Corner blocks for Star Light Star Bright

Chain stitching... love.

I got myself in gear again this week to stay up to date on my Star Light Star Bright Quilt A Long.

I was emotional about losing a wonderful childhood friend this week so it was easy for me to lose myself in my sewing and stay at my machine.

Seeing the blocks come together this week made me really happy and Emma is ready for it to be done and on her bed. How am I going to convince her that it needs to be on display at the shop for awhile first?

Let there be corner blocks.

We (Rachel's Quilt Patch) will be have a display of all our local 'Star Light Star Bright' quilts on Bridge Day Staunton 2014... well that's the plan.

We are part of a group of businesses planning what will be a great 2nd Annual Bridge Day Staunton - (RE)connect to our local culture.

Till then I better make sure I stay up on my progress and get this quilt done in time!!

Emma asked "When will it be on my bed Mommy?

Catching up on my Quilt A Long

YES!! I have caught up on the Star Light Star Bright Quilt A Long!!
It's been a rough week, so I am just happy to have caught up.

Start Centers finally done. There are 3 of each arrangement.

Lined up!!

Machine ready...

DONE!!

Half Square Triangles

You use what you have sometimes...

I started on my half square triangles for the Star Light Star Bright Along... then life took over.

When you work for you Mom, in an industry you love, you get a lot of: 'You must sew all the time! And have such a great time in what you do every day.' I am coming to realize I don't start many large projects like this one because many time life and business gets in the way of what I start. I have to be more intentional about not putting it away and losing sight of what I started out to do. Thankfully with this project, I have the rally call of friends to make sure I complete it.

But for now, here's a few pictures of my progress and a few of the job that is taking up my time this week.  I really do love being able to provide a service for another downtown business that makes their exclusive t-shirts all the more special. They'll be ready and on the sales floor at Made; on Friday.

A Good Tool.

Cut & sewn correctly.

Question:
How do you figure out the value a good quilting tool?

Answer:
Mess up your cutting so bad you can't use it!


This is step 2 of the Star Light Star Bright Quilt A Long.
My flying geese took shape part Wing Clipper method, part traditional method, but not by choice. 

And look how pretty.

I have to begin by telling you, I am not known for sewing slowly or methodically. I like to race through things and this time I really paid for it.  I zoomed through my first set of flying geese and they turned out wonderfully. I love the Wing Clipper by Deb Tucker that we carry at the shop. It helps you make 4 perfect flying geese out of 5 squares of fabric.

The assuption is that you have cut the fabrics correctly. And that's where I goofed. I cut all my background squares 1" too small for the second round of flying geese. I noticed that they looked different, but I didn't stop to measure and I kept sewing. I knew it wasn't right when I trimmed them all, then started to press.

When it doesn't look right, it probably isn't.

Emma has been itching to take a walk up on the bridge and up onto the hill above the shop. It was a good time for a break, some fresh air, and refocus on the day.

When we got back, out came the seam ripper and with a little help from Mom, they were all 'unsewn'.

Sewing was slow and steady from that point on since I was now dealing with all bias edges where I needed to sew, I didn't need to be streatching the fabric too.

It took longer than I wanted it to, but they're all done now and ready for the next step. 

A bridge break with Emma can solve almost any problem.

Ready for the next step... finally!

New Energy = Renewed Energy

Briar Rose by Windham... and a couple blenders.

I have been in a funk.
For awhile.

I am grateful that I work in an industry that I love, with my mother and my daughter in a great town with a wonderfully supportive 'family' of small businesses.

I have to confess that some days it is challenging. And sometimes I let those challenges get to me and they bring me down and I lose focus of everything from the customer/friend walking through the door to the beautiful fabrics and new notions that usually bring me such joy.

I use tags to help me keep track of what I need to cut next.

Given all the things that bring me down and distract me,  I decided to (like some of my friends) to pick a word for the year to focus on each day.

I chose energy. Namely I want to focus on my own energy. What I bring to my own day and how that affects me, those around me, and the space around me. It didn't take long for me to sense a difference in my attitude.

My new focus on energy made me be open to a friend who encouraged me to participate in a Quilt A Long.

Cutting... DONE!!

What is a Quilt-A-Long you may ask? The best explanation I can give is that is it's like a mystery quilt, but you get to see what the end product may/will look like. There is a schedule so that you know when you need to have each step done and be ready for the next instruction. Not only does this give me a goal for when I need to complete my next step, it also gives me a community of quilters to keep me on track.

I selected the picnic blanket size and I picked fabrics I have always wanted to use, but needed a project that suited using bright and fun fabrics.

I will be posting my steps along the way and there is still to join in if you'd like. It's already been a lot of fun for me. 

Here's to new & renewed energy in 2014.

Fiesta - It's about the little things

I have always loved these colorful plates. My love for them started at Grandma Neff's house in East Petersburg, PA.  They were the family's daily plates going back to when my mother was a child.

I got my hands on some of my favorite pieces from her collection at the family sale years ago (thanks to the generous bidding of my parents).  I am honored to have a cobalt blue mixing bowl and a complete cobalt blue place setting along with a nice collection of dinner plates from her collection.

Last year I decided it was time to add some color to my daily living and received much of my new collection as Christmas gifts. I created a mix of color similar to my Grandmother's.  I love that it brings a smile to my face even when I am washing dishes.  The variety of color is refreshing to me. They are more durable than I expected and they are made in West Virginia. http://www.hlchina.com/

(OK... now I'm in trouble. In looking up their site to link to this blog, I have discovered pieces that I didn't know existed. Guess they'll go on this year's Christmas list.)

Looking back it strikes me that my Grandmother was a no nonsense, straight forward, no frills kind of woman, yet her daily plates highlighted her colorful side. A side that we only have truly come to appreciate in her passing this week.  It is yet another example of how she blessed me in the example of how she lived her life. Keep your eyes on the details because it really is about the little things.

Maternal Ties

4 Generations - Mom, Grandma Neff, Emma Rose & me

I have been fortunate. I have known all of my Great Grandparents and Grandparents on my Mother's side of the family. 

I remember each of them... their of oddities, mannerisms, and presence.  They each left a piece of them with me by showing me what was important to them.  Over time, as we said goodbye to each one, they each taught me about loss.  I am coming to realize that one of the blessings of knowing all of them is that I have been through the grieving process at different parts of my life.  At each passing I have grieved differently, because of who they were and who I was at the time. 

Great Grandparents Clyde & Emma Weaver and
Grandpa & Grandma Neff (standing right)

In the last 24hours I have come to reflect on the loss of my Grandparents.  Looking back I realize that I was sad at each passing and the weeks after each one's funeral. But I have also realized I grieved the women in my life more emotionally.  Other than Grandmother, I didn't necessarily spend more time with either Great Grandmothers, yet my heart strings are pulled a little harder as I remember Great Grandma Anna Neff, and Great Grandma Emma Weaver. 

Great Grandparents Harry & Anna Neff

And now Grand Mother Anna Mary Neff is fading.  I find myself wanting to do things that are very uncharacteristic of most of our relationship. I want to hug her and cuddle up next to her in her hospital bed or brush her hair. She is the one I was closest to, but most of our relationship was over shelling peas, reading good night stories when we stayed over, or watching her braid her hair in the morning to put up under her covering.  Over the last couple years Grandmother connected with Emma Rose, even reading to her enthusiastically at one visit in the last year.

Whatever comes in the next few weeks, I will find comfort in knowing that I am blessed that I can reflect on the the Grandparents who helped shape who I have become, and the memories of the women whom I'd admire and love most, as only a granddaughter can.