Fun Week!

Last week was eventful for me as I turned 60, saw "Cats" at the Pantages theater in Hollywood (a gift from my oldest daughter) and saw my granddaughter in a community theater production of "Annie".  What a great week it was and even made turning 60 not so bad!  

I'm finally over a bad cold hubby gave me and am back to my quilts.  I finished another Memory Bouquet block and am currently working on my Asian floral A-1 Dear Jane block.

Here are my Dear Jane and Memory Bouquet blocks.

And here's a photo of my granddaughter, Alara, in the play "Annie".  Isn't she beautiful?  Believe it or not, she's 12 with a whole lot of stage makeup on that makes her look 15.

Quilt Update

I just finished another block for my Kansas City Memory Bouquet quilt.  I scanned and copied it to the computer but haven't uploaded it to the internet.  It turned out nice and I can see how my applique skills are improving.  So that's 4 blocks finished and 16 to go.  Now to work on several Dear Jane blocks.  I like to alternate my projects so I don't get bored.

I've been fighting a cold for several days and haven't been in the mood to do much, however, I finished assembling a quilt  top and am now ready to attach it on the frame.  I'm going to hand quilt this one. It's a combination of 3 block swaps that I was in several years ago and rather than make 3 small wall hangings, I decided to combine all the squares and it turned out pretty.  The border is made of Prairie Points which really showcases the quilt.

I have to explain something about my quilting.  I first discovered quilts when I was a kid and a friend's mother had a large quilt on a frame.  I was so fascinated by the colors and design and how intricate the quilt was.  My mother hardly sewed and didn't have any hobbies.  Thank goodness my paternal grandmother crocheted or I would never have learned to do any hand work.

When I was about 8, I started hand sewing Barbie clothes.  I don't remember where I got the patterns or fabrics, all I know is that I had a ball designing a wardrobe for my Barbie.  Later I taught myself to sew on the old Kenmore sewing machine that my mom never used.  Eventually, I made my own wardrobe.

  

Making quilts was always in the back of my mind so after I had children, I dabbled in quilt making and through the years made quilts now and then.  I've hand quilted using the "quilt as you go" method and I've machine quilted but I've never actually put one on a frame and quilted a big quilt.  So, although I've kind of quilted for well over 30 years, I still consider myself a novice in many areas.  

I've made 30 or 40 quilts in all that time - not very many when you think about it.  I've always loved hand work so working on my Dear Jane's, all by hand, and my hand applique have been very relaxing for me.  Maybe it takes me back to those Barbie clothes days when life was simpler. I hope I find hand quilting just as enjoyable or else that quilt frame will be used as a very large quilt rack!

I think I've rambled enough!