Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Hello Again

Nothing new on the quilting front but we have had a major development in our family this week.

Our middle son Joe has had some medical problems. This is him this past summer.



When he was just a couple years old we noticed that when he was really upset his arms and back would sort of jerk. After a quick trip to the family doctor during one episode we found ourselves on the way to Johns Hopkins for a four day stay in the EMU - epilepsy monitoring unit. During that time Joe had a number of measurable seizures and we found out that he also has a condition known as hyperinsulinism. His body over produces insulin and this is a very dangerous situation. Hyperinsulinism is relatively new as far as diseases go. It got it's name in 1995. There are only about 600 doctors worldwide who know how to treat it and many of the treatments are experimental. There is only one oral drug and one injectable drug to treat it. He is on the oral and when he was first diagnosed it was almost impossible to get. At one point the manufacturer was so far behind they would only sell it to hospitals. So our local pharmacy had to buy it from the hospital and then resell it to us.

He also had generalized seizure disorder. If you notice I said had. He has been off the medicine and seizure free for a year now.

Back to the hyperinsulinism. We have seen three doctors for this. The doctor who diagnosed it at Johns Hopkins - told us as head of endocrinology for Johns Hopkins he only knew as much about the disease as a junior staff member at a Children's Hospital would know. So off to Philadelphia we went. This doctor wanted to do surgery with no guarantees so we asked about a second opinion and ended up in Pittsburgh.

The doctor in Pittsburgh is the top man in the field anywhere in the world and we were thrilled that he was able to see Joe. Granted we had to wait a while and getting follow up appointments are harder to get than an audience with the Pope but we have been going there for about 6 or 7 years.

He said no surgery the first time we went up. And a couple of years ago he said that Joe would probably outgrow the condition in the next few years. So we were up there yesterday and the doctor said it's time to start weaning Joe off the medicine. It's going to take until next summer but he's coming off it and we are thrilled.

And we owe it all to God. We have danced this dance for seven years and He has been there every step of the way. I'm one of those people that has a hard time hearing God. I always wondered if I heard God or if I heard something in my head that I wanted to hear. But I have had some encounters with God through this. I learned a few things and I'd like to share them.

A few months before Joe was diagnosed I heard a pastor who had had brain surgery speak and he said that when he was first diagnosed with his tumor one of his parishioners told him not to ask God why but to ask God what. What do You want me to learn from this?

So I did that and came up with three things. Patience, submission and materialism.

You know I had all these things. I collected porcelain dolls and Longaberger baskets and who knows what all else. It was all about accumulating things. But when you're told your baby has a life threatening condition what good are they? None of those things would save Joe.

And I have struggled with submission since the first time I heard about it. Let my husband boss me around? Not me - no way. But then I found out what submission really is. I read a wonderful book - I believe it was called Liberated Through Submission. And during a Sunday School class the teacher (a woman) explained it in a way that made me see the beauty of it.

Oh and finally patience. I have NO patience for anything. But early in this dance God told me that He would heal Joe. As much trouble as I have discerning if it's God or me I know without a doubt that this was God. I realized that Joe is not mine. He is God's and God has given him to us to love and take care of but we don't know for how long that will be. So I realized that the only thing I could do was give Joe back to God. I'm a very visual person and I knew I had to visualize this. I had to see that I had given Joe back to God. So I imagined carrying Joe in my arms up a set of stairs. And at the top there was a throne. I walked over, kissed Joe and placed him on that throne. Then I did the hardest thing in the world - I turned around and walked back down those stairs without looking back. I cried but I had peace.

We prayed every step of the way and we always seemed to be getting a one word answer from God. Wait. When they wanted to do tests - Wait. When they wanted to do surgery - Wait.

And it would seem the waiting is coming to an end. I've learned the things I thought God wanted me to learn - sometimes more than once. lol. And He has taken care of my boy. Of course there is still the possibility that in the weaning process we will find that Joe still needs the medicine but right now he is on a minimal dosage anyhow so it's unlikely. Besides, God said He would heal Joe and God keeps His promises.

Jody

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Row by row

Here it is finally - my row by row. Of course there is back story to this one. A bit more than a year ago my quilting group decided to do a round robin and a row by row swap. Since I had never done any of these before I decided to do the row by row. I figured on a row by row if I messed up terribly my row could just be left out. Whereas on the round robin if I messed up it was there and would have to stay.

So I did the row by row. I found some gorgeous Christmas fabric - poinsettias but in shades of pink, cream and sage green rather than the normal Christmas green and red and made up my row and sent it off. We had five or six people in each group although because of the way it was set up I did an extra row because I was sent one I wasn't supposed to get and I had done the row before I realized it.

The finished rows were due back to their owners by April 15 this year. All the rows for my project were done and it was sent to the last lady to do a row and then send it back to me. Unfortunately she won't send it back to me. She has acknowledged that she has it and she has promised more times than I can count to send it back but she still hasn't. I have offered numerous times to send her a postage paid envelope so she can send it back at my expense but she won't even reply to me.

Some of the lovely ladies on the group are such angels - they felt bad that everyone but me got their projects back - I should add that this same lady had three of the round robins way past their due date but she did eventually send them on. So anyhow these ladies made me some rows to replace the ones she never sent back.

I've had three of the rows for a couple of months - waiting because another lady was to make me one more row. About a week or so ago I decided the fourth lady apparently is not sending me the other row so I made some rows and finished it up myself. It's just the top and will need to go on the "to be quilted" pile but I'm rather happy with it.



Top row was done by Carol in Texas - the paper piecing queen of our quilting group. The second row - the trees - I did. The next row was done by Annie and uses blocks from a swap that we did a year ago (the one on the far left is one that I made), next is a pattern that I believe is called Crossroads. It's from Eleanor Burns UGRR book and is one that I made. Then is the row from Juanita from Australia and the last row is Maple Leaves that I made.

Huge thanks to Carol, Annie and Juanita for not only wanting me to have something out of this swap but for making it happen. I love you ladies.

Now on to other things (is there really anything other than quilting?).

We're finally finished with Ryan's room. He's coming home from college at the end of the semester to stay. He's decided to change his major and will need to go to another college. We were hoping he would finish out the year but he's decided to come home and work full time and start at a new college in the fall.

This is what his room looked like almost at the beginning - we had already stripped the wallpaper and removed the trim.



And this is the same section of the room finished.



Now to cleaning up the boxes and piles of stuff that we moved out of his room to do the work. Some of the stuff did find its way to the trash (of course it had to make its escape while he wasn't here lol). But most of it he's planning to stuff back in there somehow.

Well its time to hit the sewing room (aka my bedroom) and find something else to create.

Until next time, hugs and stitches. Jody

Sunday, November 11, 2007

The "Dream" Quilt

You know I can't really remember when I discovered quilts. I think it was probably on a trip to Grandma Baker's house when I was a little girl. As far as I know other than her sister, my Great Aunt Mabel, no one else in the family quilted. Maybe it was on a trip to Lancaster. I can't remember when but I can remember being fascinated by the patterns, the colors and the fabrics. They all looked so complicated. Now I can look at the complicated ones and pick them apart and see they are really just a bunch of squares and half-square triangles, etc.

Anyhow I found a lot of patterns that I simply loved but there was one I like better than any of the rest of them. I wanted to learn to quilt to make one specific quilt. And then when I learned to quilt I learned that my favorite pattern was done in ~gasp~ applique! It seemed the end of the dream was in sight. Applique is not my friend.

Then one day, I was looking through a magazine and found my pattern done in paper piecing! Now paper piecing is not my friend either - but we are at least acquainted. But looking closely at the samples I realized it just wasn't the same. I needed to do this one by applique.

Over the past two or three years I have made modest attempts at machine applique. I'm feeling more comfortable with it. In fact I'm doing two round robins with online groups and each one I did machine applique on my center.

Last week I made a sample block and really got bit. It was time. I knew I was ready.

So here they are - the blocks of my "Dream" quilt. The quilt I have been wanting to make for more than 30 years. They are laid out as I will place them in the quilt but I am going to put sashing in between the rows.

"DREAMS DO COME TRUE"



So I thank God for giving me the chance to learn to quilt. And to make this special quilt. Good things are worth waiting for.

Till next time, hugs and stitches. Jody

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

It's been a while

but I have actually been productive. One of my biggest accomplishments was finishing my round on a round robin from my quilting group. Unfortunately I can't post a picture because these things are supposed to be surprises. But this one was very bright and simply gorgeous. After trying three or four things I decided it needed some simplicity. I hesitated with that because I didn't want it to seem like I didn't make an effort. But sometimes you have to do what the quilt needs - not what you'd like to do. I have another one coming in the mail right now. I've seen pictures of it and it is very, very bright. I have to do a pieced border so it should be fun.

I have finished a couple of things. The first is my Log Cabin Christmas Wreath. I wanted to add a pink velvet bow to it but I can't find anything around here but red and burgandy. So I found this gold poofy bow. I think it should be a bit larger but since it's not permanently attached I can always change it if I can find something better.



I also made my name tag for my quilting guild. When you join you need to make a Sunbonnet Sue name tag. Some of the ladies just have Sue and their name on it. Some put their pins from quilt shows. And most of them have their golden safety pins. For each completed project you bring for show and tell you get a golden safety pin. I have three things to take to the next meeting - if they count the name tag I'll have four. It's next Monday and I doubt I'll finish anything else before then.



On the home front - we're getting things ready to paint Ryan's room. He's made a change in his college plans. He wants to change his major and his current college doesn't offer what he wants. He'd like to do phys ed for elementary age kids. So he's talked to his adviser, taken some aptitude tests and decided to come home at the end of the semester and work full-time until next fall's semester.

He was coming home this past weekend and I told Rodger he should call his cell phone to see how much longer he would be - Timmy had fallen asleep on the couch and when Ryan's here he always carries Timmy to bed when he falls asleep on the couch. Oh those memories. Rodger carried him back. It's hard to believe my baby is so big.



Report cards came home yesterday. Joe and Timmy both made the honor roll. This is Timmy's first time because they don't do honor roll until 3rd grade. They both also got perfect attendance for the first marking period. Joe will have to miss at least one day this coming marking period because we have a doctor appointment with his endocrinologist in December.

Well it's time to get the boys up and moving and ready for school so until next time

Hugs and Stitches, Jody

Sunday, October 21, 2007

I finished something!!!

Yes indeedy. I finished a quilting project. I finished up the row by row I did with the wonderful ladies on QWHT. A big thank you to Michelle, Kymberli, Joyce, Frances and Marilyn for their contributions to this gorgeous creation.



We're working on a round robin now and I can't wait to see mine! I think it has three more stops before it comes home to me. Based on the ones that have come past me and the incredible work I know these ladies do I'm sure it's going to be beautiful.

Here's my next project ready to be quilted:



It's a log cabin Christmas wreath. I have no idea how I'm going to quilt it. lol. I'm sort of looking to do something other than in the ditch - which is what I seem to do mostly. But it's a bit busy for motif quilting. After I finish quilting it I want to add a big crushed velvet bow, either top center or on the bottom right corner. I was thinking of using pink but I might use dark green. I guess I'll just have to see what I can find and what looks good.

Now here's the update on the Double Irish Chain. It's a little over half done. It's seven blocks by eleven and I have seven by seven done so far.



I'm taking a bit of a break today to do some things around the house (don't you hate it when house work cuts into your quilting time?). I finally went out to the shed and dug out the fall decorations so that'll be my fun stuff amongst the cleaning.

Until next time. Hugs and stitches. Jody

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Traditional Quilting

Well I have done it again - started another project. I had been looking at the quilts I've made and thinking about making some more "traditional" quilts for quite some time. Then I went to the local quilt guild meeting Monday night. The speaker did a trunk show and she had some gorgeous traditional pattern quilts. So I was inspired to get started on one. I looked through my magazines and books and kept coming back to the Double Irish Chain. All those tiny squares sort of intimidate me because I worry about getting them all to line up straight. But if you don't try, you don't stretch yourself and you don't get better. So last night I started a Double Irish Chain.

So you know when you want to start a new quilt you need two basic things - a pattern and fabric. The pattern was taken care of so it was on to picking the fabric. I found these and decided they were perfect.



Next was lots and lots of straight stitching to get strips.



Then you have to take all those lovely strips and cut them up.



But after you cut the strips up you sew them back together and end up with lovely blocks.



Well that's two blocks down - 61 more to go. lol. And since I only made one strip set of each formation there's still lots and lots of cutting and strip piecing. But in the end can you imagine the gorgeous quilt I will have!

Until next time - hugs and stitches.

Jody

Monday, October 1, 2007

Book Nook

I've decided to add a new feature to my blog and share some of the books I like. In the past I have had quite a problem with purchasing books. A few years ago when my bookcase was just too full I decided to donate some books to the Biblical Ed Center and the local public library. I gave away over 200 books and still had a nice collection of books that I kept. Since then I have been very careful about which books I choose to purchase and try to get most from the library.

There are a few series books that I will always buy - Jennifer Chiaverini's Elm Creek Quilt books top the list, then there are the Harry Potter books (no more to buy there lol), Debbie Maycomber's Cedar Cove series, MC Beaton's Death of A ......... (mystery series set in Scotland featuring Hamish MacBeth) and the Charlotte LaRue mystery series are not to be missed.

I am also interested in having a collection of books about the background of quilting.

While surfing on eBay one evening I came across This Old Quilt by Margret Aldrich. I like to look at the old quilts on eBay. Many are not in the best shape but can be simply lovely folded in a basket. And when I typed in old quilt this came up.



This book looked intriguing although the $20 price tag did not. But through a bit of searching online I was able to find it for $6.25 shipping included.

I haven't read it completely through but I've seen enough to know that it's going to be good. There are tons of pictures - an excerpt from the first Elm Creek Quilts book - some great artwork (Diane Phelan, Bob Pettes, Sandi Wickersham) and lots of stories.

I highly recommend that you look for this one at the library.

Until next time - hugs and stitches.

Jody

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Brain Dead

Well here it is - my crochet project. It really is - like the title says - brain dead. Once you get the pattern going it's pretty mindless work - but it works up so pretty. This is the close up view so you can see the work.



This is the full view of what I've done so far. I have terrible problems with measurements on these things. Right now it's 15 by 38. But I think her original pattern said it was 48 by 36 and I wanted it wider so I added 24 more chains at the beginning but I only ended up with an extra 2 inches.



I always use a bigger hook than the pattern calls for because I have a tendency to pull my stitches really tight. Usually I go up two sizes for the chain and then go to the one in between (one up from what the pattern calls for and one down from what I used for the chain) for the pattern rows.

Oh, the soft pink color choice I had planned didn't work because Wal-Mart didn't have the right shade of pink. So I found this blue/green/white that I really like.

Earlier while I was working on it Rodger came in and sat down and looked at it kind of funny and said "have you given up on quilting?". Not in this lifetime. lol. Actually what I told him was that it's nice to be able to work on different things for a bit of variety.

And speaking of quilting, I ripped the binding off a quilt earlier today (had done it on the machine and I was less than happy with it) and I need to find some fabric and get a new binding made. The poor thing is laying there looking naked. lol.

Until next time, hugs and stitches.

Jody

Thursday, September 27, 2007

I've been bitten

by the crochet bug. And I'm blaming this on my friend Molly. Between her projects and some blogs I found linked from her blog I feel the urge to crochet an afghan. I used to do this before I started quilting. I made at least one a year - during the winter to keep warm. It all started with my mom and she's been on mind a lot lately. She made ripple afghans to keep herself from snacking. She whipped them out so fast and they were so lovely. She never did anything but ripples so that's what I have an urge to make. However as I was looking around for a pattern I found a different pattern that I really like so I think I will grab a skein of yarn - I'm thinking soft pink - and work on that. As if I don't already have enough projects in the works. lol. But this one is called "brain dead" because it's supposed to be very easy. Back in the day I could crochet a pattern I was familiar with without even looking at what I was doing and I have hopes I can do this one that way and then I could work on it while I help the kids with their homework. So I'm off to Bible study (we're doing the Mayberry study and I love it) and to pick up a skein of yarn on the way home.

Until next time, hugs and stitches.

Jody

Friday, September 21, 2007

Since I updated you last

I started and finished two more tops. I always say I won't start anything new until I finish up something but I was working on some Autumn swap blocks and these three fabrics were laying together and I thought they would make an awesome rail fence quilt. So I whipped it up - miscalculating the fabric I would need I ended up going to the store four times. lol. But I love the way it turned out. I doubt I'll have it quilted in time to use this year but there's always next year.




I also did a Christmas quilt. I have a snowman one I am working on and it's so cute but with all the tiny pieces I have my doubts I can finish it for this year. So my dear friend Barb had given me a few blocks. It's so neat how these quilting projects work out. For the snowman quilt I needed small pieces of Christmas fabrics for the scarves and with 20 different snowmen I didn't want to have to get 20 different fabrics so I asked the awesome ladies on the QWHT group if they had any small print pieces that they could send me. I got such lovely pieces from many of the ladies. In with the pieces Barb sent me were some finished quilt blocks that she thought I might tear apart to use the fabrics for the scarves. But I decided to just make more of the blocks and it resulted in this quilt:



I'm not really into scrappy but I think this one looks nice.

Other quilting projects I have worked on include two round robins - I can't post pictures of them now because the ladies I did the work for just might try to get a peek at them and they need to be surprised. So next year - when they make their way back to their owners - I will post pictures of all the rounds I did on the round robins.

Until next time - hugs and stitches.

Jody

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Here we are again - a month later

I'm not doing so well at posting weekly - well I guess I am posting weakly. I suppose as I get more comfortable with this stuff maybe I'll post more often. Maybe it's just that there's no news to post. lol. But the past month has been very full. We got Ryan off to college the last weekend of August with the truck loaded to the top.




We learned two very important lessons on our first foray into moving into the dorms - if moving times are 12-4 don't go before 2. We got there at 1 and had to wait in the truck in line for a parking place. Then we couldn't get close to the curb (where you were to unload and there were student helpers to help you carry your things in) so we had to drag everything through the parking lot and carry it all ourselves. Well, Rodger and Ryan carried it all - Cassie and I stayed with the stuff still in the parking lot. Ryan's roommate came at 2:00 and was able to park right in front of the door to the dorm and was unloaded in no time. The second thing is take a dolly. We have two and didn't even think to take one with us. Carrying that little refrigerator was a bit awkward. There was a really nice couple I was talking to while we were waiting and they let us borrow theirs for the last large box we had. Next time we will remember our dolly - when we don't show up until after 2.

On the quilting front I have been working a lot on swap stuff. I'm doing two round robins on two separate groups. I did a basket of flowers for the QWHT group



and a Sunbonnet Sue for TQS.



I'm also working on log cabin blocks for a TQS swap. I did manage to finish up one quilt that I'm calling Confetti. I plan to sandwich my row by row from QWHT's swap today - it's my last top to quilt. I guess that means I need to get another top finished so I'll have something to quilt once that one is done. I'm working on a snowman quilt for Christmas this year.

I guess that's all the excitement for now. Until next time, hugs and stitches.

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Perseverance



Well this is my most recently finished quilt. I'm calling it Perseverance because there were so many times I just wanted to chuck it in the trash. I do not do well quilting if you need to go to the complete edge of the quilt. Actually I don't do well handquilting to the edge and I was handquilting this one. I stitched in the ditch around the black areas and then there are flowers and butterflies on the cream part. The flowers and butterflies don't really show up because the thread is too light. Of course the green I used for the stems and leaves does show up. Live and learn. The in the ditch was what I was having the problems with. When I got to the edge it always got puckered or bunched or something. I even at one point put it on the machine but I didn't have much luck with that either. But I was determined to get it finished. The fabric was a gift from my kids this past Mother's Day. The black is from one of the Elm Creek Quilts collections - Dorothea's. I just love it. I did have the foresight to snap a picture of the flowers before I washed out the blue markings so that the pattern could be seen. Now I'm on to a few other things. I have two round robins with online groups going or starting. I have until September 15 to come up with a center for the second one. The first one is off and I believe right now on to the third or fourth person. I'm also doing a log cabin swap in Autumn fabrics. Autumn is absolutely my favorite season. I'm going to use the log cabins in another quilt I'm making. It's a medallion with additional rounds. I think the log cabin round is the fifth or sixth so I have plenty to work on until the swap is completed.

Until next time. Hugs and stitches.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Catching up




Well it's been almost a month since I last posted. So much for posting weekly. I suppose I'm posting "weakly". So what has been happening? My dh and I celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary this month. We went out for Chinese - without the kids. He got me the most beautiful necklace. It's heart shaped and there are two roses on it. They are separate at the top but joined at the bottom. That's us - separate but joined.

Ryan had his placement testing and orientation for college two days after our anniversary so while we were in California we went to a movie. We saw Live Free or Die Hard. The Die Hard movies are my guilty pleasure. We very seldom go to a movie theater so it was a real treat. We stayed in a hotel that was supposed to have a 24 hour heated pool but it closed at 10 PM and it was cold so our thoughts of swimming half the night were not realized.

On the remodeling front Rodger is really cooking along. The kitchen is close to being finished. He put up shelves close to the ceiling for my collection of houses (like Cats Meow except most of them are Hometowne Collectibles). And he's putting up paneling that looks like brick. He pulled down the decorative wood that was above the sink and now I can hang a curtain there. He has a little bit more paneling to do and then he needs to do something with the cabinet doors and drawer fronts and finish up the trim. And painting. We'll paint after everything else is done. He's really pushing because it's almost football season and then everything will come to a dead stop until football season is over.

As for quilting I finally finished up the quilt I was making for my friend Julie. She got it and loves it and that makes me very happy :0) Now I'm doing some swap stuff. The QWHT group I'm on is doing a round robin. We did a row by row earlier in the year and it went so well that we decided to do this too. My row by row is gorgeous and I can't wait to finish it up. Right now I'm doing the handquilting on the quilt I made with the fabric the kids gave me for Mother's Day. I'm generally an "in the ditch" quilter but I'm doing flowers and butterflies on this one. I had done some hearts and a wreath design on a wallhanging and I really like how it looks so I wanted to do something more along those lines.

And speaking of QWHT I finally met the two ladies who live close to me. We have talked and talked and talked about getting together. But when Frances decided to move from VA to RI we decided we better stop talking and actually do something. So we met in Gaithersburg - Frances and Deborah and me. But Frances had a little surprise planned. Marilyn (another lady from our group who lives in IN) was there too! I've met Marilyn before but it was a real surprise to see her there. We had lunch at Panera and then went to Capital Quilts. We did a little shopping and all got a Capital Quilts pin to commemorate our trip. Then we went back to Panera and had chocolate!

I guess that's about it for today. Hopefully it won't be three weeks before I make on again.

Saturday, June 30, 2007

This blogging stuff will make me crazy


I wrote out an entire post, posted it, opened a new window to make sure it was there (it was) and then did another post. When it posted I couldn't find the other one I posted. Argh!

So anyhow the post was about all the work my dh has been doing as he has been laid off for 5 weeks. He's been very busy - working outside when it's not too hot. He painted the front door, porch and all the shutters on the house. He also handwashed the entire front of the house! He poured a new concrete step in front of the door from our bedroom to the outside of the house. He's going to do a brick walkway that will lead from the driveway, turn to that door and also continue straight to the "garbage garage" he's building for our trash and recycling cans. Also in the works are a basketball court and a clothesline.

When it got really hot he moved inside and built me this gorgeous spice rack into the back of my pantry door. Now he's putting up brick paneling in the kitchen and repainting (if I can decide what color I want).

recent quilting adventures


I'm so new to this blogging stuff that I have no clue how to add more than one picture at a time without them ending up in a row along the top. So that leads to another post today.

This is the most recent quilt I finished. It's a flip flop quilt that is very lightweight. I didn't use any batting and tied it. It's the first thing I've done an entire top with machine applique. I enjoyed it and I'm happy with how it turned out but I do need more practice.

Monday, May 14, 2007

Another Day





I have finally gotten my digital problems worked out (I hope). So I'm posting pictures of my last three projects. The first one is the 30s repro. I already posted a picture of the top but it's finished now. I also have the picture of Ryan's football quilt. And the last project is a wallhanging I made for the bathroom. I found the pattern in a Quilter's World issue. Of course, having problems with following the rules like I do, I changed it a bit. This one is completely machine stitched. I do all my piecing by machine but like to quilt by hand. Every once in a while I decide I have too many tops that need quilted and so I'll do one or two by machine. I'm still not that good at machine quilting but the only way to get better is to keep practicing. I also did the binding by machine. I generally don't like how my machine bindings look but this one I did a self binding and just stitched as close to the edge as possible. I'm happy with how it turned out. I'm calling it Flowers for Mom because I finished it on Mother's Day. Giving names to my quilts is a bit new to me. I've named a few but I think I'd like to name them all now. So it's interesting coming up with names that "fit". The 30s quilt I named Gracie's Friends. I used a piece of Gracie fabric for the backing and the fabrics in the top came from my friends.

Sunday, May 6, 2007

Today's accomplishments


Well I got my 30s repro quilt quilted. I just need to put the binding and label on. I finished up my oldest son's high school graduation quilt today. It's a football field with his name and jersey number on it. It's been done for a while but I hadn't done the label. I'll post some pictures as soon as I can get my computer to cooperate with me. I've been downloading pictures onto my webshots album and printing pictures all day because his prom was yesterday. Now the printer is telling me that I don't have the printer software loaded onto the computer. Enough to aggrevate anyone. But I can post a picture of my son and his girlfriend. They had a fabulous time and they looked so sweet together. I absolutely love her dress. You can't see it from the picture but it has a small train. The dress has a hook on the back that holds the train up in the back sort of like a wedding dress. The picture was taken at High Rock which is close to our house. It's high up on a mountain and there's a rock formation (behind them) that people hang glide from. Makes a gorgeous backdrop. I took over 200 hundred pictures but this is my favorite posed one. I have a favorite one that I took when they weren't looking too.

Saturday, May 5, 2007

Starting Up


I've decided to jump into this blogging stuff. I'm hoping to post about my quilting on a regular basis. I'm working on a variety of projects right now and really have the urge to finish something up. I think my target project is going to be a lap quilt I've done in 30s repros fabrics. This one is very special to me because the fabrics all came from my friends. I'm on the best Yahoo group on the web - Quilter's Who Homeschool Too. These ladies are like my sisters and I feel like I've known them all my life. We were doing a 30s repros swap that I really wanted to participate in but we were going through a rough patch financially so I stayed out of the swap. Well these wonderful ladies knew how much I wanted to play along and so they each sent me a fq of gorgeous 30s fabrics. Did I mention they're the best? lol. I have a great backing fabric picked out from the Aunt Grace Signature Line II group that has pictures of Gracies all over it. I figure it will help to remind me of my "sisters" who sent me the fabric for the top. Hopefully it won't be too long until I can post the finished project.