Checking In

It's hard to believe I've let almost an entire year go by without posting.  It's been a rewarding year emotionally,  a challenging year health wise and what has felt like a mostly non-productive year quilting wise.

One of the highlights of this year was traveling half way across the country to meet four half siblings that I only learned about a year ago.  I can't begin to describe the enormity of this event for me at age 68.  My life is forever changed .

A month later we traveled almost as far to celebrate  an astounding achievement for my oldest son, being inducted into the U.S. Army Military Intelligence Hall of Fame.  We were so happy to be able to share that special week with him and his wife.

 


   


   












Both trips were so important and I wouldn't have considered missing out on either of them, but they took a toll on my health and I'm not sure I've recovered yet.

On the quilting front I've only finished ONE quilt.  Yep, ONE.  Unheard of for me, right?  This string quilt, lap size, was made last February for a dear friend who is currently battling lung cancer for the third time.  Her courage and determination are an inspiration to me.

I also made a little table runner for a new coat rack purchased by oldest son and his wife.  They wanted it to coordinate with a print hanging nearby on the wall. I think it managed to do that pretty well considering I was going by an emailed photo.


Here I am comparing  it with their photo on my computer monitor

The finished project

I spent a few days cutting out and piecing half blocks for a Stack 'n Whack or One Block Wonder Quilt.  (I'm not sure which it will end up being )

This is the original fabric

And some of the half blocks.  

Stack 'n Whack variation would have coordiating triangles where the carpeting shows through in this picture.

The One Block Wonder version would have them set block to block like this

One of these days I'll get back to working on it. In either case I only sew half of the blocks together initially.  Then I can sew rows of blocks together and avoid set in seams.

By mid summer I returned to a hand project, working on my hexie quilt that I started in 2012 using English paper piecing and 3/4" hexagrams.

I took the center to this point and added plain cream borders :

Now I am adding appliquéd hexie flowers made with 1/2" hexagons (3/4" in the corners) and rick rack for the vine.  This won't be a quick project either, but maybe one day I will actually finish this quilt.

 That brings us up to date. Perhaps next year both my quilting and blogging mojo will return.  Until then, Happy Quilting  my friends.