The Dragon is Complete!

Wow, its been a long time since I posted anything.  Somehow I find it hard to take the time to be still long enough to write. I would much rather be living my life, quilting, reading, socializing....

In January 2014 I made a resolution to quilt a dragon wall-hanging that I have been promising John. At thirty-inches wide and six-feet tall this dragon is no small thing! John first found the pattern while we were at a quilt show in Lancaster, PA back in 2009. He fell in love with it and we decided to purchase it. Between 2009 and 2011 we ran across the pattern at other shows or stores. If John was with me he would always ask "Did we buy this one?" I would usually answer, "Yes, I think so", or "I'm not sure," and then he would decide to buy another copy. We eventually had three copies. I liked the pattern but was not in love with it. He has a fancy for all things "Asian," so I was not surprised at his affinity for the dragon. From time to time he would ask, "How is my dragon coming?" My stock answer was "I'm thinking about it" or "Maybe after I finish...." The excitement just wasn't there for me.

Well, John is so good to me and supports me in all my quilting fancies. He never says, "No you can't spend that much money on a sewing machine" or "Don't you have enough fabric?" In fact, it's just the opposite. He encourages me. Since we moved to The Villages in 2011, I began to feel guilty that I would not take the time to make his dragon. I began taking the pattern out and looking at it, reading the directions, thinking and planning to work on it but my heart wasn't in it. Still dragging my feet in January 2013, I finally drug the pattern out again and determined I would make the dragon. The first step was to trace the pattern. This step took quite a bit of time, then there had to be a selection of colors to use with varying shades. This seemed to defeat me and I once again tabled the project. During 2013 I pulled it out, looked at it several times, and selected a few more pieces of fabric, but still did not start quilting.

January 2014 dawned and I decided this was the year the dreaded dragon had to me made! So began the process. This was to be an applique project. The dragon pattern I had so carefully traced was spread across the table and each of the more than three-hundred pieces were carefully numbered and color coded. My fabric selections were prepared with fusible web. The pattern was transferred to a background. Each pattern piece was carefully cut and fused into place following the color coding.

As I finally started fusing the pieces into place, I began to get really excited. The dragon was taking on a personality and I could see the potential for a really stunning wall hanging. I fell in love with the dragon and could hardly stop working on it. After over thirty hours the pieces were fused into place. It was ready for the final stage. The dragon was to resemble stained glass and needed black around the pieces to finish off the "look". I had planned to use black bias tape to separate the pieces, but as I started putting it on to the dragon two things happened. I realized it would cause lumps where the ends either folded over or ended under another piece of tape making the overall result look bumpy and uneven. The other problem was that excessive handling was making the fused pieces curl and come away from the backing.

I had to develop a "plan b"! I first stitched around each individual piece so that it would not separate from the back. Then I revisisted the idea of using the bias tape and again rejected it. I decided that a maximum width satin stitch might work. I made a small prototype of the dragon's head with both large and very small pieces and tried my satin stitch idea. It looked pretty good and I decided this was my best bet. So it began, after forty hours and six spools of thread, I finished the painstakingly slow satin stitching.

Blocking, adding a border, backing, and hanging sleeve and the dragon is complete! It is hanging in my entry way and I absolutely love it.

Dragon before the black stitching was done:

  

 

 

Dragon after black stitching and borders were added:

 



Happy to Be Home

My husband John and I returned from a six week trip last week. We had an amazing time but were oh so happy to get home. Our journey consisted of several "legs" each exciting and fun in its on way.

First we drove to northern Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C. This was home to us for 45 years, where we raised our children and where eight of them still live. While there we babysat for our oldest daughter Terri's children and dog. It was fun to be with them and do a few things too. Of course, they were in school so time was limited though we did manage to take them to the Air & Space Museum on Saturday. We were able to see and visit our other children and a few old friends. All in all a great week.

The next leg was a trip "across the pond" with our oldest son, Patrick. We flew to London for six days. John and I had been to London several times before but Patrick had not. It was great fun to show him some of our favorite sites and see some new things too. There is so much to do it is hard to pick and choose. A few highlights of London were, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, Winston Churchill's War Rooms and Museum, Shakespeare's Globe Theater, the London Eye, the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, Victoria & Albert Museum, and the Tower of London. We also took two day trips, one to Hampton Court (Henry the VIII) Palace which is about thirty miles outside of London, and a trip to Portsmouth see the HMS Victory (Admiral Nelson's Warship) and the Mary Rose (one of Henry VIII's warships in the 1500's). Both were fascinating!

After six days in London we boarded a bus for a fourteen day tour up the east side of England into Scotland then across the Irish Sea to the Republic of Ireland and then back to Wales and across England and back to London for two days. The weather was cool with a few showers but no washouts.

Among the things we saw were Shakespeare's birthplace in Stratford on Avon. Stratford is a lovely little town along the Avon River in the Cotswolds. It would be wonderful to spend more than a few hours exploring this place. We went to York and toured the Shambles (the old part of the city) and the Yorkminster a beautiful old cathedral. We were able to spend an afternoon and full day in Edinburgh, Scotland visiting the castle and then walked down the "Royal Mile" to Holyrood Palace where the Queen spends a few weeks every year. We also attend a Scottish Festival and meal with a Haggis Ceremony. We drove through the Highlands which is miles and miles of breathtaking scenery and then back into England's Lake District. There we visited the town of Grassmere where Henry Wadsworth lived and is buried, Beatrix Potter's farm is also nearby.

Crossing the Irish Sea by ferry we arrived in Dublin in the evening and spent the entire next day in Dublin on our own visiting Trinity College where the Book of Kells is housed. We also went to the museum to see the "bog bodies". It is amazing that these bodies found in the peat beds are hundreds of years old and yet preserved so well. The skin is like old leather. In some cases there are still a few strands of hair and fingernails. Leaving Dublin we visited Waterford and toured the crystal factory.

We took a longer ferry ride and crossed into Wales for a night in Cardiff. Unfortunately, we only had about two hours to visit the "new castle" and the ruins of the old one. The castle is beautiful and we were not able to do it justice. Then we were back in England where we were able to visit the Roman Baths and the Bath Cathedral with a short walk in the city. The final visit was to Stonehenge which is something everyone should see and then we were headed back to London. Returning to London we had a day and a half to do some shopping and see a show before returning to the states.

Once home we spent four days with our daughter, Terri. We did not get a chance to see her when we were there before since she and her husband were at a conference in California while we stayed with her children before our trip overseas. We also shopped at my favorite quilt shop and visited a retirement community to see how it was coming along since we had considered buying there before moving to Florida. Our visit there confirmed what we already knew, the move to The Villages was definitely the right decision!

We left Virginia to drive to Atlanta for our youngest daughter, Bridget's wedding. This is a second marriage for both and they are combining families. Bridget has a five year old son, Tucker. Her husband Gibson has two children, Sophia (14) and Ian (9). We are excited to welcome a new son-in-law and two new grandchildren to bring the total to fifteen.

Although the drive to Atlanta was only about a ten hour drive we made it a leisurely affair and stopped for the night completing the trip mid-day.Our entire family did not make it to the wedding but there was a good representation, five of our six girls were there along with all four sons. There were two girlfriends, one son-in-law and six of the grandchildren. We missed the ones unable to attend. The rehearsal dinner was a great affair with the two extended families meeting for the first time. Though it was October 11 the weather cooperated beautifully and we were able to share a delicious meal outside. The adults enjoyed meeting and sharing stories of the bride and groom and the children got along well and had a great time running and romping.

Wedding day dawned and again the weather cooperated beautifully for a 5:00 o'clock outdoor celebration. The ceremony took place in a field beside daughter Angie and her husband's home which is located in a fly-in community where all of the homes are built along a grass airstrip. The bride and groom along with their children arrived by helicopter. I have to admit to a tear as John walked our beautiful daughter down the aisle. Vows were exchanged and the ceremony was perfect. Afterwards there were hot air balloon rides and a short airshow by the residents of the fly-in community. Dinner was served and there was dancing and mingling. John and I left about 10:00 o'clock but the young adults were there sharing stories and enjoying each other's company until after midnight.

The next morning we began the last leg of our journey home. Believe me after six weeks living out of a suitcase we were ready for home! The miles passed quickly and by mid-afternoon we were back in The Villages. We are very grateful for a every portion of our journey with many wonderful memories but also happy to be home and ready to settle into our normal routine.

My quilting group, Sterling Stitchers has "adopted" a family of five. The father lost his job and the family lived in the forest for a period of time. There are three children, two girls and a boy ages 5,6, & 7. At present the father has a job making minimum wage and they have been able to rent a small run-down house. The children share a bedroom. Their furnishings are sparse and until recently the children were sleeping on baby bed mattresses that the father had found on the curb.

Our group has been able to provide beds for the children and recently supplied their back to school needs. The group has been very generous and we all feel fortunate to be able to help this family. My friend, Marilyn and I have made quilts for their beds.

I made a Strawberry Shortcake quilt for the youngest girl and a Spiderman quilt for the boy. Another friend used my scraps and made adorable pillowcases to match the quilts. Unfortunately, I only have pictures of the quilts I made but here they are:

 

 

 

 

 As many of you know I have always loved to sew and do crafts of all kinds. Since retiring quilting has become my passion. I love being able to choose fabrics and put them together to make a beautiful quilt, wall hanging, table runner, placemat.... There is rarely a day that I do not spend at least an hour or two in my sewing room designing, cutting, sewing. I find it relaxing and rewarding. Truly in my world at this time "a day without quilting is a day without sunshine"! Happy quilting.

 

 

Something a Little Different

Last week I decided it was time to finish the quilt for my newest grandaughter and the doll clothes I was making for the big sister. All the quilt needed was the binding and the doll clothes only needed buttons. Now the baby has a bright "bubbly"quilt and the doll is ready for summer! The package will go in the mail this week!

Bubbles

Ready for Summer

 

 

Next I  wanted to try a new bag pattern and, of course, I never have enough bags. Again I was thinking summer so I chose a bright print coordinated with bright blue polk a dots! I'm lovin' the results!



Lets go shopping!

 

Quilting Retreat

 Last September my quilting group went on a retreat, unfortunately I was away and not able to attend.  Everyone reported having a wonderful time and getting a lot of work done. I saw some of the beautiful results and decided that when the next retreat was planned I wanted to go. Finally, last week I got my chance!

Twenty ladies from Sterling Stitchers arrived at the appointed site on Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. with the sole purpose to sew, talk quilting, eat a little and sleep a little for the next forty eight plus hours. I was excited, I had prepared a few projects to work on and was anxious to get started.

The retreat center was located on a lake shaded by many old oak trees. Our work room was large with many windows providing good lighting and a view of the beautiful scenery. Each person had a good amount of working space and we had cutting tables and ironing boards set up. 

After getting my sewing machine set up and workspace organized, I went to work. My main project was a 60"x 80" "braided" quilt top. I had carefully cut my fabric at home so that I could get right to work when I arrived. The pattern I chose came from a McCall's Quilting magazine from September/October 2012. The quilt shown in the magazine was made using batik prints in shades of red. I decided to use batiks in blues and greens. The process required piecing seven vertical braided strips, trimming them, adding sashing between each strip and a border all around.

I worked diligently and by late afternoon on the second day I had all seven strips pieced together:

These are three of the braided strips ready to trimmed, sashed and bordered to make my quilt top. I was pleased to have this much work done on the blue braids but was ready for a change, so I decided to work on a small doll quilt.

Our quilting group makes small doll size quilts for the children's hospital to give to patients. The hospital reports that the children like to cuddle with them and to put them on their wheelchairs, and take with them for tests etc. Like the blue braided quilt I had cut the pieces for this little quilt before I left home. I was able to piece the top together before I left the retreat on Thursday morning:

 

 

During the two and a half days we laughed together, worked together and encouraged one another. Some completed projects and started new ones. Some, like myself did not finish a project but made progress and enjoyed the process. 

 

I left the retreat happy with the work I had done and anxious to complete both projects. I truly enjoyed quilting with my friends and am looking forward to the next retreat set for this fall.

 



 

 

 

This is the quilt that my grandmother made for my children when our first daughter was born in 1971. It has been well used and cherished by all ten of my children.

Just a Little Background

I am a quilter. I love fabric and like most quilters have quite a stash with many unfinished projects. My mother and grandmother taught me to sew as a young child. By the time I was a teenager I made most of my own clothes. When my children were growing up I made most of their clothes until they got to be teenagers and wanted "labels"! Over the years I made dresses, shorts, pants, pajamas, Halloween costumes, prom dresses and wedding dresses. But always in the back of my mind I wanted to make quilts.

My paternal grandmother made quilts. Most of them were scrap quilts made from old clothing. They were made to be utilitarian but they were beautiful. Every winter my grandfather would set the quilting frame up in the middle of the living room floor and Granny Gude would hand quilt the tops she had sewn together over the summer. It was fun to go to her house because the furniture would be pushed back against the wall and you had to walk sideways around the quilt frame. We children liked to crawl under the fram and play cards or monopoly while she quilted.

Granny Gude had a large family, eight children, thirty-three grandchildren, sixty-five great grandchildren and twenty-six great-great grandchildren when she died at age 98. She was constantly making a quilt for someone. As the grandchildren began their families she made a quilt for the first great-grandchild in each family land stated that "since there was a potential for so many great-grands the quilt would have to be shared with the younger siblings". Our family still treasures the beautiful plaid scrap quilt she made for us. It is a bit tattered today from so much use but it has been well loved. (When I learn to post pictures, maybe I'll post a picture of it!)