Award-winning author Paty Jager not only writes the western
lifestyle, she lives it. With fifteen novels and a short story published, she
continues to have characters cavorting in her head. Learn more about Paty at
her blog www.patyjager.blogspot.com
and website. -- AP
I’m a crafty person
both in hobbies and in killing off characters in my action adventure and
mystery writing.
One of my favorite
hobbies is making quilt tops. I don’t make near as many as the avid quilter,
but I enjoy the process of picking fabrics and putting them together in an
eye-pleasing pattern. The type I
like best are baby quilts. They go together faster, and I can pick out fabrics
that are fun for not only a baby but the parents, too.
For instance, I had a
friend who is a cowgirl at heart and her husband likes old cars. I knew she was
having a boy, so I found vintage looking western and car fabric to make the
quilt out of. That to me is the fun part, making something that fits a person’s
personality.
Right now I have a “sunflower”
themed quilt that I am sewing together. It’s for me. Sunflowers put a smile on
my face and the bright colors that are in the fabrics I picked shout summer and
good times to me.
I’m a bright colors
kind of person and while researching the Maya for my book Secrets of a Mayan Moon, I discovered some great information about
how they dyed their woven fabrics, papers, and even the clay they used.
The color red came
from a tree called brazilwood. The wood was boiled in water to remove the dye.
Another source for red came from the cochineal. This is an insect that eats prickly
pear cactus. The insects were collected, put in hot water, steamed, or baked,
then dried and crushed.
The fruit of the
avocado was used to dye cloth green.
Yellow dye came from
the blackberry plant, not the berry.
The indigo plant was
broken into pieces and boiled to make blue dye, and a clay was boiled with
cloth to make blue cloth.
Purple came from
blackberries which made a deep purple. Wood of the logwood plant gave off a
black purple, and the glands of several species of mollusk also gave the Maya a
purple dye.
Black was made by
grinding the seeds of a genipa tree.
Secrets of a Mayan Moon
Child prodigy and now
Doctor of Anthropology, Isabella Mumphrey, is about to lose her job at the
university. In the world of publish or perish, her mentor’s request for her
assistance on a dig is just the opportunity she’s been seeking. If she can
decipher an ancient stone table—and she can—she’ll keep her department. She
heads to Guatemala, but drug trafficking bad guys, artifact thieves, and her
infatuation for her handsome guide wreak havoc on her scholarly intentions.
DEA agent Tino Kosta,
is out to avenge the deaths of his family. He’s deep undercover as a jaguar
tracker and sometimes jungle guide, but the appearance of a beautiful, brainy
anthropologist heats his Latin blood, taking him on a dangerous detour that
could leave them both casualties of the jungle.
17 comments:
Thanks for having me here today, Anastasia and Lois.
I love how you've mixed your love of quilting with such interesting information on the Mayan people; and your delightful book! ~Viola
Nice post from one quilter to another. I'm quilting my book cover as a potential giveaway. Happy quilting. :)
I stand in awe of your talent as a quilter and writer.
Very interesting post, Paty. I used dyes in one of my books and did some research, but my book was set in Texas. Thanks for sharing.
Using natural dyes sounds fantastic. I loved those big sunflowers on your quilt. And here I thought quilting was a lost art.
I wish you every success...
Hi Viola! Thanks! I had to think about what I did that was crafty(in a good sense LOL)and then plug it with the book.
Cora, What a great give-a-way! I'm not that talented.
Liz V. Thank you for the kind words. I don't consider myself that gifted at either but I enjoy doing them both.
Hi Caroline, Some of the same plants should be in Texas. It's fun when that kind of information can be added to a story. I don't have any of it in the story but looked it up when I was trying to find out about ceremonial attire.
Sarah J. Quilting is big in Oregon. There are almost as many quilting shops as restaurants. LOL I love the sunflowers too!
I like sunflowers too. Definitely a sign of happiness.
Quilting is something I've always wanted to learn. However, I have never made the time to do it. That also comes with my desire for a sewing machine again. Ah, maybe one day when I find a way to schedule in hobby time. :)
Maggie, I only make quilts as an outlet, and not that often.
Love your quilt, Paty, it's so bright and cheery. The books sounds good. I've long been fascinated by the Mayans.
Hi Linda! I love that about the material and pattern. Thank you. It was fun learning more about the Maya as I did research for the book.
I love that you quilt! Bright color suites you, though I don't know where you find the time. Natural dye and textiles is a great way to incorporate something real into your books, add something solid. A very interesting post!
Hey Sandy! Thanks! I just like cheery colors. I tend to research more than what gets in the book. :( But at least I have the info to use in another one should that come up.
Fascinating info on natural dyes, especially the one using insects. That's one way to turn that bother into something beautiful!
Just bought Secrets of a Mayan Moon from Amazon. My kindle is the best Christmas present my kids ever gave me.
Hey Genene! LOL,That is true! Thanks for stopping in!
Hi Kathy. Thank you! I agree, I love my kindle too!
Post a Comment