Some Design Time

It has been over a week since my return from the wilds of Yosemite and I have finally gotten through most of my paperwork and have gotten quilts in from one exhibit in Colorado and have packed up another exhibit which is happily on it's way to PA where it will be part of the Mancuso quilt festival, Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza XVI, Sept 17 thru 20. The exhibit is named Backroads Journey and has 15 pieces representing some of my favorite landscapes. Below is a group of quilts that is part of the exhibit and were made this past year after I had traveled through Arizona. I love the saguaros that are only found in that part of the country and these quilts depict the viewer being drawn in, moving toward that closer look.


I am working today on the sample drawings for a commission piece based on the view from someone's home in Arkansas. The view of the trees and rolling country side into the mountain foothills is spectacular and the drawings are pretty exciting. I always feel I'm on the right track with a drawing when the colors, shapes and textures seem to swim together and perculate up in my mind as I am designing. I am looking forward to getting into fabric with this one soon.

Other projects are finding some time now as well, and some of the images from recent journeys are screaming out to be stitched up. One of those images is below. It is one of a group taken on the early morning drive from Merced into Yosemite. The sun glistened off the waves of tall golden grasses. They truly seem like waves, for even the rocks appear transparently as if submerged underwater. Should be fun to work with.


Off to the studio! Happily stitchin' again. ~Rose

Northern California Quilt Council

It is always a treat to travel up to the Northern California Quilt Council (ncqc) and present to their member guilds' reps. More than anything it's the travelling up and back with my friend and fellow quilt artist Cindy Rinne. She and I have been on the road of quilt artist together since 1996 when we met at the first meeting of Quilts On The Wall: Fiber Artists, www. quiltsonthewall.com; though at that time the group had no name.

We have been travelling to NCQC together for a number of years now, and it really is a great time of catching up, sharing ideas and finding new haunts.

This time was no different, and we went looking for an arts recylcling center in Oakland. It is a favorite place of another of our friends, Joanell. We were equipped with a map and had plenty of time to run our hands through the 4,000 sq ft of stuff. We got there and Cindy started right in at the front of the store. I headed for the back... we both met in the middle at a huge laundy bin filled, brimming over with tie silks. There were traditional patterns and the more fun contemporary designs. There were packages of samples still rolled and unopened and there were BIG, big pieces not even cut up. Everyone stopping by the bin was amazingly willing to help find 'what you're looking for'. There were those that sifted through the pieces at the top, and those like me that dived deep in search of those pieces that may not have seen the light of day.

We had a great time and the prices were not to be beat.

The pictures we took of us inside the store diving for silk did not come out well, but you can see Cindy here as we arrived at our destination. After this we headed to the hotel where we have a great time sharing the facilities with the refinery workers. This hotel certainly takes good care of these guys, and we reap the benefits.

At the meeting the next day we had a great time chatting with everyone, see all the teachers there present. A great time as usual. In a very chance moment we had our photo snapped together.

We then had a fun time having lunch with a group of reps and teacher before heading south. It was a quick trip, but filled with fun, laughter and figuring out just what it is we're going to jump into when we get home....right??!!!

We both agree sewing is what we want to do. A bit of studio time is what we're hoping for.

Look for more about studio time soon. I'm holding out hope! ~R