And another one for school :)

I made this wallhanging for a TQS challenge. It uses two different hand-dyed fabrics from Mali (requirement of the challenge), and bits and pieces from my stash. The round bowls have been fussy-cut from a fabric I love but have never known what to do with.

Latest additions for our department at school

These four season cross stitch pieces have been in a drawer for a while, because I didn't know what to do with them. Now they can take their turn on the wall of the little quiet room in our special needs department in school.

A Little Mystery

I have grown up with a very unusal picture on the wall of my parents' house. I loved it, because if was the only thing that was not boring to look at, and I always wondered why it didn't end up in the attic or garage, because it was so much not the sort of piece my parents would have chosen themselves. I know a little about its history: It belonged to my maternal great-grandfather, who travelled a lot (very unusual at the time) in the East during the mid and late 19th century. The centre panel (15 x 24 cm) is painted, and the frame (31 x 41 cm) has the most beautiful wood and ivory inlay (and not a single tiny piece missing).

I have no idea where exactly my great-grandfather got it, and I also do not know how it ended up with my mother. My grandparents lived in Eastern Germany and my mother had moved to West Germany. It was not permitted at the time to take something like this panel out of East Germany. But even more intrigueing is the inscription. I presume it's in Arabic, but what does it mean? Can anybody help to solve the mystery.

I also have another unusual item that belonged to my great-grandfather. My mother wanted to throw it away because she never liked it. I grabbed it and it has been loved and treasured for nearly 20 years now in my house. Again, I know hardly anything about it. I have been told that it is a stand for a koran. The carving and beadwork is stunning. Again, if anybody can shed any light on what exactly this is, what the inscription means, or where it may have originally come from, please, let me know.

Lorchen

Casa del Sol

Last year a friend of mine, Maude Haeger, participated in a challenge. The made a beautiful little quilt that was exhibited in about a dozen different locations across the US. All the little quilts were then put on Ebay to raise money for the organization that started the challenge. I couldn't bid myself, because the seller had specified 'US and Canada only'. But you can do a lot with a little determination. Another US friend bid for me. We had a very exciting and nail-biting time watching the auction, and I'm over that moon that the price did not go too high.

By now 'Casa del Sol' has arrived in the cold, wet, and dark UK. It's a wonderful ray of sunshine in my life and radiates positive vibes. The pieces and beading is exquisite, and the 3-D face is so quirky, you just want to kiss it.

So, this is my Christmas present to myself. Thank you Maude and Carolyn for making it possible!

"A Little Haida Goes a Long Way" was created around the stencilled Haida humming bird that I made in a workshop. One fabric used was a present from a friend, another I hand-marbled, the beaded fringe is a kind of 'Hommage to Jo Grooms' (VBG). This piece was exhibited at Festival of Quilts in Birmingham, UK, in August 2007.

As requested, larger picture to show the marbled fabrics. :)

Journal Quilt, Houston 2007

Unfortunately I was not able to travel with my Journal Quilt. Because of my job I depend on UK school holidays. But I've have been so very lucky to have a friend like Carolyn who sent me pictures when she should have been relaxing after a long day at the show.

My Journal Quilt is called 'Escaped'. I have one foot in the traditional quilt scene and the other one in the art quilt one. I'm very happy with this situation because both areas are interesting, entertaining, and often support and enliven each other. So, I used all sorts of small bits of fabric that I had hand-marbled and constructed a wall of nine patches. One nine patch was left over, and someone got embellished, painted, and added. I'm sure it's on its way to join the art world. :)