FInally Got My Groove On

I spent most of last week just thinking and not so much working. Thus the absence from blogging. But this week, I hit the ground running. Well, not so much running as crawling, but I have managed to make some decisions and get a little work done.

I spent Monday with sister Ramey at the country cemetery where many of my family members are resting. Ramey wanted to do some repair work on one of the ancient tombstones that had suffered some damaged. We also spruced up a bit. There appeared to have been some wind that jumbled a lot of the floral offerings from Decoration Day. I don't know if we got everything back where it belonged, but at least it all looked better.

Yesterday was devoted to cleaning my refrigerator, a job I put off for as long as I could. It's spiffy clean now, though. I hope I don't have to do that again for a while. It put me on the couch for the afternoon and evening.

And today, after much thinking on my quilting projects, I made it to the sewing room. I made these little girl blocks sometime last year, I believe, with the thought in mind of making a large quilt with a picket fence and large school house in the center. But after making twelve of the girl blocks, I lost interest in the large quilt and put the blocks away. During the process of think on quilting projects last week I remembered the blocks as well as a jelly roll of 1 1/2" strips that a friend sent me in a care package just after Vann died. I have used everything from the package except that jelly roll. And it came to me that those strips would make perfect sashing for my little girl blocks. That's what I've been working on today. It will now be a wall hanging instead of a large quilt. I think I'll call it "Girl Power." Or maybe "Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice."

Thank you all who gave me ideas for bordering the Stacked Animals quilt. After measuring and thinking and pondering and more measuring, I've decided that a border just isn't going to work. It's already too big to hang over the mantel, unless I want to hang it from the ceiling, which I don't want to do. So no border, and it will probably hang in the foyer. I'm now on the lookout for an idea for a hanging to go over the mantel--that will fit.

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On 05/27/2021, Barbara Anne said ...

Love your little girl blocks and applaud your idea to use the jelly roll fabrics as their sashing. It will be so cute when all together!

May I suggest when you find the ideal size quilt to go over your mantel, you plan to make a few seasonal and holiday quilts just that same size so you can swap quilts from time to time through the year?

As always, you have my sympathy for the fatigue and discomfort you endure. Me, too, and it's the most annoying bother (as you know).

Put Vidalian onions and blueberries s on your grocery list! "Tis the season. :)

Big hugs!

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On 06/04/2021, Wendy Schwerin said ...

Love the "dollies." Always enjoy your book reviews and I can recommend "Raft of Stars" by Graff...great start to a summer reading list!

Cheers!
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Secret No More

The top would have been completely finished today if I could have decided whether or not to add a border--but I couldn't. From the beginning, I was planning to add a border of quilt blocks--repeating either the Friendship Star or the Variable Star or both. But after I finished the top, I decided I didn't really want it to be any bigger (it's 38" x 42", if I remember correctly). Now I'm wondering if some really decorative quilting in the white spaces and a red binding might suffice. But I really like the idea of a border of those stars.

What do you guys think?

I have a very small collection (three figures) of stacked animal statues. My plan, when the quilt is finished, is to hang it above the mantel and arrange the statues on the mantel underneath.

This one came from the thrift store.

I brought this one home from sister Joanne's house after she passed away last year.

And I really don't remember where this one came from.

I'm thinking now that if the quilt block borders make this piece too long to hang above the mantel, which I think it will, I could change the plan and hang it in the foyer above the table there and put the stacked animal statues on the table. Decisions, decisions.

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On 05/14/2021, Nancy said ...

I think where you plan to hang it should determine the border. But of course the border of stars would really elevate it more of finished look.

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On 05/14/2021, Nancy said ...

Love your choice of fabrics! Great summer quilt.

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On 05/16/2021, Kathy said ...

A border would really finish your wall hanging. It is too cute!

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On 05/17/2021, Judy Cloe said ...

Decide where you want to hang it, either the foyer or the mantle. Your decision should be based on that. I love your collection of statues. That is a perfect quilt to showcase them. Personally I would go for the mantle as I could see them more often.

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On 05/17/2021, Barbara Anne said ...

Love the quilt and I agree a border of friendship stars or evening stars would be perfect! Your collection of stacked animals will be right at home on the mantel or table under the quilt. If you really want it too go over the mantel, I suggest a more simple and smaller border for the quilt I'll send you a photo or two of simple borders you can consider.

sorry to be last to this party but I've been busy and that Tabby Cat puzzle is taking lots of my attention.

Hugs!
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Oooo, Oooo, Witchy Woman

I was a senior in high school when I became aware of the witch panic in 17th Century New England. That year, I researched the phenomenon and wrote my English term paper on the subject. Since then, I have been obsessed with that time and place in American history.

Chris Bohjalian's novel Hour of the Witch shows just how dangerous it was to be a woman in the "New World" in the sixteen hundreds. Women had few choices: marry or become a burden. That was about it. A husband had complete control over his wife. He was, in effect, not her partner but her master. The patriarchs that ran the country mixed their own cruel and demented interpretations of Christianity with their harsh form of government to make me wonder why anybody would want to risk the long and dangerous Atlantic crossing to become a resident of this wild continent.

The main character in this book, 24-year-old Mary Deerfield, has been married to her violent 45-year-old husband Thomas for five years. Mary has failed to give Thomas any children. That right there is enough to cast suspicions upon the young woman. A barren woman in that day and place was less valuable than the livestock. In the Deerfield household at least, she was good for nothing much but making sure her husband is fed and serving as his punching bag when he needs an outlet for his emotions. Over the years, Mary has become quite familiar with the feel of Thomas's fist slamming into her face.

When Thomas comes home drunk (as usual) one night and stabs a three-pronged fork (the devil's tines) into Mary's hand, she decides she can take no more. She petitioned the all-male, Bible-based court for divorce. Divorce was rare in 17-century Massachusetts, but it did happen. A husband was never to strike his wife--except,  of course, when she "provoked" him.

Because some of you might want to read this book, I'll go no further with spoilers. It's a little over 400 pages, but I read it in a couple of sittings. My emotions ranged from anger to disgust to horror to sadness to joy. Some of the same feelings that I have today, seeing evidence that there are those in this land who would gladly return to a form of government where only the elite male christian (note: a self-serving, purely fictional form of christianity) population is qualified to make the rules and enforce them.

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On 05/09/2021, Nicole Reed said ...

I just ordered this one too!

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On 05/09/2021, Barbara Anne said ...

I remember the song but think I'll skip the book. You and Nicole can discuss it amongst yourselves and I'll sit it out. :)

Hugs!

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On 05/10/2021, Sue, a Florida Farm Girl said ...

I'll pass on the book but I know what you mean and its frightening.
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Visiting

Yesterday I drug my aching self off the couch and went with sister Ramey to the country cemetery where much of our family are laid to rest. It was a beautiful day, and we found the place to be well cared for by the good folks who do that job, some of whom are also part of our family.

Ramey delivering flowers to sister Joanne and nephew Jack.

Mama and Daddy got some poseys too.

We were the only ones at the cemetery most of the time. But just as we were about to leave, a car drove up with two women inside. They immediately struck up a conversation. Turns out, one of them was a cousin and the other was a friend of the family. Small world--at least in these parts.

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On 05/09/2021, Barbara Anne said ...

Sweet memories of the dearly departed.

Big hugs!
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