August Chookshed Challenge

The July Chookshed for me was the double wedding ring quilt. I shared a photo of the curves I was making and I'm still making but I haven't shared another photo since. Unfortunately the curves I've been making all look the same so I don't see the point in posting another photo. However, I can share that I haven't made the 164 curves needed yet. Currently my total is 35. I'm getting very good at making the curves but I am so bored! In fact I'm really happy to reach the end of July and have to move on to a new challenge for August. However don't worry as I will be making a number of curves every time I get my sewing machine out. I want to make the Double wedding ring quilt and to be able to use it on my bed, but I know it is going to be a slow project.

So welcome to August. Driving to work this month will be much quicker in the morning since there will be no school coaches and less parents driving their children to school. I love the silly or quiet season! I checked out the Chookshed challenge for August and found it is the Star Trek cross stitch. Since it is another hand stitching project I'm going to put my embroidered tablecloth away until September and concentrate on cross stitch. I haven't got very far but I never meant to start it when I did. I only started it to see how difficult it was stitching on black aida. Anyway here is the pattern

These are the delightfully bright DMC stranded embroidery threads for the cross stitch.

and this is what I've already done.

Some stitching every day should move this forward. I do have to admit that cross stitch isn't my favourite form of stitching and the black aida makes it all a little more difficult but it isn't impossible.

Yesterday, John and I went to the Frida Kahlo exhibition at the Tate Modern. The underground was rather warm but not too busy so the travelling was manageable. The exhibition is called. Frida; The making of an Icon. We were looking forward to the exhibition but we were aware that the gallery had been experiencing a lot of problems with getting the owners of her paintings to loan their pictures. It seems the world situation is stressing the owners. So the exhibition has a lot of works by other artists who worked with Frida Kahlo and helped her to develop her skills. I found it interesting but when I go to see the works of a particular artist, that's what I want to see. Anyway here are some of the pictures.

This is a self portrait (in a velvet dress) painted in 1926 oil on canvas. This was her first self portrait.

Around 1934 Frida adopted the clothing of the Zapotec women from the isthmus of Tehuantepec region of Mexico. These 4 garments were from her personal wardrobe.

This next painting by Frida is called Sun and life . Painted in 1947 oil on masonite.

A still life by Frida titled. Still life (I belong to Samuel Fastlich) painted in 1951 oil on masonite.

A 1933 painting titled ' My dress hangs there.'

The next photo is of a preparatory sketch for an oil painting made in 1931 graphite on paper.  It depicts American horticulturist Luther Burbank as a hybrid human-tree. During a visit to his home she learnt that Burbank wished to be buried beneath a cedar of Lebanon tree after his death so that his body could nourish it. The work relates to Mexican views of life and death as cyclical with death being a celebrated part of life.

I took a photo of this final sign as we left the exhibition. If you want to read it you can enlarge it onscreen.

Today is a sewing day and also a garden day. I may need a nap later as I didn't sleep well last night, no reason, just one of those nights. I've already walked the dogs this morning before the heat moved in.  Now, what shall I do first.....?

Take care

Lyndsey