SIL Quilt Begins

My SIL requested a “farmhouse quilt”... several years ago now so I'm only a few years overdue. I had to ask her to explain since I’d never heard the term and had no idea what it meant. Turns out it’s a casual, countrified, blue-and-white quilt.

Lacking many blues in the shades she prefers, a shopping trip was in order. What fun to spend an afternoon at a quilt shop with SIL. And boy, is she serious about blue and white! Upon returning home I went through my stash for a few more fabrics to add a bit more variety.

The stars pieces are all cut. The split Variable Star reminds me of the split Nine Patch. They both accentuate light and dark furrows when sewn. But the pressing is a pain. There is no way I’ve found to have all the seams flat. So a few will be opened. Not my favorite choice.

Here’s where the project stands today.

Split Ohio Star quilt blocks

We drove over Slumgullion Pass the weekend. Don't you love that name? It's been raining a bit almost every day adding so many beautiful shades of green; not as common this late in summer.

On the road to Slumgullion Pass

Many herds grazed along the way: Deer in velvet in the middle distance;

Deer in velvet

A moose with her calf closer to the roadway;

Moose and calf

But elk kept their distance. No good shots of those.

Last month I dusted and polished the bookshelves, then organizing a shelf of all the books I have yet to read. Do you buy books that sound interesting and then fail to ever read them? I never thought that was a habit of mine but half of a shelf is laughing at me. The plan is to read or donate them within the year - sort of like turning the hangers backwards and donating unworn clothes after a year. Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World was the first finish, a very intriguing look at the Mongals who brought so many innovations to the world.

Enjoy the day, Ann

Heading West

After wrapping up some legal work I drove to Amarillo - about six hours away. The next morning I visited Cadillac Ranch, a regular stopping point on the way west. After all, how many art installations allow you to bring your own can of spray paint?

Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo TX

Since I was the only person in my party I couldn't get a photo of my efforts but others busily added to the scene.

Spray painting cadillacs at the ranch

Most people clean up after themselves. There's usually some trash bags tied to the entry gate. Remember, Don't Mess with Texas. At the bottom of that link you can see all the ads. My favorite is Johnny Dee and the Rocket 88s.

The XIT Museum in Dalhart reminded me of more Texas history. When Texas became a Republic the legislature set aside 3 million acres in the Panhandle to pay for building the Capitol. They soon found it would take too long to sell to small farmers so in 1879 they sold it to the Chicago Farwell brothers and two partners who created the XIT.

Buffalo at the XIT Museum, Dalhart TX

John Farwell established the Capitol Company in Great Britain for pay for the Capitol and ranch development by selling $10 million in bonds. Cattle prices fell soon after the XIT started so the company couldn't pay off the bonds that came due. Starting in 1901 they sold large sections until the XIT was history in 1963. Who knew this connection between west Texas and Great Britain?

Lots of saddles, lariats, spurs, branding irons, fossils, and tchotchkes on display. Railroads were built to bring cattle to market. Ties were laid with date nails indicating the year so people would know when to replace them.

Date nails used laying railroad ties

The museum is setting up an exhibit of the Dust Bowl era which includes this crow's nest. Lacking other materials, it's built of barbed wire and lined with twine, hair, and feathers. Just like us, the crows used what was on hand. Improvisational.

Dust Bowl era crow nest of
barbed wire lined with dirt, twine, hair, and feathers.

Moving on, I crested LaVeta Pass before the Spring Creek wildfire started. It's now the third largest in Colorado history. You can see the billowing smoke on the second day of the fire.

Sunrise over Blanca Peak
and the Spring Creek Fire, June 27, 2018

Continuing west I found this herd of big horn sheep crossing the road in Cochetopa Canyon... and taking their own sweet time about it.

Big horn sheep, Cochetopa Canyon, CO

Miles to go before I sleep.

Enjoy the day, Ann

Online Quilt Class

I was gifted with the iquilt class Abstract Quilts in Solids by Gwen Marston. I've read several of her books but never took a class from her. There are so many projects in my queue but I finally found some time to work on her first lesson: triangles. 

The brown and navy are actually prints rather than true solids. Gwen recommends NOT overthinking the layout but I had trouble not scattering those light pinks a bit more. How did they end up in such a small section? And then edged with a few bright greens. I discovered those two brighter green leftovers wrapped inside the olive green fabric. Their added spark saved this quilt.

Triangle quilt top

About 25" by 28" this top is good for a quick study. Not sure what it will become. I may add some Sujata borders to boost it to baby quilt size.

We managed to see Their Finest, a comedy/drama centered around Catrin (Gemma Arterton), a scriptwriter working on a propaganda/morale building movie about Dunkirk during WWII. Bill Nighy stars as a hilariously vain actor. As the show develops an American is added to aid film distribution in the US. Jake Lacy plays a seriously bad actor. So funny. It reminded me of Jean Hagen's performance in Singin' in the Rain. Is it harder to be a good actor or for a good actor to play a bad one?

The movie prompted me to read Crooked Heart, also by Lissa Evans and also set in WWII. This one concerns a young London evacuee and the woman drowning in debt who takes him in. I really enjoyed the beginning and end. 

"Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam. Where the deer and the antelope play." Not many buffalo but loads of the latter two grazing everywhere. Although I never saw people feeding them, they roamed freely in town, on the plains and on the hillsides. This one was in the park of the small town of Saguache. 

Deer in Saguache, CO

Enjoy the day, Ann

Penultimate Great Debater Quilt

Simple quilting with the walking foot on the diagonals. There are two ways to do this: sew each diagonal alone or turn at the edge. Guess which one I chose? The quilt turned time and again as long as the "lesser" amount was to the right. Like my grandson I've turned in circles until I'm about to fall down. Now that the quilting is done I'm dizzy.

Scrappy Trip Around the World quilt

Yellow binding kept it from competing with the multicolored top. All the yellow bits in the leftover binding bin were used.

Scrappy yellow binding on Scrappy Trip

A quick wash and dry shrunk the batting enough to crinkle the surface. It's my favorite look although the quilt becomes smaller. Keeping it out of the dryer and blocking the quilt after washing will both reduce shrinkage, at times almost to nil.

After this, only one quilt remains for the Great Debaters.

Quilt Details
Size: 68" x 78"
Design: Scrappy Trip Around the World
Batting: Mountain Mist Cream Rose 100%cotton
Thread: Presencia cotton
Quilting: Walking foot 

Continuing our vacation, we drove by the Pinnacles near the Black Canyon. Both are great destinations but that wasn't where we were headed.  

The Pinnacles, Gunnison CO

This site on the Dolores River shows the arid environment and geologic outcrops that mark this region. Played out gold and uranium mines dot this region. Occasionally, the deeds have been purchased to rework the tailings but production here halted by the 1950s. 

Hanging Flume hangs above the Dolores River

We stopped to admire the Hanging Flume near Uravan, CO. This thirteen-mile hydraulic flume was built for a gold mining operation. The last five miles clings to cliff faces and is visible in both photos. Fantastic engineering feat but unfortunately, the gold was not recoverable. 

Hanging Flume

Our campsite was in the Uncompahgre National Forest. Colorado is open range which means the ranchers don't fence their cattle in; you fence their cattle out. This doesn't apply to any other livestock; i.e., goats, sheep, horses, llama, etc. Three cows grazed by the gate until I started to pull my camera out. Then they ambled off although one is still visible in the distance. 

Cattle through the gate

Lots of flowers such as wild rose and columbine bloomed despite the heat.

Wild rose and Columbine,
Uncompahgre National Forest, CO

This old mailbox has been repurposed as a book drop for the Nucla Library. Love the lively painting which should encourage anyone to read.

Book drop, Nucla, CO

Enjoy the day,  Ann