May the Fourth be with You

May 4 is coming this week. Star Wars Day because - May the Force be with You. We finally found the Yoda fountain in San Francisco. If you're a Star Wars fan, it's an iconic landmark.

Yoda Fountain at Lucasfilm, The Presidio

We joined some friends at the Presidio to view the Walt Disney Family Museum and walk the grounds. The Presidio was formerly a Spanish and Mexican fort, then a US military base but now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Congress mandated the Presidio Trust manage the park in a financially self-sufficient manner - no federal funds. Lucasfilm {along with other companies} rent some of the buildings and restored others but all property is owned/managed by the Trust.

Leaving the Museum, we stepped onto the main parade ground. There's San Francisco Bay and Alcatraz in the distance. What a view. Many of the officers quarters have become rental condos and duplexes. Some of them enjoy this scene daily from their windows. Wouldn't it be fun to live here?

Alcatraz in the distance from the
Presidio's main Parade Ground

With my usual photographic abilities I managed to perfectly line up the window bar at the Visitor Center with the Golden Gate bridge roadbed. Not the best photo of the bridge but doesn't the window view look artificial? It must be the change from dim interior to bright exterior.

View of Golden Gate bridge
from Presidio Visitor Center

In the foreground you can see they are in the process of building Tunnels Top park over Doyle Drive. Dallas built one over the Woodall Rodgers freeway that is lovely and well-used.

Between the day trip and other responsibilities, I didn't get much quilting done. I've also noticed a lack of creativity. I don't have the energy to work on something new. But... there are several old UFOs that could use some attention.

Currently I'm sewing sawtooth sashing for the {very old} New York Beauty blocks. One smart move is staggered starts - four each time - so something's always close to done. It also helps keep the scraps more random as older and newer ones mingle on each sash. Here's a representative sample.

Sawtooth sashing for New York Beauty blocks

Seventy-two are needed but a few extras will give me some design flexibility. Sixty-four were finished when I snapped the photo and the rest were done yesterday. What a relief. I've been {not} working on this quilt for years. Although I can't remember the exact year it was before the Millennium. Sigh.

The next step is the posts. I have some ideas to draft and play with.

Enjoy the day, Ann

What do the Fairmont and my Christmas Stocking Have in Common?

I toured the Fairmont with San Francisco Walking Tours and enjoyed learning the history of this hotel. Sitting atop Nob Hill, the Fairmont has wonderful views of both the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges. Barely finished, the Fairmont burned during the 1906 earthquake but reopened a year later to become a city hub.

Golden Gate and Bay Bridges from Fairmont

The United Nations formed here in 1945; its charter was drafted in the Garden Room. A few years later Dorothy Draper remodelled the hotel using flamboyant colors and luxury fabrics. Her Modern Baroque style was "the opposite of minimalism."

Fairmont lobby 

The Carousel Bar once incorporated a working antique one. That is gone but delightful murals still decorate the walls.

Murals of circus performers decorate the Fairmont's Carousel Bar

Like Dior's New Look, these exotic fabrics and colors celebrated the end of the war and rationing! After the tour I realized my family's Christmas stockings came from this same era. Bright red velveteen with green apple taffeta lining. Beading, sequins, and bells. More is more indeed.

My Christmas stocking

A family friend made the first one. Then my mother {had to} sew others as the rest of us appeared. They always look merry and bright strung along the mantle. For years I never saw these stockings anywhere else. A family from my home state moved to town. Surprise. Their stockings are twins to ours. I wonder if the original pattern was in a local newspaper or magazine.

When it was time to make stockings for my children I wanted to update them somehow. Halley's comet appeared soon after my eldest so that was beaded on her stocking below. {It looks more like a paramecium.} Then I added a rocket for the many shuttle flights. Thus began began the Heavenly Additions.

Daughter and SIL's Christmas stockings

The Voyager 2 flyby of Neptune is commemorated on one; the Ulysses boost past Jupiter on another. Neither SIL nor DIL had a stocking. His (above) highlights Discovery's spacewalk by astronaut Dale Gardner to retrieve the Westar VI satellite. Hers depicts the Rosetta landing on Comet 67P. That's the purple mass on the righthand stocking below... in case you can't tell. Over the years, my abilities have dropped off and it looks as odd as Halley's comet.  Or perhaps I can only bead planets, not comets. {I also cheated a bit; this is the year they married, not the year she was born.}

Christmas stockings celebrating space mission highlights: Ulysses, Voyager2, and Rosetta

DIL's still has a blank spot where I plan to add her wedding bouquet. I'm just a bit chicken about ruining the ribbons. Their names (covered in the photos) are written with beads and sequins across the white felt cuff.

With the arrival of grandchildren I'm busy making more. One should have been finished a year ago. Oops. The new velveteen is cardinal red rather than the former deep blue/red but the lining is still bright green. Although I drafted a paper pattern long ago, now I just use one sample as a guide.

Cutting new Christmas stockings from velveteen

They all need a Christmas tree and then it's time to let loose: snowmen, reindeer, stars, butterflies, bells. Here are the events I'm considering.

• For 2015: Discovery of Kepler-452b (possible Earth 2) by Kepler or New Horizons flyby of Pluto

• For 2017: Total Solar eclipse or Cassini-Huygens satellite entering Saturn's atmosphere

Two yards each of the velveteen and lining will make six stockings. More than enough. I cut all six; they can lay flat at the bottom of the stocking box. The velveteen won't crease and I'll know where to find them... perhaps. {I have become a champion squirrel-er-away.}

Enjoy the day, Ann

Surprise Baby Quilt

DH forgot to tell me one of his co-workers was expecting... He forgot for about nine months. The surprise was on me when he mentioned the birth. Fortunately one last log cabin top remained.

It only took a couple of days to quilt and bind this charmer. The larger light areas occur because some of the log cabins are entirely light fabrics rather than half light/half dark.

Log Cabin baby quilt

Given all the tiny pieces and the fact that baby quilts must be washed frequently, each log is secured by quilting. I alternated groups of straight line with wavy lines. {It's a multistitch zig zag choice on my machine.}

Quilting and binding on Log Cabin baby quilt

The green insert was needed to complete the back. It's bound, separately, with the same seahorse fabric as the back.

Quilt Details

Size: 44" x 44"

Design: Log Cabin variation

Batting: Mountain Mist Cream Rose 100% cotton

Thread: Guterman grey cotton

Quilting: Straight and zig-zag lines with walking foot

DH and I went to see Hamilton for our anniversary.

Orpheum Theater in San Francisco

Wonderful show with excellent cast. The stage was this single set throughout with the cast moving additional items in and out as needed. The curtains never rose or fell.

Hamilton stage set

Dinner included a view of the Bay Bridge as the sun set.

View of the Bay Bridge from Perry's

The next day we enjoyed fish tacos at the Woodhouse Fish Co.

Woodhouse Fish Co.

I loved our seat in the corner of this vintage cafe.

Charming decor in the Woodhouse Fish Co.

Enjoy the day,  Ann

Making Leaves

My first thought was to use lots of colors for the leaves but I decided the cardinals would be bright enough. The vine fabric is a blue-green but most of my greens are on the yellow side. I pulled all the blue-greens I could find in my stash and scrap bag. A few are crazy prints that may or may not work out. We'll see.

Green and blue fabrics for leaves

Preparing fabric using Lara's book, Crafted Applique, took most of the day but this method is easier on my hands. {I needed physical therapy after my last attempts to hand quilt. I now limit handwork to prevent recurrence.} My previous work with her directions worked quite well but I'm curious how this will hold up to daily use. Frankly, I wonder how long any raw edge applique will last. {QS says it will last as long as I live. What a comedian. Also a good point. This is a quilt for me and that's how long it needs to last.}

Stephie and I traded fabric scraps last week.  I thought mine looked like some of her flags for Fete, the quilt she's making for her sister's birthday. {Aren't sisters a wonderful gift in themselves?} She thought hers would make a good binding for my neutral string quilt. Plus she send some extra Quilty365 circles with hand stitching. Lucky me.

Fabric scraps, Quilty365 circles
and a card from Stephie!

We took the train to San Francisco and saw this magnificent dome in Westfield Centre.

Emporium Dome,
Westfield Centre, San Francisco

Originally built as the Emporium Building in 1896, the first dome survived the 1906 earthquake but fell during the subsequent firestorm. The current dome was built in 1908 and restored about thirty years ago when the shopping center was built.

It reminded me of another San Francisco landmark. Almost forty years ago Neiman Marcus purchased the old City of Paris building with its glorious white and yellow stained glass rotunda. The dome was added in 1908 when department store was rebuilt following fire damage after the 1906 quake. Despite being listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building was torn down in 1981. The new structure incorporated the original rotunda and is again a favorite city landmark.

City of Paris dome, Neiman Marcus, San Francisco

This dome reminds me of Sunshine by Monica at Lakeview Stitching. She handles yellow so masterfully.

Enjoy the day, Ann

Leaders, Enders and Log Cabins

Using scraps to sew off the end of a "regular" project keeps the thread from tangling and knotting when starting a new seam. Originally I sewed onto a scrap (and threw it away) but eventually realized that a scrap block seam serves the same function AND finishes an extra top before you know it!

In the past I made little nine-patches but about two years ago I returned to log cabin blocks as my leader/ender project. And not just log cabins, but half-inch logs. Crazy.

I haven't paid much attention to them; simply set them in a bin. During a bout of cleaning last week, I pulled them out. What a huge collection - so many that I considered making a bed quilt. Finally decided they worked better for baby quilts. That's helpful; several are needed soon.

Every different corner a block has increases the setting variations that can be made. Part of the reason log cabin is a perennial favorite is that it has four different corners. Here are some of the variations I laid out on the design wall.

These Streak of Lightning variations use some "all light" blocks to create more open space.

Streak of Lightning variation, log cabin blocks.

By rotating every other row of the layout above, I created this triangular setting. (Definitely making this one!)

Triangular rows variation, Log Cabin blocks

More Streak of Lightning variations.

Large asymmetrical streak of lightning log cabin variation.

Streak of lightning log cabin variation 2.

Chevron log cabin variation.

 Medallion variations:
An inner border of "light only" log cabin blocks surrounds the center star.

Medallion log cabin with lone star center.

The star is rotated into a Sunshine and Shadows variation.

Medallion log cabin 3.

A bit of zig zag on this outer border differs slightly from the previous one. 

Medallion log cabin 2.

A log cabin heart.

Log cabin heart set on a background of "light only" blocks.

There are enough blocks to make five baby quilts.

I finished a Sunshine and Shadows log cabin and a Barn Raising log cabin a while ago. It's time for a different leader/ender.

Another trip to San Francisco, another tour. This time, we walked around Telegraph Hill. These 1937 apartments are decorated with raised plaster called sgraffito (yes, same root word as graffiti) by Alfred Du Pont. An outline of California appears behind the image of Califia, the mythical queen of the island of California in a Spanish novel from 1500. It was so popular that when the first explorers mistook Baja California for an island, they could think of no better name for the land.

Sgraffito of Califia on the Malloch Apartments

Lauren Bacall's character lived in one of these apartments in the 1947 film, Dark Passage, with Humphrey Bogart.

Around the corner are these gorgeous Carpenter Gothic homes. The middle is a former grocery store. The lavender one (then painted dark brown) starred in The Streets of San Francisco with Michael Douglas. The lower floors of all the homes were added when the city paved the streets. Can you believe how much paving lowered the street? And it's still so steep, it's scary.

Carpenter Gothic houses near
Union and Montgomery streets, San Francisco.

Of course, loads of blooming plants wherever you turn.

Hydrangeas on the Filbert Stairs.

Enjoy the day, Ann

The Palace of Fine Arts

We recently enjoyed a weekend of Giants baseball in San Francisco. Since Saturday's game didn't start until six p.m. I convinced my husband to visit The Palace of Fine Arts.

This was one of ten palaces in the Panama Pacific International Exposition of 1915 celebrating the completion of the Panama Canal, the vitality of world commerce, and San Francisco's recovery from the 1906 earthquake. The fair covered a square mile and ran from February through December. Because it was planned as a temporary exhibit, the statues were mostly paper mache while the buildings were wood plastered with gypsum and hemp. A few, including the elephants and fountain in Sausalito, still survive. Like the current Palace, they have been rebuilt in concrete from molds of the originals.

The Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco

Bernard Maybeck designed this palace as a fictional ruin with Roman and Greek inspirations. Maidens sculpted by Ulric Ellerhusen top the colonnade, weeping at the thought of a world without art. Their tears were supposed to water trees in those boxes but the structures wouldn't hold so much weight.

Weeping Maidens top each set of pillars
on the colonnade at the Palace of Fine Arts.

Alexander Bell and Thomas Watson opened the Exposition with the first transcontinental phone call from San Francisco to New York City. Visitors rode in wicker carts through a miniature Panama Canal. At night, lights shining through Austrian cut glass gems lit up the sky bestowing the name, The Jewel City.

A day ticket cost 50 cents; an annual pass cost $10. I learned that Ansel Adams was given an annual pass by his father with instructions to attend daily and learn about the different countries, technologies and scientific wonders. (He still studied composition, grammar, and music at home in the evenings.)

We ran into this lovely group of friends celebrating the Exposition in authentic regalia complete with pennants.

Historically dressed for the 1915 Exposition.

Immediately after they drove off in their flivver a cadre of bicyclists rode through celebrating World Naked Bike Ride day. No photos but it was a unique juxtaposition.

Enjoy the day, Ann

SFO Museum - A Hidden Gem

San Francisco airport (SFO) is one of my favorite places. There's always an exhibit on the walkways to the terminal. The first time we flew in I thought it was a special event; the long walkway was turned into a museum with eye-level displays of sewing machines! What could be more exciting. One-hundred years of history of the sewing machine. My husband was very patient while I read each and every card.

Since then I've seen the history of the television, automatons, Japanese toys, lace, and artwork from recycled materials. What a mix. They were all so excellent that I realized the airport must have a curator. Not just that, I discovered the SFO Museum in the International terminal. It's closed Saturdays but since it's before security, you don't need an airline ticket to visit. And this terminal has several large exhibit spaces you easily spend a couple of hours viewing. Plan to arrive extra-early for your flight so you can enjoy their next exhibits.

Pop Art Music Posters from San Francisco

 

This time there were exhibits of Rock and Roll Posters, works from Tiffany and a small case with 1960's pop-art clothing. What a mix! The photos in the links are much better than mine.

Pop Art clothing from the 60's

Tiffany lamp

I can't wait for another trip!

Enjoy the day, Ann

Coit Tower and the Filbert Street Steps

Coit Tower is one of my favorite places to visit. It sits on top of Telegraph Hill where a semaphore telegraph was established in the 1850's to give townspeople notice of arriving ships.

Statue of Christopher Columbus
stands in front of Coit Tower

It still has the best views of the city and bay.

The Bay Bridge framed by trees at Coit Tower.

However, twenty-seven frescoes of 1930's California life are the outstanding features of Coit Tower. They were created by a group of artists through a Depression-era work program. 

Victor Arnautoff painted City Life. The collaged scenes include a mailman, a newsstand, a holdup, an accident and, in a nod to Lillie Hitchcock Coit, her favorite #5 fire truck. 

City Life by Victor Arnautoff

Three more artists created these scenes. The Tower's deep, angled window embrasures were used in a variety of ways. Mr. Zakheim created bookcases in his. I especially liked how Ms. Scheuer painted the four-color method of printing the Sunday comics in hers.

Library by Bernard Zakheim,
Newsgathering by Suzanne Scheuer and
 Surveyor by Clifford Wright.

 

This is part of a large wall of California agriculture. Don't you love the beach pajamas of one flower picker?

California by Maxine Albro
depicts many of their crops.

The previous murals are on the main floor, but one of the delightful secrets of Coit Tower is the murals in the staircase and second floor. These are only visible if you take a City Guides Walking Tour so plan accordingly. 

Lucien Labaudt painted Powell Street on the circular staircase. Since he was a dress and costume designer, his figures are all stylishly clothed. What a treat for those of us who love fabric.

Powell Street by Lucien Labaudt  covers both sides of the circular staircase.

Powell Street by Lucien Labaudt 

covers both sides of the circular staircase.

All the sports of the day are included in Parker Hall's mural - even a Stanford/Cal Berkeley football game over the doorway (which is only partially visible here.) 

Collegiate Life by Parker Hall  with a portion of Lucien Labaudt's Powell Street.

Collegiate Life by Parker Hall 

with a portion of Lucien Labaudt's Powell Street.

Finally, my absolute favorite are these scenes of Home Life by Jane Berlandina. The other frescoes are painted buono (wet) but Ms. Berlandina painted her room secco (dry) with egg tempera in a very limited palette of dark red, brown and chartreuse with white outlines.

Home Life: Living Room
by Jane Berlandina

Although there are buses, the best way to get to Coit Tower is to climb the intimidating Filbert Street Steps.

The base of the Filbert Street Steps.
Some are wooden and others are concrete.

They are certainly long but there are several landings where you can rest and enjoy the many flowers, shrubs, birds and views.

Roses and calla lilies
on the Filbert Street Steps.

 Enjoy the day,

Ann

Powell Street by Lucien Labaudt 

covers both sides of the circular staircase.

Collegiate Life by Parker Hall 

with a portion of Lucien Labaudt's Powell Street.

Powell Street by Lucien Labaudt 

covers both sides of the circular staircase.

Collegiate Life by Parker Hall 

with a portion of Lucien Labaudt's Powell Street.