old is New Again" challenge quilts, and the unveiling of the 2013 raffle quilt.

"A Pennsylvania Sampler" by Barb Garrett

When I got there, I learned there were enough quilts for two shows. Latimer has a modestly-sized gallery. The space once served as an auditorium in the small, rural Maple Leaf Elementary School. So, the quilts may be swapped after one month, giving us a whole new display in the second month of the exhibit. There were Board members discussing the idea when I was there, and I liked it. Swapping the quilts to create a second part of the exhibit would give me another good reason to get back to Latimer next month.

Now that I've traveled around to some of the bigger quilt events and met several of the artists, I have to say, the women behind Vintage Revisited are amazing, talented, and worthy of tremendous respect. The group maintains a strong bond, a sisterhood. Many of them are involved with the national quilting organizations, and travel to events where they reunite. I met Mary and Sue Reich in Paducah in 2011, I met Lisa Ellis when she spoke at the Northwest Quilters Guild last year, and several others were in Lincoln, at the American Quilt Study Group Seminar.

"Morris in the Garden" by Sue Reich

Naturally, I was thrilled to see quilts by people I've met: Barb Garrett, Sue Reich, Bonnie Dwyer, Lisa Ellis, Karen Dever, and of course, Mary...just to name a few off the top of my head. All of the quilts were made by taking pieces of antique and vintage quilts and blocks, and using them to create new and original works of art. A wonderful exhibit, and inspirational book. For more information about Latimer Quilt and Textile center, click here. For details about Vintage Revisited, including where to get the book, click here.

My New Little Friend

Today I went to Cat Adoption Team in Sherwood, Oregon. I needed to get out of the house, and thought I'd take a look at their selection of cats. After seeing a lot of cats online and learning they had already been adopted, I realized the only way I'd know what cats were available was to visit a shelter. I wasn't going to get a cat. I was just browsing. I think you know where this is going!

As I made my way around the cages, I said hello to each cat. Only a few spoke back. This little black cat, which looks almost exactly like Boo, was toward the back. I said hello, and she meowed back. We actually had a little conversation. When I spoke, she spoke back. She was the first cat I visited with, and when we were alone in the visiting room, she came up on my lap, let me pet her, and purred. That was all she wrote. I looked at one other cat, but I think I'd already realized I was a goner. I wanted to adopt the beautiful little black cat with the bright eyes and silky soft coat.

When she originally came in to the Washington County shelter around December 27th, they called her Sweetums. Then they called her Loana at Cat Rescue Team when she came in on January 4th. I was trying to think of a new name, and as I was signing the paperwork, the adoption specialist, Sally, said Loana's birthdate was listed as April 3rd. That's Dad's birthday! His name was Lloyd, best dad ever, and he's been gone for five years. But Lloyd wouldn't work for a female cat name. His work nickname was Lou, so she may be a Lou. Or Lulu. :) I will decide for real tomorrow, after we've spent some time together.

Poor baby was spayed just yesterday, and must be terrified. So far, she's hidden next to towels on the counter in the guest bathroom, behind boxes in my office, and under the bed. That's where she is now. I left a catnip mouse at the top of the stairs, and have spotted her up there a couple times, before she ran under the bed again. So adorable. I didn't expect to get a new little friend so soon, and certainly not one that resembled my old cat so much, but I do realize I'm dealing with a whole new cat. It's the beginning of what I hope will be a long, close friendship. I'm so happy to welcome this gorgeous little baby into my home.