Ennui

The cure for boredom is curiosity.

There is no cure for curiosity. ~Dorothy Parker

Hi - remember me?

I used to post to my blog on a fairly regular basis. I used to read blogs on a regular basis, as well.

Lately, I haven't done much of either.

Nothing's really been wrong - I think I've just been in a state of ennui. Yep, that's it: a general lack of interest. Not just in blogging - in everything. I think I'll blame it on hormones. I blame everything on hormones these days!

Oh, I've kept busy...

I've been tutoring at the jail twice a week.

Mark is doing extremely well, and really keeps me on my toes. We've moved into high gear because he's due to be released December 23. I want to expose him to as much GED preparation reading and writing as I can before he enters an adult education program in January.

I've been quilting.

I finished this little cowboy-themed table-topper for two dear friends of mine who recently married. I'm also working on several Christmas gifts, which I can't post here until after the holiday, just in case certain people read my blog!

I led a discussion for the first time at my book club.

We talked about the book Pope Joan, which is fascinating for those of you who love historical fiction, like I do. It takes place in the 9th century, so we had an interesting discussion about women's roles then versus now. Thank goodness a lot has changed! Was there really a female pope? Read the book and see what you think.

And today, I volunteered for four hours at a local polling place.

I think this is what drove me to blog after such a long absence: I want to share with everyone what a wonderful experience it was this morning, to be part of the voting process. We had been warned of issues that might come up with voters or demonstrators, asking us to document things with camera phones, etc. I was pretty upset about it all yesterday, wondering what in the world has happened to our country that we're so bitterly divided.

But opening the polls this morning at 7:00 AM and finding a line of cheerful and proud people waiting to vote contradicted every bad thing we'd heard might happen. Yes, we are still very much divided in our nation, and I hope whichever person is elected will work very hard to unite our country once again.

However, the greatest thing I saw this morning was a Mom and Dad with their young adult son. It was his first time voting. They were taking pictures of him in front of the fire station where we were located, standing next to the "polling place" sign and the American flag. The young man was grinning from ear to ear, pointing to his "I Voted Today" sticker. I know it sounds corny, but it was a proud moment to be an American.

* * * * *

So, I'm hoping that my feeling of ennui has passed and I can once again feel engaged in life. The holidays are fast approaching and this is way too busy of a time to feel blah! Forgive me for not keeping up on your blogs, but know that I'm going to do my best to catch up on things.

Until next time...

Cheers for Number Fifteen!

Really I don't dislike to cook, but what you cook

is eaten so quickly. When you sew, you have

something that will last to show for your efforts.

~ Elizabeth Travis Johnson

Wow! When I decided to take part in the Fall into Fall Quilters Blog Giveaway, I had no idea of the number of entries I'd receive! There were over 135 submissions, although only 129 actually answered the required, "what I love about quilts" question.

I just transferred all qualifying entries into Excel, so I could number each one. Then I did a random number generator, and got the following...

So who, you may ask, is lucky number 15?

The winner is Sunny from Seam 2 B Sewing!

Here's what Sunny said she loves about quilts:

I love this book. Please enter my name in your giveaway! I love the wrinkly drapey feel of a quilt and all the beautiful designs. I have a blanket addiction anyway and quilts fit the bill nicely!

I can't argue with that! Sunny, if you'll email me your mailing address, I'll put your prize in the mail right away. Here's the Thimbleberries book she won:

I loved reading everyone's comments on what they love about quilts. For many, it brought back fond memories of mothers and grandmothers who have passed on. So let's remember that when we create and give a quilt -- or any hand-made gift, for that matter -- we're actually giving a piece of ourselves by which we'll one day be remembered.

I don't know about you, but I take comfort in that thought.

Thank you to all who entered!

Until next time...

Halloween Table Topper

When witches go riding,

and black cats are seen,

the moon laughs and whispers,

‘tis near Halloween. ~ Author Unknown

I've been secretly working on a little quilted table-topper for my youngest daughter over the past two weeks. I didn't want to post it because she often reads my blog.

But now that I've given it to her, I thought I'd share it.

Megan loves all those bright, fun Halloween fabrics, and had teased me about doing something when they first started appearing. I thought it would be fun to create something for her, since she's the true Halloween nut in the family (I wear that title at Christmas time!)

Here's the whole project, photographed from above. The center is an Ohio Star, one of my favorite blocks. I must confess, however, to never having made one with skull fabrics!

And here's a close up of all that fun material. The green spider and the green polka-dots came from two separate stores, and I was pleased how they well the worked and complimented each other -- if you can call glow-in-the-dark complimentary!

This was a relatively quick project to do, and I have to admit that the fabrics always made me smile. I think I may do a few more for the coming holiday season, although I'd better start now: I am sooooo slow at quilting!

* * * * *

On a non-quilting note...

I had my first-ever bone density scan today. My doctor just wanted a baseline since I am of a "certain age." The test, of course, is no big deal: it's like having an x-ray taken. But my jaw dropped when they took my height. She had me stand very tall and erect -- and I've shrunk! I used to be 5'7'. Now I'm 5'6 1/4. I've lost almost an entire inch in height. When did that happen??

As I left the office, I couldn't help smiling at that old joke: "I'm not fat - I'm just too short for my weight!"

Until next time...

October Give-Away!

Everyone must take time to sit

and watch the leaves turn.

~ Elizabeth Lawrence

Happy October, everyone! What a great time of year! To celebrate the month, I'm hosting a contest as part of the Fall Into Fall Quilters Blog Giveaway. Don't worry: you don't need to be a quilter to enter. Even non-quilters will enjoy this prize...


I'm giving away a wonderful book by Lynette Jensen called Thimbleberries New Collection of Classic Quilts. It is a thing of beauty: hardbound with over 200 pages of quilts, patterns, instructions, and decorating ideas for the home (don't let my poor photography deter you: the book is gorgeous!).

There are projects for all levels of quilting, created in those scrumptious Thimbleberries country fabrics. Heck, even if you don't quilt, it's a beautiful book to look through, and dream!

Here's what you need to do to enter: leave a comment telling me what it is you love about quilts. Pretty simple, eh? If you don't have a blog, leave me an email address so I'll know how to reach you. I'll use a random number generator to draw a winner on October 15th, and the book will be on its way from my home, to yours!

Be sure to go here for a complete list of the blogs taking part. Go to those sites and enter their giveaways, too.

Happy October!

Until next time...

Making a List, Checking it Twice...

When preparing to travel,

lay out all your clothes and all your money.

Then take half the clothes and twice the money.

~ Susan Heller

I mentioned a few posts back that I had planned to make a leaf block, using up the fabrics in my stash. I wanted to do something scrappy in Autumn colors, which I gravitate toward and so have lots of extra fabric pieces. Each block will be unique, but I'm using only my reds, browns, greens, etc. so the over-all look will say FALL. The lovely green fabric of the appliquéd stem will also make up the sashing around each block. As you can probably see, the stem is still pinned in place. This may be as far as I get on this piece before we leave for Alaska this weekend.

THIS WEEKEND.

EGAD!

We're in major countdown mode this week, which means making lists, starting to lay out items that we want to take along, etc. We'll be gone for two weeks, so there's a lot to take with us. We're flying into Anchorage, renting a car, and spending the full two weeks on the Kenai Peninsula. We'll take a marine wildlife day cruise on Prince William Sound, another day cruise through the Kenai Fjords National Park... we'll spend four days in Homer, visiting both museums and tide pools. Hubby will fish for halibut while I fish for quilt fabric! If we're not too late in the season, we'll see whales in Cook Inlet while we fish for salmon, outside the town of Kenai. We'll end our trip back at Anchorage.

I've always teased my husband about his analytical mind, but I have to admit that I'm very grateful right now for his way of thinking. He's an engineer and has a calm, orderly way of thinking through what needs to be done. I would likely get to Anchorage and realize I'd forgotten to pack the camera charger or all my underwear, or something! But we make a good team: he'll remember the maps, which will get us around; I'll remember the music for the car, which will make the journey pleasant.

And speaking of pleasant... see the house in the photo below, overlooking Katchemak Bay?

That's where we'll be staying for those four nights in Homer. Ahhhh... you can probably see why this trip is all I can think about these days!

Until next time...

A Surprise in the Mail!

How beautiful a day can be

When kindness touches it! ~ George Elliston

Look at the cute note cards I received in the mail this week from my sister-in-law Sue, who lives in Wisconsin. She says she thought of me as soon as she saw the quilt designs. Aren't they darling? They're embossed so you can feel the quilted pattern of each design. Thank you, Sue!

The cards above are the traditional double-wedding ring pattern (click on any photo for a closer view.) Both sets of cards have pretty matching envelopes.

This pack is based on quilted hexagons...

They look a little like a honeycomb, don't you think? Obviously the designer thought so, too because there is the cutest little embossed bee right in the center...

I have to admit to being partial to the hexagon cards, simply because of the fall colors. Plus it's a design I particularly like. Sue doesn’t know how timely her gift is: look at one of the projects I'm currently working on...

These are little hexagon flowers I've been creating for months now, made with cheery Mary Engelbreit fabrics. My photo doesn't do it justice: the colors are vibrant and bright. This project will travel with me to Alaska, since it's very portable and can be worked on in the car, in the cabin, or on a kayak.

Ok, maybe not a kayak - but you get my point!

* * * * *

Speaking of Alaska... this is our last weekend before our trip. We leave a week from this Sunday! Boy, that's hard to believe: where has this year gone? I made all the arrangements back in February and March, when August seemed so far away.

I'm actually considering trying kayaking while we're in Homer. Have any of you done it? I'm rather nervous at the idea because, you see - ahem - I don't swim. But I think it would be a great way to see wildlife and to have some beautiful, quiet time in nature. We're considering using an outfitter who would send a guide, and he/she could be in my kayak to keep me from drowning upright.

We have a lot to do this weekend, to get things ready around here so we can be gone for two weeks. We went through all the reservations last night, and our itinerary day-by-day so we could be sure everything is in place. I made a to-do list (which is very short, thank goodness) and Hubby made a packing reminder list, so we don't forget anything. Nine days and counting!

Have a great weekend!

Until next time...

Little Quilts

Our lives are like quilts - bits and pieces,

joy and sorrow, stitched with love. ~ Unknown

Jeanne is my oldest and dearest friend. We met when we were 15 years old, and have been BFF's ever since. So when I took up quilting, the first project I actually finished was a gift for her. I wanted to do a little mini-quilt for a couple of reasons: I wanted to actually finish a project (I have lots of UFOs - unfinished objects!) But I also needed to mail it to her in Japan, so little was good.

Like me, Jeanne was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. But for the past 18 months, she's been living in the area of Fukui, where she teaches English as a second language. I knew there wasn't a lot of room in the small apartment she shares with her husband and teenaged son. So a mini-quilt fit the bill perfectly. She recently emailed me the photo above, to show me where it hangs. She tells me it greets her every morning. I'm glad!

Here's the back of her quilt, with the label I created (click on any of the quilt photos below for a closer view of the fabrics):

After I made that little quilt, I turned right around and made a second one for my sister. When I made the first mini, I followed the pattern exactly, using different fabrics for each area. When I did my sister's mini-quilt, I wanted a more unified look. The little heart in the middle is an addition I made, and it was my first attempt at appliqué. The whole quilt is 24 inches square:

Finally... several people have asked about the "grand prize" table runner I gave away for Scale Junkie's Summer Blog Party Contest. Here's a photo of the finished piece. No one can say it isn't bright!

Rebecca over at Ready Maid won the runner. But I'm wondering if any of you have heard from her recently? She hasn't posted anything in quite some time, and I haven't heard if my package arrived. I’m not so concerned about the latter, but I'm praying that everything is ok with her.

So, there you have it: a couple of quilt pieces I've created over the past year. I can certainly see that my quilting has come a long way from those beginning attempts, yet somehow they still hold a special place in my heart. I hope that one day, I can look back at the pieces I'm creating today and say that I've come even farther.

Hey, my weight-loss expression applies to quilting, too -- and actually, to every part of our lives, if you think about it:

Progress, not perfection!

Until next time...

Mish Mash Friday Post

There is little chance that meteorologists can solve

the mysteries of weather until they gain an

understanding of the mutual attraction of

rain and weekends. ~ Arnot Sheppard

Ahhh, it's the weekend! I'm very grateful Friday is here. I don't even have a formal job, and I'm still thinking, "TGIF!" Some weeks are just like that, and this was one of them.

* * * * *

Hubby and I were awakened at 1:30 this morning by the strangest sound. We had to lie there and listen for quite some time to recognize it, since it had been so darn long since we'd last heard it...

It was raining!

I realize that this would be no big deal for many of you. But here in my corner of southern California, rain is a rare thing. We've been in a draught for so long that I honestly can’t remember the last time it stormed. It was wonderful to lie in bed this morning, listening to the rain come down. What a soothing sound!

My tomatoes are happy this morning...

So are the pomegranates. Our bush is loaded this year! They won't be ready to harvest until October and November, though. Only a few of them are just starting to turn red.

* * * * *

Part of why I'm so glad it's Friday is that this old brain of mine is tired. It's been asked to think about things it hasn't accessed in 30 years or more!

When was the last time you sat down and diagramed a sentence? I'm talking verbs and nouns and subjects and predicates? Now, if you're a teacher, you're not allowed to answer my question: you probably do it for a living (and God bless you for it!) But for those of us who are not professionals...

I did two tutoring session with Mark this week, and I honestly feel like I'm only one step ahead of him when it comes to this stuff. It's not that I don’t know how to write a proper sentence: most of us who blog are fairly decent writers, and we can spot grammatical errors a mile away. But trying to teach someone these basic ideas we learned decades ago is really taxing. As I keep telling Mark, our brains are like a muscle that just needs to be stretched and strengthened, to get in top shape. Well folks, my brain is sore from working out this week! I'm truly not complaining: I love what I'm doing. I just wish my recall was a bit better!

* * * * *

Do you like blueberries? If so, head over to Pea's Corner. She's giving away blueberries - well, not real berries, but the next best thing! It's a basket full of blueberry-themed goodies such as tea and soap and note cards, etc. Be sure to stop by and tell her hello.

* * * * *

I hope you have plans to do something fun and relaxing this weekend? We've got friends coming for dinner Saturday night, which is always nice. I'm going to be studying sentence structure at some point this weekend. Oh boy! But I'm also starting another quilting project. I'm designing a scrappy quilt, to use up some of my leftover fabrics from other projects...

I've got lots of little three-inch squares already cut, ready to be pieced into what I hope will be a leaf block. Pretty apropos for autumn, don’t you think – which is just around the corner. Stay tuned, and watch it grow!

Have a great weekend!

Until next time...

And The Winner Is...

One characteristic of winners is they
always look upon themselves as a
do it yourself project. ~ Denis Waitley

It's time to announce the winner of the Par-Tay with Attitude Summer Blog Contest!

I've taken far too long to do this, for two reasons: 1) It was hard to pick just one person to win the table runner and, 2) I've been trying like crazy to get the table runner finished! You know that old expression, "My eyes were bigger than my stomach"? A version of that applies to this contest: "My heart is bigger than my quilting skills!" I really was hoping to have it done and ready to mail, but there you go: life gets in the way.

So, without further ado, the winner of the contest is:

Every one who entered!

I'm serious! The bloggers who choose to post about how attitude changes everything are all winners in my book, and as such, they deserve a prize. I knew I couldn't do a table runner for everyone (or I'd be sewing until this time next year. Yeah, I'm that slow!) So I'm creating something like this for the runner-ups:

It won't be anything fancy: just a simple nine-patch block done in those fun fruit fabrics. Let it remind you to eat more fruits and vegetables, something we can all improve on (me included!)

Here is the top of the table runner, which I need to quilt and bind...

I'm lousy at taking pictures of my projects, so the color looks really flat. Believe me, the colors are anything but bland! Here's a close-up of one of the blocks:

And this bright reminder of why attitude changes everything will go to:

Rebecca at Ready Maid

Her post about her life-long struggle with weight and self-esteem really hit home for me. By reading the experts, then adopting her own 'can-do' attitude, she's been able to make some powerful changes in her personal life. Rebecca, thanks for being a shining example of how Attitude Changes Everything!

Here is a list/link to all the winners.

Jill at Life with Nature Girl
Karen at Never 2 Many Quilts
Manuela at A New Decade
Terry at Quilt Nut

Please drop by their blogs and give them a note of congratulations. And ladies, please email me your mailing address so I can send your prize to you as soon as it's finished. (qdinca@aol.com)

And while you're at it, why not drop by Scale Junkie and thank Diana for thinking up and coordinating this whole Summer Block Party idea. She's the mastermind behind it all, so be sure to toast her with a diet drink, with a fun umbrella in it!

Winners, your posts on attitude were terrific!

For me, that's what this journey called life is all about. There isn't a whole lot in this world we can control: we can't control the weather; we can't control the price of gas; we can't even control how fast those of us who give out prizes get the darn things done! :-)

But one thing we have 100% control over, 100% of the time, is our attitude.

May yours always be positive!


Until next time...

Life Is Good

While we try to teach our children all about life,

Our children teach us what life is all about.

~ Angela Schwindt

I've had another entry in the Par-tay with Attitude! Summer Blog Contest. Wonderfully creative Jill at Life with Nature Girl has written a terrific post about choosing one's attitude. I especially love that she's passing these ideas on to her child, the darling little "nature girl" mentioned in the blog's title. Check out Jill's post, and maybe pick up the book she mentions next time you're in the market for a good children's story. Keep scrolling through until you see some of the photos of that sweet little girl.

I hope you're thinking about what you want to write, so you can enter the contest. I'm working slowly but surely on creating the quilted table runner. Those fruit and veggie fabrics are so much fun to work with! See the details here.

* * * * *

Well, only one more day until my oldest stepdaughter moves out. Not only out, but away! I mentioned in a previous post that she's moving to San Jose, which is about six hours north of here. Not too bad, I know: at least she'll still be in the same state! I finally finished her quilt, the one I started last year and hoped to complete by her January birthday. HA! I almost made that deadline, all but the binding. When I knew she was moving, I vowed to get it all done so she could take it with her. Here's a photo:


I wish you could see the detail in the fabrics she chose: the purple batik is especially pretty. And no, I didn't do the quilting: I had a long-arm quilter do it.

Now, can anyone give me suggestions on how to take better photos of my quilts?? They're just not an easy thing to photograph!

I guess I'm feeling a little melancholy, now that the last daughter is leaving home. But I have to tell you just what a lucky woman I am. I could never have children of my own, so the good Lord brought into my life a man who had four children, three of whom had lost their mother when they were very young. I've never tried to take their mom's place, but I sure feel fortunate to be able to share with them all the maternal feelings I have inside. Sometimes that includes wanting to strangle them (and I'm sure the feeling is, at times, mutual!) But most often, what I feel for them is love, pure and simple. I consider myself incredibly blessed to be where I am today.

Life is good!


Until next time...

Quilters are the Best!

We must give more in order to get more.
It is the generous giving of ourselves
that produces the generous harvest.

~ Orison Swett Marden

We've got another entry in the Attitude Changes Everything Summer Blog Party -- this time, from a fabulous quilter!

Terry over at Quilt Nut has written a touching reminder that each one of us has the ability to choose how we go through life. We can be scared and stay within our small comfort zone, or we can spread our wings and get out into the world, giving ourselves the opportunity to grow and to thrive. As she points out, it's not easy, but the rewards are sure worth it. Check out her post. Terry, you rock! Thanks for entering.

For details on how you can enter the contest - and what you might win! - click here.

* * * * *

I titled this post Quilters are the Best because it's true! My blogger friend Mary (Needled Mom) and I attended our second meeting of a local quilt guild yesterday. I learned that the guild has several small groups that do quilts for charities, then three times a year, they have representatives from those charities come to the guild meeting and accept the quilts. Yesterday was one of those meetings. We got to hear from each group: what they do, some of their success stories, and how the quilts make a difference to the women and children these organizations help. Then the quilts were paraded around the room so we could all ooh and aah over them.

Folks, this one guild gave away 202 quilts yesterday! Isn't that amazing? And I know this effort goes on in quilt groups all over the country. Our guild's quilts went to places that house mothers and kids in crisis, the neo-natal unit of one of our local hospital, another place that helps troubled teenaged girls. It was an amazing experience, to not only see the talent and artistry of the quilt makers, but to glimpse their generous hearts, as well.

* * * * *

As Mary pointed out yesterday, this is a great time of year to be reading blogs because everyone's posting pictures from their garden. So, I'm jumping on the bandwagon! My hydrangea has its first mop-head ball. Isn't it beautiful?

And my one lone tomato plant, which flourishes in a half-whiskey barrel outside my bedroom window, actually has a few tomatoes that are almost ready for harvest - in June!



I can hardly wait until one of them is ripe enough to pick and eat right off the vine. In my humble opinion, there isn't much in this world that tastes better than that!


Until next time...

Fabric Flowers

Take your needle, my child, and work at your pattern;

it will come out a rose by and by. Life is like that -

one stitch at a time taken patiently…

~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

The last class of my beginning quilting series takes place this Thursday, and I’m glad it’s almost over. I’ve really enjoyed it, and I’ve learned more than I ever thought possible. But 15 weeks is a big chunk of time. It will be nice to have my Thursday nights free again.

I’m also anxious to move on to other quilt projects. In fact, I’ve started something new, a part of which is pictured above. This block design is called, I believe, Grandmother’s Flower Garden, but it’s made of little individual hexagons, so I think of it as a hexagon block. We did this block in the sampler quilt for class, and I fell in love with the technique. I dreaded doing it at first, thinking it would be tedious and boring, with all those tiny little stitches done by hand. But I love it. Sewing by hand is a great thing to do while I’m watching TV with hubby at night. I’ve also found it to be a lifesaver during those long Fridays when I’m serving as a federal grand juror. I can’t fall asleep and sew at the same time!

I’m using fabrics from my stash for this project. Last year, I bought a bunch of fat quarters of various Mary Englebreit fabrics off of Ebay. I had no idea what I’d do with them, but I had to have them! I’m finally putting them to good use. Each “flower” will be different, but they’re all made with her darling fabrics (if you click on either photo, you can see more details in her patterns.) Here’s another sample of one I have yet to start sewing together:

You can see the cheery little Engelbreit cherries in these hexagons. So cute!

Now, what should these “Mary” little flowers grow up to be? I truly can’t imagine doing an entire quilt made of nothing but these little 1-inch hexagons. I don’t think I’ve got that kind of patience! But maybe a table runner, or a wall hanging? Any suggestions?


Until next time…

Camaraderie

In everyone’s life, at some time,

our inner fire goes out.

It is then burst into flame by an encounter with

another human being. ~ Albert Schweitzer

I posted yesterday about meeting some of my emotional needs by hanging out with like-minded people. Well, it happened today. I attended my first-ever quilt guild meeting.

No, it didn't look quite like the old-fashioned picture above (does anyone still quilt like that, I wonder?) It was a group of about 150 women of all ages, sizes and colors. I felt right at home!

I also went with the intention of meeting my blogging buddy Mary. We had exchanged emails, figuring out how we'd find each other, where we'd wait, etc. Turns out, we pulled up together at the same moment, and met in the parking lot. She's a very warm and open woman with the prettiest smile! I'm glad we've met in person and look forward to getting to know her.

Talk about a small world: the membership person for the guild is a former member of mine, back when I was a Weight Watcher leader. It was great to see her again! I think I'm getting a bit more comfortable when this happens: my first instinct was not to run and hide, so she couldn't see the weight I've regained. Nope, I went right up to her, held out my hand and re-introduced myself. I'm so glad I did. We chatted for a while and she told me how much she used to love coming to my meetings - how sweet was that?

So I think I've found a fun way to get a few of my emotional needs met. And you want to know what's interesting? As I drove away from the meeting, I found myself thinking that it's time to get new walking shoes. I got a gift certificate to a fitness shoe store for Christmas, and haven't used it yet. But today, it feels like it might be time.

Funny how that works, isn’t it? When we take care of ourselves emotionally, it puts us in a good place to want to take care of ourselves physically. I like when that happens!


Until next time…

Quilting Frenzy

Really I don't dislike to cook, but what you

cook is eaten so quickly. When you sew,

you have something that will last to

show for your efforts. ~ Elizabeth Travis Johnson

I have been a quilting fool these last 36 hours! But I'm happy to say that I have only one block to tackle today and then I'll be ready for class tomorrow night.

We're making a sampler quilt, which means that each of the 20 blocks are a different traditional quilt pattern. They all use the same eight fabrics, however. This week, we'll pick out the sashing -- the fabric strips that will go in between all the blocks, which will unify the whole project.

The block above took almost all day yesterday to do. It's a take-off of the traditional Drunkard's Path pattern. Can I just tell you that all those curves were HUGE challenge for this fairly new quilter? I thought I'd never finish! But I'm pleased with how it turned out.

This block is called Flower Garden, and is all hand-stitched. Each little hexagon is stitched individually, then they're all hand-sewn together then appliquéd onto the background fabric. I don't care for appliqué (simply because I'm not very good at it yet) but I loved creating this block.

This pattern is called 54-40 or Fight. I'm very pleased with the outcome, although the upper left corner looks a little wonky. Not sure what I did there, but I guess that's why I'm a beginning quilter, eh?

The name of that block comes from a territory dispute between the US and Britain over the boundary of Canada and the Oregon Territory. For me, this is an added bonus of quilting: I'm a history buff, and there are such rich stories behind these traditional blocks. For instance, the Drunkard's Path pattern was a symbol of support for the temperance movement of the early 20th century. I enjoy learning about that piece of quilting.

Hopefully at some point in the next few months, I'll be able to post a photo of the completed quilt. Stay tuned!

Until next time...

But It Was On Sale, Dear

When women are depressed, they eat or go shopping.

Men invade another country. ~ Elayne Boosler

I ran into a sale yesterday.

Normally, I can bypass the BUY ME! BUY ME! urge, but not this time. It was quilting fabric, you see. On sale. That's kind of rare in my neck of the woods, where we normally pay about $10 a yard. My quilt shop had a small selection on sale for half off.

It was that darn paisley on the left that sucked me in. Isn't it gorgeous? It called my name! And of course, it can't go home alone... it needed some complimentary fabrics to keep it company (or so I tried to explain to my husband.)

I have no idea what I'll do with it, although I plan to add a few more colors from my stash of fabric: some greens, golds, and a black or two. I'll have to think about a design.

But first, I have to finish a quilt I'm working on for a dear friend in Salt Lake City. But that has to wait until I finish the blocks for the class I'm currently taking. Then I can play with the paisley.

So much wonderful fabric, so little time!

Ah, it's good to have a passion other than eating. :-)


Until next time...

Quilt Connections

Our lives are like quilts - bits and pieces,

joy and sorrow, stitched with love. ~ Author Unknown

I finished another quilt block this week. It's called Ohio Star, and it's a pattern I've always wanted to try. I know that you advanced quilters out there will know that it's a pretty simple block to create, but I am very proud of the way my first attempt turned out (pictured above)!

There are lots of things I enjoy about quilting. I love playing with fabric, for one. I take pleasure in using my creativity to match patterns, colors and values. I feel satisfaction when I see a finished block, a completed row, and the occasional actual quilt!

But I also feel proud to know that I'm taking part in a time-honor craft that women (and some men) have been participating in for centuries. Quilting gives me a feeling of connection to the women who came before me. There is a strong sense of history that comes from creating a traditional block like the Ohio Star.

My Mom knitted and crocheted, and was an accomplished seamstress. She made all my clothes when I was a kid. She was not a quilter, however. Yet each time I thread the machine I inherited from her, I feel a sense of connection to the woman I miss most in my life. Mom tried to teach me to sew when I was younger, but I was too impatient. She'd always admonished me to slow down as I sewed. Her warnings came to fruition once when I was sewing a straight seam much too fast, and sewed through my finger: the needle went right through my fingernail!

Mom's been gone ten years now, but she's with me every time I sit down to quilt. So are the generations of women who've put needle to thread and produced both utilitarian creations and works of art.

Today is International Women's Day -- a global day connecting women around the world and inspiring them to achieve their full potential. Quilting is one of the ways I connect to other women, to feel part of the larger, creative female community. What's yours?

Until next time...

Finished is Way Better Than Perfect!

I am still learning. ~ Michelangelo

As promised some time ago, here's a photo of the log cabin block I actually stitched, instead of the photo I "borrowed" off the Internet to illustrate the point I was making in that days' post. My block is not quite as perfect: heck, mine's not perfect at all! But it's finished, and I'm very proud of it. It was my first log cabin block, and it was a booger to do!

Isn't that the way of things? If something comes easy, we may not get quite as excited when we finish. But when the task is difficult, and requires a lot of patience and perseverance, we want to shout to the stars when we reach our goal.

I know you can see where I'm going with this.

Anything we choose to do in life that's difficult is worth the effort. Losing weight, making a career change, quitting smoking, getting our spending habits under control. Taking a positive step in life is scary and requires that we be very gentle with ourselves.

It's like my quilt block: it took a long time for this beginner to create, and required all of my patience. I had to set it aside a few times and walk away. I cried once: I ripped out seams a few times. But I stuck with it and in the end, I have something I'm proud to call my own.

Michelangelo is said to have made the humble quote listed above when he was in his 80s. I figure if he can say that after all his creations and works of great art, it certainly applies to me, and maybe to you, too. I am still learning -- about good health, about wise choices, about quilting, and about life. We're all going to make mistakes along the way, but we will reach our goals -- as long as we don't give up!

Until next time...

Be Good to Your Sweet Heart

When your heart speaks, take good notes.

~ Judith Campbell

Happy Valentine's Day!

What gifts are you going to give your sweet heart today? I'm not talking about your mate or the person you're wooing. I'm literally talking about your heart - your very tender, very vulnerable sweet heart.

Today and for the rest of the year, I'm going to give my heart gifts that are both literal and figurative.

First, I'm going to literally give my heart the gift of good health. I've walked two out of the last three days, and have a date with Rosemary to head out again this morning. Walking my way toward Alaska is a huge present that will help my heart be stronger! Watching my intake of saturated and trans fats will add to the gift. Throw in lots of fruits and veggies and my gift basket overflows.

But my heart needs other kinds of gifts, as well, and I plan to listen when my heart tells me to follow my passions:

I want to spend time quilting with beautiful fabrics of all kinds, which feeds my senses on so many levels. I'm currently taking a fifteen-week quilting class with a teacher who says there are no mistakes: it's all part of the creative process. I like her thinking!

When I discovered quilting last summer, I neglected my poor garden, and my heart is telling me it's time to spend time playing in the dirt again. I have a new spot available this year to plant flowers and herbs. It's countdown time to warm weather.

It's important to my heart that I spend time with friends and loved ones, keeping those social connections strong. Other people feed my spirit in ways I can't accomplish alone. I want to add new volunteer efforts as well.

My heart also needs quiet time, to read, to write and to try meditation. Most importantly, I need the quiet time to reflect on my blessings and keep gratitude in my heart.

What is your sweet heart telling you it needs today and for the rest of the year? Take time to listen, and don't forget to take good notes!

Until next time...