Traveling Teacher: January 2014

Thursday 30 January 2014

Mesmerize Quilt

I have been working on the Mesmerize Quilt since I was able to purchase all the fabrics for it at the Tucson Quilt Festival. Off and on for the last ten days I had been making the squares. Then today I was able to put the entire quilt top together.

I didn't want it to sit folded and out of sight. So I got Don to hang it on one of our bare walls in the Mesa house. It looks pretty big and mesmerizing!

I will do the quilting on it when I return to Holland. It is to be a wedding gift for a very dear friend's daughter. Her colours are grey, cream and brown. I think she will like this modern looking quilt. I sure hope so!!

Driving Range

Don took me to the driving range at Arizona Golf Resort to practice my swing using my "new to me" golf clubs. Thanks to Nancy's new birthday golf clubs I became heir to a used set if clubs.

I promptly got a blister on my left hand. Guess I will need to buy a glove too!

Friday 24 January 2014

My Mesa Mentor

My Mesa Mentor Marj has been quilting up a blazer for Quilt Canada competition. She has the main body pieces done. She needs to design sleeves, quilt the pieces and of course, put the jacket together. All before Feb 1 entry deadline. Phew!!

Marj loaned me a special ruler for making a host of Modern Quilts by Contemporary quilt Designs by Jenny Pedigo. Check out her web site. I would like to use some of my left over Downton Abbey fabric to make a Metro Medallions quilt. I made one block this morning. I think it will work up nicely!

The weather here in Mesa has turned a little cooler and breezy. All the better for quilting!!

Thursday 23 January 2014

Long Arm Feathers

Traveled through rush hour traffic to attend a long arm quilting class at 35th Ave Sewing. Vicki was a great instructor. She taught me the basics of feathers. We did two types: long arm feathers and over the top feathers. After that she taught me how to embellish each of these with molars and swirls. The last technique was to fill a square with feathers. Trickier than I thought it would be!

Of course I had to shop for some fabric while I was there! Got some nice fabrics. I got p40% off one cut of fabric and one notion, as well as 15% off everything else as a 'reward' for taking a class! Yippee!!

Monday 20 January 2014

Downton Abbey Quilt

I bought a collection of fat quarters of the entire Downton Abbey line of fabrics by Andover. It is actually based on the fashions of four female abbey characters. The Dowager fabric is grey, black and plum colours of paisley and brocade patterns. The fabrics representing Mary are a bit brighter. The fabrics for Sybil and Edith are very bright and bold with more modern designs. So there is a lot of variety in the collection.

I decided to use the Focus Pokus pattern by Swirley Girls Design for this quilt as I thought it would showcase the variety of fabrics in this collection. I cut it all out one day. The next day I placed the big squares on the design wall and rearranged them until I got a pleasing and balanced feel. It took two days of sewing to get the entire quilt pieced. I will take the quilt top home to Manitoba and quilt it in the long arm sewing machine.

The Downton Abbey collection

of 34 fat quarters and the quilted bag they came in.

(I bought extra yardage for the borders.)

Here is the pattern I decided to use.

My initial design wall organization to balance colours and patterns.

Here each square's material and accent fabric (black) are added.

Now all the squares are sewn together, which adds the 2 1/2" black squares.

Here it is on a queen sized bed.

This picture shows the borders that were added that brings unity to the entire piece.

Mormon Temple

Visited the new Mormon Temple that has just been completed in Gilbert. Sod was turned in 2010 and now, 4 years later it is ready to be opened. Before the temple is consecrated there are tours of the building. Once it is consecrated no one other than official Later Day Saints (LDS) will be allowed in.

The temple can been seen from a long way off on the freeway. It is huge and dominates the skyline. The parking lot is probably bigger than the town of Holland!

Mormons believe that the temple is the house of God, so it must be opulent; nothing is too good for The Lord. The temple is a holy place where each person can feel a closeness to God.

The main construction materials in the temple are yellow/beige marble on the floors and door casings. Wooden furniture and some paneling. A lot of stained and etched glass for windows and railings. The one major theme repeated in floor mosaics and stained glass is the yucca plant and flowers. Nice to see the local flavour of the desert in the decor. The carpet as well as all the plush chairs and couches are in a light sea foam green.

The grand entry has a huge marble floral medallion. Up a massive flight of stairs we entered the Baptistry. The baptismal font rests on the backs of 12 oxen symbolically representing the 12 tribes of Israel. The font is larger than a hot tub and allows for full body entry.

The temple has many instruction rooms. This is where the congregation learns of the plans God has for them.

There is a sealing room where a bride and groom would be married. They would seal their marriage not only for this life but also for eternity.

The grandest room is the celestial room which symbolizes life for eternity. In it hangs an enormous chandelier full of crystals and three full sized stained windows. It contains many couches and chairs were a person may relax for contemplation.

There are men's and women's change rooms were the church goers change from street clothes into completely white clothes for entering the temple.

The obvious pageantry involved in this religion and temple-going seems very foreign to me.

The grand entrance walkway up to the temple.

Getting closer....

Me in front of a waterfall. Notice the sea foam green stained glass windows.

Kids playing in the staircase waterfall.

Temple top is an angel. Kind of like the goldenboy?!?!

No pictures were allowed inside the temple, so the following photos are from a pamphlet.

Baptismal font. Two stories tall.

The Celestial Room with the large chandelier.

Step 4 of Mystery Quilt

Finished the last of the flying geese. They seem to be a smidgen small in size. I'm not sure why. Sure hope they work.

Step 5 arrived a couple of days ago and I hope to get to it tomorrow.

Saturday 18 January 2014

The Duttons

Saturday night outing: supper at Black Angus with Jim and Michelle, and Brian and Lynn. Then to see the Dutton's perform. The Dutton's consist of Mom and Dad Dutton and seven kids, five of whom still perform with their children. A total of seventeen Duttons in all. Very talented family. They preformed blue grass to pop to classical. Great evening!

Tucson Quilt Festival

Boarded a bus with a couple of dozen other quilters and drove 2 hours to Tucson for the Quilt Festival. Marj told me about it and I was able to get an extra ticket and join her (and many others). It was held at the Tucson Convention Centre. Easy to get to and park. Perhaps next time we will take our own vehicle.