Summer Fun -- Quilts & Needlework

I spent much of the Independence Day week/weekend staffing a booth at the Marin County Fair for Obama for President. I've been tabling at the Downtown San Rafael Farmers Market on Thursday evenings.

This county fair is just like a real old-time country county fair, with Ferris wheel and cotton candy, pig races and 4-H, judging of chickens, pies, orchids, jams, roses, bonsai, theme-related school projects, dressage, bee-keeping, sheep, and all manner of other things. The painting, photography and sculpture is always top notch, but of all the categories I think I enjoy the quilts and needlework the best.


When we first walked into the needlework section of the
exhibit hall, I was struck by this splendid baby block quilt.

I love the colors in this Tibetan Buddhist eternal knot.

This looks like a psychedelic fan dance.

This green geometric quilt took a blue ribbon.
I wish it didn't have that apron obscuring the center.

This magical Cretan labyrinth quilt reminds me of my friend Vibra.

This was one of Corby's favorites. It reminds me of a healing quilt Victoria* created for a sick friend. She gave friends the opportunity to cut out and assemble individual squares (these particular squares had little houses and trees, with skies and sometimes people in the windows or doors). I loved both process and result of the one I did. That quilt had colorful squares, but not quite as bright as this one, which has a lot of little Japanese images that might not be visible in this photograph.

* Victoria is currently Driving Audhumla to a family reunion in Seattle.