Skip to main content

off for the summer

About a year and a half ago a group of ladies decided we would make quilts for our church's graduating seniors. We started in March of 2010, and our goal was to have the one quilt finished by August. By August, we realized hand-quilting was not going to get the job done in time, especially when we took in to consideration we had FIVE graduates for 2011. So we kicked things into high gear, motivated each other when the task seemed unsurmountable, shared/learned new techniques, and thankfully all had panic moments ("what were we thinking this will NEVER get done") all at different times while finishing our one 2010 quilt by hand and machine quilting all the others. And somewhere along the way, I started to feel a little closer to the friends I already had. (Will I ever forget Mary Booth giving a cutting demonstration and throwing fabric over her shoulder ONTO MY FLOOR because that's what the quilter in her favorite quilting video does?)

Yesterday our church recognized the seniors. I think they thought they were getting Bibles (which they did, but as a private gift from Pastor Mike and Nancy due to no extra church funds), so they were quite surprised with their presents. My favorite part of the whole process (besides seeing their faces) was trying to figure out their personalities and favorite colors. Sometimes we just asked, but we also spent time observing dress patterns and photos from Facebook. I think we did okay in our color choices.

And before I post the pics, I shout-out to my husband. He put up with a lot from January until now (and yes, Hon, the dining room is finally being returned to its original state today), including typing things out for me Saturday night at 10:10pm so I could finish sewing the last part of Krista's quilt. Lord willing, after today, the next finished quilt that will be posted will be his. ;)


So today I return to the long overdue schedule of housework, ironing, gardening, and normal chores.

Comments

Jennifer said…
monica.....they are absolutely georgeous! I love them!! sorry i missed it
Lydia said…
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!!!! Y'all worked really hard and did an amazing job!
Becky said…
what an amazing gift for those seniors, Monica. I love how you customized each one for each senior! Beautiful!

Popular posts from this blog

things we do for love

Saturday we had a baby shower for Bobby's niece. As I was making the mints, Bobby asked what else was on the menu. After I recited off the litany of items, he responded with "No peanut butter?! This shower is for Hannah! What's she going to eat?" (Hannah has had stomach problems over the years and has been unable to tolerate many foods, but peanut butter has been her staple.) Despite my assurances that she would enjoy the foods we were having, he was adamant that I needed to make peanut butter & jelly sandwiches for the shower. Even though I protested that NOBODY took that to a shower, he persisted, and informed me I could make them dainty with my little cutter. And so I did. To my surprise all but 3 were eaten. Who'd a thunk it?

get your house in order

My grandmothers were very clean people. My mother thoroughly enjoys cleaning, though she doesn't quite hit the same level my grandmothers were on. I don't enjoy cleaning, but I do like things to be clean. I've almost given up on neatness. One thing that they all instilled in me is the crazy concept that your house must be in order before you go somewhere big - like a vacation or something. After all, you could die in a car crash or have to go to the hospital, and then people would go into your house and find it in a terrible mess. Who wants to be remembered by that? So up until this past year, I would sometimes be up almost all night not only trying to get things packed up, but also trying to totally clean house as well. Or should I say, make the house presentable? The Chinese had a horrible superstition that my mother and grandparents would have enjoyed. Spring Festival (the Chinese New Year based on the lunar calendar) required EVERYTHING to be cleaned top to

Wait...it's almost March?!?

 10 more months 'til Christmas. This last month has been an absolute blur. Cleaning at Mrs. Bryan's house, cleaning at our house, lots of thinking and brainstorming and rearranging, appointments upon appointments, sinus infection/allergies, Bobby's surgery, meeting with surgeon and finally agreeing to future outpatient surgery for me, ongoing updates from my parents, garden tilled and snow peas, potatoes and beets planted (and yes I left several rows empty between the potatoes and beets for something else to go later as a buffer), chickens are laying, we may have a broody hen..in FEBRUARY!!!, we have two roosters that need to disappear, lots of family have been in from out of town to assist with the sorting and cleaning at Mrs. Bryan's house, and somewhere in the midst of it all I've found time to pay bills and catch up on a few emails. While I no longer feel like our house is a disaster zone, it is still overwhelming. Years ago a friend posted a quote by Martin Lut