Summer is flying by!

It just seems that summer is flying by at an alarming rate since it will be September tomorrow!  While some quilting has gone on, other art projects have also come about.  A lovely gardener in our neighborhood was looking to share/split some daylilies, which I was happy to have, but when I took pictures to send her I thought my butterfly house was just looking sad:

Butterfly house BEFORE

Much prettier!

So while I didn’t really want a country vibe, I used one of my favorite patterns, the 9-patch and modified to make it a little more modern.

Next, I have travelled to numerous art fairs in our warm weather, and am always inspired by something that surprises me.  Today it was the Algonac, Michigan art fair, where this statue sits next to the Seafarers International  Union Hall. My better half thinks it’s half an anchor, which makes sense, but I personally think this shape could be just about anything you wanted it to be.  If you aren’t aware (which I was not!) the Seafarers Union is a group of 12 unions for maritime personnel, fishermen, boaters, dock workers, stewards, etc. to primarily protect their safety at work, either on their vessels or on land.  Sometimes art just pops up where you don’t expect it.

Seafarers International Union, Algonac, Michigan

Fortunately, in the evenings I’ve been able to work on a couple of smaller quilt projects, including the most recent pinwheel baby quilt. The pinwheels usually come from other projects, or are a result of a warm-up exercise that I do before I start quilting for the day.  Not quite finished yet, but should be done by tomorrow or the next day.  There are art quilters who decide to make art quilts and never do anything “traditional” again, and there are traditional quilters who never want to make an “art quilt” but I must admit, I love both styles. I like the pinwheels for baby quilts, because they are just fun!  I’m sweating over every single 3/4″ finished block in my autumn piece…because that’s also fun!  And sometimes I just sing to myself…”I do what I want, I do what I want..whatever! Whatever!  I do what I want…” And so it goes.

Like puzzle pieces…

Like the layout, but not all sewn yet…

I’ll post when it’s completed, hopefully in the next couple of days.

In the mean time…study that Seafarers International sculpture and let me know what you think it is!

Cheers,

Beth

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