Sunday 12 January 2020

Bobby Bateman, Red Toile Fabric, Flu Shots

We have many large coffee table books, most from Hubby's parents. One is Robert Bateman Natural Worlds. One of our blogging friends shared why she thought hawks were her spirit bird.  I was pleased to see this beautiful painting of Robert's and thought of her.
But my favourite of his is this watercolour called Backyard Birds he painted when he was 14 and Bob Bateman...after Bobby and before Robert.  I love it.
                          
It brought back the memory of the day a hawk visited our front yard, hung around watching the feeder activity and long enough for me to get photos. It was thrilling and no small birds were lost that visit either as far as I could tell.
I'm almost ready to pull the plug on the Dresdens.  When's enough enough!
I almost started to stitch them together when I got sidetracked by this below...and did a little dreaming.
I look at this large piece of fabric, Christmas Classics from Northcott, often and wonder what I could make with it. It's been with me for years and moved from house to house with me.  Definitely something I still love, toile-like in design and rich in colours...burgundy running to a red tinged pink.
Remember my bedroom curtains are red toile. I'm so old fashioned.

But on the other hand, I'm seriously trying to quell a case of startitess. Which I notice some of you are succumbing to.:) Which totally makes me want to too! It's infectious!
✱Speaking of succumbing...I did get the high dosage flu vaccine for seniors while at the doctors last week. My doctor thought it was a good idea.

Hoping to squelch the startitess itch with some slow stitching of flowers today...while a wild winter blows outside my window.
Hope your Sunday and upcoming week are wonderful!

23 comments:

  1. Oh my, that toile is to die for! No wonder you love it. A few years ago I made Nantucket in red and cream and backed it with a red and cream toile - just love the contrast of the soft print backing up those crisp stars and nine patches. Here's a link if you'd like to take a look:
    https://rie-quiltbee.blogspot.com/search/label/Nantucket

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  2. I'm glad you got your flu shot even if you are healthy most of the time. I too have started too many projects and sometimes I blame it all on blogs!!! I follow too many, I see too many patterns, I see too much fabric! I blame it all on the internet :) I was going through two large shoe box size boxes of scrap fabric today wondering how I was going to store this - by size, by color - cut it all up in usable sizes? Just looking at it I think I have found enough to start two more quilts at least -- no no!

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  3. I always enjoy watching the birds.Stay safe and warm indoors.

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  4. I love that toile. I don't blame you for carrying it around with you for years. Whatever you do, don't cut it in small pieces. I had a fabric I couldn't bring myself to cut up that eventually became 12" blocks surrounded by flying geese.
    https://solsticestudio.blogspot.com/2018/04/still-working-on-this-quilt.html
    It's a big enough size to still show off the fabric.

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  5. Those birds are amazing, so beautiful. Oh, but that snow sure looks cold.

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  6. that toile is just luscious!!
    We got the high dose flu vaccine this year too late in October...
    i did get a slight reaction but not too bad...
    I LOVE those dresdens--the corner setting (which I really like a lot) is on my list this year...hugs, julierose
    hugs, Julierose

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  7. It is so hard to know what to do with a piece of fabric that you love. I have a few, I look at them and dream. What Robin says is right. We must not cut it into small pieces.!

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  8. Those are beautiful paintings of birds, Jocelyn - you must really enjoy those books! Your hawk looks like one we've had in our yard, too - we think it's a Cooper's Hawk. They do like the backyard birds! Your stitching and the view outside this morning both looked very peaceful.

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  9. Bateman's drawings/paintings are gorgeous and so realistic. I'm not a bird lover, per se, but I love nests and feathers in real life and drawings and illustrations of birds. (But it's not that I dislike birds, I just don't have much of an opportunity to interact with them other than seeing them through a window or on the trees or ground when outside.)
    Your toile fabric is beautiful. I hope you find something wonderful for it.

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  10. Are toile patterned curtains old fashioned?? Really?? Why, I didn't know. I am in love with the red fabric you have had in your possession all these years. It is a gorgeous piece. Those bird paintings in the book are amazing, aren't they. Enjoy stitching those pretty flowers.....it sure look a wee bit chilly up there.

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  11. Your stitching looks good, so does the snow. It´s way too mild over here in Germany and I´m afraid it won´t change.

    Nana

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  12. As a wildlife artist myself, I so love Robert Batemans work....always so stunning. What a treasure of a book....full of envy here lol!
    Your piece of toile is gorgeous....would be very hard to cut into. I think I would have to leave it whole! Enjoy your stitching with that beautiful snowy view out of your window xxx

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  13. The sweet little watercolored birdies are precious! I could flip through those pages all day. I had an interesting experience with a hawk just last week. We have quite a few (and quite a few different types) on our property. Your Dresden plates are so fun! When is enough? LOL! I adore toile -- in both red and in blue, especially! Have a happy week!! :)

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  14. I so love that piece of fabric. Have you ever tried broderie perse? Seems like that is the kind of patterned fabric that would work with it, but I know next to nothing about it!

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  15. I love the hawks. Amazing. Great projects, good luck!

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  16. I remember buying wrapping paper that looked like those little bird paintings! Love it! AND love that toile too! WE WANT MORE fabric like that!

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  17. ooooh - my crazy quilting mind would take that wonderful fabric and fussy cut it to make 'centers' for crazy quilt blocks...gorgeous! Wonderful hawk picture, and I've always liked Robert Bateman's work.

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  18. Jocelyn - imagine being able to draw that well at 14. I would love to have that talent! The red and white fabric is marvelous - I see pillows when I gaze at it! Enjoy the rest of your week.

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  19. The wildlife art is gorgeous, a very talented artist. Congrats on finding some time to stitch this last week. That Christmas print is gorgeous, so fighting the startitess has to be hard. Thanks for linking up with 15 minutes to stitch last week.

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  20. This is an incredible post! The images AND your narration was so very enjoyable! Thanks so much for linking in with us at I'd Rather B Birdin.

    ~Anni

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  21. I do love those sweet backyard birds. What talent, even as a youngster. That red toile takes my breath away. I have red toile with birds in my dining room.

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  22. I too have a collection of Bateman books. I should get them and look at them more often. I have visited his gallery in Victoria, BC twice and went to an exhibit of his work at the McMichael Gallery in Kleinburg, ON.

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My favourite thing about having a blog is hearing from you. I appreciate it so much and I will definitely check out your blog too. Thanks!