We're A-Trippin'!

Come along on our journey--

we're heading west from Houston-- first stop--Buffalo Gap, Texas!  Just south of Abilene, the place where buffalo roamed .  It's a quaint 'little' town!  Along the path you find one of the best Texas restaurants you ever did visit--it's a drive to get there, be so worth it!  and if you're vegetarian, you will find some of the best sides dishes to warm your taste buds.

We've got reservations for Perini's Steakhouse!  Tom Perini, Fess Parker (Davy Crockett fame) and Richard Becker (Becker Winery) grew up together--now, that's an awesome combination!  We can enjoy one of Tom's delicious steaks while drinking a glass of Fess Parker or Becker Wines--not a bad way to spend part of the day.





We journey to Lubbock to rest our heads on soft comfort--but first, we stop in Buddy Holly Center to see illuminance, a national competitive biennial competitive photography show, featuring work in response to a theme. The exhibition will be on display in the Fine Arts Gallery from June 2 through July 22, 2017.  The theme explores the long-standing relationship between music and photography, and invited photographers to explore the intercourse of tone, color and image, in all its powerful permutations.

Sapphire Stars Mystery

Oh I love a mystery!  and here is another opportunity to sew up a mystery and use my stash-- and it says STARS!  Love STARS!

Kevin The Quilter is hosting his very first mystery!!  Hurray! for Kevin!

and of course, I'm in and of course, I'm late to the party!

I can catch up quickly--one clue a month!  So, I'm not too far behind!

here is the first clue:  then head over to Kevin's website to sign up

to receive the rest of the clues!

Happy stitching!

Clue #1

Cut 48 3.5" x 3.5" squares from your brilliant royal blues (as many different as possible)

Cut 48 2"x2" squares from your light baby blues (as many different as possible)

Cut 48 2"x2" squares from your navy blues (as many different as possible)

Using a small ruler and marking tool (I used a mechanical pencil) on the wrong side of the fabric, mark a line diagonally down each light blue 2" square, AND each navy blue 2" square.

Placing right sides together, put one 2" light blue square on top corner of a 3.5" bright blue square. Sew on drawn line.

Repeat this step with navy 2" square on top of 3.5" bright blue square on opposite corner of the light blue 2" square just sewn.  Sew on drawn line.

Lightly finger press seams toward the corner ensuring the light and navy corners have been sewn correctly.  If light blue, and navy do not match the edge of the brilliant blue.....re-sew seam.

Cut 1/4" away from seam with rotary cutter or scissors.

Press 24 units with seams going toward corners, and press 24 units with seams going toward center.

Make 48 units measuring 3.5" unfinished.

Do You Dishcloth?

I hadn't looked at Ravelry for a few days so missed this BUT there is still time

to jump on the dishcloth knitting campaign.  There will be four different patterns

throughout the month of July--great knitting easy knitting--

I love hand knitted dishcloths!  I use my handspun cotton to make mine--

great feel while I'm wiping down those counter tops or swishing a dish--

Check it out on Yarn Adventurer!

if not a member of Ravelry--join!  It's free and there is something for

every fiber person--be it quilting, knitting, weaving, crocheting, stitching, etc.

July and August Projects

July will be a travel month for me--so I'm making this list of quilts I want to work on after I return to my machine.  A couple of these projects are ready right now--like Scrappy Patchwork QAL and Dino DNA.

A Quilting Life

 cut the blocks 7 1/2″ square from panel, and add 3″ pinwheels and 3″ x 7 1/2″ sashing strips to make it a nice crib size.  This is a cute way to use up panels or fussy cut--

Bunny Hill Designs

Jacque Lynn Steves

Just Quiltin'

Bee In My Bonnet

Eyfells and Eyfells: Jóhann Eyfells

If you travel the 290 Corridor from Johnson City to Fredericksburg, you will see

off to the north the creative works of Johann Eyfells.  We have travelled that

route many times and we haven't stopped in yet to visit with him.

During the recent Hill Country Film Festival, there was a 

film about Eyfells--but we attend another film at the time--wish they

would show these important films again.

I was pleased to see some of his work at the Kerrville Arts Center when

we visited last week.  

Johann has exhibited throughout the world

and we are happy he's close to our summer home.

Johann Eyfells 

 He began his abstract sculptures in the 60's based on his experiments in chemistry and physics, utilizing the various transformational properties of metals, especially aluminum, iron and copper. He calls his work "receptual" based on his concept of receptualism, a theory he developed to explain the essence of his work.

Quilts of Valor Mystery

Today marks the day that Alycia begins her Mystery #6!

You can check out her website to get your bearings and

find out the fabric requirements--I bet you, though, it will

be red, white and blue!

Alycia does such wonderful work with Quilts of Valor--

The mission of the Quilts of Valor Foundation is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor.

You will find patterns on their website as well as on Alycia's.

I met Alycia many years ago while I spent my summers in Colorado--

at the time I didn't know about Quilts of Valor, but my life

has become enriched with the opportunity to sew for these brave patriots--

my one small chance to make their life richer though the warmth of

a quilt!

Happy Birthday to US!

Today would have been my dad's birthday --he was born in a small Missouri town--his history is completely lost!  We know nothing about his upbringing; his WWII experience (as he didn't speak of it), his father or mother's life.  My father died too young, carrying all these things with him.

Sad all this is gone to the ages.

On the contrary, Our country's history is definitely on the books!  Many

good stories are told in the annals of United States History--

Here's a Happy Birthday wish to all those who enjoy our freedoms!

Antique Quilt Blocks

Recently, we walked through an 'antique' shop--

it was a hot day and the shop had AC and we wanted to

cool off before heading out to do more shopping.

 In the back of the shop, draped over a chair was one quilt that took

my eye!  The fabrics and color combinations were so -off-

it made the quilt unique! 

The block is the same!  Just look at the colors and fabric

choices--doesn't matter if it was plaid, stripe or

print--these quilt blocks worked!

Serendipity!  It's always interesting how those spur of the minute

times take you some place special with an opportunity to

get your brain functioning differently!

One Down, No Make That Two!

Why or why did I cut so many of this section for a quilt?

The only good thing is I have three (3) quilts instead of One!

Yes, three quilts!  Goes to prove I should have been measuring

right.

I'm doing one person assembly line sewing!

trying to use up all those middle sections--

just needed to sew 4 patches from 2" squares--

working down that stash bin!

Here we have it--two more quilts!

Same pattern--boring!  Easy to sew though

These will go to church group that is doing collection for Ronald MacDonald House.

Feels good to contribute plus the bonus of eliminating all those

small blocks!!

Make Your Own Patriotic Pinwheel

To celebrate the Fourth of July, make your own pinwheel to show your patriotic spirit for those parades, parties, picnics and firework evenings!



These are so simple to make and a good way to use your red, white and blue fabrics!
check out the suggestions on Pinterest!

WWII Propaganda

There is a fabulous exhibit at the Pacific War Museum, Fredericksburg, TX--besides being a great museum with factual happenings during the Pacific War, they host periodical exhibits pertaining to WWII.  The last exhibit I attended was clothing from 1940's, wrote about this in previous blog.

I found this exhibit to be eye opening!  Did you think that our country would

do propaganda across this country as well as foreign countries?  Well, 

they did!  This exhibit focused on the artist who participated in

designing for the WWII.  Some of the writers and artists I knew about,

but not all.  Here was Jack Campbell--

Who wrote books on Torio Kid--against Japanese citizens--

propaganda is used to influence people psychologically in order to alter social perceptions.

Milton Caniff--

His comics were Terry and The Pirates

During the war, Caniff began a second strip, a special version of Terry and the Pirates without Terry but featuring the blonde bombshell, Burma. Caniff donated all of his work on this strip to the armed forces—the strip was available only in military newspapers. 

Did you ever read Terry and the Pirates in the comic section of

the newspaper?

Everyone knows Walt Disney

Disney also produced several propaganda productions, including shorts such as Der Fuehrer's Face‍—‌which won an Academy Award‍—‌and the 1943 feature film Victory Through Air Power.^[92]

Mickey Mouse was the first cartoon to make Walt famous

He had other comic books that were used for propaganda--

selling bonds

being patriotic with his cartoon characters

And a musical

Reg Manning

At first, Manning's work appeared in several forms in the paper. Although he was interested in drawing comic strips, the popularity of his editorial work led him to focus on editorial cartoons.^[2] His work was syndicated in as many as 170 newspapers

His editorial cartoons were some of the best during WWII

He produced "Little Itchy Itchy"

Arthur Szyk

 Polish-Jewish artist who worked primarily as a book illustrator and political artist throughout his decades-long career. 

His illustration were superb!

And the best part for me was seeing some of the propaganda

ashtrays--an excellent exhibit!! 

Tour de France = Tour de Fleece

The Tour de France begins July 1 but to fiber spinners it means Tour de Fleece.  In fact, I always think of this time in July as time to spin!

What does this mean?

• All spinners unite to accept the challenge to spin each day--even if it's only for 5 minutes!
• 
  
• Have fun!
• 
  
• Get that Stash spun down!

How can you participate?

• Join a team--here is one that welcomes your involvement--accepting members till June 30th--spinfoolish
• Join this Facebook group for encouragement
• The Knit Girls are sponsoring a Bingo game around Tour de Fleece
• Shepherds Talk is another interesting feature on Facebook

So get those wheels ready and the stash prepared and

SPIN, SPIN, SPIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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