Source Material

I received a wonderful package all the way from Canada from my friend Dianne it was full of the most gorgeous collection of chiffon scarves. I thought the best way to photograph them was to hang them outside on the washing line blowing in the breeze. Thank you Dianne I shall think of you as I use them in my work.

I have just finished reading Jennifer Chiaverini's new book The Quilter's homecoming. It's light reading and is Jennifer's 10th book in the series. I have loved each and every one.

I have been thinking of what source material to use in my Third Assessment piece. The theme is Living Forms and with so much to choose from it was a tough decision. I have decided to use peacocks as my source. The picture you see is one I took this morning of a lovely peacock I brought home from a visit to California recently. Norman and I visited a garden centre and I fell in love with this little chap (he's a garden ornament!) and decided to bring him home. That was no mean feat I can tell you. He is about 3 feet long and they are real peacock feathers. I had to carry him in my hand luggage in order to keep him safe. Thankfully he arrived home in one piece.

Yesterday I watched the 3rd episode of The Quilt Show. Joen Wolfrom was the guest. She was talking about photography. One of her exercises was to sit in a small space and take photographs for 1 hour. She said it really made you look at your surroundings closely and she had produced some wonderful photographs. Yesterday I thought I would do the same exercise. I sat in my outside studio, I thought it would act as a hide, and photographed the back garden for 1 hour. These are a couple of the photographs I took and although they are not in Joen's league I was delighted with them.

This little fellow visits my garden regularly but as soon as I walk out the door to try and capture him with the camera he is off like a shot. I managed to get a couple of him. This was him listening intently as I had just walked from the conservatory to my studio. He had been on the nut feeder a moment before.
I waited and waited all the while taking pictures - lots of them. I thought when I took this picture that he had decided it was safe to go back and finish lunch.
I was right and here he is feasting on the peanuts looked on by a little bird.

The Quilt Show is a new venture by Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims. I enjoyed the second episode with Vikki Pigniatelli who I know from the QuiltArt list and whose first book I have had for a while. I love her technique of applique/piecing. After watching the show I bought her second book which uses the same technique but is more improvisational. Bob from Superior Threads was also on that episode. I watch it early in the morning as the link is far better than later in the day when the US wakes up and more people are watching. I still have the second part of Episode 3 to watch which is on photography.