In an Hour a Day

An hour here, a hour there I will complete this one. I get to spend my whole weekend in the sewing room so should accomplish my goal of actually finishing this October project in October. I may not get it sandwiched and quilted but another top will join the many I have. I'm going to make it just big enough for the studio bed in the music room. It needs something bright and cheerful. Searching through my stash and not finding enough of the same fabric for the setting squares I'm going with what's there is in yellows and browns. My stash is getting pretty darned whittled down and bins are getting empty. The leafs will have to be yet more autumn colors, yellow backgrounds with whatever happens to be in the bins. I like this pattern, it's quick and easy and autumn is my most favorite time of the year.

Speaking of autumn, the trees have turned the most gorgeous colors in the past few days. We've had a bit of a cold snap not that that makes any difference to the changing of the colors. A nice day for a drive along the lake enjoying the colors on the mountains across the water. It seems in the past few years less pines and more leaf trees have sprouted up making the hills a riot of color.

Having a cold, not having much energy has given me time to sit and hand quilt. It's been a comfort to just sit and quilt plus keep me warm while being under the weather. I so enjoy hand quilting but wish I could quilt faster and accomplish more.

A note to Bonnie.. your quiltville site has joined yet another list I am on. The guys and gals there sew on treadle and handcrank machines. While many have electrics they use people power for their daily stitching. They machine quilt, do monograms, applique and all the things we do with our fancy electrics. There's something about peddleing away, the rumble of a treadle that is comforting and reminds us of gramma. Someone has referred them to your site for free patterns. The comment was made how nice it was to have an easy download with directions that you could understand. That makes 3 lists I'm on where your site has been posted. Your free patterns are greatly appreciated by all of us.

Gratitudes

Birthday wishes from my Maverick friends
Feeling better
A nice visit with my sister this morning
The drive along the lake enjoying the autumn leaf colors
Having a weekend alone to spend sewing
A day shopping with my friend Rexene

Winter Colds

I've been down and out with a winter cold and it's not even winter yet. Every year at this time I manage to find myself wrapped up in a quilt, sitting in my recliner watching TV while I suffer through yet another winter cold. How do I know I get them every year at this time? My good friends mother keeps a diary and yes there it is written down, same time last year a COLD.

While not feeling well enough to even get out of my jammies, I drug out that raffle quilt from last year to start the hand quilting process. You all remember the trials and tribulations of the Windmill, the changes, the cousin problem etc. With a few changes, new improvements it's not so bad or ugly and I've even taken a liking to the darned thing. So, over the past week, I've started hand quilting it with a modified baptist fan in the sky behind the windmill giving it some depth and character. The windmill itself is just that, haven't decided how to finish it to make it look like something other than the capsule from the space shuttle. I like these baptist fans, they add a dimension to the pale blue fabric in the sky area.

Called my sister for a chat and discussion of what to do about the next raffle quilt for our family picnic. Might as well start early since we have last years on the front burner for next year and funds to purchase fabric. We've decided on a family huddle of our sisters/mother to decided what to do about "the cousin" who caused so many problems last year. No stitching, just a sister get-to-gether, some hor de over's, discussion with a decision. Course we will toss in ideas of what pattern to do. I'd like to do simple, another log cabin variation and the sisters want something new. I'll toss out my recommendation, something simple and easy for those of us who haven't sewn much. Colors, something subtle as we are so diversified in our choices of colors. Some like bright and cheerful, others are more dark and dreary, other muted pastels. We're a bunch we are, all different personalities. One would think being sisters we would have similiar tastes but we're as differnt as night and day.



I celebrated my birthday last week. I can't believe I'm now closer to 70 than I'll ever be to 60. I remember at 17 thinking 35 was old, decrepit and being ready for a rocking chair. Time sure does fly by fast. Seems one day you're starting kindergarten, then next you're in junior high, graduation from HS, right behind that looking forward to turning 21. Followed fast by marriage, a few kids, their school days, graduations and marriages. Before you know it along come the grandkids and then before you're ever ready up pops that first great grandchild. You've blinked and a whole life has passed by, you've grown from that child, to adult, to seniour citizen and you haven't done all the things you planned with your life. I spent my day being sick, resentfull my DH hadn't even got me a card, instead handing me a wad of cash with a go buy yourself something, feeling forgotten and sorry for myself until my son's called to wish me a Happy Birthday. So I turned 67, just another day in the year for everyone else, but my special day, one I've always looked forward to. Birthdays aren't as fun as they used to be. When I was growing up, my parents made birthdays our own special holidays. The one we could look forward to all year long. It was better than Easter or Christmas because it was ours. I miss the birthdays of my childhood.

Catching Up

It's been awhile since I've posted to my blog. Days were busy getting everything ready for my trip to CA to see my GD married.

Both quilts were finished in time, the car packed and off I headed. Was a wonderful trip. I was able to spend quality time with both my sons, their families and meet GD's girlfriends who all came from other areas to be her bridesmaids.

Arrived on Monday night in plenty of time to attend the wedding rehearsal and dinner. From there we went back to the house and proceeded to play beer pong. Now if you've never played beer pong it's rather interesting. I played but when it came to downing quarter cups of beer I passed them off to the groom as I had to drive myself back to the motel for the night.

Wedding day was warm, blue skies, perfect for an evening ceremony. The setting was lovely, with a gazebo right on the river. My pictures didn't turn out really well as the sun was going down behind the wedding party.

The cake, baked and decorated by my other DIL who's very artistic and talented.

GD Jody and I.

GGD Reese and I. The handsome guy behind us is my son Mike, the brides dad. It never fails when someone takes a picture I always end up with some of the awfullest looks on my face. I hate having my picture taken.

Gratitudes...

Seeing my beautiful GD so happy.

Spending time with both my sons on this trip.

Special gratitude for a good friend and cat sitter who spent my whole trip cleaning up after a sick cat.

Still being young enough to make long car trips alone.