Disaster in Guatemala

First the Volcano Pacaya outside Guatemala City erupted (with subsequent earthquakes) spewing at least 3" of ash over the city and surrounding area. The airport and most businesses closed and then the rain came the ash turned to a cement like substance clogging drains. The airport is still closed. The tropical storm Agathawhich then hit Guatemala dropped at least 20" of rain and in some cases 36" in 24 hours and created a disaster throughout most of the country.
Over 100,000 people had to evacuate their homes and there are 110 deaths reported already and 53 people missing. A small town on the banks of Lake Atitlan lost several people when a mud slide buried a section of the town. Here neighbors outside Antigua are digging out two bodies from a destroyed home.

A typical blocked street in the area. Huge trees were blown down or uprooted.

Many houses are not well constructed and couldn't withstand the rain.

This is one of those really heavy concrete sinks which women use to wash clothes in tossed over in the rain and flooding.

Flooded streets.

Parts of buildings just washed away. Many farmers lost all their crops and subsequently their food for the coming few months.

If you are interested in helping you might send a donation via Paypal to :

mayanfamilies.org

How Big is Your Fabric Stash?

According to a recent survey conducted by Quilts, Inc. and Quilters Newsletter there are over 21 million active quilters. The dedicated quilter has $8,542 in quilting tools and supplies and owns on average $3,677 worth of fabric!



Whew! I feel so much better.

More Free Handbag Patterns

Still more free handbag patterns, this time from Henrietta's Handbags. There is a HUGE list of web sites but no photos on their web page.

Take a Look

http://www.henriettashandbags.com/Craft_Ideas.html

The Garage is Finished--Its Not a Jungle Out There Anymore

The garage project is finished for the moment, everything is more or less in place and there is room for my car again.

Just about every box has been labeled so that I can hopefully find what I need out there.  The operative word here is "hopefully".

My cat is a bit upset as all her favorite velveteen fabric has been removed from the bottom shelves in my sewing room and sent out to live in boxes in the garage.  She used to love to pull it out and make little soft nests for herself.   She takes one last break on one of the soft piles  And I have several boxes and bags of things to give away over the next few months. 

Free Quilting Tutorials from a Quilter in Kenya

Dena Crain is a very interesting quilter residing in Kenya.  She has a group of free tutorials on her web page including:

Quilting by Tacking

Quilting Backwards

What Makes an African Quilt "African"

Seamless Quilt Binding

Fusable Patterns for Art Quilts

She also has a free Calligraph Pattern on her pattern page as well as one for sale.  She teaches frequently at Quilt University

Check it out:

http://www.denacrain.com/blog/?page_id=22

Sharon Shambler's Great Free Quilting Tutorials

Pieclique by Sharon Shambler

Sharon Shambler, who designs those fabulous quilts which win Best of Show in Houston and elsewhere, has  six free huge tutorials on her web page.  They are very comprenehsive and include the best illustrations I have seen anywhere.  They include:

Hand pieced Y Seams

Binding

Grandmother's Flower Garden

Hand Quilting

Pieclique Circle

Hearts & Apron Strings

Take a look:
http://www.sharonschamber.com/free%20stuff/Free%20Stuff.htm

Free (Or Almost) Terrific British Art Magazine Online

You might want to take a look at the online magazine Art-e-zine. It's from Britain and is basically free, although they request a donation of $10 which is more than worth it. Lots of great articles and photos here. Think of it as an online British version of the magazine Cloth-Paper Scissors. http://www.art-e-zine.co.uk/

Free Handbag Patterns on the Web

Linda Matthews, who has a wonderful web page, is offering dozens of purse patterns on her page for free!  There are some fabulous ones here.  I have pictured only four.  Go to her web page, click on Resources on the top row and you will see...on the right...a place to click on for the free patterns.  Enjoy.  And take a look at the rest of her wonderful stuff. 

http://www.creative-textile-and-quilting-arts.com/

http://www.creative-textile-and-quilting-arts.com/

http://www.creative-textile-and-quilting-arts.com/

Free Beading Book Online

Robin Atkins has decided to retire one of her books and has made it available to everyone as a free download. Go to http://beadlust.blogspot.com/2010/05/one-bead-at-time-free-download.html for your copy.

http://www.robinatkins.com/OneBeadAtATime_RAtkins.pdf

The companion or follow-up book, Heart to Hands Bead Embroidery, full of many more techniques and inspirations, is still available in print and can be found in bead shops or ordered here on the author's  website.
Please be aware the free book is still under copyright.

http://www.robinatkins.com/books.html#H2H

Guatemalan Poverty

The poverty in the Guatemalan Highlands is so incredible  and  so pervasive that after awhile you  unfortunately become a bit immune to it.  But this was one of the worst cases I have seen in quite awhile. 

This family is living in one of the worst houses the local Mayan Families NGO has seen in some time...and that is saying a lot.  The children sleep on beds with wire mattresses or on the muddy floor under a leaking roof. 

Mayan Families is a wonderful group which I have personally checked out and highly recommend .  Take a look at their blog and web site if you are at all interested.  They arrange  sponsors for  literally hundreds of children to be able to attend school in the surrounding towns. 

Take a look for yourself

http://mayanfamilies-sharon.blogspot.com/

Read more »

E.A.T. Group Meeting in Ithaca

On Monday I attended the monthly E.A.T. Group meeting in Ithaca at the beautiful Quilter's Corner's Shop.  Their batik area, in particular, is deadly for a fabricaholic. The group was working on a bias scarf made from stretchy rayons or silks. 

The street was decorated with these wonderful pansy boxes.

After all our hard work and show and tell, we head for lunch at  a local resturant.  The group isn't called E.A.T. for nothing.  We tried out a new Japanese restaurant which we pronounced "excellent"

On Sunday i went to Marcia's studio for more work on the Tibetan vest, which I can see will be a fitting challenge. 

May Genesee Valley Quilt Guild Meeting

The May meeting is always a busy one with the induction of new officers and usually a large show and tell as we wind down for the summer months when we don't meet. 

Deb Roach is sporting a Bog Coat Jacket which she made in my class last weekend at the Bobbin Case.  It is made from a hand woven baby carrier which I purchased in Guatemala.

And Margaret Reek trimmed her Bog Coat Jacket from that class in gold and trimmed her black hat to match.  She will be President of the Guild next year.

The 2010 Raffle Quilt has been finished and was displayed this month.  It will be raffled off at the November meeting.  I love the black background.

I will be teaching a two day jacket class for the Guild in March and some of my sample jackets were displayed. 

After Show and Tell a break for cookies and conversation is always welcome.

Another Sewing Day at Marcia's Studio

Inspector Suki has abandoned her usual accoutrements that she uses on the sofa and now just has a blanket draped over the whole thing.  I guess it is off limits to quilters now.

During my ongoing garage cleaning I came upon silk scraps from a vest I made in 1989.  I have sewn them together and will trim them up and make them into a small wall hanging. 

I also found this piece (as well as two others) which I bought at Liberty of London in London in the early 90's.   It would make a great jacket.

And I worked a bit more on my Nepalese Quilt.

Bev displayed a wonderful quilt she recently finished.  I think it has a great Southwestern flair.

Molas For Sale

I personally selected all these molas on the San Blas Islands off Panama, the home of the Kuna Indians who are famous for them. Almost all of them are from blouses, which meant the maker took extra special care as she was making it for herself. All prices are plus $4.50 postage. You can enlarge the photos by clicking on them. If you would like more photos or additional information please contact me at: pkibbee@aol.com.




Two squash. Beautiful double layer applique and tiny stitch embroidered trim. $37

The flowers are triple applique with holes punched in the black layer which are then all appliqued down! Beautiful workmanship. $34

Two happy angels playing marimbas. Great applique and exquisite tiny stitch embroidery on this piece. $44

Whimsical teapots which I assume are crabs. Beautiful tiny embroidery details. $44

Two fat cats. Exquisite tiny embroidery stitches trim this one. $29

Two birds with a clock. I have never seen a clock before on a mola. The double applique wings are all trimmed with an exquisite feather stitch in tiny embroidery. $39

Traditional style mola. Double applique X's and ric rack like applique. $37

Binoculars in beautiful double applique with rick rack style trim. $37

Vibrant flowers on this beautifully embroidered piece. $34

Parrots are a common theme of the Kuna, but usually on the smaller appliques, This one has beautiful tiny stitches trimming the faces and flowers. $27
SOLD

Two doves in beautiful double applique with tiny embroidered trim. $21 SOLD

Four leaves. Beautiful double applique, rick rack type trim and tiny embroidery stitches. $39

I am assuming these two graceful birds are swans. The usual beautiful applique and tiny embroidery stitches on the birds faces. $29

I have never seen pipes used as a design for a mola before. $29

Semi traditional mola with a beautifully embroidered duck in the center. $19

Beautiful fish with two tiny fish in the corners. Lovely double appliques and tiny embroidery stitches. $27