Needles and Pens

I've been trying to keep from showing a full photo of this quilt in my weekly updates, just so I could have a big "reveal" with the final post. Finally the time has come! I really didn't think I could do it, but yes, it is finished -- and with a few days to spare. Now I know what I'm capable of if I just set my mind to something! And here it is, my no-longer-a-UFO, hand-appliqued rose quilt... The finished size is approximately 52" x 67." Hard to tell from this picture, but it is a large wallhanging. This photo gives a better size reference: As you can see, I had to pull the couch away from the wall to take the first picture. Some rearranging is in order if it's going to live in this room permanently. That big ball of fluff is our cat, Sarabi, who came to live with us from the shelter last summer. It hasn't taken her long to make herself at home. Here she is, glaring at our other cat, Reesa, and staking her claim on the cushiest spot i...

Tired of appliqued rose blocks yet? ... I am. But, good news! Much to the relief of my numb, tingling, aching hands, the last two blocks are done; the Triple Rose... and the Rose of Sharon. At this point, there was much celebration (in my mind, at least). I still had two weeks left in the month (and I thought I'd be doing well to just finish the blocks in January). I had already decided on the size and layout of the top during my many hours of applique, so I was ready to get right to work on it. I found the perfect fabrics right here in my stash (gotta love that!). No need to go shopping, so I started cutting and sewing strip sets... ...and cutting those into sashings and cornerstones... ...sewing blocks into rows, and rows into a quilt top... ...and finally adding a border. The border print is one I have kept with my two original blocks for all these years, knowing I wanted to use it in the top eventually. There is a bit of clash between it and the sashing print,...

Well, 2011 is off to a great start! My family has been healthy so far, the days are getting longer, my Christmas decorations are almost all packed away, and I have set myself up with an awesome challenge to help me steer clear of the mid-winter blues. So far, so good. On New Year's Day, the first number was drawn for the 2011 Patchwork Times UFO Challenge ... ...and I learned that my project for January is lucky number six, the Floral Applique Quilt. All I have to do is make 10 more hand-appliqued blocks, sew them into a top, quilt it and bind it. That's all. By the end of this month. No problem! LoL Actually, my first thought was, "There is absolutely no way." Period. But then the incredible, miraculous motivation of a challenge kicked in, and I've been working like a maniac ever since, trying to beat the clock. I've spent every spare minute this week cutting, basting, pressing, pinning and stitching, and yes, I have made progress ! So far, I've finished...

Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. ~ Psalm 29:2

I woke up this morning with the overwhelming feeling that I have SO much to do in the next few weeks, how will I ever get it all done? It's a panicky feeling that just hits me every so often, generally first thing in the morning, and the only thing that calms me is to make a list and get all of those nasty little details out of my head and onto paper. So I did. And it helped. After all, I'm here writing, aren't I? The one thing I keep telling myself I have no time to do! Yesterday was my daughter's 19th birthday, and also marked the end of her 33rd week of pregnancy. I can hardly believe there are only seven more weeks until her due date. Of course, to her, time seems to be standing still. (Note the intensely forced smile that was preceded by, "Mom, stop taking pictures of me. I feel enormous!") She's nesting, which is hard to do when you don't have a home of your own. Much of my own to-do list involves helping her create a nest within a nest, in our p...

Second year, the clematis is thriving... A profusion of lilies... Purple Coneflowers... and the view from the chaise lounge... "All of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon - instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today." ~ Dale Carnegie

...where I regain my sanity...