Thursday, August 31, 2006

What a day!

I had to brave the town center today, which is never a good start to the day. On the other hand how else am I going to post my quilts? It's been a while since I was there, probably about 3 months, and in that time is has changed again. There are more cheap shops, more street traders and more mess.

- Interlude, there is a program on the television about Leonardo Da Vinci. They started by saying that people can only be good at art or science. Leonardo is the only exception. Pardon? I know a lot of artists who are also scientist, and I would say the best scientists I have met are good because they have a creative streak. Maybe this means all of us who can do both will be as successful as him? Lets hope so.

Anyway where was I. Ah yes the decline of Harrow. The most annoying thing for me is the complete lack of manners. I know I just make myself sound old, but when I was a child running into a lift, crashing into someone already in there and causing them to drop things would have been an issue to my parents. Sadly not anymore. After I pointed out the problem to the parent, they did ask the child to apologize, which it didn't do, but neither of them helped me pick up my packages. Having posted my packages I tried for lunch. I am standing in a queue when a young lady walks up to the front of the queue and asks the server, "Got barbecue sauce?". The chap serving replied "yes" and her hand shot out palm up. Well, clear I suppose, not entirely polite, but she had probably just finished standing in this very long queue and was irritated by forgetting the sauce. When I got my food the only clear table happened to be next to this young lady. She was eating food from another stand, so she hadn't been to that shop at all she had just wanted their sauce. Seems a bit mean not to give them any money then not even treat the staff politely.

I had to get home. I find watching humans very depressing, if I stay home I just get to talk to you guys, much more civilized. As you can imagine I now needed to create something to take my mind of the world outside. This is what I came up with,I am not sure how clear it is, I guess some of you will tell me. Can you see what it is? I do rather like it but there are limitations. I used a faux trapunto technique with 2 layers of 6oz wadding. I don't feel it is fat enough. I really like the effect I got with 'Skelehand'. Is it possible to make faux trapunto that fat? The thread is a very subtle pink, which works really well in real life but not at all in the photos. I am going to have a go at doing a dark version, with black fabric and red thread. I will also try putting in more wadding. If that still isn't enough I guess I will have to go back to stuffing everything properly.

Proving that quilting really can make the world a better place, well it calms me down so I see all the good things. I collected a fantastic writing/drawing board from a nice lady in Hammersmith via freecycle. If you haven't heard of it I strongly suggest google. It is an effort to keep usable items out of landfill by giving them away to people who want them. On arriving home I found that Bonnie McCaffery had put up her VidCast, and I make a very brief appearance on it. She has given a quick overview of the show at the NEC. Disturbingly there are several things on her video I didn't see at all. I know she was at the same show as me, so I can only assume I missed a lot. It always happens but I thought having spent four days there I might have seen most things. I have to admit to being very chuffed that she likes my quilt enough to want to put it and me on her video. Suppose I had better go and finished the background quilting on the new one.

2 comments:

Nellie's Needles said...

Thank you for posting the link to that wonderful show. Oh, to see it all "for real" would be fantastical. I was delighted to get a glimpse of you with your work. Again, thank you.

Ferret said...

I hope you do manage to get here one year. It was surprising how far people had come to see the show. I kept bumping into people from all over the world inculding Australia and New Zealand. It is a BIG show but even so. If you do come, let us know and we will be sure to meet up with you.