Kaffe Fassett - Spectacular Quilts

Well, the time has finally arrived.  It's silly how much I've been looking forward to just being in the same room as the textile artist that has inspired me to quilt, knit, do needlework and explore mosaics.  I have been buying his books way before I ever tried any of these things.  Especially the quilting books, I would salivate over the pictures yet I was too chicken to ever give it a try.  Finally a new quilting co-worker came along and showed me the basics.

Kaffe Fassett will be in the Bay area for a few days - I am going to his lecture tonight.  I believe he is going to be focusing on his latest book - "Simple Shapes, Spectacular Quilts".  Then on Wednesday I'm going to one of his all day workshops.  I just want to be in the same room as he and his team, to just absorb and take it all in.

I'm also excited because I'll be staying at the Berkeley home of a former roommate (some 20 years ago!).  We lost touch after her first marriage and only recently became re-acquainted through Facebook.  Tomorrow is a free day to hang out in Berkeley as well as haunt the Gourmet ghetto - which is within walking distance from her home.  We have a dinner reservation tomorrow night at Alice Water's Chez Panisse Cafe.

More to come, I'm sure . . .

There's Always A First Time

Well, I did it . . . I created my first "Art Quilt".

Last year, my visit to the International Quilt Festival inspired me to no end to one day aspire to make beautiful art quilts.  So far, I've thoroughly enjoyed putting together quilts by using patterns and fabrics from my favorite textile artists.  And I'm content to continue in that manner for a while longer.  However, I had purchased a bit of fabric while at the Quilt Festival with the hopes of using it for my interpretation of Klimt's "The Kiss".  Realistically, that quilt is a long way off so I decided to make a wall hanging for above the bed in our Master Bedroom.

The fabrics that I considered

My inspiration

Buttercup loves to sleep on my works in progress . . .

There are definitely things I'd change - I wanted to do uneven and crooked pieces yet I didn't know how to achieve that result.

I think it's alright for a first attempt, a first time . . .

And it fills up the blank space above the bed