At Times Like These

Hello everyone. Where were we when I last posted? Oh yeah, smack dab in the middle of the worst year ever! Twenty-sixteen brought an unrelenting onslaught of disasters--everything from wildfires, hurricanes and floods to mass shootings, civil unrest and unprecedented political farce. In the midst of it all, a sudden death in the family left me paralyzed with grief.

It's only been nine months, but I'm ready to start dealing with things instead of just wallowing in sadness. Creative endeavors have helped in the past (here and here), and to that end, we did a deep dive in my sewing room. 

ooking for something to pique my interest. Well, something finally did--an assortment of homespun plaids all cut and ready to sew. Kathie Holland, do you remember sending this kit to me years ago?

Blocks are pieced using Mary Ellen Hopkins' “connector corners” technique. Stars cleverly appear as the blocks are sewn together. Wanda Hanson assembled the quilt and added plaids of her own to make it a more functional table runner size.

Wanda chose a lovely striped backing and binding in my favorite colors. I like how her diagonal machine quilting echoes the linear theme.

Plaid Fancy

18" x 27"

Some of the comfort a quilt provides comes from the soul of its maker. This one's imbued with the love and kindness of compassionate friends, who in bringing it to life, restored a bit of my own!

Welcome Spring

Hello everyone! The weather today was beautifully sunny, warm, and perfect for opening the windows to let in the fresh, spring air. In fact, that was the first thing my friend, Terri, did when she stepped through the door.

we basked in the breeze and let sunshine settle on our faces.  

We talked nonstop over lunch and barely got a bite in edgewise for all the catching up we did.

Before leaving, Terri offered to do a little something around the house. I knew she meant cleaning, but dust can wait! Instead, I asked if she'd arrange a little tableau with the tulips she brought and a little quilt from my stash.

As you can see, it's nothing special -- just a few random nine patches swapped with friends. Still, it deserved its day in the sun..

but even a humble quilt like this deserves its day in the sun. Thanks again, Terri. Your arrangement will keep me smiling all week!

 

The Lincoln Memorial

Hello all! This little quilt was a birthday gift from my friend Barb Vedder a few years back. Thanks again, Barb!

I call it "The Lincoln Memorial,” a monumental name for a miniature quilt, but I like the play on words.

The medallion-style format features Abe at its center surrounded by three deceptively simple borders. According to Barb, "fabric choices really matter in small projects like this. When only a few are used, it can be challenging to pick just the right ones."

After trying "a gazillion” options, Barb's persistence paid off. Her savvy choices add depth, complexity, and gravitas to the otherwise simple design. 

I wonder if Barb had Ford’s Theatre in mind as she auditioned fabrics, or was it sheer happenstance how closely they resemble the scene of Lincoln’s demise?

From the rich red carpet and brocade upholstery...

to the heavy swag draperies of the Presidential Box, the similarities are striking.

Even the riverboat scene on the back is accurate to the era.

This is just one of many patriotic quilts inspired by Barb’s love of U.S. history and Americana. She displays her quilts and collections throughout her lovely home. Be sure to check them out!

Incidentally, there's also a connection between our little town of Batavia, Illinois and Mary Todd Lincoln. Ten years after her husband's tragic death, Mary was deemed mentally unstable and committed to Bellevue Place, a rest home and sanitarium just blocks from our house. Her stay was brief, a mere four months, but long enough for Mrs. Lincoln to earn a prominent spot in local lore. 

A Spiritual Gift

"If you are a craftsman…only look at your tools, your needle, your thimble…your scales, your measures, and you will find this saying written on them… 'Use me toward your neighbor, as you would want him to act towards you with that which is his.'"   Martin Luther

As new members of our church, we were asked to assess our "spiritual gifts and passions" and consider applying then to various church ministries. As a longtime quilt maker, naturally I was drawn to liturgical art and spent several years crafting banners for worship.

Even though my "making" days are over, that didn't stop me from occasionally "making things happen"!  After a persistent calling to contribute one more banner to Rejoice, I commissioned one. 

It's the work of my friend, Wanda Hanson, who's a prodigious quilt maker and genius when it comes to using color and design. She blends hundreds of fabrics from her extensive collection into extraordinary one-of-a-kind works of art. After seeing her latest colorwash quilts, I knew one would look great in the sanctuary at Rejoice!

The first time I approached Wanda about making a banner, she declined. But at some point, my calling became her calling too. Eventually, she embraced the project as a creative challenge and opportunity to inspire others through her God-given skills.

The Creation Story became our theme. "Let there be light" is a sort of Bible/Big Bang mashup which includes both scriptural and scientific rationale for the origin of the universe. 

Wanda sorted, cut, arranged, and sewed hundreds of luminous batiks, each a different color and print, to create “Let there be Light.” Here are just a few samples of the 356 3"x 6” pieces she used.

And here is Wanda with her 69" x 93” creation.

What better backdrop for worship could there be than this glorious riot of color?

double click to enlarge

Visit Wanda's blog, Exuberant Color, to see more of her exquisite work!

Reality Check!

It’s been a long, lazy, uneventful summer. I’ve been sleeping a lot, reading too little, not writing at all, and taking way too much comfort in my complacency. 

I forgot that MS can pull the rug out from under me at a moment’s notice, which it did a couple weeks ago. I haven’t had an exacerbation in years, so didn’t recognize the symptoms of a flare-up (severe pain in hands, wrists, and arms), until my left hand (my only functional appendage) suddenly stopped working. That got my attention!

Three days in the hospital on IV steroids restored function to my left hand. I can scratch my nose now, give a feeble wave, feed myself finger foods, type o-n-e  l-e-t-t-e-r  a-t  a  t-i-m-e with a pointing device, use the TV remote, and even hold a cup of coffee, if I’m lucky enough to get one. 

I've also been assigned a series of hand exercises to practice daily. Hopefully, they’ll make me strong enough to erase “complacency” from my vocabulary, and live each day with more purpose and intention.

Take good care of yourselves, everyone!

A Perfect Morning Pick-me-up!

I love a good cup of coffee in the morning. Brew it strong and serve it hot with a splash of milk and spoonful of sugar. What could possibly make it better?

How about the addition a colorful patchwork mug rug? This one was made by my friend, Mary Conley. Isn't it fun?

I tease Mary that her scraps are too tiny to use, but she always provemanagwa me wrong. In this instach vibrant square finishes at a mere half inch! 

Why not make one for yourself or a friend? for yourself?A  is the perfect accessory to “perk up” your morning beverage. 

What Goes Around, Comes Around

All I want for my birthday these days is to not be reminded of it, unless of course, it’s with a birthday quilt from, Barb. For that, I’ll own up to each and every one of my advancing years!

Imagine my surprise when I opened this year's quilt only to find a block I’d sent Barb a few years earlier. “Wait... What?” It took a moment to process that it was beautifully finished and back in my own hands!

The pattern is from Anita Shackelford's book, Applique with Folded Cutwork. My intention was to make four different blocks for a wallhanging, but my hands gave out partway through stitching the first one (darn MS). Our friend Kathy Smith finished the applique for me and I sent the block and remaining fabric to Barb for her birthday.

Barb finished the block with echo quilting, a traditional Hawaiian technique which outlines the applique design in concentric rows of stitching. Her use of silk thread adds a touch of elegance, don't you think? 

Let’s see what fabric Barb chose for the back. It’s a nod to her old New York City stomping ground.

Thank you, dear friend. As re-gifts go, this one's a keeper! XO