Photo du jour

sign of the week

Thread dispenser -- the budget version

Recently the Quiltart list got buzzing about a nifty product, the Martelli Kwik Spinner thread dispenser.  It holds big cones of thread, turns on ball bearings for easy feed, is adjustable in height so the thread comes out just right for your sewing machine, and is heavy enough not to tip over if you run into it with your quilt.  Don't you want one?

Maybe if I tell you the price -- $149 -- you don't any more.















I felt very smug.  Here's my Kathy Loomis thread dispenser.  It works with any size spool or cone and feeds out at the right height (above the sewing machine).

holds two spools/cones at once!

smooth path -- thread won't snag or escape!

with optional holder, even the skinniest spools won't tip over!














Maybe if I tell you the price -- about 10 cents for two bulldog clips -- you'll want one of these instead.

Photo du jour

boarded up

Photo du jour

found art

Photo du jour

last car on the ferry

Collaboration 3 -- in search of art

I've been writing about my project with Uta Lenk, in which we exchanged emails every day for almost seven months.  Since we're both serious artists, we tried to not be silly all the time, no matter how much fun it was to take pictures of blow-up vinyl Santas or World Cup toilet brushes.

One of our recurring themes was "found art," which I most often discover by taking close-up photos of dumpsters.  After much observation I deduce that people like to write graffiti on dumpsters, which the owners cover up with whatever color paint happens to be at hand.  The result is often hard to distinguish from "real art" and I am always happy to find new color palettes.

Found art can also be found in other places.  Below is some that Uta found on the beach.

Here's some I found on the sidewalk.

Occasionally I'd throw in a detail shot of "real art" -- found in a gallery (below) -- and we realized how tenuous and arbitrary the definition of art can be!