Autumn in Iowa... with Curtis

If this trail looks somewhat familiar to you, it's because you've seen it before, in August, when it was hot and green.

October 2011

August 2011

Today Dan and I returned to the High Trestle Trail, and bridge, between Madrid and Woodward, Iowa, for an autumn walk. 

The fellow up ahead was using a gas-powered blower to blow leaves off the trail! He has a l-o-n-g trail to take care of... as the wind was blowing more leaves.

At each end of the 1/2 mile-long bridge are these pillars. We walked onto it from the Madrid (east) side.

On the bridge, 13 stories above the Des Moines River.

Several informational signs along the trail provide excellent information about the area. This is a picture of the bridge piers. The photo was taken at ground level. See the person standing beside the pier? This gives you a perspective on how high we were above the river bed.

From the bridge, looking out across the river valley, we could see how low the Des Moines River is.

The river meanders to the south (toward the city of Des Moines), reflecting the sun and sparkling in the distance.

The view from the bridge shows what remains of an automobile bridge that was built in 1912. A railing around the top makes it an excellent viewing point from the Woodward (west) side of the bridge.

From the Woodward side of the bridge.

From the viewing platform (seen two photos above), this is the view back onto the bridge. 

Bicyclists love it, but then us pedestrians do too!

Now I want to return in the winter, though my husband isn't enthused about that idea. We'd certainly have to be well bundled up! Even on this mild day, the wind was whipping across the bridge, so it's easy to imagine what that would feel like at 10 degrees F (-12 C). Beyond frigid!

So on the way home we stopped at Hy-Vee (grocery store) to pick up a couple odds and ends, and look who I ran into! This is for you - all my Aussie readers and friends. 

We get to see good 'ole Curtis every day. All we have to do is turn on the tellie, watch a Hy-Vee commercial, and there he is! You had no idea we knew him that well. Now did you!? Linda

Zig a Cross Spoons and Forks

I think you like seeing quilts from a show, so here are more from last Saturday's Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild show on the campus of the University of Missouri.

I noticed a couple reoccurring themes: zig zags and crosses. The Zig Zagged quilt is a design by Shea Henderson of Empty Bobbin Sewing Studio. It's a pattern you can find here.

As for the Cross Quilt, the blocks are a design by Carla of Lollyquiltz who will be our October 20 speaker at the Des Moines Modern Quilt Guild meeting. Isn't this yummy?

Carla has a Liberated Cross Block tutorial, in case you'd like to make one yourself.

Another quilt that caught my eye, that I think is so retro, is this clever spoons and forks quilt. How does a quilter come up with such an idea?! 

"I've got to tear myself away from my sewing room to eat! I'm so hungry. Darn. I can't fix something to eat until I unload the dishwasher. I guess I'll start putting away utensils in the silverware basket. Hmm, look at that spoon. And check out that fork. Gosh, how would they look on a quilt? Forget about eating! I've got to get back to my sewing room!"       (Yes, she's a thin quilter.) 

 

This quilt was made by Tammy Vasser of AContentLife and Marmalade Fabrics. I love the simplicity of it. 

Isn't this an interesting quilt? It's sort of a Greek key design. And those touches of teal blue are in just the right places.  

The quilting really works with the linear quilt pattern.

I just like these quilts.

Bright, fresh, modern and fun! Just the way I am.... err, except perhaps for "fresh," and maybe "modern." A girl woman can dream. Linda

Three Shows

Hey there quilters! It was quite the week for quilting in our area. Here in Des Moines, a two-in-one show was last Wednesday through Saturday at the Iowa Events Center: 1) the AQS (American Quilters Society, Paducah) national quilt show, and; 2) the local DMAQG (Des Moines Area Quilters Guild) annual quilt show.

DMAQG show in Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, Iowa

Though AQS and DMAQG allow photos to be taken for personal use, those photos may not be published on the Internet.

Photographs of quilts may be taken for your own personal use; quilt photographs must NOT be displayed on the Internet (Web sites or blogs including Flickr, MySpace, Facebook, Webshots, or other personal sites) or used for any commercial purpose without permission of the quiltmaker and American Quilter's Society. 

However, another fabulous quilt show had no such restriction. It was the first quilt show of the KCMQG (Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild), which I was able to attend on Saturday, October 1. It was with great pleasure that I photographed nearly every quilt!

The outdoor show was on the grounds of UMKC (University of Missouri, Kansas City), and a more glorious blue-skied autumn day of mild temperature, bright sun, and gentle breeze you could not find! The show was stupendous, and I'm thrilled I could attend.

Though I can't tell you the name of every quiltmaker, I do know Carla made this one - "Love Beads." She has a tutorial for Love Beads that appears in the Moda Bake Shop.

Here's Carla sitting near her quilts. From a distance I thought she looked like a princess on her throne - quite regal!

I asked her to give me a royal wave, and she deigned to oblige. 

Here's the quilt she was hand-sewing binding on. 

Carla will be the guest speaker at the October 20 meeting of our Des Moines Chapter of the Modern Quilt Guild. Her presentation is about the quilts she's made through the Internet: swaps, quilt-alongs, BOMs and the like, and how to organize scraps. When she comes, she's staying with me for a few days. Ya think we'll find anything to do with ourselves?!

 A few of others' quilts at the KCMQG show...

A "found and finished" quilt

Aren't these quilts wonderful!? So much inspiration, and I have a lot more to show you.

So why did I attend a quilt show in Des Moines, and then head three hours south to Kansas City? Need I say a whole lot more?

Our oldest grandson turned two, and our Tampa family was in Kansas City for a visit. Angels that they are, it's triple the activity and chaos when the boys are together. I wouldn't trade it for the world! Playing with a ball, and crawling around on the floor to build a road and pushing a truck are meant for younger knees though!

These boys aren't TV-watchers, but they're mesmerized by a favorite Youtube video: "Wheels on the Bus." Every once in a while, we saw hand motions. Just plain cute!

Several to-dos are ahead of me this week. At the top of the list is preparing for Stitchin' Mission beginner quiltmaking lessons. As of this post, 34 people are registered for five free classes. Women, a few young girls and a couple fellas are signed up! Along with 10 helpers (called "Rebekahs" based on Genesis 24) we'll make baby quilts that will be donated to an organization that provides assistance to pregnant women. It's gonna be great! Linda