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Saturday, October 22, 2011

Georgia Quilt Show

And my second machine-pieced (on my Featherweight) and  machine-quilted (on my old New Home machine) quilt was hanging in the show.  It is fun to have a quilt hang in a show, if you have not submitted an application for a show, I highly recommend it.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Let's go slow

This is what greeted me when I went back to my sewing room after taking a break.  Little Joey finally taking it slow.  At breakfast Jojo noticed the blood pressure cuff on the table.  He went into stalker mode, lined himself up with the circle of the cuff and dove head first into it.  His little head was all that made it into the blood pressure cuff.  I laughed my butt off.  He is so funny.
I decided he needed a collar especially for him (instead of Kitten's hand-me-downs).  He looks good in baby boy blue.
I will let him rest for now, but he is lying on Dad's Airplane Quilt.  The one that has been UFO for a couple of years.  I finally quilted it, and now I am getting the binding stitched down (when Joe lets me).  

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Storage unit clean up

A couple of years ago my middle son asked me if he could store a few things with me.  I don't exactly remember how we ended up with a storage unit, but we did.
Auto billed to my AmEx, of course.  I am sick of paying for it.  I asked my son if he can come get his stuff out, and he doesn't remember what is in there, so "Mom, just get rid of it" was the gist of his reply.
I was going to load it all in a truck and deliver it to Goodwill when one of my friends from work suggested I look through the boxes to be sure I wanted to give it all away.  Guess what we found?
Yup.  Two very worn and well loved quilts my mother, Linda Brannock, made.  I adore my friend for suggesting I look into the boxes. She will always be the one who rescued these quilts back into the family.
Backside of the star quilt.
My husband and I didn't get anything loaded into a truck, so I still have to figure out who to call to come get some of the big stuff.  I got so mad at my husband's lack of helpfulness that, when my cell phone rang with him calling me yet again, I got out of my car at a stoplight, installed said ringing phone in front of my tire, and, when the light changed, proceeded to run over said phone.  Really, some days you just can't take anymore of some people.  Just sayin'.  So today I ran errands, bought a bottle of wine and think I will just chill out on the sofa and watch the Georgia game.  Who are we playing? Georgia football never mattered much to me before; after a glass of wine it won't matter again (I am a true light-weight; read "cheap date").
Scooch over babies; mama needs a cuddle.
Maybe tomorrow we will go outside and enjoy the cool sunny weather.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Jackets of Many Colors

Straight Jacket from Asylum by Christopher Payne
Last week I was attempting to finish my Vintage 9-Patch (Lisa Bongean pattern), and my Bernina acted up, so I switched to my New Home sewing machine.  The result was this mess which took me a couple of days to pick out.
I had to walk away from my sewing room for a spell, so I went to the library and found this wonderful book:
These two, Helen and Scott Nearing, lived an amazing journey through life guided by good sense, moral conviction, determination and hard work.  I had to go buy a copy of the book because I want to savor it.
I also happen on Asylum by Christopher Payne.  His collection of amazing photographs of America's decaying state hospitals is accompanied by Oliver Sack's essay on the history of the system that created them.  
St. Joseph, Missouri  State Hospital (Kirkbride building) from Asylum by Christopher Payne.
I was amazed at the scope of state hospitals before litigation took away residents' right to livelihoods (most state hospitals were self-sustaining communities) and the self respect residents' may have been able to gain from meaningful contribution to the community in which they lived. 
From the book Asylum by Christopher Payne.
I had no idea straight jackets came in colors.  I find them beautiful lined up like this.  They may have been made by hospital seamstresses (residents) working in the hospital's sewing room.
Picture from the book Asylum by Christopher Payne.
After the reading break, I went back to my own private sewing room where I got a little help from my Joey.
"We" got the quilting done. 
(No animals were harmed in the creation of this quilt.)
The binding cut and sewn on.
In time to take to Spirited Quilters' on Tuesday night.
One UFO down!
We are so happy!