A stocking for my grandson Wyatt

Jamie asked me to make a stocking for Wyatt's first Christmas and here it is. I pieced and quilted the front. Then quilted the back and band. I cheated on the name - I pre- bought the letters and ironed them on. I think I will stitch them as well.

Merry Christmas little Wyatt, the crawler!

The Christmas Cross Stitch quilt comes home from the Lone Star State for a spa treatment

Back in the 80's, when my girls were young and I was too, I started a Christmas Cross stitch quilt. It was to have 100 squares in the center, set in an Attic Window block and cross stitch borders. 18 years later, with the help of the daughter who was 3 when I started it, the quilt was finally finished. Last year, it started "traveling" and spent a Christmas away at Becky's house in Plano, Texas. It is back home this year for a good gentle cleaning. Next year, Jamie's house if she wants it.

Here are some more pictures:

Each of the girls got a block, our dog and cat got one. There is one of our house with the address on it. And of course, the story is on the back. Always put the story with the quilt so folks know it long after you are gone.

Merry Christmas everyone!

A quilt piecing weekend

It is Sunday night, and I am wrapping up a great quilt piecing weekend, frustrating at some times, but productive. I got the 2nd and 3rd diagonals put on the quilt and that allowed me to put the Ocean Waves on the left side. I made a measurement error on the second diagonal - the finished block should have been 8 squares by 8 squares and I did 6 x 6 - so that made the third diagonal, the checkerboard necessary.

Interesting story about the checkerboard. I have always said that you have to listen to the quilt and it will tell you what to do. Sometimes, though, it's timing is off. I had discovered the mistake in the measurement and determined that I would fix it with the checkboard on Saturday so by bedtime that night, I had made the checkerboard strip in turquoise and coral. Had it all ready to put on the quilt first thing Sunday morning.

In the shower on Sunday morning, however, I heard this voice in my head say, "the Checkerboard needs to be dark brown and ivory." I disregarded it and it said again, "the checkerboard NEEDS TO BE dark brown and ivory!" I replied; "oh come on, I already made the checkerboard last night and it is not dark brown and ivory." "MAKE THE CHECKERBOARD DARK BROWN AND IVORY!"

You can see what color it is....

Next I do the block work that surrounds the California constellation and finalize the border work. Need Jamie to measure their bed so that it is the right size.

The year was 1982. The quilt was for my newborn daughter, Becky. The kitchen was harvest gold. It was where I quilted. I had dark hair and I was skinny.

Now it is almost 2012. The baby Becky has just turned 30, I don't live in this house, this town, even this state anymore. My kitchen is a galley and is not one of the many places all over the house where I quilt. My hair is snow white and I am Ruebenesque, to be kind about it.

How life changes. Still quilting after all these years.

Yes, I am STILL working on that quilt!

It has been a long time since I have sat down to blog. I was actually REMINDED that I HAD a blog when my facebook friend, Anthony Jones, asked for opinions about starting a blog. So here I am again as November fades into December and winter (and Christmas) is just around the corner. I did have the goal to finish Jamie and Jeff's quilt by Christmas but it is not going to happen. Unless I win the lottery and can quit my day job....not likely!

So... I am back to working diligently on THE ROAD TO CALIFORNIA. Last time I posted, I had the ocean waves and two Road to California blocks made. Since that time I have done the third Road to California block:

The California Constellation block:

Diagonal blocks of Sunflowers and polka dots (which Jamie says she really loves):

Some triangular rainbow blocks:

and some half square border blocks:

Some goose track:

Some steeples:

Some diamonds:

And here it is all put together!

Tomorrow night, I will do the log cabin that rests on top of the third Road to California block and then I can continue the sunflowers and polka dots diagonal.

While working on the quilt yesterday, I had a fantastic idea for the back but I am going to keep it secret until I give the kids the quilt. Stay tuned!

PS. Here is my constant companion, Vincenzo Gato (Vinnie the Cat) helping me quilt!

So I did the first block three... count 'em... three times....

After I finished Road to California block 2 (see previous post), I knew I had to redo Block 1 to make the road as crystal clear as it was/is in block 2. So here are the two blocks, the original one with a variety of colors and the final one with all greens. Is the road easier to find? Yeah, I thought so too!

Road to California in rose and pink

Just a short note before I head to bed. Here is block number 2 of Jamie and Jeff's Road to California wedding quilt. This duo tone thing worked out so well that I am revamping square number one to coincide. I have already ripped it apart once, might as well do it again!


And a final note tonight, as you may recall (or may not) my day job is as Museum Shop Manager at the Westmoreland Museum of American Art here in Greensburg where we live. The holiday season is fast approaching and I invested in a good pair of cross trainers in black from Dr. Scholls, just for the crazy days leading up to Christmas. Black so I can pass them off as regular shoes. Purdy, huh??

From sea to shining sea ...and the mountains

I have not been blogging for awhile as I have been quite busy with many things, some of them quilting related. Here are the ocean waves and the mountains around San Francisco which, depending on the season, are golden brown or green. This section makes up the left hand side of Jamie and Jeff's wedding quilt (now almost 4 years late). This will be another attempt at an art quilt and the name is "Road to California." My next endeavor on this will be the three different versions of the actual block called "Road to California." Stay tuned for updates.

The third quilt and the nephew arrives

As promised, here is the third quilt. I think it is some version of a compass quilt and the material is men's shirts. It is pretty big, a full or twin size and it is in excellent shape, only a few spots and worn fabric. I love it!

Also, Nic has arrived for his visit with us. We had a wonderful barbeque chicken dinner and then a great night together - many more to come!

We are back from California, one quilt lighter then three quilts richer

A word to the wise. After the age of 55, never take a redeye home from the West Coast that includes three different flights. I am and was exhausted with our 18 hour trek home. But now we are back again and I find myself at loose ends with no urgent quilt project going. I will take a short hiatus and then dive into Jamie and Jeff's wedding quilt with a goal to finish it by Christmas when we head out to California again!

One of the great things I did get to do in California was visit "Paris Flea Market" with Jamie's mother-in-law, Pat, one of Wyatt's other grammas (he has three) and there I lucked upon three beautiful quilts, which I bought, of course. In this post, I have shown you two of them. The third one (and the best of the bunch) I will photograph tomorrow and post. It is in the washer getting cleaned up. The first one above is a version of Birds in Flight and it looks slightly Amish. Very small, measures about one yard square. I bought this one for $28 at Pat's booth.

The second one, pictured below is a yo-yo quilt about 5 foot by 4 foot in blues and white, for which I paid $33. What a steal! I had packed Wyatt's quilt in my carry on luggage as I did not want to risk the airlines losing it so since I had given away that quilt, I had plenty of room to take home these beauties.

They came in very handy during that night of too many flights to come home. We left San Jose at 7 PM, arrived in Phoenix at 9:30 PM, had to hang around the airport for the next flight to Charlotte, NC that did not leave until 1:00 AM. About 10:30, I pulled out the quilts, make a pillow out of the two smaller ones and covered myself up with the larger one (not shown here yet). I then slept on the airport row of seats, wrapped in my quilt until midnight or so. Packed the smaller ones away with my handbag in the carry on luggage and took the big quilt onto the plane where I wrapped both George and I up for the 4 hour flight to NC. Slept pretty well, all things considered!

We arrived home about 1:30. George went right up to bed and I put our lives back in order which took most of the afternoon. He picked up the cats and we were in bed pretty early for us (11 PM) but I was still too keyed up to sleep. Finally crashed about 1 AM. Today was hectic at work and I am ready for bed now.

Stayed tuned for pictures of the 3rd (and bestest!) quilt. G'night, little man Wyatt. Gramma loves you here so very far away....