A trip to Norfolk, Virginia and three Relics stitched during the ride

(Above:  A composite image of me holding each of the three Relics stitched during the drive to and from Norfolk, Virginia.  Click on most of the images in this blog post for an enlargement.)

Steve's hometown is Norfolk, Virginia.  He graduated from high school and Old Dominion (undergraduate) in Norfolk. Both his parents are buried there. (We visited.)  Norfolk is also the home of the Virginia Arts Festival.  This past weekend ABT (American Ballet Theater) opened the festival with three performances of Don Quixote.  We decided to attend on Friday night. It was grand!  We had a wonderful time all weekend.  Knowing that I'd be riding in the car, I prepared three, small Relics to hand stitch during these hours on the road.

(Above:  Relic CCLIV.  Framed:  15" x 14". Layers of polyester stretch velvet fused to cotton upholstery fabric with strips of sheer chiffon. Both hand and free-motion machine stitching and beading.)

Generally, I don't stitch a Relic unless I'm conducting a workshop.  Each one is supposed to be the result of finishing one of my own demonstrations.  With COVID-19 cancelling in-person workshops for two years, I've sort of missed making these pieces.  So, I decided to make these a little bit different ... as in "a little bit bigger".  Normally, I make Relics to fit into an 8" x 10" standard frame.  This time, Steve had leftover pieces of moulding that made bigger frames.  It was my job to "fill them".

(Above:  Relic CCLV.  Framed 15" x 14".)

I had to work quickly though ... which is how a workshop demonstration goes! I didn't start until Thursday afternoon.  We left on Friday morning.  So, the design was constructed and beading were done FAST!  The hand-stitching was done in a more relaxed manner while in our cargo van.  After coming home, I mounted and framed each one.  My challenge is to use whatever thread I randomly threw into a plastic bag.

(Above:  Relic CCLVI. Framed 16" x 15".)

Each one of these pieces is priced at $165 plus SC sales tax and shipping.  For me, however, they weren't made as "merchandise"; they were intended as a way to make the trip even more enjoyable, a way to be productive when otherwise just looking out the window!

(Above:  The ferry coming to take us across the river to Portsmouth.)

On Saturday, Steve and I took the ferry to Portsmouth.  We watched re-enactment of the British occupation of 1781, went to a farmer's market, and shopped at the library's used book sale.  

(Above:  The lobby at the Chrysler Museum ... with Sam Gilliam's soaring Norfolk Keels fiber installation.)

We spent the afternoon at the Chyrsler Museum.  The docent led tour was great.  The glass collection is particularly amazing.  We also visited the Perry Glass Collection inside the Glass Light Hotel ... which was really awesome as there is no enclosures around the pieces on display.  Every work was shown "in the round".  This truly gave the sense of what it must be like to actually "live" with such marvelous (and truly expensive!) pieces of original art glass.

(Detail of one of the amazing pieces in the Perry Glass Collection ... but I forgot to snap a photo of the artist's name.  Trust me ... it was someone with an awesome talent!)