Handwerk Textiles

Next Stop: Wonderland

2012-01-20T10:31:00.000-08:00

I made it to Guatemala City without a glitch.

On the outskirts of Guatemala City.

I always dislike the actual traveling part of traveling. It usually makes me anxious. When I travel, I like to establish a base camp and make day trips from there. I really don’t care for the getting-from-one-place-to-another part. That’s a bit odd, because living in Alaska for 31 years, the journey was the destination. Most places you go in Alaska there really isn’t much to do, for a person like me who is not outdoorsy, when you get there. Driving and seeing the scenery is the main attraction of traveling. I don’t mind traveling on a tour. In fact, I’ve come to enjoy being on a tour. The actual traveling is okay when I don’t have to spend my time figuring out how to get from one place to another and what to see when I get there. Tours take away all that logistical stuff and let you enjoy your time and place.

Well, like I said, I had a smooth trip to Guatemala City. The next day, the van picked me up right on time and we went back to the airport to pick up my two friends, who were arriving on two different flights from Ohio and Utah. Miraculously, all the flights were on time, and when I arrived at the airport, there they were! Our van took us to Panajachel, to Hotel Regis, our home for the duration of our stays. Hotel Regis is on the main tourist area street in Pana, but set back from the street in the interior part of the block. Stucco cottages with red tile roofs are set in a garden with pathways, hot tubs, fountains and plenty of places to lounge outdoors. It’s a beautiful setting right in the heart of the restaurant and shopping area and about two blocks up from Lake Atitlan.

The view from our window.

Our cottage.

The grounds of the hotel.

Our first full day in Panajachel was pretty laid back. We slept in, had breakfast in our room, then strolled the street and shopped. Sondra and I had to hit the fabric stores. Here’s the selection from one store we visited.

I also purchased a couple of handwoven belts, and one older one with hand embroidery.

We watched the sun set over Lake Atitlan.

Then we ate dinner at El Bistro. Seafood fettuccini. A good end to a good day.

El Bistro, Panajachel

Guatemala Bound Quilt Project Continues

2012-01-12T10:55:00.000-08:00

I'll be delivering the "last of the first" 100 quilts to the Santa Apolonia orphanage within the next few days. Every child in the facility should then have a quilt. But, there's no shortage of need in Guatemala! I plan to continue to give quilts to the orphanage on a yearly basis for new arrivals. Then, I'd like to make quilts for all the "tias" and permanent workers at the facility. The tias are the "moms" that live with each group of children. And, when I contacted Mayan Families about making quilts for my student's family, Sharon told me that Mayan Families tries to provide support for about 50 orphans that live with extended family members or friends. So, if we make another 100 quilts, they will all have a place to go where they will be greatly appreciated! So, friends, keep on sewing! For those of you who haven't been part of the project before but are interested in providing a quilt top, please contact me for size and other requirements. Again, many thanks to all who've contributed.

Mayan Students in Need of Sponsorship

2012-01-12T00:24:00.000-08:00

Through my trip to Guatemala and working on the quilts for the orphanage at Santa Apolonia, I learned of another non-profit, Mayan Families doing work for needy indigenous families around the Lake Atitlan area. Mayan Families provides food, medical assistance, housing needs, and student sponsorships on a very personal basis. Donations can be made to particular people and projects. I started sponsoring a student last year. Francisca graduated from high school recently and will be starting university this month.

School for the children in this very depressed area starts in a few days. Many children are still waiting for a sponsor in order to attend school this year. It costs only $190 to send an elementary school child to school for the year. This amount is beyond many families in the area who struggle just to feed their families. You can check out the list of children still looking for sponsors. Maybe you'll be inspired to help a child create a better future.

Mayan Families is an officially recognized 501.c.3 non-profit, so donations are tax-deductible.

2011 Was a Very Good Year

2012-01-02T11:35:00.000-08:00

I know it's tradition to take a look at the year that's just passed. I'm not usually disciplined enough to do that, but I've had a good year, so I thought it would be fun to look back at it. Looking it over, I was surprised to see that I didn't leave the country last year. I feel like I've been traveling alot. I have, but all in the US it appears. I didn't even make it to Canada or Mexico! I have at least two international trips planned for 2012 though; the first is coming up soon!
In January, 2011, some very gracious friends delivered the first of the quilts to the Guadelupe Homes Orphanage in Santa Apolonia, Guatemala. To round out the year, 78 quilts that were shipped in September reached the orphanage on December 6, bringing the total delivered to 92! I will deliver the last 8 (of the first round) when I travel to Guatemala later this month. A big thanks to all who contributed fabric, their sewing talents, and time.

March was a milestone month: I turned 60 (yikes!), and Color Improvisations showed at Museum of Modern Art in Verona, Italy! My friend Pat from Anchorage visited. We had a great week sight-seeing and sewing. I also spent a few days in the Pallm Springs area with my sister. We made a day trip down to Oceanside and San Diego and were able to see the Visions show and gallery.

May had to be the highlight of the year (and more!). I traveled to Ohio to take a Dorothy Caldwell class at Nancy Crow's Barn. I went with two Vancouver/Portland friends and met Deb, my good friend from the old days in Alaska, there. We had a an incredible week. From Columbus, I flew to Chicago to meet two more Alaskan friends, Nelda and Linda. We had a great three days taking in the art of the city. Then the three of us traveled to Athens, Ohio for the opening of Quilt National. To my surprise, when I arrived there I learned I had won Best of Show! That was this quilter's lifelong dream come true. It's still sinking in.

In June I drove to Callistoga, California for a reunion of some high school women friends. We're all turning 60 this year, but we're all still the same!

Here are some highlights of more quilt-related accomplishments. In June and July, I had three pieces in the Rio Patchwork Design show in Rio de Janiero and Sao Paulo, Brazil. I won the Viewers' Choice award - which is a trip to Rio in 2012! My sister came for a visit in June, and we went to the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. Linda had been to the event once before, but it was my first time there. Beautiful weather and quilts galore! In August I had two pieces in the American Art Company's Northwest Fiber Invitational exhibit in Tacoma. In September my quilt Reflection was part of the Quilt National 2009 show that traveled to France for the big European Patchwork show. That month I also spent five days in Puyallup in a dye class taught by Judy Robertson. What fun that was. In November I received a Juror's Choice award at Quilts = Art = Quilts in New York. My work was shown in three High Fiber Diet/Columbia FiberArts Guild shows: Back to Nature in Portland Oregon, NW Vibes at several Oregon venues, and Earth & Fire at the Museum of Contemporary Craft in Portland. I also participated in two shows through the Contemporary QuiltArt Association: a show at the Blue Heron Gallery on Vashon Island, and an exhibit, Chance Encounters, at the Lynnwood Convention Center. And we completed 35 quilts for Guatemala this year, plus I finished two pieces of my own artwork. What a productive year!
Forgive me for tooting my horn again about the prizes, but I've been making quilts for 42 years and have received very few accolades in all that time - until now. In fact, I can remember only one previous nod - a 3rd place in contemporary pieced wall quilt at Paducah sometime in the 80's or early 90's, I think. It seems persistence pays.

In addition, I took a painting class most of the year from Susan Cowen at Clark College in Vancouver. Susan has been an inspiration. My book club, besides meeting monthly and talking about books, briefly, while enjoying some of Portland's fine restaurants, had two weekend retreats to Coast Inn B&B in Lincoln City, Oregon. My younger son moved home this year, so now both my boys are with me. Eric's girlfriend is here visiting from Australia, so we have a full house and lots of activity. My nephew Phillip and his wife had their first child in May. So it's been a full year, lots of adventure and fullfillment!

I'm looking forward to a creative and adventure-filled 2012!
Bonnie

Another Completed Quilt

2011-12-20T12:47:00.000-08:00

This quilt, another by the Vancouver group, was just finished last night.

We've Been Busy Around Here

2011-12-19T20:27:00.000-08:00

We've accomplished quite alot around here lately. Six tops have been completed in the past few days. There are just two more to finish before I leave for Guatemala in January. The quilt above was done by the Vancouver group. Those below are mine, with hand binding completed by several friends. I will have 8 quilts to deliver to the Santa Apolonia orphanage, bringing that total to 100. Then, I'll be taking 6 quilts for the family of the student that I sponsor through Mayan Families. I'm looking forward to seeing all the quilts on the beds at Santa Apolonia! And I'm looking forward to seeing the beautiful Guatemalan people and their wonderful textiles!

Quilts Have Arrived at Santa Apolonia!

2011-12-07T14:26:00.000-08:00

I just received word that the quilts arrived at the orphanage yesterday! Whew! I'm hoping that they are able to take some photos as the quilts are handed out to the kids. I'll post as soon as I receive anything. What a milestone!

Good News! Quilts have arrived in Guatemala City

2011-12-01T11:11:00.000-08:00

I just received confirmation that the 78 quilts have been delivered to the warehouse in Guatemala City. Yippeee! I was beginning to think that the boxes weren't going to make it, but they are all accounted for. With luck they will make it to the orphanage in Santa Apolonia in a few days.

I have 7 more quilts to take with me when I go to Guatemala in January. That will make 100 to the orphanage! Thanks again to all who contributed.

Autumn in the Japanese Garden, Portland

2011-11-26T10:56:00.000-08:00

I made an impromptu visit to the Japanese Garden in Portland, Oregon, yesterday. The rain finally had stopped for a few hours, and I decided to take advantage of the sunny skies. Although most of the leaves had fallen as a result of the recent storm, the garden was still beautiful, with raindrops clinging to the branches and a bit of color left behind.

In the pavillion is the Mottainai: The Fabric of Life exhibition. "Mottainai" is Japanese for "waste nothing." These utilitarian garments were stitched, patched and restitched into incredibly beautiful works of art. The show closes on Sunday, so you only have today and tomorrow to get there. It's worth the trip.

Earth & Fire On View at Museum of Contemporary Craft, Portland

2011-11-17T11:59:00.000-08:00

Works by members of Columbia FiberArts Guild

Photo by Hilde Morin

Works by members of Columbia FiberArts Guild are on display November 3, 2011 - January 7, 2012, in the Community Showcase at the Museum of Contempory Craft, in Portland, Oregon. The exhibit, Earth & Fire, includes one of my Geology Series quilts (the long skinny brown one in the photo). There are demonstrations by guild members most Saturdays from 1 - 4pm (check the museum for schedule). I will be demonstrating bookbinding on December 19. Hope to see you there!

Museum of Contemporary Craft
724 NW Davis Street
Portland, Oregon 97209
503.223.2654

Juror's Choice Award at Quilts = Art = Quilts

2011-11-10T16:34:00.000-08:00

Coastlines

Photo by Mark Frey

I'm honored to have won a Juror's Choice Award at Quilts = Art = Quilts, at the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center in Auburn, New York. The exhibit is on view at the Schweinfurth through January 12, 2012.

Another Vancouver Work Day

2011-11-06T13:44:00.000-08:00

This past Thursday, the group got together for another Guatemala Bound work day. Here's the top we completed.

After the top was done, we decided to try our hands at making wine gift bags instead of starting another top. This design was base on a purse pattern, but we sort of made the it work for wine as we went along. This is my bag.

Newest Completions for Guatemala Bound

2011-10-15T18:20:00.000-07:00

Here are the latest quilts completed for the Guatemala Bound project. One hundred quilts have been finished for the kids at the Santa Apolonia orphanage. Now we're moving on to make 40 quilts for the orphans sponsored by the Mayan Families group. Mayan Families sponsors families in need in the Lake Atitlan area. They provide sponsors for education, help in obtaining medical care and housing, installation of economical stoves, and specialized services on a case-by-case basis. Take a look at their website.

These next two quilts were made by Pat and her friends in Anchorage.

I put this one together with center blocks that Pat sent to me.

My sister Linda in Palm Desert made this flower basket quilt.

Vancouver Work Day

2011-10-03T12:20:00.000-07:00

The Vancouver group got together last Saturday for a workday. We completed one top for the Guatemala Bound project and had a great day visiting and eating good treats. After cleanup around 4pm, we ventured over to Portland to see the vendor mall at the Art and Soul symposium. There was a wonderful mix of supplies and finished items from the mixed media crowd. It was a great ending to a fun day! Thanks to all who contributed!

78 Quilts Are On Their Way To Guatemala!

2011-09-06T17:12:00.000-07:00

Wow! I just returned from UPS. Seventy-eight quilts have begun their journey to Guatemala. It's a milestone day. With help from the School Sisters of St. Francis and the Salvatorian Mission, both in Wisconsin, the quilts will be delivered to Guatemala City, and from there, picked up by the orphanage staff. I sure hope the trip is quick and all the merchandise arrives safely. Again, thanks to all of those who have contributed their time and skills, fabric, and monetary support.

American Art Company Opening

2011-08-21T10:25:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos from the American Art Company. The gallery looks beautiful! Stop by if you're in Tacoma. The gallery is just 2 blocks from the Tacoma Convention Center, so don't miss this show if you're in town for APWQ!

Quilts by Pat Hedwall, Janet Steadman, Maria Groat, and Bonny Brewer

Quilts by Margaret Liston and Toot Reid

Quilts by Janet Kurjen, Colleen Wise, Donna Pritchard, Bonnie Bucknam, and Ellin Larimer

Quilts by Bonnie Bucknam and Mary Arnold

Quilts by Janet Steadman, Louise Harris, Janet Kurjan, and Gale Whitney

Quilts by Mary Arnold, Janet Kurjan, Colleen Wise, and Donna Pritchard

Nature's design, Tacoma, August 13, 2011

Northwest Contemporary Quilt Invitational Opens in Tacoma August 13

2011-08-08T09:39:00.000-07:00

American Art Company’s 11th Northwest Contemporary Art Quilt Invitational
August 13th – October 1st, 2011
Artist Reception – August 13th, 1 - 4 pm
1126 Broadway, Tacoma, WA 98402
253-272-4327
I have two quilts in the show, and many well-known quilters from the Pacific Northwest will be represented. Hope you can make it to the opening, or take a look at the show during the APWQ convention in Tacoma.

View Toward Indio

Photo by Mark Frey

Just Completed for Guatemala Bound

2011-07-24T11:16:00.000-07:00

Here are three recently completed quilts for the Guatemala Bound project. Marta from Palm Desert donated a queen-size top. It was cut down to make this first twin-size quilt, Marta's Pink Stars. Pat in Anchorage has the remaining parts which she will incorporate into another top.

Pat and Susan in Anchorage created Parfait, below. It reminds us of a chocolate sundae with a cherry on top.

And I pieced this quilt, Tropical, trying to use up some of my commercial purples.

I am working on shipping logistics and am making progress. It's slow going though. Who knew how difficult international shipping is? Not me...

"NW Vibes", an Exhibit by High Fiber Diet, Opens at Singer Hill Cafe in Oregon City

2011-07-19T14:37:00.000-07:00

New High Fiber Diet Show, NW Vibes, Opens at Singer Hill Café in Oregon City on Friday, August 5th, Artists' Reception, 5-8pm

Early Bloomer (Skunk Cabbage)

by Bonnie Bucknam

Photo by Mark Frey

The Venue
NW Vibes, a new fiber art show by High Fiber Diet, opens with an Artist Reception on August 5th from 5-8 pm at the Singer Hill Café, 623 7th St, Oregon City, OR. Musical entertainment by “The Sale” will be from 6 to 8 pm. Singer Hill Café’s Fundraiser Friday will donate 25% of food and beverage purchases at the Cafe that evening to the High Fiber Diet group.

The exhibit is on display August 3-31, 2011. The art gallery will open for viewing during Singer Hill Café regular hours, 7 days a week: Monday, 7am to 6pm, Tuesday- Saturday, 7am to 8pm and Sunday, 8am to 5pm. For information on gallery sales, contact Karen Grondin at 971-207-2354.

High Fiber Diet
High Fiber Diet is a fiber-art group affiliated with Columbia FiberArts Guild of Portland; its members include fiber art and surface design teachers, book authors, professional art quilters and fiber artists. The High Fiber Diet blog lists the most recent shows and a membership roster with links to individual websites and blogs. NW Vibes contains 21 new art quilts and wearable art.

NW Vibes
What is it that makes the Northwest unique from the rest of the country? There is a reason we have chosen to live here; is it the beauty of the landscape, the variation of the skies and weather, the character of the cities, or that you can get the best cup of coffee in the country at virtually every corner? This show represents what makes living in the Northwest special to us.

Correction Regarding Sisters Library

2011-07-17T10:14:00.000-07:00

I am told that the Sisters Library was open on Saturday for the quilt show. When I was in Sisters, I was told by several people that the library was closed on Saturdays, so didn't go by to check it out for myself. So, I'm glad to know that folks were able to view the SAQA Oregon quilts during the Outdoor Quilt Show day. I've corrected the relevant parts of my post, and of my post on the SAQA Oregon blog.
My apologies.

Oregon Road Trip

2011-07-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

My sister was here last week for a visit. We did some driving - about 700 miles - while she was here. We spent one day driving up the Columbia Gorge. The view is always great. the photo above is a view of Vista house at Crown Point. Beacon Rock is in the background. From this viewpoint, you can also see the View Point Inn, although I didn't take a photo this time. This was the day before it burned.

This is the view east from Crown Point.

The creek at Bridal Veil Falls.

And here is Multnomah Falls. My sister is waving from the bridge.

Our big trip was to Sisters, Oregon, for the Eighth Annual Fiber Arts Stroll and Outdoor Quilt Show. Some of the ladies from Gees Bend were there with their quilts.

The whole town is decorated with quilts hung on the sides of the buildings. Many of the local businesses have quilts inside as well. The weather was very cooperative this year - it was a pleasant 80 degrees and breezy. I heard several people say it is commonly over 100 degrees during this event.

I am always on the lookout for designs for Guatemala Bound quilts. I'm still drawn to log cabins and square-within-a-square type designs. This quilt was inside The Stitchin Post. I'm sorry I don't have the maker's name.

These four quilts were hung outside on various businesses around town.

We spent the night in Bend. Here's a view of the river in the main park downtown.

Sunday we headed back to Sisters. There was a wonderful show of Jean Wells Keenan's quilts hung in the woods at the Five Pine Resort.

And at the Sisters Library we saw the SAQA Oregon exhibit, Oregon: State of Diversity.

We drove all the way over to the coast to Lincoln City, then up Highway 101 to Canon Beach then home the following day . We stopped at the Latimer Quilt and Textile Center and the Tillamook cheese factory. We found a great quilt shop in Wheeler, Creative Fabrics, right next door to a cute gallery, Trillium. Stop if you're driving that way. And of course, we had to make a stop at Center Diamond in Canon Beach. It was quite the quilt tour, a great week, and a fun visit.

Viewer's Choice Award - Rio Patchwork Design

2011-07-13T13:36:00.000-07:00

Looks like I'm going to Rio! Three of my quilts were recently in the Rio Patchwork Design show, which was held in early July in both Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, Brazil. My quilt Fracture won the Viewer's Choice award. The prize - a trip to Rio for next year's show! Whoo Hoo!

Fracture

(36" w x 55"h)

Fracture, detail

Bramble

(83" w x 61" h)

Bramble, detail

Cavern

(39" w x 66" h)

Cavern, detail

(Photos by Mark Frey)

Misty Morning Sun

2011-06-30T16:36:00.000-07:00

The sun just can't seem to shine through here. It's been a cold, wet spring, thus Misty Morning Sun. Fat Quarter packages (1 1/2 yds. total) are $27 ($30 including shipping by first class post within the U.S.); 1/2 yard packages (3 yds total) are $54 plus actual postage to your location; 1 yard packages (6 yards total) are $108 plus actual postage. Misty Morning Sun is now available for shipping. This is a limited edition, so not many packs are available. Email me at bonnie@handwerktextiles.com to order. Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal accepted.

Buttons

2011-06-19T10:42:00.000-07:00

Van Gogh in My Front Yard

2011-06-18T10:13:00.000-07:00

Two Days in Chicago

2011-06-17T21:04:00.000-07:00

Earlier in the week of Quilt National, I met two of my Alaskan friends in Chicago. We had a wonderful two and a half days of visiting museums and dining on fine food. Above is a view looking out one of the windows at the Museum of Contemporary Art. We were unfortunately a day early for the Mark Bradford show, but we did get to sneak a peak inside the door where the work was being installed. I will make a point to look for his work in my travels. We were treated to the impressive Chicago architecture on our walk back to Millennium Park.

Here is one of the most impressive sights in downtown Chicago: Cloud Gate by sculptor Anish Kapoor, called "The Bean" by most in Chicago. It is fascinating. Read about it on Wikipedia.

These beautiful glass domes and mosaic walls are in the Chicago Cultural Center.

We also stumbled upon Project Onward there. I bought some wonderful artwork by Adam Hines and David Holt and was lucky enough to meet the artists. I'm so happy to have these quirky and imaginative pieces of art.

George Steinbrenner by David Holt.

Gloria Stuart by David Holt

Monopoly by Adam Elias Hines

New Mayor Rahm Emanuel by Adam Elias Hines

New Mayor Rahm Emanuel, detail, by Adam Elias Hines

"Crater" Awarded Best of Show, Quilt National 2011

2011-05-30T10:12:00.000-07:00

Crater, (81" w x 60" h)

Photos by Mark Frey

I just returned from the opening of Quilt Nationa 2011 at the Dairy Barn Arts Center in Athens, Ohio. I was honored that my quilt, Crater, was named Best of Show! You can see some photos of the show at Quilt National's Facebook page. You can purchase the catalog of the exhibition at the Dairy Barn Shop or on Amazon. The show will be on view at the Dairy Barn through September 5th.

I had been notified that I'd won a prize but they wouldn't say which one. When I walked in the Dairy Barn on Friday afternoon, my quilt was right in the middle, the first one to be seen. Kathleen Dawson, the director of Quilt National, was standing right there. I said, Gee, I got such a great space! She said, For a reason, then pointed me to a sign on the wall that listed all the prizewinners. I was all choked up and teary-eyed. I was in Quilt National in 1987, then had 10 rejections over 22 years before I made it into QN09. It feels great to be in two shows in a row, and to have such a wonderful recognition of my work. Persistence pays!

Crater, detail

See Cynthia Corbin's Work at the Latimer Quilt and Textile Museum in Tillamook

2011-05-13T18:58:00.000-07:00

My friend Mary and I took a drive to Tillamook on Mothers' Day. Our main objective was to see Cynthia Corbin's exhibit, Surface Tension, at the Latimer Quilt and Textile Center. Go there! It's well worth the drive. The show is up until July 3rd.

Cynthia Corbin at the Latimer Quilt and Textile Museum

with Sun Screen

The Oregon Coast between Tillamook and Canon Beach.

Kayakers enjoying the day.

The haystacks at Canon Beach. Could the sky really be that blue?

Portland on a Sunny Day

2011-05-07T11:17:00.000-07:00

I took a few photos while at OHSU in Portland last Wednesday, one of our few sunny days this year. In the photo above, Mt. St. Helens is in the distance. Below you can see Mt. Hood to the east.

May Handwerk Fabric Club Selection Now Available to Ship

2011-05-06T10:48:00.000-07:00

Warm is what we're all wishing for here in the Pacific Northwest. It's been a cold, wet spring. Time for some warmer weather! Warm consists of a medium pink with yellowish highlights, a lighter pink, barn red, tangerine, gold, and a cherry pink. Fat Quarter packages (1 1/2 yds. total) are $27 ($30 including shipping by first class post within the U.S.); 1/2 yard packages (3 yds total) are $54 plus actual postage to your location; 1 yard packages (6 yards total) are $108 plus actual postage. Warm is now available for shipping. This is a limited edition, so not many packs are available. Email me at bonnie@handwerktextiles.com to order. Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal accepted.

Columbia FiberArts Guild at Portland Convention Center

2011-04-29T18:36:00.000-07:00

Columbia FiberArts Guild has a booth at the Gathering of the Guilds at the Portland Convention Center this weekend. We have a variety of fiber-related products made by our talented guild members: quilts, decorator pillows, scarves, clothing made from recycled blankets, recycled felted pincushions, katazome banners, purses, fabric, cards, baskets and more! (Double click on the photos to view the products close up.) You still have Saturday (10am - 7pm) and Sunday (10am to 5pm) to stop by and say hi. CFG is in the Handweavers Guild section of the show.

Portland's Gathering of the Guilds April 29 - May 1

2011-04-23T10:54:00.000-07:00

Portland's annual Gathering of the Guilds is this coming weekend at the Portland Convention Center. It's one of the biggest craft sales you'll see. Represented are pottery, woodworking, beading and jewelry, sculpture and metalarts, glass, and handweaving. This year Columbia FiberArts Guild will have a booth in the handweaving section. I'll be helping with the CFG booth, #909 right between the handweavers and the woodworkers, so stop by and say hi. The show hours are
Friday, April 29, 10am - 9 pm
Saturday, April 30, 10am - 7pm
Sunday, May 1, 10am - 5pm
There's no admission. Hope to see you there.

Latest Guatemala Bound Quilts

2011-04-17T10:44:00.000-07:00

Here are the most recent additions to the Guatemala Bound group. The quilt above is by Nan's group in Anchorage. Those below are mine.

This Bluebird quilt has a long history. I started this quilt as a queen size bedspread when I lived in Albuquerque in 1978. It did have another row of larger log cabin blocks on both sides and the top. I began to quilt the piece but never finished. After hauling this quilt around for 30+ years, I recently got it out again. I took off the outer rows of blocks to make it twin size, and I finished it! Good riddance to this UFO.

Two More Quilts Delivered to Guatemala

2011-04-14T11:44:00.000-07:00

I experimented with mailing two of the Guatemala Bound quilts, and it worked! USPS only guarantees delivery to Guatemala customes, then it's up to the Guatemalan postal service. Well, the two quilts actually arrived at the orphanage, and I received an email from them! It's too expensive to pursue mailing the rest of the quilts, but I'm now looking into using an international shipper. It's progress anyway. Here are the latest two quilts to make it to Guatemala. The top one was made by my sister, Linda. The second is a product of Nan's group in Anchorage. Thanks again to everyone for their contributions.

"How to Steal Like an Artist"

2011-04-14T11:32:00.000-07:00

Someone sent me this link a few days ago, or else I saw a reference to it. I've lost track. But, this is worth reading. Please do.

How to Steal Like an Artist (and 9 Other Things Nobody Told Me) by Austin Kleon

Tribute to Judy Hopkins

2011-04-10T11:02:00.000-07:00

Last month a long-time friend from Alaska, Judy Hopkins, passed away. I first met Judy in 1985. She was an enthusiastic and energetic member of Anchorage Log Cabin Quilters, the local guild. In 1986 Judy was named Alaska state winner of the Great American Quilt Contest (the "Liberty Contest"). Around that time, she began teaching quilting classes in Anchorage. I had been quilting about 15 years by that time, but mostly traditional quilts. In 1986, at Judy's urging (she actually handed the entry form to me), I entered one of my quilts in Quilt National and was accepted! My quilt, These Raindrops Are Rosie's Fault, became part of Quilt National '87 because of Judy's encouragement.

These Raindrops Are Rosie's Fault by Bonnie Bucknam, shown in

Creative American Quilting, a Better Homes and Gardens book published in 1989

Judy's enthusiasm and ability to think outside the box got many of us in Anchorage to start making non-traditional quilts. When she was writing One-of-a-Kind Quilts in 1988, her assignment to me was to make a "Bonnie Bucknam-style" quilt using her formula. At that point, I didn't know I had a style. But at Judy's urging, I created a quilt that was eventually used on the cover of the book.

Paradise2 by Bonnie Bucknam

Judy taught improvisation classes in the late '80's and early 90's. She had us turning blocks in wonky directions, cutting without a pattern, and adding what she called "coping strips" to fit everything together. Although she returned to traditional quilts herself, she was an impetus for many of the early art quilters in Alaska. Our lives were changed because we knew her.

My friend Rosie Huntemann writes:

Quilters everywhere lost a friend when Judy Hopkins passed away March 9, 2011. In the 1980’s, she asked a group of Anchorage quilters to make quilts for her soon to be published book, One-of-a-Kind Quilts. We had specific assignments, but were able to incorporate our own unique ideas. This was the first of 18 quilt books Judy either wrote or co-wrote. She did her magic with rotary cutting techniques, inventing tools for using up scraps. We can thank Judy for inspiring us to design our own art quilts.

Judy was an organized, witty woman. We will all miss her friendship, expertise and her big, Alaskan smile.

To read Judy's obituary in the Anchorage Daily News, click here.

Handwerk Vending at Clark County Quilters Annual Show this Weekend

2011-04-07T09:09:00.000-07:00

Hi all
I'll be a vendor at Clark County Quilters 36th Annual Quilt Show this weekend. I have lots of hand-dyed fabric and hand-dyed vintage table linens. The show is today, Friday and Saturday, 10am to 5pm, at
Vancouver Church of Christ
9019 NE 86th Street
Vancouver WA
It's an easy location to find. Take the Padden Parkway exit off the 205 Freeway and head east. You'll see the big church to the left. Turn in on 94th Ave to get to the church parking lot. There are about 25 vendors and over 200 quilts, so come look around!

Version 2 by Bonnie Bucknam

"What Remains" at the La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum

2011-04-05T19:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I went to La Conner with two friends from the Vancouver/Washougal area. Cathy Erickson's show, What Remains, opened at the La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum, and we went for the opening.

It's been such a cold spring here in Washington, all the flowers are late blooming. It was supposed to be tulip festival time in La Conner, but we didn't see even a peep of a tulip.

There were some daffodils blooming near La Conner.

Cathy Erickson with one of her quilts in the exhibit, What Remains

What Remains is a show of quilts and photography by Cathy Erickson and poetry by Margaret Chula. To quote the museum's website:

In the 1940’s over 120,000 Japanese Americans were imprisoned in internment camps. From the newborn baby to the aging grandfather, all their lives were changed dramatically. Now only photos, stories, and rock rubble remain of the time. The art quilts and poetry in this series attempt to capture the spirit of what remains over sixty years later.

You can read more about the show on the Museum website, or on the websites of the artists, Cathy Erickson and Margaret Chula.

Stopover in Vancouver

2011-03-25T14:08:00.000-07:00

I’m here in Portland for a visit with Bonnie and brought two unfinished tops started by the Soup Group – Joan, ClaraJo, Emiko and me. With help from Bonnie’s fabric stash I have finished both of them. Bonnie made two backs so they are ready for quilting. See Blue Tuesday and Crossroads below.

Blue Tuesday

Pat with Crossroads

We took a beautiful drive up the Columbia River, visited the Maryhill Museum, walked the dogs, shopped, had Asian cuisine , knitted and sewed. We saw High Fiber Diet's latest show at Trinity Church in Portland. Another PERFECT visit!

Signs of Spring at Trinity Church in Portland

A five-patch inspired by Malissia Pettway 1940’s “Nine Patch”, (Gee’s Bend: The Women and Their Quilts, pg 236) is under construction in purples and yellows, and I just finished machine quilting another Guatemala Bound quilt, Parfait, sewn by Susan and me.

Pat quilting Parfait

Time to iron.
Pat

Maude Kerns Art Center & Gallery, Eugene

2011-03-20T10:33:00.000-07:00

My friend Mary and I took a drive down to Eugene, Oregon, yesterday to see our quilts at the Maude Kerns Art Center. It was a great day. We had all kinds of weather, from pouring rain, to hail, to sunny blue skies. The gallery is located on the university campus in an old renovated church.

The show, Fiber2 (really Fiber "squared" or to the 2nd power - I can't insert the correct character here) consisted of High Fiber Diet's Bird's Eye View show plus two exhibits by the Eugene fiber group Loosely Bound. The local public radio station, KLCC, did a review of the show on February 27, 2011. Click here to hear the review. Click on the Maude Kerns line near the top of the listings.

The gallery has a small gift shop with lots of unique items, many by the artists showing in the gallery. In one corner they made a nice exhibit of my quilts, paintings and books. Mary's collage cards are on the rack.

This grouping is small quilts made by the Loosely Bound artists. What a great way to display small works. Each was mounted on an 8" x 8" wooden cradle board that had been painted black. The unity of color and the mounting technique really pulled together these works by different artists. Each work was for sale individually, and the work I saw was priced from $50 to $75.

The show is worth seeing and is up for only a few more days, until March 25th. Do try to stop by if you are in the area.

Palm Desert

2011-03-15T13:15:00.000-07:00

I just returned home from a week in the desert, Palm Desert. I visited my sister, and we drove down to Oceanside and San Diego to see the Visions Exhibit and the show at the Visions Gallery. Great work and worth the drive. The desert was beautiful, slightly green since it rained last week. That's the Salton Sea you can see shining in the distance in the upper right of the photo.

We visited The Living Desert, the Palm Desert zoo. They have quite a few desert animals and animals from Africa. You actually can feed the giraffes if you get there right at 10 am.

There are two aviaries you can walk through and also a walk-through butterfly exhibit.

There are lots of odd desert plants and trees in the gardens.

The big arts festival in La Quinta was last week as well. There are well over 100 vendors - closer to 200 I would guess - showing quality artwork. American Style Magazine voted La Quinta the 6th best art/craft fair in the country. It's easy to see why. The park is shady and beautiful with green grass, water fountains and pools.

I went to the meeting of the Coachella Valley Quilt Guild and participated in a little quilt show at my sister's condo association. I met lots of Linda's quilting friends, many from the Portland area! So now I'm back in the rain with more to come this week. The ground is saturated here. Several trees fell in Sunday's wind storm. The roots can't hang on so well when the ground is so soggy. We're still waiting for spring.

Back to Nature Opens This Thursday in Portland, Oregon

2011-02-28T11:45:00.000-08:00

View Toward Indio (36" w x 57" h)

Photo by Mark Frey

March 3 - April 27, 2011

Back to Nature: An Exhibit by High Fiber Diet

Opening Reception March 3, 2011, 5:30 - 7:30 pm

Kempton Hall, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral

147 NW 19th (at Everett)

Portland, Oregon

Please come to the opening this Thursday night!

Dusty - March 2011 Handwerk Fabric Club Selection Ready to Ship

2011-02-25T15:16:00.000-08:00

My gardener did a spring cleanup on my yard a couple of weeks ago. This is what I saw. "Dusty" includes 3 beautiful mixes of lavendar, daffodil and brown, and 3 neutrals: a grey/brown dark, a warm light beige, and a warm medium brown. Fat Quarter packages (1 1/2 yds. total) are $27 ($30 including shipping by first class post within the U.S.); 1/2 yard packages (3 yds total) are $54 plus actual postage to your location; 1 yard packages (6 yards total) are $108 plus actual postage. Dusty is now available for shipping. This is a limited edition, so not many packs are available. Email me at bonnie@handwerktextiles.com to order. Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal accepted.

First Quilts Delivered in Guatemala!

2011-02-17T10:38:00.000-08:00

Log Cabin Stars by the Loose Threads group in Vancouver WA

Good news! The first 13 quilts were delivered to the orphanage last Saturday, February 12. The 4 quilts shown here were part of the first delivery. Thanks to Vivian, Sondra, Nancy and Luci for carrying the quilts down and making the extra effort to get to the orphanage. It sounds like the actual delivery was a bit anticlimactic. It was a festival day in the village and all but one or two folks were attending the festivities. But, it's progress! Thanks so much to everyone who has contributed their time and talent.

Vivian found this great article that gives a good history of the orphanage and the programs there. Please take a minute to look at it.

Deb's Stars by Deb in Maine

Graphic Pastel Squares by Bonnie Bucknam in Vancouver

9-Patch & Stripe by Loose Threads in Vancouver

Making Purses Again

2011-02-15T12:10:00.000-08:00

I've finished a couple of purses in the past few days. The first is from Butterick 5367. This is one of my favorite patterns. I've made this particular bag 4 times now. The first 2 were the same with the exception of the closures and handles. On the first bag, I dyed a vintage tassel and incorporated that into the closure. On the second bag I used a repurposed silk belt from Hawaii for the handles.

Here's the bag I made a couple of days ago. It's the Ashley pattern from Sew Unique Creations. I used several fat quarters as well as a couple of half yards for this purse. It takes a surprising amount of fabric. I used a minute portion of my button stash for embellishing.

Color Improvisations Traveling to Verona, Italy

2011-02-04T23:30:00.000-08:00

Tangle (89" w x 88" h)

Great news! The Color Improvisations exhibit is traveling to the Museum of Modern Art in Verona, Italy! The exhibit will be on display March 8th through the 13th, 2011. If anyone happens to see the show in Verona next month, be sure to let me know! (It could happen.)

Tumble (86" w x 87" h)

Canopy (70" w x 70" h)

(Photos by Mark Frey)

The Socks Saga Continues

2011-01-30T11:57:00.000-08:00

Socks knit with self-striping yarn. Plain foot, ribbed leg, no pattern.

Since my one and only post about knitting last April, I've continued on my sock adventure. I've finished the socks shown here, plus three more pairs that I don't have good photos of. I don't even wear socks very often. I could be spending all this time quilting. Yes, but I really do enjoy knitting. It's my relaxation time, so I continue. Socks are small projects that can be completed relatively quickly in knitting-time, are easy to transport, and are relatively inexpensive. I have 5 pairs in various stages at this moment. Yikes! All of the socks shown here were knit two at a time, toe up, on two circular needles.

Rosebud socks from Toe-Up Socks for Every Body by Wendy Johnson.

Laurel socks from Toe-Up Socks for Every Body by Wendy Johnson.

This is Wendy Johnston's Rivulets pattern, free on her website.

This is Origami, from Knitted Socks East and West by Judy Sumner.

First Quilts Bound for Guatemala!

2011-01-18T11:51:00.000-08:00

Great news! Four friends who are going to Guatemala various dates in January and February have volunteered to take the first batch of quilts to the orphanage! Two quilts arrived in Guatemala last Saturday. There will be 11 quilts in the first group to be delivered. It's becoming a reality!

In the meantime, two of my book group buddies have been binding quilts like crazy. Here are those quilts that have been finished recently. The first two are from Pat in Massachusetts. They are such a cute eclectic mix of fabrics!

Pat's Quetzals

Calypso

This Japanese Blocks top was made by Marta in Palm Desert.

My friend Pat from Alaska and I sewed these Chinese Coins strips together when she was visiting last year. They didn't work in with the project we were working on. But during Pat's last visit we used them for this quilt, Mosaic.

And, here are quite a few more block and lattice quilts. This is a great way to use fat quarters or smaller pieces of yardage!

Collage 2

2011-01-12T10:25:00.000-08:00

Here are the four collage studies I did during the week last week. The two below are so much like those I did in Liz Axford's class - that's what prompted me to dig the old ones out. I seem to be stuck on the same shapes and compositions that I was using 15 years ago! Some things I just can't get over.

Here is one of my newest quilts, Canopy. See any similarities?

Canopy (70" w x 70" h)

Photo by Mark Frey

Collage

2011-01-10T11:44:00.000-08:00

I'm taking an Aqueous Media painting class from Susan Cowan this quarter at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington. Our first class was last Monday. We did quick collages from torn magazine pages. I had fun! I did these top three collages in about 30 minutes. (Sorry about the glare in the photos.) They are not meant to be anything but studies. We were supposed to paint over these compositions or add some type of painted embellishment. I didn't get that far. But I think this may be a good exercise for me to continue. It gives me ideas for quilt composition and for color palettes for the Fabric Club.

When I got home, I dug out some collages I did in a Liz Axford's "Attention to Detail" class in Anchorage in 1999. I was surprised that I was able to find them easily. The first one was an abstraction of a photo of a ferris wheel at February's Fur Rendezvous in Anchorage. I remember how cold it was that day taking photos. I had to keep my manual, pre-digital camera inside my coat to keep the film and the camera mechanisms from freezing! It's fun to look at these collages below which I did in 1999, and the ones above which I did this week. I think it's easy to tell that they're all mine. Something about the composition and design sense makes them mine, although I can't quite put a finger on what that essence is. I seem to be drawn toward color, texture, and composition more than images. I did another four collages during the week. I'll post those as soon as I photograph them. Now off to painting class. We'll see what's in store.

Log Cabins

2011-01-03T20:41:00.000-08:00

The last of the four log cabins by the Vancouver group is done. I thought it would be fun to see the four of them together. Here's the latest. Chris made this top on her own:

I made this one:

And the group made these two tops:

Click here for information on how we made blocks for these group quilts.

New Exhibitions Page

2011-01-01T13:49:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to All!

I'm working on my New Year's resolution - to get organized! And I've taken the first step by adding a new page to this blog - Current Exhibitions. Click on the page link under the header above. Since I haven't been very good at keeping my website updated, I'm going to try this approach. I have a few more shows to add once I verify dates and information. I hope some of you have the opportunity to visit an exhibit and see my work. I'd love to hear what you think. It's been a good year for me for exposure. Hope it keeps up in the new year!

Here's wishing you a healthy and creative year!
Bonnie
Handwerk Textiles

The Guatemala Bound Project

2010-12-31T16:09:00.000-08:00

Bonnie - You have done an amazing job with this project! In less than two years you have pieced, quilted, bound and organized the creation and collection of over 80 quilts for the orphanage! I am looking forward to seeing the list of all that contributed and what a generous bunch! I think we all had a really good time participating - I know I did.

I especially enjoyed working with several groups (Annalise & Susan, Joan & ClaraJo, Kathy & LynnAnn, Nan's Group, and with you) to create tops. Nan's Group is continuing to get together every two months or so to rip and share strips, and then the next time, to cut up and reconfigure various assemblages always around the framework of a delicious soup dinner prepared by Nan. Pat

Azalea - January 2011 Handwerk Fabric Club Selection Now Available

2010-12-28T15:41:00.000-08:00

Even though it's only the beginning of winter, I'm thinking spring. Being in South America in November completely threw my seasonal timing off. "Azalea" includes a beautiful teal, emerald green, grass green, lime green, and mustard color progression accented by a magenta. Fat Quarter packages (1 1/2 yds. total) are $27 ($30 including shipping by first class post within the U.S.); 1/2 yard packages (3 yds total) are $54 plus actual postage to your location; 1 yard packages (6 yards total) are $108 plus actual postage. Azelea is now available for shipping. Email me at bonnie@handwerktextiles.com to order. Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal accepted.

Nearing the Goal

2010-12-23T23:45:00.000-08:00

There's been quite a lot of progress lately on the Guatemala Bound project. Two women from my book group have been tireless in handfinishing bindings. Several Anchorage people have sent in tops. I have enough tops now, and there are just a few left to quilt. In January I'll have a labeling party at my house, so we can give proper credit to all who worked on each quilt. Recently the orphanage reported that it has 73 children. I plan to send 75 bunkbed quilts and about 10 crib quilts. I'm still working on the logistics of shipping. I'm hoping to be able to make a trip down to the orphanage to deliver some of the quilts in person.

Here are two more block and lattice quilts.

Several people in Anchorage worked on this quilt:

This one was donated by Linda R. from Anchorage:

Here are two more quilts from Nan's group in Anchorage. These are inspired by Gee's Bend quilts.

And here's one more square-within-a-square. I like the combination of pastels with black and white.

Candelaria and Tarabuco - Our Last Tour Day

2010-12-19T17:06:00.000-08:00

On the way out of Sucre to Tarabuco, we drove on a highway that marked the continental divide. On one side of the road, our tour guide told us, water flowed to the Pacific, and on the other side to the Amazon Basin and to the Atlantic. Amazing! We stopped by the side of the road to see these roadside shrines. Since it was close to November 2, All Saints Day, many of the shrines contained offerings.

We went to the market in Tarabuco. Our guide, Lisbeth, showed us around the market. Here she is holding hats that are based on Colonial Spanish armor - hats of the conquistadors.

One vendor was selling knitted beanie hats.

Synthetic dyes were available.

There were lots of farmers selling their vegetables,

and some meat was for sale.

I bought this coca bag I showed in the last post from this man.

Of course, I can't resist purses and bags. I have way too many of them.

I bought several belts, thinking, of course, they make great purse straps.

This cute couple was enjoying the afternoon in the town square.

After the market, we headed to Candelaria, to a hacienda that has been in Lisbeth's family for over 100 years.

We had a beautiful lunch.

This is Lisbeth's mother, who still lives at the hacienda part of the time.

Here is one of the cooks wearing the conquistador-style hat.

These grinding stones were just outside the kitchen and still used today.

The chapel was being used for grain storage while the roof on the original storage room was being repaired. The chapel had an alter and wreaths dating from the early days of the hacienda.

Some of the local boys showed us their traditional dances. On their shoes are exaggerated spurs, also reflecting the influence of the conquistadors.

After our visit to the Candelaria hacienda, we stopped by our last weaving co-op. This was the only co-op where we saw weaving that appeared to be of cotton. I bought a couple of these bags.

We had a late drive back to Sucre. This was our last day of sightseeing. The next day we would fly back to La Paz, starting our journey home. I'm still trying to absorb all the sights and experiences of my first trip to South America.

Sucre and Potosi

2010-12-17T09:16:00.000-08:00

Our base of operations in Sucre was this beautiful old Colonial hotel, Parador Santa Maria la Real.

The hotel had a wonderful rooftop courtyard with a view of the city.

One of the highlights of Sucre was the textile museum. There were wonderful displays showing the different textiles from the regions surrounding Sucre. On our day trips out of Sucre, most of the weavings we saw were either of the Tarabuco or Jalq'a people.

The photo above is of a Tarabuco weaver who was working at the museum. The hat she has on is called a "tadpole" and signifies that she is an unmarried woman. The black flap on the side is the tadpole's tail.

The Tarabuco women weave panels with very intricate animals, people, landscapes, and buildings. Sometimes the weavings tell a story. Some of the panels are used as a decorative edging on the women's skirts.

These bags are used by men to carry coca leaves. There is often a very small pocket for carrying the ash catalyst.

I suspect this purse below was almost like a sampler. A younger weaver might have been learning the patterns for the various figures as she wove one row of each.

This woman is from the Jalq'a group. Jalq'a weavings are traditionally red and black and feature writhing mythical demons and pregnant animals.

In Sucre we explored the town square and did some shopping.

The following day we took a drive to Potosi, famous for its silver mines. Our guide told us that during the 1600's, Potosi was a larger city than Paris or London. Potosi is at 13,500' elevation, the highest town of its size in the world.

The mountain at the end of this street held the main silver deposits.

We visited the Mint Museum there. Near the entryway is this painting of the Pacha Mama (Mother Earth) in the shape of the mountain.

The Spanish minted coins in Potosi.

Much of the minting machinery was brought to Potosi all the way from Spain.

The mask on the building represents the local man who lead the Spanish to the silver deposits. He has become the sort of mascot of Potosi.

We visited the miner's market. It is customary for visitors to the mines to bring gifts to the miners, usually cigarettes, alcohol and coca leaves.

On the hill outside the entrance to the mine are miners' housing and the hospital.

This city and the accomplishments of the 1600's were truly amazing. Just like being at Machu Picchu, it makes you think maybe we haven't come that far after all.

La Paz

2010-12-16T00:56:00.000-08:00

This was the view from the hotel the next morning. Amazing!

La Paz is a mix of quaint, sleepy lanes and big city congestion. Traffic was incredible. And pedestrians definitely do not have the right-of-way in Bolivia!

One of the highlights of the day was a visit to the National Museum of Ethnography & Folklore. Besides being in a beautiful building, the museum had fantastic collections of textiles, masks, and a special exhibit of objects adorned with feathers.

We had lunch and did some people-watching.

Then in the afternoon we visited the market area known as the Witches' Market. Some vendors at the market specialize in supplies for shamans and healers. There were plenty of stalls selling spices, carvings, and animal fetuses, all used in making offerings to the various spirits.

This woman had many older textiles for sale. We bought quite a few items from her sidewalk stand before she suggested that we visit her store about 2 blocks down the street. What a treasure trove that was!

John takes a break from shopping.

Another great day!

You Don't Want to Be an Electrician in Bolivia

2010-12-15T09:17:00.000-08:00

La Paz, Bolivia

First View of La Paz

2010-12-14T10:00:00.000-08:00

We left Puno by bus and headed to the border of Bolivia. The border is a busy place with vendors, human-power tuk tuk's, money changers, and commerce of all sorts. We walked across the border, then boarded a new bus for La Paz.

On the way into La Paz we passed this statue of Che Guevara, made all of recycled metals.

These photos don't do justice to the spectacular view coming into La Paz. It is absolutely breathtaking. La Paz sits in a bowl, surrounded by the high peaks of the Andes. Fantastic!

From some perspectives, La Paz looks like a city built of Legos.

Evening view of the city from the 6th floor of our hotel.

The Day We Walked to Puno, Lake Titicaca

2010-12-13T09:37:00.000-08:00

The next day we flew from Cusco to Juliaca, where we were to take a bus to Puno on Lake Titicaca. I don't have many photos from this day, but it turned out to be one of our biggest adventures. This is the altiplano, the high plain, from the bus. I was surprised that it was so flat and dry. I obviously did not pay attention to the name, which is quite descriptive. It was hard to believe we were high in the Andes. Juliaca and Puno, our destination on the shores of Lake Titicaca, are both at about 12,500' above sea level.

As the sun started to set, we came upon a protest blocking the highway. Nearby residents were protesting for better roads to some of the outlying villages. They had spread rocks and boulders across the highway. Traffic was backed up in both directions. The road to Puno was definitely impassable. We sat on the bus while the sun went down and our tour guide made calls to figure out what we were going to do.

Then the tour guide said we would have to switch buses. They were going to send another bus out of Puno to pick us up on the other side of the protest. But we had to walk to the other bus. It was dark, the road was full of rocks, people had bonfires and were cooking in the middle of the highway, no bathrooms of course. We walked in the dark, mostly uphill, for about 2 hours at about 11,800 feet elevation to get to the other bus! Yes, I made it. No one had to carry me. The tour company sent some guys back in smaller buses to retrieve our luggage. Those men went above and beyond the call of duty. They traveled around the protest on a small dirt road, got as close to our orignal bus as they could get, then shuttled our luggage back to the small buses most of the night. They delivered all the luggage to our hotel at about 3:30 am! Such is travel in South America.

But, we woke the next morning in Puno to this view out the hotel window.

We walked down to the harbor to catch a boat to take us on a day tour of Lake Titicaca. Here's a view of Puno from the harbor.

These reeds grow in the lake around the shore areas. The Uros people have developed a unique lifestyle, using the lake resources to the maximum. They cut bricks out of the mud and reed roots and lash them together to make floating islands. There are about 50 floating islands in the Bay of Puno where about 2000 Uros people live. Cut, dried reeds are laid down crosshatch on top of the mud bales to build up the islands. Practically everything is made from reeds, including houses, boats, and beds. We stopped at one of the islands. I was surprised - again! My feet sank down into the reeds about 6" with every step, and I could feel the slight swaying of the island. The residents welcomed us, explained the island's construction, took us into their homes (which, by the way, are powered by solar panels), and displayed their handcrafts.

House with a solar panel.

Drying reeds.

Stone hearths are used to keep cooking materials away from the reeds.

The women are excellent embroiderers.

Next our tourboat took us to Isla Taquile. Our restaurant was partway up the hill, a 45 minute walk up from the harbor.

One of the men at the restaurant was knitting a chollo.

Some of the younger people showed us some of their traditional dances.

A shepardess hearding sheep on the island where there are no police, and no dogs!

The boat trip back to Puno took about 3 hours. That was our last day in Peru. We headed for the Bolivian border by bus the next morning.

I'm In Artizen Magazine!

2010-12-12T12:26:00.000-08:00

Ornament 3: Bloodlines shown on cover

Photo by Mark Frey

I am a featured artist in Artizen Magazine's online December 2010 issue! Publisher Cindy Marks did a fine layout using photos that I sent and some she took off my website. You can subscribe to the magazine for free using the subscription form on the front page. Take a look!

Chinchero, Salinas de Maras

2010-12-10T10:57:00.000-08:00

After our return to Cusco from Machu Picchu, we had another big day exploring the environs around Cusco. Sunday morning started with me buying the hat off the head of the guy on the right. The men knit hats called "chollos". The designs are very intricate, and they are knit without a pattern! You see men standing around knitting, not even looking at what they are doing. Later on, when we visited Lake Titicaca, our guide told us that single women have a test to see if a man will be a good husband. They put water in a hat that the man has knitted. If the water runs through too quickly, he hasn't knit the hat tight enough. He might be lazy and would not make a good husband. (Oh, if it were that simple!)

Here's the hat I bought from the talented man on the right in the photo above.

Later, I bought this antique hat at the market across from the hotel.

We took the bus to Chinchero. Our guide took us to a fantastic weaving co-op, Centro de Tejedoras Chinchero. This was probably the highlight of the co-ops we visited. The women demonstrated all steps of the spinning, dyeing, and weaving processes. And then there was a wonderful market and gift shop.

This woman wove the piece below which I bought.

I also bought this piece woven by another artist.

There was a small museum at the co-op. Here are three "quilts" they had on display there.

After our informative visit at the co-op, we headed for the Chinchero market. This was a regional market with a mix of handcrafted items and textiles, tourist souvenir items, produce, and flowers.

Next stop was the Moray archaeological site. This is believed to be an Inca agricultural experimental station. The site was watered by a complex irrigation system, and traces of about 250 cereals and vegetables have been found.

These vendors are set up just outside the site. Not a big day for shoppers, but the scenery can't be beat.

After lunch we went on to visit the salt mines at Salinas de Maras, where naturally salty water is channeled into 3,000 man-made wells and left to evaporate in the sun.

There is a picturesque chapel at the overlook to the mines.

We headed back for our last night in Cusco.

Machu Picchu

2010-12-06T00:25:00.000-08:00

So here we are. This is me, having one of the best days of my life. (That walking stick made all the difference.)

We Make Our Way To Machu Picchu

2010-12-05T10:25:00.000-08:00

From Cusco we traveled by bus through Urubamba to Ollantaytambo where we caught the train to Aguas Calientes, the last stop on the way to Machu Picchu.

I included this photo taken from the bus in Urubamba because it's the only photo I have of the tuk tuk's, golf cart taxis. There are tuk tuk's in Guatemala and Thailand as well, and they are called tuk tuk's there too! I don't know where that word originated, but it seems that it's becomming universal.

In Ollantaytambo, we boarded the train. Small farms dot the valley on the way upriver to Aguas Calientes.

Here's some of the gang in front of our hotel in Aguas Calientes. The hotel caters to backpackers visiting Machu Picchu. Everyone is expected to be on an early schedule.

Here are some views of the village of Aguas Callientes. Less than a year ago the river flooded and many of the roads and part of the railroad were washed out. Reconstruction is still underway.

Just down the block from the hotel, we caught the shuttle bus to the Machu Picchu entrance. The bus climbs an incredible switchback road up the mountain to the gate.

The initial view of Machu Picchu is spectacular - very surreal. I found it hard to believe I was actually there.

Awana Kancha

2010-12-04T09:51:00.000-08:00

On the way back to Cusco from Amaru, we stopped at Awana Kancha, the co-op where Amaru and several other villages sell their weavings and other handcrafts. Near the entrance to the co-op are various pens where examples of the various llamas and alpacas are kept. This chart helped explain the varieties.

Inside the co-op there is a display showing the various herbs and plants and equipment used in the natural dyeing process.

I wished these yarns were for sale, but they weren't. They were just there to show all the color variations available from the natural dyes.

They had a small amount of yarn for sale in the gift shop, but again, it was very fine, made for weaving. I hope I'll be able to make a lace shawl out of it. This yarn is too fine even for socks.

This is the woven scarf that I bought there. It's made of baby alpaca and is incredibly soft.

Amaru Village Adventure

2010-12-03T11:00:00.000-08:00

One day we drove out of Cusco along the road to Pisac. We were on our way to Amaru Village, where the residents had agreed to show us how they process, spin, and weave alpaca, llama and sheep's wool. We stopped to look out over the Sacred Valley. The Urubamba River flows at the bottom of this valley from south to northeast. It is one of the headwaters of the Amazon, and eventually empties to the Atlantic Ocean. Over many, I suspect hundreds of, years, many of the slopes of the Andes have been terraced. Some terraces are built for agriculture, and some for errosion control. I'd say that's a pretty ambitious land use plan, terracing the Andes.

On our first of wrong turns, we encountered an obstruction in the road. Someone had driven into the ditch. Some of the guys on our bus jumped out the help the car on its way, while these women watched. Much of the farming is still done by hand. Many of the land plots are small, so many of the farmers can't afford machinery or even oxen.

While the guys were helping with the car, this shepard came along the road.

After turning the bus around and trying another road, the bus driver refused to go further when we encountered this stream crossing the road.

So, he turned the bus around in rather tight conditions. I opted to stay off the bus during this maneuver.

After taking a local farmer onto the bus to show us the way, we made it to Amaru Village, only an hour late. The whole village was assembled to greet us. Musicians played while the women pelted us with rose petals.

All the villagers were dressed in their traditional clothing, which they told us they always wear. It wasn't just a show for us.

The village leader welcomed us.

The women demonstrated cleaning and spinning the fibers.

We saw them prepare natural dyes and boil the spun fibers.

Some looms were being warped.

And some of the women were weaving.

Men also weave in this village.

We had more music and dancing, and the villagers prepared a snack of corn and beans for us.

Notice that they serve the food on the ground and right on top of one of those beautiful handwoven fabrics. They also spread the handwoven pieces on benches and on the ground for us to sit on.

We left the village hospitality to begin our (shorter) journey back to Cusco. We stopped at Dona Clorinda's for lunch, where there was live music on the Andean harp.

One more stop on the way back to Cusco - Awana Kancha, where the Amaru villagers sell their weavings. Stay tuned for the next post.

A Day In And Around Cusco

2010-12-02T00:08:00.000-08:00

Of course, on arrival in Cusco, one of the first things I had to do was check out the market across the road from the hotel. I found these well-made purses and zipper bags there. The fabrics are all hand woven and dyed with natural dyes.

We went to a weaving center, Centro de Textiles Tradicionales del Cusco, on Avenue del Sol. Three weavers were demonstrating their craft, there were many beautiful textiles for sale, and there was a small museum with fabulous examples of Peruvian weavings, textiles, and traditional dress.

They had a bit of hand-dyed and spun yarn for sale. I was disappointed not to see more yarns for sale during the trip. We did see much yarn being spun, but most of it was very fine and made to be used in weaving. There was very little yarn for knitting. Hand-spun yarns for knitting must be made mainly for export.

In the afternoon we made our way to the Saqsayhuaman (pronounced almost like "Sex-y-wo-man" or "Sax-say-whoa-man") ruins outside Cusco. Here's a view of part of the ruins with Cusco in the background.

These women expected to be paid for having their photo taken.

These girls were walking through the ruins on their way home from school and stopped to slide.

Later that evening we did some more shopping downtown on the Plaza de Armas. Tiendas Museo is a textile store on the square. The owner said his grandmother and mother began collecting textiles 60 or more years ago. The collection was overwhelming.

I bought a bag, which the owner said was more than 80 years old,

and a belt, which he estimated at 50 or more years old. I was fascinated with all the miniature animal designs. Since the strap on the purse looks newer than the bag, I thought I might replace it with this belt. I think they compliment each other nicely.

Cusco, Peru

2010-12-01T09:23:00.000-08:00

We flew over the Andes from Lima to Cusco.

Here's a view of Cusco from the airport.

Cusco, at an elevation of 10,800' above sea level, was our base of operations for four nights. Our first task was to aclimate. That means taking it easy and drinking some coca leaf tea.

Even the deserts have coca in them. This is coca creme brule.

Here are some photos that will give you an idea of what Cusco is like. I found it to be charming, vibrant, and interesting, with friendly and helpful people. It's a place I would like to get to know better. The food was excellent, and there is an interesting variety of crafts. A surprise was that Peru uses US dollars as an alternate currency. Just about anywhere, you can get a price in dollars or Peruvian Soles, pay in either currency, and get change in one or the other.

Plaza de Armas at dusk.

Avenue del Sol near our hotel.

A street vendor on Avenue del Sol selling mangos to Diego, one of our tour organizers.

Peruvian mangos.

I loved this little stool that the street vendor used to reach her wares.

One of the churches on Plaza de Armas.

Just a little traffic.

Plaza de Armas

View of one of the hillsides from Plaza de Armas.

A train makes its way along the hillside.

Colonial architecture with an ornate carved balcony.

Another downtown plaza.

Bridal shoppe.

This shop is closed, San Blas district.

San Blas District

Store in the San Blas district.

Mural on Avenue del Sol depicting Peru's history.

Three More for Guatemala Bound

2010-11-30T09:35:00.000-08:00

Here are three more finished quilts for Guatemala Bound. The quilt above was assembled by Joan and Pat from Anchorage from various quilt blocks they collected.

This is a quilt that my sister Linda contributed.

And this is one that I put together mostly from fabric samples. It's great to finally use those up!

Some Handcrafted Items from Lima

2010-11-29T10:54:00.000-08:00

I managed to do a bit of shopping in Lima. Here are some of my favorite handcrafted items. Sondra and I were first taken with these embroidered belts. You saw some photos of one of the shop vendors in an earlier post.

I purchased these dolls at a little shop outside the Museo de Oro del Peru. They are replicas of Pre-Columbian Chancay culture dolls and are newly-made from recycled fabrics.

There are lots of purses and zipper bags made from recycled weavings.

This knitted skinny scarf was less than $6.

Here's an older handwoven belt that I purchased at the Indian Market.

This is a new handwoven belt of acrylic yarns.

This is an older baby carrier. I love the fact that the wide brown strips are not the same width. There are intricate woven animals in the two center stripes. This was made from two widths of fabric woven on a backstrap loom. The two panels are embroidered together.

Here's an example of how the carriers are worn as backpacks.