Batiks from Malaysia

Another adventure I went on in March was to take a Friendly Planet tour to Malatsia!

I've always wanted to visit the island of Borneo.  It is a land of so many interesting animals, habitats and people.

 I thought my Fabric Friends might be interested in seeing some of the beautiful fabrics that are made in Malaysia!  Here are some sarongs hanging on washing lines outside a traditional long house.  They are very worn but still they hold their color and pattern.  The sign of real Batiks!

This one has more of a chinese influenced design and the one below is a more traditional design to Malaysia and Indonesia.

Both men and women wear Batiks in a wrap around fashion called a Sarong.  It's about 2 meters of fabric.

Women wear the sarong full length or as a skirt like the women on the lower right.

I'll share pix of some of the fabrics that I collected next time.  

Cheers, CW

Back From Some Adventures

 It's nice to take a break now and then.  I've been away from home a lot over the last month and a half so I decided to simplify life and not try to blog while I was away.  I've got lots of adventures to share; but, since it's so fresh in my mind I'll start by telling about my adventure last weekend.

I was invited to present my Trunk Show and teach my class 'Scrap Strategies' for the Ladies of The Lake Quilt Guild up in Lake County, CA.  What a great group!  Excuse the '60's terminology; but,  they really have a nice vibe!  Everyone was really friendly and helpful and I'd like to give a special shout out to Valerie and Linda for making me feel so welcome!

After my presentation on Sat. morning I had time to do a little sightseeing.  First stop was Kerrie's Quilting.  Check out Kerrie's website http://www.kerriesquilting.com .  Kerrie has a nice array of fabrics and a lot of cute samples.  You can also pick-up this brochure at Kerrie's.

Lake County has the first ever Quilt Trail in California.  I'd heard of Barn Quilts but I'd never heard of a Quilt Trail!  The brochure comes with a little history,  pictures of all the Barn Quilts and a map so you can locate and visit the various locations.  I had planned on doing a drive around the lake but this just made it that much more interesting!

I drove North East up around the top of the Lake and down around the East shore.  There weren't many Barn Quilts here but the lakeside park in Lucerne was really nice with great views of the lake. 

 This is Mount Konotci.  An ancient volcanic formation.  The red soil is just perfect for vineyards.  Like it's neighbors Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino; the wine industry is really big here.

 A little farther on the afternoon wind had picked-up and the sailors were out in force!

 The first Barn Quilt I saw on my drive was this one.  #58 "Grape Basket" outside of Clearlake Oaks.

   Now near the Southwest side of the lake looking back toward Clearlake Oaks.

 If ever there was a side of a Barn crying out for a Barn Quilt this has got to be it!

 # 24 Hawaiian Pineapple on Soda Bay Rd.

 Back in Lakeport.  Such a cute little town!  Here's #48  Courthouse Steps

#50 Lemoyne Star

#49  Schoolhouse

#47 Three Cheers

 #51 Double Wedding Ring

Downtown Lakeport, established in 1888, has a charming old time atmosphere complete with a Carnegie Library building,  lake side park with a gazebo where music is performed on summer evenings and beautiful views of the lake!

I was on limited time to get all the way around the lake so I did not stop to take pix of every Barn Quilt I saw but it was great fun searching them out while touring around the lake.  This last one was in a real 'working barn' a little ways outside Lakeport.  #55 Weathervane, Scully Packing shed.

If you're ever in Northern California, perhaps visiting the Wine Country I highly recommend taking a side trip to Lake county.  It's beautiful and full of interesting sites not least of which is the Barn Quilt Trail!

Cheers, Claire W.