TOM5 Madison Star for Delia Webster

There is quite a story associated with block 5 - both on the Barbara Brackman Civil War blog and in my sewing room.

 For flickr purposes I usually take the photo square on but my plan is to set the blocks on point so just twist your head a little when looking at this one.

When I first saw the star I noticed that there was really only three different areas for color change and since my self designated "rules" require me to use the solid grey as the outer background, to include a small flash of the chartreuse green and to use a bird motif somewhere in the block. So that is three fabrics right there. I debated putting the bird in only one star point but I wanted to keep it balanced and since Delia Webster herself was all over the place and helping numbers of people I decided I could go ahead and use birds in all eight of the star points. These two fabrics are from the same line so they go well together.

The chartreuse green rule requires only that one fabric so I couldn't have just one star point or it would have looked really out of whack.

Construction was challenging as I not only had the eight set in seams to deal with but I also needed to pay attention to the way the birds were facing. With the fussy cutting required it seemed the method of construction best suited for the block was to make and use templates. Note to self, check templates for accuracy next time before spending hours wondering why the segments don't seem to fit together well. sigh.

 For my fun photo I noticed in the story about Delia Webster that she often hid in brush heaps so I first headed to the brush heap in my own back yard.

 Flowers are now blooming in my garden so it is hard for me to resist placing my block with a flowery background. The shot above was valid, I decided, because there are some small volunteer violas hiding under the garden bench. I doubt Delia could have hidden herself very well there.

And then there is the clematis on the archway on the front wall. This clematis was purchased and planted last year when I had been working on my purple, green and white Women's Suffrage quilt for many months; I noticed it impacted several color decisions I made during that time. But somehow I don't think we will see a profusion of grey flowers in my garden next summer!

Wonder how many set in seams there will be in block 6?

Thoughts of Summer

The past several weeks have been really hectic and I am all out of order in posting my projects.

Some months ago I "acquired" the job of exhibits chair of an art group I belong to. For the month of June we had scheduled to mount an "all member" exhibit at our local library. Since I am now the one who is "where the buck stops" it was up to me to pull together an exhibition so I thought I better at least make a piece myself in case there were not too many entries for the show.

Now you surely know I like to title things in advance and work the fine details. For this show I decided to have a theme and I chose "Thoughts of Summer" thinking that would give a lot of scope for the artists as it could be items iconic to summer or, at the opposite end of the spectrum, it could be cool wintery thoughts to get you through the hot summer days.

My projects are usually lengthy time wise. But this one I started work on during the weekend of May 16 and now, here it is, hanging in the show on June2.

The title of the piece is "The Thinking Chair" meant to invoke the concept that this is where I might sit to have my "Thoughts of Summer". Initially intended to have a lot more embellishing than this I began with some pennant flags on the masts of the sailboats, added a few colorful fish and dropped a pair of sunglasses on the sand by the chair. Once it comes down off the wall I've got some paua shell pieces I'd like to add and maybe some beads and other bits and bobs.

Being a detail person there are little splashes here and there throughout the piece that depict what I might be dreaming of as a summer vacation. The background was intended to be somewhat pale as, after all, it is just thoughts. But look closely and you'll see images of things associated with relaxing and taking it easy.

Guess where I'd like to be vacationing this summer!

The artists came through and there are forty pieces on view. Tomorrow night is the opening reception so I look forward to hearing what the community thinks of our exhibition.