ANOTHER LITTLE QUILT STORY

"Head for the Hills"

Every so often, or more accurately, never so very often, we get to put something together that just flies into place. This quilt started out with 40 crumb blocks (to which I needed to add just two more when the design was worked out). Those were done in about two day sessions. Four patches were completed with fabric patterned with leaves and bark. DGS Timothy loves the woods, you see. Hence, the title "Head for the Hills."  

Have I told you about the great fabric stash boon received from my twin sister? Her dear husband was a quilter...he hand pieced and was an absolute artist. After his passing DS parceled out most of his quilting fabrics between our older sis and me. How very generous! I have spent literally hours handling, sorting, dreaming over the lovely fabrics. Greg was very fond of gray and orange - colors I rarely buy. But his very masculine palette is perfect for 13 grandsons! I've started with Greg's Swiss cheese assortment...fabric from which he'd fussy cut many little triangles and diamonds for the perfect color/design of his need. Swiss cheese, between the holes, makes for good crumb blocks and paper piecing.

All that would account for the fun in the present quilt. But I did move on to the luscious batiks for the larger squares and borders. Good fabric just seems to melt together under the presser foot. So Smoothly. What joy to handle.

Nor can the happy prospect of Tim's reception be discounted in the effort. I thought lovingly of him with every stitch. He may not be surprised, but he's sure to be very pleased. Since he is quite tall I added a header/footer strip for added length. After getting it all assembled, it occurred to me that I could have accomplished the same length with another row of blocks...but I did want to work in that very stunning autumn stripy piece separately from the rest.

This quilt story continues with a like design for Tim's brother Phil. Philip's version will feature blues, greens and reds. The crumb blocks are made and all the other squares cut. It should proceed with equal pleasure and ease, e'er long. These brothers are great pals, so it is easy to make them peas in a pod of different hue.

Nines is right ... it is as much the thought of person for whom it is fashioned, as anything else, that makes the process of quilting delightful.

STRINGS OF THREE

 Unlike my dear sis, this week brought me something else besides trouble in a string of three. Three crib-size quilt tops, to be exact.

The first two were merely sashed and bordered from blocks a friend had done with her embroidery machine. One was ABC's in bold colors. The other was cross stitch style, babies bundled to look like story book animals. So cute. Then to round it out, I picked up the left-over theme fabric, cut it into squares and added four-patches from my 2-1/2" light scrap bin. Pieces of the same 2-1/2" strips make a pieced binding as well.

It seemed enough for the time being. Now my "finished tops" bin is nearly full, so I must take it off to the quilter's .. maybe as soon as next month.

Maggie is taking a break today. Just the same a bin with crumb blocks sets at her elbow. You never know when she might change her mind.

PROJECT BINS

We all have them. Some of us have them coming out our ears. I am not quite overrun or overwhelmed by the quilting bins. The painting bins may be another matter.

Nonetheless, imagine my surprise to find, when bringing up a bin today, this baby project was nearly completed. Age. I remembered trimming the squares and cutting the sashing; but did not recall having assembled the rows. It was a simple job to join rows and add borders.

The blocks came courtesy of Sandy J's embroidery machine. The ABC's were so brightly stitched (indeed they look like they might glow in the dark), a bright hue seemed suitable for sashing/balance. The name, no surprise here, will be "Now I Know My ABC's ... next time won't you sing with me."

Another set of blocks similar to these awaits - the next ones are 'cross-stitched' bundled babies in little animal suits. I trimmed them, cut the yellow sashing and put them in a project bin. Some new day they may call out my name.

MY SENTIMENTS EXACTLY

Anniversaries are by nature very sentimental occasions. Yesterday was the 47th anniversary of our wedding day. A good friend offered some good advice. He said, "Don't look forward to the 50th so much that you miss the joy of today."

Isn't that just so right! We tend to plan for projected events, and sometimes in anticipation of the exceptional, sweep the ordinary right under the rug - under-appreciated. There is nothing ordinary about our everyday blessings. Indeed, "count your blessings" is an impossible task for our blessings are infinite.

DH often remarks that he is the most blessed man in the world. As his wife, that must make me the most blessed woman in the world. Besides the children and grandchildren he considers high on the list when he makes that statement, I have him. In truth, how blessed we have been.

I am very sentimental about wedding memories, but not wedding details. It is the scope of life, feelings that draw me back - our young love and new beginnings. What an exciting time of life! Followed by young parenthood, watching children grow (a wondrous process), seeing them off to lives of their own, opening arms to their mates and their children. And now embracing grandchildren as they begin, as we began 47 years ago.

I said elsewhere, "I think this marriage thing is working out really well." How thankful am I for the Lord's design; what a blessing. The wisdom of that design becomes clearer with time. I could not love him this much in less than 47 years. We could not know the joy of enduring together, without the passing of time together. It might not have been so...we might have lost sight of our commitment and goal (millions do, and we're yet humans upon this plane; the vicissitudes of life plague all of us).Our life could run a very different course, prompted by different choices or circumstances beyond our control.

But, God is gracious. Point in fact, DH's first heart attack, twenty years ago and subsequent close calls have not yet deprived us of more time together. Our love and appreciation for each other has deepened immeasurably throughout the gift of that time. I hope that it is not just sentimentality, but also reverent gratitude to the Great God who gave me this good man...and every blessing that comes to us in our time together.

Together ... for the better...on our way to heaven. Such was our ambition 47 years ago. How precious to know the joy of all those yesterdays, the goodness of this day ... and the hope for tomorrow.