Cool Cottons Fabrics

Dear Liza,

Sunday was a fun, busy , slightly rainy day. Auntie Bridgett and I walked down to Hawthorne Street to visit some new shops. There is a fabric store called Cool Cottons, run by a nice lady named Marie. The shop is in an old house that Marie has turned into a bright, friendly shop with a rainbow of lightweight cotton blends, perfect for quilting! I will be getting lots of fabrics here.

GetAttachmentThumbnail-57 — **For Kestrel’s pants**

But today I was shopping for fabric to make clothes for Cousins Jasper and Kestrel, and I found some of that, too. A bright yellow for Jasper’s Triforce Zelda pants, and a huge rose print for Cousin Kestrel’s. I will start sewing them today.

Auntie Bridgett was across the street in Excaliber Comics, where she met some nice people and bought “Too Much Coffee Man”. In this story, he is having trouble writing a story, so he writes about having trouble, and pretty soon has written a story. Silly but true.

Not really needing anything but curious, we walked into Vintage Pink, right across the street from Excaliber. There are wonderful furniture, dishes, records, clothes, and pictures from the 1950s to the 1970s, all in great condition and arranged beautifully. It didn’t have that dusty ‘attic’ smell that so many vintage shops have. It was more like visiting a very cool aunt’s apartment in 1963. I found a pair of grey pants that fit!!! They came home with us.

We enjoyed a cup at Coava Coffee and then headed home. The rainy day turned sunny and we sat and watched the Giants win their last game of the season with a walk-off home run by Pablo Sandoval, a nice way to end a very dismal season.

By the afternoon Grandpa Nelson was ready to get out of the house, so he and I walked around Laurelhurst Park, enjoying the dogs and the wonderful forest smell of the wet trees and ground. Turtles and ducks were out, enjoying worms and bugs.

Finally, there was a book signing at Auntie Katie’s shop, Books with Pictures, at 11th and Division. We drove down and listened to the author, Lacy Davis, and illustrator, Jim Kettner, talk about the process of writing their new graphic novel, Ink in Water. It is funny and sad and true, well written and drawn with a flair that feels easy. We bought a copy of the book and a Hilda and the Trolls Doll, who was half price and needed to come home with Auntie Bridgett.

What a wonderful, busy, walk-y sort of day. Tomorrow, sewing, writing and cooking!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Dear Liza,

A few days ago, Grandpa Nelson sent away for a new record turntable. This is a very old-fashioned way to play music, but we enjoy it very much. Our old, old one was given away when we moved.

Needless to say, most of our records went away, as well….you’d think so. No turntable, no records. BUT. Some records are like old friends, and we kept them. Beatles. Smothers Brothers. The important ones.

So yesterday, between chores and rain storms, we walked to Music Millennium, a BIG record, cd, and dvd shop just across Burnside from The Laurelhurst Market, where we had dinner when you and your daddy were visiting. They have new and used, rock, pop, jazz, blues, hiphop, movie soundtracks (no Bull Durham or Blues Brothers, but I’ll keep looking) and classical. There were even comedy records, including a “Happy Birthday, Oregon” record by Stan Freberg.

We left that one there, for now.

**From Auntie Katie’s High School days!**

We did find some lovely old friends and brought them home.

And, in between dinner, shopping, and some exploratory pinball down at the Goodfoote Lounge, we listened. Aunt Bridgett is new to the Smothers Brothers, so we had fun listening with her like it was the first time all over again.

I am pretty new to Manhattan Transfer, so that was new fun for me, as well.

Now humming to myself as we walk down to Cool Cottons, a fabric shop on Hawthorne, to get some fabric for new projects.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Tag: Cool Cottons Fabrics

Busy Sunday

Music!