Unique Sunbonnet Sue

Here's a creative rendition of the well-known Sunbonnet Sue pattern.

Egyptian Appliqué Art

Welcome to Egypt!

Having just visited Turkey during the ancient Roman era in my previous post, let's continue the tour with a stop in Egypt for a little needlework history.

A friend brought over a gracefully appliquéd pillow case that had been purchased for her in Egypt. It's about 33" square, for a floor cushion.  She asked me to put a sleeve on it so she can hang it on her wall

More Ancient Mosaics

For those of you who were intrigued by my post about Roman era mosaics in France, here is another great collection of mosaic floors, these from the Roman era in Turkey, at the ancient city of Zeugma.

http://laughingsquid.com/archaeologists-unearth-three-ancient-greek-mosaics-in-the-ongoing-excavation-in-zeugma-turkey/

There are a couple of lovely photos in the article, but I also recommend the video towards the bottom of the page.  It details the incredible rescue and conservation of many large floors as a new dam was under construction on the Euphrates River.  The conservators and archeologists were working to remove mosaics and seal and protect ones that would remain on the site as the rising waters were mere inches away.

The photo above is a detail of a floor depicting the nine muses.  This is Thalia, muse of music, comedy, and dance.  No wonder I like her!  I am totally intrigued by the 3-D rippling ribbon.

Hand-Rolled Hems

Repairing vintage clothing for Basya Berkman Vintage for these last few years has lead me to learn about all sorts of clothing construction techniques that I've never had to use before.

My mentors have been the generous folks who post how-to's on the internet.  I have learned how to mend holes in sweaters, so far just with bulky knits.  I have learned how to make swing tacks.  And just recently I learned how to sew a hand-rolled hem.  Let me tell you, I am now addicted to hand-rolled hems.  They are nearly magical!  I honestly was grinning the whole time.

Silly, Silly

So here I am, having spent the day napping and nursing my incredibly sore sinuses and sometimes sore ears and throat.  And my mind, well, it's gone all silly.

My blog visitors graph is the culprit, and the cat head you all made by visiting my blog inspired me to add a little cartooning.  I hope you enjoy, and I'll be heading back to the couch now.

String Star

It's Thanksgiving here in the US.  This quilt combines stars and hearts and family mementos, so by way of giving thanks for brightness and love, here is its story.

This quilt came to me for minor repairs.  I find it very well balanced and visually pleasing.  The blocks are 25" square, so the overall effect is quite strong and graphic, but is balanced by the soft pink sashing and scrappy piecing of the stars.

Ballet Costumes and Inspiration

Welcome to some pre-holiday fun.

I recently visited Victoria Dancewear, a local ballet costume company.  Victoria designs ballet costumes, and has been in the clothing and costume biz all her life.  Victoria is my friend Julia's aunt, "the" Julia who sends me all the fun vintage clothing to repair for her Etsy shop.

Both Victoria and Julia credit their ancestor Basya Berkman for their love of clothing and design.  In fact, Julia named the Etsy shop in her honor.  It is so heartwarming that such an obviously creative and loving woman has such a wonderful legacy.