2/16/14

Calm Before the Next Storm

We here in the Northwest got walloped with quite a storm yesterday and last night. As I said in my post yesterday, it rained hard all day. We didn't experience a scary amount of wind here on our hill, but it was windy all day. Some of my neighbors to the west in the little town of Jewell complained of downed trees, thunder, and lightening in their Facebook posts. We saw the sun just before sunset yesterday. When the sky is gray, the waning sun's rays paint a golden glow on everything. Here is my own contribution to Facebook yesterday. Do you see the rainbow?


And that was the only time yesterday that it wasn't pouring down rain. It started up again within the hour and rained well into the night. About the time we went to bed last night, the power went out...always a bummer at our house because when we lose power, we also lose our water. We are on a well, and our pump requires electricity to run. 

Using my iPhone to get internet access, I reported the outage to Portland General Electric and learned that it was caused by high winds. The website promised a return to power within about two hours of when the outage occurred, but when I awakened at 4:00 a.m., it still had not returned. I checked the website again, and the time had been revised to 6:00 a.m. About half an hour later, it came back on. Phew! Dodged a bullet on that one. Nevertheless, we are promised an even stronger storm tonight and into tomorrow. Hopefully, any falling trees will avoid power lines that affect us. I mean, I need electricity to operate my sewing machine! And what would I do without my sewing machine? I mean, really! Do they think I'm going to vacuum or something? Enough said, I think.

Today I finished the applique for my Duluth Trees wall hanging. I'm liking this better now that I've added the trees.


As I look at this, the trees seem a little low to me. If I'd been paying better attention, I might have made them a little taller. So this is the idea I had to give it a little more balance, and here is where I will ask you for a design consultation via your comments

I'm thinking a nice silvery moon would be nice. In the image below, I've used the lid on my pin box to show you what I have in mind. I'm thinking this is about the right size. What do you think? Do you like the moon idea? Do you think it should be larger or smaller? Do you think it should be in a different place? Do you like it better without the moon? Please chime in and tell me what you think.


I have some great fabric to use for the moon. I didn't try photographing it because it's going to show as gray. It's actually a mottled gray with some silvery sheen to it, and I think it would be perfect as a moon. Being mottled, I can choose a section of fabric with color areas everywhere between white and dark gray. Would you be in favor of a white moon? Or do you think it should be more gray? Your ideas would very much be appreciated here because this is one of those times where I'm looking at this quilt top a la David Letterman and saying, "Is it anything?"

So Mike and I are going to brave the wind and head out for our Valentine's Day dinner in about an hour. We're going to the Charthouse at the top of Marquam Hill near Oregon Health and Science University. It has one of the best views in all of Portland. It's long been one of our favorite Portland restaurants, and we often go there for special occasions. In fact, if you click on this link, you can see a picture of the daytime view from the restaurant.

Tomorrow I have a day at home. If the weather cooperates, I might try to get out for a walk, in pursuit of my A for exercise for the week. Either way, I'm going to do the top-stitching on quilt above and add the moon, depending on what all of you think. Also, I need to make the quilt back for Matthew's Intel Underneath quilt so that I can get it off to my long arm quilter. And if I have time after that, I'm going to start quilting the strawberry table runner I made a few months back.


In the white areas, I'm going to do a strawberry stipple similar to the strawberries I quilted onto the Two Grandmothers quilt when I did the Curly Locks block:


I'll do some cross-hatching on the baskets to give them a woven appearance. I'll have to figure out what to do in some of the other areas, but those are my ideas so far. And thinking about Curly Locks gives me an idea for a name for this table runner. Here's Mother Goose's rhyme about Curly Locks:

Curly Locks, Curly Locks,
Will you be mine?
You shall not wash dishes,
Nor feed the swine;

But sit on a cushion
And sew a fine seam,
And feast upon strawberries,
Sugar, and cream.

So maybe something like, "Strawberries, Sugar and Cream". And since Curly Locks sits on a cushion while she attempts to "sew a fine seam" (as I do), it seems appropriate to draw on her rhyme for a quilt name, don't you think?

And that's about all I have planned for my Monday. No doubt, it's too much, as is my usual way, but there you go. If the weather is stormy, there won't be much else to do.

28 comments:

Teresa in Music City said...

I love the look of the moon up there on your Trees quilt. I wouldn't use white - too stark with these cool twilight colors - but the silvery gray you are talking about sounds perfect :) Hope your power stays on so you can play tomorrow! My first house had well water, and losing water was always my least favorite part of a power outage too.

Patricia said...

A moon is a good idea. I'd cut out several different fabrics and pin in place. Look at it from across the room, maybe take pictures to compare. A pale yellow or cream might work too.

Vroomans' Quilts said...

I like the moon idea, but agree with Paricia - try a few different fabrics to see what looks good to you.

crazy quilter said...

This one is sure turning out nice! I think the idea of a moon is a great one. I do think it it fine without the moon too, so do what suits you and make it your own! Guess Smitty does't much like the rain so no more presents for you yesterday! I love hearing his adventures. Hope Gracie is warm by the fire.

carla said...

Hi!!! I think the silvery moon would be pretty!!! I love the strawberry quilting!!!!

Sher S. said...

Definitely add the moon, it fits in nicely. Hope you had a great Valentine's Dinner with you honey.

WoolenSails said...

We got to enjoy a sunny day today, but the winds are still here, so not fun to be outside. Love how your trees came out, and your stitchery is beautiful.

Debbie

Kate said...

I like the moon. I think I'd stick with a cool color, like gray or silver. You don't want something to compete with the red of the tree trunks. The wall hanging turned out nicely, but agree that the moon would be a nice addition.

Brown Family said...

I like the moon and think it is just right. I would use the mottled gray fabric.

Tami C said...

I like the moon idea. Charthouse sure has a beautiful view for you wile you eat. Your strawberry table runner is really cute and I think you've picked a fitting name for it.

Lynda Halliger Otvos (Lynda M O) said...

Yes, I like the moon too and I like the idea of the mottled gray fabric. White would be too stark I agree with the general consensus.

Donna~~ said...

A moon is a great idea, and I agree that a silver grey just seems right. Hope your dinner was wonderful--it looks like a nice place & delicious food (I happened to notice the Hot Chocolate Lava Cake--wish I could order one right now!)

ipatchandquilt said...

What the others said: mottled silver gray, please!
I adore the idea for the poem on the quilt!
Your remark about the vacuum cleaner I totally second! LOL!!!
Esther
esthersipatchandquilt at yahoo com
ipatchandquilt dot wordpress dot com

Karen said...

Certainly some crazy weather around you. Hope it all settles down, quickly.
I like the trees and have to agree that a moon would look good.
Hope you enjoy your dinner.

quiltzyx said...

Mmmmmmoon! Yes! I like it!! I think the silvery gray would be just right, but I might move it a tiny bit up & to the right. Maybe. But definitely like the full moon.

Great name for your runner. As I scrolled down & was still reading above it when the photo came into view, my brain registered it as 2 hands with red fingernails! LOL

I was called into work today, so didn't sew after all. I did crochet a little while the phone wasn't ringing. I'm working on my Happy Bowls with lids. I started doing one with a sage green cotton yarn & pistachio green cotton/silk/acrylic yarn that is sort of 'blobby' (slubby?), but I didn't like it at all. It didn't have enough body to it and the blobs just looked messy. So I pulled it all out & restarted with the sage yarn with a variegated one called "guacamole" that has sage/pea/spring greens with cream & white. Much better body this time. Will probably put some "hot green" (lime) and maybe a purple into it as I go along. We'll see. :D

Hope your dinner was delicious and the drive to & fro UNeventful. And may your power stay ON too!

Lyndsey said...

I like the idea of a silvery moon as this piece definitely needs a little something. the pin box lid is a perfect size. As for the position of the moon you will know where it will look best. You take great photos and have a good eye for composition so go with your eye and the quilt will look great.

Kirsty said...

Adding the silvery moon is genius. Go for it!

Beth said...

Because I can't sleep, I'm sitting in bed in our little guest room under the eaves, listening to the rain pound down in Clatskanie. Like you, I hope we keep power. Drives me crazy to have the enforced "free time" that comes with a power outage and not be able to press my fabric. I can't even get started rotary cutting then!

I think the moon will do just what you want it to do: draw one's eyes up toward the top of the quilt. If that doesn't do the trick, you might think about adding one additional strip of fabric at the bottom of your quilt, maybe a lone dark blue border. It could even go up one side as well. Asymmetrical borders seem to add vibrancy and movement. But as it is, I think it's grand. Shine on! (My dad loved old songs, so I'm now serenading our cats with "Harvest Moon". I get a little carried away.)

Dana Gaffney said...

I love the moon, it's subtle if you use a gray/silver and fixes what you're worried about.

Donna said...

I like the moon. It adds another dimension to the quilt.

Vicki W said...

Yes to the moon!

Sarah_L_N said...

I like the moon too. I was going to say white, but after reading the other comments I realise now it might stand out too much, so silvery grey is my vote too :) I think silver star quilting might look pretty in a few areas too, but I'm not really any kind of expert on quilting, so I may be wrong on that too lol :) Hope your power stays on, even worse to lose water at the same time!

Dar said...

The moon idea is a definite YES. I llike trying diffeent fabrics too. I would move it a bit off center of the blue fabric strip that it is resting on now so it doesn't look like a lollypop. Your other projecs are really looking good too. We have an ice storm moving through our fair city today, so sticking close to the house.

Kathy Felsted Usher said...

What a great view! Yes, I like the moon a lot. You should add it.

Barb H said...

The moon is perfect on your quilt. I think the mottles silver and gray would be better than a white moon. It's looking really good!

liniecat said...

Love the way you've really personalised this pattern.
How does the moon look half on and half off the blue vertical partition, as it is it seems strategically balanced across that blue line? Wonder how it might work a bit skew whiff lol
Really like the idea of a moon and a silvery fabric sounds perfect ......
wonder if you trapped grey or blueish shreds of fabric between the silvery fabric and a voile, you could imitate the moons 'face'?
I did that on my wolves howling at the moon wall hanging piece and loved the effect it gave that moon.

CaroleM said...

a. we got hit with that storm pretty hard, and had a bit of a surprise this morning when we came outside and the top half of the pine tree in front of our house was gone! It's going to look really naked up front there once the rest of the tree is pulled out
b. I like it better without the moon actually. I love that quilt and I love the colours. I think it's perfect just the way it is!

LethargicLass said...

I love the moon idea!! And choose the part where the fabric best looks like it really does, all craggy and such :)