January and Quilting 101

This month has been filled with so many quilting techniques I learned years ago that it feels like Quilting 101.  For me a new year doesn't necessarily mean resolutions as much as a clearing out and reorganization of my supplies and looking over unfinished projects. I shredded lots of paperwork, thinking "why did I keep this anyway?" I discarded lots of instructions and pieces of projects. But when I came across the box of foundation piecing patterns, fabric strips, and triangles, I remembered how much I loved foundation piecing. So I finished the 16 Square-in-a-Square blocks and assembled them with black sashing. I found a lot of smaller blocks on fabric foundations ready to be sashed and joined. I must have been fascinated with checks, plaids, and stripes when I cut these triangles and squares.

These 6" blocks will finish about 30" square

Detail of some 6" blocks

These are about 5"

I made a bunch of tiny houses and a row of flying geese. Only one row. These are fiddly, but batik fabrics make them possible. 

Tiny houses on an 8" x 10" quilt

Raw flying geese before adding border

With borders

We had several days and nights of below freezing temps, cold enough that my pot plants I had brought into the garage lost their leaves. I'm hoping they will make it. Elizabeth and Rahrah and I hibernated in the warm house. I warmed a blanket in the dryer for Lacey in the garage on the coldest nights. She would often find a patch of sunshine in the yard in the daytime.

Lacey soaking up some sunshine

Goodbye to 2023

 The year has flown by and if I had to reflect and report on the happenings I would be hard-pressed to recall most of them. Some do stand out as special and totally unexpected, like being included in Quiltfolk's Issue #26 featuring Mississippi quilters. Then there was being the FestivalSouth artist and creating my quilt "Prelude" and having a three-week long exhibit of my art at Downey Gallery at University Baptist Church. There were meetings with quilting friends in Pine Belt Quilters, Southern Fiber Artists,  and Mississippi Quilt Association. I attended several enjoyable and enlightening courses at OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and look forward to more in 2024. 

Elizabeth and I in Quiltfolk Magazine #26

Prelude, FestivalSouth featured artwork

I've made quite a few fiber art pieces and participated in SMAA's 47th annual show. Daughter Linda and I are making several child/adult-size quilts from my inventory of fabric. I am diligently cleaning out, donating, using up, discarding lots of art/quilt supplies that have accumulated in my closets and shelves. 

Cheesecloth Man with Pipe (at SMAA 47th art show)

Gruffalo in the Jungle at SMAA art show

There was lots of music at my church, in Meistersingers, and at concerts by USM students and faculty. I had lots of trees cut and trimmed in my yard so my house is more visible and I can enjoy an open view from my front porch. I discovered a new (to me) favorite writer--Ann Patchett--especially her "These Precious Days," "The Dutch House," "The Story of a Happy Marriage," and "Bel Canto." I have two more checked out from the library. 

My cats Elizabeth and Rahrah both had serious illnesses last summer but are doing quite well again after their tenth birthdays. Lacy has become my outdoor cat and has gradually become quite friendly, while understanding the other cats will not allow her inside. 

Lacey, my outdoor cat

Rahrah and Elizabeth prefer dripping water over water bowl

Having achieved my 88th milestone birthday, I'm looking forward to more meaningful times with friends and family in 2024.

Busy December

December is always jam-packed with music, get-togethers, party food, letter/card writing, and gift-giving. Some people add decorating, shopping, and mailing to that list, but there is very little of that here. My quilt-robed Santa and my Boehm porcelain nativity set (which is in a china cabinet all year) are my usual. 

Music (singing or hearing) is usually my favorite part of Christmas. USM's orchestra and community chorus presented a beautiful program at Main Street Baptist Church. My amazingly talented friends Lei and Xin played a program for us at University Baptist Church. We decorate with our blue cut-out banners along with poinsettias and greenery. I picked up the poinsettias from Vesly's nursery--what a sight! Hattiesburg's Historic Neighborhood is beautiful with candles on every street. We enjoyed visiting on Jennifer and John-Mark Brown's porch.

USM Orchestra/Choirs Holiday Spectacular

Zhaolei Xie and Xin Zhang

     

Hanging the banners

All four banners 

Poinsettias at Vesly's Nursery

Candlit Hattiesburg Historic Neighborhood

South Mississippi Art Association has its annual show in December and it is fun to show my fiber art and have it accepted as ART along with oil, watercolor, and sculpture. My Cheesecloth Man with Pipe was a hit (and sold), but this kids' art piece, "Gruffalo in the Jungle" (inspired by Ellee Rigney's drawing), drew too many comments on Facebook to count. 

Cheesecloth Man with Pipe

With Gruffalo in the Jungle

Sunflower with 2nd place ribbon

My local quilt guild, Pine Belt Quilters, works throughout the year, and it is rewarding in December to see the joy the quilts bring to the agencies that receive them. We filled several tables with the quilts and stockings, toys, and personal items. 

Rhonda Mowry and Karen Weinberg moving quilts from Choral Hall

Table piled with stockings, toys, personal items

One of the tables of quilts

Agency reps tell us how the quilts are appreciated
 (Akwete Muhammad with Habitat for Humanity speaking)

My sasanqua bush has been blooming the whole month of December. With only a few really cold nights, the begonias left over from summer still look good. I'll leave them as long as they are blooming. The larger pots have been moved into the garage. 

Sasanqua bush in full bloom

Begonias still blooming

Pots moved into garage

I love the pink carpet 

Introducing Lacey, My Outdoor Cat

Meet Lacey

   I have mentioned several times the orange marmalade-colored stray cat that moved in under my little shop building in June with her four (about) 8-week old kittens. I didn't need another cat but I couldn't let this mama starve. After trapping and getting two kittens to the shelter, I trapped her and got her spayed and released back here. The last two kittens disappeared and mama cat came and went, sometimes disappearing for days before showing back up. She was very vocal but kept her distance. She's beautiful, with splotches of color rather than being tabby-striped.

   I called her Kitty or Mama but thought if she stayed I needed to give her a proper name. Last week when the yard guys were replacing the drainage pipe across the back yard, they discovered a dog tag for Lacey, the German Shepherd who used to live here with her former owner (how long ago before I bought the house in 2004?). So it seemed fitting for this cat to be called Lacey.

   She has gradually learned to trust me, following me to the mailbox or on walks, running to me for food, and finally accepting brief pettings and even jumping up into my lap. I have made a warm place in the garage for her to sleep on cold nights if she chooses. She enjoys watching for birds in the sunshine of the back yard, but is sometimes gone for hours--to her other home? She is my cat but on her terms. She has briefly checked out the house (when I had Elizabeth and Rahrah closed up) and seems to understand that they will not permit her inside.

A neighborhood racoon discovered free food and learned to get into the food supply. Lacey joined in the fun. I have since secured the cat food and bird seed in two Oscar coolers with locking handles.

Busy November

Along with delightful weather, I've enjoyed many musical events. My yard is bright and open but I'm still waiting for some landscape planting to be done. A drainage problem across my back driveway has been solved (I hope!) by a replaced pipe. Roots had grown into the old pipe where it had been cut during a cable installation. Grrrrr. Now I'm waiting for a heavy rain to see if the problem has been solved.

The Meistersingers concert featured Music for Royal Occasions, with organ and trumpet. 

Sanctuary at Westminster Presbyterian Church

With my singing buddies, Gwen Combs, me, Jean Claire Bounds,
 Judith Collins, Janice Gundy 

Dr Joel Dunlap, Conductor

It is a privilege to have my artwork displayed as part of  Main Street Gallery's Exhibit #4 for the months of November and December. 

More musical events--Tom Kimmel and Michael Mille were at the Back Door Coffeehouse at University Baptist Church. It was wonderful having Tom back home, and we hope Michael will sing for us again.

Michael Mille and Tom Kimmel

I have loved Amahl and the Night Visitors since I first heard it (composed in the 1950's by Gian Carlo Minotti), and getitng to hear it really makes my Christmas, so it was a special treat to attend USM's production of this classic. 

The USM Honors String Chamber Recital every spring and fall is one of my favorite events of the year. The students compete for two nights, and the winners are featured in a recital which my church hosts. Four or five groups perform and are judged for the top three winners. The talent and professionalism shown by these musicians sets them on a path for success. We are fortunate to become friends and be a small part of their journey. 

Marlene Gentile, Adelle Paltin, Isabella Marques, and Alejandro Restrepo

It has been a very musical month, but some art projects are underway. I did a program for Pine Belt Quilters showing my cheesecloth art using Mary Pal's techniques. The fall leaves are brought into the house and used often. 

Man with Pipe, cheesecloth, 12x14

Leaves on teal burlap, 8x10

Bay Leaves and Crape Myrtle Leaves, 12x12

Sweet Gum Leaves gathered on misty morning

There is lots of kitty news, but will save that for another post.