Summer Dreams

I have a thing for these kind of stars.  Last week before leaving for retreat, I found this pattern in a magazine I had.  I was looking for something to do with my 30's material.  At the last minute I found the pattern I wanted. 

I love so many different kinds of quilts but I have a specail fondness for something like this because it makes me think of a quilt I had seen at my Grandmothers house when I was a child.  I am not sure where the quilt came from but it was double wedding ring and it was mostly white, with colors int he rings. 

The pattern is from Darlene Zimmerman and it is called Summer Dreams (McCalls 1999).  There was a lot of cutting at that is what I spent most of my retreat doing, cutting.  I finished about 15 blocks before the weekend was over.  I think our retreats need to be a day longer.

What does first mean?

What is my first quilt really?  That is a hard question to answer.  If my frist quilt means my first pieced top then that would have been one I did some twenty years ago.

If you asked me what is my first quilt, pieced, quilted and binding on.  Then it would be the squares one I did for my daughter.  Everything off in the seams and very simplistic quilting, 1/4 inch in.

If the first quilt is, pieced, quilted, after a class where I really found out what quilting is about- then this is the one. 

But really I consider this truly my second quilt.

I really wanted to name this quilt- sampler of mistakes.  There was quite a series of mistakes from beginning to end on this quilt.  It was my first class so my blocks are slightly less than perfect.  There was lots of pulling and stretching going on to make this work- hence some portions that were really difficult to quilt.

Even so, I am okay with it now.  I can be proud of the fact that I finished it.  If nothing else, I am very happy with that.

Medallion Challenge

So yesterday I went to the park with my family for a little Mothers Day fun.  I didn't pass up the opportunity to get some clicks of my quilt in the beautiful scenery.  SO bear with me while I have fun showing pics.

 

Two Wolves

A friend of mine emailed me this wise little story.  I wish I knew where it had originated, I am going to assume it truly is Cherokee.  I wanted to share it with you.  If you know its origins for sure I would love to know.

Two Wolves
 

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, “My son, The battle is between two ‘wolves’ inside us all. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope,
serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence,
empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”
 

The grandson thought about it for a minute
and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf wins?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

Medallion Challenge

Our Guild did a Round Robin of sorts.  We didn't pass it around and add pieces on.  Rather we were given an assignment each month for the next layer.  So the first was a 12.5 inch square - could be anything.  Then the next round and so and so froth until we had completed roughly a 44 inch square. I finished mine in record time.  In part because it was small but also because I was super excited about it.  Its ready to hang on the wall, tabs all sewed on and everything.

Casserole Carrier

Based on several examples on the internet- I made myself a casserole carrier.  Pretty easy peasy.  I cut a 22 by 22 inch square of two fabrics.  Along with a 22 by 22 piece of Insul Bright. Clipped equal triangles of the corners.  Turned in edges and top stitched. Made a strap and sewed it on.  Then made the little loops that went over the handle.  Done!