I'm offering quilting classes starting in January. Classes will be held at Central Presbyterian Church in midtown. The first class will cover basic quilting skills. I'll walk you through a sampler quilt. When you finish you'll know how to make a quilt . The following class will cover art quilt techniques. Both classes will meet for 3 hour sessions once a week for 5 weeks. Exact times to be determined. If interested, please email me at nwgoodman@comcast.net

I am posting here pictures of my latest little tapestries. But I have to say I'm disappointed by the quality of the images. They fail to show the rich textures of the fabrics or the brilliance of the bead work. Nevertheless . . . Each piece is  5" x 7"  in an 8" x 10" black frame.

 Tapestry 1

 Tapestry 2

 Tapestry 3

 Tapestry 4

 Tapestry 5

 Tapestry 6

 Tapestry 7

 Tapestry 8

 Tapestry 9

 Tapestry 10

 Tapestry 11

 Tapestry 12

 Tapestry 13

 Tapestry 14

 Tapestry 15

Burned Felt

We're kicking off the holiday season at Central Presbyterian Church with a Studio Open House and art market. December 1st from 8 - 4. I would love to see you then. Besides some newer big quilts to show, I have a collection of small tapestries, framed and ready to go. Come see. 

For the past couple of days we've mostly been staying home and spending time with family. I am working on the beading on some of my tapestries. They don't use the car at all here. We walk everywhere or take the tram. Yesterday we were out walking and stopped in at a hole-in-the-wall sweet shop where they served me this lovely ice cream.

We picked Pau up at school. They'd been on a little field trip and arrived back at the school where we were waiting. They really do walk in two lines, just like in Madeleine.

Today we took the tram over to Germany. It's just on the other side of the river. It amazes me that you move a few hundred yards, and suddenly everything is different. Gone were the quaint old buildings. Gone the attention to preservation. Apparently there was hardly a building standing in Germany after the war, so everything there has been built in the last 70 years.

And yet another language. This is how they mark no parking zones. 

We bought a sandwich and found a nice park. There are inviting public spaces everywhere here wherever we've been, and we have taken advantage of them.

We have the weekend to go, and then we'll head for home. I think it's perfect timing.

When we first got here I got in touch with the international quilting organization I belong to (SAQA) and asked if any members lived around here. The gave me contact information for one woman who lives close to Colmar. So yesterday we got together and had a wonderful time.

Her name is Beatrice Bueche. She makes beautiful art quilts and luckily, speaks some English.

We first met in the lobby of our hotel. Then she took us to the Butterfly Garden that she and her husband created and run as a tourist site. Pretty amazing. It's mostly a big hot house filled with tropical plants, lots of flowers and hundreds and hundreds of butterflies. 

 

Then she drove us to a nearby medieval town that is only accessible by car. It was older than what we've been seeing, more like the 12th century. A walled town that still has the gates to close it off. Tiny little alleyways. Fascinating.

Then she took us to the train station, and we went home to Strasbourg. We are so grateful for the time she gave us. We couldn't have seen these things without her.

Sunday: we took a bus to a town outside of Strasbourg called Vendenheim (30 minutes) because there was a quilt show there. It wasn't much, but there were a few interesting pieces.  The first one is completely felt, the second one is leather.

The town itself was an eye opener -- completely new.  Apparently there was a lot of bombing here during WWII, so much of the region has been rebuilt.

Monday: we took the train to Colmar. It's a half hour south of Strasbourg. It too has an old city center which is called Little Venice because there are lots of canals.

We visited the former Dominican convent where they have an altar painting that is world famous.

That was nice, but it was the convent itself that interested me the most. A beautiful courtyard.

In another part of the building, a modern addition, there was a picturesque spiral staircase.

Once again we bought sandwiches at one of the many boulangerie and ate in the big park.

I am beginning to use my French some because I'm tired of Jeffrey talking for me. I can ask for a bottle of water, but not much more than that. I'm going to study it when we get home. Who knows, we may come back. John's going to be here until next summer.

Aaah, Paris! We had a great time. So much to see. Every little street worthy of a picture.

We stomped around the neighborhood looking for a new hotel. Most of them were full, but we found one, and we liked it better than the first. Not so stylish, but the room (and especially the bathroom) was much bigger.

There's an old elevated train track that they have converted into artists' studios and shops. One under each arch.

And on top is a garden with a beautiful walking (and jogging) path. It goes on for about a mile. 

Then we visited the Picasso Museum. Tucked away on a little street, hard to find. We had to ask for directions about 10 times. But worth the search. We had lunch on the cafe on the roof. 

Then viewed the artwork. They don't have many of the major pieces, but they have lots of the studies that Picasso did before he started the big one. 

In the evening we had dinner with John at an incredibly romantic bistro on a quiet square.

We don't look too happy, but we were.

I was too tired to write last night. We walked about 10 miles. So I'll catch you up today. Yesterday we took the super fast train to Paris. It traveled 180 mph and was smooth and quiet. Here I am having coffee in the train station while we wait.

And the train conductors in their little hats.

Our hotel room was small but very modern. Unfortunately they screwed up our reservations and we could only stay there one night. 

We went to the Paris opera house. Incredibly grand. Built in the 19th century.

Had dinner with John, a typical bistro with tables on the sidewalk. Food was really good.

They park rather close together here. I don't know how they get out. There was about a foot of space behind this car, but still tight. The traffic is a nightmare.

Today we mastered the subway system. Saved us a lot of walking, but we're still exhausted by our day on the streets.

Went to the Maillol museum (20th century French sculptor). It was quiet and cool and the work was beautiful.  He did nudes, almost exclusively. Dozen's of them. Most of them were thin, thin (as are most of the women here), but there were a couple with little tummies. I liked those the best.

Then we went to the Tuilleries Garden. It's a huge park with lots of those tall trees that are so typical here. 

We bought sandwiches and had a picnic lunch.

My bottle of sparkling water came in a bright red bottle. I've saved it for a souvenir.

We were right across the street (like 6 lanes of traffic) from the Louvre, so we went over there and checked out the pyramid. 

And then we took the subway back home.