Eventide

There's value in having a deadline... Thanks, Thelma!

Betty and Eventide

I learned something about myself this last week.  My younger sister Sally and I had a 3~way call with Betty, our older sis, and then I called Betty back and had a LONG... 247 minutes... call with her, all on Tuesday. She was really "into" Pet Society on Facebook, (she had 8 pets!) and that day she taught me how to have my own pet, "Fred" and his "petling" kitty, "Honeybunch."

She had a lot of fun telling me what to do! LOL~ something she always loved was telling me what to do!....

Betty was in very poor health, and one of the topics during our call was what a terrible night she had gone through the night before, so when I hung up I told her to call me even if it was in the middle of the night. I live in Indiana and she was in Texas, so there was really nothing I could do to help, but I told her to call anyway, whatever the hour. I said, "And tomorrow, we'll set up "Fred's" new room."
She said, "Yes........ tomorrow." We said we loved each other and hung up.

The next morning I called her, but she didn't answer.  Later in the morning, Sally called me and asked if I had heard from Betty, because she hadn't answered the phone for Sally either. It totally could have been the case that Betty just didn't want to answer, so Sal and I just let it go... but a few hours later, Sally called me back and told me that Betty's son had called her and told her Betty had passed away in her bed the night before. She and I both sobbed, because really the three of us were so close.

Now here is the strangest thing to me. When I got this call from Sally I was in the process of assembling my Eventide blocks into a top. Rich was outside working in the yard, but when I hung up from talking to Sally I had the STRONGEST urge just to keep sewing. I argued with myself that I should go tell Rich the news, but, I SO wanted just to attach another block. I forced myself to tell him instead, but then, after he hugged me and held me and listened to my stories, I immediately went back down to the sewing room, which I guess is "my" spot in the house. I wandered around for a few minutes touching the fabric bundles and the machine, and the iron, etc.~ and then I just gave in to my impulse and sat down and sewed. I was literally sobbing and sewing at the same time. I was crying so much I couldn't see the needle and had to keep blinking and pushing the fabric through!  (I just didn't understand why it seemed so necessary for me to do that, but it made perfect sense to Rich. So maybe even though opposites attract, there may be deeper similarities between us that are not immediately apparent.)

I'm still processing all this stuff, but I found that such an odd reaction from myself. Overall, I realize that piecing quilt tops is not just something I do, it IS a part of me that I only found 2 years ago. And also I think it's so very appropriate that the quilt I was working on was named, "Eventide." I've always been a "name" person, and part of the reason I love Eventide is it's name, but who knew it would have anything to do, timing~wise, with Betty's Eventide.

All I can really say is, that it definitely helped me to put those blocks together on that afternoon. "Life is Beautiful" ~sometimes in the strangest of ways. And Eventide will always be "Betty's" quilt and very precious to me.

Well, it's a marathon... who knew?

My sister Betty died, the day before yesterday. She had been in poor health for years, and had experienced so much loss in the last year of her life... her husband Paul, and both of her beloved dogs, Molly and Lady.

We were prepared... but not really~ "today" is never supposed to be"the"day ~right?
When I finish "Eventide" it will be amazing... and so appropriately named. What a quilt for such a time as this!

Paula

Update on Eventide

I have proceeded along as quickly as I can on Eventide. It has been an interesting process. The worse I felt, the more minutes it took to complete a block, (and I timed this).... and now that I feel better, the blocks are going together more quickly, and look better, as well! This illness has been so informative for me, in so many ways! Special thanks to those who reached out to me in such a special way... and renewed my faith in the positive side of human nature when it seemed silly to believe in that!
Here is my progress so far, I have 8 Ohio Star Blocks still to complete,  and then the inner border and setting the top together. I think I will make it!
And~ I think~ that whenever I am not feeling well, I will reach for Eventide!

Quilts are love

I made this for my son because he asked me for a quilt! He said, "When are you going to make me a quilt? I would love to have a quilt by you."

LOL~ with a 25 year old son, it doesn't get much better than that!

I'm so proud of Ryan. Love him so much!!!!!

(This quilt was a bit harder to make than it looked, because of the offsetting rectangles.  Pretty, though. It looks great in Ryan's house!)

Ready to go

I got the Ohio Star blocks (for Eventide) pressed and now all that's left is to make them up into blocks! Choices, choices. Future post soon on progress...

Also, I'm making headway on "Snow Garden" the fourth on my journey through Blackbird Designs "Anniversaries of the Heart" series. When I finish (!!!!!) it, I'll post.

Inspiration for my life.

"I shall shape my future. Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man's doing but my own. I am the force; I can clear any obstacle before me. Or I can be lost in the maze. My choice. My responsibility. Win or lose, only I hold the key to my destiny." - Og Mandino

Rosettes

This quilt was difficult for me. My daughter asked for a Double Wedding Ring quilt and I tried to avoid templates and curves, by piecing this one. I made one block at a time, interspersed with more forgiving projects, all year long... and never gave up! (Special thanks to Stephanie for encouragement!)

This is a good example of a quilt that was not too enjoyable to make, for me, but is lovely to snuggle under.
I still owe my daughter her Double Wedding Ring quilt... when this one was finished I couldn't give it away!

It's a Fig Tree Quilt Pattern, made with a Patisserie layer cake.

Oh, BTW and if you decide to make a layer cake quilt, make it immediately, (while the fabric is still in stock somewhere) or don't make ANY mistakes!

Eventide Progress

It's been a long week around here. I was diagnosed with pneumonia on Wednesday, which stopped my forward progress on Eventide, quite effectively!
But I do have SOME progress to report... I've completed all the large quarter triangle squares for the big background stars, and sewed all the Ohio Star block quarter triangle squares. I still need to make the final cut on most of them, and press them.
Then the next step is to make the Ohio star blocks by adding 3 1/2 inch squares, etc.

Maybe next week I'll have some real progress to report! I hope so!

Paula

Anniversaries of the Heart

This is a very cool series of patterns by Alma and Barb of Blackbird Designs. I cross stitch as well as quilt~ when I find a truly inspiring project. This project will take some time... 12 monthly patterns which can be personalized as I desire, with two bonus patterns to round out the group.

I'm stitching it on 30 count Mocha linen, here is my progress so far...

The first block I finished ( and which inspired me to create this project) was "Swan Lake" which is the July block, and is in the center of the project. I always start in the center. It is dedicated to my husband Richard, who tells me he is my "swan"~~~ swans mate for life.

The second block finished was the bonus block which was included with the Swan Lake pattern. In the project it sits directly above Swan Lake so I proceeded right along to it.

I've almost finished the 3rd block, "Valentine Rose," which is dedicated to my father in law. You can see it on the left of the bonus pattern in the picture which shows my current progress. Well, progress is always changing! I will post it, and update on my Eventide progress, tomorrow.