Keeping the Tradition Alive

Here's a little girl

after my own heart!

This 5 year old granddaughter of a quilty, non-blogging friend of mine

 "could barely reach the pedal".

My friend writes,

"(she) wanted to learn how to sew, so she spent 3 nights with us last week.  She made an art apron with slots for markers, glue, scissors, tape, etc.  I drew lines and she did a lot of the sewing.  She was a quick study----needle down, pressure foot down, press locking stitch button, and step on the peddle.  I thought she'd lose interest after awhile, but she stuck with it.  Even ironed the seams as we sewed.  I did the gathering and the waistband for her.  Then she wanted to make one for her best buddy, Gavin, when he comes over to play school with her.  We made his like a Home Depot tool belt with no gathering.  She was so excited."

Proudly modeling the finished product!

She captured my heart a few years ago

with this picture.

My, how she's grown.

What's not to love?

Enjoy your day!

~karen

On the Road Again

It's been a wonderful couple of weeks.

The weather has been cooperative

and we took advantage once again to travel,

this time to the northermost coast of Cape Breton

to paddle this

as well as do a little sightseeing.

Plus, there has been plenty of yard work to do

and small home improvement projects,

altho' I have managed to get in a little sewing time.

I set up this small table topper as my 'to go project'

for our northern adventure

because the hexie quilt I've been working on

is getting too big to be a 'to go project' now.

This is only as much as I accomplished

due to the many distractions.

***

When my young friend in Houston announced  

that she was adding a son to her family in October, 

and was decorating his room with a nautical theme,

I began making his quilt

inspired by THIS post from Melissa

at Cornbread and Beans Quilting.

I just need to square it up and put on the binding.

And I finally finished Patty's 60th birthday quilt.

I'd appliqued these blocks while sitting with an elderly neighbor 

of my daughter's three winters ago, so her husband could go bowling 

a couple of days a week with his buds and take a well deserved break.

Only my second FMQ attempt, I was very pleased with the results,

although it isn't exactly perfect! 

(This quilt is living proof that I eventually DO finish what I start.

Little Sister, who's been waiting 6 years for her 

25th anniversary signature quilt,

will be glad to hear that!!)

That just leaves the label,

which is under construction.

It dawned a windy, wet, cool day today -

so there will be lots of quilty pleasure in my forecast!

Hope you have as much fun,

however you choose to spend your day!

~karen