Block Lotto stars and family

I am sorry I haven't posted for such a long time. I haven't been doing as much quilting as usual, but I'm planning to get back into the swing of things in the coming weeks.

 At left are 4 stars I made for the block lotto drawing this month. Aren't they great? I'd never think to make scrappy stars with a red background, but I think they really look sharp, and will make a fun quilt. That's why I love the Block Lotto; our fearless leader Sophie always comes up with block patterns I wish I'd thought of myself.















The main reason I haven't been sewing much lately is that my father died at the end of July. He's been suffering with Alzheimer's for about 8 years, but recently started to have problems with his balance and died about a week after a fall in which he broke his hip. He's with my mom in this photo---she's still doing great, but of course we all miss him very much.

The photo below is of my husband's extended family, who gathered over the weekend for a family reunion. I like every single one of them, so it was a lot of fun. I'm the one smack in the center of the photo in the back with the glasses on. The really good looking ones in the front row are my nephews and their significant others.

Vespa table runner

My sister bought me three small pieces of Japanese fabric in San Francisco when she was there on a recent trip, and I wanted to make something with at least one of them before she came to my house for a visit this weekend.  I went to the local quilt store--- Quilter's Attic----to look for ideas and found a table runner pattern on sale. Doesn't the end result look cute on my kitchen table?

I've always had a thing for Vespas (maybe it was that semester of college I spent in Italy?) so I was really happy to get this fabric, even it was only a small piece.  Here's a close-up of the pattern....and the best thing is that my Vespa looks a lot like this one, cream colored with a dark seat. ;-)
Aren't sisters the best?

A quick quilt for my Dad

I used my block lotto winnings to make this lap quilt for my dear father, who unfortunately has Alzheimer's and lives in an assisted living facility in New Jersey. I gave the quilt to him yesterday when I went to visit. I'm not sure that he understood that I'd made it (with a lot of help from the Block Lotto quilters) or even that the quilt was his to keep, but I hope that one in awhile when he sees it he'll know it was made for him with love.

Velda Newman at the Shelburne Museum

I snuck a few hours for myself at the Shelburne Museum while I was in Vermont for my oldest son's college graduation last weekend (hurrah!) and saw this fantastic exhibit of quilts by the California-based quilt-artist Velda Newman. Until then, I was not familiar with her work, but I'm a huge fan: the exhibit was really memorable. Here's the blurb about her from the museum's website:

"An internationally recognized contemporary textile artist, Velda Newman’s award-winning  quilts have a three-dimensional quality to them. The Californian artist works in vivid colors and close-up detail of her subjects – shells, flowers, fruit are a few examples – creating stunning works of textile art.

Many of the works are on loan from the artist’s private collection."

It was a little tricky to get good photos in the exhibition space, but here's what I was able to come up with:

The quilt to the left is called Hydrangea.

This one is called Catch of the Day, and was made for the owners of a restaurant. The name of the restaurant is embroidered in the cream-colored background of the quilt near the top.

This quilt, called Wings, looked better in person than in my photo. I loved the butterfly's wing hanging below the edge of the quilt.
                                                                                                                                                                                       

Bass: In Your Dreams, was made from a combination of fabric and paint. Again, the end result was really stunning in person.

Great Bumpersticker

Letter from a friend

This letter really touched me, and I'm sharing it with permission (although I'm leaving off my friend's name). The reason I thought my blog readers might like to read it is that it seems rare for a quilter to learn how a quilt they make for someone is actually used, and if it really means anything to them. We all send quilts off here, there, and everywhere and usually get a quick "thanks" but it's rare to get a note like this one:

"This morning I was changing my bed sheets and smoothing out the blankets and the quilt. And as I ran my hands over the quilt I was thinking about how much I love it. And then the Third Street apartment popped into my head and I remember those horrible days and nights after my husband left and how that quilt was at the bottom of my bed and it brought me so much comfort because I thought of you and all the support you have given me over the years and I thought of Nova Scotia. And I was thinking that that quilt is the one item that I strongly identify with Third Street that transferred back to Fourth Street and held, throughout, its good karma. And I thought about how much I loved it and how amazing it was that you made it for me. I feel like the quilt took care of me. I feel like it is a security blanket.
Thank you."

I've been smiling ever since I received it!
Ginny

Mini-quilt Swap

I received this terrific little quilt today from my secret partner in the Quilting Blogger's Spring mini-quilt swap:

Isn't it great? It was made by Heather Ferris, a quilter and blues singer from British Columbia.
She also included a copy of a CD her family band recorded---Ties That Bind---that's excellent. I know my DH, who's a bluegrass fan, is going to be very happy to hear it.








Here's a photo of the back of the quilt:

Instead of the usual label, Heather added a tiny pocket with a Velcro closure that contained a tiny card inscribed with our names. How cute is that? I love it!