Vacation, the beginning

The first part of my vacation was spent in Yosemite.  We only stayed 4 days this time, but had a great time.  We hiked, rafted, and met a really nice group of adventurous ladies who were climbing Half Dome the day we left.  Yes, they made it to the Top!

We drove into Yosemite the "back" way through Tioga Pass (Elevation 9500+ feet). There was still lots of snow and it was beautiful.

Once in the Valley, we hiked.  Even though is was late in the season, there were still waterfalls flowing, flowers blooming and wildlife roaming.

Goodbye Yosemite... see you next year.

I'm Home

Been a while since I posted.  I just returned from a 2 week vacation that was a little bit of this, and a little bit of that, and very little sewing... well, no sewing, but some fiber art!  Which I will tell you about first... I'll start with the fiber art which was the most recent part of my vacation.

I went to the Long Beach Quilt Festival.  I love this Show because it's less traditional and more artsy!  I took some fabric painting and fabric dying classes.  The first class I took was called "Twist and Shout" with Diane Ricks.  We twisted, knotted, and dyed some silk chiffon; opened it up and shouted!

We each dyed 2 yards of silk chiffon by making knots using string and/or rubber bands; twisted the fabric; knotted some more; dipped and/or injected our knots with dye; then carefully added dye to the unknotted areas; placed in a zip lock bag, and put in a microwave for 5 mins.  Took out of microwave, cooled, undid our knots, and opened to some beautiful colors.  I plan on making Vogue 1245 with my chiffon.  I bought some Palmer Pletsch Perfect Sew Fabri Stabilizer and hope that that will make sewing with chiffon easier.

ASG Los Angeles is going to have this dye workshop in January. So if you are local, I highly recommend it, you'll make some beautiful fabric which you can use for a garment!

The Long Beach Quilt Show  is at the Convention Center which is a great location, just a block from the beach, the Aquarium, Queen Mary, and a huge selection of restaurants (I need my elastic pants after this vacation) and nice hotels.  The weather was perfect and the quilts were fabulous!

I wish I would have taken more photos.  But I was so busy with classes (and shopping).  I did get a few using my cell and no flash (sorry for the bad quality).

The next day, I took "Printapolooza" and didn't take ANY pictures!  We silk screened, color discharged, and sun printed.  I have lots of little 8x10 pieces of different techniques.  Not sure what I will do with them, but thinking eye glass cases for Christmas gifts.

Chicago Part III

On the last full day in Chicago, Kathi and I took a tour of Marshall Fields (now known as Macys).  I highly recommend the architectural tours done by Chicago Architecture Foundation.   They are very interesting and informative and give you a great behind the scenes view of the city rich in history.

The store is located on State Street in The Loop in downtown Chicago.  The original store nicknamed the great Marble Palace was destroyed by the Great Chicago Fire.  It was rebuilt and destroyed by yet another fire in 1877.  The store was originally owned by Field and Lietner and was more of a wholesale business supplying goods to smaller stores in the midwest and west.  Later Mr. Field bought out Lietner and the store grew into the modern department store selling more luxurious goods.  Marshall Field died in 1906 and Mr. Shedd, was appointed the new President.  The current store opened in 1907 and includes a beautiful Tiffany ceiling.

The ceiling is both the first and largest ceiling ever built in favrile glass, containing over 1.6 million pieces.  It is beautiful.  The photos do not do it justice.

The clocks on the corners are listed on the National Historic Registry as is the building.  It is said that this corner was a popular meeting place where Chicago visitors and residents would meet and/or leave notes.

The store has a beautful atrium which used to be an ally.  In the late 1990's (I believe) they joined the 2 stores.  From the outside of the building you can see the two different architectural styles of the buildings.  This difference in style is also noticeable from the inside as well.

you can see the two styles here.  The center 2 columns that are slightly higher and lower than the sides... that used to be an alley.

original elevator doors

The Walnut Room where Kathi and I had lunch has an interesting story.  It opened in 1907 as a place for unescorted women to have lunch.  In the early days woman had to go home to have lunch.  Marshall Fields filled this void by becoming the first department store to start providing lunch and/or tea for their female shoppers.  It is said that in 1890 a lady working in the hat department, Mrs. Hering, started bringing in homemade chicken pot pies for her customers.  Trying on hats could be very time consuming and she wanted the ladies to be comfortable and shop.  Having something for her customers to eat increased their shopping time.  Mrs. Hering's chicken pot pie is still served in The Walnut Room, although it is not the original recipe.

 

In 2004 Target Corporation sold Marshall Fields to Macy's.