Pioneer Nine Patch

If I had known a new camera would lead to photos like these, I would have given one to our son William a lot sooner!


Chech out the great pictures he took without even leaving our neighborhood.

William found a clever backdrop at a nearby cornfield. 

I'll settle for shadows if he's willing to climb trees to get the shot!

Direct sunlight won't bother me so long as the full quilt is in frame. 

I made this Nine Patch in the early 1990's from 9" blocks, swapped with friends. The Streak of Lightening border adds extra interest.

I'll probably drive Will crazy with my requests for photos these next few weeks, but he knows how much I appreciate his efforts. I'm sure gonna miss him when he heads off to college!

List of Lasts

Our son, William, just graduated from high school. Months before his big day, I noticed him pointing out particular events that were going to be his "last." Football games, concerts, plays, and dances were each noted and checked off, like items on some adolescent "bucket list.” 

“This is the last time I’ll wear my drum major’s uniform,” he sighed, while preparing to lead the marching band in the Loyalty Day Parade.

“This is my last high school stage performance,” he thought, after taking a curtain call for the musical “Big River.”

He expressed it in his farewell address at commencement, “Our joy dims when we realize that…each day we enter this school becomes one closer to the last.” I couldn't help but feel his outlook was a little sad, that each experience may have become tainted by focusing on the bitter rather than the sweet.

As it turned out, Will's perspective wasn’t as negative as I feared. He wasn't bemoaning the end of high school or expressing reluctance to graduate to the next stage in life. He was just stating, matter of factly, that it’s been a year of mixed emotions, including both nostalgia for the past and anticipation of the future.

I began to wonder if I could view this pivotal year with a healthy balance of emotion. I came up with my own "list of lasts." These seemingly insignificant daily rituals have been honed and polished into touchstones over sixteen years of sending kids off to school.

It’s the last time I‘ll…
~Wash a gym suit.
~Pack a lunch.
~Shout, “Do your best.” as he races out the door for school.
~Nag about homework and clarinet practicing.
~Pick up dirty socks.
~Trip over piles of sneakers.
~Wait up at night for him to come home.

And you know what? I'll miss every last one of them! It's the bittersweet end of an era that I'm approaching with mixed emotions. Now who’s the one with a negative attitude?

What's That You Say?

Good morning…
I said, GOOD MORNING!

Sorry, I’m having trouble hearing you for all the BANGING
and POUNDING… on the roof!

What’s that? Yes, OUR house….
We’re getting a new roof today.

Oh, you mean THESE houses.
CUTE, aren’t they?
No, I didn’t make them.
They’re from a doll quilt my friend Barb
made for me several years ago.
SWEET little neighborhood, isn’t it?

Tell you what, let's talk again another day.
I can’t concentrate with ALL THIS NOISE!

Two Cents Worth

James had a letter to mail yesterday, an unremarkable document in a postage paid envelope. Under normal circumstances, it could have been dropped into any nearby mailbox, including the one at the end of our driveway.

I remembered that postal rates had recently increased, and suggested he have the letter checked at the post office. Sure enough, the envelope required an additional two cent stamp. James had exact change, two flat pennies, which he pulled from his pocket and slapped on the counter.

Assuming this simple transaction was complete, he turned to leave. The postal worker called him back. “Don’t forget your receipt!”

This is what she handed him…. (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

Is it any wonder that postage keeps increasing? There’s got to be two cents worth of ink and paper in that receipt!

My Favorite Quilt

Did any of you participate in the Spring 2009 Online Quilt Festival? It features the favorite quilts of nearly 600 bloggers! I got so wrapped up with the virtual quilt show that I missed the deadline for including my own post, but here’s the story of my favorite quilt.

In 1991, I could not have been busier. Our little family was outgrowing our first tiny house, which we’d decided to sell it by owner. At the same time, we purchased a lot and started construction on a brand new house about 30 miles away. Every waking moment was focused on our kids, a toddler and new baby, showing one house, checking on construction of the other, cleaning, packing, moving, and oh yeah, starting a new quilt!

My local guild sponsored a quilt challenge that year. I’d been too busy to attend the meeting where the project was proposed, but my friend, Laurie, just knew I wouldn't want to miss out on the fun. Unbeknownst to me, she signed me up as her challenge partner!

The two theme fabrics were a large cabbage rose and green stripe, both of which we had to use in the center block of our quilts.

I adapted a pattern from an 1870's quilt for my center block. The original (below), was made by Mary Parks Lawrence in Russellville, Kentucky. The design has several variations but is commonly called "Pot of Flowers." 

When my block was finished, I swapped with Laurie, who designed and stitched the first border of my quilt, as I did hers. We were limited to elements outlined in the challenge rules (rules and deadlines, just what I needed): four-patch, nine-patch, saw-tooth, dog-tooth, flying geese, appliqué sprays or vines.  

Laurie framed my flowery block with wonderful spiky points, a great counterpoint to the appliqué. Once a design element was used, it couldn’t be repeated, so I appliquéd floral sprays and vines as my final border.

I hand quilted a 1/2" grid in the center block and a 1" grid in the outer border.

Cherry Challenge

44” x 44”

1993

We hung the finished quilt in our living room so it's the first thing you see when entering our home. After 16 years on the wall, it's become gently faded but still serves as a reminder to meet life's challenges with beauty and grace.

Happy Easter

Photograph by Christopher Baker

"Martha Stewart Living"

April 2003

Inside Out

Here's my view inside today...

and this is outside!

With a new quilt project to ponder, I’m more than happy to stay indoors. It's a small, unfinished quilt top that I bought from Wanda Hanson.

Isn't the layout interesting? You seldom see log cabin blocks arranged with another block like this. 

It would make a nice runner as is, but I'm thinking of adding a border. Any thoughts?