Our makeup January quilt guild meeting was scheduled for this morning. The meeting was cancelled on the regular date because of the snow/ice storm. I had the best of intentions of attending, but when I woke up this morning, my body said, "We're not ready to get up yet. We need 30 more minutes." Skipper agreed with my body parts so I dozed off. When I woke the second time, it was too late to even think about getting reading and driving the 20 miles. So here I am, not at guild.
However, as you can see in the above photo, I do have some quilt talk. Yesterday afternoon, my sisters, my niece India, and I gathered at sister Joanne's house for our first monthly Sisters Supper. Joanne had prepared a mouthwatering meal of roast pork, mashed potatoes, carrots, broccoli, apple pie, and maybe some more stuff I've forgotten.
We ate and talked and had a great afternoon. Joanne had laid out some quilts from her collection and invited us all to choose one. I chose the Hands All Around quilt in the photo above. My mama made it. She had a somewhat offbeat color sensibility, which shows up in this quilt.
Actually, I think Mama was quite color blind--not just red/green color blind, but totally couldn't tell one color from the next. That fact was made plain to me when I first showed her my blue-and-yellow "Gathering" quilt (the one in the blog banner above). She examined it and approved, then announced, "The pink block is my favorite." Now, I know you can't see the entire quilt in the blog banner, but trust me: there's no pink block in that quilt.
Added note about Mama's quilting: She did it all by hand--all the piecing, quilting, everything. She even sewed her borders on by hand.
Anyway I love the "Hands All Around" quilt. It's so Mama. Thank you, Jo, for giving it to me. I'll pass it on to one of my children when I move on. The vintage sewing basket sitting atop the quilt belonged to my husband Vann's grandmother. The family gave it to me when Granny passed away. Vann and I had just got married, but I had the opportunity to meet this dear lady and get to know her just a little. She was 97 when she passed.
Next month will be my turn to host our Sister Supper. I've already been making plans, and changing plans constantly, about what to serve. I'm looking forward to another family gathering.
February is going to be a very busy month for me, and that worries me a little. You know how my body often rebels at the slightest hint of activity. Well, Feb. is going to be a whirlwind of activity--all stuff I really want to do. I don't know how I let this happen. Just look at my schedule for February!!!
Feb. 7 Piecemakers Quilting Bee monthly meeting
Feb. 10-13 Quilting Retreat at Camp McDowell
Feb 14 Feb. monthly meeting of Bham Quilters Guild
Feb. 21 Andy's Birthday (no plans yet)
Feb. 18 Book Club at my house
Feb. 25-26 Women's Spiritual Renewal Conference at church
Feb. 27 Sisters Supper at my house
I think I'll move Sisters Supper to Feb. 20 and combine it with Andy's birthday, if nobody objects. That will cut the festivities by one at least.
Andy and I finished another quilt puzzle over the weekend. And I began decoupaging one of the ones I've finished. I think I have only two more to put together, then I can go to the next step in my secret project.
Someone--Barbara, I believed--asked where one might find Diane Phalen quilt puzzles. You can find them on her website and on several other puzzle sites online. (Just google "Diane Phalen puzzles" if you want more options.) The only place I've seen them offline was at quilt shops. Some carry them, some don't. Click on either of the links in this paragraph to take you to where you can order Diane's puzzles.
My friend Gene just phoned me. He's the friend who has just been diagnosed with brain tumors and is going into surgery tomorrow. The surgeon will have to remove half of his skull to do the operation because the tumors are in both hemispheres of his brain. He sounded great and he says he feels fine; I'm praying that is a sign that all will be well with this good man. I'm praying hard. And now I'm crying, so I have to go. God bless Gene.
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On 01/31/2011, Ruth said ...
Susan, I love your Mama's quilt, butI love quilts with lots of different colours together. Maybe I have an odd colour sense.
You'll have to schedule some rest days into your February calendar.
Your friend Gene and his Drs are in my prayers.
Ruth
On 01/31/2011, Sandra Neel Hutchins said ...
Good Morning!
This was an especially good post, I enjoyed it so much. Not only are you a wonderful writer, but a fantastic photographer as well. My mother-in-law made two of the "Hands All Around" quilts. I ended up with both of them, but I gave one of them to her oldest son. She, too, made quilts in whacky colors. I just don't "do" orange with pink or bright red, but that never stopped her! Her quilts are actually amazing. Mine are so much more tame and not as visually striking.
The lupus has shut down my sewing for the past week. I may be able to start assembly of my string quilt this week. A friend is dying of cancer and she has only weeks left. She has asked me to finish a "Grandmother's Flower Garden" after her death that she is not going to be able to finish. This will be the second "Grandmother's Flower Garden" quilt that I've done after someone's death. That is the main reason that I try to finish each of my quilts before moving on to the next one.
Enjoy February and all of your planned activities. I certainly understand how pain can slow one down.
We are due to get about a foot of snow over ice and sleet with wind chills thirty degrees below zero. ( I live in Oklahoma, not Wisconsin, but sometimes it's hard to tell the difference this winter!) The storm is to hit tomorrow. IF power stays on, I hope to be able to work a little on the string quilt this week. Sandy Gail
On 01/31/2011, Helen in Switzerland said ...
I'll be praying for Gene too... and for you because you care about what happens to him. Doctors are so clever today I'm sure that you can trust that they will do their best for Gene. Thinking of you!
On 01/31/2011, Sandra Neel Hutchins said ...
I also love your Diane Phalen puzzles being made into a special project! I love Diane Phalen's quilt paintings. I have several calender pages of hers that I took to Hobby Lobby and had matted and framed. They add so much to my rooms. Her quilt paintings are always such peaceful and "pieceful" scenes.
On 01/31/2011, Barbara Anne said ...
Sorry you couldn't go to guild today but your body will thank you for paying attention to the message it sent. Does your guild have a web site where you can still see the show and tell? My former guild in TX does and it's a treat to see the quilts.
Gene, his family, friends, and medical staff will be in my prayers, too.
I LOVE the Hands All Around and it was so generous and kind of Joanne to share these quilts with all of you at yesterday's 1st Ever Sister's Supper. The idea for y'all to do this every month is just wonderful. The foods will be great, but the conversation, laughs, and memories made will be best.
Thank you for the information on the Diane Phalen puzzles. The ones you've made are beautiful. I look forward to seeing what your sneaky plan is!
Hugs!
On 01/31/2011, Julie in WA said ...
What a tremendous blessing to have your sisters living nearby and to have great relationships with them! Treasure the times you spend together.
I have two sisters, my older sister is in heaven, and my younger sister is filled with angerand bitterness, and has chosen to stay out of touch. But the Lord gave me five fun sister-in-laws who live three hours away; they are always eager for a gathering!
On 01/31/2011, Judy Cloe said ...
So glad to hear you are going to the Camp McDowell quilt retreat. I have missed you the past several years. You did not miss too much at quilt guild today. Be glad you took a rest.
On 01/31/2011, Nancy said ...
I have a sewing basket exactly like that.. How old do you think it is? I got mine at an auction...
On 01/31/2011, Mama Pea said ...
Your Mama's color sense may have been "off," but that's what makes the quilt so lovely. I like it.
You and your friend, Gene, are in my thoughts. I am so sorry. This must be really scary for everyone involved. Hang in there.
Your February looks absolutely crazy! But it also looks like a lot of fun!
On 01/31/2011, Sandy said ...
I love your Mama's quilt and I love her sense of color! I think the quilts from that era are so pretty and colorful. Most of the quilts we make today look "planned" and I just love the "happenstance" that shows up in so many older quilts. It's like they made a whole bunch of blocks and just decided one day to put them all together and make a quilt. Voila!! My Mama has several of my great-grandmother's quilts and when I look at them I think to myself that I would never have put those colors together, but somehow it just works. Hope you're feeling better and we will all remember Gene and his family and friends in our prayers. Please keep us informed about him. Because you care, we care. Hugs to you today.
On 01/31/2011, Theanne Crossett said ...
Prayers for your friend Gene and for you...
Your Mom's quilt is beautiful (color blind or not), as is the sewing basket. You have a full calendar for the month of February...let your body be your guide to what gets done and not done. I like the first monthly Sister's Supper...I love to do puzzles but have never seen these with the quilts...I like the fact that you're making pictures? out of them...and not just taking them apart and putting them back in the box. Take care...Theanne
On 01/31/2011, Jen said ...
That is one gorgeous quilt! Sounds like you have a great month planned! Lots of fun! I'm thinking positive thoughts for your friend Gene. May he pull through healthy and happy.
On 02/01/2011, Beverly said ...
Susan, thank you for sharing your treasures and your sweet memories of your mother.
You do have a busy month ahead, and I will pray that it is a feel good month for you.
Your friend has been in my prayers.
On 02/01/2011, Diane W said ...
Sorry you missed your meeting. Love your mother's quilt, must be something extra special to have something passed on to you. I have a Sunbonnet Sue quilt that one of my aunts made by hand with cardboard templates. The top is all finished but she never quilted it. I am scared to machine quilt it and unsure of my hand quilting, so I have it neatly stored in my cedar chest.
On 02/01/2011, Barbara Anne said ...
Any word from Gene's family? I've been praying today but also wondered how he came through surgery. Hope all is well.
Hugs!
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