Sense of Scale

Philip Johnson's Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut, seems small before you enter it. I always like to use people to delineate scale. See how spacious this space really is? And, just think -- with no screens, no operable windows, the only air movement is from a door in the center of each wall.

Perfect for Picking

Spent an evening (between rain storms) picking the just emerging crop of blueberries. This is the row they pointed to for us to start. Good thing they don't count the ones you pop in your mouth.

Inset Corner

My friend Kathy enlightened me on sewing an inset corner. With practice I might just get it. I've drawn the seam lines, cut away leaving just 1/4" seam allowance, and reinforced the corner by sewing. Now I am snipping to that corner, and will sew in the piece starting in the corner. Practice makes perfect.

Long-ish Seam

A bit of a zig-zag seam had me pulling out the freezer paper to make a template to get the shapes just right. Since I had the pieces decided, it was all right to use the template on the front, rather than ironing it to the back, like usual.

Plant Sale

I took the day off, like I do every day, but went and helped at my group's plant sale. Yes, I did return with lovely things, and tomorrow, should the weather be fair, they will get in the ground.

Round Things

Boscobel, the early 19th century home overlooking the Hudson river, encourages art from this 21st century. Wish I knew the artist of this metal globe. In the background are more wonderful spheres. I want to make some and do some lawn rolling.

Mad about MAD

Another museum visit, this one to the Museum of Art and Design in NYC. Glass layered over and over for a brilliant effect in a room screen. The work of Miriam Ellner is called "Fata Morgana" and has four panels made with eglomise glass which is glass that is gilded on the back with gold or metal leaf.

Resistance in Printing

Seen at the American Folk Art Museum last week, this center medallion quilt features a printed square by John Hewson.  Hewson, a calico printer, challenged the authority of the British over colonial America through his printing on fabric. This center panel is his trademark. The quilt from an unidentified quilter dates to 1790- 1810.

Spouting Devil

Can't help but admire the folk who kept the name's curious spelling. Part of the Bronx, Spuyten Duyvil was a stop on my train to NYC.

Quilt for a Daughter

• Carl Klewicke, who lived from 1835-1913 in Corning, New York, finished this pieced silk quilt for his adopted daughter around 1907. It took him years to make, and was a wedding present for his daughter. I came across this at the Folk Art Museum in NYC this weekend. Takes my breath away.
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Travel Fog

By the numbers: 5 days, 1074 car miles, 3 states, 2 trains, 7 museums, and 6 historic sites, the last one (Philip Johnson's Glass House) enveloped by fog.

X-Acto Knife Funtastic

Piper Shepard made "Lace Meander" in 2006 from gessoed muslin coated with graphite and cut with an X-Acto knife. Now in the collection of the Museum of Art and Design in NYC, the work is more than 12' tall an as wide. It took a year to complete.

NYC Met Exhibit Today

Charles Jame's work of fashion, from the 30s to the 50s, is highlighted in an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Credited with designing the first strapless gown, a precursor to the down jacket, and gowns that were more sculpture than utility, James was a master of form.

Manitoga -- The Russel Wright House

Impossible to see in this shot, nevertheless, I did tour the home of America's first designer name, Russel Wright today. Set into the hill and overlooking a quarry, the home is an experiment in form and materials. Wonderful to visit.

Chewing Gum, Anyone?

The gardens of the Arkell Museum in Cananjoharie, New York, were fresh from a rain. The Winslow Homers were on loan, so I toured the collection in the museum of the founder of Beech-Nut. A new place to visit today.

Living Color

Often, especially for a class, we are asked to work in neutrals. When you are ready to infuse color, take a page from this garden (mine) to add some spice.

Wood Nymph Sighting

Even though I have returned to the city, I spotted this wood nymph while picking raspberries in her grandmother's backyard. The twigs woven in her hair let me know she is one with the forest.

Hanging in the Wild

A cabin in the woods (for the weekend) is the perfect place for some handwork. And to get a long view, just hang where ever and step back.

Weekend Break

Away from home is sometimes good, sometimes annoying. This day in the Adirondacks was more than good. Perfect I would say. Monday is back to work.

Background Calm

My side yard shows the bed I planted, with my neighbor's very neutral gray house siding as the backdrop. Having all that "noise" calmed by the horizontal stripe helps me to see the plantings.

The Council

Beverly's family made this group for her garden when they found these cement forms on the property. Placement in the round determined the name it took -- "The Council".

Sail On

Gotta get out on the water in this glorious weather. This was tonight's river jaunt. And we docked before sunset. Just.

Drawing to Quilt

This is the back of my last work. I love to just draw with the quilted stitch. Usually I hide the stitch in the background fabric, but this time it shows up, which I like. When I use my own fabric, it is lovely to follow the design that I put down.

Take a Cat Nap

The perfect place to get away. And to keep tabs on the traffic as well. It is summer, so a seasonal shift in location is due.

Say It with Neon

I once new a bender. She was stunning and loved making neon sculptures. I will never think of neon in any other way. Each new artist changes you with their art.

Getting it Square

I love to use those 48" long drywall T-squares (mine is from Home Depot) to trim my work square. With the edge of my table for a guide, the metal square makes short work of the task.

Stick a Label on It

I dislike labels. So, here is my no-edge-sewn label that is sewn on, easy to remove.

Happy Late 4th (or Early 5th)

Guess I celebrated too long this evening to make this post pre midnight. So, Happy Fourth anyway.

Posting #1111

How funny is it to have this be post #1111? I think that I may have missed two of the days, but all the rest of the posts have been one every night. Night after night. My challenge to myself. Go ahead, dip your oar.

Snakes and Ladders

Denise Mucci Furnish's 1986 work "Snakes and Ladders" was made from an old worn out Double Wedding Ring quilt that she overpainted. When I saw this at the Vermont Quilt Festival last weekend, it seemed so modern. Guess that is the point of showing it.

Long Hunk of Fabric

I'll take part of this length of hand dyed fabric for the next piece in the "Time of Day" series. Hard to cut into that length, but its for art.