Happy Valentine's Day

What a great day! Are you planning to do something special for the love of your life? I'd like to hear your plans. Happy Valentine's Day, one and all.

These are not flowers I received, just a picture I found from a florist service. Aren't they gorgeous?

Love is about doing for others, not expecting something for yourself. Love is a choice. It's doing something to improve someone else's life without expecting anything in return. Think about that. Getting off the soapbox now.

~Joan, who is back among the living

Tiddly Winks, Part 3

Here is the last progress report for tonight...the Tiddly Winks quilt top with framing hourglass units on. I think I'll just make a piano key border of plaids for the last border. Might trim down the cream border before I put it on. I made it 3" narrower than it was intended to be as it is.

I'm down to very little of this black left, but I might put a tiny black border, then the piano key, then black binding. I'll have to do some math. I don't want any of these plaids left in the stash-ola. I think I'll be calling this Mad for Plaid from here on out (and on the label), but for now I'll stick with the original name, Tiddly Winks.

~Joan, who is hopefully off for 40 winks soon (still feeling like I have one foot in the grave)

It Was Meant To Be

It started out innocently enough, and with such good intentions. I was taking my 4 girls to the library this afternoon for an hour or so.

Oh, while we're out, I'll just stop by the Bernina store and get some solid white quilting thread to finish up a customer quilt. So, I bee-line right to the machine-quilting threads and pick out this spool. I take it to the register.



I have looked neither right nor left because, after all, I'm not there to SHOP or BROWSE--I'm on a mission. As I reach into my purse, my eyes are drawn to something lying on the counter...

I snatch up this magazine in utter shock and disbelief (can't you just read those emotions on my face...and they were still there when I got home--when I took this self-portrait!). I've been coveting, I mean admiring, a vintage quilt that Lucy and Kathie have pieced. I never saw the magazine in my usual haunts, so I figured it was not to be. Well, lo and behold...


Here's the quilt that has my attention. It's been on the back burner of my quilting plans since I first saw the picture on Kathie's blog. As they say, the rest is history. I want to make it in colors very close to the ones in the picture, so I'll have to wait for a trip to Mary Jo's, which should be in the next couple of weeks.

Isn't it beautiful? Isn't it gorgeous? Don't you want one??

Still basking in my good fortune...

~Joan

Tiddly Winks, Part 2

Now my new quilt top is up to 49" x 63". I'm debating about following the original pattern from here on out. There is applique on all 4 sides in the original pattern. I like applique in small amounts, so that seems perfect. But this quilt is all plaids and looks very masculine to me. I don't think I'm going to put applique on it. The applique on the pattern is a star in the center of two flowers.

I also want to use up the plaids that are in this top. It just wouldn't do to leave any in the stash. I'm wondering what to do. I'll finish the hourglass blocks and extend the border out at least that much. I have some ideas (don't I always?). Your input is appreciated.

~Joan

Another NEW Quilt? What in the World??

I know, I know. Some of you think I'm making up the thing about having 8 children and a husband to care for, I really DON'T sleep (that was for you, Marcie!), and I don't cook or clean.

While I was making up kits to sell on eBay today, I cut plaid squares for this quilt to make for my family. An hour or sew before supper time, I decided to pick out a cream, gold, and black and sew a few blocks. Well, it went so fast that I finished the original quilt center. I'm going to at least double it to make it usable by my now extra-tall children. This center is 35-1/2" x 49-1/2". I'll double it before adding borders.

This would be so nice for a man or boy. All plaids give it a real country look.

Maybe I'll just sew a few more blocks before bedtime, hee hee. I used a different black and cream, but here's the quilt kit...

Have a good night...

~Joan

Back in Business...

...eBay business that is! It's been quite a while since I listed anything on eBay. I have been cutting kits and snapping pictures this AM to prepare for listing some new patterns, quilt kits, and this lovely finished top...


This is my most popular kit. I made my 4th daughter a quilt from this pattern...so cute.



Better get back at it. There's still much more to do.

~Joan

Check the Obituary Page...

...and see if my name is there. I feel so horrible. I did nap for about an hour or more this AM. Now I'm up and tempted to complain non-stop.

This picture is a stencil I cut this AM. I am continuing the Baptist fans on my antique quilt. I've been hand marking them, and that's gone well. I've finished the edge where the fans start against the border, so I'd have to guess where to put them from this point on. I'm not up to all the guesswork, so I cut this stencil from a plastic file folder. Just drew the lines on with a Sharpie, then cut away a sliver with an exacto knife. Necessity is the mother of invention. I forgot that the fans are larger than a 90-degree area, but I just twist it around to finish the design. It works for now.

I realize some of you can't see the stencil because you're looking THROUGH it to see my fabric bookshelves in the back. Just refocus.

~Joan, who is off in search of hot beverages (ick) and some more vegging