A Post I Never Posted

11.16.20 Forgot to Post This Then

 I haven't added any new posts since back in June, I believe.  This has been a long year.  I know that not a whole lot will change come the new year, so I'm not going to say, "I can hardly wait for January."  But January does bring longer days.  By about the 10th, the lengthening days become visible.  That means Spring is not too far behind.  It has been a gloomy fall, although the fall foliage was incredibly brilliant.  Michael and I spent a lot of time in the Saab convertible just driving through the countryside enjoying the display.  

This is the year of COVID 19.  Massachusetts has been under strict restrictions, although we, out here in this north, borderline community, have been able to relax far more than in the cities.  We are required to wear masks when we go into stores.  Here in Massachusetts, though, they want to make sure we wear masks whenever outside out homes.  Winter is coming.  The real question is, how much are we going to be outside our homes.  Churches are still limited in the numbers that can actually attend.  My family is afraid that we are going to catch it, so we won't be seeing them for a while.  We've spent a lot of time wearing masks with family because of their activity.  We are not celebrating Thanksgiving together and I expect Christmas is off the list as well. I haven't hugged or kissed my family since last March.  I don't know when that will happen again.  Today a second vaccine was announced, but I have no idea when this will be made available to me.  I'm not sure I really care other than touching my family again.  I am not given to depression, but I sure am feeling down.  

I haven't done much quilting this year.  I do have a quilt I'm trying to put on the frame, but my interest level is really down.  I've prepared "My Gift to My Circle of Care" documents.  This is an end of life plan for an at home, if possible, simple death.  This sounds like why I should be depressed, but it is not.  This was a practical endeavor while intertwined in the process was this wonderful series of verses on what death is like for a believer.  I'm going home to be with the LORD.  That works for me, but it isn't yet time to dwell on dying.  There is still yet living to do.

 I have also spent time in Bible Study.  That is the one thing that picks me up.   My Father and Savior are so faithful to me, even now.  They are my one Hope.  I spent time in Romans this summer sure hoping that my pastor would teach this book and he has.  I am so grateful.  I studied this book out on my own.  It is the premier book written on the gospel.  The apostle after many years of sharing the gospel wrote a letter to the Roman church of believers.  This book is a culmination of all Paul had learned.  I wanted Pastor Dave to teach this so that I was sure with confirmation that what I saw was accurate.  Yes, I learned it right.  I never know when someone will challenge me just because I'm me.  But now I know that my study accomplished exactly what Jesus wanted it to accomplish.  I know He was the one teaching me, but I wasn't sure I was reading it right although it is how I live.  Dave, a pastor for many years has been teaching through this book; I now have full confidence that I have not misunderstood.  Thank You, my LORD and Savior!!  My Christian walk has not been an easy one in the churches.  Who am I that I should know anything.  Well, I don't apart from Jesus, but He has been faithful to satisfy my thirst even when no one was willing to hear me out.  Thank You LORD Jesus!!

 For today, I have to finish preparing my "Circle of Care" documents to that I can mail them out to my proxy as soon as I can.  I've got to get her address.  So for now, I'm done writing.  Hopefully next year will be a little more productive as far as quilting is concerned.  I have a lot of equipment and a lot of fabric.  I don't even need to buy anything for a while.😊 

 So, to my beloved family, I miss you all and will all this winter long,  but I'm hoping for a very blessed winter for you.  Enjoy!

Counting all my blessings, all fifteen of you,

Love, Mom, Dianne, Grams

 

Happy 100tth Birthday, Elsie!

Elsie turned 100 on April 4th 2020.  She is healthy, still walking everyday.  She started going to church as an infant at Lawrence Street Church and is still an active member.  She loves her family, church family, friends and her flower gardens.  She is a delightful woman and she has been a welcoming friend to me as I started attending her church about five years ago.  I'm so glad to know her.  I wanted to honor her Happy 100th, so I made a quilt for her.

Elsie's eyes are a beautiful blue.  Blue is not, for some reason, one of the easiest colors to work with.  I have difficultly with remembering specific shades of blue in order to purchase them for quilt making.  I have a drawer full of blues that don't look good together.  So Elsie's quilt is made from a charm pack and matching yardage. 

My photography is not the greatest on these pictures.  This is closer to the colors, but it looks very blue, the darks are not quite this dark and the beiges are cooler and lighter.

Elsie was so surprised.  She has never made a quilt herself...my grandmother said the same thing.  Elsie is a knitter and is still knitting.  I'm sure she has done countless baby clothing gifts through the years.  One day I'll ask her what she likes to knit.  Meanwhile,  Happy Birthday, Elsie!

Riley's Mellow Yellow Quilt 2019

This is Riley's Mellow Yellow.  Riley is ten years old and is a drummer and plays a marimba.  That is a beautiful sounding instrument that plays like a xylophone but the keys are wooden with a beautiful resonance because of the pipes below the keys.  She is very talented.  She also enjoys performing in musicals in a local theater.  That's a lot of work and time invested by a young person.  It has been so much fun watching her grow in theater.  She is really becoming a very confident young woman.  Mellow Yellow is a 1960s song by Donovan that I thought would sound nice on her marimba.  I hopes she listens to the piece and learns it.  

This is a close up of the plates.  Both ends of each blade are pointed.  Different size blades make different size plates.  This was time consuming, but not difficult.

 

  The border looks like a garden fence to a sunflower garden.

I forgot to take a finished picture of the back of the quilt, but this is a piece of the fabric.

I meandered through the quilting adding leaves along the way.  Apparently, the details were difficult to photograph!

This is the finished quilt washed and ready to use.  Word has it that Riley loves her new quilt.  Blessings to my youngest grandchild.

I'm very proud of you, Riley!
 

Counting my blessings...7
Love,
Grams

Adia's Follow Your Dreams Quilt 2019

  Adia is an athlete.  She loves running in particular.  Although a beautiful young women, she is not a real girly girl. She is an excellent soccer player, teammate on an excellent team.  She's got places to to later in  High School.  She is also a tenacious gymnast.  She would practice things that she was not old enough to do and accomplish those fetes.  She learned to do a backwards hands-free flip long before she should have been able.  She is a no fear kind of person!!  I wanted a pattern that reflected that aspect of her personality.  This is a kit that I purchased.  The day I first saw it, I thought of her.

This is my 1915 Singer with Sphinx decals.  This is the sewing machine I used to piece Adia's quilt.  This is a treadle machine that runs beautifully.  I chose to use it because like Adia, it is unique.  She is the only one to get a quilt made on an old Singer treadle.

I used Phoebe to quilt it.   Not sure what I would do without her.  This is not computerized quilting.  It is free motion and patterns that I love to combine. The unseen borders are piano keys using a ruler.

Adia's favorite color is purple.  That's why I chose this backing.  

Adia's quilt after washing and hanging it on the line outside.  Adia follows a big sister that is also very good at everything she does.  Because of that, this quilt is named, Follow Your Dreams.  She had such a big smile on her face when she opened it.  She was 11 years old when she received it and is 12 now.

I'm very proud of you, Adia!!

Counting my Blessings...6

Love,

Grams

Sweet Jessie Berries Quilt 2019

Jessie.  Jessie is sweet.  She is thoughtful and kind.  She's a girly girl, but she is also one mean softball pitcher.  BUT, she is always concerned about those she plays with and against.  I watched her share popsicles with a team that had lost so badly.  She wanted them to know it wasn't personal.  She is not one for leaving others out.  It is a natural gift of friendship.  She's special.  When I saw this quilt, maybe nine months before I decided to make all these quilts, I wanted it for Jessie.  I kept hesitating.  Would she like it?  I knew I did, but would she?  I asked her what her favorite color was and she said red.  That answered the question for the time being, but sometimes kids change their minds.  Jessie had just turned 12 the beginning of December.

 

 This quilt had a lot of ruler work.  It was the best way to work around all the small pieces of the green "leaves" and the little red squares.  But all the Jessie berries were free motion quilting.

 

Here is a sort of picture with Pheobe, my quilting mate.  The fabric in this quilt has sparkles.  I think the sparkles represent Jessie well!

Here is Sweet Jessie Berries in all her glory...kinda like Jessie!!  She all washed and ready to go.

I'm very proud of you, Jessie!!

Counting my Blessing...5
Love,
Grams

Jonny's Lean Green Drumming Machine Quilt 2019

Jonny is a multifaceted young man.  Math is a part of his being.  He is involved with a robotics team in his local area and is very creative in this area.  But Jonny is also a drummer.  This was a surprise to me considering his father has next to no interest in music.  He is the only one of my sons that isn't interested.  But Jonny now drums on anything available.  He also is very creative in his personal expression of himself.  I love it!! Looking forward to what he will be!  Jonny's favorite color is green.  How could I not make him a green quilt.  I chose Storm at Sea as the pattern.  One problem, I really didn't know how to put the colors together.  I learned a lot.

It was a struggle, so thankful for a design wall!  It was work.  I had to take pictures of it as I was working to see if the pattern was working.  Sort of.

Another picture of Phoebe.  She looks so pretty with the green quilt!!  My frame has only two rails, but I'm not sure I would trade it for a third rail.  My quilts come out nice and squared.

 

I quilted this with meandering and sea creatures.  I mostly remember the fish swimming around in the waves.  

I smile every time I see this quilt.  Jonny was 13 when he received his quilt and is 14 now.

Jonny's quilt washed and ready for use. He was please that it was his favorite color.

I'm very proud of you, Jonny!!

Counting my Blessings...4

Love,

Grams

Nora's Sing Your Song Quilt 2019

 

 Nora is very creative.  Along with crocheting, and sewing for her dolls and her own PJs, she also has made quilts.   She also is a gymnast, now helping and teaching at the gym.  Nora is also a singer with a beautifully clear voice.  She is taking guitar lessons.  Some day I expect her performances to be stunning.  Her quilt is called Sing Your Song.  She is my most girly girl.  When I chose this quilt, I wanted something feminine.  Because of her natural ability, I chose for her a little bit more technical pattern.

Little rosebuds on either black or white background.  The block is both pieced and appliqued by machine using a buttonhole stitch. 

The quilting is free motion, not computerized.  Phoebe is a simple long arm with stitch regulation.  Although I love doing ruler work, my most favorite thing is free motion,  It is so creative in nature.  The Nine Patches are in the ditch ruler work, then free motion around the the green applique connected continuously through the white. 

The outer border is all musical scores.  Amazing Grace is one of the songs.   

 

The finished quilt on the clothes line after washing.  I like to wash all quilts before gifting to give them that ready to wrap-up-in look.  Nora turned 14 three days after Christmas.

Counting my blessings...3
 Love,
Grams

Anna's Dreams Quilt 2019

Anna is my oldest granddaughter.  She is a mover and a shaker.  She loves physical activity.  She used to sit on my lap at my sewing machine when she was very young.  I have no sisters and no daughters.  She was my first little girl.  Clearly woman are not the same as men.  I learned so much about women from her just being a little girl.  She's not a little girl any more.  She graduates from High School next year (2021).  Anna is aiming at becoming a doctor.  The full choice is not yet made.

So Anna's quilt is called Anna's Dreams.  She does have big dreams that I hope she sees them come to fruition.  Anna's Dreams is one of her favorite colors.  Turquoise.  It is a panel quilt.  I saw it on a fabric web site maybe five years ago and asked her if she liked it.  She did.  And I ordered it.  I thought I would get it done sooner, but I needed to learn Free Motion Quilting on a home machine first.  It took me a while.  Then I started piecing it and realized it was just a small lap quilt.  Now what?  I had ordered material for backing at the same time and realized I needed it for the front.  So that was what I did.  There was a lot of fussy measuring and cutting involved with the inner border fabrics.   

I needed an extra inner border to separate the original border from the outside border, but I didn't have any more the the lighter aqua in the center.  I found a piece in my stash and it worker out well, I think.

Because this was a panel quilt, I wanted the quilting to be the focus.  Although I chose matching thread, the backing made the perfect place to show off the quilting.  This ended up being done on Phoebe rather than my sewing machine and was done from the front.  I was so pleased with the quilting when I took it off the frame.  I felt like a kid playing!The back of this quilt is actually Aqua and soft lime green. Anna finally receive this quilt when she was 16 and now she is 17.

I'm very proud of you, Anna!!

Counting my Blessings...2
Love,
Grams

Bryson's Optic Illusion Quilt 2019

Bryson is our oldest grandchild.  He is a man now.  He will be starting his senior year in college this fall.  I cannot believe he is an adult already!!  Bryson is tenacious.  He wanted to solve a Rubics cube.  It took a while to learn, but he did it.  He entered competitions, and practiced more.  He can solve the puzzle in around 10 seconds, sometimes less.  Not easy.  When he first entered High School, he introduced himself on stage in a talent show, then solved the cube in front of the student body. He did it again just before he addressed his graduating class.  He spoke about the value of failures.  He really is something especial.  He spent six weeks or so in China in a study program just before Christmas 2019.  His quilt is called "Dr. Tang".  Let's see where he goes!

This is the beginning.  It was a rough quilt to work on because it was hard to look at.  I had to keep taking pictures to see my progress and to double check if I was doing it right.  I downloaded this  pattern from the quilting website, Craftsy.com (Bluprint)

Yellow is Bryson's favorite color.  I had to make sure I used it.

It was very important to make this quilt masculine.  I think it worked out that way.  In the center, the quilting is a diamond shape sort of.  I went through the centers of the black patches.  I did in-the-ditch stitching around each border.  The yellow is done in piano keys and the gray borders are echoed zig zags.  All quilting is ruler work.

I'm very proud of you, Bryson!

Counting my blessings...1

Love,

Grams

2019 Quilts for the Grand Children!!

Last year was such a productive year.  I have seven grand children that all needed new quilts.  I couldn't start with the oldest and work down because younger siblings would have to wait too long for theirs.  So, I decided to make them all quilts for Christmas 2019. 

I'm so proud of the work I got done.  Each quilt is made especially with that person in mind. Back row from left to right.  Jonny:  That's his favorite color.  He was 13 when he received it, but now he's 14 and ready to be a freshman this year.  He is my Lean Green Drumming Machine.  Adia:  She loves running, moving and colors.  She was 11 when she received it and is now 12.  Her expression was priceless as she hugged her quilt after she opened it!  Bryson:  My oldest grand child.  He is twenty-21 and attending WPI.  He will graduate next June and enter the real world.  His quilt is an optical illussion in the center.  Front row left to right:  Anna:  She was 16 and is now 17.  Her favorite color is this turquoisy blue.  Her's is a panel quilt with extra special quilting.  She kept looking at the back!  Jessie:  She was 12 then and still is.  She is always so concerned about others.  The quilt is called Sweet Jessie Berries. Her favorite color is blue red; this is a little to the other side of red, but she loved it anyway.  Riley:  She was 10 and still is.  Her favorite colors are yellow and blue.  She stroked the yellow dresden plate with a smile of pleasure.  Nora:  She is my crafty grand child that knits, crochets, loves her sewing machine and makes quilts among other things.  She turned 14 the day before she received her quilt.  She was fun to watch as she examined the technique.  I sat with tears in my eyes watching this beloved group of "Children".  I expect they will always remember the day they all received one of Grams quilts.  Good memories!!!

What is happening in this country is out of control!

So, we are still trying to reopen businesses in this state...very slow on the uptake.  I'm ready to be free again.  For me, I can go out in my yard and work in my gardens without a mask.  People walk by walking their dogs and children with no masks.  This is the advantage of living in farm country in eastern Massachusetts.  I've gotten in my car to simply to keep it running.  But I'm still feeling like I'm being forced to comply with regulations that were intended for NewYork City living.  I have a little quilt shop not too far from here that I would like to go into to purchase something because when I needed a marking pencil, they walked out to my car so that I didn't have to go in.  There are so many freaked out people that think you should be in panic as they are that I feel intimidated by what their responses might be.  This is a disgusting situation.  I want my freedom back.  I want to choose whether or not I wear a mask.  Masks are breading grounds to all kinds of things.  Gross.  I am a country girl  that has always believed fresh air is good for what ails you.  Now, the truth is, my husband has had a kidney transplant; he is compromised.  I do theses things because I love him.  I wouldn't go into church without a mask.  In my church, we are almost all in the compromised age group.  I love them.  But truly I really don't care about those that are control freaks.  I have no interest.  Stay away from me.

That's my view on the coronavirus shutdown.

Meanwhile, American cities are burning.  Truly I do not understand the reasoning behind this other than "never let a good crisis go to waste." My heart breaks for the family of George Floyd.  I cannot image having to live with this reality.  Someone knelt on my little boy's neck until he stopped breathing.  What is wrong with this police officer?  I'm not satisfied with 3rd degree murder chanrge, not at all.  That's not justice...and I'm white.  But why destroy a black community?  It makes no sense.  Haven't they been through enough with the COVID shutdown?  Now, all hope of getting back to normal is gone.  I'm so angry over this.  People have worked too hard for too long to have all simply taken away from them.  Heads should roll on this one, too!

I've vented.

This is my Coronavirus Blog April 2020

Well, this is the year of the Coronavirus.  It has been brutal in many places.  Massachusetts has spent a lot of time third on the list of Number of Cases.  We, my husband and I, have been in since March 16th.  I'm finding it hard to really figure out what is going on here.  There is so much conflicting information non stop. There is very little information on how many people have left the hospital healed or on the mend.  We hear tons on how many in hospitals have died.  So many are afraid and near hysteria over every little thing.  Most information is fast changing.  And as always,  the President is unable to do anything right.  I like nothing better than having the TV off.