Weekend Projects

When we leave for Red Lodge every Friday, (assuming we aren't headed for a quilt show) we pack the car or van with projects to keep us busy over the weekend. John tested Kate's newest pre-cut kit, working name "Hexagonal Pinwheel". It is going to be cute and bright. Then he found a partially pieced Glorified Nine Patch in calico and solids and got a lot of those blocks pieced. Both John and Kate are getting fascinated with miniatures. I expect to see more of them being offered soon.

My projects were to bake a chicken in the new stove and find the turkey roaster in anticipation of Thanksgiving. We also located the "good china" which is hand me down but very pretty and special to our family. Need to hand wash it before the big turkey day. I also am shortening a bed skirt and I wanted to make sure it was pre-shrunk so I didn't have grief later on. I want to use the fancy stitches on our Bernina 200 in colors to go with the quilt on the bed, of course. Choosing thread is always fun!, love it!

Then there was The Cabinet. It is about 60'' high and 60" wide and is one of those "assembly required" deals. Never, ever again. It is really handsome now that it is assembled and in place. But an engineer and particleboard furniture and instructions written in China are not a good combination. Don't do it. John did not yell at me but he said some bad things to the cabinet.

Here are a couple more observations about International Quilt Festival. The DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) loaned some exceptional, rare and very old quilts to the show. There were wonderful examples of the way quilts were made in the 1800s when fabric was hard to get and expensive. Lots of wonderful hand quilting and a really great chance to see old fabrics, some of it block printed by hand.

We sponsored the Alzheimer's booth, Ami Simm's project to raise funds for Alzheimer's research. Several of the quilters who bought John's little quilts came by to have them signed. One girl, about 10 years old, bought a little quilt and John really did enjoy signing her quilt and visiting with her. How generous of her to spend some of her "show cash" for something fairly abstract for a youngster. I haven't hear how much the booth raised but every little bit helps. http://www.alzquilts.org/

This week is another week of catching up and cutting kits for Benartex. I can't wait to get started on my machine embroidery. Oh, I want to hand embroider on it too; got to have a hand project.

Brooke