Throwback Thursday--Hetch Hetchy

My Dad's 91st birthday was last Wednesday--the last day of 2014. We had a fun breakfast celebration with some of our family, but it wasn't as big a party as for his 90th birthday in 2013. That birthday was a biggie, although Dad would tell you that they're all biggies now. Anyway, Dad asked me when I was going to do a blog post about the little quilt I made for him for his 90th. So I'll write about that today for Throwback Thursday--Quilt Edition. 

First, a little history. In the northwest corner of Yosemite National Park is the Hetch Hetchy reservoir, formed by the O'Shaughnessy Dam, which was completed in 1923 and enlarged in the late 1930's by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. The 8-mile long reservoir supplies water to the city. 

My grandfather was a building contractor in California, and in the 1930's, he did a number of projects for the Commission. One of those projects was a lodge at the Hetch Hetchy reservoir for members of the Commission to use as a retreat center. My father, who was a young high school student at the time, would drive my grandfather (who was in fragile health) over rather treacherous mountain roads in the wilderness to the building site about 125 miles from his home. My father remembers those trips fondly as they were a special time with his father, who passed away several years later while my dad was in training in the army. 

In 2002, I had an opportunity to visit Hetch Hetchy with my dad. Once again, he drove the winding mountain roads, assuring me that they were in considerably better condition than they were in the 30's. We weren't able to get inside the lodge, but we spent some time prowling around the property and eating lunch on the patio. The reservoir is controversial because the dam flooded a beautiful valley. It has always been opposed by conservationists. And I'm sure some would question why the Commission needed a lodge there. But it is a hauntingly wild and beautiful area, and the lodge (the only cabin right on the reservoir as far as I know) overlooking the expanse of pristine water and mountain peaks is a connection to the grandfather I never knew. 

(Side note: I found some more recent pictures of the lodge online last year, and it looks like it's still in use. It's been updated with central air conditioning and tech access since I visited it with my dad. Last year a wild fire raged near Hetch Hetchy, and for a time we feared the lodge would be lost, but it survived.)

Anyway, when it came time to celebrate my dad's 90th birthday, I decided to make him a little primitive style quilt of the lodge at Hetch Hetchy to remind him of his time with his dad in the 30's and my time with my dad on a very special trip in 2002.

I don't remember the exact dimensions of the picture, and right now I can't find my original pattern, but the frame is 8 by 10 inches, so I'm guessing the main part of the picture is a little under 6 by 8 inches. I foundation and freezer paper pieced parts of it, machine appliqued some of the foreground, added straight stitch machine quilting details with my Singer Featherweight, and hand embroidered railings. By the way, that isn't snow in front of the lodge, but the brilliant stone outcropping that it was built on. I really can't imagine how that construction was done in such a precarious location. 

So there you have it: a little piece of history and a little quilt to remember it. 

I'm linking up today with My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday.

Little Road Trip

A few weeks ago, I discovered that Ruth B. McDowell (my art quilt idol) is the 2014 Honoree at the Quilters Hall of Fame and that her quilts are on display right now at the Marie Webster House in Marion, Indiana. I knew about the Quilters Hall of Fame but had never really payed much attention to where it was. Then I realized that it was just a short road trip away, and I just had to go. My husband did a little research online and found that the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automotive Museum was on the way, so this week we made the little drive with stops along the way that we could both enjoy. 

I actually really liked the car museum. It is in the restored Auburn Headquarters (in Auburn, Indiana), and many of the cars are in the original showroom, with it's stylish Art Deco design--carved beams, beautiful chandeliers and sconces, and terrazzo floors. Lots of quilty inspiration here. 

And then, this:

 "The Official Auburn Cord Dusenberg Museum Quilt" designed by Thais Heinzeling, made by the Spinning Spools Quilt Guild, and presented to the museum in 1988. We couldn't photograph it straight on because there was a car sitting right in front of it. (Imagine that. A car. In front of a quilt. Oh, that's right, it's a car museum.) Anyway, I could tell that the quilters had the same response I had. The cars were wonderful--but the building? A true work of art--with all the details preserved in quilt fabrics and stitches. I asked if they had a postcard of the quilt or if there was a picture online, and they said no, so consider this my contribution to documenting this quilt on the internet. 

That night, we stayed on the outskirts of Gas City What an unfortunate name for a town. There was a short-lived natural gas boom in the late 1800's, so I guess the name's historic, but just to be safe, we avoided eating burritos. The town is kind of cute, though, and celebrates its history with these street signs:

There's also a pleasant pathway (Cardinal Greenway) that we walked a bit of in the evening.

The next day, was my day--the visit to the quilt museum. I have no pictures of the exhibit of Ruth McDowell's quilts because photos weren't allowed (but you can find them online and in her books), and I don't think I even have words to describe how gorgeous they were. The colors were so much more vibrant than any photo could capture. And the museum is another work of art, a colonial revival home from 1902, lovingly restored to showcase the quilts. We were warmly welcomed and encouraged to take our time admiring the quilts (and the amazing woodwork.) I tried to absorb as much as I could about Ruth's techniques, color sense, and use of fabric prints and scales, and her stunning interpretation of landscapes, flowers, and images of people.  We did get a few pictures of the outside of the museum.

                                              

Now, I'll be sure to keep my eye on the schedule of exhibits, because I'm sure I'll want to go back again. 

On our way back home, we stopped at a few antique malls along the way. My husband found 3 (!) old baseball gloves that had to come home with him, and I saw lots of antique quilt tops. We both agreed that the trip was well worth it. I think if we go back, we'll take our bikes so we can ride the trail, too. 

If you are anywhere near Marion, Indiana and want to see Ruth McDowell's work, hurry. The museum is only open Thursday through Saturday, and September 27 is the last day for her exhibit.