The Red & White quilt...

   Crossing fingers this turns out like I see it in my head.  

~*~

Kar

My second favoritest quilt...

   
     Oh this quilt!  I can't tell you how much I love this quilt.  It will never be better than my first quilt, but it is pretty stinkin' awesome and right up there on the list in second place.

     This quilt came about accidentally.  It all started as a special gift for someone but as I finished off the first block, I just couldn't part with it.  All the digging in the scraps and seeing all the bits and pieces of previous projects and the meaning I had put into those pieces of fabric was just too much for me to part with.  I knew what every little scrappy piece had been used for.  Would the person I first intended to make this for know all the history that was going into this quilt?  No.  Fabric from my first pair of shorts I ever made myself (yes, twenty years ago), remnants of dresses I made the girls, fabric that looks identical to a shirt that my father-in-law had, bits and pieces leftover from the quilt I made my Mom, plus so much more.  I can look at each piece of fabric and tell you what it was used for the first time.

     This quilt has grabbed hold of us and hasn't let go.  It never will.  It's definitely a family quilt.  Especially since everyone put their suggestions in on the planning and creating process of it.  There were a lot of "ohs and ahs" going on around here during the entire making of this quilt.  Even a few squeals came out from time to time.  Everyone has a favorite block.  And no one can agree on a "name" for it.  But it is loved and that is all that matters.

     I used the "quilt as you go" method for this quilt.  The first time ever.  I came across it while browsing at the quilting books at the library and read more about it on the blog of the author.  To say I love this technique is an understatement.  I would have never tried quilting this quilt the way I did with the traditional one big huge piece under the machine.  I would have gone mad.  I went through a lot of thread with this method, but it was so worth it seeing how the quilt turned out in the end.  My own version of match stick quilting.  Love it!!!  It's so crinkly wrinkly.  I can't help but touch it every time I pass by it.

(One of my helpful quilt holders)

     With this quilt being about special fabrics, I couldn't help but use two fabrics for the backing that I fell in love with and had been hoarding away for a bit.  It doesn't match the front at all (which bothered other members of the family at first) but I didn't care.  It was all about using what I loved.  Even for the binding.  I probably broke all the rules of coordinating somewhere with this quilt.  But it doesn't matter.  Quilts are suppose to make you smile.  And this one does, just like my first one.

     I worked feverishly getting the binding sewn on just so the quilt could be finished.  I even had my special guy standing next to me as the last stitch in the binding was put in.  He grabbed the quilt and wrapped us both up in it.  First snuggles in this lovely creation.  How awesome is that.

     This quilt has meaning, memories and love all wrapped in it and that alone is so worth the time and effort put into this beautiful quilt.  I'm so glad that it's home is here with us.

~*~

Kar

Hot Summer days...

     Summer is flying by.  Faster than I could imagine.  It seems like just a few days ago we were still in the month of May just waiting for June to get here so Summer could start.  We were loving the days were the windows were open all day and all night.  Breezes passing through the house.  Perfect weather for everyone to enjoy and hoping that it would not end.

     Lists  were made of unending things to do in the next coming months.  I made a rule for this Summer that electronics (TV, computers, movies, video games, etc.) were only allowed for one hour a day (if I said it was okay) so that those lists of unending things to do would be accomplished.  So far there hasn't been a great rebellion over that rule and no one seems to be missing all those time sucking gadgets.  Someone has even completed their library reading goal early of 50 books during June and July.  I'm wondering if I can push my luck with this new rule and see how long we can keep it in place.

     I put a lot on my list of things to do also.  I was plugging away at things quite happily with outdoor activities (garden, yard, flowers, etc.) loving the beautiful weather we were having.  And then I went and rolled my ankle.  That was not on my list.  I wasn't having anything like this get in my way so I was back outside the next day trying to get things done with my trusty little helpers lugging things around the yard for me.  Things did not get done exactly how I originally wanted but I have learned to take a deep breath and go with the flow.  To tell the truth things turned out better than I thought they would even with my mishap.

     Then the beautiful weather came to a screeching halt and the awful heat settled in way to early and took hold. One day was great and fabulous.  The next was dreadful and suffocating.  We turned into nocturnal creatures immediately.  No one wanted to venture outside until after 9:30 at night.  But that has meant we have enjoyed some pretty spectacular sky views at the end of each day.  That we will not tire of.  But of course we are ready to be done with the heat.

The Chameleon cloud.

     There was one morning with a 4:30am wake up call just so we could get up in the hills and catch a beautiful sunrise.  All the colors, all the sounds of the day beginning.  So worth being tired for afterwards.

    There has even been time spent out at one of the local reservoirs to enjoy the cool morning and the freezing cold snow melt water.  50 degrees will wake you up and cool you off in no time.

    There were quite a few cool mornings that greeted us with our lovely balloons.  That we will never tire of.

     And with things being so hot and dry so early in the Summer we have been very lucky with only one big fire so far.  Crossing fingers that the luck will carry on.

     And during all of that a steady pace was kept with the work on the quilt.  More of that later.

~*~

Kar