Home Again Home Again!

What is the saying--take your time going but hurry back--well, we had a wonderful time at our daughter and son-in-law's with the grandgirls ages 1.5 years and 4.5 years for our vacation, but it is nice to be home and have our old familiar things about us again! Guess everyone can say that about the going and coming of a vacation!

Here is the first block of the Forever Flowers BOM (Block of the Month) with the applique finished, now I have to finish the bias cut edges and one block will be completely done. The second block is started with the piecing done and some of the applique started. I have some catching up to do though since here it is the first of August already tomorrow and we will be picking up another block--I know everyone says it--where does the time go? It really does seem like the time goes by too fast--even the younger folks say so too. But not much we can do about it, except use it wisely and to the fullest!

Quilting with the Grandkids!!!

Thanks to my daughter, I have pictures of our granddaughters laying out 4.5" quilt blocks of the fun 30's fabrics, which we will sew into 2 quilts, border and make a couple of quilts for them as a memory of our visit.

We are having a great week here in the middle of Ohio visiting Ilena, 1.5 years old and Isabel, 4.5 years old (and their parents of course!!!!) Their Daddy is off on a youth mission trip with the church where he is Youth Pastor, but he'll be back on Saturday. Mom works at her in home office so we get to see her and babysit as well--what fun that is--I'd forgotten how much energy little ones have!!!

Such a thing it is to be loved with the unconditional love of children and shouldn't we all take a lesson from it? Even if we make a mistake and ask for their forgiveness, they are eager to forgive and go on from there. What sweetness and joy they bring to our lives.

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

More for Project Linus!

Finished 2 quilts and 2 flannel blankets for our local chapter of Project Linus today and will send them off after we get back from vacation! Trying to tie up the loose ends before vacation--always nice to come home and start fresh!

Funny how that is--it's so nice to think about vacation and this one will be extra nice--spending time with 2 special ladies (and their parents) our granddaughters, Ilena 1.5 years old and Isabel 4.5 years old. Already Isabel has a list of things that Grandma and Pop-Pop will be doing while we are in Columbus, Ohio with them! I can't wait!

Anyway it's nice to get away from the ordinary, but nice to know in the back of your mind that you have the ordinary to return to, isn't it? I'm always game to try something new (within reason !!!) but have learned to be contented with what I have also (does that come with age, maybe?)--but that never stops me from trying the ever present new quilt pattern or looking at and wanting the newest quilt fabric or gizmo that comes my way--a girl has to have some vices--right!!!!!!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Open and Shut Case!

Today I made a Wildflowers Pincushion Bag and am showing it to you open and shut. The pattern was confusing when I just read through it, so I decided to just take it one step at a time and then it wasn't bad at all--guess there's a lesson somewhere in that statement, isn't there?!

While sewing the little thread holders and needle holder I couldn't help but think about how there surely is a place for everything and everything in it's place--which is a good motto unless you happen to be in the middle of a project and then it's every man or sewing notion for himself or itself, I say!!! Of course, I might not be able to find the exact thing I'm looking for, but that's another story for another day!

Speaking of finding things, why is it that my husband can remember when I'm looking for something that the "something" is the very thing that I sold at the last garage sale? (It gives him great pleasure to tell me that, too) I guess that's why he keeps everything for that elusive "someday" and I don't!! (Except fabric, of course!!)

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Why, Dear Jane, Why?

Don't know why I decided I need to do a Dear Jane quilt, but here I am working on these teeny tiny 4 1/2" blocks just because they are there, I guess. And they do tend to grow on you--I work on mine sporadically and only have 18 blocks done, but I like each one! They certainly aren't perfect, but there's a certain satisfaction in completing each one and knowing that "I did it!"

The history behind the quilt is fascinating and to think that Jane Stickle did each block without all the tools that we have at our disposal today is mind boggling to me. Of course, my grandmother did her quilts that way, too with cardboard or newspaper for a template and a scissors. I find that interesting because I have trouble with a scissors and would much rather use the rotary cutter! But then I learned with Fons and Porter and they like the rotary cutter for most everything!!! I'd use it for cutting out applique shapes if it was possible!

Here is a quilt that my grandmother made for me when I was a baby 60+ years ago that was all done by hand. I do cherish it and look at her loving stitches often. While not of the historical value of a Jane Stickle Dear Jane quilt it has a history with me. I would hope that a lot of you would have a treasure such as this!

Let quilting help you make someone smile.

Jan

Amy's Stack and Whack

My daughter Amy wanted me to post a picture of her favorite quilt and so here it is....a stack and whack that was oh so fun to make. The hardest part was picking out the fabric. Vickey, the owner of Quilt Mercantile, (LQS, I talked about yesterday) helped me all the way through this one--it was like having private lessons and I was very grateful!. The fun part of Stack and Whack is that no two of the medallions are alike.

Today the piano tuner comes and what a relief it will be to play at my favorite classical tunes without a "thunk" for middle g! I hope I haven't let it go too long. Thank goodness for piano tuners who know what they are doing!

Music is such a big part of my life that I don't know what I would do without the piano and the classical CDs that I have--so soothing when the stresses of the day seem to take over--yes there are stresses of the day even for retired folk--right, retired folks out there??!!

Our mild mannered 4 year old grandson made me so proud when he asked if he could "play" the piano on Sunday and I told him he had to be very careful AND he was--such a gentle soul he has--I played "Jesus Loves Me " for him and he grinned from ear to ear. Later his Mom told me he was playing the song on his drum. My heart burst with pride--of course I envision a grand piano in his future and coat tails and Carneige Hall--grandmas can dream big can't they!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Sit N Sew Day

Today was Sit N Sew day at the LQS (Local Quilt Shop) in the tiny town of Celeste, Texas, where quite a group of us gather once a week to ---what else----sit and sew and talk and gab and laugh and sometimes eat!!!!!! The store is The Quilt Mercantile and is in my humble opinion one of the best quilt stores in Northern Texas. Run by a mother and daughter team, they carry a wide assortment of fabrics and notions and have all kinds of classes; plus they are just downright NICE! Once a month our Sit N Sew group is treated to lunch and a showing of new gadgets and fabric lines and a demonstration with neat door prizes for show and tell--what fun!

It's a wonderful group of gals of all ages who share one thing in common--a love of everything quilting--if your quilt store has anything like this you would be doing yourself a favor to join in on the fun or start a group of your own!

I worked on Block #1 of the Forever Flowers BOM--the applique part and was glad that a couple of the gals there knew how to do applique and could help me as I muddled along--one of the other great things about Sit N Sew--help as needed!!!

All in all a very fine day!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Mystery Quilt #18.....

This mystery quilt wasn't too much of a mystery because I had already tried it once and the way it turned out was less than satisfactory, so I tried again with different fabric, so maybe this should be called "Less of a Mystery"?! It's a quilt pattern from a great website called Quilting Passion --a place filled with wonderful patterns and information AND a Forum that is a warm, friendly place to hang out.

Step one was strips sewed together into a square. Step 2 was the rows of alternating patches and plain squares and Step 3 is the finished product with 3" border. Very simple! My pictures are in backwards order, but next time, I'll know how to do it the right way---if I remember!!! There's a learning curve here!

This quilt will go to Project Linus, an organization near and dear to my heart where comfort quilts are given to children in need, who are sick and/or in the hospital. Last year Maynard (my hubby of 39+ years) and I were able to make and donate 100 comfort quilts to this worthy organization. This year we've only been able to make about 30 so far, but more to come!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Today is the first day of the rest of my blog......

Hello everyone!

Have to start somewhere they say and so after my daughter said that I should start a blog I decided I would (since I had been thinking it would be fun to do anyway!!)

Above is the first block my latest project -- a star sampler quilt using the Sunshine collection of fabric from Moda by April Cornell. I love the colors and designs. The Fat Quarters were given to me by a dear friend of mine--thanks Debi! This one will go to my daughter who lives in Austin.

This was such a wonderful weekend with a visit from daughter and family from Austin--grandsons 9 months (Nathan) and almost 4 years (Evan). Grandpa and boys had lots of fun with all of our trains!

Will keep this first post short since I need to learn about all this new stuff!

Jan