I've learned an interesting way to make a pocket. (Actually, this technique might work in a number of situations where you'd like a finished edge.) I started with 3 fabrics -- the main fabric which has potatoes on it, some contrastring trim which I folded and pressed and used as "eyelash" piping, and the rusty border fabric.
Photo by Rachel E. Holmen

Carol Mann's sister Jennifer is also a quilter. Here is one using the batiks she loves.
Photo by Rachel E. Holmen

Laureen, who brought Bogart (she doesn't own him, she's his dogsitter) and rides a purple Yamaha motorcycle, made two matching quilts for two cousins. This one featured pigs on motorcycles, and I had to catch this shot of Elvis for my friend Raven.
Photo by Rachel E. Holmen

I caught this amazing shot of dew on sunny grass, early one morning recently during my morning commute.
Photo by Rachel E. Holmen

A pair of unfinished pockets, this time done in thirties-style buttonhole embroidery. The flowers and the basket come from Morning Glory Creations, which doesn't even seem to have a website -- they create wonderful authentic thirties-style designs (then modernize them with a layer of iron-on), and die-cut them and sell them in packets at my favorite quilt shows. I'm looking forward to adding to my collection in a couple of weeks when Pacific International Quilt Fest is held in Santa Clara.
Photo by Rachel E. Holmen

Here's a classic Berkeley bumper sticker. Not only is Berkeley full of those crazy long-haired radicals you've heard so much about, it also has AMAZING ethnic food. Injera is a light, soft bread that is cooked in huge sheets, and then used to scoop up Ethiopian food. Probably my local favorite is Blue Nile on Telegraph, but I bet there are others equally good.
Photo by Rachel E. Holmen

Bogart brought his favorite teddy bear and came to visit us at quilting one evening.
Photo by Rachel E. Holmen

Here's a slice of buckle. I'd never heard of this rather unusual pastry -- its name comes from the way the surface develops cracks and fissures as it bakes. The bakers swear to me there's no added sugar, but the fruits embedded in the dough make it VERY tasty. This is becoming a regular weekend tradition. From Sweet Adeline's, a fabulous new bakery just south of Alcatraz Avenue on -- ADELINE.
Photo by Rachel E. Holmen

The whole quilt -- it's not very big, but this pattern is rather difficult. And while it's fun to pick the fabrics, it's also pretty tricky if you want to achieve the illusion of steps.
Photo by Rachel E. Holmen

My friend Carol Mann made this amazing quilt using the "tumbling blocks" pattern. There's a larger view, too.
Photo by Rachel E. Holmen

A beautiful traditional quilt from the Marin show -- though the red and white Hawaiian floral is not exactly typical.
Photo by Rachel E. Holmen

Fascinating use of a complex print behind a solid, sewn mola-style. From the Marin quilt show.
Photo by Rachel E. Holmen

Umbrellas are featured in this quilted wall hanging.
Photo by Rachel E. Holmen

Smaller version
Photo by Rachel E. Holmen

This quilted wall hanging almost looks like an Oriental woodblock. The photo on which it's based is seen below the block.
Photo by Rachel E. Holmen

Giraffe quilted wall hanging, and the photo which inspired it. From the Marin quilt show.
Photo by Rachel E. Holmen

On Sept. 10, my beautiful cat Maria Callas had stopped eating. I tried to tempt her with salmon -- usually her favorite -- but even after I put a little shred in her mouth and she swallowed it, she wasn't interested in more. Monday morning when I woke up, she was standing next to her water bowl and gave me a sad bleat, as if to ask, please help me. I cried and cried, then phoned a friend who drove us to the vet. She probably had kidney failure, he thought, and didn't even suggest making any effort to save her. He just shaved a little patch on her arm and injected a sedative. She was gone a minute later while I petted her.
Photo by Rachel E. Holmen

I've been experimenting recently with creating both art deco and freeform images using iron-on fabrics. WonderUnder is cheaper, but I find that I like Steam-A-Seam2 better. Of the small sample images here, only the dark purple one is sewn. I intend to embellish them with embroidery afterwards. Most of them will probably become pockets (probably on tote bags).
Photo by Rachel E. Holmen

The Marin Needle Arts Guild usually hosts the season's foremost local quilt show, with cash prizes for top entries. But this year, they handed the show over to a vendor, and filled the fabulous Frank Lloyd Wright hall with a slightly different show: an expanded set of booths selling fabrics, patterns, embroidery patterns, and other wonders; and quilt exhibits from smaller groups. The Mount Tamalpais quilters had a fine display, a group of friends showed off their "fire" quilts (they plan, in successive years, to show earth, air, and water as well); there were some lovely small journal quilts. One of my favorites was by Maureen Nass, describing old age. Another nice set showed photos and then small quilts based on the photos: here are four. The artists are Pat Dicker, Ancella Toldrian, Joanne Berry, and Maureen Nass.


I spent a lot of time the rest of the weekend working on my own quilt designs, and came up with this wall-ful of ideas (most based on Craftsman-era textiles). These won't be finished until I add some embroidered details to them; then each will be separate, used as a pocket or in some other isolated way.


-- Rachel

Upsala Parade

My father, sister, and I went to Upsala, Minnesota, where he was born, in mid-August. We loved the 2-mile parade through the 1-mile town to celebrate Upsala Heritage Day. We also had a great visit with my cousin Ted at the cabin his father had built in imitation of traditional Swedish log cabins. The weather cooled off just as we arrived, so we never swam in the lake next to the cabin, but we enjoyed several evenings in the screened gazebo, watching the sunset.
-- Rachel