Celebrations

14 Sep 2008 3 Comments

by averyclaire in Applique, Family, Quilting Tags: , , ,

We went to Cedar Rapids, Iowa for a couple of days to help celebrate the birthday of a friend.   It was such a joyful celebration.   The party was a kind of family reunion, where many of the family members had not seen one another for up to 15 years!    

From the sidelines I watched his daughter gently holding her father’s hand and I could see the tenderness and love in their faces as they spoke quietly in the corner.  It was fun to watch the joy on the faces of cousins who were together for the first time in years.  The entire weekend was very uplifting.  Thanks Ray for sharing your birthday with us.

 

It was also a “quilt fix” for me, as my friend, Judy, is a wonderful quilter.  She had many projects to share…some finished…some works in progress.  She inspires me to say the least.  I always find fun and laughter when we are together.   Sadly our time was limited to just a brief visit, but it makes me long for another visit, hopefully soon.

 

Today I share with you one of my works in SLOW progress…some of my Hawaiian quilt blocks.  My daughter, who has a wedding anniversary today, bought me a Hawaiian quilting book on her honeymoon in Hawaii several years ago.   So far I have only three blocks done.  I love to do the needle turned appliqué, but I fear it will be a long time before it is complete.  Her anniversary today inspired me to share this with you.

Work in Progress

23 Aug 2008 1 Comment

by averyclaire in Quilting Tags:

We like to get away to the woods and nature whenever we can.   We both grew up in the city/suburbs and really appreciate the smell of the forest in the morning.  Here is a photo of our home away from home.   We don’t go too far with fuel prices high, but when we go now we go for a week or so and stay put.  I always bring my sewing machine along and some kind of handwork, as well as a good book.   That way, just in case of rain, I can always be occupied with something worthwhile.   During one RV outing it rained nearly every day.  We did a lot of walking and hiking with umbrellas.  But that week I put together the body of what will be a tablecoth.  It will have a wide border with appliqued flowers on all sides.   I did the top,  but not the applique.  I actually LOVE to applique, but after the week away, I put the top into a box and there it sat for a long time.   It is one of the projects I hope to finish this winter.   Just another UFO on the shelf for now.  I imagine that all of you needleart people out there have a few UFOs among you, no matter what is your desired medium.

Quilts

18 Aug 2008 2 Comments

by averyclaire in Quilting Tags: ,

While I have been sewing since I was a little girl making clothing for my dolls, I only began to quilt about seven years ago. I love hand quilting, but have only a couple of small pieces. The first one was a wall hanging which was my very first quilt. This one still hangs in my guest room.

The second piece is a white one that was hand quilted with metallic purple and green variegated thread. I must have been crazy.

My favorite quilt however is one I made from flannel pieces. This one was displayed at an art gallery in a nearby town for some time and it won first place in the textile show. It’s not an art piece, just a traditional pattern, but it is special to me nevertheless. My award for this show was to have a professional photo of my quilt put into their 2008 art gallery calendar. I laughingly tell everyone…I was “Miss March.”
And last but least, after my reflection yesterday, I thought I would show the quilted wall hanging I made for my very special daughter who loves sunflowers. She is a bright spot in my life as most daughters are. While I love my two sons dearly, there is always something beyond words at having a daughter. Oh I couldn’t say that always, but I can today. She is a delight.

A Time for Reflection

17 Aug 2008 3 Comments

by averyclaire in Quilting, Reflection Tags: ,

Yesterday I attended a benefit for a friend who has stage four melanoma. She was young and full of life one day, and in the hospital the next with serious bad news. We go through our daily lives never dreaming such tragedy could strike us. At least I don’t much think about these things. My heart is sad for her husband who is like a lost puppy; for her daughters who are doting on her hoping to have quality time for a few months; and for her mother who knows that NO mother should ever outlive her child. And as I sat with my friends, signing Karoke to “That’s What Friends Are For”…tears fell from all of our eyes unashamedly. It was difficult to leave the party, to say that last goodbye, to let go when we had that last hug. I am not sure if I will see her again. So many thoughts and what ifs….and so on. This certainly is now a time for reflection in my life.

Have I been a good wife, a good mother, and was I a good daughter? Have I been a good and faithful friend to those I love and trust? And have I been able to be a friend to those I do not love nor trust? And have I been true to what I believe in and searched for that which I could not? Have I been true to myself and have I lived my life not just for others, but so that I might be enriched and fulfilled? Have I supported and encouraged the artist within? Questions, questions, questions. I have no answers.

Instead I went into my sewing room to work on the unfinished wedding quilt for my son who was married a year ago. Perhaps I’d better finish it…perhaps in a few months, well, I won’t even say it. And all those other UFOs! But the panic quickly left. What I really must do is to call my two sons, and my daughter and tell them just how much they mean to me today. I do this occasionally, but one more time can’t hurt. And when I lay beside my husband tonight I will tell him how much I love him today, yesterday, and for always. Not who, not where, not what I am is important. Simply just to be is enough. The rest will come.

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