Thursday, March 23, 2006

More Crazy Quilt Block

For those who are following my exploits, I have uploaded page 4 of my blocks odessey to our website - http://www.bayrose.org. Still more to do on the block and other deadlines loom. But first need to finish the taxes and March Crown.

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

More on Women's Work

In the New York Times Style Magazine for Spring 2006 there were 3 things which caught my eye. The first is a full page Lace script "T" in white and ecru. It is labeled "Lace Me Up, Lace Me Down: a Woman's Handiwork is Never Done". It was designed by Oscar de la Renta.

Also in the same magazine was a full page ad with a purple (excuse me there is no more purple - blue violet) crochet oval purse. There is a wicker and brass closure and brass chain handle. 9 crocheted tassel bits are across the bottom of the bag. It was labeled "Pretty Crafty" and was by Salvatore Ferragamo. The price tage was $990. 

So let me see -- women and their crafts being designed by men and so are fashionable?? Are we back in the middle ages, where men embroiderers were permitted in the Guilds, but women were considered needleworkers and thus not allowed in the Embroidery Guilds? Some things never change.

The last item that caught my eye was an article about typeface becoming "fashionable". It seems that typography is a world unto itself - with uncrowned designer kings and queens. While I knew that Helvetica and Verdana were good screen typefaces, Arial is just toooo declasse for words. [full article on page 176 by Alice Rawsthorn "About Typeface: Why Guardian Egyptian is the Lanvin fo the Print World."]

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

finally getting the hang of it

Been playing more with the quilt block. Spent the morning doing a couple more web pages with commentary on the creative process. If you have a interest please visit. I don't have a way to do comments on the page, but you can leave them here or on the forum (week 3 - post with same name) if you are part of the class.

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Coping with the Modern World

Coping Coping Coping -- I am so not a techie. Spent large parts of the weekend doing the install software, recabling the office for new/different hardware, etc. Thank heaven for the husband who can debug just about anything.  Grump - I'd rather be stitching. 

Speaking of which, I am enjoying the crazy quilting a lot. A line or 2 of stitching a night really helps relaxation and is a lot of fun. I've decided to just let the stitching flow. So I am trying new stitches and new threads. I'll put up the next page/installment shortly. Suffice to say serendipity happened when I dropped by JoAnns yesterday -- I found THE bit that makes the block come together (happy dance).

PS I'm posting this and testing a new fangeled program called a widget. I don't have to do the formal log in or anything. It takes care of all of it for me.

Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Crazy Quilting Takes Over

Running fast to get everything done before I jump into a 3 week long case (uggg!) I know I will be tired with the commute and all and will look to do a bit of catchup sewing to relax in the evenings. I still have a bit more to do on the German Brick piece and the Icelandic pattern darning. I'll post pics when they are done. I'll also have my Crazy Quilting project (s). Decided to put my thought process into words and pictures to clear it out of my brain so I can get onto my column and other things. So here is the first page of my Crazy Quilt log.

Think I'll put on some Kodo while I clean up my desk and office before I get inundated again.