Fanciful Quilts

Good heavens...it's been quite awhile since I've updated this journey...and now, finally located the user ID and password, I find the whole setup of the blog has changed.   This should be one interesting blog. Quilting life has slowed down a bit for numerous reasons.  Mainly, life and discovering the joys of my Kindle Fire.  Doesn't take much, does it?  However, I have made a few blocks for online yahoo group lottery - am now undertaking sets of blocks for a swap - and do a whole lot of fabric fondling in the meantime.  The interest hasn't died....just seems to be taking a nap.  I do know that once I sit down in front of my laptop, hours can whiz by.  Not productive....nor note worthy when I would write up daily posts to several yahoo groups.   When the daily posts were met with zero response, it's time to take stock and - well, spend time instead doing something more constructive.  My kitchen looks pretty spiffy now....and la...

Nothing sparks my interest than something new. Oh pfffttt. I just do NOT like following directions nor a pattern. Scrappy strip blocks. What a great way to use scraps (and who doesn't have a few - ahem - bags of scraps?!?!). In the retreat room (aka sewing area which I share with Riley), I've whipped up over 50 of these babies. Four 5 1/2 strip square blocks sewn together and then trimmed to 10". Seems like I could whip up a quilt in no time. I jest and surely you do too. Not being one with the mathematical mind (other than balancing the checkbook), I used 2 inches of a beautiful mottled gray blender in between each block. I do believe we quilters call that "sashing". When I become a quilter with terminology, I'll let you know. At any rate, put a few together - threw it on the bed and nope, not quite wide enough. Added a few more blocks. Threw it on the bed. Nope, not quite wide enough. Finally at 7 blocks, it's wide enough. I think. That...

I am convinced. Works in Progress need to be set aside for an unspecified time. Translation: Oh my - when did I put THAT together?!?!?! And how long has it been in that box (bag, underneath the table, in the closet...)?!?!?! There is much to be said for WIPs...UFOs...PIGs..(which I still have problems remembering what PIG stands for)....Especially if one is tired of working on the project. I stopped just short of trashing (horrors) this particular quilt top. I'm so pleased I didn't. Now it will become a rescued lap quilt for someone for Christmas. I have no shame. I don't put together a quilt with someone in mind...unless you count myself. Seems a bit shallow to admit but there you have it. I figure a good friend, member of the family or a passing acquaintance worth their salt would be thrilled to receive something handmade. No matter how badly it was put together. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. In the meantime, I quilt. Angel45402

Belonging to several yahoo quilting groups, I read almost all the posts (averaging 50 a day) and was struck by one post in particular. There are times when we all leap out in faith and post photos of our work. I'd like to think we do this with some sort of trepidation, looking for some sort of feedback. Never have I witnessed other than pure kindness when comments are posted in response to a completed project or perhaps just a block. However, this one post brought out something I didn't give much thought to until several days later.. The author pointed out a simple lack of courtesy that prevails among us all. Someone takes the leap - posts a photo of a current project and not one comment was posted. Looking back over several postings and indeed, there were several noticeable lack of comments after one brave soul posted a photo. Nothing. Zip. Zilch. The author of the post simply asked - what does it take of your time to simply post "great job" or "love the...

...and that about sums it up. Spent the weekend at a womens' retreat. My third retreat. Each one has brought about a hmmm moment - or moments. This one was the most intense. Health wise - all in order. Emotional wise - not so in order. Work has a tendency to define us...or so I've believed for years. When you meet an individual for the first time, the top five questions will always include "so..... what do you do?" - no need to add "for a living" - it's just assumed this is exactly what you're inquiring. It's usually good for a good two minute monolog. Fast forward 32 years and then the big R hits. Retirement. So....what do I do? And then it hits. I do? I maintain a house (okay, an apartment); I cook (okay, so maybe on a rare occasion); I clean (don't go there) and I quilt. Sometimes quilt. Sometimes less than more. I make breakfast for my dear husband and me every morning. I pack a lunch for him. I shop for groceries. We walk. What is missin...

Ahhh - it is the 22 nd of April....and I finally tackled a new project. While at a local LQS (not shopping - honestly - not shopping!!!) (uh huh - sure), I saw the neatest table runner - made of a shape called TUMBLERS. Googled it later and found a very, very nice pattern courtesy of Quilters' Cache. If you don't know this site, find it and immediately bookmark it. It is a TREASURE of blocks and patterns. Love it. I digress (love that word). For several years I have received birthday fabric from my quilting buddies who belong to an online yahoo group. Size of the fabric ranged from F8 to some not-known sizes. After a good seasoning (all quilting fabric must season for awhile - it's a known fact), I took them out the other day and thought... ahhh ha! Eureka. I had an ah ha moment. And promptly started cutting.....and cutting...and cutting. First off - very important prep. STARCH your fabric pieces first. It really does make it easier to cut out the shapes. Rotary cutter,...

It is the 19th of April. Taxes completed and already the meager refund has been deposited in our checking account. Moving takes a lot out of one. And then there's the settling in. And then there's the discovery of a roof drain pipe that leaks - and of course, it extends the full length of the building. Translation: when it rains, it leaks. When it leaks, it leaks on to the floor of the lower level. Further translation: it leaks on to the carpet. And one more translation: this is where the chess players play in the tournaments we hold. We're praying our multi-talented contractor comes back from Florida very, very soon to replace that last bit of iron roof drain pipe. The part that leaks. The part that makes me grit my teeth. My, my, my. Of course, those are not the words I'm using nonverbally when it's 3am and I'm using an old carpet shampooer to suck up water. Drought in Texas and Oklahoma and Dayton, Ohio has enough water coming down to make one wonder where in...

This is the entrance to our soon-to-be new home. It is now February 13, 2011. Early December 2010, we took the plunge to renovate/rehab the mezzanine - now known as "Riley & Sharon's Treehouse ". Over ten years ago, we bought a 3 story business building with a lower level in the heart of downtown Dayton. Whether or not it really resides in the "heart" of downtown Dayton is left to those scoffers. Within a year of rehabbing it (the building has quite an interesting history), the former mezzanine was torn down and a new one built for a "dot.com" company. Eight months later the company went bankrupt. It sat vacant for quite awhile...very sad. Riley & I started talking about renovating it for living space. Why not. The space is quite unusual....spans the entire length of the building...100 feet roughly by 16 feet...and split up in business room fashion. Whatever that means. The conference room was tagged to be the sewing/study room. A lon...

Where has the time gone??? Seriously - one moment it was July and now it's October already. Summer heat and now leaves crunching underfeet (or is that underfoot???). Riley & I drove up here to Oshkosh, WI on Wednesday. Actually, we spent the night at Merrillville, IL and drove the rest of the way on Thursday. My sis is with us....she is staying at mom & dad's while Riley & I stay at a hotel, barely over a mile away. The 13th of October marked dad's 80th birthday. Today we will celebrate it with lunch, maybe a few presents and good wishes. Dad isn't doing extraordinarily well. He's forgetful and has trouble lifting one leg to get the rest of the body into a car. Could be the beginning stages of Alzheimers - or dementia - or perhaps neither of the above. It may very well be time to put the house up for sale and move to a place that is senior-citizen friendly where everything needed is on one floor and it's easier to get in and out of a bathtub ...

One of the best times I've had with my sister took place last Wednesday evening. Memories of long ago Sunday afternoons with sis and mom playing bingo at the on-base club came to mind. I set off to find a bingo hall - on line. Found one - not too far from where we live. We got there a good 30 minutes earlier than the time posted. Alas, someone didn't tell the owners we were coming. It was obvious this bingo hall had not been in use for some time. Maybe years. Darn. But not all was lost. Joanns was close by and I had a need to buy some perle cotton. Out came the phone and the wonderful browser capability.....yes, there was another bingo hall not more than 15 minutes away. We found the place easily enough; parking was another matter. Who were these people that took up all these parking spaces?!?!? Finally found a spot, pulled in and hoped the business next to the bingo hall was full of loving and kind people who would not tow my car while we were inside the bingo hall. For those...

How many times have we heard "it's the little things that count..."? You give a small token of your appreciation to a friend...and think to yourself that it didn't cost a lot, and it was just a little token and besides, it's the "little things that count". You get a pat on the back for a job well done...and think to yourself - geez, that should have been worth a lot more than a pat on the back - and then think well, I guess the boss believes in the little things that count. Okay - so the last one was a little weird. You get the idea. It's the "little things" that should be observed, honored and revered. Here's what I believe. The little things are God's way of letting you know He's there - He cares - and He wants us to be His ambassador. He plants an idea in our heads to do something out of the ordinary. Send a gift for no reason. Send a card to someone to let them know you care. Enclose a note in your spouse's lunch that si...

I love Mondays. There is something magical about the 2nd day of the week (yes I count Sunday as the first day of the week - doesn't everyone??). Even before retiring, I liked going into work on Mondays. Mondays can make or break you - your choice. You may hate the job you're doing right now - but it's your choice to either leave, endure or look at the positive aspects: (A) you have a JOB - the unemployment rate is supposedly around 10% here in Dayton. (B) you have a JOB. (C) you have a JOB. (D) you have a JOB but you can be looking for another one Yes, I admit it - I have been retired from the job force now for over 2 years. I've worked since I was 19 with an 18 month break in there with child #2 came along. Did I love my jobs? Nope. Won't lie. Did I complain? Yup. Won't lie. Do I look back and regret my complaining? Yup. I believe now the gift of becoming a Christian makes all the difference in the world. So Pollyanna sunshine aside, I look back and think what...

It is almost 10:40am. I have walked from the apartment to the chess club - pulled in the little dumpster on wheels (Thursday is garbage pickup day) - walked from there to the bank (what is it about two tellers gabbing away about personal stuff and tell the other teller: "can you take care of HER?" Emphasis on the HER, yes indeed....) - and from the bank to the library. Ahhh the public library. It never fails me. The moment I walk in (regardless of the fact this public library has a metal detector....a fine statement of downtown Dayton, don't you think???), I feel that momentary sense of excitement. What book will capture my interest this time. Okay, so maybe not ALL books capture my fancy. Sadly, science fiction does not capture my interest (sorry my dearest daughter and beloved husband) nor do biographies (apologies to those who love them) or historical romances (more sex in those novels than imaginable...pick one up and tell me I'm wrong). That still leaves many ven...

There are days when I wonder why quilting. Of all the hobbies there are to choose from, why this particular one..... Taking perfectly good fabric (you've heard this one before), cutting it up and resewing the pieces back together....and this is a hobby? No, not for most of us who quilt. It's a passion. The possibilities of what can be done with fabric are endless. Squares, triangles, appliques, portraits, landscapes, strips, circles...and the list goes on and on. It evokes memories. It brings comfort and warmth to the recipients. It brings smiles to those who need a smile. It doesn't matter if it took you two hours to put it together - or two years. It's a labor of love. Oh, to be able to see the smiles and tears when the package is opened and there lays the quilt - just for them. And it's okay if you can't see the smiles and tears if the quilt is mailed off. You see the smiles and tears through the email or letter of thanks. I mailed a quilt to Riley when he wa...

Today marks the end of our trip to Shreveport, Louisiana. We fly out tomorrow and will soon settle in to a routine in Dayton late at night. It's been a roller coaster ride, coming back. Some disappointments- the greasy spoon where we ate on most Saturdays is no more - the Polynesian restaurant where Riley worked as a waiter is now a Mexican restaurant - and now there are cloverleaf interchanges along I-20. Some delights - the first house we lived in is still standing - the first "real" home we had, a garage apartment, is still standing - and has been improved tremendously with siding - Pancho's Mexican restaurant is still Pancho's and Marshall Texas courthouse is still standing. The biggest delight was driving to Marshall .... finding the courthouse .... and then actually seeing our names in "the book". A s soon as we went through the metal detector, we made our way to the records department. We asked a young lady if it was possible for her to look up...

We arrived in Shreveport, Louisiana this morning. Vacation #2. Shreveport is where it began - the life of Riley & Sharon as one. We met here, eloped to Marshall, Texas on the 27th of July 1971, informed my parents that evening we had gotten married and 38 years later we are back. A few side notes before the story. First - eloping may seem very romantic and I suppose at that time it was. I have been a parent for many years now - and I can imagine what my parents went through that night. Second - Riley & I did renew our vows - in church - the full wedding bit - 25 years later. Dad got to walk a daughter down the aisle for the very first time. Third - I recommend number 2 all in all. A marriage is an event to be shared with family and friends. It's a celebration of love, commitment and proclaiming to the world - this is it. Coming back evokes quite a few feelings. One of which startles me - I remember so little. We took a drive to Barksdale Air Force Base. At the tender age of...

Today is the 24th of Christmas....better known as Christmas Eve....even better known as the day before Happy Birthday, Jesus. You know how you get a small little niggle in the back of your mind that just stays there quietly until it's time to be recognized? I know your answer is yes....so I will share my little niggle. For years, it would upset me when a simple "thanks" was not received in response to giving a gift. Horrifyingly (isn't that a lovely word!), it was just "upset" - it was full blown anger. Thoughts would ramble through my head that went something like this.... "what does it take to pick up the phone to say thank you...." or "for gosh sakes, all it takes is a piece of paper and pen and an envelope and stamp to simply write in block letters THANK YOU".... or..... on second thought, the 3rd rambling is to be kept private. I'm even ashamed of that particular rambling thought. Now on to the niggle. Why buy anyone anything? Wh...

Writers get writer's block....quilters sometimes face the same stumbling block. The inspiration isn't there - the motivation has fled - the sewing mchine is deadly quiet for the most part. This quilter not only has hit a stumbling block but dead on to a brick wall. No reasonable explanation. 75% of one pieced top is on the design wall and has been there for quite some time. Sashing to go between the blocks was ordered, delivered, washed and yet - not ironed. And still the 75% pieced top still remains on the design wall. No reasonable explanation. Every journey starts with one step - but what does one do when one doesn't feel like putting that foot in front of the other to continue on the journey? Perhaps every journey isn't meant to be finished within a specific timeframe. Ecclesiastes 3:1 advises "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven". For now, the pieced top will remain on the design wall until such time it...

While I sit here at Basics Cafe in Oshkosh WI (free wireless, folks!), I am wonder just why this trip to Oshkosh. Granted - this is where my parents live. Granted - they are now getting to the age where it makes sense to downsize from their large home to perhaps a condo in a senior citizens community. Granted - it's been awhile since I last visited for more than 2 days. Granted - sis is still on vacation until Monday and it made sense to drive up now. But still - what did I hope to accomplish? First - just a visit. The folks just aren't into the idea of flying....and driving is out of the question...not even as passengers. So - if the mountain won't come to....you get the idea. Second - still just a visit. Perhaps it is time to put the house on the market. Perhaps it is time to them both to live where life is more manageable. I don't know. I am not my parents. I don't know if I would resent either one of my children visiting with ulterior motives. Getting old - what...

Today is the 30th of August. Today marks our son's 29th birthday. Twenty nine years old. Married. They have one son, age 4. Twenty nine. It would be redundant at this point to write 29 one more time...or write 'how could that be'. I think it's pretty obvious I marvel at how quickly time passes. Yesterday, son & father and grandson took a walk around our old neighborhood. The neighborhood where we raised both our children. It was a good place .... parts of it not so good now. Time has a way of changing neighborhoods. This walk was a gift for hubby on Father's Day...a walk. I got glimpses of what it meant to Riley to walk with son & grandson and it warmed my heart tremendously. Good talks about what it meant to roam around the neighborhood wthout fear....good memories all in all. I do believe the walk was a present that will live in Riley's heart for ever. It got me to think about "best presents". I asked a group of friends what they thought to b...