Catching up

It has been over a month since I've had time to update everyone.  I have been busy and stressed and just could not bring myself to sit down at night and write anything!  I have quilted several quilts and I didn't even take pictures of them!  My quilting group at our library decided to make a quilt to donate to the library for fund raising, so we are in the process of putting that one together.  It will be Bonnie Hunter's Texas Braid - and it is looking good.  When I get a few more rows put together I'll take a picture and post it!  I know I will be buying several raffle tickets for this one!

I have a quilt from a friend on the Gammill right now - it is a beautiful quilt with wildflower print fabrics and wildflower photos combined.  I am quilting it with a freehand flower and leaf motif - so far it looks good

I don't have a lot of time each evening to work in my studio since I'm working more hours with my husband these days, but I try to have several projects lined up and ready when I do get to quilt.  My weekends are my prime time for quilting and sewing - and I love to have friends come over and "play" with me.  

Last fall, one of my uncles, my Uncle Charlie, passed away - he was such a sweet guy - was a WW2 vet.  He will be sorely missed.  I went to be with my cousin for the funeral preparations, and we had a lot of moments talking about memories and times past.  Her mother, Aunt Bea, was a special lady, too, - we lost her several years ago - but she was my inspiration.  She was quite the homemaker and seamstress, and she always had words of wisdom for me when I visited.  While I was there, my cousin, Susan,  pulled out a sack with an unfinished hexagon quilt in it - and gave it to me. I was so touched and honored that she would share it with me, and  I promised myself that I would work on finishing it for her.  I pulled it out tonight and pressed the pieces that Aunt Bea had cut out, and planned on what I needed to do to it.  It is all stitched by hand - no English paper piecing - just cut out hexies.  It needs some repairs - and I will do that by hand.  I almost set down to the sewing machine to stitch up a couple of blocks, but I stopped and decided that I would do this the "old fashioned way" . I made a template to cut more hexies out of freezer paper, and cut (using scissors - no rotary cutter!) several more pieces for the quilt.  I don't know if I'll go so far as to say I'll hand quilt it because after all, I am a long-arm quilter!  But I will stitch the rest of it by hand!

Here's a pic of it --

On my birthday, my cousin sent me the little handwork box that her mother made and used and it sits by my chair in the living room - and it will hold hexies while I'm working on this quilt.  Thanks, Susan, for sharing this with me!

Time to go to bed!  My hubby just stuck his head in the room and asked me if I was coming, and Chico is even ready to call it a night!   We have a busy day tomorrow!