Monday, partly cloudy and 54`

My son telephoned from Washington, D.C. The federal government is closed for the day (again) because of the snow. And here we are thinking it's almost spring. I can even see a daffodil blooming, in the back yard, along with some crocus (what is the plural of that?) Sorry!

Been enjoying doing some catch up chores, preparing for a retreat and things like that. So to show you,
Finishing adding borders to the Bonnie Hunter Christmas mystery from Quiltmaker magazine (Christmas Lights). I have been toying with the idea of taking it to my friend Alayne's and trying out my skills on her longarm machine. Don't know about that. Suggestions?
















In 2000 I started collecting reproductions of original block prints from the Dutch East Indies Company. These are available through an incredible shop in Amsterdam called Den Haan and Wagenmakers . The gentlemen who originally started this have sold the shop, but it is still in the same location selling fabrics to "die for". [and they are still producing reproductions of the originals] These do cost a 'pretty penny' (to American pocket books) so I have only bought a few pieces at a time. But I think that at last I have a sufficient variety to do a blue and cream quilt and have washed these and put them aside to cut and begin stitching at the Q.A. Quilt retreat in April. Oh so exciting. And aren't they just fabulous?

Friday the letter carrier rang my bell and look what she had for me?


Bonnie Hunter's brand new book. Oh my word, but it is delightful. Talk about busting your stash - right down to the 2 inch squares. In many ways, these quilts sort of build themselves as you stitch the squares while you are making other things. (at the beginning and ending - i.e. leaders and enders - of other things you are stitching, instead of a little patch of fabric that start your stitching on.)

And for this week, a big thank you to whomever cleaned out their closet recently. At the Goodwill I made another find - about 8 yards of fabric. It is perfect for the back of something, anyway. And are your ready for this? $6.99


Pretty good start to this week, yeah? Life is good!

An Interesting Few Days

Over this past week-end, our church's annual womens' retreat, challenged and inspired 100 women. Our speaker was Jan Phillips, a very interesting woman from California. I'm not sure I can give you a succinct summary of our discussions. We sang, heard poetry, wrote our own poetry/prose and spent time considering how to be creative and use that creativity to help solve issues in our lives. And as the women of the church, how to 'hold' other women in their challenges. It was a refreshing and uplifting time. We were at the church's summer camp.

I have also managed to get a couple of projects moved along. As I'm pretty sure she doesn't read my blog, this is what I made for my Winter exchange. I suppose it could go on a table top or I have put a hanging sleeve on the back. It is about 22 inches square.










This is a pattern I saw last year on the Westfallenstoffe website. I believe it says (altho it is in German) that this is from EQ. I bought the fabric when I was in Germany last March visiting with Caroline. And then I ran out of the solid green and she had to get me some more. [Note to Self: no more patterns in a language that you do not know using metric measurements! Yikes]









Here's the start of the log cabin stars lap quilt. Each of those large squares is approx. 22 inches square. There will be a total of 9 large squares plus borders.


I think that's all the news from around here. How are things with you?

Wednesday evening

Well, I know I said no more posts for a couple of days, but am feeling glad to have finished a lap quilt that I was making for a gal I know through my RV group. This was kind of a 'duty' quilt, so will be pleased to put it in the mail to her and get it off my mind (and to do list). I must say it is truly georgous Moda flannel [I'd cook while working on it! or was that a hot flash?]

And I also managed to get the other 8 log cabin with stars block done. I must confess to some of my blocks being less than perfectly flat (what did I pull?) but I'm hoping that we can make it all work with the border. Hmmmmm. Keep at it!

Doin' my stuff

I've been struggling with a bad knee and physical therapy twice a week, but. . . . I have also made some progress with my little projects and thought you'd like to see.

So, here we are with the log cabin blocks. This will, assuming a finish on time, become a birthday gift for DD:




I have 8 more of these to make to get to the finished size. As I recall it finishes to a lap size.



And then (because I don't think she looks as this blog) here is what I have been working on for my Winter Exchange:




Pretty cute, huh? Not so difficult but time consuming cutting out the snowflake, then tiny zigzag with invisible thread. Will have a small border and voila!

3 new books, several UFO's, a strip set and some charm squares - all calling my name. Hmmm.

Church women's retreat this week-end - so updates here in a few days.

Exchanges are so much fun

I have received my Winter Exchange through my Crazy Exchange Group. Vania in Florence, Italy, sent me a stitched pinkeep as well as Panforte, a holiday treat. She also included a couple of postcards of Florence - considered by some as one of the world's most beautiful cities.

Now who feels guilty that they do not have their winter exchange item ready to go in the mail? That would be yours truly.

But if I might wax poetic (or at least blab on) for a moment - joining this exchange group has been one of the most delightful things I have ever done in my lifetime. Not only have I received truly marvelous hand-crafted, love-filled creations, but I have met some superb people. I have visited some of them and some have come here and visited with me. One could hardly ask for more in this crazy life we all live. So for any of my Crazy Exchange friends who are reading this, thanks for all the joy you have and continue to bring to me. And should you have a chance to join a group of exchangers - in whatever arena - take the plunge! I very much doubt you will regret it.

Things that make me happy

Oh, I was so pleased today to find a box on the front porch with the new books I had ordered. I am always so impressed with the folks who seem to be able to whip up this marvelous, small items that are just so doggone cute. And they really often only use what is otherwise a scrap of fabric - so you see I really am still busting my stash. Nancy Halvorson's latest from Art to Heart, Pretty Little Presents from Lark Books and my big excitement is the latest Tilda book. I learned of Tilda from Carolina, in the Netherlands. As they are originally from Norway by Tone Finnanger, English versions have been very hard to find. Sew Sunny Homestyle is 2009.

Oh, oh - get that log cabin finished and then I can play with these. And yes, Carolina I'm sure that I'm a real quilter -even in Fons and Porter's eyes. :-)

This week's doings

On Wednesday my quilt guild featured speaker was Raynola Pakusich. Very interesting lady. She is particularly knowledgeable about various ethnic fabrics, how they are made and how they can be used -sometimes together (regardless of country of origin). So she might pair up Asian fabrics with African fabrics and they look fabulous together. My photos were all too dark. I have asked another quilter for permission to use her photos - I will post them if she gives me the 'go ahead'. Meanwhile, this is the quilt that the guild will raffle off during our annual quilt show. Wouldn't it just be terrific if my number is drawn?









You probably know what I'm still working on at home. Log cabin strips. I think the pattern calls for 2 more light rounds and 2 dark. One of these days. . . . . . .











On January 4, Paula posed the question, 'What is the discipline of quilting?'. I have been thinking about that over these past 10 days, and I would have to answer that for me the discipline of quilting is sticking with it and finishing up what I have started - Particularly if something is not turning out quite like I had envisioned it ahead of time. So how about for you?