Monday 23 March 2015

World Quilting Weekend, Sakura and Magnolia blossoms on a rainy weekend.

In East Vancouver there is a street that is amazing each Spring.  Unfortunately our Spring started as a rainy weekend although Saturday had some lovely sunshine.  Located just north of East 1st Avenue and Windermere Street is this lovely two block stretch of flowering Star Magnolia and Cherry trees.
Looking west under the Magnolias you can see the pink of the Cherry trees at the bottom of the hill.
 Across the intersection of Windermere you can see the cars parked under the Cherry Trees and one Magnolia on the right through my windshield.  It was raining and I didn't want to block traffic by getting out of the car to take pictures.
 Driving up the hill you can see how the trees have been peched to arch over the road.  They have been battered by the wind and rain over the weekend and are dropping their petals like pink snow.

These trees have been here for more than fifty years, I love the interesting shapes to their trunks and branches.
 Grey with a touch of blue sky beyond the shades of soft pink.
 Check out the size of that trunk and how the centre branches have been trimmed to shape the tree.
 A few blocks away an incredible pink Camellia tree.  There are several spectacular ones in this neighbourhood and a pink Magnolia behind it.
 Looking back down the street offers a different perspective of the trees.
 Just gorgeous and breath taking.  Cherry trees are planted in many neighbourhoods in the city.
 The blossom are huge!
 Saturday to celebrate World Quilting Day I decided to start a new wool project.  I used a piece of Osnaburg cotton as a template.  I traced the edge of my design and then 3/4" in a second line to show an edge of what is going to be made.
 I interviewed several turquoise wool fabrics including a plaid but decided on this softer mottled one and a strip of green plaid.  I basted the fabrics onto my base and then stitched the ink lines to give me areas to work within.
 My first piece of stitching was using a variegated shades of green to join the green to the turquoise wool
I've added some motifs to the project but you will have to wait and see what comes...what is your guess?

2 comments:

Anita said...

Beautiful photos! Thanks for sharing!

Vicki Boster said...

Oh my gosh-- such beautiful spring blooms. That street is truly spectacular in full spring display. There is a place almost as pretty not far from where we live--- want to visit there if it ever gets to be spring!!
Vicki