Saltwater Fiber

I've always been enamored of found fiber and there was some lovely stuff near Fort Popham the other day. I like the inherent energy of this rope that's been in and out of the saltwater, tied, winched, hauled, buffeted and finally tossed ashore.

Nine Patch

Having just moved to Maine, I wanted to work on a Good Will quilt made from local materials. Off I went to the second-hand clothing store and found myself some nice, heavy, broken-in cottons. Piecing and quilting used fabric can be a challenge. Heavy cottons make for thick seams. Corduroys have gorgeous textures but they can be slippery to sew. When you combine different weights of fabric the pieces are much less likely to end up marching in precise rows. I like the tilt. I like the way the eye dances across the implied pattern only to return in search of the surprise shape or color that didn't quite fit the assumption.

Maine Rocks

Lately, we walked a shore-side trail belonging to the Harpswell Heritage Land Trust. Along the trail we saw The Giant's Stairs, a geologic feature on the eastern side of Bailey Island resembling a very large flight of steps tumbling down into the sea. The rocks there were full of motion and subtle, glorious color. Now I have to go see how many kinds of gray I can find in my fabric stash.

Art is Where You Find It

My husband and I took a weekend drive up to Greene, Maine. It's a teeny tiny town that was first settled by one of my distant ancestors. Along the way we spotted this retirement sale. The owner was sure that his stuff was worth a lot of money - especially the stuff that had been stored in a vine-encrusted tractor trailer for 20 years. He charged me a dollar to photograph his art. There was certainly a very creative mind at work there.