Pinwheels

Thanks for checking on me….I’ve been busy. Life has been in the front seat lately.
But I have been quilting. It all started with a friend losing her father suddenly. How many times have I wanted to quilt something for someone to sit back and say, I don’t have time. I can’t get it done fast enough. Well, the familiar responses crept up again on this occasion.

But I took a different attitude this time. I told myself she’d have tons of people offering support at first. She’d probably need the quilted piece later--- after everyone else’s lives had gone back to normal and she was still there, without her Dad.

So I opened up the quilt cabinet and took out this and a couple of fat quarters, along with some muslin. I stitched away. I backed out on giving it to her two or three times. It wasn’t perfect…. Mistakes in it stood out like sore thumbs. But I continued on working on it daily for 15- 20 minutes a day.

The minute the binding was complete.

I stamped a card and left it along with hot chocolate mix on her doorstep. I knew if I kept it a minute longer, I feel like it wasn’t good enough to pass on. “ Just do it…. Melanie… just do it…” And it was done… no regrets.

I’d been to her house a few times, but for the life of me I could not tell you what colors her house was done in. I settled on red, thinking she could use the piece, Valentine’s Day, Independence Day, Summer, Christmas.

Karen found it when she got home and …loved it….
Stressing over nothing, I was.
It was worth it….

Gratitudes:
A gift that cost nothing but time – I even used scrap batting.
Working late, but learning new stuff
Don, that loves me.

Baskets of Blessings

Monday Morning --- early…I enjoyed another three day weekend…..the last one for a while.

I have a friend that just had double knee replacement surgery. She owns a florist, so something inside me just won’t let me send flowers to her. A neat lady, she’ll go to a nursing home for two weeks for extensive rehab. It’s close to work, so I plan on visiting her this evening. I spent the weekend quilting a couple of things for her.

The table runner is called Baskets of Blessings from This N That. And I used Kansas Trouble quilters, A Quilter’s Garden charm pack for the design. It’s a little darker than I would have hoped, but I think it will go well in her kitchen at home. The journal cover is made from Thimbleberrries fabric left over from another project. She’ll have something to make her lists on -- lists of projects to do when she gets home.

The label on the back is my favorite part. The fabric on the backing puckered just a bit, but no one will ever know because it is hidden under the label.

Gratitudes:

Good health over the holiday.

Warm covers at night

A Refrigerator stocked full of leftovers (No cooking after a hard day’s work…..

Happy New Year

My first completion for the New Year. I’m going to make a frame, but couldn’t wait to share. It was a free pattern I had printed off on a whim. I don’t remember the site, but it was drawn by Dolly Cook. A scrap of muslin and leftover batting backing made of a project that didn’t cost a dime. After it’s framed it’s going to stand on the corner of my hutch as a good reminder…..


Resolutions – I’ve got the usual, more exercise (mine has fallen out of the picture completely), less television, less food – especially the processed stuff that is not good for me.

Quilting – I’ve got great hopes. I want to do 4 donation projects. I’ve never done that before and the dawn of a new decade is a great time to start. I have 3 BOM projects that I want to complete from past years. They are all well on their way so this is an obtainable.

I’m taking my first quilting class this year, sort of….I’m learning how to punch needle with a friend at Primitive Gatherings. Lisa Bongean is teaching it. I’m really looking forward to it.

Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself……putting past sins behind you is one thing, but letting go of hurts from others is even better. Anger and hurt are heavy loads to carry, and frankly my shoulders grow weary. So make the New Year a time for fresh starts. Whether it’s that person that cuts in line at the store, or that family issue you are really working through… you owe it to yourself to find peace.