Houston 2015

I just got back from several trips.  I still haven't written everything I wanted about Alaska but Houston is fresh in my mind.  The first quilt is from the SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) Exhibit - Balancing Act.

This is called "Release" by Doria Goocher.  If you want to see a better picture, click on her name to go to her website.

The next quilt was also a SAQA Exhibit.  This one was Wild Fabrications.  The quilt is called "Now You See Him" by Cat Larrea.  Check out some of her other work.

 

This was a very unusual quilt.  You have to stand away from it to see what it is.  It's called "Stonecrop Tapestry" by Susan Bianchi

I know its stonecrop, but it also reminds me of a cabbage.  This is an amazing use of buttons.

I'll have a few more pictures in another post.

Wrist Warmers

The socks got finished and I've started something new and different for knitting group. 

 

I'm using Colinton Australia in Autumn - Ink.  It's young goat mohair.  So soft. The pattern is Juerga by Anne Hanson.  It doesn't look like much yet, but it will.

It may be new and different, but I can't seem to stay away from the  four fiddly needles.  

Rays of Hope

Last year I went to my first American Needlepoint Guild seminar in Chicago.  The very first needlepoint class I took was called Rays of Hope designed by Sue Reed.  Nothing like diving into the deep end head first.  I set it aside when I came home to finish up another project I was working on.  Now I'm back at it.

 

I was very lucky.  I was surrounded by very helpful and experienced stitchers.  They had me organized and ready to go when class started and helped keep me on track when I was having issues.  It also helped that Sue was an amazing teacher.  

Heart Trouble

Heart Trouble by Kathy Hogan Trocheck

From the Goodreads website:  "The fifth novel in an acclaimed series featuring cleaning lady/sleuth Callahan Garrity." Atlanta takes time out from its pre-Olympic frenzy to obsess about the murder case of Whitney Dobbs. A boozy socialite, Whitney earned the wrath of the city when she killed a little girl in a hit-and-run. When Whitney is shot while doing her community service, Callahan is suspicious about the victim's ex-husband. Callahan gets help from her House Mouse cleaning team to track down one mean, mad killer

" A fast-paced, highly entertaining caper." - "Louisville Courier Journal"

" Trocheck has an eye for the Southern icon, an ear for the musically Georgian phrase, and an aptitude for multidimensional characters." -The "Atlanta Journal-Constitution "

After I started reading this book, I realized that it was the fifth book in a series. Maybe one day I'll start with the first book in a series.  That being said, I was able to keep up and found it to be quite entertaining.  A lighter read than some of my usual choices.  She is a "new to me" author and I'll read some of her other books.  Maybe even the first one in the series.

Chinese Lanterns

This quilt is off the machine and ready for binding.

Here's a little close up of the quilting.

I'm not great at it yet, but I like the match stick quilting.  Well, it's more like popsicle sticks.