Inauguration Day, 2021

I thought I'd start off this morning's post with a bit of red white and blue.  It's a momentous day. 

I have witnessed several inaugurations in my life time. I hope I will be around for many more.

There is something sacred in being present for these moments that go down in history.

Today my American flags are flying - there is a good breeze outside (Melting the ice, please!) and there is nothing more soul stirring to this American than watching flags wave.

Do you remember this?  President Reagan declared 1986 as the Year of the Flag. 

“The colors of our flag signify the qualities of the human spirit we Americans cherish,” Reagan said. “Red for courage and readiness to sacrifice; white for pure intentions and high ideals; and blue for vigilance and justice.”

My Dawn's Early Light quilt is found in my book String Frenzy.

I plan to be glued to the inaugural activities later this morning, and to watch the ceremony at noon eastern time.

Yesterday - I was able to do something that I previously hadn't been able to do!

I watched the zoom meeting at the Iowa Quilt Museum!

I posted the link info in Yesterday's Post.  These meetings with the contributors to the String Theory exhibit give a chance for the story of each quilt to be talked about and shared - and we had at one time over 300 of us watching Roderick Kiracofe and Siobhan Furgurson talk about their special vintage string quilts.

Watching was a win for me - the next challenge will be actually being PART of the discussion when the turn for my quilts come up.  that's where I've had lagging due to my Low Speed internet. But I'm going to try.  

Since I installed a cell booster at the QPO, my cell signal may be stronger than the internet.  I might be able to stream for the zoom meeting that way.  I'll let you know when my session airs.

But plan on joining in for this series for the next several Tuesdays at noon central time.  More info in Yesterday's Post.

And then I did this!

The little topper I had made from leftover parts became a real quilt yesterday.

I zigzagged together a couple of batting scraps just big enough for the job.

It didn't take long at all to quilt up!

Binding with a yellow/red stripe with green dots.

I have had this in my stash forever - always waiting for the right place to use it.  (That too much yellow wives' tale rides again! LOL!)

The backing fabric is extra special to me -

Yes, I know. The calendar says 2001.  But it is also fun to realize that this millennium didn't really start until 2001.  Or so I'm told. The jury is still out in my brain on that one.

Even more fun - this is a Mary Koval fabric, and a reproduction of an actual 1881 fabric, also cheater cloth like this, with calendar months all over it.  I've seen and handled the "real deal" while visiting Mary in Pennsylvania.

I have held on to this piece for many years, and wanted a place where I could keep it whole.

By the time I had used the leftovers for the hanging sleeve, there was really nothing left.  It found a home.

And there is a binding project to keep my hands busy in the evenings!

Last night was a very sleepless night for me.  I think it's a combination of things.

Of worrying about the inauguration today.  Of what the future holds. Of  believing that kindness is still the best way to make a difference, one on one with each other.

It's not too late to start over and do better.

The wind was also part of it - a howling wind last night that kept sleep from being very deep (Which allowed my brain to go into thinking mode....)

And then my webstore host changed the formatting of my sales page on my dashboard (not visible to the public) and I'm a bit lost.  They got rid of my ability to "batch print" and choosing how many orders will show on a page, so I can print just that page.  The new format is to either print orders one at a time, or print them all at once - or all that came in on that day anyway.

It can be overwhelming especially at times when there is a new book release and 500 orders can come in within 45 minutes and there is no way to break that down into batches.

I know this doesn't mean much to most of you - but believe me.  It's a nightmare from the order fulfillment end when you want to fill orders in the order they come in, not from the newest one down.

I think it may be time for a while new website/blog design.  And a new host/server.  A better experience for everyone.

Including me.

But only if I can batch print from the oldest orders toward the newest.  That's a must!

Ivy understands.

And Zoey?

Well she is good for a laugh!

(Yes, she is asleep here! LOL!)

Did you enter our Forever Mine! PDF pattern and fabric bundle gift-away!?  The drawing happens on Saturday - so time is getting short.

Enter to win ON THAT POST.

Irene's got got fabric rolls in reds, pinks, aqua/turquoise and our much beloved and sought after neutrals available in the Cotton to Quilts online shop. 

And check out the String Time strip packs as well!

Our winner will be receiving a Forever Mine PDF pattern, along with one for a friend!  And we are sweetening the deal by throwing in a facets of red fabric roll and a red String Time strip pack for our winner as well!  

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Optimism and gratitude go hand in hand and give us courage to work toward a brighter tomorrow.

⁣

And we can start today.