20 June 2014

If you think this is the pier in Cayucos, California on a foggy day, you'll only be partly right.  It is Cayucos at 5:30 AM.  I arrived home a couple of days ago.  This is actually the view from our window at On The Beach B&B.  My two sisters and I met up there and enjoyed the town, the hotel, the beach and each others' company.  If you do click on the link, there is a picture of the lobby with a quilt hanging on the wall.  The lady who made the quilt is also the cook.  A hot breakfast and a happy hour with appetizers were served daily as well as a great house-made dessert in the evening.  If you go to the 'rooms' link, the top photo is the room we stayed in.  Notice the view.

Here is the appetizer from day one. Clockwise from top, arugula salad with choice of toppings  (pecans, raisins for me) a yummy quiche, a savory quinoa cake.



After all the talking was done or nearly so, we went into Morro Bay about 5 miles south so I could go to The Cotton Ball. This is a favorite quilt, fabric, home decor store.  I mentioned it a previous post. Monkey on the Branch. 

I took this photo there this week.  However they are moving from this location soon.  Still in Morro Bay.

I bought this pattern. There was a sample made up from the larger version on the front of the envelope.  It was entirely different in fabric from the photo, not quite so bold.








I bought batiks.  I love batiks.  Upon arriving home I washed the chosen ones and . . .

. . . here they are.  I have spread them out on the loom while Zorro completely ignores me. They are beautiful, yes?  Yes!!!

Because I am finishing up a project this weekend, I'll start the bag on Monday or perhaps sooner. Chi sa?  (Who knows--in Italian)

                                 Please come again.

The Monkey on the Branch

 

A number of years ago, my daughter and a friend saw Eddie Izzard perform a funny sketch about learning French.  I never saw it back then.  In fact I only looked for it on Youtube so I could mention it here with a better understanding  of what made it's way into my sewing.

In the sketch, Eddie mentions learning some French phrases that were difficult to use in an everyday conversation.  One of these phrases is, "Le singe est sur la branche."  (The monkey is on the branch.). My daughter then noticed that there were figures of monkeys on branches here and there.  Yes, on fabric.

About that same time I bought a pattern (at the Cotton Ball) for an over night bag.  I also bought fabric I felt reminiscent of  a Victorian satchel.  It had monkeys.  Here is the pattern and the bag I made from it for my daughter. 

Pattern by Amber Creations.  Amber is a niece of the former owners of the Cotton Ball and worked there at the time I bought my pattern.  Later I took a class on the bag with Amber.  It was lots of fun.  Amber and her then fiance (the guy in the photo) signed the pattern for me.

Can you see the monkeys?  They are not, however on branches.  She liked it anyway.







 Why do I mention this?  Why am I going on about  monkeys and branches?  I'll tell you. Remember last time, when I mentioned curtains.  There I told about the kitchen curtain with a farm scene.  All gone now.   The fabric was so old and didn't go with the paint very well.  (Is this woman nuts?  Where is she going with this?)  

Voila!

 

Here is a close up of the fabric. What so you see?  Les singes sont sur la branche. Wearing jackets no less.

  

By the way,  I have made the satchel eight times. Here are some. The first being the one I made for my other daughter who doesn't feel the same way about monkeys or branches.

 For my friend, Cathy

There may be a monkey on this one.











I will close now with a link to the Eddie Izzard comedy piece on French.  Here is a warning.  He says the 'f' word  twice, but nothing else offensive.  It's pretty funny.  Le Singe Sur La Branche.

Ci vediamo presto.  (This is Italian for: we'll see each other soon.) I'm better at Italian. 

Shall we talk about . . . .

Fabric?  Since you said yes, let's do.  How much do you love it?  Have you thought about moving so you would have more room for it?  Have you obtained a storage unit to accommodate it?  Do you ever buy fabric just because it's gorgeous even though you haven't any idea what you're going to do with it?  Do you think making your house look something like a fabric store would make you feel good all over?  Have you ever been to Britex?  In San Francisco?  Four stories of fabric and notions?  That is the biggest fabric store I was ever in.  Take a tour here. This takes you to the first floor, but you can see a sample of all the floors.

This is just a sample of the walls there.  Please note the ladder needed to get to those top shelves.  Ooowhee!
I actually gasped when I walked into this place the first time. (Photo from internet)







I also love The Cotton Ball.  It's in Morro Bay, California.  It's not terribly far from the Hearst Castle.  In fact, my family and I were visiting there some years ago.  In our motel room, the TV played places to go in the area. One look at The Cotton Ball and I knew I had to go there.



This is the view from the entrance.  I took a photo exactly like this, but I couldn't find it.  So again this one is from the net. This is it's second location.  It was originally on Morro Bay Blvd. Now it's on Main Street.


 Here's the family at Hearst Castle. It was a few years ago.  The baby there is my 15 year old grandson, Charles.
(See previous post)

L-R John, Alex, Charles, Gary and
Elizabeth.



Well,  I didn't start out to talk about fabric shops, but I love to go to them.  I have also bought fabric online.   These three have always come through with great fabric.  I have ordered more from eQuilter recently.  Big Horn Quilts is another favorite.  I used to ordered from Craft Connection, but they don't seem to be in business any more.  All carry brand-name fabrics.  Yay for fabric!!!