FAMILY TIME

TRAVEL ANYONE?

It's that time of year again...the first Saturday of July is soon approaching. That calendar date always marks the Miller Family Reunion. We anticipate joining sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins more than slated activities. But the goings-on are always very interesting - to say the least.

We gather at a community building in Flatwoods WV, which is as close as we can get to a center point for homes that are spread all over the country. As we file in the tables start filling up. One or two for auction items, one for show 'n tell and at least four/five for food and drinks. That ratio seems to work for us.The rest of the cafeteria type tables serve us well for all the conversation that goes along with all the eating.

There are two focal points of entertainment - the auction and our very own country/bluegrass players. To tell the truth, I enjoy the latter more than the former; mostly because seeing/hearing cousins who meet but once a year playing together has to be special. But the auction often features family heirlooms for scrutiny and not a little friendly competition in the bids. After all the food and frolic, our visit usually closes out with a bit of hymn singing. A Miller reunion would be incomplete without that!

In keeping with a long-standing habit of taking something I've crafted for the auction, the quilted travel/cosmetic pictured above are this year's contribution. Along with a couple locker-hooked hot pads. Talk about contrast. As for locker hooking, I find it difficult to hook and wrap the outer edges as instructed, so the border on the pink one is experimentally crocheted with matching yarn. That's still the hardest part of a craft I really enjoy, but the crochet is much easier on my fingers. Have also discovered if I fold a bit more of the mesh under, line up the squares and steam press it the borders will stay 'steam glued' in place - stiff but simpler to hook. As for the yarn and washing? Guess we'll find out how that works later.

While in travel bag mode I went ahead and made four total. They got easier as I went along. It would have been a better idea to assembly line the processes, but that was not practical in this case because each bag needed a different color thread. It taxed me quite enough to switch the even-feed, zipper and satin-stitch presser feet, without the bother of changing thread and bobbin at the same time. With this much practice, though, perhaps the pattern will seem a bit less confusing the next time it's used. That's me, an eternal optomist. For now the extra bags will be stashed in the quilt vault until a token gift is needed.

With all this rambling it would seem I risk breaking the hard & fast rule of Teeldom bannishing boredom. For appearances sake, we'll just say my mind is mindless, taking a wee ramble - boring, perhaps,...but I am not bored. That's my story........