Busy LOONNNNNNGGGg Weekend

It has been a productive and busy weekend. Since I have had all year to do this project, are you surprised that I had to buckle down and get them done now. At the beginning of 2010, each member of our Quilt History study group was given 4 pieces of fabric to make quilt blocks for a block exchange at the end of the year. One piece (blue print) was the focus fabric and had to be used in the blocks and the other fabric could be used or something from our own collections. This past year we studied quilts, fabrics and the women of the World War ll era. The blocks were to be representative of that time period. Most of the quilts we see today that were made during the war years were either "make-do" made from scraps and flour sacks or patriotic quilts. Since a lot of women "went to work" to support their families and the war effort, leisure time became precious so we saw fewer quilts being made until the mid to late 70's (the Bicentennial Celebration) when quilting became popular again (and polyester went away!)

Anyway, I have finished my 14 blocks and they are ready to go. This is my block, red, white and blue! The pinwheel part of the block represents the women that stayed home, keeping homes together and working to support the war effort. The star is the symbol of freedom and hope.

I have also been working on this Valentine quilt this weekend and hope to have it finished in the next week.

I hope you can see the pieced hearts.

Another piece of good news for the weekend, Logann came out and helped me catalogue some of my books. I have collected (ahem) a lot of books and have found some duplicates as well as some books I need to get rid of. I am using my own Excel spreadsheet and hope to be able to download the title part of the catalogue into my cell phone so that I can have the list with me when I am looking at books to buy. Anyway, she got a lot of books entered and I super appreciate her help.

This gorgeous quilt is a BOM that is my next major tackle. It was supposed to have been completed this month but sadly, I am only on the 4^th month. Why do I need to get it finished, you ask… Because I have 2 more BOM projects that start soon!

I leave you with this ponder on:

A New Year and A Happy One

Happy New Year to friends and family. After a night of family, food and fireworks, it is time to start the new year.

I have lots of goals and plans. Some are very personal and I hope to fulfill a promise I made to Dad before he passed away. Other goals include the fact that 2011 is a milestone year for me-I turn the big 65 in July. The good news is that I can start drawing my Social Security and keep my job. Yahoo! I do plan to cut back one day at the office though. Cutting one day of that 50+ mile trip will help save on the $3.00+ gas prices.

There is so much I want to do this year and having an extra day will be wonderful. Now the goal is to keep it productive.

This past couple of months has been busy trying to get quilts ready for Christmas. Here are a couple that were under the tree.

This was a Turning 20 pattern that my bff, Irene was making for a member of her family. We spent Labor Day weekend putting the top together and I brought it home to put the border on, make the backing and getting it quilted. It is a king size and I found this great batik (so bright & cheerful) for the back. It was quilted by Kit Struc-she is an amazing quilter.

This happy quilt top is a 100% scrap quilt. It is lap size and quilted by another amazing quilter friend, Sue Williams.

This was a quilt that my friend, Frank handed me at work about a year or more ago. It was a top that his wife's grandmother had pieced. I had to replace the muslin in the blocks and square them up. It took a long time to decide how to finish it but when it was done, I was very pleased and Frank & his family were very happy. Kit Strunc quilted this for me. She did the custom quilted feathers in the border.

But there is no rest for a quilter. Marla gave me some cute valentine pink and brown fabric for Christmas and I am buried in a gorgeous BOM Civil War quilt as well as 15 blocks that have to be ready by the end of January for a block exchange in my Women and Quilt History group.

I'm off to make quilts.