6 Months

Six months ago today I was racing out to my Mom's apartment after my sister Renee was unable to reach her.  It wouldn't have mattered if I was driving 100 mph, Mom was already gone.

I can't even count the number of times I've thought of my Mom, wanted to call my Mom, wanted to visit my Mom.  She was my mom for 53 years.  I will always keep my last birthday card from her.

I'm more fortunate than some, less fortunate than others.  I'm not in any hurry, but I do look forward to the day when we are reunited.  Oh the stories we'll share.

She'd be cheering on the Wings and the Tigers tonight.  Wait, she's cheering from heaven -- they better win!

Buffalo Bills Quilt

My list of quilting commitments is slowly decreasing.  Today I gave away a baby quilt to my boss.  I think I scored a couple LOT of points, even got a hug, because I used Buffalo Bills football fabric as the backing.  I didn't have a gift bag so this morning I thought 'hey, I've got a half yard leftover -- I'll whip up a bag'!  And I did.  Sometimes I'm just so thrifty!  

I washed the quilt last night, just in case, and I'm so glad I used two Color Catchers in the wash load.  The white strips in the quilt would certainly have been pink had I not used them.  Here's a picture of the sheets next to an unused white sheet:

Here's the quilt, front, close up of the quilting, and the Buffalo Bills backing:

Mom's China Cabinet

I'm getting things moved around my house in preparation of the shipment of my new Juki TL2200 QVP sit down machine.  This past weekend I moved things around in Kevin's old bedroom and sorted out various sewing projects.  Ugh, way too much in progress.  Today while I was at work I got to thinking about that room.  Hmmm, should the China cabinet really be in the living room instead of a quilting/sewing room?  I've been meaning to downsize from a queen bedroom set to a twin bedroom set.  After work today I headed to Art Van in Royal Oak but the bedroom set I want won't be available until mid May.  Can I wait that long????  Maybe I'll move into the smaller bedroom and use the bigger room for my quilting/sewing room........

Once I got home I decided it was not appropriate for my Mom's China cabinet to be in my sewing room so I moved it out to the Living Room, moving the bookcase in its spot into the sewing room.

I feel like it has assumed its rightful place in my home.  I have sooooooo many books.  My large bookcase in the hallway may be finding a new home shortly.

In the meantime, I finished sewing the binding onto the quilt for my boss, who's expecting his first child in June.  We're having a shower for him on Friday and I am actually ahead of schedule -- whoohoo!  I will launder the quilt tomorrow with a Color Catcher for sure -- there's too much red to wash without them!

Impromptu Quilt Show Visit

My day began with my former roommate coming over to take some of his old things from my house to the recycling center -- thank goodness!  Now I can start moving things around his old bedroom so I can make room for my NEW JUKI TL2200 QVP sit down machine, which should be arriving by next Friday.  Woohoo!!  Much more to come on this new addition to my quilting arsenal.  I. Can. Not. Wait.

My friend Mary called to see if I wanted to go to a quilt show today.  Hmm....keep cleaning?  Go to a quilt show?  Of course I said yes.  My friend Sue sent me a text message a bit later about the same show.  The three of us went but each was underwhelmed by the quilts - too bad.  I didn't take any pictures - I think there were only two or three worthy of remembering.  It's sad because this guild used to put on a better show back in the day. 

I didn't buy much from vendors either.  I was able to find the paper piecing pattern that Maggie chewed up last month, damn dog.  I found several things at another vendor, including a kit for a lap quilt including the pattern book for a mere $49.99, marked down from $129.99.  I also bought a foldable fan, a cute ladybug scissor/pin/bobbin holder, and a Moda Bump to Baby jelly roll for $24.99.

Now I'm back to cleaning up Kevin's old room.  Sorry to say he never was a tidy guy and there is so much dust it's choking my vacuum!

Store Closing

A local quilt shop, Kindred Spirits, announced last week that they were closing for personal reasons.  They opened just last Summer and had become one of my favorite shops -- so many bright, fresh fabrics.  It's always sad to see a shop close, even if it means good savings to shoppers.  I went out there last Saturday with my friend Sue.  It was a bit odd because when we walked in they put our names on a list for cutting fabric.  I've never had that happen before but it worked to keep order with all the shoppers.  Maybe taking a number would have been better, like JoAnn's.  In the end I had to wait for the employee to finish cutting Sue's haul before mine where in reality, they should have had a different employee cutting my bolts at the same time.  Oh well.  

I found a lot of fabric I liked.  Truthfully, there was probably other fabrics I would have bought but the bolts were in other shoppers' stacks and I missed them!  Never fear, I found a lot of great fabric:

These should keep me busy for months to come!

Pixel Heart Quilt

I love this free Heart pattern from Elizabeth Hartman's Oh Fransson! blogsite.  I'm going to have to make this sometime.  It would be great on the back of a baby quilt.  I miss her regular posts -- hope they start back up again.

Purple Crocus -- Spring is Here!!

I don't have any blooms in my yard yet but last week I snapped a few photos of my neighbor's pretty little crocus.  Playing around a bit with my new camera, a little more successful with flowers!

IQF Chicago 2015 Photos

I mentioned the other week that the photos I took with my new Canon camera at the quilt show in Chicago left me feeling rather dejected.  I haven't figured out what I did wrong yet but I have a few ideas.  I was carrying the sling bag for the camera, my cross body purse and a very heavy tote on my shoulder containing several books and fabric.  My guess is I was moving too much to take a good photo while trying to balance all those bags.  Lesson learned.  A tripod would have been very helpful but not very convenient in a show of that size with all those people.  Back to the drawing board.

I'm taking a photography seminar next week and I hope to be able to get some answers from the professionals.  In the meantime, here are some of the better photos and a few not-so-good ones.

One of the main exhibits for the show was a large Red & White display.  They were beautiful and made me even sorrier that I missed the original showing in New York City a few years ago.  Besides the large hanging quilts there was a grouping in the center of four sections of miniature quilts.

Loved them all.  I do believe my stitch group's red and white challenge quilts could easily have been included in the exhibit, but alas, we did not know.

Here are a few other quilts I enjoyed....

Yes, these were 1/2" strips of SILK!!!  So sad that the maker is UNKNOWN :(

Yes, these really were 1/4" strips -- amazing!!!!!  Again, how sad that we do not know the maker.

I am always tempted to yank the wayward threads off of quilts, but I resist...

So the next time I'm at a show I will try to shoot pictures that are actually IN focus.  Arghh.