A small hanging and a visitor

This is a very small hanging...8 inches square, that I created to show in our library.  They used to have an annual big-quilt show but space became a factor, so they turned it into a mini-quilt show.  Mine is called "Romance at the dog park" and uses hand-dyed fabrics.  I made it several months ago, during Glennis' Shibori workshop, and before Jude's Cloth to Cloth workshop, where I have learned skills that will enhance this sort of cloth in the future.

Lately, when I sit outside to sew, a hummingbird instantly appears and I have been thinking, Oh how nice to be appreciated by a hummingbird.  Several times the little bird seemed to be acting a little less friendly and perhaps even a bit aggressive, but Oh well, I thought, it's still nice to be appreciated by nature in this way.  Then, today, as I got up to leave, my eye was drawn to a patch of green in the apple tree, and what did I see but her nest...with her in it.  Can you see her eye and her tiny beak pointing skyward?  The nest is miniscule and has lichens decorating it!  I think she was saying "Hello and keep your distance."

AND, I'm starting to create a shop!  You'll see it on the sidebar.  Feedback is welcome, as I have limited experience with this sort of thing.

Gifts

Yesterday I finished this very small hanging for a friend.  There is a little bit of fabric weaving in the center...the border is strips from my grandmother's shawl and the hanger is made from braided bits of the same shawl.  The body of it is made from silk batting.  See the bee?

Saturday was an amazing day.  I went to the quilters' drop-in and on the way passed a little garage sale where I found this rug.  It's about 6 feet long.  Evidently a family member brought it back from Turkey, but the people decided not to keep it because of a few holes and so they were selling it for $10.  I asked them if they were totally sure of that price and they were, so I am very grateful.  Doesn't that look like a lighthouse on the top?

Then, on the way home, I bought this silk hanky in an antique store. After I finish admiring it, I may chop it up for inclusion in another cloth.

I've also started making cloth in Jude's workshop and I'll put up pictures of my experiments soon.  She is a wonderful teacher; the techniques and the results are very satisfying.

Respite from travel

Ah, I am home for a while!  It was a long drive to Tucson and back but worth it for happy glimpses of family and scenery.  I will post some pictures later on, but for now here are the two pieces I've been working on, slowly making progress.

And...

I've just pinned the sunshine and rainclouds on, but this morning I stitched the right hand cloud down a little:

That is silk gauze that I dyed a very pale blue.