Virtual Retreat Aug thru Dec 2015 Info on first post

[Catherine S.]

Dawn, congratulations on your BOS wins.
I wish every quilt shop had a sporting goods store next door. Wait, he can't spend money! That means less for me to spend in the quilt shop. Since he is the one still working, I guess I will be nice and share with him. (Just a little though)

[Deborah W.]

Jdeluka your monsters are looing fabulous. Sometimes it's worth un-doing stuff.
Can't wait to taste Swedish fish Lois and Rosemary's Scottish sweeties.
Debbie where are the fires? We haven't heard anything about them this side of the Atlantic.
Marianne

[hide]fires are really bad in Washington as well as Oregon and Montana, British Columbia and northern Alberta [/hide]

[Sherry B.]

LOL Lorra

[Pamela N.]

Dawn congratulations on you wonderful BOS win, which didn't surprise me as your work is simply beautiful! I can't wait to see your next project. I'm still at the back of the room at the retreat FMQing the TQS 2014 BOM - I'm so slow. I prefer hand quilting and usually rush machine quilting, however I decided that I wanted to take my time and enjoy the machine quilting on this quilt and it's looking really nice . Last week I had an error message on my Bernina 550 - the computer needed a service and the engineer was on holiday. The shop where I buy my sewing machines :blush: and supplies, loaned me a Bernina 350 until my machine could be serviced (it's a lovely shop that really values their customers), I really like the 350, it's small and neat, but nice, so I bought one today. My bigger Bernina will be ready tomorrow. I had a lovely day. Dawn what flavour are the Swedish Fish? We don't have them in Scotland
Best Wishes Pam

[Pamela N.]

Finally cooler weather here in SoCal, nice to be in double instead of triple digit temps. We had a fun visit over the weekend with friends on Catalina Island.

Marianne - Love your digitized embroidery looking forward to seeing your next step in the process.
Dawn - Congratulations re two wins! Love the Geisha.
Jdeluka - I too like the face changes you've made on the Halloween top.
Rosemary - Scottish treats sound like a fine idea!
Can't remember all who mentioned Swedish Fish, I'll have to give them a try sometime.
Carol - Fun to hear you've had a chance for some mindless quilting.
Debbie - We've recently returned from British Columbia, WA, OR and CA east side of the Cascades and Sierra Mountain range terrible fires and smoke the entire trip.

Barb

[Deborah W.]

Finally cooler weather here in SoCal, nice to be in double instead of triple digit temps. We had a fun visit over the weekend with friends on Catalina Island.

Marianne - Love your digitized embroidery looking forward to seeing your next step in the process.
Dawn - Congratulations re two wins! Love the Geisha.
Jdeluka - I too like the face changes you've made on the Halloween top.
Rosemary - Scottish treats sound like a fine idea!
Can't remember all who mentioned Swedish Fish, I'll have to give them a try sometime.
Carol - Fun to hear you've had a chance for some mindless quilting.
Debbie - We've recently returned from British Columbia, WA, OR and CA east side of the Cascades and Sierra Mountain range terrible fires and smoke the entire trip.

Barb

[hide]Barb...too bad your trip was in the midst of such a bad fire season. i live fairly close to Banff national park and visitors were disappointed that smoke obscured the mountains. my heart goes out to all in the danger zone.[/hide]

[Deborah W.]

Debbie - We've never seen as many fires as this year. Sure hope things settle down soon. Too bad about the views near Banff its such a beautiful area.

Barb

[Jennifer D.]

Feeling a little nostalgic tonight...
I pulled a quilt out of my closet - one I haven't looked at for years as it was being kept safe for me in my parent's home through my many moves in college, medical school, residency, and early marriage. We're finally in our permanent home and my mother brought it to me almost a year ago. It was carefully wrapped to keep the dust off of it and placed on the top shelf of our closet to keep it away from the kids and the pets. It had been gone for so long, I forgot mom had returned it to me. What made me think of it tonight I'll never know.

More than 15 years ago my grandmother passed away. When I was little she taught me to sew - embroidery and cross stitch. She loved to work on cross stitch in the evenings and was always so patient with me (although I do like to tease that she gave up in disgust when trying to teach me to crochet). She would cross stitch quilt blocks and a neighbor down the street (I never knew who) quilted the blocks for her. There were two beautiful quilts adorning the two spare beds in her home. One large one in reds greens and golds, and another smaller one on the "kids bed" in purples and pinks. These quilts were finished before my memory kicks in, and may have even been finished before I was born. After my grandmother passed my aunt (grandma's daughter-in-law who married the oldest son) chose the larger quilt. My aunt and cousin (grandma's only daughter) received the smaller quilt. I requested her sewing basket and was surprised to find several completed blocks of various patterns and colors that had never been pieced together (perhaps the neighbor had passed away before the quilt could be completed or perhaps grandma didn't want another quilt as the beds were covered already...we will never know). While searching the attic a third quilt was found wrapped up (believe it or not) in a simple black garbage bag to keep the dust off. We didn't know the quilt existed! This one became mine. Not knowing what shape the quilt would be in after an unknown number of years in a plastic bag in a poorly ventilated attic we did not have high hopes of it's quality. I insisted that I wanted it regardless of it's quality and I was happy to allow the other quilts to be given to other family members as i was the "crafty one" in the family and I had hopes that I could learn how to piece the finished blocks together and make a quilt of my own should the mystery quilt be unusable. A busy, emotional day followed and we did not bother opening the quilt until later that night after we had returned home and showered. My father and I opened the black bag prepared for the worst...and a white backed quilt appeared. The quilt was quite large, made to have a "full drop" as grandma called it on a queen sized bed...and it looked....pristine. There were 42 detailed cross stitched blocks that came together to form a circular pattern at the corners and featured a central medallion. The quilt was hand stitched and well done. My jaw dropped. There were only a few small brown drops on the quilt (smaller than the head of an eraser) where some liquid or blood had stained a corner. I immediately called my aunt (my grandmother's only daughter) and insisted she keep the quilt herself, but she declined saying that she was thrilled we had made such a find and honored that I received the gift as I inherited grandma's love of thread and hand work. Tonight I wrapped up in that quilt and inhailed the lingering scent of her old home and smiled recalling those precious moments spent with needle and thread together.

Grandma did not stop teaching me...Those unfinished quilt blocks were my inspiration to learn how to quilt. A journey I started more than 10 years ago and one that has no end in sight. Those quilt blocks have not been finished yet - I'm still waiting for inspiration to hit and show me how to proceed...but I like to think that she's laughing at and with me as her UFOs have been added to my own pile.

Than you for letting me share tonight and for being a source of encouragement and inspiration. After a rough week in the office the comfort of cloth and fabric never fails to sooth my soul. And yes...I've taken pictures of the quilt tonight and several of the quilt blocks to share with you. :-) but unfortunately my iPad won't cooperate and upload the pics so I will post them when I turn on my computer

[Jennifer D.]

OK girls, I've tried 5 times and the images won't load. Seems like they are doing something to the website tonight. Will try to add pics tomorrow... :-(

[wendy w.]

What a fabulous story.

[Pamela N.]

What a wonderful story Jdeluka, it uplifted and touched my soul
Pam

[Lois B.]

Thank you, Jdeluka. What a wonderful memory not to mention the actual treasured quilt that goes with it.

[Nancy R.]

Very touching story! I look forward to seeing your pictures.

[ANNE E.]

Jdeluka, The story of your Grandmother brought tears to my eyes.
Looking forward to seeing the photo's.
Happy days and happy memories
Anne

[Catherine S.]

Jdeluka, what a treasure you have. Both the quilt and the wonderful memories of your Grandmother. I am sure she is so proud of you and you will feel her hug every time you wrap the quilt around you.