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Monday, June 09, 2008

Dimensions of a Fat 1/8??



Yes, I'm still writing pattern info. It's really difficult to explain that Scraps mean Scraps, so I'm having to write some stuff using Fat 1/8ths because Fat Quarters are too big. What are the dimensions of a fat 1/8??? When you cut a fat quarter in half to get a fat 1/8 do you cut it the long way, or the across way?


*ADDENDUM* (or should that be ADDEND-DUMB!!!) A Fat Eighth (why does that look like it has one too many h's in it?!) is 9"X22". Thank you to those who answered so quickly! I knew I could count on you... :c)

I just didn't know if it was going to be 9"X22" or 11"X18". You can tell I've never bought Fat Eighths....or if I had, I probably wouldn't care about the exact dimensions anyway!

Carry On, Quilt On!


Wednesday, June 04, 2008

The Mystery Is Solved!








This is Step 6 of the Orange Crush Mystery......come sew and play!

My original plan was to use plain borders, but you know what? I had extra split four patch units! I'd been building more as leaders and enders and I thought it would be fun to use them in the border.


I also cleared out a bunch of red fabrics with a barnyard theme from the "get rid of it NOW" stash! I've got hoffman chickens and turkeys, (does the fact that it's 'hoffman' make it any LESS ugly?*LOL*)I've got cows jumping over moons (And I'm happy to say that other than scraps, this fabric is now ALL gone!) and I've got a 1990's vintage ducks and cattails! The best part is that they are now OUT of the stash. Hallelujia!

I've just got the binding left to do...more orange for the binding..whoowhoo!

I'm headed to Greenville SC tomorrow for a lecture/trunkshow and a workshop there. I'll be home Saturday night if I can get out of there in good time to make it home that evening.

I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the huge group hug regarding Heather's birthday. It means more than you can know. Thank you all.

Monday, June 02, 2008

In Remembrance...


Some Days are harder than others. Some years this day goes by without much tugging on my heart, but this year the tugging is quite strong. and here I was just telling a friend about how well I was doing, considering what day it is. I think that planted the thought in my head, and it has stewed..just like a song that keeps playing over and over, when you don't want it there.

26 years ago today my daughter Heather was born. She had severe complications, and spent the short 2 1/2 weeks of her little life in the NICU. We never got to bring her home. I was a young mother then, only 20 years old. But life has a way of teaching us valuable lessons, even at an early age.



Today I am missing her very much. My friend Randy told me how she used to light Yahrzeit candles to remember her brother, and I have a candle burning today in remembrance of my sweet angel. The writing on the candle holder means "in remembrance".




Funny, if she had lived she would be 26, heading up to 30,but forever in my mind she is a little 6 pound bundle of wonder even with all she had to bear in such a short time. I learned what it was like to feel life growing within my womb with her. She was the first one who grew beneath my heart. That will always be special to me. I have memories of the wonder I felt at her little hiccups before she was born, all the movements and flutters across my belly. I remember her. I love her. I miss her.

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl..
Mama.

Sunday, June 01, 2008

Strings in the Border!



I have had such a great time with Charlotte visiting! Her hubby dropped her off yesterday about lunch time, and we set up machines right away and started sewing.

I quilted on a customer quilt while she worked on her Orange Crush! When I was finished with the long arm, I was able to sit with a basket of strings and mindlessly piece for the evening.

Today after she left, I toyed with these blocks, which had no purpose really, and decided to use them for the border! I'd used string blocks for a border before on my fabric food chain quilt, and I like how they play on the outside of this orphan quilt.

Again, Chloe knew just when to plant herself in the middle of it! (She is still there as I type this...)

It's been a great weekend and I'm raring and ready to tackle the work week come tomorrow morning :c)