Hi Ann!

Had guild meeting last night and a friend told me she reads my blog all the time, but never sees herself mentioned at all. I told her I never see any comments from her either! So, here we are -- Hi Ann! I signed up for a workshop Ann is giving next month -- wool penny rugs. I'm looking forward to it as a change of pace from quilting.

Thanks for all the great comments on my Double 4patch quilt. I do like it, but it'll have to wait it's turn in the quilting que. Oh -- and I revamped the web page (hopefully, correctly) that I posted the directions for the Double 4 Patch on: http://home.oglecom.com/porchrocker/page4.default.htm

On the way to guild yesterday, we stopped at one of my favorite quilt shops (it's not actually on the way, but it's generally in that direction, and then another 30 minutes beyond! vbg). I confess I bought some fabric -- about 15 yards altogether -- all $2 a yard! Can you say, great backing fabric, boys and girls?! This shop is called Sew Many Antiques and is in Pearl City, IL. Jill and Vicky carry all my favorite fabrics -- Moda - the Kansas Troubles line, Sandy Gervais' lines -- all the warm country colors I love. So, I think I do well when I only buy backing fabrics.
And I always come away from the store inspired to go home and quilt.

Today is errand running day, so I best get to it. 'Bye, Ann!

Finished is better than perfect, right?

The borders are on. I'm not real happy with the spacing of the top border, but I'm so sick of this quilt, I'm glad the top is done. vbg It is definitely going into the ufo pile, because 1. I am sick of it, 2. I may go back and fix the borders before I quilt it and 3. I don't have a clue how I'm going to quilt it right now. I actually do like the quilt with the appliqued borders, but maybe I'll love it if I leave it awhile. (;-)

Gratitudes:

1. The Double 4 Patch top is done!

2. As of tomorrow, I have been happily married to the best guy in the world for 25 years. I know he's the best, because I was married to the worst the first time and for 10 years. Apples and Oranges.

3. It's been unbearably hot and humid here (and a lot of places in the US), so I'm really glad I can spend the whole day in the AC, quilting!

A little bit of quilting

I managed to finish block #3 of the oak leaf quilt last night. I spent most of yesterday eating -- well, that's what it felt like anyway! Met friends for breakfast, then met Steph and AJ at the mall, so after letting AJ play in the play area awhile, we had to go eat lunch, of course. Did a little shopping and back to the play area. By the time they went home and I headed to Sam's and the vet's, I was exhausted. (Oh, and the vet's bill was $392 -- I just about dropped my teeth. That was for heartworm pills for two dogs for 12 months each, 6 months worth of phenobarbital for JR, and an $80 charge to draw blood and test it for levels of phenobarb.) Guess who won't be buying fabric this month. vbg

Today after cleaning the house, I pulled the beets from the garden (mind you -- there are only two of us and we didn't plant many beets or anything else -- still it took me 2½ hours to cook them and freeze 8 quarts and make a batch of Swedish Pickled Beets and clean up the rather large mess I made of my kitchen!) This was all time I had planned to spend sewing today -- I hate how having to do a few things cuts into my sewing time! It never cuts into cleaning time. vbg

Anyway -- did manage to applique 4 flowers down on the dbl 4 patch borders and have the rest on one border pinned to sew down tonight. I'm not going to start another Oak Leaf block til these borders are finished and on the quilt -- hopefully by the end of the weekend.

Gratitudes:

1. I'm grateful we didn't plant any more beets than we did!

2. I'm grateful JR isn't having any more seizures, but I sure think the prescription bill for dogs is outrageous.

3. It was wonderful to play with AJ yesterday. He is such a card.

Wednesday Afternoon

I took a break from appliqueing the borders on the double four patch and instead put together my buck-a-block block. We have one more block to go, but I found out when I picked up this last block that most of the quilters have already done all the blocks -- they just looked at the final block and put it together without the directions -- we have plenty of strips leftover anyway. I thought this was somehow cheating -- I don't know, kinda like defeating the whole purpose of a block of the month! But, I decided I might as well join the cheaters! vbg. I made two blocks today and put them together with the 9 blocks I already had together and the one block that was waiting. I had the sashing ready to go and the borders and binding fabric already cut, so it was a simple job of putting it all together. The first picture shows the finished top -- it's about 40 x 50. The second picture is a closeup of the fabrics -- I love the border print! Now all I need to do is quilt it before Christmas and I'll have a new Christmas quilt to decorate with.

I also cut out the rest of the flowers to applique to the last two borders on the Double four patch when I finished the Buck a Block top.



















Took JR to the vet yesterday -- he's fine and will continue on the phenobarbital without any changes. So, tomorrow I get to pick up six months supply of pheno and a years supply for both dogs of heartworm meds -- the bill will be in excess of $250 I'm sure.

We're meeting friends for dinner tonight (our usual Wednesday night gig!). Tomorrow we're meeting some other friends for breakfast, and then Bill will head home to mow while I go on to meet Stephanie and AJ at the mall. She's back to work this week and tomorrow is her day off. I'll have to give up a day of quilting, but family is worth it, don'tcha think?!

Gratitudes:
1. Air Conditioning (it's heading back up to the 90's this week and Humid!
2. Filling up the calendar with friends and family.
3. My Bernina -- it's so nice to just sit and sew and I know I can count on her to be ready when I am!
4. Accomplishing something in the sewing room and tidying up after myself afterwards.

Still plugging away

on the hand appliqued borders for the double four-patch. Have almost reached the point that I'm real tired of the quilt, but trying to finish the borders anyway!
Also working on another oak leaf block in the evenings.
I do have a Buck a Block block to put together, so maybe I'll get that done today. Most of the day has been wasted -- need to take JR to the vet this afternoon for a check up to see how he's doing on the phenobarbital he's been on for a month and a half. I'd like it a lot if she'd cut him back to one pill a day, although we've done pretty good remembering both.

Not much else going on around the ole homestead -- it's a rainy, gloomy day that would be perfect for quilting -- guess I should go up and do a little stitchin'!

I am a Daffodil

I am a Daffodil What Flower Are You?

I have too many projects!

At least too many going on at one time. This is the second oak leaf block. I finished this one last night. Today I prepared block #3 -- it's just so handy to have to work on in front of the tv with JR in my lap.

During the day today, I did some more quilting with the Handiquilter on Tulip Farm (I spend most of my time dreaming about how much easier it would be if I had a real longarm machine!) Then, when I'd had enough of that, I went up and worked on the applique borders for the double four patch. I now have both the side borders on and have the top and bottom borders cut. I also got the vines ready to be appliqued down.

I also have two other applique projects I'd like to work on, but need to finish one or two before I start. Sew many projects, sew little time! Saturday I'll pick up my latest Buck A Block block and then go to a quilt show in Byron (big time Byronfest this weekend!). Then in the afternoon, have to go to DS & DDIL's 30th Wedding Anniversary Bash -- how 'bout that -- our kids have been married 5 years longer than we have! vbg

Gratitudes:

1. Steph's doing well - even is allowed to go back to work on Sunday (she works retail).

2. We've had some beautiful summer days this past week. I love watching my flowers bloom!

3. Lunch with Deb yesterday.

4. Phone conversation with my quilting friend today.

Happy Independence Day!

This was just a quick challenge a few years ago to make a patriotic quilt using up some scraps from a different quilt.

No - we don't use the binoculars to spy on our neighbors! vbg We live in the country -- every now and then we can see a few deer across the road and way back towards the woods, plus we can't always see the flag on the mailbox to tell whether the mail is here or not! It's quite annoying to walk all the way out to the mailbox and back to the house to turn around and have the mail truck go by!

I haven't done my monthly update for June: I don't think I finished any ufo's last month at all. Shame on me. Will have to get busy! I bought fabric -- but most of it was backgrounds. I did enroll in a BOM at my lqs, but it's a $5 BOM, so if I manage to keep up, the quilt will only cost me $5 plus use my stash!

Gratitudes:

1. I'm grateful for our freedoms in the US -- I was just thinking about this yesterday -- I believe God put us on this planet with the intention of us being free. His are the only rules we need to live by.

2. Stephanie is resting and healing.

3. My hollyhocks are blooming along with the daisies, coneflowers and lilies -- what a riot of color.

Home again, home again, jiggedy jog

You'all didn't know it, but I was out of town for three days last week.
DD, Stephanie, decided that she had reached maximum pain level and went to the ER Tuesday night (after working all day, no less). Diagnosis: Inflammed gall bladder with large gallstone stuck. Cure: Surgery to remove said offending organ which happened Wednesday at 3 pm. I went up early Wednesday morning, spent the day at the hospital with Steph and her DH, Aaron. Then followed Aaron to his sister's to pick up AJ and then their home. Spent Wednesday & Thursday night. Steph came home Thursday morning. Aaron had to go to work, so I had the tough job of taking care of a 2-1/2 year old grandson. He understands owie, but not that he couldn't climb into Mommy's lap. We had a grand time anyway. As of today, Steph is feeling much better, even stretching out the time between vicodin tablets. She'll go back to the doctor on Wednesday, hopefully to get released to go back to work. Medicine is truly amazing nowadays.


Here's my contribution for the upcoming Fourth of July Celebration. This little quilt was a Thimbleberries pattern that appeared in a magazine back in the early/mid 90's. I made it in one day -- just loved it. Been planning to make another sometime but never got around to it.

Finn has a patriotic picture on her blog of a little boy and dog waving flags. I was talking to Stephanie yesterday afternoon and she was telling me about the parade yesterday morning in their little town in WI. AJ was loving the police cars and fire trucks, sirens and lights flashing, and all the candy that he and his sister and her friend got to chase after. And then the color guard came by (I'm assuming it was veterans, possibly of Viet Nam, Korea and WWII because she said it was "older guys" (vbg) and she's 30, so it's all relative, don'tcha know!). Anyway, Aaron has been teaching AJ how to salute and when the color guard came by, he saluted them and they actually stopped in front of him and turned and saluted him back! How reminiscent of John-John can you get? And, of course, no video camera because Aaron had to be in charge of 3 kids and make sure Steph was comfortable, so he forgot it! Oh well -- I'm proud my kids are raising proud Americans.

Gratitudes:

1. Stephanie is on the mend -- I hate when my kids are ill.
2. I'm grateful for the bond AJ and I have. My daughter missed out on having a grandmother close to her, because my mom's Alzheimer's was fairly advanced by the time Steph was 3.
3. We had dinner with old friends on Friday night -- they called out of the blue on Tuesday. Really nice to get together. I'm not the only one that wants to stay in touch with old friends and family.
4. I'm proud of my husband, he's a WWII Navy veteran. He served in the South Pacific.
5. I'm grateful for cell phones -- they let me update both of Steph's brothers and Dad while she was in hospital/undergoing surgery/recovering.

We have a winner

Consensus of opinion is without the inner border (that's the way I like it, too), so that's the way it's going to be. Now just need to get busy on the rest of the applique.

Spent some time playing with the Handiquilter and my Tulip Farm quilt. Not doing a great job, but learning some stuff anyway and I'm keeping this quilt, so won't be taking out stitches unless it's really bad!

Gratitudes:
1. A nice dinner at Red Lobster for my birthday today.
2. I think I'm going to like being 59 -- actually planning on enjoying the next year.
3. Making a decision on the Double Four Patch quilt borders.
4. Back home after dinner and it's still light out.
5. Enjoying all our blooming flowers as we pulled into the driveway.

Need Your Opinion

The applique borders will have these big flowers on them and also leaves between the flowers. I have the flowers appliqued on one border so far. I need your opinion on whether to put a narrow border between the top and the wide border or not. I'm using a print that is in the top for the example above; could also probably find a tone on tone in maybe green to put there. I'm not sure it really needs an inner border. What do ya think?

Sunday

Thanks for everyone's kind comments about my mom. The good news is that the bad parts fade and it's possible to go back and remember the good times instead!

No pictures again today, but I am going to go up and quilt today. Had a wonderful breakfast with my brother and his family this morning (and don't need to eat the rest of the day because of it! vbg). It's been raining off and on since last night, so don't have to do any outside work today and the applique borders on the double four patch are calling me!

Gratitudes:
1. Blogger friends that understand.
2. Catching up with my brother and his family (all part of my trying to spend more time with family and friends).
3. Aaron starts his training for the new job July 5 -- we finally have a date at least.
4. Bill - what a wonderful man I married.

Happy Birthday, Mom

No pictures today -- I'm working on the applique for the Double four-patch.

Today would have been my mom's 86th birthday. She died 11 years ago. We actually lost her 16 years before that -- she had Alzheimer's. It presented itself when she was 59 - which is the age I will be in a few days. I keep having this feeling that I just want to quietly get through the next year without any indications that I also have the disease -- kind of like other odd milestones in my life.
I do get forgetful -- but don't we all. I know the worst sign is not the forgetfulness -- it's the confusion -- it's not misplacing the keys, but not knowing what the keys are for. My poor dad at the onset of the symptoms did not understand any of it. He still expected a lot from her that she couldn't comprehend. She quickly lost her ability to speak and understand sentences. She was frightened and so were we. It was quite a while before we finally got a diagnosis -- this was back 27 years ago -- Alzheimer's was just in the early stages of being a diagnosis. My dad took early retirement so he could take care of her -- which he did at home for the first 8 years (and yes, I helped as much as I could). We finally convinced him that he couldn't take care of her any more, so he found a good nursing home to put her in for the last eight years. He went to see her every day until he died (he even was on his way to the nursing home the day he died). Dad died two years before she did. And, yes, of course, I did what I could to take his place for her -- but I could not go every day.
For all those last years, it was very hard to remember the early years -- the good times. I had a very wonderful childhood -- my parents were both wonderful people and loving parents. I had a sister and two brothers (I was the third child). All that's left is my younger brother and me, but we all had a great childhood - filled with laughter and fun. We knew we were loved and really, what else is there?
So, thanks, Mom (and Dad!). And Happy Birthday, Mom.

You know you're getting old when.....

you vaguely remember making the quilt, but you can't for the life of you remember who you made it for. Must have been a girl baby -- pink binding! Pretty sure I made it sometime in the last couple years. Maybe DGS's babysitter's new daughter? Who knows -- I may drive myself crazy til I figure it out, though!

Had guild last night. Claire Powers was the speaker. She's from the Rockford, IL area. And she does the most exquisite hand applique I have ever seen. She does hand applique exclusively, only piecing to put the quilt tops together or for a guild challenge occasionally. Most of her quilts include birds and usually flowers, and she designs all of them herself. Absolutely stunning work. I was in a workshop taught by her about 5 years ago. She doesn't do needleturn -- she prepares each piece as she goes along -- using index cards and glue for some shapes, etc. She does her trees by cutting and appliqueing an inch at a time and the tiny branches are amazing. Anyway -- thoroughly enjoyed her program last night.

Gratitudes:
1. Both AJ and Briana were here for Father's Day. What fun we had.
2. Aaron passed the driver's test in prep for his new job.
3. I have two projects to do in the sewing room before I get back to appliqueing the borders of the double four patch.
4. Even though I'm intimidated after seeing Claire's applique work, I think I'm going to like what I've got designed for the said double four patch!
5. Quiet dinner for two at home tonight.

Still Working On The Double 4 Patch

I have the top together (although this picture only has vertical rows together). Now I'm working on borders. Saw a quilt in a magazine with an appliqued border, so thought I'd try that. Cut 6½" wide white on white strips to add as borders. Cut some fabrics I used in the quilt on the bias for stems and started stitching down the first side border. Haven't designed the flowers/leaves yet -- I'll do that after I get the stems appliqued down. I really like this quilt. I have a few leftover blocks and some more floral fabric I haven't cut yet, so eventually, I may make another one!

Note to Forest Jane: No, I didn't tea dye or buy FQ's -- I just shopped my considerable stash for the flag quilt.


Gratitudes:
1. Spending the afternoon piecing and appliqueing.
2. Roy Clark, Tom T. Hall, Keith Urban, Fleetwood Mac -- cd's I sewed by today.
3. Air conditioning -- it's hot and humid here.
4. Watching the hummingbirds at the feeder and the Eastern Bluebird checking things out too.
5. My new Bleeding Heart plants are prospering.

Flag Day

It's Flag Day in the United States. Hope everyone is flying their flag -- we do, everyday.
Here's two more of my flag quilts.

No quilting going on here at the moment, but for sure tomorrow!

Gratitudes:
1. I'm an American citizen, born and raised.
2. Renewed my committment to my weight loss, yet again.
3. Finished my to-do list today.
4. Phone conversation with my brother.

Monday

Because the camera is always in the basement and the quilts are all upstairs, you get to see an oldie but goodie today.
I took a class from Nancy Lee Chong at Quilt University at least 3 years ago, to make this Celtic Tablerunner. It is all hand appliqued, using bias cut fabric, not the bias tape stuff. I've taken a number of classes from Nancy and have learned a ton and enjoyed every class.
I wish I lived in the Pacific Northwest sometimes because I love taking classes from her - she's really a great teacher.
This quilt currently resides with my son and his Irish wife! (Oh yeah, and it's hanging on batting that is hanging on my french doors with sunshine pouring in -- the show-through is the panes of the door!)

Gratitudes:
1. Finishing all the to-do list today.
2. I'm tired, but it's an "accomplished something" tired!
3. Talking to Stephanie on the phone today.
4. Looking forward to meeting friends for breakfast in the morning.
5. JR sleeping at my feet.

Another Flag Quilt

This is one of the first flag quilts I made. I "think" it's from the book, Fast Fun and Fabulous or something like that. Back in the early to mid 90's. I liked it -- still do actually. It's hanging at the bottom of the basement steps for now -- my other spots upstairs are not wide enough for it!

I had one of those productive/unproductive days. Didn't feel like walking on the treadmill, so did some crunches and some squats and leg lifts and curls and let it go with that. Then checked mail on the computer. Then went up for coffee and the newspaper. By this time, Bill has gone out to mow. I look like the Wreck of the Hespers (my mom always said that -- have never looked up what it meant - vbg!). Anyway, knock on the door and it's the girlfriend of the farmer that rents our land. She admires the house (and probably thought I looked like an old hag!), and brings our rent check -- which her procrastinating boyfriend should have gotten to us two months ago - vbg -- but we know him pretty well, and he's already planted corn, so if he expected to harvest it, we knew he'd pay sooner or later! Anyway -- she left, I finished the paper, had breakfast,put the ingredients together for a loaf of bread and threw it in the breadmaker, back to the basement to vacuum, clean the bathroom and wet swiffer the tile floors. Then Bill headed out to get the cylinder on his tractor welded, and I went out and weeded the 1st flower bed for the second time and spread 15 bags of mulch on it (still need more, but we're temporarily out!). Back in to finally shower, write the check to pay estimated taxes and fill in deposit slip for farm rent check; run to post office (and please tell me why I have to pay taxes and in addition, have to pay for return/receipt/certify to make sure they get where they are supposed to because I can't trust the postal service to do it!); stop at bank in the grocery store, and pick up 5 lb bag of whole wheat flour and the brand new quilt magazine, Quilters Home. Bill brings in the mail and of course there's another check that needs to be deposited -- the next time I go to town.

I had all these big plans of playing in the sewing room today and it never happened at all. But I did get a few things done that I needed to; also got the paperwork stuff all caught up and synchronized three calendars I keep!

Gratitudes

1. Bill showed up to haul the last 5 bags of mulch for me -- they are really heavy!

2. Got my new "calendar" plan all thought out and started up. I've always been a list maker and calendar user, but now I've got the calendars down here and in the kitchen and in my purse synchronized with all appointments, etc., plus birthdates of family and friends and notes when to buy cards and when to mail cards. Also, notes when to call extended family -- I'll do it if I make an appointment, otherwise, it's always "been meaning to" which ends up being long stretches of time.

3. Called old friends (one of those been meaning to calls) last night and made a breakfast date with them for next week. It'll be great to catch up.

4. The rain held off til the front yard was mowed and the weeding was done today.

5. Memories of Mom.

Patriotic Quilts

Finally got some of my patriotic quilts out as Jeanne did. She had hers out by Memorial Day -- I'm a little slower -- but at least they're up by Flag Day! A few years ago I made flag quilts every year for 3 or 4 years. So here's one of them:
Once again I snapped the picture inside where the lighting is not that great for pictures. I gave my daughter-in-law one of my red, white and blue quilts, so guess I'll have to get busy and make some more -- especially scrappy ones -- be a great way to use up some stash, too.

Gratitudes:
1. Got all the things crossed off my to-do list today.
2. Went to the visitation for a friend of DH's today (instead of high mass tomorrow). Carl had not been well for a while, but died unexpectedly, which was a blessing as he would not recover from his illness and is no longer suffering.
3. Talked to both Bill's sisters and my brother's wife in the last two days -- nice to make the connections and vow to not let so much time pass between calls.
4. Dinner with friends.

What I'm Working On

Basically -- what I'm working on is a mess!

This is my "design wall" -- it consists of a large quilt hanging from a nice quilt hanger in the clutter room. On top of it is pinned the other "ugly" sunflower table runner that I just need to sammich and quilt; a sunflower wallhanging in the process of being designed -- it's folk art, which means I can't draw a lick! It's mostly going to be hand appliqued. Then there's that block that Linda showed on her blog that I like and am doing leaders and enders to make a few more of and the main attraction is a Double 4 Patch I'm working on done with my collection of flowered prints. I needed to do something with that stack of fabrics and that block just jumped out and grabbed me and said, please, please, use me.

Anyway -- I'll get to each and every one of these projects sometime during the summer -- maybe even in time to change the quilt they're all hanging on!

Gratitudes

1. Strawberries fresh from the garden, still warm from the sun.

2. Doing the second round of weeding -- lots less weeds if I keep after them.

3. These amazing computers -- think how much they've opened up the world of quilting.

4. Running to the store without makeup on and not running into anyone I know!