Optimism...

It is Friday... another week at work.  Some weeks my job is good, but this week wasn't one of them.  I work in a windowless basement doing computer support.  The office building is nestled on a service road of Sunrise Highway on Long Island.  You hear incessant traffic noise.

To top it off, the neighborhood has seen better days.

But today I noticed that nature has a way of reminding you what is important.  A litter-strewn vacant lot right on the highway reminded me that beauty is everywhere.

The flowers are just beautiful!

So take joy in the little things!  A field of flowers made my day!

Leopold Museum in Vienna Austria

In February of 2016 I had the amazing experience of visiting the Leopold Museum in Vienna.

I knew nothing of Austrian art. The museum featured artists I really didn't know much about:  Klimpt and Schiele. 

I found Schiele's art to be amazing. His life was such a tragedy, with World War I shattering his world. He and his wife died young but he still produced an amazing collection. He liked to paint nudes and many of his works were destroyed, but what remains is so inspiring.

His landscapes look like quilts to me and I am planning on making quilts that reflects the landscapes he painted.

It was an eye-opening visit to an amazing museum.

Old Quilt Repair

It has probably happened to every quilter, you are visiting a friend and she points out a quilt that has been "loved" to death.  In my case, my friend Pat had a quilt that was a wedding gift from her sister.  It was purchased from a group of nuns who quilted to make money.

Since it was a wedding quilt, I agreed to help.  The quilt was made with "not the best"quality fabric that was piling.  That I couldn't fix.  The tears I repaired or appliqued new fabric over then.   

 

Because a polyester thread was used for the quilting, it had deteriorated.  Most was broken and missing.  So I hand quilted a lot of the quilt in the style it was originally done, 6 - 8 stitches to the inch.  It was relaxing to quilt that way.  I made sure to use good quality thread.

 

Before repair

 

After Repair

 Binding.   

So I'm just about finished.  It was a lot of work, but I'm sure Pat will be happy. 

The moral of my story.... use the best quality material and thread you can afford.  Hopefully your quilts will be loved and treasured as much as this one is!  You want them to last for years to come.