Fleur de Lis Quilts and Accessories: March 2015

Monday, March 30, 2015

"Math Is an Expletive"

One of my sisters is a math teacher. I'm an English teacher. Rich and our three boys are mechanically inclined. A couple of nieces and nephews happen to also be teachers. Our family, it appears, tends to exist in one of two camps: English or math. (never both)

I often ask for help with the simplest of math. Lee has called for writing help on a few occasions.

Last weekend I considered calling in the math troops. I'd started a new quilt in an attempt to use some blue scraps--there are SO many. One thing led to another and I eventually found myself playing with some odd shapes: triangles!

I rarely work with these because they need some knowledge of angles. I know Shakespeare. But Shakespeare didn't help. Trying to figure out the angles using math was of no use since I don't know the formulas, and I probably can't work the problem if I did.

A few words flew. Not nice words. Shakespearean insults. Perhaps a few epic curses. And suddenly the quilt had a name, "Math Is an Expletive."

http://frame.bloglovin.com/?post=4178928412&blog=4408357

Linking up with Freshly Pieced and My Quilt Infatuation.

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Sunday Quilt Inspiration: S P I R E S

Although afraid of heights, I'm fascinated by them. I can't handle heights but mostly I can't handle being in really high, open spaces. My hands get a tingly feeling just thinking about it. So why, I imagine you're asking, would I consider creating a post that may well turn my knees to mush. Well, I'm fascinated, too: enough to have a "tower, spire" board! I know, I know!

5 Utah towns on the edge of spectacular nature Atop the spire of Ancient Art, Fisher Towers. Photo: Tristan Higbee

After a full summer of visiting Midwest campgrounds, we’ve picked these as the best for scenery and amenities.

Firstly, there are beautiful spires in nature. How can anyone consider climbing to the top of one of these? I'll just appreciate it all sitting on the floor, thank you, while my hands sweat and my tummy churns. (I'll be sitting on the ground because my knees would not hold me.)

ball's pyramid, home of the land lobster/walking sausage/stick insect. (http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/balls-pyramid)

Oddly, however, I can fly and have been perfectly content in a gondola over the Mississippi River. I need to feel closed in, safe. Put me on the Batman ride with its chest bar locked down, I'll go again and again. Put me on a high, open hill, I'm going to get very nervous. Climb these? No way!

Needles along Cathedral Spires, Custer State Park, South Dakota, (Photo by Hillary Dobbs-Davis)

Architects have been inspired by nature in their design of spires, art, and high-rise buildings.

Eiffel Tower, Paris. France | Amazing Photography Of Cities and Famous Landmarks From Around The World

The 162-metre tall steel spire and the wrap-around base of The Victorian Arts Centre at Southgate. Designed by architect Sir Roy Grounds, the centre opened in 1982. The spire is illuminated with 6,600 metres of optic fibre tubing, 150 metres of neon

Bell Tower of Saint Nicholas Church - Kalyazin, Russia - The entire area surrounding it was flooded by Stalin in the 1930s to make way for the Uglich reservoir. Now, only the bell tower of one cathedral remains, jutting up from the water like a lighthouse, and a small area of land surrounds it for small boats to dock. Even though most of the building has been submerged, the spire still stands 244 feet above the water.

#Steel Monarch - New York - http://vacationtravelogue.com For Hotels-Flights Bookings Globally Save Up To 80% On Travel - http://wp.me/p291tj-5x

Salisbury Cathedral, - Stopped by on my way to Stonehenge (or on my way back to Southhampton) - BEAUTIFUL!

Gothic/Gothic revival churches - one photo per post - Page 2 - SkyscraperCity

SKYPOINT OBSERVATION DECK AT Q1 BUILDING Surfers Paradise, Australia If you take its spire into account, Q1 is the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere, and its observation deck rises to a height of nearly 755 feet. From there, rather than peering at a building-packed city, you'll be gazing at the beaches of Australia's Gold Coast. (Don't forget to look up—the ceiling is glass, too.)

Copenhagen, Denmark. If you want to get the best view, then you will climb 400 stairs up the spire on top of Our Savior Church, where you will appreciate a wonderful view of the harbour and the oldest part of the City.

One of the beauties of spires is that they were used in castle architecture since the Middle Ages--some of which still stand--yet they are timeless enough to be used even today.

Famous Skew Towers in the World, The two towers of Bologna, Italy | Most Beautiful Pages

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I didn't find a huge number of quilts inspired by spires, but they also appear in other art, so I thought I'd mix in a nice variety of quilts and other visual art. The quilts in this collection are in my "heart, quilts" board.

SEE THE YELLOW SKINNY APARTMENT W/BLACK SPIRE ROOF ON THE GROUND FLOOR ??---ONLY RENTED TO --SKINNY PEOPLE---I JUST RENTED A SUITE ON THE 3RD FLOOR FOR THE WHOLE SUMMER…….CAN'T WAIT …………ccp

Art Quilt - Building Quilt for Christopher - close up of Skyscraper.I used black and white clip art images of skyscrapers to get ideas of proportions and where to place the light and dark fabrics. A small stripe gives the visual effect of long windows. The top spire wa paper pieced. I make Prairie Points to look like dimensional bushes and flowe beds. (they flap) Debbie Lange Quilting

.Like the persepctive of doing the details,patterns, modified shapes and fasntasical detailing of the roofs only instead of having to concentrate on the whole house like most traditional architecture

Red, Black and White Deco Quilt ,,,, http://www.craftsy.com/blog/2013/09/art-deco-quilts ,,,,,

Towers and Spires by Paula Tanner, at International Quilt Festival

I Spy Planet Hexy Quilt Top by Riel -- The Q and the U, via Flickr

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Bee Great Quilt Bee

I've made it! Well, I made the block; I haven't made the deadline. I started early enough....last week. But I sort of puttered out as soon as I chose the fabrics.

During the week I got going again. But that didn't last. After sewing only a few pieces together, I came in for a drink and puff! Nothing else happened.

I'm blaming school. Which I have every right to blame. After all, they worked me "half to death" as we say in the South.

So today I forced myself to march in there and work! I enjoyed every moment and love the blocks. I even have an idea for using some of my own but maybe in one colorway.

Regardless, these are done and ready to mail on Monday morning.