Cleaning My Sewing Room

This week I decided I had to finally take some action on putting up a design wall. This meant moving the cutting/sewing table in the middle of the room so I could use the closet doors as a base. And that involved moving out all the "stuff" stored under the table. I hadn't seen some of it in years so there were some nice surprises in there. The wall shown is full of shelves full of fabric of course.
In the far corner of the room are stairs leading downstairs to the kitchen. They are full of stuff of course. On the wall is a Grandmother's Garden Quilt from the 20's and an Alligator Skin. On the left is one half of the closet doors I will use for a design wall. I plan to hang cotton flannel over it. The hanging is embroidered animals from China.

"Stuff" seems to pile up in one of the windows. Mostly beads, buttons and lace.

The "stuff" was moved out into the hallway.

And into the next room which has become a sort of sewing room annex.

Quick trip to Guatemala

Eight days after returning from Asia I embarked on a week-long shopping trip to Guatemala. I based myself in Panajachel, on the shores of the gorgeous Lake Atitlan. There won't be any lake photos as it was misty on the horizon from the farmers burning off fields in the area. This is a mural over a really nice restaurant at the head of Santander Street...the main street in Panajachel.
Halfway up the street is a nice ice cream parlor with banana splits. Not quite as nice as Swenson's in Bangkok...but acceptable. And its a great people watching location.

One of my favorite restaurants appropriately named El Jardin. They had wonderful homemade breads and jam.

Tne entrance to my room in a small garden. I always reserve early so i can have this wonderful room. The hotel also has a travel agency with shuttle service which I always use. I have stayed at several other hotels in town and like this one the best. It is called Posada de las Volcanes. One morning as I was walking up Calle Santander a parade of children was exiting the school yard, about halfway up the street.


Many of the towns in Guatemala acquired tuk tuks which are handy after serious shopping.

There are a series of fast food stalls which seem to be a permanant fixture outside the school yard and are open late in the evening.

An hour by boat across the lake is the colorful town of Santiago Atitlan. These photos are from market day. The women wear my favorite huipils from the area. Light blue striped fabric with gorgeous birds. The men used to wear pedal pushers made from the same fabric with colorful birds on the hem but they are rarely seen these days.
One of my young friends from town over the years named Joe. He currently drives a tuk tuk although I think he is probably 12 or 13 years old.
Women selling huipils in the market. The birds are increasingly being made by machine but are still gorgeous. And, of course, they are becoming more and more expensive.

I stayed overnight in Chichicastenango in order to attend the market early and visit a huipil dealer. This was the street in front of my hotel being set up on market day.
I found two Singer Featherweight sewing machines in a local shop. The one which appeared to be in the best condition was listed at $133.

The courtyard of my hotel.
The steps of the famous church in the center of the market. It is a mixture of Catholicism and shamanism. It is not uncommon to find people praying in front of the altar and others listening to a shaman with candles and chicken parts performing a ritual.

It's a Quilt Top...More or Less

The quilt top I began at Spring Fling last weekend is finished...more or less. Now I just have to figure out batting and a backing and pin/baste it together. I'll probably quilt in the ditch with invisible thread.

The Grand Palace and More

The Grand Palace has got to be the Crown Jewel of Bangkok. Its a 61 acre complex of towers, temples, and royal residences all contained within the protective embrace of a 1.2 mile castellated wall. Rama I began construction of the Palace in 1782. Later Rama's added their own buildings and touches.
Changing of the Guard.

The ornate nagack or demon guards.

Engraved soldiers guarding a door.

There are three different styles of chedhi within this area, called Wat Phra Kaeo.

Most of the Rama's were builders, adding their own touch to the grounds.

One of the Rama's traveled to China and brought back this statue.

Some of the buildings glow like jewels.

The complex contains around 100 buildings. This one is a scale model of Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

These mythical figures are reaching toward the heavens.
The Emerald Buddha is housed in this building (no photos inside) and its garments are changed seasonally by the King. In recent years the Crown Prince has fulfilled this function.
Stone lions guard this entrance.






The exploits of mythical heroes and demons are depicted in Wat Phra Kaeo's vividly detailed murals.

The mythical Ramakian.







The former home of the King. Now a guest house for very important visitors. The King built a new (I assume simpler) palace north of here in the 1920's.

Back to reality ...sort of. The area where I stay most often in Bangkok is called Banglamphu. It is a decompression zone for backpackers transiting in and out of the country. Since they stay up late its a neighborhood where I can wander around at all hours and there is always something interesting going on. There are also lots of restaurants and shops and it is close to the River.

A tailor sets up shop on the street.

And my hotel is only a block from Swensons, with fabulous ice cream and banana splits.
There is plenty of street food here if that is on your agenda, and in the evening some of the vendors add tables and chairs right in the road and cars just weave around them.










The main street, Khao San Road, is closed to traffic in the afternoon and evening. It is a short alleyway from my hotel.

An interesting alley in the area. You can get your dreadlocks re-done here.
And the trip comes to an end on an interesting note.