Lone Star Quilt Number 4 - Jamie

I'll show the next quilts in matching order of the way I posted our kids' quilt.  First was our son's Lone Star, and here is his wife, Jamie's Red Lone Star.  This one was interesting to make, at the time the reds that were available were the murky, dusty colors and I wanted bright bright bright - so it took some time to hunt up enough colors - but I'm determined.

Lovely reds, the strips are sewn together.  .  .

And points of the star appear (how nice it would be if this were how fast it goes).  .  .

All the points make a star!

After many tries and previewing borders, I came up with this simple slanting scrappy border, which suits the red star perfectly.

Center - Quilted

Corner and border quilting .  .  . 

Jamie and Rusty, with Donnie checking out the quilt.  .  .






You can click HERE to read all about the Lone Star Quilt Project.

What I won - so very long ago

One of my favorite people in the whole world (and that encompasses a LOT of people) - is Peg - of Peg and Garry, also known as Griz (Garry, not Peg).   She is a fabulous quilter, terrific blogger and wonderful friend.  We met online through blogs - and since they live just over the border a bit, into British Columbia, we met up one day and have been meeting now and then whenever they get down this way in their camper, and one day soon we hope to get up their way for a visit.  We visit and laugh and eat and laugh and have such a grand time.  Peg is always working on something clever and interesting.


 Way back in October Peg had a give-away - and I won it.  We had just been together at Bob's in Burlington the day before her drawing, having a fabulous brunch - and I was so surprised the next day when she announced I was the winner of her wonderful give-away.  It was a whole lot of great Christmas items, sewn up lovingly by Peg.  

I waited (somewhat impatiently) for the package to arrive.  Mail between BC and WA is slow, to say the least - but it did come faster than I had thought it would - and what a glorious time I had opening the package.  (I have shamelessly stolen the photos from Peg's Blog - I was in the middle of my painful back episodes that eventually led to emergency back  surgery - when the package arrived and I just couldn't concentrate to get photos taken)  But one day soon - as I recuperate from surgery - I shall take photos of all the fun things I won - but for now - you get to see Peg's photos.





Starting at the the top left, and going clockwise - a bag that was STUFFED with Christmas Candy, which I will not be able to photograph later, because the Christmas Piggies ate every piece of the candy, next is a set of four of the cutest coasters you ever saw - perfect for a hot cup of tea or cocoa.

 Then on to the pan cozy, with Santa on the front - and you can see the next photo (bottom right), a pan poking out of the pan cozy.  Well, inside that pan was a bag of ingredients and instructions for making brownies (to share with our friends when we carry them in the pan cozy - hahahaha - fooled them, we ate them all - and Peg even included a nice 9x9 pan to bake the brownies in. The bottom photo is a cute hot mat with a Penguin on it, and then a beverage bag - perfect for a special christmas gift.  And in the middle - a Christmas bucket/bag - so clever and handy - for gifts or for filling with evergreens and decorations.

See - I told you she was so clever - and so thoughtful.  I love everything in the gift package - but wait - there is more - can you believe it?



There was a large tote bag - in coffee bean and chocolates fabric - it has a zippered top -  plenty of pockets and a nice long strap - this will be a scene stealer when I take it shopping - and believe me, I will take it shopping - a LOT.

So that is my winning package from Peg - any one of these items would have been super wonderful - but all of them -  oh my, I was overwhelmed.  Thanks so much Peg - we are looking forward to visiting with you and Garry again - hopefully in the spring time.  Happy sewing - to a dear and thoughtful friend.

Click Peg's name at the beginning of this post to visit her fabulous blog, you know you want to see more of her quilts.

Lone Star Quilt Number 3 - and some changes

At last, I'm able to have the laptop on my lap so I can post something.  I still can't sit at the computer desk - but this is great for now.

This is the third Lone Star Quilt - made for our youngest daughter, Lori. When she was growing up she had a purple bedroom - purple everything - even the bathroom was purple.

 I started collecting purple fabrics - it was amazing the difference in purples, some had a red tone, some a blue tone and some were hard to describe.

Then cut strips, sew strips, cut strips apart, sew strips together again - into diamond shapes.

And then sewn into the points of the star - I worked on the shading on paper, with scraps of fabrics so I would get the grading of colors that I wanted.

Finally - the whole Lone Star

I have read that when you look at a Lone Star quilt your eyes should be continuously moving - going from color to color, as if the quilt was moving - I think I've done pretty well in capturing that movement.

Center close up .  .  .

A tiny pieced border and some embroidery and YoYo Flowers.  I did the embroidery on my Brother, it has a stitch that looks like hand embroidery - pretty clever, eh?

The whole top - done at last!

Next step - off to the Machine Quilter - Julie in Idaho. These  were well traveled quilts before they were done.  Julie quilts on her home machine, which amazes me.  This is the center of Lori's quilt.

More details of the machine quilting.  .  .

Lots of YoYo Flowers on this quilt .  .  .

Lori on presentation day - with our grandson Ben, sitting behind his auntie in the big giant chair.

You can click HERE to read all about the Lone Star Quilt Project.

And now for the changes coming to my blog.  Since I've stopped quilting I won't be focusing on quilts so much now - though I still have 6 other Lone Star Quilt to show.  I will be focusing more on what is happening in our area - photos of interesting things to see and do in and around Bellingham, WA.  I hope you'll continue to visit - even after the quilt blog posts are finished.  I enjoy having visitors and love the comments.

No Quilt Photo Today

No more quilt photos for a while - we'll have to put the stories of the rest of the Lone Star quilts on hold for a bit

First, thanks to all that have emailed, texted and called, wondering where I have been. It makes me feel good to know you care - and thank you to those that continue to check my blog for a new post.

But there won't be a new post for a while yet - and not very often even then.  I had back surgery on Nov. 27 after a painful trip to the ER in the ambulance (those things are not built for comfort, let me tell you). The surgery was successful and now the long, slow recovery.  I have my laptop on a wooden tv tray, tilted towards my lap, as I type this note. Not the most comfortable way to type - but it is working for a bit anyway.  And I can't sit in one position very long anyway.

Physical therapy, visits to the acupunturist, doctor visits, hospital bed and nice walker - and helpful family and friends - those are my companions for now - later I'll be back to share photos when I can.

Have a very wonderful holiday - and thanks for checking in with me.

Lone Star Quilt Number Two

This is the continued story of the Lone Star Quilts I made for my family.  Read about the beginning of the project here

The second Lone Star Quilt I want to show you is pink and white - for our oldest daughter.





 Start with the points of the star - pieced from 8 different fabrics.

All the points sewn together, forming the star.  

Borders - using the same fabrics

Attaching the borders to the star.

Bec with her quilt - son-in-law Jason on left, son-in-law Jay on right

 Close up of center.  .  .

Quilting

Border quilting .  .  .

More to come 

A Day Book Entry - Good Bye October

I have enjoyed the Day Book entries of my "Canadian neighbor" Honora on her blog - Pondside.  Do stop over and visit - she always has something interesting, gorgeous photos and thoughts to make us ponder.

Outside my window  it is dark and chilly.  The weather has changed to our autumn pattern, rain and rain and rain. It is a good thing I love the rain. I grew up in Southeast Alaska (for those not from around here, that is the chain of islands that runs down along the west coast of British Columbia, Canada)  We played out in the rain when I was growing up; if we didn't, we would have spent a lot of time indoors.  I love the sound of rain plinking on a rain hat and rain slicker and love the splish splash splish of boots in the rain.

I am thinking about the Johnny Jump Ups in my railing planter boxes.  They are growing and blooming and sopping wet from our autumn rains.  They still hold up their smiling faces, no matter what comes their way - it reminds me to be happy more often.

From the kitchen comes the smell of toast, it just popped up in the toaster and my tea water is hot.  Bread and water can so easily be toast and tea.

I am reading   The Garden Letters, by Elspeth Bradbury and Judy Maddocks.  This is about my fifth or nineteenth time reading this wonderful book.  Two friends live and garden in New Brunswick, until one of them moves to the other side of Canada - to Vancouver Island.  Their letters share their  love of gardening and the plants they grow, the weather, their families and lovely sketches.

I am thankful for the warmth of my home and the safety of living here.  When I see the homeless people on the street corners I want to give them enough money for a house of their own so they can get back the feeling of safety that they hopefully had at some time in their life.  It saddens me to think that someone's brother, sister, father, mother, sibling, aunt, uncle, cousin or even grandparent is standing in the rain - holding a sign and hoping for a little bit of money to ease their discomfort or their hunger for just a little while.  I have so much and share with them whenever I can - it makes me feel good and I hope it makes them feel a little better too - and I always give them a smile at the same time - for it might be one of the few smiles they will see that day.

I have just finished folding several baskets of towels.  Fresh and warm from the dryer, towels give me the feeling of happiness. I like my linen closet organized - by color and by size of towels, sheets, etc.  I have a lovely stack of vintage embroidered pillowcase and for fun I sometimes take them all out and iron them, fold them back up and put them in their proper stack, until it is their turn on the pillows.  A lovely linen closet - sigh.

I am smiling because of three little boys, all wearing their Candy Corn hats that I crocheted for them.  Well, I guess I have to say, two little boys and one young man, Jahn-Zyel is now 11 (and humors his grandmother - thank you Jahn).  In the first frame can you see Jahn standing behind Ben?  It looks like Ben has on two hats.

I am planning our Thanksgiving dinner.  Now you might think that takes a lot of time and effort, and while it does entail writing down the foods we will eat and the serving dishes I'll use, the menu remains about the same every year - for about 45 years now.  

Our  3 year old daughter decorating cookies for our Thanksgiving company.

I cooked my first Thanksgiving dinner for Don's family when we lived in Wisconsin.  We had only two children then, a 3 year old and a baby (cutest children you ever saw).  The family gathered,  and I think there were 19 of us - but I'm not sure.  

I had baked 6 pies, everything was cooked and ready to serve.  The house smelled wonderful.  The family came up the outside stairs to our apartment in the upstairs of a big old farm house, and our 3 year old daughter came out of the bedroom with baby cream all over her face - she didn't miss one single spot (I told you they were cute kids, I didn't say they were angels) everyone thought it was hilarious - but that wasn't what was going through my mind as I wiped her sweet little face clean.  We sat  down to eat, and it began to snow.

Not your ordinary snow - but Wisconsin blizzard snow - thick and heavy flakes - so much snow that you couldn't see the yard light just outside our window.  Everyone was nervous - I was anxious - we ate our dinner and the family gathered up their coats, hats, scarves, boots and gloves and off they went.  No one ate the pies.

 It took the local people well over an hour to get home (usually 15 minutes), and those that lived an hour away had to spend 3 treacherous hours on the road (they had animals at home that needed tending to, so couldn't stay the night).

Almost as soon as they left, our electricity went out, so we gathered up the babies, snuggled them into our bed and went to sleep.  It had been a disappointing day, but everyone got home safely and we had a gas stove to keep us warm - and pie to eat for a week or more.

Thanksgiving menu

Appetizer - our son-in-law Jason Davies' famous cheese ball 

Turkey
Stuffing - onion and sage
Mashed potatoes - piles of them
Gravy (my cousin Penquin taught me to make the best gravy - it is our family secret) - yes, his name IS Penquin
Cranberry relish (this has changed - it used to be cranberry sauce - but our youngest daughter makes the best cranberry relish, which is always requested by her dad)
Olives
Bread and Butter pickles - sometimes I forget them
Deviled eggs - two platters - one spicy, one plainer
Celery stuffed with cheese
Homemade rolls

Pies - pumpkin, mincemeat, apple - or whatever strikes our fancy

We set the table with fancy dishes - this year - the Loon Dishes or Desert Rose that belonged to my grandmother?

Serving pieces - green depression glass, crystal bowls and crystal gravy boat, vegetable shaped dishes (carrot, radish, corn), green water pitcher - lots of vintage silver for serving up the food, cloth napkins to match the dishes.

And so I say - Good Bye October - Welcome November!

Lone Star Quilts

I started a project in early 2008. I decided to make every member of our family a Lone Star quilt. But I wanted it to be a secret, until every quilt was finished. Now keeping a secret from people not living in this house is easy - well, sort of easy, if I don't leave any projects lying around for them to see, but hard to keep that big of a secret from Don - though I must say - he is one of the easier members of the family to fool. But since I needed him to occasionally hold up the quilts for photographing - I decided to let him in on the secret.

I had to start the project with deciding colors for the Lone Stars. The main decision was to make each quilt a different color - and only use one color in each one - all blues, all greens, etc.

Then I had to gather fabrics - and plot the quilts. I used color swatch cards, which I carried in my purse at all times. Looking for a pattern was another thing I had to do. Every pattern I found was for small Lone Star quilts - wall hangings - and weren't the size or number of colors that I wanted, so I drafted my own pattern. Then I marked on the pattern where each color would go - marked my color swatch cards with the number of pieces I would need of each fabric - and began cutting.

The first one I made was for our son - Rusty. He loves blue so that was an easy color selection.

After the center star was finished - I had to decide on borders - the hardest part of the quilt for me, as my friends will tell you.

I wanted a checkerboard border for Rusty's quilt - so I made lots and lots and lots more of three inch nine patches - for the border.

To make the borders come out even at the corners was often a problem - I solved that problem on the blue quilt by not having the checkerboards meet in the center - making a frame of them.


I would audition borders. Curved flying geese seemed like a good idea - but didn't seem to fit my idea of how the quilt should look.

I made flying geese with the paper piecing method - it is accurate and simple to do - and I like the look when finished. You can make the flying geese any size you choose.

Straight line flying geese fit better . . .

The flying geese go from light to dark and back again - all around the quilt.

Then the quilts had to go to a long arm quilter, as one or two were finished, I sent them off to Julie in Idaho, along with batting and backing, and she began machine quilting them.

After the tops were quilted, she sent them back,and I had to hide them.   At first it was easy - a few quilts hid away in the back of the closet - no problem - but as the stack grew, it became harder and harder to hide them.

My plan was to give out all the quilts at the same time, when our whole family was together.  Our daughters and their families live just down the hill from us, not 5 minutes away, but our son and daughter-in-law and grandson Donnie live in West Virginia.

They were scheduled to come out for a visit in June of 2012 - and two days before their flight, Donnie came down with the chicken pox - so of course they couldn't travel.  I had been rushing to get the last three quilts done before their arrival date - and I had them done three days early - and then - no visit because of the chicken pox.  

So I made some gift bags for each quilt - out of flannel backed plastic tableclothes - bagged them all up and hid them - some in the back of the closets and some under the guest bed - it took some doing, but all were hidden away - and we waited.

Finally, in early September, they were able to get reservations and vacations coordinated, and they flew to Bellingham from West Virginia.  We had a glorious visit with all of the kids here - and on a Sunday, after we had a family portrait done, I gathered the family in the living room and began to give out the quilts.  It was an emotional time for me - to finally see all the quilts finished and given to the family.

Rusty's Lone Star center - quilted .  .  .

Close up of border .  .  .

Rusty with his quilt - and Jahn-Zyel 

More to come .  .  .