Re-purposed sweaters baby blankie

I have been rather absent here as I hunt for a job---which, ironically, is a full time job--but now I think it is time to move on from my life transforming trip to Ghana, Africa and return to the main blog topic: creating crafty objects and art !

I have a special baby shower to attend this weekend and created several presents for the baby girl due to enter the world in June...first, I created a baby "blankie" intended for laying on the floor for the tiny baby to lie on and have "tummy time." This blankie is made of wool sweaters I felted (washing with soap or detergent and hot water in the machine, then drying in a hot dryer--felts a wool sweater up nicely)--then I cut squares, sewed them together---and since I thought the little "quilt" looked a bit plain--I used some wool crewel yarn to embroider flowers on some squares. The blankie is backed with colorful cotton flannel.


And I knit a little baby girl hat out of cottons...in spring colors.

Even though I have been absent here I have been busy creating more crafty objects--so will be returning to more regular blogging --and I have quite a bit to share with you! so do check back...

Hope in Many Ways

Hi Everyone!
ok--I have been away--in fact I was in Portland, Oregon and lucky enough to see Barack Obama speak--along with about 75,000 Oregonians! quite the event---so many people, and the sense that I was participating in history-in-the-making...here are some photos of the crowd and of the folks listening to him speak from their boats and kayaks (so Northwest!) --the event was on the waterfront (along the Willamette river). [sorry--my camera is not co-operating--and I can't upload my photos of this--so I will add them later]

After waiting for hours in the 15 block-long line, we found a seat in the shade and listened to the greatest orator America has had on the campaign trail in my life time--he had no notes and no tele-prompter--but he spoke with insight, daring, passion and hope and the crowd cheered and cheered. He talked about his health plan ( health care for everyone), education, the environment, getting out of the war---he covered it all. He also praised Portland's excellent mass transit system and bicycle lanes.

At one point, one of the 75,000 shouted an expression of love at Obama. "I love you, too," he replied. I must say--this gives me HOPE.

And here are FINALLY the photos of the Utah Phillips co-operative healing blanket. Folksinger, song writer and story teller Utah Phillips is a NATIONAL TREASURE.


In the words of Christopher Dunne, Utah Phillips is "one of the most interesting and creative men I have come across. Described by himself as the Golden Voice of the Great Southwest, he is described by others as a true eclectic, archivist, historian, activist, philosopher, hobo, tramp, member of the IWW, and just about everything in between. Utah's memory contains a wide ranging wealth of lore, which he lets us romp through by way of his shows and recordings. U. Utah Phillips is a nationally known folk artist, singer/story teller, Grammy Award Nominee for his work with Ani Difranco, and hosts his own weekly radio show - Loafer's Glory: The Hobo Jungle of the Mind. "

Recently Utah has been diagnosed with congestive heart failures, so he can no longer tour or host his radio show--you can read all about this on his blog here, and you can order his wonderful CDs of songs and storytelling here.


I finished the blanket---(I crocheted all around each hand knit square, and then sewed all the squares together, then added a crocheted edging) and we drove up to Nevada City (with
some friends) and gave the blanket to Utah. He was in good spirits,
talkative (as always) but seemed frail and easily tired. We stayed
quite awhile --he told stories, and Larry Hanks and Ray Bierl played and
sang a few songs. Utah also talked about some old songs and even sang
us a few. We all had a good time! and he loved the blanket and
admired it....

so-- many thanks (!!!) are due to all the knitters:
Ceci Marker
Ceci's friend Laura
Kate Brislin
Kerry Parker
Debra Kalmon
Sharon Noel
Susan Weiss
Katie Hambly
Lisa Hubbell
Irene Herrmann
Marnie Potter






Thanks so much for helping to make this "healing blanket" for Utah Phillips!
Many hugs to you all!

Today's quote:

"Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all..."
---Emily Dickinson

Quilts in Our Lives

I love vintage quilts, and have few of them around the house. So, here is a quick tour of some of the quilts in our house...the ones we are currently using. I have few my Great Grandmother made packed away.

This Tumbling Block quilt I bought at a garage sale (oh lucky day!) quite a few years ago--I love the combination of vintage fabrics and the quilting is all by hand. This quilt is large enough for a queen size bed. An old quilt like this makes me wonder about the women whose hands stitched it? (or was it a man?) what was she like? who did she make this quilt for? where did she learn to quilt?

Here is a close up--so you can see the quilting and the vintage fabrics.

This quilt I inherited from my Mother. The top was pieced by a relative on my father's side of the family and my Mother finished the quilt and quilted it--with some friends--by hand. The quilt top is also all vintage fabrics, the backing is not. Fits a queen size bed.




This is another surprising garage sale find--a cotton flannel quilt! the pink triangles were beige until I washed the quilt and the red flannel colors stained the beige pink. The backing of this quilt is flannel also....this quilt is so comfy and warm...we use it as a lap quilt when we watch TV or read. This quilt is large enough for a full bed size.

This is an old wool crazy quilt I bought last winter at the Oakland Museum's White Elephant Sale---the back is wool also. The wool in this small lap quilt is very fine and scratchy---probably from old men's suits. The embroidery stitching is done in wool, also. This quilt is old and funky--some holes (which I intend to mend), but I just fell in love with it.
_______________________________________________________________

TODAY'S QUOTE:

Every single one of us has a good work to do in life. This good work not only accomplishes something needed in the world, but completes something in us. When it is finished, a new work emerges that will help make green a desert place as well as scale another mountain inside ourselves.
— Elizabeth O'Connor quoted in Living the Truth

R is for Ripple Rainbow

Don't know why this baby blanket is taking so darn long to finish...maybe because I only crochet on it while I'm watching TV? ---and I don't watch very much TV.....

Crocheted with wool scraps and left over bits from other projects---the beige, gold and browns I dyed (an eon ago) with natural plant dyes.