Odds & Ends from Empty Spools 04-27-24

 Just a few more photos from my experience at EmptySpools/Asilomar.

But first a HURRAH for the outstanding  Nancy Ota of San Clemente, CA. She went to Paducah last week to stand beside her outstanding quilt, a Paducah winner in 2007 (I think) which is part of the permanent collection there.

"Infinity 2006"  Nancy Ota - CA 

Commercial cotton fabrics, Japanese indigo fabric.  Machine pieced and quilted.

Asilomar

  

Before I started my program on Sunday evening I took this picture of the audience in Merrill Hall, one of the original buildings from 1918 and a remarkable architectural achievement. The Cotton Patch shop is in the back at far left and my table is  in the far back on the right  The blurry spot at the bottom of the picture is where I marked out the glare of the spotlight.

re

This is the path leading up to Merrill Hall from the Admin building and dining hall.  All of the paths are now bricked, not as bucolic as the bare dirt, but much safer and accessible to the handicapped.

With so many pine trees dead from the invasive beetle, most of the campus looks like this. However, new young trees are growing that appear to  be beetle resistance.  

I prefer to stay in the original 1918 buildings and this is my favorite room in Pirates Den where the boys originally.stayed.  The front of the building is level with Merrill Hall,but the back looks out on the parking lot below, so there is a wide view of north end of the property.  

When I decided I was too wiped out to drive home on Friday after Empty Spools ended at 11am,I was able to book a night in Stuck Ups, the 1918 building where the girls were housed back then. The four rows of rooms  surround an open space which  used to be  a sea  of  white calla lilies, but in keeping with the mandate that this California State Park have native, natural vegetation all non-native species are removed.  Not many flowers, though there were a few  wild iris in bloom.  

This was my room 209 in Stuck Ups.  It was a cozy corner for a very tired old lady and I slept about nine hours.

#    #   #

From Quilts to Roses! 04-26-24

Although there were many roses blooming before I went to Empty Spools at Asilomar, now they are in riotous delight.  These are in two different front yards on our walking route. 

This one is closest to the sidewalk, growing in precise little squares in the driveway.The brick edging divides the driveway from the neighboring yard. 

The roses below surround this fountain/statue that is not connected and planted with succulents.

Pink is by far the most popular rose color in this neighborhood.

This is in my yard, Brandy, my favorite. 

#   #   #

Final Quilts from Empty Spools 04-25-24

 This is the last of the quilts on view at Empty Spools last week.  

On the bulletin boards behind my table I changed the quilts several times.

On the left is "Is This Me?"  Bodil Gardner - Denmark  2020

Machine and hand applique.  Machine quilted.

On the right is one of my quilts, I always take one or two just to prove I do make quilts!  "Palms" Del Thomas - CA  2023 Fused, machine  quilting. 

On another day I hung  these two quilts.

"Lowanda Does Hollywood"  Jean Ray Laury - CA  2000

Machine Pieced, silk screened, foiling, hand colored, and lots more techniques.

  Someone always asks if I was the model!  No, she did this before we met.  

"Rooster at Freddy's"  Ruth B. McDowell - Minnesota   2009

Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted

Ruth visited Freddy Moran's home in CA and based this design on a 2-1/2 foot rooster on the coffee table.  Only the real thing was all white, unusual for Freddy.

A glorious tribute to Asilomar, Empty Spools, and Pacific Grove. 

"Asilomar/Pacific Grove"  Mary Lou Weidman - CA  2013

Machine pieced, Machine quilted, hand and machine applique, hand embroidery.

All the places quilters know and love when they attend Empty Spools. 

"Cataclysm"  Judith Content  2009

Hand dyed (arashi shibori) silk fabric, Machine pieced and quilted. 

When Judith was working on this quilt her husband was reading "Krakatoa" about the Pacific island that erupted in 1883 and made the loudest noise ever heard at that time and also affected the weather around the world for several years. Mr. Content kept reading sections of the book outloud to her and she created this image.  The silk gives a shimmering effect that is lovely. 

#   #   #

Even more quilts from Empty Spools 04-24-24

As I said last evening I didn't take as many pictures as I thought I had, or as I should have taken.  Perhaps someone  who reads this will  contact me and share pictures they took, especially the 12"X12" Bird quilts. Anyway, I will continue to  post the pictures I have. 

These two 12"X12" by Terry Grant of Beaverton, Oregon, were hanging on a separate bulletin board from the others.

Cotton fabrics, cotton batting. Fused, machine applique, machine quilting. 

"Making Quite an Entrance"  Yvonne Porcella - CA  

Commercial cotton fabrics, hand-dyes.

Machine appliqued, pieced, and quilted. About 45" square.

One day I posted three crows and three owls, all 12"X12"

"The Raven - Nevermore"   Pamela Burns  2019

"Another Collector"  Diane Wright - CT  2012

"Everyone Loves a Party"  Diane Wright  CT  2015

"Borrowing Owl"  Linda Frost - KS  2019

"The Sentinel"  Judy Warren-Tippets - CA 2013

"Night Owl"  Judith Roderick  2011

#   #   #

More quilts from Empty Spools 04-23-24

Not many tonight, I am still just sooo tired.  I did not take as many photos as I thought. I guess I was too busy answering questions and talking quilts. These two quilts were on the stage.

"A Rash of Flamingos"   Ruth B. McDowell  - Minnesota  2000

Using her unique piecing technique Ruth created this fabulous flock.  It seems to be the most popular quilt in TCQC.

Cotton fabric, thread, batting.  Machine pieced and quilted.  52"LX100"W

"Oregon Rain"  Pat Pauly - NY 2023

Printed using silk screen, rubbing, masking, scrappers, etc..

Machine pieced, machine quilted.  52"X104"

#   #   #

  

Quilts at Empty Spools/Asilomar 04-22-24

I took about 30 quilts to show as Collector in Residence.  At the last minute before leaving home, I decided to add a few more very large pieces that would show well in the large space of Merrill Hall.  Some of the smaller quilts I changed out daily, including the 12"X12" bird quilts.  These are the pieces hung from the balcony at the back of Merrill Hall.   More tomorrow night.

     "Not Even Solomon" (Eucalyptus bloom)  Ruth de Vos  Australia  2009                   This is entirely machine pieced and quilted. 

L  to  R   "Through the Lens"  Marianne Burr - WA  2012  

"Copper Tree" Joan Colvin - WA   2003

"An Exaltation of Larks"  Mary Quinn  CO  2010

"Purple Reign"  Deb Cashatt   CA  2024  Machine pieced and quilted.

L to R   "Arnold Marathon"  Yvonne Porcella  CA  2006

"Getting My Ducks in a Row"  Pamela Allen  Canada 2005 

"Desert Nights"  Terry Grant   OR 2014

#    #    # 

 

After Empty Spools 04-21-24

It was a wonderful week, but I don't remember ever being so tired in all my life. My old body was not ready for all the packing/unpacking, lifting, hanging quilts, hiking  to/from the dining hall, and being "ON" most of the day.  Fortunately, everyone was willing to help.  I just needed to ask.  Everything went fairly smoothly, but needed more time to take down and bundle the quilts on Friday. Thanks to Suzanne, Star, Deborah, and many others I survived the week!  Decided I was unsafe behind the wheel to drive home on Friday, so stayed another night at Asilomar and came home on Saturday.  The drives, both up and back, were seven hours.  Going up there was extremely heavy traffic and heavy rain that lowered visibility so much I considered getting off the highway and waiting it out!   Coming home I decided to stick closer to the speed limit and see what mileage I could get - 23.5 mpg.  Not bad for a 19 year old car!

Here are just three  pictures.  More to come....

  

Suzanne Cox,  one of the three original owners and the only one still active.

Del and Nancy Ota's wonderful quilt "KoKo and Froggy" which she loaned for this exhibit.

#    #   #