Hi from a sunny spring Mt

Hi ya ladies!. Tis spring on the Mt and we are greening up here. The kowhai are not yet in flower, but it is good to see the end of winter!

If I had the energy I would be doing a snoopy dance, as I have finished, bound AND labelled and handed over DSDs scrappy hearts quilt! It looks great and she is delighted with it, never guessed that it was for her although she was aware I was working on this heart quilt.

So onto my mums project, at last. And my girlfriends baby quilt- this one I am trying not to buy anymore fabric, but use what Ive got, a bit of a challenge, since i am limiting myself to 4 key colours. Ah well, maybe i just have to go shopping....

I am moving in slow motion these days. I am on holiday for a week, and we are going to the beach for a few days. It is usually much warmer at the coast, and I have packed an applique tablecloth that I have made to finish the blanket stitching on the fused applique pieces. Think I am a needleturn girl more than this style, but it will need to survive lots of washing. Mind you is white as a background fabric such a good choice for a tablecloth with a 3yr old in the house? LOL.

I bought myself about 1/2m of 'happy fabric' the other week, a glorious spring piece with lime green, hot orange-yellow's and deep pinks. Just makes me feel good looking at it.

We are keeping on here. DH wore his artificial limb for a few hours , helping a friend out working on his car. He ended up with huge blisters all over the stump, so back on crutches for a few weeks. He is having real issues with getting mobile with the leg.

He is still not talking to DD1, which is causing more grief in the family. To be honest DH is probably depressed, and suffering from Post Traumatic stress disorder, which explains his lack of coping, but then he is not doing anything to help himself or the rest of the family either. Its a tough time, and there are days I don't feel up to the challenge. I have leased my horse out, and I just get busy on my quilts. My way of coping. At least its productive!

Thinking of you all often, Love and Hugs to all, Thea.

Block Butler

The following paragraph is a cut and paste of the quilty part of the post I just put on the chat page. I'd be interested to hear other folks' experiences with this product. I love the small one I have and it sticks to the wall for months and any blocks you put on it will do likewise. The first one of that size was defective though and had to be replaced. The owners of the business (I think it's a mom and pop affair) have been very gracious about that but it's getting old.

Tomorrow I will try to recover from having my grandson's laid out blocks all over the floor this morning when the block butler fell off the wall. The block butler lady told me on the phone to spritz it with water as it does not work well if it gets too dry. That's the last thing I will try before asking for a refund. I've already contacted the credit card people as the bill payment is due 10/19. It was much easier than it used to be. I simply took care of it on phone. Of course had to do the birth date, mother's maiden name etc. to convince them it was me and she told me to withhold the payment if the issue is not resolved by then. I still hope to resolve it as block butler is great if it works. So far I've had to have two of them replaced so their quality control stinks. At the frame Friday one of the gals said she had the same problem. If the moisture works I call her. Otherwise I'll get some cheap batting and simply tape it up there. Wish I'd done that in the first place. Flannel doesn't hold the blocks very long but I was advised (again at the frame) to use cheap batting. Sounds like a great idea and the price would be right.

Jane in NC

Sondra's Photo of "Mother Earth & Her Children"

BBer Sondra sent me this photo in a private email and she wrote: "In September, I made a trip to PA to visit friends and we went to the show in Harrisburg where this quilt won the "Best of Show". Being a more "traditional" quilter, I've been disappointed with all the picture quilts and metallics being used on quilts, etc., so when I saw this, it made the whole trip! Especially when the woman who made it was standing there, showing the original book from where she got her inspiration."

So Sondra not only got to see the quilt in all of its beauty she got to meet the woman who created it as well. What a delightful experience for Sondra!

Judy

"Mother Earth & Her Children"

The "best-of-show" quilt at the 2006 International Quilt Festival is not a quilt that any of us can recreate because I will flatly state that none of us have the skill, artistry and dedication it would take to make a masterpiece like the one made by Sieglinde Schoen Smith. However, we can buy the next best thing ... her art has been captured in the pages of a book designed for children.

The most recent issue of "Quilters Newsletter" (November, 2007, page 50) has an article about the book. QN interviewed Sieglinde and the article explains how the book came to be published. I plan to buy a copy as a Christmas gift for my granddaughters who are four and a half years old because I think they will be charmed by the story and by the incredibly delicate illustrations that go with the story. (I suspect that my DDIL could not sew on a button to save her life; my DS is competent with a sewing machine and so my DS does the clothing repairs in their family. DS will explain to his daughters about the hand stitching in the artwork in the book.)

Here's a link to the publisher's website: http://www.brecklingpress.com/mother_earth_info.htm

Judy

Quilty items on Ebay

I havelisted a few books,etc.on ebay at

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZlightning57

if you'd like to check them out.