A Look Back, and Crossing the Baggage Claim

Not a very good picture, but this is a quilt I made some time back for my older brother, Chuck.  He's a fan of Norman Rockwell.  He get's it out every Christmas to add to the decorations.  It's draped over a chair in the family room in this picture.  I think this is the last of the quilts I've made and hadn't yet shared with you.  As I've said previously, I don't do specific shapes or quilt stitches, I just find fabric I like and piece things together and stitch based on the pattern of the fabric.  Been a long time since I've made one, perhaps I'll make another one sometime.

 Again not a good picture, but these old photo's scanned just don't come out that good.  Made this little purse for my Mother way way back.  She liked Natical things.

Just a quick Baby bib with a fun nickname...the parents were both quite short and thus the nick name.

Didn't bother to take another picture of my red/black shawl/ scarf.  It's bigger but still not done, and frankly doesn't look much different than all the previous pictures I've posted.  Beginning to wonder if I'll ever get it done though, it's currently at 23 points.

There have been so many really good memes lately about rammed the ramparts, it took over the airports, it did everything it had to do..........it would be hard to say which ones were the best; but I did have a few favorites.  Incase you've missed it, this all came about from a quote from the hijacked DC 4th of July Celebration by little donnie john.

I just had to share a few with you.

And then there's this one.

AND, there were a lot more.  You just can't get through the day without trumpie saying and or doing something beyond pathetically stupid.  He gives us so many reason to make fun of him.  Though I really wish it would stop...that he would stop, and I know he won't!

I trust you all had a nice 4th of July Celebration without making a fool of yourself, like he did.

I know many of you use a tracker to keep track of your steps, If you do, JOIN Achievement with these link and earn while you get fit. 

Cardiac Collage, Toilet Paper Advent Calendar and Christmas Quilt

Cardiac Collage is coming along.  I played with placement today, thus the delay in getting my post typed.  8 squares/rectangles done, 9th one started.  Need to think a bit more about color now, as I'm out of some of the colors, and am still wanting to spread the color.  There's so much give to the squares, I'm currently thinking 9 squares will do it by the time I get them edged and attached and then a border of somekind.

More ideas of what you can do with your toilet paper rolls.  I think the advent calendar idea is pretty cute.  You could paint each roll, or cover with paper (construction paper or wrapping paper), to make it less brown and dull.  Cut cardboard to fit the ends.  Glue one then fill with trinkets, gum,candy etc, attach the top so it can be easily removed.......I won't be doing this, have no little ones at home or grands...but I think a pretty cute idea.  What say you?

One of the Christmas Quilts I've made.  This one for my younger brother's wife.  She has a huge Christmas Village she puts up every year so thought this fabric was perfect.  I am not a "real" quilter..I mean I don't do special cuts or traditional designs or have a special machine etc.  I just find fabric I like, tear or cut pieces and stitch them together.  Then quilt by going around the designs.  She puts this quilt out every year.  I think Christmas is at her house this year...from memory anyway.

Oh Deer, Where are my Classmates, we Have Yarns to Share!

--I'm participating in Slow Stitch Sunday, please come join us.
Jeweled Lines is growing, but it seems to be at a slow point right now for me.  It's 43 ish inches.  I'm a bit over half way through the largest turquoise section and next up will be a small gray strip followed by the amethyst.  I've not been knitting quite as much as I've begun working hard at finding lost classmates.

My high school class reunion for 50 years (egads how did I get that old) is next year.  I'm the person that finds people and maintains the database.  It's a job.  With those who've passed on (surprising how many), those that have moved, women who divorced and therefore have a different name etc.  Anyway, because of that, I've been on the computer more and therefore knitting less.

This is a most unusual view from our windows this am.  Seriously you can see we do not live in the country or a wooded area.  We are in a very developed, long standing neighborhood.  These two Deer (one has a reasonable size rack, and the other has one starting), spend a good amount of time cruising around in our yard, (non fenced), then hopped the fence behind us where the blue house is, then came back and jumped the chain length fence to our neighbor to the right of us.  In front of blue house is a major road...one of the most major in our community that connects 2 neighborhoods and 2 freeways.  They need to get across that road to get to safety.  About 1/4 of a mile on the other side of said road and to the right is a golf course......perhaps that's where they came from?  Down the busy road or any of our roads on this side takes them to the river in about a mile.......but then have to cross a 4 lane extremely highway to get to the river. 

Last week I shared a cross stitch I made years ago (scroll back to previous post), so today I thought I'd share one of the quilts I made a good number of years ago.  I do do other stitching besides knitting and crocheting.......just not as much.  I have some lovely blog ladies visiting who do really intricate cross stitch and or make very involved quilts...with real quilting patterns.  I'm a dabbler.  But, this quilt was fun as it's made from flannel nightgowns.  In my younger years we had a group of friends who skiied every year and we  woman would have "team" nightgowns for lounging around at the end of the day.  Nothing warmer or more comfy than a flannel nightgown after skiing in the cold all day.  So, this quilt was made for a very good friend from those nightgowns with cross stitched squares that have memories from our various trips.  I had planned to make one for the other lady in the group and myself........somehow, that never happened.

Family Christmas Quilts

This is perhaps a bit of cheat post, in that this finished object was made years ago. I made this (my first quilt) for Mom who loved Poinsettia's. From looking back through family Christmas Pictures, it seems it was probably made sometime before 2002; though I can't say for certain. It's not a traditional quilt pattern, in that the pieces weren't cut to any specification, nor was it stitched in known quilt pattern. I cut pieces basically the size I wanted (actually thinking back I don';t think I cut them at all, I believe I tore them...based on what an elderly quilt maker told me). I hand sewed the pieces together, used solid red for the backing with batting in-between and green basis tape for the edge. I used a circle quilt frame.
Mom always put it out as part of her Christmas decorations. The last couple of years, since Mom's death it stayed in it's zippered bag. This year I mentioned it to Dad, and after Christmas he gave it back to me to use and enjoy. The stitching/quilting portion was done around all edges of the separate pieces, a Zig zag was used on the red striped which you can see, I did x on some of the squares. Basically each different fabric had a different design in terms of stitching. The Poinsettia's were all stitched around to make them pop a bit.

The year (whatever year it was), after making this quilt I made one for my 2 brothers and their families. My older brother always liked Norman Rockwell and I use a famous Rockwell Christmas print for the center of his quilt, though I didn't take a picture of it. Need to ask him to do so. My younger brother and his wife, love blue and Olde Time Village Christmas decorations so this is the one I made for them. I was able to photograph it as part of their traditional Christmas Decorations several years ago.

I always intended to make one for myself, but never quite got around to it. I do believe I still have fabric somewhere. Perhaps one day I'll find the fabric and make one for my DD. There are nice to display year after year. I'll now be able to do that with the one I made Mom and Dad.

**Since most who visit this blog are crafters (knitters, crocheters, quilters etc.), could I ask that you scroll back to the previous post. Would love some insight, thoughts etc. on repairing an antique afghan.**