What Was Old...

Vicki, Hubby and I hopped a train and went into Chicago today! We went to the Art Institute and Quiltology (more about Quiltology tomorrow... a LOT more!). It was such a fun day!

We saw some really great paintings at the A.I. I just loved the colors on some of them! And we came across a painting with a very interesting little detail...

Look at that floor! This painting is from 1490! Long before Ohio... :) I didn't get a picture of the whole painting, but it's called "Virgin and Child Crowned by Angels" by Colyn de Coter.

There were many other lovely paintings! Here's one of my favorites:

It's called "Kitchen Still Life" and is attributed to Paolo Antonio Barbieri, from about 1640. I love the whole scene, but the detail on the mushrooms is just wonderful!

This one is called "Still Life With A Basket Of Fruit And A Bunch Of Asparagus" by Louise Moillon, 1630. Doesn't it look yummy? :)

The Art Institute has some architectural items too, taken from Chicago buildings that were (most unfortunately) torn down or remodeled.

This is an Adler and Sullivan elevator enclosure grill taken out of the Chicago Stock Exchange building that was demolished in 1972. I LOVE the detail on this, and am really thinking hard about how to make this into a bias-tape applique!

This is a Frank Lloyd Wright window from the Emil Bach house. I love it! I think it may become a quilt too...

I took almost 200 pictures at the museum- and that was with the textiles and quilt exhibit closed! It will re-open in May- the galleries have been undergoing extensive remodeling. I cannot wait until it opens- I have been told that some of the quilts they have are amazing!

Then- we went to Quiltology...... :) :) :)

A Few Of My Favorite Things!

A friend asked me to "review" my favorite area quilt shops... so, here goes! In no particular order... they are all so amazing I don't think I could pick one as a favorite!

Quilt In Joy, Huntley, IL: This little quilt shop has an amazing array of fabrics! They just celebrated their one-year anniversary last month. They have the best selection of batiks in this whole area, and the staff is so friendly! I love going there- they just make you feel so welcome- like you came to their house for a day of sewing! They also have one of the best selection of notions. I like that- they have a lot of notions that you can't get at the big, scary box store. Quilt In Joy is the closest quilt shop to my house. Love it!

Tammy Tadd Designs, Sycamore, IL: This not-so-little quilt shop is the brightest, happiest place! Their selection of bright fabrics is out of this world. They have one of the biggest selections of 1930's reproduction fabrics in this area. One of the ladies that works there does an amazing job of decorating and keeping everything looking fresh! They teach some innovative classes, and carry embellishment items that are hard to find, like jumbo ric-rac. They also do long-arm quilting on site, and the turn around is pretty fast! Tammy Tadd Designs is the next closest shop to my house.

Quilter's General Store, Rockford, IL: This fantastic shop is THE place to go if you want Civil War reproductions, and darker fabrics like Kansas Troubles by Moda. The staff is so friendly, and they are very knowledgeable about the stuff they carry. They carry whole "collections" of fabric, which is very nice. They make samples for just about everything, and they make a lot of kits, which is so nice! They also have space devoted to "softer" fabrics and children's fabrics. They get nationally-known designers in for lectures and workshops, too, which is so much fun! Quilter's General Store is a bit of a drive from my house, but totally worth it!

There are some quilt shops that are not in this area that I really like, too. They are Mill House Quilts, in Waunakee, WI: this quilt shop has the most fabric I have ever seen under one roof- and all sorts, too, from flannel to batiks! And last but certainly not least is Ivy Thimble Quilt Shop, in Victor, NY (my hometown!!). I only get back home once or twice a year, but this shop is always on my intinerary. They have a great selection of batiks and "basics", like Moda Marbles and Kaufmann Fusions.

There you are- a few of my favorite things!